The Complete Works of Galen, Vol. 19

Ed. Chart. I. [38.]

Ed. Bas. IV. (362.)

...showing it to be possible. I put the arguments spoken by each into order and wrote a sort of exercise for myself. Somehow this work was circulated without my knowledge. I wrote three other books on the movement of the lung and chest while I was staying in Smyrna Smyrna, modern Izmir in Turkey, was a major center of medical and philosophical study where Galen lived for several years. as a favor for a fellow student. He was about to return home after his travels and wanted to use the book to practice for an anatomical demonstration.

However, the young man died in the meantime. The books then fell into the hands of certain people who recognized my writing style. One man was even caught adding his own preface to them and reading them aloud as if they were his own works. At the end of the third book, I added some of my own discoveries, along with a promise of more to come. The content of those three books consisted of the teachings of my teacher Pelops Pelops was a famous physician of the Dogmatic school and a teacher of Galen in Smyrna.. I wrote them while I was with him in Smyrna.

After I returned from Rome and settled in my homeland Pergamum, in modern-day Turkey., I went about my usual business. But soon, letters arrived from the emperors The joint emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. in Aquileia A Roman city at the head of the Adriatic Sea, used as a military headquarters during the Marcomannic Wars. summoning me. They had decided to spend the winter there before heading toward Ger... The text breaks off, likely referring to the Germanic frontier or the Germans.

...showing it to be possible: and so, having put the words of each into order, I wrote a certain exercise for myself which, I know not how, flew away without my knowledge. I wrote three others on the movement of the lung and chest while I was in Smyrna, as a favor to a fellow student who was about to return to his country after his travels, so that he might perform an anatomical demonstration using that book as a guide.

But when the youth died in the meantime, the books were held by certain people and were believed to be of my character. One man was even convicted of placing a preface before them and then reading them as if they were his own. At the end of the third of these books, I added certain things containing a declaration of my own discoveries. For the things written in those three books were the opinions of my teacher Pelops, under whom I wrote them while living in Smyrna.

Therefore, after that return from Rome, when I had settled in my homeland, I performed my accustomed duties. Immediately, however, letters from the emperors came from Aquileia calling me. For they had decided, having spent the winter, to go into Ger...