The Methodism of Caelius Aurelianus 317
The following passage provides a good example:
( 21 a) secundum nos igitur distentio est siue extentio, quam, ut supra diximus,
tetanon Graeci uocauerunt, inuoluntaria tensio, recto atque inflexibili porrecta
cremento collorum ob uehementem stricturam siue tumorem. (Acut. 3. 6. 65 )
But according to us the stiffening or stretching, which, as we said above, the Greeks
call tetanos, is an involuntary straining of the neck and its rigid prolongation
straight upward, caused by a severe constriction or swelling.
This definition is not even a remotely complete description of the symptoms
of this disease; nor does it claim to be one, for in fact such a description
follows in the next section.^75 Moreover, this definition makes reference
to the cause of the disease (ob uehementem stricturam siue tumorem), which
is not what one would expect from an account of the symptoms.
Another example of such a type of definition is
( 22 a) est agnitio hydrophobiae appetentia uehemens atque timor potus sine ulla
ratione atque ob quandam in corpore passionem. (Acut. 3. 10. 101 )
The distinctive characteristic of hydrophobia is a powerful appetite and fear of
water without any reason and because of some affection in the body.
What is interesting is that in the sequel to both passages Caelius proceeds
to explain why the definition consists of its particular components. In the
first passage, after having distinguished three types of spasm, he goes on to
say:
( 21 b) sed inuoluntaria haec dicta sunt ad discretionem eorum, qui uoluntate sua
colla hoc schemate componunt; ob tumorem autem siue stricturam ad discre-
tionem
(Acut. 3. 6. 66 )
But these have been called ‘involuntary’ in order to distinguish them from those
people who deliberately hold their neck in this position; and [it has been said to
be] ‘because of a swelling or a constricted state’ in order to distinguish it from those
people whose relevant bodily parts are put on torturing instruments.
And similarly in the second case:
( 22 b) adiectum est autem sine ulla ratione atque ob quandam in corpore passionem,
quod alii timeant potum ut ueneni admixti suspicione uel arte prouidentes, quia,
si intemporaliter sumpserint, periclitabuntur; neque ilico hi ratione timentes hy-
drophobi esse uel dici possunt. (Acut. 3. 10. 101 )
(^753). 6. 66 : ‘Those who are about to lapse into these affections get the following symptoms: difficulty in
moving the neck, frequent gaping, etc.’ (tentantibus igitur in has passiones deuenire haec obueniunt:
difficilis cervicis motus, iugis oscitatio etc.).