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May 27, 2011

Introduction to De Materia Medica
Pedanius Dioscorides

Tess Anne Osbaldeston,
translator and editor
tellurianne@gmail.com
Johannesburg, South Africa,
June 2000



Copyright Notice
THE HERBAL OF DIOSCORIDES THE GREEK
DIOSCORIDES
DE MATERIA MEDICA
HERBAL
BEING AN 
WITH MANY OTHER
MEDICINAL MATERIALS
WRITTEN IN GREEK IN THE FIRST CENTURY OF THE COMMON ERA

A New Indexed Version In Modern English By TA Osbaldeston AND RPA Wood

As this version essentially constitutes a new work, the editor/translator hereby asserts copyright. Permission of the publisher is required for any excerpts or copies made from the text.

The illustrations are deemed in good faith to be in the public domain. © Tess Anne Osbaldeston First published in 2000
ISBN 0-620-23435-0
Printed in 12/14 Zapf Calligraphic [Palatino]
Published by

IBIDIS PRESS cc
PO Box 81169 Parkhurst
Johannesburg South Africa 2120
+27 11 788 2270 international paper fax
+27 82 771 7130 international messages
ibidis@netactive.co.za - e-mail
ISBN-10: 0620234350
ISBN-13: 978-0620234351

Original Dedication

Dearest Areius,
Although many of the writers nowadays, as well as those in ancient times, wrote discourses on the preparations, strengths and dosage of drugs, I will attempt to prove to you that I did not choose to undertake this through vanity or impulsiveness. Some of those authors did not complete their attempts, while others copied previous historical documents. Iolas from Bithynia and Hexaclides from Tarentum briefly considered the subject but they completely omitted any systematic discussion of herbs and ignored metals and spices. Crateuas the rhizotomist and Andreas the physician seem to have had greater knowledge of this particular area than most, but have ignored many extremely useful roots and gave meagre descriptions of many herbs. Still I must admit that although they told us little, the ancients applied great effort in their work. I am not completely in agreement with most modern writers, among them Julius Bassus, Niceratus and Petronius, Niger and Diodotus, who are all [poets]. In way they have condescended to describe commonplace information familiar to all but they have explained the strengths of medicines and their properties briefly, not considering their value by personal experience, but by worthless discussion created needless controversy regarding each medicine, and in addition they have mistakenly recorded one thing for another...

signature in Greek of Pedanius Dioscorides

Free downloads - Not for resale

FRONTsection.PDF

De Materia Medica Index

Cupressus sempervirens - Cypress Cone -  Faguet 1888

Introductory notes by R. P. Wood
Tess Anne Osbaldeston, translator and editor
Johannesburg, South Africa,
June 2000

To order
Dioscorides. De materia medica. - five books in one volume:
A new English translation by T.A.Osbaldeston.
Introductory notes by R.P.Wood.
First Edition, 2000.
Published by IBIDIS Press, Johannesburg, South Africa.
To purchase
http://ibidispress.scriptmania.com/contact.html



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