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Re: orion-list Pliny HN 5.73, Agrippa, Nicolaus, 'nocent'
The book you mention is in the Van Pelt Library of the University of
Pennsylvania. But I am not able to enter the library; Jay Treat or Bob
Kraft would be able to do so, and may have the time and interest to get
the book. Jay reads Syriac--I don't know whether he can decipher Arabic,
but I wouldn't put it past him. Within a few days, I may be able to
prevail on a Library staff member to xerox the pages for me, or arrange
for a Library assistant who reads Hebrew.
Earlier today I read Isidoros's contributions on _nocent_, and appreciate
your cautionary note. It *is interesting that Isidoros locates the phrase
in Asia Minor or Phrygia or Syria (roughly speaking) as compared to
*different phraseology more likely, more attested, from Alexandria.
What is also necessary, in addition to attesting and tracking the phrase
<Gk>nekra thalassos</>, is to answer the question, "Why would Pliny have
written _nocent_ without reference to the sea, if indeed the phrase
<Gk>nekra thalassos</> underlies the use of the word _nocent_.?"
Does anyone know of a critical text for Pliny's Natural History, or
specifically for (I think it is) Book V?
With reference to Isidoros's temporary absence, a slow-paced discussion is
fine with me, as this is suddenly a busy time, the start of the semester
in the U.S.
Best,
Sigrid Peterson University of Pennsylvania petersig@ccat.sas.upenn.edu
According to Russell Gmirkin:
>
> As a cautionary note, the Loeb Edition Greek text for Pseudo-Aristotle's
> _de Plantis_ is translated from a Latin text which is translated from an
> Arabic text. Thus the phrase nekra thalassos = Dead Sea is not directly
> attested. One should consult the Arabic (and Syriac?). The definitive
> critical edition is by Drossaart Lulofs, titled _Nicolaus Damascenus de
> plantis : five translations_ (Aristoteles Semitico-latinus series; Amsterdam
> ; New York : North-Holland Pub. Co., 1989). According to Worldcat (accession
> # 20300670) this has "Text in Syriac, Arabic, Hebrew, Latin, and Greek with
> English translations on facing pages; commentary in English." If someone has
> access to this book, perhaps they could clarify the evidentiary basis for
> the reconstructed phrase nekra thalassos, if any.
>
> Russell Gmirkin
>
For private reply, e-mail to petersig@ccat.sas.upenn.edu (Sigrid Peterson)
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