Monday, April 11, 2016
Greeks and Barbarians
Galen, On the Preservation of Health 1.10.17 (vol. VI, p. 51 Kühn; tr. Robert Montraville Green):
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But we are not now writing this for the Germans or for any other savage or barbarian people, any more than for bears, boars, lions, or for any other of the wild beasts, but for Greeks and for those who, though born barbarians by nature, yet emulate the culture of the Greeks.
ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς νῦν γε οὔτε Γερμανοῖς οὔτε ἄλλοις τισὶν ἀγρίοις ἢ βαρβάροις ἀνθρώποις ταῦτα γράφομεν, οὐ μᾶλλον ἢ ἄρκτοις, ἢ κάπροις, ἢ λέουσι, ἤ τισι τῶν ἄλλων θηρίων, ἀλλ' Ἕλλησι, καὶ ὅσοι τῷ γένει μὲν ἔφυσαν βάρβαροι, ζηλοῦσι δὲ τὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐπιτηδεύματα.
