Nicander of Colophon, Alexipharmaca

πιοτάτην ἐδάσαντο γεωμορίην ἠπείρου,

divided among themselves the richest farmland of the mainland,

ἑζόμενος τριπόδεσσι παρὰ Κλαρίοις Ἑκάτοιο. —

seated beside the Clarian tripods of the Far-Shooter [Apollo]. —

Ἀλλ’ ἤτοι χολόεν μὲν ἰδὲ στομίοισι δυσαλθὲς

But first, bitter and, for the mouth, hard to remedy,

πνυθείης ἀκόνιτον, ὃ δή ῥ’ Ἀχερωίδες ὄχθαι

learn of aconite, which the Acherusian banks

φύουσιν, τόθι χάσμα δυσέκδρομον Εὐβουλῆος

bring forth, where the chasm of Eubuleus, hard to escape from, [lies],

ἄστυρά τε Πριόλαο καταστρεφθέντα δέδουπε.

and the township of Priolas, overturned, has crashed down.

Τοῖο δὲ πάντα χαλινὰ καὶ οὐρανόεσσαν ὑπήνην

All the corners of the mouth, and the vaulted palate

οὖλά θ’ ὑποστύφει χολόεν ποτὸν, ἀμφὶ δὲ πρώτοις

and the gums, are puckered by its bitter drink; and about the upper

εἰλύεται στέρνοισι κακῇ ἀλάλυγγι βαρῦνον

chest it coils, weighing down with an evil hiccup

φῶτ’ ἐπικαρδιόωντα· δύῃ δ’ ἐπιδάκνεται ἄκρον

the man suffering heartburn; and with anguish the top is gnawed,

νειαίρης ἄκλειστον ἀειρόμενον στόμα γαστρός,

the unclosed, upraised mouth of the lower belly,

τεύχεος ἣν κραδίην ἐπιδορπίου, οἱ δὲ δοχαίην

which [some call] the 'heart' of the supper-vessel, while others

κλείουσι στομάχοιο, πύλη δ’ ἐπικέκλιται ἀρχαῖς

name it the 'receiver' of the gullet; and a gate leans on the first

πρῶτα κόλων, ὅθι πᾶσα βροτῶν ἅλις ἐμφέρεται δαῖς·

beginnings of the guts, where all the food of mortals is carried in plenty;

αἰεὶ δ’ ἐκ φαέων νοτέων ὑπολείβεται ἱδρώς·

and ever from the wet eyes a sweat trickles down;

ἡ δὲ ταρασσομένη τὰ μὲν ἔβρασεν ἤλιθα νηδὺς

and the belly, in turmoil, heaves up some winds to no purpose,

πνεύματα, πολλὰ δ’ ἔνερθε κατὰ μέσον ὄμφαλον ἵζει·

but many settle below, about the middle of the navel;

κράατι δ’ ἐν βάρος ἐχθρὸν, ὑπὸ κροτάφοισι δὲ παλμὸς

in the head there is a hateful heaviness, and under the temples a throbbing

πυκνὸς ἐπεμφέρεται, τὰ δὲ διπλόα δέρκεται ὄσσοις

comes thick and fast, and he sees double with his eyes,

οἷα χαλικραίῃ νύχιος δεδαμασμένος οἴνῃ.

like one overcome at night by neat wine.

ὡς δ’ ὁπότ’ ἀγριόεσσαν ὑποθλίψαντες ὀπώρην

And as when, having pressed the wild fruit of autumn,

ἄμμιγα κρομμύων γηθυλλίδας· ἤρκεσε δ’ ἄτην

onion shoots, mixed together; and the harm is warded off

εὐάγλις κώδεια νέον σκορόδοιο ποθεῖσα.

by a well-cloved head of garlic, drunk fresh.

Καί τε σὺ μήκωνος κεβληγόνου ὁππότε δάκρυ

And you, when the tear of the poppy that carries its seed in a head

πίνωσιν, πεπύθοιο καθυπνέας· ἀμφὶ γὰρ ἄκρα

is drunk, may learn [the signs of] those sunk in sleep: for at the tips

γυῖα καταψύχουσι, τὰ δ’ οὐκ ἀναπίτναται ὄσσε,

of the limbs they grow cold, and the eyes do not open,

ἀλλ’ αὕτως βλεφάροισιν ἀκινήεντα δέδηεν·

but stay just so, gleaming motionless beneath the eyelids;

ἀμφὶ καὶ ὀδμήεις καμάτῳ περιλείβεται ἱδρὼς

and all about them, from distress, a strong-smelling sweat pours

ἀθρόος, ὠχραίνει δὲ ῥέθος, πίμπρησι δὲ χείλη,

in a flood; the face grows pale, the lips swell,

δέσμα δ’ ἐπεγχαλάουσι γενειάδος, ἐκ δέ τε παῦρον

the bands of the jaw slacken, and a scant

αὐχένος ἑλκόμενον ψυχρὸν διανίσσεται ἄσθμα·

cold breath, drawn from the throat, passes through;

ἐμπίσαις, τήν τ’ αἰὲν ἀνὴρ ἁλοπηγὸς ἀγείρει

you may give him to drink, the [scum] which the salt-maker always gathers

νειόθ’ ὑφισταμένην, ὁπόθ’ ὕδασιν ὕδατα μίξῃ.

as it settles at the bottom, when he mixes waters with waters.

Μὴ μὲν δὴ ζύμωμα κακὸν χθονὸς ἀνέρα κήδοι

Let not the evil ferment of the earth harm a man,

πολλάκι μὲν στέρνοισιν ἀνοιδέον, ἄλλοτε δ’ ἄγχον,

often swelling up in the chest, at other times choking,

εὖθ’ ὑπὸ φωλεύοντα τραφῇ βαθὺν ὁλκὸν ἐχίδνης,

when it grows beneath the coils of a viper lurking deep in its lair,

ἰὸν ἀνικμαῖνον στομίων τ’ ἀποφώλιον ἄσθμα.

drawing up its venom and the baneful breath of its jaws.

κεῖνο κακὸν ζύμωμα, τὸ δὴ ῥ’ ὑδέουσι μύκητας

That evil ferment, which people call 'mushrooms'

παμπήδην, ἄλλῳ γὰρ ἐπ’ οὔνομα κέκριται ἄλλο.

generally, for each different kind has been given a different name.

Ἀλλὰ σύ γ’ ἢ ῥαφάνοιο πόροις σπειρώδεα κόρσην.

But you should give either the curling head of cabbage,

ἢ ῥυτῆς κλώθοντα περὶ σπάδικα κολούσας,

or, clipping the [sprigs] that twist about the stem of rue,

χεῖρα κατεμματέων ἐρύγοι λωβήμονα κῆρα.

thrusting in his hand, may he bring up the harmful bane.

Ἢν δὲ λιπορρίνοιο ποτὸν δυσάλυκτον ἰάψῃ

But if [someone] is hurt by the hard-to-escape draught of the sleek-skinned

φαρμακίδος σαύρης πανακηδέος, ἣν σαλαμάνδρην

witch-lizard, grievous to all, which people call the salamander,

κλείουσιν, τὴν οὐδὲ πυρὸς λωβήσατο λιγνύς,

the one that not even the smoky flame of fire has harmed,

αἶψα μὲν ἐπρήσθη γλώσσης βάθος, ἂψ δ’ ὑπὸ μάλκης

at once the depth of the tongue is inflamed, and in turn by numbing chill

δάμνανται, βαρύθων δὲ κακὸς τρόμος ἅψεα λύει·

they are overpowered, and a heavy, evil trembling loosens the limbs;

οἳ δὲ περισφαλόωντες ἅτε βρέφος ἑρπύζουσι

and staggering they crawl like an infant

τετραποδί· νοεραὶ γὰρ ἀπὸ φρένες ἀμβλύνονται·

on all fours; for their thinking wits are blunted;

σάρκα δ’ ἐπιτροχόωσαι ἀολλέες ἄκρα πελιδναὶ

and running thick over the flesh, livid on the surface,

σμώδιγγες στίζουσι κεδαιομένης κακότητος.

weals spot [it], as the evil spreads.