Galen's De indolentia

Viac o knihe

In 2005, a French doctoral student uncovered the long-lost treatise, De indolentia, in a monastic library in Thessalonica. This letter from Galen recounts his response to a fire that ravaged much of his library and medicines in 192 CE. Catalogued as codex 14 in the Vlatadon monastery, the manuscript is invaluable to scholars of antiquity, with Vivian Nutton calling it "one of the most spectacular finds ever of ancient literature." The scholarly consensus dates its composition to 192-193 CE, classifying it within Galen's moral philosophy writings. De indolentia sheds light on second-century literary culture, showcasing Galen's skill in distinguishing authentic from false texts, engaging in lexical debates with other physicians, and his extensive scholarly output. It also provides insights into ancient library culture. Often overlooked in studies of Early Christian literature, Galen's works, particularly on moral philosophy, address similar themes. Notably, De indolentia discusses the second-century use of parchment codices for text preservation, maintains certain epistolary conventions, and reflects a 'hermeneutics of self-interpretation' vital for understanding the text. This volume features a new English translation, a collation of discrepancies among critical editions of the Greek text, and essays by prominent Classicists and early Christianity scholars exploring various aspects of this intriguing text.