--- title: "Disowned · Ἀποκηρυττόμενος" author: "Lucian" translator: "Austin Morris Harmon" languages: [grc, en] shelf: "Classical Greek" section: 2 of 2 url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-disowned/2/ cite: "Lucian, tr. Austin Morris Harmon, Disowned · Ἀποκηρυττόμενος, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-disowned/2/" --- # Disowned · Ἀποκηρυττόμενος *Lucian, tr. Austin Morris Harmon* A declamation: a disowned son, a doctor, refuses to treat his stepmother. > Greek: ed. Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg052, CC BY-SA 4.0). > English: Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg052.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included. > Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence. ## 2. Sections 17–32 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-disowned/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-disowned/2/#p-N [¶0] 17. Let no one, hearing this, be quick to remark: “What sort of feat is it, and how great, to give a remedy?”’ Many things must precede this; one must prepare the way for the medicine, make the body easy to cure, and take thought for the patient’s whole condition, purging him, reducing him, nourishing him with the proper foods, rousing him as much as is expedient, planning for periods of sleep, contriving periods of solitude. Those who have any other sickness can readily be persuaded to consent to all this, but the insane because of their independence of spirit are hard to influence and hard to direct, dangerous to the physician, and hard to conquer by the treatment. Often when we think we are near the goal at last and become hopeful, some trivial slip, occurring when the illness has reached its height, easily overturns everything that has been done, hampers the treatment, and thwarts our skill. > Greek: 17. μὴ γὰρ τοῦτʼ ἀκούσας εὐθὺς ὑπολάβῃ τις ποῖος δὲ ἢ πόσος ὁ κάματος ἐγχέαι φάρμακον; πολλὰ γὰρ πρὸ τούτου γενέσθαι δεῖ, καὶ προοδοποιῆσαι τῇ πόσει καὶ προπαρασκευάσαι ῥᾴδιον ἐς ἴασιν τὸ σῶμα καὶ τῆς ἁπάσης ἕξεως φροντίσαι κενοῦντα καὶ ἰσχναίνοντα καὶ οἷς χρὴ τρέφοντα καὶ κινοῦντα ἐς ὅσον χρήσιμον καὶ ὕπνους ἐπινοοῦντα καὶ ἠρεμίας μηχανώμενον, ἅπερ οἱ μὲν ἄλλο τι νοσοῦντες ῥᾳδίως πεισθεῖεν ἄν, οἱ μεμηνότες δὲ διὰ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τοῦ νοῦ δυσάγωγοι καὶ δυσηνιόχητοι καὶ τῷ ἰατρῷ ἐπισφαλεῖς καὶ τῇ θεραπείᾳ δυσκαταγώνιστοι. ὅταν γοῦν πολλάκις οἰήθωμεν ἤδη πλησίον γενέσθαι τοῦ τέλους καὶ ἐλπίσωμεν, ἐμπεσόν τι μικρὸν ἁμάρτημα ἐπακμάσαντος τοῦ πάθους ἅπαντα ῥᾳδίως ἐκεῖνα ἀνέτρεψε καὶ ἐνεπόδισε τὴν θεραπείαν καὶ τὴν τέχνην διέσφηλε. [¶1] 18. When a man has endured all this, has wrestled with an illness so serious, and has conquered the ailment of all ailments most difficult to master, will you empower the plaintiff to disown him again, permit him to interpret the laws in any way he will against a benefactor, and allow him to fight with nature? I, obeying nature, save and preserve my father for my own sake, gentlemen of the jury, even if he wrongs me; but that father, following, he says, the laws, ruins the son that has done him a benefit, and deprives him of his family. He is his son’s enemy, I am my father’s friend. I cherish nature, he slights and insults her just claims. To think of a father who hates his son unjustly! To think of a son that loves his father still more unjustly! For I bring it as a charge against myself, since my father constrains me to do so, that I who am hated love when I should not and love more than I ought. Yet it is nature’s behest that fathers love their sons more than sons their fathers. He, however, deliberately slights even the laws, which preserve for the family sons who have done no wrong, as well as nature, who draws parents into great affection for their children. It cannot be said that, having exceptional grounds for good-will towards me, he pays me exceptional dues of good-will and runs the measure over, or that at least he imitates and rivals me in my love; no, alas! he even hates one who loves him, repels one who cherishes him, injures one who helps him, and disowns one who clings to him. Aye, though the laws are kindly to children, he employs them against me as if they were unkindly. Ah, what a conflict you wish to precipitate, father, between the laws and nature! > Greek: 18. τὸν οὖν ταῦτα πάντα ὑπομεμενηκότα καὶ οὕτω χαλεπῷ νοσήματι προσπαλαίσαντα καὶ πάθος ἁπάντων παθῶν τὸ δυσαλωτότατον νενικηκότα ἔτι τούτῳ ἀποκηρύττειν ἐπιτρέψετε, καὶ τοὺς νόμους ὡς βούλεται ἑρμηνεύειν κατʼ εὐεργέτου συγχωρήσετε, καὶ τῇ φύσει πολεμεῖν αὐτὸν ἐάσετε; ἐγὼ τῇ φύσει πειθόμενος, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, σώζω καὶ διαφυλάττω τὸν πατέρα ἐμαυτῷ κἂν ἀδικῇ· οὑτοσὶ δὲ τὸν εὐεργετηκότα παῖδα τοῖς νόμοις, ὥς φησιν, ἀκολουθῶν διαφθείρει καὶ τοῦ γένους ἀποστερεῖ. μισόπαις οὗτος, ἐγὼ φιλοπάτωρ γίγνομαι. ἐγὼ τὴν φύσιν ἀσπάζομαι, οὗτος τὰ τῆς φύσεως παρορᾷ καὶ καθυβρίζει δίκαια. ὢ πατρὸς μισοῦντος ἀδίκως· ὢ παιδὸς φιλοῦντος ἀδικώτερον. ἐγκαλῶ γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ, τοῦ πατρὸς ἀναγκάζοντος, ὅτι μισούμενος οὐ δέον φιλῶ καὶ φιλῶ πλέον ἢ προσῆκεν. καίτοι γε ἡ φύσις τοῖς πατράσιν τοὺς παῖδας μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς παισὶν τοὺς πατέρας ἐπιτάττει φιλεῖν. ἀλλʼ οὗτος ἑκὼν καὶ τοὺς νόμους παρορᾷ, οἳ τοὺς οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότας παῖδας τῷ γένει φυλάττουσιν, καὶ τὴν φύσιν, ἣ τοὺς γεννήσαντας ἕλκει πρὸς πόθον τῶν γεγεννημένων πολύν. οὐχ ὅπως μείζους ἀρχὰς εὐνοίας ἔχων πρὸς ἐμὲ μείζονα τὰ δίκαιά μοι τῆς εὐνοίας ἐσφέρει καὶ ἐπιδίδωσιν, ἢ τό γε ἔλαττον ἐμὲ μιμεῖται καὶ ζηλοῖ τοῦ φίλτρου· ἀλλʼ, οἴμοι τῆς συμφορᾶς, προσέτι καὶ μισεῖ φιλοῦντα καὶ ἀγαπῶντα ἐλαύνει καὶ εὐεργετοῦντα ἀδικεῖ καὶ ἀσπαζόμενον ἀποκηρύττει, καὶ τοὺς φιλόπαιδας νόμους ὡς μισόπαιδας κατʼ ἐμοῦ μεταχειρίζεται. ὢ μάχης ἣν ἐσάγεις, πάτερ, τοῖς νόμοις κατὰ τῆς φύσεως. [¶2] 19. Truly, truly, this matter is not as you will have it tobe. Youillinterpret the laws, father, for they are well made. Nature and law are not at war in the matter of good-will; they go hand in hand there, and work together for the righting of wrongs. You mistreat your benefactor; you wrong nature. Why wrong the laws, as well as nature? They mean to be good, and just, and kindly to children, but you will not allow it, inciting them repeatedly against one son as if his name were legion, and not suffering them to rest contented with punishments when they are willing to rest contented with demonstrations of filial affection; and yet they were not made, surely, as a menace to those who have done no wrong. Indeed, the laws permit suit to be brought on the charge of ingratitude against persons who do not help those who have helped them. _ But when a man, besides failing to render like for like, even deems it right to inflict punishment in return for the very benefits that he has received, think whether there is any exaggeration of injustice which he has overlooked! That it is neither possible for him to disown a son after having already once for all exhausted his paternal right and made use of the laws, nor yet just to thrust away one who has shown himself so great a benefactor and exclude him from the house has been, I think, sufficiently established. > Greek: 19. οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα, οὐκ ἔστιν ὡς θέλεις· κακῶς ἑρμηνεύεις, ὦ πάτερ, καλῶς κειμένους τοὺς νόμους. οὐ πολεμεῖ φύσις καὶ νόμος ἐν ταῖς εὐνοίαις, ἀλλʼ ἀκολουθοῦσιν ἀλλήλοις ἐνταῦθα καὶ συναγωνίζονται τῇ λύσει τῶν ἀδικημάτων. ὑβρίζεις τὸν εὐεργέτην, ἀδικεῖς τὴν φύσιν. τί καὶ τοὺς νόμους συναδικεῖς τῇ φύσει; οὓς καλοὺς καὶ δικαίους καὶ φιλόπαιδας εἶναι θέλοντας οὐ συγχωρεῖς, καθʼ ἑνὸς παιδὸς ὡς κατὰ πολλῶν κινῶν πολλάκις καὶ ἡσυχάζειν οὐκ ἐῶν ἐν ταῖς τιμωρίαις τοὺς ἐν ταῖς τῶν παίδων πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας εὐνοίαις ἡσυχάζειν ἐθέλοντας, καίτοι γε ἐπὶ τοῖς μηδὲν ἡμαρτηκόσιν μηδὲ κειμένους. καὶ μὴν οἵ γε νόμοι καὶ ἀχαριστίας δικάζεσθαι διδόασιν κατὰ τῶν τοὺς εὐεργέτας μὴ ἀντευποιούντων. ὁ δὲ πρὸς τῷ μὴ ἀμείβεσθαι καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς οἷς πέπονθε κολάζειν ἀξιῶν, σκέψασθε εἴ τινα ὑπερβολὴν ἀδικίας ἀπολέλοιπεν. ὡς μὲν οὖν οὔτε ἀποκηρύττειν ἔτι τούτῳ ἔξεστιν ἅπαξ ἤδη τὴν πατρικὴν ἐξουσίαν ἀποπληρώσαντι καὶ χρησαμένῳ τοῖς νόμοις, οὔτε ἄλλως δίκαιον εὐεργέτην ἐς τὰ τηλικαῦτα γεγενημένον ἀπωθεῖσθαι καὶ τῆς οἰκίας παραιτεῖσθαι, ἱκανῶς, οἶμαι, δέδεικται. [¶3] 20. Therefore let us now come to the ground of disownment and let us see what the nature of the charge is. It is necessary to recur once more to the intent of the lawgiver; for, suppose we grant you briefly the right to disown as often as you wish and also concede you this right even against your benefactor, you are not to disown casually, I take it, or for any and eve cause. The lawgiver does not say that the father may disown for any reason that he may chance to allege—that it is enough just to express the wish and find a fault. Else why should we need a court? No, he commits it to you, gentlemen of the jury, to consider whether the father’s anger is based upon just and sufficient grounds or not. This, then, is what you should now look into. And IJ shall begin with what immediately followed his insanity. > Greek: 20. ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτὴν τὴν αἰτίαν ἔλθωμεν τῆς ἀποκηρύξεως καὶ τὸ ἔγκλημα ἐξετάσωμεν ὁποῖόν ἐστιν. ἀνάγκη δὲ αὖθις ἐπὶ τὴν γνώμην ἀναδραμεῖν τοῦ νομοθέτου· ἵνα γάρ σοι τοῦτο πρὸς ὀλίγον δῶμεν, τὸ ἐξεῖναι ὁσάκις ἂν θέλῃς ἀποκηρύττειν, καὶ κατά γε τοῦ εὐεργέτου προσέτι τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην συγχωρήσωμεν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς, οἶμαι, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ πάσαις αἰτίαις ἀποκηρύξεις. οὐδὲ τοῦθʼ ὁ νομοθέτης φησίν, ὅ τι ἂν τύχῃ ὁ πατὴρ αἰτιασάμενος, ἀποκηρυττέτω, καὶ ἀπόχρη θελῆσαι μόνον καὶ μέμψασθαι. τί γὰρ ἂν ἔδει δικαστηρίου; ἀλλʼ ἐν ὑμῖν ποιεῖ τοῦτο, ὦ ἄνδρες δικασταί, σκοπεῖν εἴτε ἐπὶ μεγάλοις καὶ δικαίοις ὁ πατὴρ ὀργίζεται εἴτε καὶ μή. οὐκοῦν τοῦτο ἤδη ἐξετάσατε. ἄρξομαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν μετὰ τὴν μανίαν εὐθύς. [¶4] 21. The first act of his sanity was to set aside the disownment, and I was a saviour, a benefactor, all in allto him. No charge, I take it, could go with that. And as to what followed, what do you censure in all of it? What service, what attention proper to a son did I omit? When did I sleep away from home? Of what ill-timed carouses, of what riotous revels do you accuse me? What licentiousness has there been? What pander have I assaulted? Who has filed any charges? Nobody at all. Yet these are the deeds for which the law especially sanctions disownment. “No, but your stepmother began to be ill.” Well, do you accuse me of that, and demand satisfaction for the illness? > Greek: 21. τὰ μὲν δὴ πρῶτα τῆς σωφροσύνης τοῦ πατρὸς λύσις ἦν τῆς ἀποκηρύξεως, καὶ σωτὴρ καὶ εὐεργέτης καὶ πάντα ἦν ἐγώ. καὶ οὐδέν, οἶμαι, τούτοις ἔγκλημα προσεῖναι ἐδύνατο. τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα δέ, τί τῶν πάντων αἰτιᾷ; τίνα θεραπείαν, τίνα ἐπιμέλειαν υἱοῦ παρῆκα; πότε ἀπόκοιτος ἐγενόμην; τίνας πότους ἀκαίρους, τίνας κώμους ἐγκαλεῖς; τίς ἀσωτία; τίς πορνοβοσκὸς ὕβρισται; τίς ᾐτιάσατο; οὐδὲ εἷς. καὶ μὴν ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἐφʼ οἷς μάλιστα ὁ νόμος ἀποκηρύττειν ἐφίησιν. ἀλλὰ νοσεῖν ἤρξατο ἡ μητρυιά. τί οὖν; ἐμοὶ τοῦτʼ ἐγκαλεῖς καὶ νόσου δίκην ἀπαιτεῖς; [¶5] 22. “No,” he says. What, then? “That when you are ordered to treat her, you do not consent; and on that account would merit disownment for disobeying your father.” Deferring for a moment the question what sort of orders on his part, when I cannot obey them, cause me to be considered disobedient, I first assert simply that the law does not allow him to issue all orders, and that I am not obliged to obey all orders under all circumstances. In the matter of commands, sometimes disobedience is unexceptionable, sometimes it justifies anger and punishment. If you yourself are ill, and I am indifferent; if you bid me manage the household, and I am neglectful; if you direct me to oversee the estate, and I am indiligent—all this and the like of it affords reasonable grounds for a father’s censure. But these other matters are within the discretion of us children, belonging as they do to our callings and the exercise of them; particularly if the father himself is in no way wronged. For really, if a scribe’s father gives him the order, “Write this, my boy, not that,” or a musician’s father, “Play this tune, not that,” or a coppersmith’s father, “Forge things like this, not like that,” would anyone put up with his disowning his son because the son does not exercise his calling in accordance with the views of the father? No one, I think. > Greek: 22. οὔ, φησίν. ἀλλὰ τί; θεραπεύειν προσταττόμενος οὐ θέλεις, καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἄξιος ἂν εἴης ἀποκηρύξεως ἀπειθῶν τῷ πατρί. ἐγὼ δὲ τὸ μὲν οἷα προστάττοντι αὐτῷ ὑπακούειν οὐ δυνάμενος ἀπειθεῖν δοκῶ πρὸς ὀλίγον ὑπερθήσομαι· πρότερον δὲ ἁπλῶς ἐκεῖνό φημι, ὡς οὐ πάντα προστάττειν οὔτε τούτῳ δίδωσιν ὁ νόμος οὔτʼ ἐμοὶ τὸ πείθεσθαι πᾶσιν πάντως ἀναγκαῖον. ἐν δʼ οὖν τοῖς τῶν προσταγμάτων τὰ μὲν ἀνεύθυνά ἐστιν, τὰ δὲ ὀργῆς καὶ τιμωρίας ἄξια. ἐὰν νοσῇς αὐτός, ἐγὼ δὲ ἀμελῶ· ἐὰν τῶν κατʼ οἶκον ἐπιμελεῖσθαι κελεύῃς, ἐγὼ δὲ ὀλιγωρῶ· ἐὰν τὰ κατʼ ἀγρὸν ἐπισκοπεῖν προστάττῃς, ἐγὼ δὲ ὀκνῶ — πάντα ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα εὐλόγους ἔχει τὰς προφάσεις καὶ τὰς μέμψεις πατρικάς. τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἐστιν τοῖς παισίν, ὄντα τῶν τεχνῶν καὶ τῆς τούτων χρήσεως, καὶ μάλιστα εἰ μηδὲν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτὸς ἀδικοῖτο. ἐπεί τοι ἂν τῷ γραφεῖ πατὴρ προστάττῃ, ταῦτα μέν, τέκνον, γράφε, ταυτὶ δὲ μή, καὶ τῷ μουσικῷ, τήνδε μὲν τὴν ἁρμονίαν κροῦε, ταύτην δὲ μή, καὶ τῷ χαλκεύοντι, τοιαῦτα μὲν χάλκευε, τοιαῦτα δὲ μή, ἆρʼ ἄν τις ἀνάσχοιτο ἀποκηρύττοντα, ὅτι μὴ κατὰ τὰ ἐκείνῳ δοκοῦντα ὁ παῖς χρῆται τῇ τέχνῃ; οὐδὲ εἷς, οἶμαι. [¶6] 23. In the case of the medical profession, the more distinguished it is and the more serviceable to the world, the more unrestricted it should be for those who practise it. It is only just that the art of healing should carry with it some privilege in respect to the liberty of practising it; that no compulsion and no commands should be put upon a holy calling, taught by the gods and exercised by men of learning; that it should not be subject to enslavement by the law, or to voting and judicial punishment, or to fear and a father’s threats and a layman’s wrath. Consequently, if I were to say to you, as clearly and expressly as this: ‘I am unwilling to give treatment, and I do not do so, although Ican; my knowledge of the profession is for my benefit alone and my father’s, and to others I wish to be a layman,” what tyrant so high-handed that he would constrain me to practise my calling against my will? Such things should, in my opinion, be amenable to entreaties and supplications, not to laws and fits of anger and courts: the physician ought to be persuaded, not ordered; he ought to be willing, not fearful; he ought not to be haled to the bedside, but to take pleasure in coming of his own accord. Surely his calling is exempt from paternal compulsion in view of the fact that physicians have honours, precedence, immunities, and privileges publicly bestowed on them by states. > Greek: 23. τὸ δὲ τῆς ἰατρικῆς ὅσῳ σεμνότερόν ἐστιν καὶ τῷ βίῳ χρησιμώτερον, τοσούτῳ καὶ ἐλευθεριώτερον εἶναι προσήκει τοῖς χρωμένοις, καί τινα προνομίαν ἔχειν τὴν τέχνην δίκαιον τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τῆς χρήσεως, ἀναγκάζεσθαι δὲ μηδὲν μηδὲ προστάττεσθαι πρᾶγμα ἱερὸν καὶ θεῶν παίδευμα καὶ ἀνθρώπων σοφῶν ἐπιτήδευμα, μηδʼ ὑπὸ δουλείαν γενέσθαι νόμου μηδʼ ὑπὸ ψῆφον καὶ τιμωρίαν δικαστηρίου, μηδὲ ὑπὸ φόβον καὶ πατρὸς ἀπειλὴν καὶ ὀργὴν ἰδιωτικήν. ὥστε καὶ εἰ τοῦτό σοι σαφῶς οὑτωσὶ καὶ διαρρήδην ἔλεγον, οὐ βούλομαι οὐδὲ θεραπεύω δυνάμενος, ἀλλʼ ἐμαυτῷ μόνῳ τὴν τέχνην οἶδα καὶ πατρί, τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ἰδιώτης εἶναι βούλομαι, τίς τύραννος οὕτω βίαιος ὡς ἀναγκάσαι ἂν καὶ ἄκοντα χρῆσθαι τῇ τέχνῃ; τὰ γὰρ τοιαῦτα ἱκετείαις καὶ δεήσεσιν, οὐ νόμοις καὶ ὀργαῖς καὶ δικαστηρίοις ὑπάγειν, οἶμαι, προσήκει· πείθεσθαι τὸν ἰατρὸν χρή, οὐ κελεύεσθαι· βούλεσθαι, οὐ φοβεῖσθαι· ἐπὶ τὴν θεραπείαν οὐκ ἄγεσθαι, ἑκόντα δὲ ἐρχόμενον ἥδεσθαι. πατρικῆς δὲ ἀνάγκης ἄμοιρος ἡ τέχνη, 4 ὅπου γε τοῖς ἰατροῖς καὶ δημοσίᾳ αἱ πόλεις τιμὰς καὶ προεδρίας καὶ ἀτελείας καὶ προνομίας διδόασιν. [¶7] 24. This, then, is what I might say without circumlocution in behalf of my profession if you had had me taught and had been at much pains and expense that I might learn, and I were nevertheless reluctant to undertake this one cure, which was possible. But as things stand, consider how absolutely unreasonable a thing you are doing in not allowing me to use my own possession freely. I did not learn this profession while I was your son or subject to your jurisdiction, and yet I learned it for you (aye, you were the first to profit by it) though I had no help from you towards learning it. What teacher did you furnish money for? What supply of drugs? None at all. No, poor as I was, in want of necessities, and pitied by my teachers, I got myself educated, and the assistance towards learning which I had from my father was grief, loneliness, poverty, the hatred of my family, and the aversion of my kinsmen. In return for this, do you now think fit to utilize my profession and wish to be master of all that I acquired when you were not my master? Be content if I have already done you a good turn of my own accord, without previous indebtedness to you, for then as now nothing could have been required of meas an expressionof gratitude. > Greek: 24. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἁπλῶς ἂν εἶχον εἰπεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς τέχνης, εἰ καὶ σοῦ διδαξαμένου με καὶ πολλὰ ἐπιμεληθέντος καὶ ἀναλώσαντος ὡς μάθοιμι πρὸς μίαν ὅμως θεραπείαν ταύτην, δυνατὴν οὖσαν, ἀντέλεγον. νυνὶ δὲ κἀκεῖνο ἐννόησον, ὡς παντάπασιν ἄγνωμον ποιεῖς οὐκ ἐῶν με χρῆσθαι μετʼ ἐλευθερίας ἐμῷ κτήματι. ταύτην ἐγὼ τὴν τέχνην οὐχ υἱὸς ὢν σὸς ἐξέμαθον οὐδὲ τῷ σῷ νόμῳ ὑποκείμενος, καὶ ὅμως αὐτὴν μεμάθηκά σοι — καὶ πρῶτος αὐτῆς ἀπολέλαυκας — οὐδὲν παρὰ σοῦ πρὸς τὸ μαθεῖν ἔχων. τίνα διδάσκαλον ἐμισθώσω; τίνα φαρμάκων παρασκευήν; οὐδʼ ἡντιναοῦν· ἀλλὰ πενόμενος ἐγὼ καὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἀπορούμενος καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν διδασκάλων ἐλεούμενος ἐπαιδευόμην, καί μοι τοιαῦτα παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν πρὸς τὸ μαθεῖν ἐφόδια, λύπη καὶ ἐρημία καὶ ἀπορία καὶ μῖσος οἰκείων καὶ ἀποστροφὴ συγγενῶν. ἀντὶ τούτων τοίνυν χρῆσθαί μου τῇ τέχνῃ ἀξιοῖς καὶ δεσπότης εἶναι θέλεις τῶν ὅτʼ οὐκ ἦσθα δεσπότης πεπορισμένων; ἀγάπα εἴ τί σε καὶ πρότερον ἑκὼν οὐ προοφείλων εὖ ἐποίησα, μηδεμίαν μηδὲ τότε χάριν ἀπαιτεῖσθαι δυνάμενος. [¶8] 25. Surely my act of kindness should not become an obligation for the future, nor should the fact that I conferred a benefit of my own free will constitute a reason that I should be ordered to do it against my will; neither should it become customary that once a "man has cured anybody, he must for ever treat all those whom his former patient wishes him to treat. Under those conditions we should have elected our patients to be our masters, paying them, too, by playing slave to them and executing all their orders. What could be more inequitable than this? Because I restored you to health in this way when you had fallen severely ill, do you think that you are therefore empowered to abuse my skill? > Greek: 25. οὐ δὴ δεῖ τὴν εὐποιίαν τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάγκην ἐς τὸ λοιπόν μοι γενέσθαι, οὐδὲ τὸ ἑκόντα εὐεργετῆσαι ἀφορμὴν τοῦ ἄκοντα κελεύεσθαι καταστῆναι, οὐδὲ ἔθος ὑπάρξαι τοῦτο, τὸ ἅπαξ τινὰ ἰασάμενον πάντας ἐς ἀεὶ θεραπεύειν ὁπόσους ἂν ὁ θεραπευθεὶς θέλῃ· ἐπεὶ δεσπότας ἂν οὕτως καθʼ ἡμῶν εἴημεν τοὺς θεραπευομένους κεχειροτονηκότες καὶ μισθὸν τὸ δουλεύειν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸ πάντα κελεύουσιν ὑπηρετεῖν προσδεδωκότες, οὗ τί γένοιτʼ ἂν ἀδικώτερον; διότι σε νοσήσαντα χαλεπῶς οὕτως ἀνέστησα, διὰ τοῦτο νομίζεις ἐξεῖναί σοι καταχρῆσθαί μου τῇ τέχνῃ; [¶9] 26. That is what I might have said if what he enjoined upon me were possible, and I were refusing to obey him in absolutely everything, and under compulsion. But as things are, consider now what his commands are like. “Since you have cured me,” says he, “from insanity, since my wife too is insane and has the same symptoms” (for so he thinks), “and has been given up by others in the same way, and since you can do everything, as you have shown, cure her too and free her forthwith from the disorder.”” That, to hear it so simply put, might seem very reasonable, particularly to a layman, inexperienced in matters of medicine. But if you will listen to my plea on behalf of my profession, you will discover that all things are not possible to us, that the natures of ailments are not alike, that the cure is not the same or the same medicines effective in all cases; and then it will be clear that there is a great difference between not wishing to do a thing and not being able. Suffer me to indulge in scientific discourse about these matters, and do not consider my discussion of them tactless, beside the point, or alien and unseasonable. > Greek: 26. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν εἶχον ἂν λέγειν, εἰ καὶ δυνατὰ μὲν οὗτος προσέταττεν, ἐγὼ δὲ μὴ πάντως ἅπασι μηδὲ πρὸς ἀνάγκην ὑπήκουον. νῦν δὲ ἤδη σκέψασθε καὶ οἷά ἐστιν αὐτοῦ τὰ ἐπιτάγματα· ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἐμὲ ἰάσω, φησίν, μεμηνότα, μέμηνεν δὲ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ὅμοια πάσχει — τοῦτο γὰρ οἴεται — καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ὁμοίως ἀπέγνωσται, δύνασαι δὲ σὺ πάντα ὡς ἔδειξας, ἰῶ καὶ ταύτην καὶ ἀπάλλαττε ἤδη τῆς νόσου. τοῦτο δέ, οὑτωσὶ μὲν ἁπλῶς ἀκοῦσαι, πάνυ εὔλογον ἂν δόξειεν, καὶ μάλιστα ἰδιώτῃ καὶ ἀπείρῳ ἰατρικῆς· εἰ δέ μου ἀκούσαιτε ὑπὲρ τῆς τέχνης δικαιολογουμένου, μάθοιτʼ ἂν ὡς οὔτε πάντα ἡμῖν δυνατά ἐστιν οὔθʼ αἱ τῶν νοσημάτων φύσεις παραπλήσιοι οὔτʼ ἴασις ἡ αὐτὴ οὔτε φάρμακα τὰ αὐτὰ ἐπὶ πάντων ἰσχυρά, καὶ τότʼ ἔσται δῆλον ὡς πάμπολυ τοῦ μὴ βούλεσθαί τι τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι διαφέρει. ἀνάσχεσθε δέ μου τὰ περὶ τούτων φιλοσοφοῦντος, καὶ μὴ ἀπειρόκαλον μηδὲ ἐξαγώνιον μηδὲ ἀλλότριον ἢ ἄκαιρον ἡγήσησθε τὸν περὶ τῶν τοιούτων λόγον. [¶10] 27. In the first place, the natures and temperaments of human bodies are not the same, although they are admittedly composed of the same elements, but some contain more, or perhaps less, of this, others of that. And I say further that even the bodies of males are not all equal or alike either in temperament or in constitution. So it is inevitable that the diseases which arise in them should be different both in intensity and in kind, and that some bodies should be easy to cure and amenable to treatment, while others are completely hopeless, being easily affected and quickly overcome. Therefore, to think that all fevers or consumptions or inflammations of the lungs or madnesses, if of one and the same kind, are alike in all bodies is not what one expects of sound-minded, sensible men who have investigated such matters. No, the same ailment is easy to cure in this person but not in that. Just so, I take it, with wheat; if you cast the same seed into different plots of ground, it will grow in one way in the ground that is level, deep-soiled, well watered, blessed with sunshine and breezes, and thoroughly tilled, yielding a full, rich, abundant harvest, no doubt, but otherwise in a stony farm on a mountain, or in ground with little sun, or in the foothills; to put it generally, in different ways according to the various soils. So too diseases become prolific and luxuriant or less so through the soils which receive them. Omitting this point and leaving it entirely uninvestigated, my father expects all attacks of insanity in all bodies to be alike and their treatment the same. > Greek: 27. πρῶτα μὲν δὴ σωμάτων φύσεις καὶ κράσεις οὐχ αἱ αὐταί, κἂν ὅτι μάλιστα ἐκ τῶν ὁμοίων συνεστάναι ὁμολογῶνται, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν τῶνδε, τὰ δὲ τῶνδε μᾶλλον ἢ ἔλαττον μετέχει. καὶ λέγω τοῦτο ἔτι περὶ τῶν ἀνδρείων, ὡς οὐδὲ ταῦτα πᾶσιν ἴσα ἢ ὅμοια οὔτε τῇ κράσει οὔτε τῇ συστάσει. διάφορα δὴ καὶ μεγέθει καὶ εἴδει ἀνάγκη καὶ τὰ νοσήματα ἐγγίγνεσθαι αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰ μὲν εὐίατα εἶναι καὶ πρὸς τὴν θεραπείαν ἀναπεπταμένα, τὰ δὲ τέλεον ἀπεγνωσμένα καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἁλισκόμενα καὶ κατὰ κράτος ὑπὸ τῶν νοσημάτων λαμβανόμενα. τὸ τοίνυν οἴεσθαι πάντα πυρετὸν ἢ πᾶσαν φθόην ἢ περιπλευμονίαν ἢ μανίαν μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν οὖσαν τῷ γένει ὁμοίαν ἐπὶ παντὸς εἶναι σώματος, οὐ σωφρονούντων οὐδὲ λελογισμένων οὐδὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐξητακότων ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐν μὲν τῷδε ῥᾴδιον ἰᾶσθαι, ἐν δὲ τῷδε οὐκέτι. ὥσπερ οἶμαι καὶ πυρὸν ἢν τὸν αὐτὸν ἐς διαφόρους χώρας ἐμβάλῃς, ἄλλως μὲν ἐν τῇ πεδινῇ καὶ βαθείᾳ καὶ ποτιζομένῃ καὶ εὐηλίῳ καὶ εὐηνέμῳ καὶ ἐξειργασμένῃ ἀναφύσεται, εὐθαλὴς οἶμαι καὶ εὔτροφος καὶ πολύχους καρπός, ἄλλως δὲ ἐν ὄρει καὶ ὑπολίθῳ γηδίῳ, ἄλλως δὲ ἐν δυσηλίῳ, ἄλλως δὲ ἐν ὑπωρείᾳ, καὶ ὅλως διαφόρως καθʼ ἑκάστους τόπους. οὕτω δὲ καὶ τὰ νοσήματα παρὰ τοὺς ὑποδεξαμένους τόπους ἢ εὔφορα καὶ εὔτροφα ἢ ἐλάττω γίγνεται. τοῦτο τοίνυν ὑπερβὰς ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ὅλον ἀνεξέταστον καταλιπὼν ἀξιοῖ πᾶσαν μανίαν τὴν ἐν ἅπαντι σώματι ὁμοίαν εἶναι καὶ τὴν θεραπείαν ἴσην. [¶11] 28. In addition to these important distinctions, it is easy to grasp the fact that the bodies of women differ very widely from those of men, both in respect to the dissimilarity of their diseases and in respect to one’s hopefulness or despair of a cure. For the bodies of men are well-knit and sinewy, since they have been trained by toils and exercises, and by an open-air life; but those of women are weak and soft from being reared indoors, and white for lack of blood, deficiency of heat, and an excessive supply of the moist humour. They are therefore more susceptible than those of men, prone to diseases, intolerant of medical treatment, and above all, more liable to attacks of insanity; for since women have much bad temper, frivolity, and instability, but little physical strength, they easily fall into this affection. > Greek: 28. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τοσούτοις οὖσιν, ὅτι τὰ γυναικεῖα σώματα πάμπολυ τῶν ἀνδρείων διαφέρει πρός τε νόσου διαφορὰν καὶ πρὸς θεραπείας ἐλπίδα ἢ ἀπόγνωσιν ῥᾴδιον καταμαθεῖν· τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀνδρῶν εὐπαγῆ καὶ εὔτονα, πόνοις καὶ κινήσεσιν καὶ ὑπαιθρίῳ διαίτῃ γεγυμνασμένα, τὰ δὲ ἔκλυτα καὶ ἀσυμπαγῆ, ἐνσκιᾳτροφημένα καὶ λευκὰ αἵματος ἐνδείᾳ καὶ θερμοῦ ἀπορίᾳ καὶ ὑγροῦ περιττοῦ ἐπιρροίᾳ. εὐαλωτότερα τοίνυν τῶν ἀνδρείων καὶ ταῖς νόσοις ἐκκείμενα καὶ τὴν ἴασιν οὐ περιμένοντα καὶ μάλιστα πρὸς μανίας εὐχερέστερα· ἅτε γὰρ πολὺ μὲν τὸ ὀργίλον καὶ κοῦφον καὶ ὀξυκίνητον ἔχουσαι, ὀλίγην δὲ τὴν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ δύναμιν, ῥᾳδίως ἐς τὸ πάθος τοῦτο κατολισθάνουσιν. [¶12] 29. It is not right, then, to ask of the physicians the same treatment for both, when we know that there is a great gulf between them, dissociated as they have been from the very first in their entire mode of life, and in all their activities and all their pursuits. So when you say “It is a case of insanity,” add, “insanity in a woman,” and do not confuse all these variations by subsuming them under the title of insanity, which seems always one and the same thing, but distinguish them, as is right, in their nature and see what can be done in each case. That is what we do, for, as I remember telling you in the beginning of my speech, the first thing that we consider is the constitution and temperament of the patient’s body, what quality predominates in it, whether it is inclined to be hot or cold, whether it is vigorous or senile, tall or short, fat or lean, and everything of that sort. In short, if a man examines into these matters to begin with, he will be very trustworthy when he expresses any doubt or makes any promise. > Greek: 29. οὐ δίκαιον τοίνυν παρὰ τῶν ἰατρῶν τὴν ὁμοίαν ἐπʼ ἀμφοῖν θεραπείαν ἀπαιτεῖν, εἰδότας ὡς πολὺ τοὐν μέσῳ, βίῳ παντὶ καὶ πράξεσιν ὅλαις καὶ πᾶσιν ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς εὐθὺς κεχωρισμένων. ὅταν τοίνυν λέγῃς ὅτι μέμηνε, προστίθει καὶ ὅτι γυνὴ οὖσα μέμηνε, καὶ μὴ σύγχει πάντα ταῦτα τῷ τῆς μανίας ὑπάγων ὀνόματι ἑνὶ καὶ τῷ αὐτῷ δοκοῦντι, ἀλλὰ χωρίσας, ὥσπερ ἐστὶ δίκαιον, τῇ φύσει, τὸ δυνατὸν ἐφʼ ἑκάστου σκόπει. καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς, ὅπερ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῶν λόγων εἰπὼν μέμνημαι, τοῦτο πρῶτον ἐπισκοποῦμεν, φύσιν σώματος τοῦ νοσοῦντος καὶ κρᾶσιν, καὶ τίνος πλείονος μετέχει, καὶ εἰ θερμότερον ἢ ψυχρότερον, καὶ ἀκμάζον ἢ παρηβηκός, καὶ μέγα ἢ μικρόν, καὶ πιμελὲς ἢ ὀλιγόσαρκον, καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα. καὶ ὅλως ἄν τις αὐτὰ προεξετάσῃ, πάνυ ἀξιόπιστος ἂν εἴη ἀπογιγνώσκων τι ἢ ὑπισχνούμενος. [¶13] 30. To be sure, of madness itself there are countless varieties, with many causes and even dissimilar names; for perversity, eccentricity, delirium, and lunacy are not the same thing, but are all names that signify whether one is more or less in the grip of the disease. The causes, too, are of one sort with men, another with women, and even among men they are of one sort with the young and different with the aged; for instance, with the young usually excess of humours, whereas in the case of the old, groundless prejudice and insensate anger against members of the family, attacking them frequently, disturbs them at first, then gradually deranges them to the point of insanity. Women are affected by many things which easily incline them to this ailment, especially by excessive hatred of someone, or jealousy of an enemy who is prospering, or grief of some sort, or anger; these passions, slowly smouldering and acquiring strength in a long lapse of time, produce madness. > Greek: 30. ἐπεὶ καὶ τῆς μανίας αὐτῆς μυρία εἴδη ἐστὶν καὶ παμπόλλας ἔχει τὰς αἰτίας καὶ οὐδὲ τὰς προσηγορίας αὐτὰς ὁμοίας· οὐ γὰρ ταὐτὸν παρανοεῖν καὶ παραπαίειν καὶ λυττᾶν καὶ μεμηνέναι, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα τοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ ἧττον ἔχεσθαι τῇ νόσῳ ὀνόματά ἐστιν. αἰτίαι τε τοῖς μὲν ἀνδράσιν ἄλλαι, ταῖς δὲ γυναιξὶν ἕτεραι, καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν αὐτῶν τοῖς μὲν νέοις ἄλλαι, τοῖς δὲ γεγηρακόσιν διάφοροι, οἷον νέοις μὲν πλῆθος ὡς τὸ πολύ, γέροντας δὲ καὶ διαβολὴ ἄκαιρος καὶ ὀργὴ ἄλογος πολλάκις κατʼ οἰκείων ἐμπεσοῦσα τὸ μὲν πρῶτον διετάραξεν, εἶτα κατʼ ὀλίγον ἐς μανίαν περιέτρεψεν. γυναικῶν δὲ πολλὰ καθικνεῖται καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἐς τὴν νόσον ἐπάγεται, μάλιστα δὲ μῖσος κατά τινος πολὺ ἢ φθόνος ἐπʼ ἐχθρῷ εὐτυχοῦντι ἢ λύπη τις ἢ ὀργή· κατʼ ὀλίγον ταῦτα ὑποτυφόμενα καὶ μακρῷ χρόνῳ ἐντρεφόμενα μανίαν ἀποτελεῖ. [¶14] 31. That, father, is what has happened to your wife, and it may be that something has grieved her recently, for she, of course, hated nothing at all. However that may be, she has a seizure, at all events, and in the circumstances cannot be cured by a physician. If anyone else should engage to do it, if anyone — should relieve her, you may then hate me as offending against you. Indeed, father, I shall not hesitate to say further that even if her case were not so wholly desperate, but some hope of saving her still were in sight, even then I should not have undertaken her case lightly or ventured to prescribe for her out of hand, fearing mischance and the slanderous tongues of the common sort. You are aware that everybody thinks that all stepmothers entertain some hatred of their stepsons, even if they are good women, and that in this they suffer from a sort of insanity affecting women in common. Perhaps someone would have suspected, if the ailment had gone badly and the’ remedies had not been effective, that the treatment had been malevolent and treacherous. > Greek: 31. τοιαῦτά σοι, ὦ πάτερ, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ πέπονθεν καὶ ἴσως τι λελύπηκεν αὐτὴν ἔναγχος· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐκείνη ἐμίσει. πλὴν ἔχεταί γε καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐκ τῶν παρόντων ὑπʼ ἰατροῦ θεραπευθῆναι δύναιτο· ὡς εἴ γε ἄλλος τις ὑπόσχοιτο, εἴ τις ἀπαλλάξειε, μίσει τότε ὡς ἀδικοῦντα ἐμέ. καὶ μὴν κἀκεῖνο, ὦ πάτερ, οὐκ ἂν ὀκνήσαιμι εἰπεῖν, ὅτι εἰ καὶ μὴ τελέως οὕτως ἀπέγνωστο, ἀλλά τις ἔτι σωτηρίας ἐλπὶς ὑπεφαίνετο, οὐκ ἂν οὐδὲ οὕτω ῥᾳδίως προσηψάμην οὐδʼ αὖ προχείρως φάρμακον ἐγχέαι ἐτόλμησα, δεδιὼς τὴν τύχην καὶ τὴν παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν δυσφημίαν. ὁρᾷς ὡς οἴονται πάντες εἶναί τι μῖσος πρὸς τοὺς προγόνους πάσαις μητρυιαῖς, κἂν ὦσι χρησταί, καί τινα κοινὴν μανίαν ταύτην γυναικείαν αὐτὰς μεμηνέναι. τάχʼ ἂν οὖν τις ὑπώπτευσεν, ἄλλως χωρήσαντος τοῦ κακοῦ καὶ τῶν φαρμάκων οὐ δυνηθέντων, κακοήθη καὶ δολερὰν τὴν θεραπείαν γεγονέναι. [¶15] 32. As regards your wife, father, the case stands thus, and I tell you so after careful observation—she will never be better, even if she takes medicine a thousand times. For that reason it is not proper to make any attempt, unless you are trying to force me into sheer failure and wish to give me a bad name. Let me continue to be envied by my fellow-practitioners! If, however, you disown me again, I certainly, though totally alone in the world, will not pray that any adversity may befall you; but what if (Heaven forfend!) your affliction returns once more? Somehow it often happens that such afflictions, under irritation, do recur. What shall I be required to do? I will treat you even then, you may be sure, and shall never desert the post which Nature has commanded sons to hold, nor ever, so far as in me lies, forget my origin. And then, if you recover your mind, may I expect you some day to take me back again? Look! even now by these actions of yours you are bringing on the disorder and provoking the ailment. You have only just recovered from that terrible plight, and yet you strain your lungs shouting; more than that, you are angry, you take to hatred, and you invoke the laws. Ah, father, that is the way your former seizure began! > Greek: 32. καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς γυναικός, ὦ πάτερ, οὕτως ἔχει, καὶ πάνυ σοι τετηρηκὼς λέγω — οὔ ποτε ῥᾷον ἕξει, κἂν μυριάκις πίῃ τοῦ φαρμάκου. διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐπιχειρεῖν οὐκ ἄξιον, εἰ μὴ πρὸς μόνον τὸ ἀποτυχεῖν με κατεπείγεις καὶ κακοδοξίᾳ περιβαλεῖν θέλεις. ἔασον ὑπὸ τῶν ὁμοτέχνων φθονεῖσθαι. ἐὰν δέ με ἀποκηρύξῃς πάλιν, ἐγὼ μὲν καίτοι πάντων ἔρημος γενόμενος οὐδὲν κατὰ σοῦ δεινὸν εὔξομαι· τί δʼ ἄν, ὅπερ μὴ γένοιτο, αὖθις ἡ νόσος ἐπανέλθῃ; φιλεῖ γάρ πως τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐρεθιζόμενα παλινδρομεῖν. τί με πρᾶξαι δεήσει; θεραπεύσω μὲν εὖ ἴσθι καὶ τότε καὶ οὔ ποτε λείψω τὴν τάξιν ἣν τοὺς παῖδας ἔταξεν ἡ φύσις, οὐδὲ τοῦ γένους τὸ ἐπʼ ἐμαυτῷ ἐπιλήσομαι. εἶτʼ ἂν σωφρονήσῃς, αὖθις ἀναλαμβάνειν πώποτε πιστεῦσαί με δεῖ; ὁρᾷς; ἤδη καὶ ταῦτα ποιῶν ἐπισπᾷ τὴν νόσον καὶ ὑπομιμνήσκεις τὸ πάθος. χθὲς καὶ πρῴην ἐκ τηλικούτων κακῶν ἀνασφήλας διατείνῃ καὶ βοᾷς, καὶ τὸ μέγιστον, ὀργίζῃ καὶ πρὸς μῖσος τρέπῃ καὶ τοὺς νόμους ἀνακαλεῖς. οἴμοι, πάτερ, ταῦτʼ ἦν σου καὶ τῆς πάλαι μανίας τὰ προοίμια.