Viper’s Mouth and Hound’s Howl: Discovery, Remedy and Polysemy at Nicander Theriaca 233 and 671

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper examines the polysemy of οὐ̑λος (“deadly,” “repeated,” “whole/healthy”) in Nicander’s Theriaca as a window onto the poet’s interest in the process of discovery. The core of this article treats the use of the term to describe a hound’s howl in the aetiological narrative of Alcibius’ discovery of a curative herb. I argue that Nicander deploys οὐ̑λος to call attention to the polysemy of the adjective whose meaning shifts and overlaps as one reads the narrative of Alcibius’ discovery. The challenge of formulating a contextually appropriate meaning of οὐ̑λος reinforces the theme of aetiological discovery and is consonant with Nicander’s use of the term elsewhere in the Theriaca as well as his broader interest in rare words and philological research.