Nicknames
I
Satyros from Thasos, nicknamed Griffinfox (Γρυπαλώπηξ).* When he was around 25 years old, he started having frequent wet dreams. It happened to him often during the day, as well. Around the time he turned 30, he became consumptive and died.
Σάτυρος ἐν Θάσῳ παρωνύμιον ἐκαλεῖτο Γρυπαλώπηξ* περὶ ἔτεα ἐὼν πέντε καὶ εἴκοσιν, ἐξωνείρωσσε πολλάκις. προῄει δ’ αὐτῷ καὶ δι’ ἡμέρης πλεονάκις· γενόμενος δὲ περὶ ἔτεα τριήκοντα φθινώδης ἐγένετο καὶ ἀπέθανεν.
Hippocrates, Epidemics 6.8.29, 5.354 Littré (nb: I’ve given Smith’s text)
Στρυμάργου: Dioscorides knows this reading, as well—not only Στομάργου [see IV below]. He doesn’t interpret this one as a proper name, either; instead, he says it indicates someone with manic excitement about sex. For many other epithets are also mentioned in Hippocrates in the same way, like Μυοχάνη, Σαράπους, Γρυπαλώπηξ.* But even in Erasistratos, he says, [we find] ῥινοκολοῦρος.
Στρυμάργου: οἶδε καὶ ταύτην τὴν γραφὴν ὁ Διοσκουρίδης, οὐ μόνον τὴν Στομάργου, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο οὐχ ὡς κύριον ὄνομα ἐξηγεῖται, ἀλλὰ τὸν μανικῶς ἐπτοημένον, περὶ τὰ ἀφροδίσια δηλοῦσθαί φησιν. εἰρῆσθαι γὰρ παρὰ τῷ Ἱπποκράτει καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἐπίθετα, καθάπερ Μυοχάνη, Σαράπους, Γρυπαλώπηξ. ἀλλὰ καὶ παρ' Ἐρασιστράτῳ φησὶν ὁ ῥινοκολοῦρος.
Galen, Glossary of Hippocrates’ Terminology, 19.142 K.
*γρυπαλώπηξ: γρύψ (griffin) + ἀλώπηξ (fox). γρύψ enters English as both the griffin and the wyvern, a bipedal dragon.
II
Raw and liquid feces are checked with solid millet cooked in oil—like the sailor-boy and <Myriochaune or the woman with her mouth open or> the joking-woman.
Τὰ ὠμὰ διαχωρήματα καὶ ὑγρὰ κέγχρος στερεὸς ἐν ἐλαίῳ ἑφθὸς ἵστησιν, οἷον τὸ ναυτοπαίδιον, καὶ ἡ Μυριοχαύνη.
Hippocrates, Epidemics 2.1.12, 5.82 Littré (Smith’s text)
Μηριοχάνη: a woman's name.
†Μηριοχάνη· ὄνομα γυναικός.
Erotian, Collection of Words used by Hippocrates, μ 2 (59,8 Nachmanson)
Μυοχάνη: epithet of a woman with her mouth open. But if Μυριοχαύνη is written, she would be a woman who makes lots of jokes.
Μυοχάνη: ἐπίθετον χασκούσης. εἰ δὲ Μυριοχαύνη γράφοιτο, ἡ ἐπὶ μυρίοις ἂν εἴη χαινουμένη.
Galen, Glossary of Hippocrates’ Terminology, 19.142 K.
III
Serapis <or the woman with her toes splayed> was swollen from a moist belly. Itching started—I don’t know on what day. No progress. She had an abscess in her waist; when it blackened, she died.
Ἡ Σεράπις ἐξ ὑγρῆς κοιλίης ᾤδησεν· κνησμοὶ δ' οὐκ οἶδα ποσταίῃ, οὐ πρόσω· ἔσχε δ’ ἔτι καὶ ἀπόστημα ἐν κενεῶνι, ὅπερ μελανθὲν ἀπέκτεινεν.
Hippocrates, Epidemics 2.2.3, 5.84 Littré (Smith’s text)
Σαράπους: A woman having the toes of her feet spread out and splayed.
Σαράπους: ἡ διασεσηρότας καὶ διεστῶτας ἔχουσα τοὺς δακτύλους τῶν ποδῶν.
Galen, Glossary of Hippocrates’ Terminology, 19.142 K.
IV
And <the Babbling-Woman or> the wife of Stymarges, after a confusion lasting a few days, was very constipated. She aborted a female child after the constipation, was healthy for four months, then became swollen.
Καὶ ἡ Στυμάργεω ἐκ ταραχῆς ὀλιγημέρου πολλὰ στήσασα, καὶ παιδίου μετὰ στάσιν θήλεος ἀποφθορῆς τετραμήνου ὑγιήνασα, ᾤδησεν.
Hippocrates, Epidemics 2.2.4, 5.84-6 Littré (Smith’s text and name for the woman)
Στομάργου: In the second book of the Epidemics, Dioscorides writes as follows: ‘and it refers to manic babbling,’ he says. But others write Στυμάργου and interpret it as a proper name.
Στομάργου: ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ τῶν ἐπιδημιῶν ὁ Διοσκουρίδης οὕτως γράφει καὶ δηλοῦσθαί φησι τοῦ λαλοῦντος μανικῶς. οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι στυμάργου γράφουσι καὶ ὄνομα κύριον ἀκούουσι.