Four Temperaments (Sarton)

8/10/2019 Four Temperaments (Sarton)

1/5

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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2/5

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


3/5

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).


4/5

The Theory of

Temperaments

207

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ga$hr}f11tn

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(ijgAip,roU1j 4z

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fIiiiiitS i e of

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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.


5/5

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.

Four Temperaments (Sarton)

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Transcript of Four Temperaments (Sarton)