§44.
4.
Τοὺς δὲ παχέας χρὴ καὶ ὅσοι βούλονται λεπτοὶ γενέσθαι, τὰς ταλαιπωρίας ἁπάσας νήστιας ἐόντας ποιέεσθαι, καὶ τοῖσι σιτίοισιν ἐπιχειρέειν ἔτι ἀσθμαίνοντας ἐκ τοῦ κόπου καὶ μὴ ἀνεψυγμένους καὶ προπεπωκότας οἶνον κεκρημένον καὶ μὴ σφόδρα ψυχρὸν, καὶ τὰ ὄψα σκευάζειν σησάμοισιν ἢ ἡδύσμασι καὶ τοῖσιν ἄλλοισι τοῖσι τοιουτοτρόποισιν· καὶ πίονα ἔστω τὰ προσαγόμενα ὄψα, οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἀπὸ ἐλαχίστων ἐμπιπλαῖντο· ἀλλὰ καὶ μονοσιτέειν καὶ ἀλουτέειν καὶ σκληροκοιτέειν καὶ γυμνὸν περιπατέειν ὅσον οἷόν τε μάλιστ’ ἂν ᾖ.
Those who are fat and those who wish to become thin should do all their hard exercises while fasting, and set about their meals while still panting from fatigue, before they have cooled down, and having previously drunk some diluted wine that is not too cold, and season their dishes with sesame or spices and other things of this sort; and let the dishes served be rich, for in this way they would be satisfied with very little; moreover, they should eat only once a day, refrain from baths, sleep on hard beds, and walk about naked as much as possible.
Ὁκόσοι δὲ βούλονται λεπτοὶ ἐόντες παχέες γενέσθαι, τά τε ἄλλα ποιέειν τἀναντία κείνοισιν οἷσιν ἔφην, καὶ νήστιας μηδεμίην ταλαιπωρίην ποιέεσθαι.
But those who are thin and wish to become fat should do everything else the opposite of what I have said, and perform no hard exercise while fasting.
§55.
5.
Τοῖσι δὲ ἐμέτοισι χρὴ καὶ τοῖσι κατακλύσμασι τοῖσι τῆς κοιλίης ὧδε χρέεσθαι· ἓξ μῆνας τοὺς χειμερινοὺς ἐμέειν, οὗτος γὰρ ὁ χρόνος φλεγματωδέστερος τοῦ θερινοῦ, καὶ τὰ νουσήματα γίνεται περὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ περὶ τὸ χωρίον τὸ ὑπὲρ τῶν φρενῶν· ὅταν δὲ ᾖ θάλπος, τοῖσι κατακλύσμασι χρέεσθαι, ἡ γὰρ ὥρη καυματώδης, καὶ τὸ σῶμα χολωδέστερόν ἐστι, καὶ βαρύτητες ἐν τῇ ὀσφύϊ καὶ ἐν τοῖσι γούνασι, καὶ θέρμαι γίνονται, καὶ ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ στρόφοι· δεῖ οὖν τὸ σῶμα ψύχειν καὶ τὰ μετεωριζόμενα κάτω ὑπάγειν ἐκ τῶν χωρίων τουτέων.
Vomiting and clysters of the belly should be used in the following way: vomit during the six winter months, for this period is more phlegmatic than the summer, and illnesses arise around the head and the region above the diaphragm; but when it is warm, use clysters, for the season is burning, the body is more bilious, and there are heaviness in the loins and in the knees, fevers arise, and colic in the belly; one must therefore cool the body and lead downwards the humors that are raised from these regions.
Ἔστω δὲ τὰ κατακλύσματα τοῖσι μὲν παχυτέροισι καὶ ὑγροτέροισιν ἁλμυρώτερα καὶ λεπτότερα, τοῖσι δὲ ξηροτέροισι καὶ προσεσταλμένοισι καὶ ἀσθενεστέροισι λιπαρώτερα καὶ παχύτερα· ἔστι δὲ τῶν κατακλυσμάτων τὰ λιπαρὰ καὶ παχέα τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν γαλάκτων καὶ ἀπὸ ἐρεβίνθων ὕδωρ ἑφθὸν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τοιουτέων· τὰ δὲ λεπτὰ καὶ ἁλμυρὰ, ἅλμη καὶ θάλασσα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα.
Let the clysters be saltier and thinner for those who are fatter and wetter, but richer and thicker for those who are drier, tenser, and weaker; the rich and thick clysters are those made from milk, or the boiled water of chickpeas, and other such things; the thin and salty ones are brine, sea-water, and the like.
Τοὺς δὲ ἐμέτους ὧδε χρὴ ποιέεσθαι· ὅσοι μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων παχέες εἰσὶ καὶ μὴ ἰσχνοὶ, νήστιες ἐμούντων δραμόντες ἢ ὁδοιπορήσαντες διὰ τάχεος κατὰ μέσον τῆς ἡμέρης· ἔστω δὲ ἡμικοτύλιον ὑσσώπου τετριμμένης ἐν ὕδατος χοέϊ, καὶ τοῦτο ἐκπιέτω, ὄξος παραχέων καὶ ἅλας παραβάλλων, ὅκως ἂν μέλλῃ ἥδιστον ἔσεσθαι, πινέτω δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἡσυχέστερον, ἔπειτα δ’ ἐπὶ θᾶσσον.
Vomiting should be produced as follows: those who are fat and not thin should vomit while fasting, after running or walking quickly at midday; let there be half a kotyle of ground hyssop in a chous of water, and let him drink this up, pouring in vinegar and adding salt, so as to make it as palatable as possible, and let him drink it at first rather quietly, and then more quickly.
Οἱ δὲ λεπτότεροι καὶ ἀσθενέστεροι ἀπὸ σιτίων ποιεέσθωσαν τὸν ἔμετον τρόπον τοιόνδε· λουσάμενος θερμῷ προπιέτω ἀκρήτου κοτύλην, ἔπειτα σιτία παντοδαπὰ ἐσθιέτω, καὶ μὴ πινέτω ἐπὶ τῷ σιτίῳ μηδ’ ἀπὸ τοῦ σιτίου, ἀλλ’ ἐπισχέτω ὅσον δέκα στάδια διελθεῖν, ἔπειτα δὲ ξυμμίξας οἴνους τρεῖς πίνειν διδόναι αὐστηρὸν καὶ γλυκὺν καὶ ὀξὺν, πρῶτον μὲν ἀκρητέστερόν τε καὶ κατ’ ὀλίγον καὶ διὰ πολλοῦ χρόνον, ἔπειτα δὲ ὑδαρέστερόν τε καὶ θᾶσσον καὶ κατὰ πολλόν.
But those who are thinner and weaker should produce vomiting after meals in the following manner: having bathed in warm water, let him first drink a kotyle of undiluted wine, then eat all kinds of food, and let him not drink during the meal nor immediately after it, but wait as long as it takes to walk ten stades; then, having mixed three wines—dry, sweet, and acid—give them to him to drink, at first more undiluted, in small quantities, and at long intervals, and then more diluted, more quickly, and in large quantities.
Ὅστις δὲ εἴωθε τοῦ μηνὸς δὶς ἐξεμέειν, ἄμεινον ἐφεξῆς ποιέεσθαι τοὺς ἐμέτους ἐν δυσὶν ἡμέρῃσι μᾶλλον, ἢ διὰ πεντεκαίδεκα· οἱ δὲ πᾶν τοὐναντίον ποιέουσιν.
Whoever is accustomed to vomit twice a month, it is better to produce the vomits on two consecutive days rather than every fifteen days; but people do the exact opposite.
Ὁκόσοισι δὲ ἐπιτήδειον ἀνεμέειν τὰ σιτία, ἢ ὁκόσοισιν αἱ κοιλίαι οὐκ εὐδιέξοδοι, τουτέοισι πᾶσι ξυμφέρει πολλάκις τῆς ἡμέρης ἐσθίειν, καὶ παντοδαποῖσι βρώμασι χρέεσθαι καὶ ὄψοισι πάντας τρόπους ἐσκευασμένοισι, καὶ οἴνους πίνειν δισσοὺς καὶ τρισσούς· ὁκόσοι δὲ μὴ ἀνεμέουσι τὰ σιτία, ἢ καὶ κοιλίας ἔχουσιν ὑγρὰς, τουτέοισι πᾶσι τοὐναντίον τουτέου τοῦ τρόπου ξυμφέρει ποιέειν.
For all those for whom it is suitable to throw up their food, or whose bowels do not pass easily, it is beneficial to eat many times a day, to use all kinds of foods and dishes prepared in every way, and to drink two or three different wines; but for those who do not throw up their food, or who have loose bowels, it is beneficial to do the exact opposite of this method.
§66.
6.
Τὰ δὲ παιδία χρὴ τὰ νήπια βρέχειν ἐν τῷ θερμῷ ὕδατι ἐπὶ πουλὺν χρόνον, καὶ πίνειν διδόναι ὑδαρέα τὸν οἶνον καὶ μὴ ψυχρὸν παντάπασι, τοῦτον δὲ διδόναι, ὃς ἥκιστα τὴν γαστέρα μετεωριεῖ καὶ φῦσαν παρέξει· ταῦτα δὲ ποιέειν, ὅκως οἵ τε σπασμοὶ ἧσσον ἐπιλάβωσι, καὶ μείζονα γένηται καὶ εὐχροώτερα.
Infants should be bathed in warm water for a long time, and be given wine to drink that is diluted and not entirely cold, and let this wine be the one that will least bloat the stomach and cause wind; and this should be done so that convulsions may less seize them, and they may grow larger and of better complexion.
Τὰς δὲ γυναῖκας χρὴ διαιτᾶσθαι τῷ ξηροτέρῳ τῶν τρόπων· καὶ γὰρ τὰ σιτία τὰ ξηρὰ ἐπιτηδειότερα πρὸς τὴν μαλθακότητα τῶν γυναικείων σαρκῶν, καὶ τὰ ἀκρητέστερα πόματα ἀμείνω πρὸς τὰς ὑστέρας καὶ τὰς κυοτροφίας.
Women should use a drier way of life; for dry food is more suitable for the softness of female flesh, and more undiluted drinks are better for the womb and child-rearing.