Dry fruit trees, except the apple
On the destruction of trees. It seems right to us also to destroy the fruit-bearing trees of the fields, so that the enemies, often lacking foods, may not find the fruits instead of food. You will dry every tree except the apple, if you plant the sting of the sea stingray into the stem of the tree. The Quintilii say that the husks of beans, put to the roots, dry these. I am rather pleased, speaking of all that have grown for beauty, that these be cut down; for when this has been done, no enemy hides in the cut, no bird sits over them for hunting — which is complete destruction.
Greek
2.3 Περὶ δένδρων ἀφανισμοῦ Ἀφανίζειν ἴσως ἡμῖν δοκεῖ καὶ τῶν ἀγρῶν τὰ δένδρα τὰ κάρπιμα, ὡς μὴ τοὺς πολεμίους πολλάκις τροφῶν <ἀποροῦντας> εὑρίσκειν ἀντὶ τροφῆς τοὺς καρπούς. Ξηρανεῖς γοῦν πᾶν δένδρον πλὴν μηλέας, εἰ τὸ τῆς θαλαττίας τρυγόνος κέντρον ἐμπήξεις εἰς τὸ τοῦ δένδρου στέλεχος. Οἱ δὲ Κυϊντίλιοί φασιν ὡς τὰ κέλυφα τῶν κυάμων ταῖς ῥίζαις ἐμβαλλόμενα ταῦτα ξηραίνει. Ἐμοὶ δὲ μᾶλλον ἁπάντων ἃ φι<λο>κάλως πέφυκεν ἀρέσεις λέγων ἐκκόπτεσθαι ταῦτα· τούτων γὰρ οὕτως πραχθέντων, ἐν τοῖς κοπεῖσιν οὐ πολέμιος κρύπτεται, οὐκ ὄρνεον εἰς θήραν τούτων ὑπερκαθέζεται· ὅπερ ἐστὶ τέλειος ἀφανισμός.
About this text
Julius Africanus, Cesti (Embroidered Girdles): a miscellany of history, science, and craft, in the surviving fragments — books 7, 2, and 3 in full, with parts of books 4, 8, 9, and 13, and the colophon of Cestus 18. The older English translates his letters only. The book-2 table of contents and a book-7 appendix are not in this volume.
New English from locked PG 10 / Khazarzar Greek of the Cesti fragmenta through 9.5. Earlier lemma-led scaffold English was discarded. Book-2 pinax and book-7 appendix held. This lock is exhausted.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 10 Cesti fragmenta (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.