Rusti

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Rusti et sentix idem nascitur ubique in campis et sepibus secundum librum antiquum de simplici medicina.


Apparatus:

Rusti B f | Rusti or Rusci e | Rhusti AC

Ms. f after Rusti et sentix skips a line and goes to the next entry omitting the first two words: R(h)usin Plinius and continues capi. de alopecia …. Cf. next entry Rhusin

{sepibus} & add. AC


Translation:

Rusti and sentix mean the same. The plant grows everywhere in fields and hedges according to an ancient book on simples medicine.


Commentary and botanical identification:

It is most likely that Simon is here thinking of the Herbarius of Ps.-Apuleius. In chapter 88, ed. Howald (1927: 158) HERBA RUBUS {"blackberry"} [[1]], Howald & Sigerist, the editors, note that in some mss. rubus is written: erustum and rustum, also eruscum and ruscum. Interference from ruscus {"butcher's broom"} and eruca is possible. This points to an early misreading of rubus as rustus, of which Simon uses the genitival form rusti, somewhat graecified by witnesses A and C into Rhusti. In fact, the first line of the Ps.-Apuleian text starts with a genitival form: Herbae rubi {v.l. erusci} teneri cimas, sucus expressus, … "of the herb rubus, when tender, {take} the juice and press it out …"

At the end of the fore-mentioned chapter in the Herbarius a list of synonyms is offered: Nomina herbae, where it says: A Graecis dicitur batos Idaea, ..., Itali sentix, alii rubus, ... - "It is called batos Idaea by the Greeks; ..., the Italics call it sentix, some of them say rubus, ..."

Some doubt must remain whether this is Simon's actual source because the plant's preferred habitat is described by Simon as nascitur ubique in campis et sepibus – "it grows everywhere in fields and hedges", but this contrast somewhat with the description in Ps.-Apuleius where in an interpolation from Dioscorides it is said: nascitur sub arboribus umbrosis – "it grows under shady trees".

Wilf Gunther 19/03/2014


See also: Rubus, Sentix, Batus


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