Pseudo-Diophanes: Democritus and Africanus on the ripe grape

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Pseudo-Diophanes, in the Geoponics. For those around Democritus and Africanus say that the ripened grape remains well six days only, and not more; if then the pip no longer appears green, but black, it signifies that it is ripe.

Greek

9.5 πσευδο–διοπηανις ιν «γεοπονιξις» Φασὶ γὰρ οἱ περὶ ∆ημόκριτον καὶ Ἀφρικανὸν ἓξ μόνας ἡμέρας, καὶ οὐ πλείους, καλῶς διαμένειν πεπανθεῖσαν τὴν σταφυλήν· ἐὰν οὖν τὸ γίγαρτον μηκέτι χλωρὸν διαφανῇ, ἀλλὰ μέλαν, σημαίνει αὐτὴν ὥριμον εἶναι.

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About this text

Julius Africanus's Miscellanies: history, science and craft, in the fragments that survive, with books 7, 2 and 3 in full and parts of books 4, 8, 9 and 13.

This volume gathers the translated fragments, drawn from books 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 13: poisons and antidotes, veterinary charms, military stratagems, and the farm and household lore of the ancient world.

Julius Africanus (c. 160–c. 240) was a Christian scholar of the early third century, best known for the Chronographiai — the first Christian attempt at a universal chronology from creation to his own day. He wrote from Emmaus in Palestine and moved in the highest Roman circles.

The Cesti ("embroidered girdles") were his wide-ranging miscellany of curiosities, spanning military science, farming, medicine, and natural marvels. Only fragments survive, quoted by later Byzantine writers.

Fresh English from PG 10 Greek of the Cesti fragmenta through 9.5.

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Translated from PG 10 Cesti fragmenta (Greek)

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Greek on any section to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

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