ψιμίθιον

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variants

var.dim. ψίμυθος

Lat. psimithium, psimithion

GENERAL DEFINITION

ψιμίθιον, ψιμύθιον: white lead, ceruse, cerussa. Α mineral consisting of lead carbonate that is an important source of lead. A colorless or white mineral, PbCO3, that is an ore of lead; lead carbonate.

This metallic drug is a basic component of eye-salves.

A. LANGUAGE BETWEEN TEXT AND CONTEXT

ψιμίθιον, alias ψιμύθιον is the normal spelling in the papyri.

Both forms ψίμιθος and ψιμίθιον occur together in GMP II 4.

Suda, Lexicon. θ 282 line 4. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν χρίσας τὸ πρόσωπον ψιμυθίῳ ἐτραγῴδησεν, εἶτα ἀνδράχνῃ ἐσκέπασεν ἐν τῷ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι.
Suda, Lexicon. ψ 108 line 1. Ψιμύθιον: χρῶμα ἑταιρικόν.

Dioscorides, Mat. med. V 88.6 (III 62.18-20 W) describes the preparation of the substance in some details: δύναμιν δὲ ἔχει ψυκτικήν, ἐμπλαστικήν, μαλακτικήν, πληρωτικήν, λεπτυντικήν, ἔτι δὲ πράως κατασταλτικὴν ὑπεροχῶνκαὶ κατουλωτικήν, μειγνύμενον κηρωταῖς καὶ λιπαραῖς ἐμπλάστροις καὶ τροχίσκοις·

See the entry of the drug in Gal. Simpl. IX 3.39 (XII 243.17-244.10 Kühn).

White lead was also one of the standard colouring substances used in the manufacture of paints.

B. TESTIMONIA - A selection of representative sources

Αëtius Med., Iatricorum liber iv
Chapter 22, line 2

Πρὸς τὰ ἐν κεφαλῇ ἕλκη καὶ ἀχῶρας, ᾧ ἐγὼ χρώμενος εὐδοκιμῶ· λιθαργύρος.

C. COMMENTARY

The cerussa of antiquity was prepared from lead plates, by dissolving in strong vinegar. The product must have been lead acetate which, due to the action of the air's oxygen, may have had a content of basic lead carbonate. The solution was made to crystallize by placing it on an oven. Cerussa is milder and is used by ancient women as make-up. Plasters including psimithion were classified by Galen, Comp. per gen. I 12 (XIII 409ff. Kühn). They derive their name from the white colour acquired after the metallic drugs are punded to dust and combined together. The proper mixture of lead components followed a ratio 1:1; however, the amount of the eccipient (e.g. oil) could be very high. On this subject compare a passage from Galen (XIII 413 Kühn: Ἡ σταθμεία τῆς ἐμπλάστρου. Ἴσον ἔστω μέρος ἑκατέρου τῶν μεταλλικῶν, τοῦ τε ψιμυθίου καὶ τοῦ λιθαργύρου, καὶ τοῦτ’ εἰ βούλεσθε, σταθμὸς ἔστω μιᾶς λίτρας ἑκατέρου).

Cf. Plinius, XXIX § 54. One finds both cerussa and psimithium in the collyrium prescriptions.

D. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gazza 1956, 105; Préaux 1956, 143; Nielsen 1974, 35; Youtie 1975, 560; Andorlini 1981, 70-76; Clackson 2004, 77 (P.Horak 14.2-3); Mitthof GMP II 8, p. 134.

E. CPGM reference(s)

GMP I 12.8; GMP II 4.ii 2, 10; GMP II 8, p. 134; P.Mich. XVII 758 A.10; B verso 10; E 10-11; M 6.

P.Mich. inv. 482 i 2, 12; ii 22. O.Tait.Bodl. 2184, recto, 3. P.Horak 14.3; P.Horak 63.5.

E. DDbDP reference(s)

P.Cair. Zen. 4 59763.19; P.Cair. Zen. 4 59789.11-12; BGU 19 2789.3; SB 26 16645.9: P.Turner 47.4, 9; SB 14 11964.2, 12; SB 24 15917.20; SB 26 16645.9.

AUTHOR

Isabella Andorlini

ψιμίθιον
Accepted term: 09-Mar-2015