Like a Speechless Fish
An anonymous byzantine poem on toothache
Abstract
The Marcianus gr. 524 (late 13th century) contains an anthology of 11th-12th century poetry, predominantly consisting of epigrams on artworks. Among these texts, the manuscript also includes an anonymous dodecasyllabic poem titled On Teeth (περὶ ὀδόντων) (189 lines). This paper offers the first critical edition and English translation of the poem, together with a broad discussion of the text’s composition, function, and literary affiliations.
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2026-04-01
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