Fragment from Pliny the Elder's Natural history, Book 11 (Naturalis historia, ca. 77-79). The author distinguishes rounded ligaments in his Latin classification. This concept was the basis for the creation of the term ligamentum teres, a synonym for ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). See our commentary at the link: 77-79Pliny the Elder [Rus], and 2020ArkhipovSV_ProlyginaIV.
Quote.
[Lat]
Naturalis historia. Liber XI. LXXXVIII.
Nervi, orsi a corde bubuloque etiam circumvoluti, similem naturam et causam habent, in omnibus lubricis applicati ossibus nodosque corporum, qui vocantur articuli, aliubi interentu, aliubi ambitu, aliubi transitu ligantes, hic teretes, illic lati, ut quaeque poscit figuratio. (original source: 9cent.Plinii Secundi, p. 133, monumenta.ch2)
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| Plinius, fragment of page 133 |
Translation
[Eng]
Natural history. Book XI.
CHAP. 88. THE NERVE: ANIMALS WHICH HAVE NONE.
«The nerves* take their rise at the heart, and even surround it in the ox;
they have the same nature and principle as the marrow. In all animals they are fastened
to the lubricous surface of the bones, and so serve to fasten those knots in the
body which are known as articulations or joints, sometimes lying between them, sometimes
surrounding them, and sometimes running from one to another; in one place they are
long and round, and in another broad, according as the necessity of each case may
demand.»
* There is considerable doubt what the ancients exactly meant by the “nervi;” and whether, in fact, they had any definite idea of “nerves,” in ; our acceptation of the word. Pliny here expresses the opinions entertained by Aristotle. “Tendons,” or ‘‘sinews,” would almost appear to be the proper translation of the word. (original source: 1855BostockJ_RileyHT, p. 77)
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| Plinius, 9 cent.; title page & page 133 (original source: monumenta.ch1) |
External links
Plinius. C. Plinii Secundi,
Veronensis, historiae naturalis libri triginta duo: trigesimi secundi finis et
alii quinque integri desiderantur. Manuscrit
en latin. IX s. [monumenta.ch1
, monumenta.ch2]
Bostock J, Riley HT (Trans.) The Natural History of Pliny. Vol. III.
London: H.G. Bohn, MDCCCLV [1855]. [archive.org]
Authors & Affiliations
Gaius Plinius Secundus (Plinius
Maior, Pliny the Elder, 23/24-79), was a Roman author, naturalist, natural
philosopher, naval and army commander. [wikipedia.org]
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| Pliny the Elder (Plinius Maior) Collection Library of Congress; original in the wikimedia.org (CC0 – public domain, color correction). |
Keywords
ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament
of head of femur, synonym, anatomy, classification, Pliny
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