§1#1## ΑΛΗΝΟΥ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΠΕΡΙ ΔΙΑΙΤΗΣ ΥΓΙΕΙΝΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΙΔΙΩΤΩΝ ΙΠΠΟ-ΚΡΑΤΟΥΣ Η ΠΟΛΥΒΟΥ ΥΠΟ-ΜΝΗΜΑ.
Προοίμιον Γαλήνου.
## GALEN'S COMMENTARY ON HIPPOCRATES' OR POLYBUS' "ON THE HEALTHY REGIMEN OF PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS." Prologue of Galen.
Ἕν τοῦτό ἐστι βιβλίον ἰδίαν ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχον, ὥσπερ τὸ πρῶτον μέρος ὅλου τοῦ προκειμένου βιβλίου, καθ᾿ ὃ περὶ φύσιος ἀνθρώπου διαλέγεται.
This is a single book having its own specific purpose, just like the first part of the entire work under discussion, in which he discourses on the nature of man.
συντετέλεσται γὰρ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τὸ ἐπαγγελθὲν, οὐ-δεμιᾶς ἔτι προφάσεως δεόμενον.
For in that former part, what was promised has been completed, requiring no further explanation.
ἐν τούτῳ δὲ πάλιν ἃ προὔ-θετο διδάσκει δι᾿ ὅλου τοῦ βιβλίου καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τῶν μεταξὺ τῶν δύο βιβλίων τούτων ἐξαιρεθέντων, προσηκούσης ἐπιγραφῆς ἰδίας ἔτυχε τὸ σύμπαν, ἣν ἐπέγραψάν τινες αὐ-τῷ περὶ φύσιος ἀνθρώπου καὶ διαίτης. ὥσπερ δὲ ἄμεμπτον μέν ἐστι πάντη τὸ περὶ φύσιος ἀνθρώπου, μεμπτὰ δὲ πάντη τὰ παρεγγεγραμμένα μεταξὺ τῶν δύο βιβλίων, οὕτω τὸ περὶ διαίτης ὑγιεινῆς ἐν τοῖς πλείστοις μὲν ἄμεμπτόν ἐστιν, ἐχόμενον ἀεὶ τῆς Ἱπποκράτους στοιχειώσεως.
In this book, on the other hand, he teaches what he proposed throughout the entire book; and for this reason, once the things situated between these two books are removed, the whole work obtained an appropriate title of its own, which some inscribed on it as "On the Nature of Man and Regimen." Just as "On the Nature of Man" is entirely blameless, while the passages interpolated between the two books are entirely blameworthy, so "On the Healthy Regimen" is for the most part blameless, holding fast always to Hippocrates' elemental principles.
ἔν τισι δ᾿ ἄν τις αὐτῷ μέμψαιτο παντελῶς ὀλίγοις· ὑποκείσθω δ᾿ εἶναι Πολύβου, καθότι πολλοῖς ἔδοξε.
Although in some very few points one might find fault with it; and let it be assumed to be by Polybus, as it has seemed to many.
"Τοὺς ἰδιώτας ὧδε χρὴ διαιτᾶσθαι. "[q. 1]
Τίνας δὲ ἰδιώτας λέγει παραλελοίπασιν οἱ ἐξηγησάμε-νοι τὸ βιβλίον, οἷς γε δὴ παρέτυχον ὑπομνήμασιν.
"Private individuals ought to regulate their lives in the following manner." [q.1] But who these "private individuals" are has been omitted by those who commented on the book, at least in the commentaries that I happened to encounter.
οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἐπεζήτησά ποτε κατὰ τὴν παρὰ τοῖς διδασκάλοις ἀνά-γνωσιν τοῦ βιβλίου.
Nor indeed did I myself ever inquire about this during the reading of the book with my teachers.
νυνὶ δὲ γράφειν ἐξήγησιν αὐτοῦ προὐθέμενος ἐπενόησα κακῶς παραλελεῖφθαι τοῖς τε διδασκά-λοις ἡμῶν καὶ τοῖς ἐξηγηταῖς ἐπισκέψασθαι τίνας ἰδιώτας λέγει.
But now, having proposed to write a commentary on it, I have come to realize that it was a bad omission on the part of our teachers and commentators not to examine what kind of "private individuals" he is speaking of.
δῆλον γὰρ δὴ ὅτι τὴν ἐφεξῆς γεγραμμένην δίαιταν οὐ πᾶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ μόνοις τοῖς ἰδιώταις συνε-βούλευσεν ὁ Πόλυβος.
For it is indeed clear that Polybus recommended the regimen written below not to all human beings, but only to private individuals.
καὶ μὴν εἰ μόνοις τοῖς ἰδιώταις ὑπο-θήκας ἔγραψεν, οὐκ ὀρθῶς οἱ ἐξηγησάμενοι τὸ βιβλίον ἀδιο-ρίστως ἤκουσαν, ὡς κοινῇ πᾶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἰρημένων αὐτῶν.
Moreover, if he wrote these instructions only for private individuals, those who commented on the book did not understand correctly when they took them without distinction, as if they had been spoken commonly to all human beings.
εὑρίσκομεν γὰρ δὴ παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἰδιώτας ὀνομαζομένους οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ᾿ ἐν τῷ πρός τι.
For we find that among the Greeks those called "private individuals" are not named so absolutely, but in relation to something.
τὸν μὲν γάρ τινα λέγουσιν ἰδιώτην εἶναι τῆσδε τῆς τέχνης, τὸν δέ τινα τοῦδε τοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος.
For they say that one person is a layman in this particular art, and another in that particular occupation.
ἐνίοτε δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἔθνος, ἢ πόλιν διοικοῦντας, ἢ ὅλως πράττοντάς τι δημόσιον, ἀντι-διαιρούμενοι τοὺς οἷον ἰδιοπραγοῦντας, ὠνόμασαν ἰδιώτας. ἐπισκεπτομένῳ δή μοι τίνας τούτων νῦν ὁ Πόλυβος ἰδιώ-τας εἴρηκε, τοὺς μὲν ἀθλητὰς ἄντικρυς ἐδόκει τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων ἀποκρίνειν, ἐπειδὴ μίαν ἔχουσιν ἐκεῖνοι δίαιταν ὡρισμένην ἐν ἄρτῳ καὶ κρεῶν ἐδωδῇ.
Sometimes, by contrast with those who govern a nation or a city, or who engage generally in some public business, they call those who manage their own private affairs "private citizens." As I was examining, then, which of these private individuals Polybus is now speaking of, it seemed to me that he was outright excluding the athletes from the rest of mankind, since they have a single, fixed regimen consisting in the eating of bread and meat.
τούτων δ᾿ ἑξῆς ὅσοι πολεμοῦσιν ἢ ὁδοιποροῦσιν ἢ καὶ μάχονται.
Next to these, all those who are at war, or are on a journey, or are actively fighting.
καὶ γὰρ τού-τοις οὐκ ἐγχωρεῖ διακρίνειν ἃ χρὴ προσφέρεσθαι καὶ μὴ προσφέρεσθαι σιτία.
For these people too are not in a position to select which foods they ought or ought not to consume.
χρῆσθαι γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον αὐτοῖς, οἷς ἂν εὐπορήσωσιν ἕκαστος· τάχα δὲ καὶ τοὺς ὁπωσοῦν ἐσπευσμέ-ναις ὁδοιπορίαις χρωμένους ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν, ὡς ὁ Πόλυβος κελεύει διαιτᾶσθαι καὶ ὅλως τοὺς ἐν ἀσχολίαις πολιτικαῖς ὄντας, ἢ τῷ καλουμένῳ περιστατικῷ βίῳ.
For they must of necessity make use of whatever each happens to find available; and perhaps it is also impossible for those who are on journeys of any degree of haste, and in general for those engaged in civic business or in the so-called "circumstantial life," to regulate their lives as Polybus commands.
μόνοις οὖν τοῖς τὰ ἴδια πράττουσιν, οὓς ὀνομάζουσιν ἰδιοπραγοῦντας, ἡ ῥηθησομένη δίαιτα γίνεται. "Τοῦ μὲν χειμῶνος ἐσθίειν ὡς πλεῖστα, πίνειν δὲ ὡς ἐλά-χιστα.
Therefore, the regimen about to be described is appropriate only for those who manage their own private affairs, whom they call "private practitioners." "In winter, eat as much as possible, and drink as little as possible.
εἶναι δὲ χρὴ τὸ πόμα οἶνον ὡς ἀκρητέστα-τον· τὰ δὲ σιτία ἄρτον καὶ τὰ ὄψα ὀπτὰ πάντα.
The drink should be wine as undiluted as possible; and the solid food should be bread, and the relishes all roasted.
λαχάνοισι δὲ ὡς ἐλαχίστοισι χρέεσθαι ταύτην τὴν ὥρην.
Use as few vegetables as possible in this season.
οὕτω γὰρ ἂν μάλιστα τὸ σῶμα θερμόν τε εἴη καὶ ξηρόν. "[q. 2]
Τὸ κεφάλαιον εἰπὼν τῆς ὅλης διαίτης ὀρθῶς ἐποίησε προσγράψας ἐπὶ τῇ τελευτῇ τῆς ῥήσεως, διὰ τί τῶν εἰρη-μένων ἕκαστον αἱρεῖται.
For in this way, the body would be warmest and driest." [q.2] Having stated the main point of the entire regimen, he did well to add at the end of the passage the reason why he chooses each of the things mentioned.
θερμαίνειν μὲν γὰρ ἀξιοῖ τὸ σῶμα καὶ ξηραίνειν διὰ τὴν ἀμετρίαν τῆς κατὰ τὴν ὥραν κρά-σεως.
For he deems it right to warm and dry the body because of the imbalance of the mixture in that season.
ὡς εἴ γε ἦν σύμμετρον, ὡς κατὰ τὸ ἔαρ ἐστὶ, σύμ-μετρον ἂν ἐκέλευσε καὶ τὴν δίαιταν ποιεῖσθαι.
Whereas, if indeed it were balanced, as it is in spring, he would have commanded that the regimen also be made balanced.
φυλάττειν μὲν γὰρ προσήκει τὰ συμμέτρως διακείμενα, μετα-βάλλειν δὲ τὰ ἀμέτρως.
For it is proper to preserve what is in a balanced state, but to alter what is in an imbalanced state.
μεταβολὴ δὲ οὐκ ἄλλως ἂν ἢ ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων ἀμετρίων γίνοιτο.
And alteration would not occur otherwise than by means of opposite imbalances.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀμετρό-τερον, ἢ τεθερμασμένον, ἢ θερμαινόμενον σῶμα ψύχειν προσήκει, τὸ δὲ ἐψυγμένον, ἢ ψυχόμενον θερμαίνειν.
For it is proper to cool a body that is excessively heated or becoming hot, and to warm one that has been cooled or is becoming cold.
ὡσαύ-τως δὲ κᾀπὶ καὶ κατὰ τὸ ὑγρόν τε καὶ ξηρὸν ἀμετρίας διὰ τῆς τῶν ἐναντίων προσφορᾶς τὰς νοσαζούσας ὑπερβολὰς καθαιρεῖν χρὴ, τὴν ἐναντίαν ἀμετρίαν προσφέροντας, το-σοῦτον ἀπέχουσαν τοῦ μέσου τε καὶ συμμέτρου, ὅσον ἀφέ-στηκεν ἡ νοσάζουσα.
In the same way also regarding the imbalance of wetness and dryness, we must reduce the diseased excesses by applying opposites, introducing the opposite imbalance, which is as far removed from the mean and balanced state as the diseased state itself is removed from it.
κατὰ τοῦτο γοῦν ἐν τῷ χειμῶνι ψυ-χρῷ καὶ ὑγρῷ τὴν κρᾶσιν ὄντι συμφέρει ἐσθίειν μὲν ὡς πλεῖστα, πίνειν δὲ ὡς ἐλάχιστα.
According to this principle, at least, in winter, which is cold and wet in its mixture, it is beneficial to eat as much as possible, and to drink as little as possible.
πλεῖστα δ᾿ ἀκουστέον οὐχ ὡς πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς πρὸς τὰς ἄλλας ὥρας.
But "as much as possible" must be understood not in relation to one's capacity, but in comparison with the other seasons.
ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ πίνειν ὡς ἐλάχιστα πρὸς τὰς ἄλλας ὥρας ἀνα-φέροντα τὴν παραβολήν.
In the same way, "to drink as little as possible" must also be understood by referring the comparison to the other seasons.
ὁμοίως δὲ εἴρηται καὶ τὸ τὸν οἶνον ἀκρατέστατον εἶναι δεῖν ὡς πρὸς τὴν ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις ὥραις κρᾶσιν αὐτοῦ.
Likewise, the statement that the wine must be as undiluted as possible is also made in comparison with its mixture in the other seasons.
τῷ μέντοι πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν μέτρῳ καὶ τῷ πρὸς τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν ὠφέλειαν προσέχων τὸν νοῦν ἀεὶ τὸ σύμμετρον οἴνου τε καὶ σιτίου δώσεις, ὥσπερ γε καὶ ὕπνου καὶ γυμνασίων καὶ πάντων ἁπλῶς τῶν καλουμένων ὑπὸ τῶν ἰατρῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων.
However, by always paying attention to the measure relative to one's capacity and that relative to the present benefit, you will always administer the proper, balanced amount of wine and food, just as you would indeed of sleep, exercise, and absolutely all of what are called by physicians "daily regimens."