on the sacred disease-第4部分

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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　which　enter　and　quit　the　body；　such　as

cold；　the　sun；　and　the　winds；　which　are　ever　changing　and　are　never　at

rest。　And　these　things　are　divine；　so　that　there　is　no　necessity　for

making　a　distinction；　and　holding　this　disease　to　be　more　divine

than　the　others；　but　all　are　divine；　and　all　human。　And　each　has　its

own　peculiar　nature　and　power；　and　none　is　of　an　ambiguous　nature；

or　irremediable。　And　the　most　of　them　are　curable　by　the　same　means　as

those　by　which　any　other　thing　is　food　to　one；　and　injurious　to

another。　Thus；　then；　the　physician　should　understand　and　distinguish

the　season　of　each；　so　that　at　one　time　he　may　attend　to　the

nourishment　and　increase；　and　at　another　to　abstraction　and

diminution。　And　in　this　disease　as　in　all　others；　he　must　strive　not

to　feed　the　disease；　but　endeavor　to　wear　it　out　by　administering

whatever　is　most　opposed　to　each　disease；　and　not　that　which　favors

and　is　allied　to　it。　For　by　that　which　is　allied　to　it；　it　gains　vigor

and　increase；　but　it　wears　out　and　disappears　under　the　use　of　that

which　is　opposed　to　it。　But　whoever　is　acquainted　with　such　a　change

in　men；　and　can　render　a　man　humid　and　dry；　hot　and　cold　by　regimen；

could　also　cure　this　disease；　if　he　recognizes　the　proper　season　for

administering　his　remedies；　without　minding　purifications；　spells；　and

all　other　illiberal　practices　of　a　like　kind。









　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。