§1## ΠΑΡΑΓΓΕΛΙΑΙ.
1.
## PRECEPTS 1.
Χρόνος ἐστὶν ἐν ᾧ καιρὸς, καὶ καιρὸς ἐν ᾧ χρόνος οὐ πολύς·
Time is that in which there is opportunity, and opportunity is that in which there is no great amount of time.
ἄκεσις χρόνῳ, ἔστι δὲ ἡνίκα καὶ καιρῷ.
Healing is by time, but there is also a time when it is by opportunity.
Δεῖ γε μὴν ταῦτα εἰδότα μὴ λογισμῷ πρότερον πιθανῷ προσέχοντα ἰητρεύειν, ἀλλὰ τριβῇ μετὰ λόγου.
Yet, knowing these things, one must not practice medicine by paying attention first to plausible reasoning, but rather by experience combined with reason.
Ὁ γὰρ λογισμὸς μνήμη τίς ἐστι ξυνθετικὴ τῶν μετ’ αἰσθήσιος ληφθέντων·
For reasoning is a kind of synthetic memory of things received with perception.
ἐφαντασιώθη γὰρ ἐναργέως ἡ αἴσθησις προπαθὴς καὶ ἀναπομπὸς ἐοῦσα εἰς διάνοιαν τῶν ὑποκειμένων· ἡ δὲ παραδεξαμένη πολλάκις, οἷς, ὅτε, ὁκοίως τηρήσασα, καὶ ἐς ἑωυτὴν καταθεμένη, ἐμνημόνευσεν.
For perception was clearly impressed, being previously affected and sending up to the mind the underlying things; and the mind, having received them many times, observing by what means, when, and in what manner, and storing them within itself, remembers.
Ξυγκαταινέω μὲν οὖν καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν, ἤνπερ ἐκ περιπτώσιος ποιῆται τὴν ἀρχὴν, καὶ τὴν καταφορὴν ἐκ τῶν φαινομένων μεθοδεύῃ· ἐκ γὰρ τῶν ἐναργέως ἐπιτελεομένων ἢν τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιήσηται ὁ λογισμὸς, ἐν διανοίης δυνάμει ὑπάρχων εὑρίσκεται, παραδεχομένης αὐτῆς ἕκαστα παρ’ ἄλλων.
I do indeed approve also of reasoning, if it takes its start from chance occurrence and directs its course from appearances; for if reasoning takes its start from things clearly accomplished, it is found to exist in the power of the mind, which itself receives each thing from others.
Ὑποληπτέον οὖν τὴν φύσιν ὑπὸ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ παντοίων πρηγμάτων κινηθῆναί τε καὶ διδαχθῆναι, βίης ὑπεούσης· ἡ δὲ διάνοια παρ’ αὐτῆς λαβοῦσα, ὡς προεῖπον, ὕστερον εἰς ἀληθείην ἤγαγεν·
One must assume, therefore, that nature is moved and taught by many and various things, under some constraint; and the mind, taking from nature, as I said before, later leads to the truth.
εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐξ ἐναργέος ἐφόδου, ἐκ δὲ πιθανῆς ἀναπλάσιος λόγου, πολλάκις βαρείην καὶ ἀνιηρὴν ἐπήνεγκε διάθεσιν.
But if it starts not from a clear approach, but from a plausible fiction of argument, it often brings about a heavy and troublesome condition.
Οὗτοι δὲ ἀνοδίην χειρίζουσι· τί γὰρ ἂν ἦν κακὸν, ἢν τὰ ἐπίχειρα ἐκομίζοντο οἱ τὰ τῆς ἰητρικῆς ἔργα κακῶς δημιουργέοντες;
And these men manage a pathless course; for what harm would there be if those who practice the works of medicine badly received their deserts?
νῦν δὲ τοῖσιν ἀναιτίοισιν ἐοῦσι τῶν καμνόντων, ὁκόσοισιν οὐχ ἱκανὴ ἐφαίνετο ἐοῦσα τοῦ νοσέειν βίη, εἰ μὴ ξυνέλθοι τῇ τοῦ ἰητροῦ ἀπειρίῃ.
But as it is, they do so to the blameless among the sick, for as many of whom the force of the disease did not seem sufficient to kill, had it not combined with the doctor's inexperience.
Περὶ μὲν οὖν τουτέων ἅλις ἔστω διειλεγμένα.
Concerning these things, then, let what has been said suffice.
§22.
2.
Τῶν δ’ ὡς λόγου μόνου ξυμπεραινομένων μὴ εἴη ἐπαύρασθαι, τῶν δὲ ὡς ἔργου ἐνδείξιος· σφαλερὴ γὰρ καὶ εὔπταιστος ἡ μετ’ ἀδολεσχίης ἰσχύρισις.
May I have no enjoyment of those arguments which conclude as mere words, but rather of those which show results in action; for assertion accompanied by empty chatter is slippery and prone to fall.
Διὸ καὶ καθόλου δεῖ ἔχεσθαι τῶν γινομένων, καὶ περὶ ταῦτα μὴ ἐλαχίστως γίγνεσθαι, ἢν μέλλῃ ἕξειν ῥηϊδίην καὶ ἀναμάρτητον ἕξιν, ἣν δὴ ἰητρικὴν προσαγορεύομεν.
Therefore, one must also hold fast to things that happen, and be not least occupied with them, if one is to have an easy and unerring habit, which indeed we call medicine.
Κάρτα γὰρ μεγάλην ὠφελίην περιποιήσει τοῖσί γε νοσέουσι καὶ τοῖσι τουτέων δημιουργοῖσιν.
For it will secure very great benefit for the sick and for the practitioners of these things.
Μὴ ὀκνέειν δὲ καὶ παρὰ ἰδιωτέων ἱστορέειν, ἤν τι δοκέῃ συνοίσειν εἰς καιρὸν θεραπείης.
And one must not hesitate to inquire even of laymen, if something seems likely to be of advantage for the occasion of treatment.
Οὕτω γὰρ δοκέω τὴν ξύμπασαν τέχνην ἀναδειχθῆναι, διὰ τὸ ἐξ ἑκάστου τοῦ τέλους τηρηθῆναι καὶ εἰς ταὐτὸ ξυναλισθῆναι.
For in this way, I think, the whole art was brought to light, by being observed from the result of each case and collected into the same whole.
Προσέχειν οὖν δεῖ περιπτώσει τῇ ὡς ἐπιτοπολὺ, καὶ μετ’ ὠφελίης καὶ ἠρεμαιότητος μᾶλλον ἢ ἐπαγγελίης καὶ ἀπολογίης τῆς μετὰ πρήξιας.
One must therefore pay attention to what happens for the most part, and with usefulness and calmness, rather than with boastful promises and excuses after the deed.
§33.
3.
Χρήσιμος δὲ καὶ ποικίλος τῶν προσφερομένων τῷ νοσέοντι καὶ ὁ προορισμὸς, ὅτι μόνον τι προσενεχθὲν ὠφελήσει· οὐ γὰρ ἰσχυρίσιος δεῖ· πάντα γὰρ τὰ πάθη διὰ πολλὰς περιστάσιας καὶ μεταβολὰς μονῇ τινὶ προσκαθίζει.
Useful and varied also is the determination beforehand of what is offered to the sick, namely, that only some particular thing offered will help; for there is no need of dogmatic assertion; for all diseases, through many circumstances and changes, settle into some single state.
§44.
4.
Παραινέσιος δ’ ἂν καὶ τοῦτο ἐπιδεηθείη τῆς θεωρίης· εἰ γὰρ ἄρξαιο παρὰ μισθαρίων, ξυμβάλλει γάρ τι καὶ τῷ ξύμπαντι, τῷ μὲν ἀλγέοντι τοιαύτην διανόησιν ἐμποιήσεις τὴν ὅτι ἀπολιπὼν αὐτὸν πορεύσῃ μὴ ξυνθέμενος, ἢ ὅτι ἀμελήσεις, καὶ οὐχ ὑποθήσεις τινὰ τῷ παρεόντι.
And this too would need the consideration of advice: for if you should begin with fees—since this also contributes something to the whole matter—you will produce in the suffering patient such a thought as that you will leave him and go away if you do not come to an agreement, or that you will neglect him and not prescribe anything for his present condition.
Ἐπιμελεῖσθαι οὖν οὐ δεῖ περὶ στάσιος μισθοῦ· ἄχρηστον γὰρ ἡγεύμεθα ἐνθύμησιν ὀχλεομένῳ τὴν τοιαύτην, πουλὺ δὲ μᾶλλον ἐν ὀξεῖ νοσήματι· νόσου γὰρ ταχύτης καιρὸν μὴ διδοῦσα ἐς ἀναστροφὴν οὐκ ἐποτρύνει τὸν καλῶς ἰητρεύοντα ζητεῖν τὸ λυσιτελὲς, ἔχεσθαι δὲ δόξης μᾶλλον·
Therefore, one must not be anxious about fixing a fee; for we consider such a thought to be useless to a patient in distress, and much more so in an acute illness; for the rapid course of the disease, giving no time for delay, does not urge the honorable physician to seek profit, but rather to hold fast to reputation.
κρέσσον οὖν σωζομένοισιν ὀνειδίζειν ἢ ὀλεθρίως ἔχοντας προμύσσειν.
It is better, therefore, to reproach them when they are saved, than to fleece them when they are in a deadly state.