Nicandre de Colophon

See also: Nicandre

Nicandre (in Greek old Νίκανδρος / Nikhandros , grammairien, poet and Greek doctor, of second century BC, born with Claros close to Colophon in Ionie.

He is the author of many works, as well in prose as in worms, but only two, treating Médecine and of Pharmacie, reached us.

First is Thériaca ( Θηριακά ), long of 958 hexameters. It treats mainly question of the wounds caused by the poisonous animals as well as theirs treatment. It describes twelve species of Serpent S of which some are perfectly recognizable. It describes also salamander S, Cantharide S, Araignée S, scorpion S, butterfly S (of which it is the first to announce the capacity irritant of certain species).

Its second work are the Alexipharmaca ( Αλεξιφάρμακα ) of 630 worms hexameter. It evokes the Poison S and their Antidote S. These writings contain a great quantity of errors or superstitions. Many plant species, but such an animal, are described. It follows the work of the doctor Apollodorus.

He is also the author of the Géorgiques and the Melissourgica , of which Virgile was useful, and which one knows important fragments, Heteroeumena , a mythological epopee, that Ovide uses in its Métamorphoses and of the Aetolica , a history in prose of the Étolie.

He is imitated by Ovide, frequently quoted by Pline Old the and other authors but his style is considered heavy and obscure.

Editions

Nicandre, Works, Thériaques, Fragments iologic former to Nicandre (edition Jean-Marie Jacques), Paris, Beautiful Letters, Collection of the Universities of France, 2002.

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