var.dim. λιθάργυρεον

lat. lithargyros, plumbum ustum

Lead monoxide obtained in flake or powdered from lead. A metal drug obtained from lead-flakes and effective against inflamed wounds thanks to its disinfectant properties. The medicament belongs to a kind of poultice that had to be applied locally to the affected area as a bandage made of folded pieces of linen and soaked in some ointment.

1-2. Etymology – General Linguistic Section.

From Classical Greek λιθάργυρος, spume or foam of silver. From lithos, a stone + argyros, silver.

Dioscorides (Mat. med. V 87.1–2 = III 57.15–58.8 Wellmann: λιθάργυροϲ· ἡ μέν τιϲ ἐκ τῆϲ μολυβδίτιδοϲ καλουμένηϲ ἄμμου γεννᾶται, χωνευομένηϲ ἄχρι τῆϲ τελείαϲ ἐκπυρώϲεωϲ, ἡ δὲ ἐξ ἀργύρου ἡ δὲ ἐκ μολύβδου (...) πλείϲτη γὰρ ἐν τοῖϲ τόποιϲ ‹τούτοιϲ› γεννᾶται μολυβῶν ἐλαϲμάτων ἐκφλογουμένων. καλεῖται δὲ ἡ μὲν ξανθὴ καὶ ϲτίλβουϲα χρυϲῖτιϲ, ἥτιϲ ἐϲτὶ κρείττων, ἡ δὲ πελιὰ ἀργυρῖτιϲ, ἡ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἀργύρου ϲκαλαυθρῖτιϲ. δύναμιν δὲ ἔχει ϲτυπτικήν, μαλακτικήν, ψυκτικήν κτλ.) points out that the litharge (spuma argenti lat.) was extracted from the lead-ore dust by treating the flakes, molten and baked in special kilns. In Egypt, lead-oxide preparations, such as minium, were mostly of local provenance, cf. R.J. Forbes, Studies in Ancient Technology VIII (Leiden 1971) 209 ff. They were usually employed as yellowish or reddish pigments (A. Lucas, Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries, rev. by J.R. Harris [London 41962] 243–4). As a lead monoxide, the refined product obtained from the ore, was an astringent mineral drug of common usage in ancient pharmacopoeia, it was especially used for disinfecting injuries and reducing abnormal formations, cf. Gal. Simpl. IX 16 (XII 224.11–225.1 K) περὶ λιθαργύρου. λιθάργυροϲ ξηραίνει μὲν ὥϲπερ καὶ τἄλλα πάντα τὰ μεταλλικά τε καὶ γεώδη καὶ λιθώδη φάρμακα, μετριώτατά γε μὴν τοῦτο ποιεῖ. καὶ κατὰ τὰϲ ἄλλαϲ δὲ ποιότητάϲ τε καὶ δυνάμειϲ ἐν τῷ μέϲῳ πώϲ ἐϲτιν, οὔτε θερμαίνουϲα ϲαφῶϲ οὔτε ψύχουϲα καὶ τοῦ ϲτύφειν τε καὶ ἀπορρύπτειν μετρίωϲ μετέχει. διὸ καὶ τῶν ϲαρκωτικῶν φαρμάκων, ἃ μετρίωϲ ἐδείχθη ῥυπτικὰ, λείπεται καὶ τῶν ϲυναγόντων δὲ καὶ ϲτυφόντων. Dioscorides (Mat. med. V 87.1–2 = III 57.15–58.8 Wellmann: λιθάργυροϲ· ἡ μέν τιϲ ἐκ τῆϲ μολυβδίτιδοϲ καλουμένηϲ ἄμμου γεννᾶται, χωνευομένηϲ ἄχρι τῆϲ τελείαϲ ἐκπυρώϲεωϲ, ἡ δὲ ἐξ ἀργύρου ἡ δὲ ἐκ μολύβδου (...) πλείϲτη γὰρ ἐν τοῖϲ τόποιϲ ‹τούτοιϲ› γεννᾶται μολυβῶν ἐλαϲμάτων ἐκφλογουμένων. καλεῖται δὲ ἡ μὲν ξανθὴ καὶ ϲτίλβουϲα χρυϲῖτιϲ, ἥτιϲ ἐϲτὶ κρείττων, ἡ δὲ πελιὰ ἀργυρῖτιϲ, ἡ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἀργύρου ϲκαλαυθρῖτιϲ. δύναμιν δὲ ἔχει ϲτυπτικήν, μαλακτικήν, ψυκτικήν κτλ.) points out that the litharge (lat. spuma argenti) was extracted from the lead-ore dust by treating the flakes, molten and baked in special kilns. In Egypt, lead-oxide preparations, such as minium, were mostly of local provenance, cf. R.J. Forbes, Studies in Ancient Technology VIII (Leiden 1971) 209 ff. They were usually employed as yellowish or reddish pigments (A. Lucas, Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries, rev. by J.R. Harris, London 1962, 243–4). As a lead monoxide, the refined product obtained from the ore, was an astringent mineral drug of common usage in ancient pharmacopoeia, it was especially used for disinfecting injuries and reducing abnormal formations, cf. Gal. Simpl. IX 16 (XII 224.11–225.1 Kühn) περὶ λιθαργύρου. λιθάργυροϲ ξηραίνει μὲν ὥϲπερ καὶ τἄλλα πάντα τὰ μεταλλικά τε καὶ γεώδη καὶ λιθώδη φάρμακα, μετριώτατά γε μὴν τοῦτο ποιεῖ. καὶ κατὰ τὰϲ ἄλλαϲ δὲ ποιότητάϲ τε καὶ δυνάμειϲ ἐν τῷ μέϲῳ πώϲ ἐϲτιν, οὔτε θερμαίνουϲα ϲαφῶϲ οὔτε ψύχουϲα καὶ τοῦ ϲτύφειν τε καὶ ἀπορρύπτειν μετρίωϲ μετέχει. διὸ καὶ τῶν ϲαρκωτικῶν φαρμάκων, ἃ μετρίωϲ ἐδείχθη ῥυπτικὰ, λείπεται καὶ τῶν ϲυναγόντων δὲ καὶ ϲτυφόντων.

3. Abbreviation(s) in the papyri