Aristotle on melancholy 161
wherever possible. The thoughts that are expressed and sometimes even
their literal wording show a number of parallels with Aristotelian writ-
ings.^74 However, as this applies to many parts of theProblemata, the fact
in itself does not substantiate the claim that Aristotle would have adopted
the whole theory (as Croissant argues ( 1932 ) 78 – 9 ), and neither does the
use of the typical Aristotelian notion of the mean (mesotes ̄), long recog-
nised by scholars, in the explanation of the melancholics’ ‘extraordinariness’
(peritton).^75
It seems more important to examine the reasons that have been given
to demonstrate that the Aristotelian concept of melancholy cannot be rec-
onciled with the theory presented inPr. 30. 1. Some scholars claim^76 that
Aristotle only speaks about melancholics in terms of their deviations (con-
sidering them pathological or plainly negative), and that in his view a
melancholic is illby natureand needs to be cured. This would be irrecon-
cilable with the characterisation of melancholics as ‘extraordinary’ (perittoi)
in the respectable fields of philosophy, politics and poetry. However, this
negative assessment corresponds to the idea – which is expressed frequently
in the chapter from theProblemata– that melancholics are ‘abnormal’ or
‘deviant’ (ektopoi)by nature.^77 It is true to say that Aristotle does not refer
to the extraordinary achievements of melancholics, apart from their ‘clear
dreams’ (euthuoneiria), which, however, are not related to theperittonin the
field of philosophy or politics;^78 but this is in line with the view expressed
inPr. 30. 1 , that the extraordinary achievements of melancholics are anex-
ceptionrather than a rule. As stated above, the chapter is largely devoted to
explaining the diversity and variety of expressions of the melancholic na-
ture. The opening question is merely touched upon and the author seems
(^74) Most of the parallels have been listed in Flashar’s notes. The complete list of all occurrences is: 953
b 23 – 6 ∼Insomn. 461 a 23 – 5 ; 953 b 27 – 30 ∼Somn. vig. 457 a 16 – 17 ; 953 b 33 – 954 a 4 ∼Gen. an.
728 a 10 ff. and 736 a 19 ; 954 a 2 ∼Hist. an. 586 a 16 ; 954 a 7 ∼Somn. vig. 457 a 29 ; 954 a 18 – 20 ∼
Part. an. 648 b 34 ff.; 954 a 21 – 2 ∼Somn. vig. 457 a 31 ; 954 a 32 ∼Div. somn. 463 b 17 andRh. 1390
b 28 ; 954 a 34 – 6 ∼Part. an. 672 b 28 – 33 ; 954 b 13 ∼Part. an. 650 b 27 and 692 a 23 as well asRh.
1389 b 29 ff.; 954 b 39 – 40 ∼Eth. Eud. 1229 a 20 ; 955 a 3 ∼Eth. Eud. 1229 a 20 ; 955 a 4 ∼Rh. 1389 a
19 ff. andEth. Nic. 1154 b 9 ff.; 955 a 22 – 9 ∼Gen. an. 725 b 6 – 18 ; 955 a 25 – 8 ∼Gen. an. 783 b 29 – 30.
(^75) Muri ( ̈ 1953 ) 24 – 6 ; Klibansky et al. ( 1964 ) 33 – 6.
(^76) Flashar ( 1962 ) 713 ; Klibansky et al. ( 1964 ) 37.
(^77954) b 2 K6
L; 954 b 26 K"!
L>Cf. the remark quoted above in n. 48
made by Klibansky et al. ( 1964 ) and their observations on the wordperittos( 31 ).
(^78) The gift of divination in sleep which melancholics possess is not mentioned at all inPr. 30. 1 , but in
view of the remarks on enthusiasm in 954 a 35 – 6 , the author would certainly categorise it among
the ‘manic’ expressions of the melancholic blend, i.e. those caused by excessive heat; it would not be
related to theperittonthat is close to the ‘intelligence’ (phronesis ̄ ) and based on the ‘mean’ (meson)of
heat and cold. InDiv. somn. 464 b 2 – 3 the melancholics are compared to ‘people who are possessed’
K/ Lbecause of theireuthuoneiria. Cf. Klibansky et al. ( 1964 ) 37.