on the sacred disease-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


infants　they　do　not　know　yet　what　it　is　to　be　ashamed。



　　Therefore；　they　are　attacked　during　changes　of　the　winds；　and

especially　south　winds；　then　also　with　north　winds；　and　afterwards

also　with　the　others。　These　are　the　strongest　winds；　and　the　most

opposed　to　one　another；　both　as　to　direction　and　power。　For；　the　north

wind　condenses　the　air；　and　separates　from　it　whatever　is　muddy　and

nebulous；　and　renders　it　clearer　and　brighter；　and　so　in　like　manner

also；　all　the　winds　which　arise　from　the　sea　and　other　waters；　for

they　extract　the　humidity　and　nebulosity　from　all　objects；　and　from

men　themselves；　and　therefore　it　（the　north　wind）　is　the　most

wholesome　of　the　winds。　But　the　effects　of　the　south　are　the　very

reverse。　For　in　the　first　place　it　begins　by　melting　and　diffusing　the

condensed　air；　and　therefore　it　does　not　blow　strong　at　first；　but

is　gentle　at　the　commencement；　because　it　is　not　able　at　once　to

overcome　the　and　compacted　air；　which　yet　in　a　while　it　dissolves。

It　produces　the　same　effects　upon　the　land；　the　sea；　the　fountains；

the　wells；　and　on　every　production　which　contains　humidity；　and

this；　there　is　in　all　things；　some　more；　some　less。　For　all　these　feel

the　effects　of　this　wind；　and　from　clear　they　become　cloudy；　from

cold；　hot；　from　dry；　moist；　and　whatever　ear　then　vessels　are　placed

upon　the　ground；　filled　with　wine　or　any　other　fluid；　are　affected

with　the　south　wind；　and　undergo　a　change。　And　the　a　change。　And　the

sun；　and　the　moon；　it　renders　blunter　appearance　than　they　naturally

are。　When；　then；　it　possesses　such　powers　over　things　so　great　and

strong；　and　the　body　is　made　to　feel　and　undergo　changes　in　the

changes　of　the　winds；　it　necessarily　follows　that　the　brain　should

be　disolved　and　overpowered　with　moisture；　and　that　the　veins　should

become　more　relaxed　by　the　south　winds；　and　that　by　the　north　the

healthiest　portion　of　the　brain　should　become　contracted；　while　the

most　morbid　and　humid　is　secreted；　and　overflows　externally；　and

that　catarrhs　should　thus　take　place　in　the　changes　of　these　winds。

Thus　is　this　disease　formed　and　prevails　from　those　things　which　enter

into　and　go　out　of　the　body；　and　it　is　not　more　difficult　to

understand　or　to　cure　than　the　others；　neither　is　it　more　divine

than　other　diseases。



　　Men　ought　to　know　that　from　nothing　else　but　the　brain　come　joys；

delights；　laughter　and　sports；　and　sorrows；　griefs；　despondency；　and

lamentations。　And　by　this；　in　an　especial　manner；　we　acquire　wisdom

and　knowledge；　and　see　and　hear；　and　know　what　are　foul　and　what　are

fair；　what　are　bad　and　what　are　good；　what　are　sweet；　and　what

unsavory；　some　we　discriminate　by　habit；　and　some　we　perceive　by　their

utility。　By　this　we　distinguish　objects　of　relish　and　disrelish；

according　to　the　seasons；　and　the　same　things　do　not　always　please　us。

And　by　the　same　organ　we　become　mad　and　delirious；　and　fears　and

terrors　assail　us；　some　by　night；　and　some　by　day；　and　dreams　and

untimely　wanderings；　and　cares　that　are　not　suitable；　and　ignorance　of

present　circumstances；　desuetude；　and　unskilfulness。　All　these

things　we　endure　from　the　brain；　when　it　is　not　healthy；　but　is　more

hot；　more　cold；　more　moist；　or　more　dry　than　natural；　or　when　it

suffers　any　other　preternatural　and　unusual　affection。　And　we　become

mad　from　its　humidity。　For　when　it　is　more　moist　than　natural；　it　is

necessarily　put　into　motion；　and　the　affection　being　moved；　neither

the　sight　nor　hearing　can　be　at　rest；　and　the　tongue　speaks　in

accordance　with　the　sight　and　hearing。



　　As　long　as　the　brain　is　at　rest；　the　man　enjoys　his　reason；　but

the　depravement　of　the　brain　arises　from　phlegm　and　bile；　either　of

which　you　may　recognize　in　this　manner：　Those　who　are　mad　from

phlegm　are　quiet；　and　do　not　cry　out　nor　make　a　noise；　but　those

from　bile　are　vociferous；　malignant；　and　will　not　be　quiet；　but　are

always　doing　something　improper。　If　the　madness　be　constant；　these　are

the　causes　thereof。　But　if　terrors　and　fears　assail；　they　are

connected　with　derangement　of　the　brain；　and　derangement　is　owing　to

its　being　heated。　And　it　is　heated　by　bile　when　it　is　determined　to

the　brain　along　the　bloodvessels　running　from　the　trunk；　and　fear　is

present　until　it　returns　again　to　the　veins　and　trunk；　when　it　ceases。

He　is　grieved　and　troubled　when　the　brain　is　unseasonably　cooled　and

contracted　beyond　its　wont。　This　it　suffers　from　phlegm；　and　from

the　same　affection　the　patient　becomes　oblivious。　He　calls　out　and

screams　at　night　when　the　brain　is　suddenly　heated。　The　bilious　endure

this。　But　the　phlegmatic　are　not　heated；　except　when　much　blood　goes

to　the　brain；　and　creates　an　ebullition。　Much　blood　passes　along　the

aforesaid　veins。　But　when　the　man　happens　to　see　a　frightful　dream　and

is　in　fear　as　if　awake；　then　his　face　is　in　a　greater　glow；　and　the

eyes　are　red　when　the　patient　is　in　fear。　And　the　understanding

meditates　doing　some　mischief；　and　thus　it　is　affected　in　sleep。　But

if；　when　awakened；　he　returns　to　himself；　and　the　blood　is　again

distributed　along　the　veins；　it　ceases。



　　In　these　ways　I　am　of　the　opinion　that　the　brain　exercises　the

greatest　power　in　the　man。　This　is　the　interpreter　to　us　of　those

things　which　emanate　from　the　air；　when　the　brain　happens　to　be　in　a

sound　state。　But　the　air　supplies　sense　to　it。　And　the　eyes；　the　ears；

the　tongue　and　the　feet；　administer　such　things　as　the　brain

cogitates。　For　in　as　much　as　it　is　supplied　with　air；　does　it　impart

sense　to　the　body。　It　is　the　brain　which　is　the　messenger　to　the

understanding。　For　when　the　man　draws　the　breath　into　himself；　it

passes　first　to　the　brain；　and　thus　the　air　is　distributed　to　the　rest

of　the　body；　leaving　in　the　brain　its　acme；　and　whatever　has　sense　and

understanding。　For　if　it　passed　first　to　the　body　and　last　to　the

brain；　then　having　left　in　the　flesh　and　veins　the　judgment；　when　it

reached　the　brain　it　would　be　hot；　and　not　at　all　pure；　but　mixed　with

the　humidity　from　flesh　and　blood；　so　as　to　be　no　longer　pure。



　　Wherefore；　I　say；　that　it　is　the　brain　which　interprets　the

understanding。　But　the　diaphragm　has　obtained　its　name　（frenes）　from

accident　and　usage；　and　not　from　reality　or　nature；　for　I　know　no

power　which　it　possesses；　either　as　to　sense　or　understanding；

except　that　when　the　man　is　affected　with　unexpected　joy　or　sorrow；　it

throbs　and　produces　palpitations；　owing　to　its　thinness；　and　as　having

no　belly　to　receive　anything　good　or　bad　that　may　present　themselves

to　it；　but　it　is　thrown　into　commotion　by　both　these；　from　its　natural

weakness。　It　then　perceives　beforehand　none　of　those　things　which

occur　in　the　body；　but　has　received　its　name　vaguely　and　without　any

proper　reason；　like　the　parts　about　the　heart；　which　are　called

auricles；　but　which　contribute　nothing　towards　hearing。　Some　say

that　we　think　with　the　heart；　and　that　this　is　the　part　which　is

grieved；　and　experiences　care。　But　it　is　not　so；　only　it　contracts

like　the　diaphragm；　and　still　more　so　for　the　same　causes。　For　veins

from　all　parts　of　the　body　run　to　it；　and　it　has　valves；　so　as　to　as

to　perceive　if　any　pain　or　pleasurable　emotion　befall　the　man。　For

when　grieved　the　body　necessarily　shudders；　and　is　contracted；　and

from　excessive　joy　it　is　affected　in　like　manner。　Wherefore　the

heart　and　the　diaphragm　are　particularly　sensitive；　they　have

nothing　to　do；　however；　with　the　operations　of　the　understanding；

but　of　all　but　of　all　these　the　brain　is　the　cause。　Since；　then；　the

brain；　as　being　the　primary　seat　of　sense　and　of　the　spirits；

perceives　whatever　occurs　in　the　body；　if　any　change　more　powerful

than　usual　take　place　in　the　air；　owing　to　the　seasons；　the　brain

becomes　changed　by　the　state　of　the　air。　For；　on　this　account；　the

brain　first　perceives；　because；　I　say；　all　the　most　acute；　most

powerful；　and　most　deadly　diseases；　and　those　which　are　most　difficult

to　be　understood　by　the　inexperienced；　fall　upon　the　brain。



　　And　the　disease　called　the　Sacred　arises　from　causes　as　the

others；　namely；　those　things　whi