APHORISMS (BILINGUAL EDITION)

Παρουσίαση

1 Ο βίος βραχύς, η δε τέχνη μακρή, ο δε καιρός οξύς, η δε πείρα σφαλερή, η δε κρίσις χαλεπή. Δει δε ου μόνον εωυτόν παρέχειν τα δέοντα ποιέοντα, αλλά και τον νοσέοντα, και τους παρεόντας, και τα έξωθεν.
2 Εν τήσι ταραχήσι της κοιλίης και τοίσιν εμέτοισι τοίσιν αυτομάτοισι γινομένοισιν, ην μεν οία δει καθαίρεσθαι καθαίρωνται, συμφέρει τε και ευφόρως φέρουσιν ην δε μη, τουναντίον. Ούτω δε και κενεαγγείη, ην μεν, οία δει γίγνεσθαι, γίγνηται, ξυμφέρει τε και ευφόρως φέρουσιν ην δε μη, τουναντίον. Επιβλέπειν ουν δει και ώρην και χώρην και ηλικίην και νούσους, εν ήσι δει ή ου. [...] (Από την έκδοση)

I. Life is short, the Art long, opportunity fleeting, experiment treacherous, judgment difficult. The physician must be ready, not only to do his duty himself, but also to secure the co-operation of the patient, of the attendants and of externals.
II. In disorders of the bowels, and in vomitings that are spontaneous, if the matters purged be such as should be purged, the patient profits and bears up well. If not, the contrary. So too artificial evacuations, if what takes place is what should take place, profit and are well borne. If not, the contrary. So one ought to have an eye to season, district, age and disease, to see if the treatment is, or is not, proper in the circumstances. [...]

Hippocrates, often referred to as the 'Father of Western Medicine', is credited with being the first healer to separate the discipline of medicine from religion, arguing that disease was not a punishment inflicted by the gods, but rather the product of environmental factors, diet, and lifestyle.
Aphorisms, the best known work in the whole Hippocratic Corpus, is a series of propositions concerning the symptoms and diagnosis of disease and medicine, and the art of healing. It is believed Hippocrates composed it in his old age as a summary of his vast experience. (From the publisher)