four temperaments (sarton)
TRANSCRIPT
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Remarks on the Theory of Temperaments
Author(s): George Sarton and Erika von Erhardt-SieboldSource: Isis, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Winter, 1943), pp. 205-208Published by: The University of Chicago Presson behalf of The History of Science SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/225839.
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The Theoryof
Temperaments
205
his do not pretend to
such
elaborateness,'
and the
second division,
the "Pro
loco
lune
reperiendo
manualiter," exposes methods contrasting strongly
with the table system commonly found
in
GMUN-
DEN s
works.
The tables and rubrics undoubtedly comprise
a
part or the whole of one of GMUNDEN'Slanetary
studies.
A
short colophon links the separate sec-
tions under the title "practica," and the general
unanimity of the internal dates further attests the
likelihood of this
conjecture.'
It is also evident that the whole of the "practica"
is not here. There is a reference on folio 81v to a
"tabulam ascensionis
signorum" and another on
folio 82r to
a "tabulam
stellarum fixarum" which
do
not appear
in
the
text.
The canons and tables of the "practica" describe
9
SOTZMANN,
Op. Cit., pp. 180-81.
Here may be seen
GMUNDEN'B
usual use of
"rotae."Lacking he
completework
of which these two tracts are but a part, however, t is im-possibleto arriveat a definiteconclusion.
"
See p. 201 of this text. The
rotograph f fols.
81r-92v of
the Codex atinus
Monacensis 950 is listed in
LYNN
THORN-
DIKE'a
"Check-list of Rotographs . . ."
(Isis, XXI
[1934],
p.
156),
no.
135b.
the motions
of the seven
planets
(Saturn,
Jupiter,
Mars, the
Moon, Venus,
Mercury, and
the Sun)
and of
the "caput
draconis"
according to
calcula-
tions drawn
up at
Erfurt.
The third and final
manuscript
transcribed
contains the text
of
JOHN
OF
GMUNDEN'S
attack
on
the direful prophecy of Prior
JACOB OF ERFURT.
The St. Florian
manuscript
utilized
(through Pro-
fessor
THORNDIKE's
rotograph) is
the only
extant
copy of
this tract.9"
95ALBIN
CZERNY,
Die
Handschriften
der
Stiftsbibliothek
St.
Florian,p. 46. CZERNY
ives
the
following
ntry:
XI.
102.
Papierhandschrift
es XV.
Jahrh.
105
Blatter in
20. 2
Spalten. Altes
EigenthumSt.
Florians.
1) Bl.
1.
Refutatio
prophetiae
stronomicae
e
concursu
planetarum.
Deutsch.
Der
Autor der
Widerlegung
st
Meister
Hans von
Gmund,der
dieselbe 1432
zu
Wien
schrieb.
.
Am
obern
Rande und
unter
die
Zeilen
des
vorge-
nannten
Aufsatzes
st
eine
deutsche
Anweisung
u
einer
recht kraftigenBussegeschrieben, ie aber teilweiseun-leserlichst.
Am
untern
Rande ist
eine
astronomische
otiz in lat.
Sprache.
Die
untere
Halfte
von Bl.
lb.
enthalt
verschie-
dene
kleine
Notaten.
See
p. 201 of
this text.
The
rotograph s
numbered161.
REMARKS ON THE
THEORY
OF
TEMPERAMENTS
By
GEORGE
SARTON
With
a
German
"temperament"
text of c.
1480
Edited
by ERIKA VON
ERHARDT-SIEBOLD
BEING
in
the
British Museum
in
September 1932,
I had an
opportunity of
examining the
rare prints
obtained
at the
Boerner sale
(Leipzig,
May 1932).
One of
them
coming
from
the
Ducal
Museum
in
Gotha was
a
xylographic print
representing the
four
temperaments. It
is
a
very
large print measur-
ing 385.
X 54.0
mm.
Trustees of the
British
Museum
have
kindly
permitted me to
publish
herewith a small reproduction of it, together with
the text
edited
by Professor
E.
v.
ERHARDT-SIE-
BOLD.
According to
SCHREIBER (vol.
4, 1927,
no.
1922,
o) the
print dates
from c.
1480-90; it
is
colored
in
yellow, red,
and green.
The
four images
deal with
the
four
tempera-
ments-sanguine,
choleric,
phlegmatic,
and melan-
cholic, and
with the four
elements-air,
fire, water,
and
earth.
In
the
first, we see
a young man
riding
over the
clouds; in
the
second,
a
soldier
riding
through
fire;
in
the third, an
old
man
riding
through
water;
in
the
fourth, a
man
riding on
the
earth.
II
The
print
which
we
reproduce is
a
good
illustra-
tion of
the
theory
of
temperaments
which
was
the
central
theory of
mediaeval
medicine.
It was an
elaboration
of
the
Empedoclean
theory of
four
elements.
To
the four
elements
(air,
water,
fire,
earth) were
added
the
four
qualities
(dry,
moist,
hot,
cold)
and
the
four
humors
of
the
body
(blood,
phlegm,
yellow
bile, black
bile).
That
combination was already completed in the Hippo-
cratic
treatise on
the
nature of
man
(repi
ov'acos
&epb7rov)
which
has
been
ascribed to
POLYBOS
(IV-1
B.
C.),
son-in-law
of
HIPPOCRATES
and his
successor.
The
fundamental
idea is
that
there
are
four
distinct
humors in
the
body
and
that
their
proper
temperament or
mixture
(xpp&ns)
is
the
condition
of
health.
Temperament is
influenced
by
the
climate, and
within
each
climate
by
the
seasons.
These
influences
have
been
explained in
the
admirable
Hippocratic
treatises
on
airs,
waters,
and
places
(wrep'
a&pwv
{'a&mw
TroIt).
Sometime
later
there
grew
up
a
new
idea
according
to
which
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206
G. Sarton
there are four different forms
of mixture or tem-
perament, according
to
the
predominance
of this
or that humor.
That is, there are four
different
kinds of healthy
equilibrium, not one, and
men
may thus be subdivided into
four large physio-
logical and psychological
groups named after
the
prevalent humors. The first treatise specifically
devoted to this was GALEN'S
reatise on tempera-
ments (7rp'
xpacavwV).
In this
final shape the theory
of
temperaments
was enormously successful.
It
was
elaborated
by Byzantine, Jewish, and Muslim
physicians, and
being translated from Greek
and
Arabic into Latin dominated
the medical thought
of the Middle Ages and later.
After the beginning
of modern medicine it suffered
eclipses but re-
appeared time after time. Its
continued vitality
may be inferred from many
terms existing in
almost every
European language, terms which
should not be
called fossils, for they have remained
very much alive. Not only are such words as
sanguine, choleric, melancholic,
and phlegmatic
still used to-day,
but their general meaning is
clear
in spite of their
inherent vagueness.
The theory of temperamehts
is really an
anthro-
pological theory. There are
four kinds of people,
each kind having
its
own
physiological
and
psy-
chological equilibrium.
If
they lose that
equi-
librium, they
are
physically
or
mentally ill;
it
may be possible to reestablish
it by therapeutical
means,
but
these
means
will
naturally vary
accord-
ing to the group
to which each patient belongs.
Hence,
the
physician's
first duty
is
to
determine
the patient's temperament, then his illness, and
finally to consider
the means of fighting the
latter
with
due regard
to the former.
In the course of time all
kinds of astrological
fancies and other superstitions
were gradually
amalgamated
with that theory. Later,
as
rational
methods prevailed,
the superstitions were
aban-
doned. The innocent foundation
has
been
allowed
to
remain,
but
the fantastic superstructure
has
been
destroyed.
It
would
be
interesting
to
compare
the vicis-
situdes
of
that
theory
with
those
of the tridosha
doctrine
in
Ayurveda (Isis,
34, 174-77),
but that
would sidetrack us. It
will suffice
to
remark that
the
general
situation
is similar. The fantastic
elaborations
of tridosha
are abandoned to
magi-
cians,
while the
central idea
continues
to
guide
the best
minds of
Hindiistan.
III
The
Hippocratic theory
of
humors and the
theory
of
temperaments
connected
with it had
in
common
this
valuable
peculiarity-they
obliged
the
physician
to
consider the
patient
as a whole.
In
the
course
of
time,
as
nosography improved,
doctors
were
hypnotized by
special
diseases
to the
extent sometimes of overlooking the
patient; that
dangerous
tendency was brought to
a
climax by
the discovery of
bacteriology. We are now
in
the
midst of a
reaction, which has sometimes been
called a
Hippocratic reaction. The microbe or
parasite is one
thing, his host another; the same
disease varies considerably from one patient to
another. One
should consider the patient first
and consider him in his wholeness. The
new Hip-
pocratism
has
been
fortified by other movements
such as
Gestalt psychology.
Unfortunately,
a
certain
vagueness
and
mysticism inhere
in
it,
and
cause it to be
easily entangled with
superstitions.
Its popularity in
periods of trouble and confusion
is
remarkable and disturbing. A number
of recent
publications have revived it not only in
Germany
but
in
other countries as well. For the
sake of
illustration it will suffice to quote two
French ex-
amples.
Dr.
RENE, ALLENDY published a heavy
volume, Les temperaments (366 p., Paris, Vigot,
1922); the same
author has written various other
books
on
alchemy and occultism. Dr.
MAURICE
PERIOT, physician
in the hospitals of Marseille, has
issued recently a
book characteristically entitled
Hippocrate avait
raison.
Synthese
de la person-
nalite humaine
par le tempe'rament (382 p., Mar-
seille,
M.
Leconte, 1941). This is one of
the books
the publication
of which was permitted by the
Vichy government.
It
is
dedicated to Marshal
PETAIN, "esprit et coeur de la France
nouvelle."
The same author is preparing three other
books on
temperaments
as
applied to diatheses, hygiene,
and education, and a treatise on "rational graph-
ology "
Alas
that kind of
sophisticated nonsense
will
not
save
France; on the contrary, it will pre-
vent
its
regeneration.
Wise
physicians
remember that
the
idiosyn-
crasies of men
vary considerably,
almost
beyond
belief; they try
to
discover
them in their
own
patients
and to
take
them
always
into account.
They
know
that
these
idiosyncrasies
cannot be
classified
into four
groups,
nor into a hundred.
Each
patient,
or
rather
each
combination
patient-disease,
is a
separate problem.
Hippoc-
RATES
had guessed that much and his guess was
the
nucleus
of
truth around which the
theory
of
temperaments developed extravagantly
and
domi-
nated
irrational medicine
until
our own
days.
Cambridge,
Massachusetts
July
27,
1942
IV
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hippocratic
reatises.
De natura
hominis, wrep
cua'oS 4VGpS.7rov.
LITTRE
vol.
6, 29-69,
1849).
W. H.
S.
JONES'edition in Loeb library (vol. 4,
1-41, 1931).
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The Theory of
Temperaments
207
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fIiiiiitS i e of
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De aiere
aquis locis,
1rept
Epwv vSaTwv roIT(Ov.
LITTREI(vol. 2, 1-93,
1840). W. H. S.
JONES (vol.
1, 66-137,
1923).
GALEN.
De
temperamentis libri
tres,
7repti
KpaTcwv
Tpta.Edited
by GEORGIus
HELMREICH
X+
132
p.,
Leipzig, Teubner,
1904). Greek
text with glossary.
Latin translation by
THOMAS
LINACRE: Galeni
de
temperamentis et
de
inaequali
intemperie
(Cambridge,
1521).
Facsimile
edition
(Cam-
bridge, University
Press,
1881).
W. L.
SCHREIBER:
Handbuch
der
Holz-
und
Metallschnitte des XV.
Jahrhunderts
(vol. 4, p.
79,
Leipzig, 1927).
Rare woodcuts
and engravings
from the Boerner
sale (British
Museum
Quarterly, vol. 7, p.
34-35,
1932).
CAMPBELL
DODGSON:Woodcuts of the
fifteenth
century in the
British
Museum (vol. 2,
p1.
CIV A,
no. 243,
London, 1935).
v
A
SOUTH-GERMAN
TEMPERAMENT-TEXT
OF C.
1480.
Sangwineus-Luft
Ir
secht den
Sangwineus
an,
So
gar
ein
wuniklichen
man;
Sein braunes har
gar schon
gewedelt,
All
sein
gelider und
geedelt;
5
Mit seinem roten
antlitz
sch6n,
Manhaft
ist
er
und darzu
k6n.
Von seiner
natur
feucht und
warm,
Was frawenpild kumpt an sein arm,
Und die
empfocht da auf der
vart;
10
Das
kumbt von
seiner edlen
art.
Auch aller
frumkait ist
er
holt,
Die lobt
er fur das
rote golt.
Den schalck
haszt er
gar
grymikleich,
Er
sey junck,
alt, arm,
oder reich.
15
Auch
alle
ungerechtkeit,
Und die ist im
von
hertzen
layt,
Vam
lufft hat
er sein
edels pluot,
Des
hot
er
aliweg
trewen
muot,
Sein
puls ist
geng,
sein harm
weinfar,
20 So
sagen uns
die
maister dar.
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208
E.
von
Erhzardt-Siebold
Notes-Sangwiinrus
1 secht: seht. 2 wuniklichen:wonniglichen.
sclion:
schon;
gewedelt:
gelockt (hort
man noch heute
im
Ries
und
in
Teilen
Bayerns). 4 und: auch.
6 kon: kuhn. 8 frawenpild:
frauenbild,rau (cf.
Weibsbild,Mannsbild);
an sein arm:
in
seinenarm.9 empfocht:
empfangt(Nebenform
on emphahlt,
empfiht);
auf der
vart;
sofort.
11
frumkait:
tuchtigkeit.
12 fur:
vor. 13 schalck:bosewicht;
grymikleich: rimmiglich.
16 und: auch;layt: leid, verhasst.18 trewen muot: aufrich-
tigen
sinn. 19 geng: leicht gehend,
riustig; arm: ham;
wein-
far: weinfarbig.
Colericus-Fewr
Colericus mit
grimer
ver
Den
sicht
man
tragen spies
und
wer;
Er sicht auch
gern ein grosses
her,
Und
ist
freszig
und
tut
fast zer.
5
Mit krausem oder
braytem
har,
Er ist auch
gech zornig fur war,
Auch hat er gar
ain rauhe brust,
Des sicht
man In
mit
reichem
lust.
Er ist gar einer gehen
rach,10 Und hat ain schnelle scharpfe sprach.
Darzu
ist
er
auch hoher list,
Da mit er wol zu preysen
ist.
Er ist durstig
und ranes leibs,
Darzu begert
er manches
weibs,
15 Und mag
nit
vil, gel
ist
sein pild;
Gibt
mer
durch rewe denn
durch
mild,
Er
nit vil spart
als ich In ways.
Des feures
art trucken und hays,
Bayd zorn
und gut Im nahet leyt,
20 Pald frolich gmut und
behendyheit.
Notes-Colericus
1 mit grimerver: mit feindlicherbegierde.4 fressig: ge-
frassig;
tut
fast
zer: tut sehr
zeren
(verzehren).
6
gech
zornig: jahzornig.
7
rauhe brust:
wildes
gemuit.
9
gehen
rach:
jahen
rache.
11
hoher list:
grosser
chlauheit.
13
dur-
stig:
unternehmend
dorstig);
ranes leibs: schlanker
gestalt
(rane,
noch
heute
im
Bayerischen
=
schlank).
15 mag
nit
vil: kann
nicht viel,
hat nicht viel
kraft
(geschlechtlich);
gel: gelb,
gallig,
cholerisch.17
als ich
in
ways:
wie
ich ihn
kenne.
19
bayd: beides;
zorn:
zornig;
nahet
leyt:
nahe
liegt (leget).
Flegmaticus-Wasser
Flegmaticus
den well
wir schauen;
Der
schertzet
gern mit den frawen,
Dar zu hat
er ain faisten leib,
Ein weiszes antlitz als ain weib.
5
Naturlich
ist
er
feucht und kalt,
Vam schlof
ein tusemlich gestalt,
Langksam
ist er und darzu treg
Und fast unsauber
alleweg.
Des wassers art
sagt sein gestalt;
10
Ey wie recht,
kaum so wirt er
alt,
Er
reuspert und
wirt leicht siuchtig.
In der
gepurt ist er
untiichtig,
Er mag
vil, gert wenig
weibs.
Faul, fressig, ungeschicktes leybs,
15
Sein feinden sigt
er selten an,
In zornes not ist
er kain man.
Doch ist
sein allerpester
list,
Das er
gar barmhertzig
ist,
Und
bettet gern, und ist
frum,
20
Des hilft Im got
auch wol
auszkum.
Notes-Flegmaticus
1
well:
wollen.4 als: wie. 5
naturlich:von natur. 6
tusem-
lich:
schweigsam,
chlafrig;gestalt:
aussehen. 8 fast: sehr.
12 gepurt:
nachkommenschaft. 3
er mag
vil:
er
hat viel
kraft
(geschlechtlich); gert
wenig weibs: begehrt
wenig
des
weibs. 16 zornes
not: streites gefahr. 17
list:
weise, art.
19
bettet:
betet; frum:fromm.20
des: deshalb.
Melancolicus-Erd
Da
bey
kent
melancolicus,
Und der
hat
kainen lust
alsus,
Vor
zeytlich
sorg
zu
kayner
freud,
Mit seinem
gut
mag
er nit
geud.
5
Klainhait
von silber und das
golt,
Und schon
geticht,
das
hat er
holt.
Darzu
ist er neydig und
kargk,
Und
geitzikait
rewe
verbargk.
Doch
ist er
dechtig
und auch
weys
10 Wie er sein sach
it furt
zu
preys.
Der
erden art
sagt
sein
natur,
Und plod ist er, ein plaich figur.
Gros lieb
hat er zu
schatz und
kunst,
Wem er
das
gibt
des hat er
gunst.
15 Trucken
und
kalt
ist sein
natur,
Er
ist gern
allain in
seiner
maur,
Und
ist
sorckfeltig
seines
guots,
Darumb
ist er eins
schwern muotz.
Sein
harm
der ist rot
gefar,
20
Sagen die maister uns fur
war.
Notes-Melancolicus
1
kent:
kommt
(kemet).
2
alsus:
in
solcher
weise. 3 vor
zeytlich sorg:
vor
sorge
zu
jeder
zeit. 4
geud: vergeuden.
6
schon
geticht: schongehauft;holt: gem. 8 reweverbargk:reue verheimlicht, .e., geiz lasst die reue nicht aufkommen.
9
dechtig:bedachtig.
10
it: etwa (icht).
12
plod: schwach-
lich
(blode).
14
des hat er
gunst:
von
ihm wird
er begiin-
stigt.
17
sorckfeltig: angstlich.
19
gefar:
gefarbt.