§1## ΝΟΜΟΣ.
1.
## LAW 1.
Ἰητρικὴ τεχνέων μὲν πασέων ἐστὶν ἐπιφανεστάτη· διὰ δὲ ἀμαθίην τῶν τε χρεομένων αὐτῇ, καὶ τῶν εἰκῆ τοὺς τοιούσδε κρινόντων, πολύ τι πασέων ἤδη τῶν τεχνέων ἀπολείπεται.
Medicine is the most illustrious of all the arts; but, through the ignorance of those who practice it, and of those who lightly judge them, it is now far behind all the other arts.
Ἡ δὲ τῶνδε ἁμαρτὰς τὰ μάλιστά μοι δοκέει ἔχειν αἰτίην τοιήνδε· πρόστιμον γὰρ ἰητρικῆς μούνης ἐν τῇσι πόλεσιν οὐδὲν ὥρισται, πλὴν ἀδοξίης· αὕτη δὲ οὐ τιτρώσκει τοὺς ἐξ αὐτέης συγκειμένους.
Their error seems to me to have its cause principally in this: for no punishment is connected with medicine in our cities, except disgrace alone, and this does not wound those who are composed of it.
Ὁμοιότατοι γάρ εἰσιν οἱ τοιοίδε τοῖσι παρεισαγομένοισι προσώποισιν ἐν τῇσι τραγῳδίῃσιν· ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι σχῆμα μὲν καὶ στολὴν καὶ πρόσωπον ὑποκριτοῦ ἔχουσιν, οὐκ εἰσὶ δὲ ὑποκριταὶ, οὕτω καὶ ἰητροὶ, φήμῃ μὲν πολλοὶ, ἔργῳ δὲ πάγχυ βαιοί.
For such persons are most like the characters introduced in tragedies; for just as they have the shape, dress, and mask of an actor, but are not actors, so also there are many doctors by reputation, but very few in reality.
§22.
2.
Χρὴ γὰρ, ὅστις μέλλει ἰητρικῆς ξύνεσιν ἀτρεκέως ἁρμόζεσθαι, τῶνδέ μιν ἐπήβολον γενέσθαι· φύσιος· διδασκαλίης· τόπου εὐφυέος· παιδομαθίης· φιλοπονίης· χρόνου.
For he who is to acquire a true understanding of medicine must possess the following qualifications: natural talent, instruction, a favorable place, study from childhood, industry, and time.
Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν πάντων δεῖ φύσιος· φύσιος γὰρ ἀντιπρησσούσης, κενεὰ πάντα· φύσιος δὲ ἐς τὸ ἄριστον ὁδηγεούσης, διδασκαλίη τέχνης γίνεται·
First of all, then, there is need of natural talent; for if nature opposes, everything is in vain; but when nature leads to the best, the instruction of the art takes place.
ἣν μετὰ φρονήσιος δεῖ περιποιήσασθαι, παιδομαθέα γενόμενον ἐν τόπῳ, ὁκοῖος εὐφυὴς πρὸς μάθησιν ἔσται·
This instruction one must acquire with wisdom, becoming a student from childhood in a place that is favorable for learning.
ἔτι δὲ φιλοπονίην προσενέγκασθαι ἐς χρόνον πουλὺν, ὅκως ἡ μάθησις, ἐμφυσιωθεῖσα, δεξιῶς τε καὶ εὐαλδέως τοὺς καρποὺς ἐξενέγκηται.
Moreover, one must apply industry for a long time, so that the instruction, being naturalized, may produce its fruits successfully and abundantly.
§33.
3.
Ὁκοίη γὰρ τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ φυομένων [ἡ] θεωρίη, τοιήδε καὶ τῆς ἰητρικῆς ἡ μάθησις.
For the learning of medicine is like the growth of plants in the earth.
Ἡ μὲν γὰρ φύσις ἡμέων, ὁκοῖον ἡ χώρη· τὰ δὲ δόγματα τῶν διδασκόντων, ὁκοῖον τὰ σπέρματα· ἡ δὲ παιδομαθίη, τὸ καθ᾿ ὥρην αὐτὰ πεσεῖν εἰς τὴν ἄρουραν· ὁ δὲ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἡ μάθησις, ὁκοῖον ἡ ἐκ τοῦ περιέχοντος ἠέρος τροφὴ γιγνομένη τοῖσι φυομένοισιν· ἡ δὲ φιλοπονίη, ἐργασίη· ὁ δὲ χρόνος ταῦτα ἐνισχύει πάντα, ὡς τραφῆναι τελέως.
For our natural talent is like the soil; the doctrines of the teachers are like the seeds; study from childhood is like the seeds falling into the ground at the proper season; the place in which the learning takes place is like the nourishment coming from the surrounding air for the growing plants; industry is the cultivation; and time strengthens all these things, so that they are fully nurtured.
§44.
4.
Ταῦτα ὦν χρὴ ἐς τὴν ἰητρικὴν τέχνην ἐσενεγκαμένους, καὶ ἀτρεκέως αὐτέης γνῶσιν λαβόντας, οὕτως ἀνὰ τὰς πόλιας φοιτεῦντας, μὴ λόγῳ μοῦνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργῳ ἰητροὺς νομίζεσθαι.
Those, therefore, who have brought these things to the art of medicine, and have acquired a true knowledge of it, should, when they travel through the cities, be esteemed physicians not in word only, but also in deed.
Ἡ δὲ ἀπειρίη, κακὸς θησαυρὸς καὶ κακὸν κειμήλιον τοῖσιν ἔχουσιν αὐτέην, καὶ ὄναρ καὶ ὕπαρ, εὐθυμίης τε καὶ εὐφροσύνης ἄμοιρος, δειλίης τε καὶ θρασύτητος τιθήνη.
But inexperience is a bad treasure and a bad store for those who possess it, both in dreams and in reality, devoid of joy and gladness, the nurse of cowardice and rashness.
Δειλίη μὲν γὰρ ἀδυναμίην σημαίνει· θρασύτης δὲ, ἀτεχνίην.
For cowardice indicates weakness, and rashness indicates want of art.
Δύο γὰρ, ἐπιστήμη τε καὶ δόξα, ὧν τὸ μὲν ἐπίστασθαι ποιέει, τὸ δὲ ἀγνοεῖν.
For there are two things, knowledge and opinion, of which the former makes one know, and the latter makes one ignorant.
§55.
5.
Τὰ δὲ ἱερὰ ἐόντα πρήγματα ἱεροῖσιν ἀνθρώποισι δείκνυται· βεβήλοισι δὲ, οὐ θέμις, πρὶν ἢ τελεσθῶσιν ὀργίοισιν ἐπιστήμης.
But sacred things are shown to sacred men; and for the profane it is not lawful, before they are initiated into the mysteries of knowledge.