The first edition of the Greek text of Dioscorides was published by Aldus at Venice, in 1499, fol. A far better one is that of Paris, 1549, in 8vo, by J. Goupyl ; but a better still is tho folio Frankfurt edition, of 1598, by Sarraceuus. Sprengel laments, "null= rei herbaria, peritum virum utilissimo huic scriptori operam impendisse." Never theless, there have been many commentators, of whom some, such as Amatus Lusitanus, Ruellius, Taberummontanus, Tralue, and Dalechampius, are of no sort of authority, while others, especially Matthiolus, Maranta, Cordus, John Bauhin, and Tournefort, among the older, with Sibthorp, Smith, and Sprengel, ausoug modern com mentators, deserve to be consulted with attention. The last edition of the Greek text is by Sprengel, in the collection of 'Greek Phy sicians' by Ktihn, Leipzig, 1829, 8vo, which has been improved by a collat:ou of several manuscripts. Dr. Sibthorp, who visited Greece for the purpose of studying on the spot the Greek plauts of Dioeco rides, must be accounted of the highest critical authority ; for it frequently happens that the traditions of the country, localities, or other sources of information, throw far more light upon the state ments of this ancient author than his own descriptions. It will ever be a anbject of regret to scholars, that Dr. Sibthorp should have died before ho was able to prepare for the press the result of his inquiries; what is known of them is embodied in the Prodromus Flom Grose; published from his materials by the late Sir James Edward Smith, and in the ' Flora Grreca' itself, consisting of 10 vols. fol., with nearly 1000 coloured plates, commenced by the same botanist, and since completed under the direction of Professor Lindley. [Sorruonr.] So far as European plants are in question, we may suppose that the means of illustrating Dioacoridea are now nearly exhausted; but it is far otherwise with bia Indian and Persian plant& Concerning the latter, it is probable that much may still be learned from a study of the modern materia medic& of India, though something has been effected by the researches of Dr. Boyle. When the Neatoriane, in the
5th century, were driven iuto exile, they sought refuge among the Arabs, with whom they established their celebrated school of medi cine, the ramifications of which extended into Persia and India, and laid the foundation of the present medical practice of the natives of those countries. In this way the Greek names of Dioscorides, altered indeed, nod adapted to the genius of the new countries, became intro duced into the languages of Persia, Arabia, and Hindustan, and have been handed down traditionally to the present day. Thus Dr. Rule has shown, by an examination of this sort of evidence, that the Ealamos aromatikos of Dioscorides is not a Gentian, as has been imagined ; that Nardos Indtke is unquestionably the Nardostachys Jalamensi of De Condone, and that the Lukion Indikon was neither a Ithamnus nor a Lycium, but as Prosper Alpinue long ago asserted, a Herbed& With regard to the last plant, Dr. Hoyle states that Berberis is at the present day called in India hooziz hindee,' or Indian hooziz. This last word has for its Arabia synonym ' loofyon,' or 'lookyon;' therefore the is still called Indian lycium, with tho reputed qualities sud uses of which it moreover corresponds.
DIOSCU'ItIDES (Agoaseepass), a very celebrated ancient gem engraver who lived at Rome about the time of the Emperor Augustus. Auguatus and later emperors were in the habit, according to Suetonius, of using a seal, representing Auguatua's portrait, which was engraved by Dioscurides. There are still several gems extant which bear the name of Dioscurides, but the genuineness of moat of them has been questioned ; a few of them however are beautifully finished, and are perhaps worthy of the reputation of the greatest gem engraver of antiquity, a reputation which Dioscurides had, according to Pliny.
A Diescoridea of Samoa was a worker in mosaic; two of his works have been discovered in Pompeii.
(Suetonlus, Augustus, 50; Pliny, Ilut. Nat. xxxvii. 4; Bracci, COM mentaria de Antiquis Sculptoribua, ttc.; \Vinckelmann, Geschichte dcr -Kunst des Alterthums.)