The Methodism of Caelius Aurelianus 313
of cases these are visible causes) without in any way restricting the relevance
of these causal accounts.^59 He sometimes refers to hidden, or unknown,
causes;^60 and in some cases we see him actually allowing that the cause of a
diseaseisrelevant to its treatment and including this cause in the definition
of the disease, because it constitutes one of the relevant differentiae for the
treatment.
Some clear illustrations of these attitudes are provided by the following
passages:
( 17 ) antecedentes causae, quibus haec sufficitur passio [sc. synanche], aliquae sunt
occultae, aliquaemanifestaeatque ceteris quoque communes passionibus, maxime
tamen conabiles atque laboriosi uomitus, plus etiam, si post cibum iam corrup-
tum, item uinolentia uel niuis potatio aut exclamatio uehemens atque eodem
modo perseuerans, quam Graeci monotonon uocant, item catarrhus et acriores cibi
praeter consuetudinem accepti, item feruentia atque ignita medicamina pota uel
purgatio per helleborum prouocata, quibusdam etiam feminis menstrualis retentio
purgationis. afficiuntur autem hac passione magis uiri quam mulieres, quorum plus
aetatis mediae et iuuenes quam pueri atque senes... nos uero iuxta Sorani senten-
tiam synanchen dicimus difficultatem transuorandi atque praefocationem acutam
ob uehementiam tumoris faucium siue in locis, quibus nutrimenta transuora[ui]mus.
(Acut. 3. 1. 4 – 6 )As for the preceding causes through which this disease [sc. synanche] is brought
about, some are invisible, others are manifest and identical to those of other diseases,
in particular difficult and laboured vomiting, especially if this is done after the
consumption of food that has gone off, drunkenness, the drinking of snow, ecstatic
shouting which persists at the same tone, which the Greeks callmonotonos, catarrh,
acrid foods which one is not accustomed to, burning and fiery medicinal drinks
or a purge provoked by hellebore, and with some women also the retention of
the monthly discharge. This disease occurs more with men than women, and
of these, with those who have reached middle age, and with young men rather
than children and elderly people [... ] We however, in accordance with Soranus’
statement, say that synanche is a difficulty in swallowing and an acute choking
caused by severe swelling of the throat or in the places in which we swallow
nourishment.^61(^59) E.g.Acut. 3. 6. 62 : ‘But the antecedent causes of the affections mentioned above are the following: a
blow on the larger sinews, which the Greeks calltenontes, or lying upon them for a long time in the
same position with something hard underneath’ (sed antecedentes causae supradictarum passionum
sunt hae: percussus maiorum neruorum, quos tenontas appellant, uel supra ipsos iacendi iugis positio
duris incumbens suppositis). Cf. Soranus,Gyn. 4. 35 and the very interesting chapters 4. 1 – 6 where
Soranus reports Demetrius of Apamea’s account of the causes of difficult labour, which he seems to
endorse.
(^60) Examples follow below. For an example in Soranus seeGyn. 4. 36 (paralysis of the uterus due to ‘an
unknown cause’).
(^61) This final sentence also indicates that the cause is relevant to thedefinitionof the disease; on this see
below.