Dioscorides and the Portuguese Humanism: Amato Lusitano's
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Dioscorides and the Portuguese Humanism: Amato Lusitano’s Commentaries Ana Margarida Borges, António Andrade Department of Languages and Cultures, Centre for Languages and Cultures, University of Aveiro Resume Presentation The purpose of the Project «Dioscorides The project aims to make available to all and the Portuguese Humanism: Amato interested persons the publication on hard Lusitano’s Commentaries» is to present a copy (paper) of the edition, translation into translated edition of the two books that Portuguese and commentary of four books in João Rodrigues de Castelo Branco, better Greek and Latin that are closely correlated known as Amato Lusitano, dedicated to with one another. They are: the Greek the commentary of the famous Greek treatise De materia medica by Dioscorides, treatise De materia medica libri quinque the two books of commentaries by Amato by Dioscorides. In other words, the books Lusitano on the Greek original, and the book of Index Dioscoridis (Antwerp, 1536) and that P. A. Mattioli wrote in reply to the In Dioscoridis Anazarbei de medica Portuguese physician’s criticisms. A brief materia libros quinque...enarrationes description of each of the Latin books (Venice, 1553). Considering the four most follows: important areas of study of these books 1. Amato Lusitano, Index Dioscoridis [...]. (Botany, Pharmacy, Zoology and Antuerpiae, 1536 (first and only edition). Medicine), the main purpose is to try to 2. Amato Lusitano, In Dioscoridis de medica overcome the lack of existing translations materia libros quinque enarrationes [...]. of Latin scientific texts which has greatly Venetiis, apud Gualterum Scotum, 1533 [we hindered the study of the History of describe the first printed edition, which was Science. followed by at least six other editions in Strasbourg, Venice and Lyon (Fig. 1)]. Fig. 2 The hedgehog – entry number 2, book II of the work In Dioscoridis Anazarbei medica materia, Lyon 3. Mattioli, Pietro Andrea, Apologia aduersus 1558 Research for this poster was funded under the project Amathum Lusitanum cum censura in titled ‘Dioscorides and Portuguese Humanism: The eiusdem enarrationes. Venetiis, ex Officina Plans and Methods Expected results Commentaries of Amato Lusitano’ (FCOMP-01-0124- Erasmiana, Vincenti Valgrisii, 1558 (we FEDER-009102), with the sponsorship of the FEDER- COMPETE programme and the Fundação para a describe the first printed edition, which was Central tasks: The translation of Amato’s books will, in turn, Ciência e a Tecnologia. followed by various independent editions or 1. collecting the editions and setting up and for the first time, become accessible to a editions integrated in the author’s Complete general criteria for editing and translating; diverse readership. Works). 2. editing, translation and commentary of the Presenting the Portuguese translation of the Greek treatise and of the three books of set of books by Dioscorides, Amato Lusitano commentaries in Latin; and Pietro Andrea Mattioli (based on the 3. general revision work, at a linguistic and original texts and scientifically validated), to scientific level, of the translations and editing, the scientific community and interested of the introductory notes, the explanatory public, will constitute a notable and notes and the general indexes that innovative contribution to the advancement of accompany each book. research in various areas, particularly those Strategies and tools: in the context of Classical Studies and . consulting dictionaries and works from that Humanities and the History of Science. period about the same matter, written in Portuguese or in other modern languages; . consultation of the translation of the treatise by Dioscorides which the Greek translation team will be carrying out simultaneously; . resorting to the support given by the project members of the scientific fields. The translation of Dioscorides’s treatise will be based on the modern editions of the Greek text. In the case of the Latin commentaries by Amato and Mattioli, given the non-existence of modern editions, it will be necessary to develop a line of work designed to identify, collect and compare the manuscripts and available editions. It is necessary to ensure an optimum articulation between the groups of translators, the ones handling Dioscorides’s books and those handling Amato’s and Mattioli’s. The translators for Greek and Latin have to establish a permanent channel of Fig. 1 Lyon, 1558 communication between them, for solving problems that may arise, through Team comparative analysis of the original text and Team members participating in the project the Latin commentaries. are from Brasil, continental Portugal and the The substances which figure in Materia Autonomous Portuguese Region, Madeira, Medica are presented in a form of catalogue, Fig. 3 The mandrake, by Ferdinand Bauer, with a significant part of the group (7 both in the original Greek text and in the botanical artist – illustration based on mandrake’s members) connected to the University of Latin commentaries. The catalogue has description in Materia Medica by Dioscorides. Aveiro. independent entries, perfectly identified and multi-disciplinary work-team with its determined for each substance (Fig. 2): combined array of knowledge and skills, identification, description and reference to The scientific fields more closely related to diverse but complementary: medicinal usage of substances of plant, Materia Medica will henceforth count on a . qualified translators, with accredited animal and mineral origin that compose the quality translation and scientifically certified experience in critical editing, translation, and Materia Medica. This structure makes the essential texts for the History of Science. commentary of texts in Greek and Latin. process of comparison between books easier In future, these translated texts will become . expert team members in these fields of and allows for a relatively simplified task in more accessible bibliographical references in science: Botany, Physics, Medicine and the division and distribution of the texts to be the curricular subjects of History of Medicine, Pharmacy. translated. or in Pharmacy or Botany. .