composed by Schola Medica Salernitana
edited by Arnold of Villanova
12-13th c. AD
trans RMBullard
Latin (Medieval Era)
Regimen Sanitatis Salerni
CAPUT I. DE REMEDIIS GENERALIBUS [Concerning General Remedies]
Anglorum regi scripsit tota schola Salerni:
[The entire school of Salerno wrote to the King of England:]
si vis incolumem, si vis te reddere sanum,
curas tolte graves:
[If you wish to return unharmed, if you wish return in health, give up your heavy cares.]+
irasci crede profanum:
[Getting angry is an act of profanity.]
parce mero, coenato parum:
[Stay away from wine, don't eat too much;]
non sit tibi vanum
surgere post epulas:
[Let you not think it foolish to get up after dinner:]
somnum fuge meridianum:
[flee from sleeping all the way till noon:]
non mictum retine, nec comprime fortiter anum.
[Don't refrain from taking a piss, nor don't squeeze your bunghole too forcefully.]
Haec bene si serves,
[If you keep these things in mind well,]
tu longo tempore vives
[for your part will you live for a long time]
si tibi deficiant medici, medici tibi fiant
haec tria:
[If you have no access to physicians, these three principles will act as physicians for you:]
mens laeta, requies, moderata diaeta.
[a cheery attitude, rest, and a moderate diet.]
CAPUT II. DE CONFORTATIONE CEREBRI
[ON KEEPING YOUR BRAIN COMFORTABLE]
Lumina mane manus surgens gelida lavet aqua.
[Getting up at the break of dawn, one should wash his hands in cold water.]
Hac illac modicum pergat, modicum sua membra
extendat, crines pectat, dentes fricet:
[He should walk about a bit back and forth, stretch his limbs a bit, comb his hair, and brush his teeth:]
ista
confortant cerebrum,
[These kinds of things bring comfort to the brain,]
confortant caetera membra.
[and they bring comfort to the rest of one's body parts.]
Lote cale,
[Take a bath in hot water]
sta paste vel i,
[stay in the same place, or go ahead.]
frigesce minute.
[then turn it could for a while.]
CAPUT III. DE SOMNO MERIDIANO [On sleeping till noon]
Sit brevis, aut nullus, tibi somnus meridianus.
[Let you seldomly sleep, if ever till noon.]
Febris, pigrities, capitis dolor atque catarrhus:
[Fevers, laziness, headaches and even catarracts:]
haec tibi proveniunt ex somno meridiano.
[These things will come to you from sleeping till noon.]
CAPUT IV. DE FLATU IN VENTRE INCLUSO [Holding gas locked in the stomach]
Quatuor ex vento veniunt in ventre retento:
[There are four things that can come from keeping gas looked in the stomach]
spasmus, hydrops, colica, vertigo:
[spasms, dropsy, cholic, and dizzy spells.]
quatuor ista.
[Those are four such things.]
CAPUT V. DE COENA [Concerning dinner]
Ex magna coena stomacho fit maxima poena.
[The most terrible penalty can come to the stomach after a big dinner.]
Ut sis nocte levis, sit tibi coena brevis.
[So that you sleep lightly at night, try to have a small dinner.]
CAPUT VI. DE DISPOSITIONE ANTE CIBI SUMTIONEM [On one's disposition before eating food]
Tu nunquam comedas,
[For your own sake, don't ever eat a meal]
stomachum nisi noveris esse
purgatum,
[unless you know that your stomach has been cleaned out]
vacuumque cibo, quem sumseris ante.
[and is emptied of the food that you ate beforehand.]
Ex desiderio poteris cognoscere certo:
[you've shall recognized this from a particular desire:]
haec tua sunt signa, subtilis in ore diaeta.
[these are your indications, for dieting is subtle craft in its surface.]
CAPUT VII. DE CIBIS MELANCHOLICIS VITANDIS
[Concerning the unhealthy foods that need to be avoided]
Persica, poma, pyra, lac, caseus, et caro salsa,
et caro cervina, leporina, caprina, bovina:
[Peaches, apples, powders* <suggestions>, milk, cheese, expensive sauces too, as well as rich deer, rabbit, goat, and beef:]
haec melancholica sunt infirmis inimica.
[these are unhealthy foods that are dangerous for ailing men.]
CAPUT VIII. DE CIBIS BENE NUTRIENTIBUS [Healthy foods]
Ova recentia, vina rubentia, pinguia iura,
cum simila pura, naturae sunt valitura.
[Fresh eggs, red wines, hearty soups, alongside like types of broth, are natural and healthy foods.]
CAPUT IX. DE CIBIS NUTRIENTIBUS ET IMPINGUANTIBUS
[Nutritious and lean foods]
Nutrit et impinguat triticum, lac, caseus infans,
[A infant should eat and fatten up on wheat, milk, and cheese,]
testiculi, porcina caro,
[as well as pork meat and testicles] <yeah, that's the translation>
cerebella, medullae,
dulcia vina, cibus gustu iucundior, ova
sorbilia, maturae ficus, uvaeque recentes.
[brains, marrow, soft wines, food that's rather delicious, juicy eggs, ripe figs, and fresh grapes.]
I N F I N I T A
