AMPRAW CONFERENCE 2015- UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAMPLANTS WHICH CURE IN ANCIENT CYPRIOT MEDICINE: ORTHODOX ANCIENT MEDICINE OR MAGIC?

MALAPANI N. ATHINA, Ph. D. Candidate, Co-Tutelle with SORBONNE – PARIS IV

INTRODUCTION

ORTHODOXY: DEFINITIONThe quality or character of being orthodox; the belief in or agreement with what is or is currently held to be right.

MAGICFraudulentissima atrium, ars or scemtentia ~ Combination of medicine, religion and astrology.

AIM OF THE PAPER

Orthodoxy – Rationality in Ancient Medicine: Medical Practices and Pharmacology.

How was rational and irrational defined and understood in Antiquity?

Names of certain plants referred in Ancient Medicine of Cyprus as magical.

Connections between magic on the one side, medicine and pharmacology on the other side.

SOURCES OF MEDICINE & MAGIC IN ANTIQUITY (1)

Pliny the Elder, Historia Naturalis Developed magic practices, beliefs and rituals in ancient Egypt:

Plants as antidotes and domination of the idea that gods send illnesses to people as a kind of punishment ~ Connection between religion, ethics of the era and magic ~ Changings of attitude in Ptolemaic Period thanks to the influence of Greek doctors and medical writers and the foundation of medical schools.

Babylonian medicine characterized with rationality: letters from Mari and the text of Bogazkoy.

ANCIENT SOURCES OF MEDIVINE AND MAGIC (2)

Theophrastus, Inquiry of Plants

Dioscurides, De Materia Medicahttp://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=13619

MAGIC AND MEDICINE IN GREEK SOURCES

Connection between magic and drugs. Definitions of drug (double meaning): Substances with medical properties, which can cure from many illnesses. The first raw material used for their manufacturing were the plants and herbs or substances of animal origin or minerals (such as cooper, which was very frequently found and used in the island of Cyprus and has brought it Latin name from it (aes Cuprium/ cuprum). Substances which can provoke damages to a person’s health or even death. Religion, Dreams and Dreaming, Magic and Treatment.

MAP OF CYPRUS

MEDICINE OF CYPRUS

Cyrpiot or considered as Cypriot doctors or medical writersApollodore Citieus, Apollonius Citieus, Diagoras, Aristocrates, Apollonides Cypriot, Zenon.

Plants referred by Magicians Aeschynomene (Mimosa Asperata) Onothouris Anacampseros

PLANTS REFERRED BY MAGICIANS – Pl., HN 24.167

Adiecit his Apollodorus adsectator eius (sc. Democritii) herbam aesc<h>ynomenen, quoniam adpropinquante manu folia contraheret, aliam crocida, cuius tactu phalangia morerentur, Crateuas onothurim {in}, cuius aspersu e vino feritas omnium animalium mitigaretur, anacampseroten celeber arte grammatical Paulo ante, cuius omnino tactu redirent amores vel cum odio depositi. Et abunde sit hactenus attigisse insignia Magorum in herbis alia de his aptiore dicturis loco.

ERYNGE IN ANCIENT MEDICINE OF CYPRUS

Clara in primis aculeatarum erynge est sive eryngion contra serpentes et venena omnia nascens. adversus ictus morsusque radix eius bibitur drachmae pondere in vino aut, si plerumque tales iniurias comitetur et febris, ex aqua. inlinitur plagis, peculiariter efficax contra chersydros ac ranas. omnibus vero contra toxica et aconita efficaciorem Heraclides medicus in iure anseris decoctam arbitratur.

Apollodorus adversus toxica cum rana decoquit, ceteri in aqua. ipsa dura, fruticosa, spinosis foliis, caule geniculato, cubitale et maiore aliquando, alia albicans, alia nigra, radice odorata. et sativa quidem est et sponte nascitur in asperis, saxosis, set in litoribus maris durior nigriorque, folio apii.

Pl., HN 22.18-19

EPILOGUE

Medicine, Pharmacology, Magic Practices and Rituals, Dreams and Dreaming in a creative and contributive combination in

order to help doctors, curators and patients of all kind to find a solution and an explication to

their health and/or psychological problems.

THIS STORY HAS COME TO AN END! GOOD LUCK TO YOUR RESEARCH JOURNEY FOR OTHER STORIES!