What Is a Human Being? · §2 · John of Damascus

Humors shape temperament and age

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John of Damascus is explaining how each of the four humors produces a distinct temperament and dominates a successive stage of human life.

Those who happen to be made of pure blood are always cheerful, playful, and laughing. They look fresh and have a fine complexion. Those who happen to be made of yellow bile are quick and bold, irascible, bitter, and have an unusual coloring. Those who happen to be made of black bile are sluggish and faint-hearted, sickly, hesitant, and timid. Those who happen to be made of phlegm are sorrowful and also cold, forgetful and utterly oblivious, sleeping most of the time, and pale-complexioned.

In childhood, blood increases until the age of fourteen. In youth, yellow bile increases until the age of twenty-eight. In the prime of life, black bile increases until the age of forty-two. In old age, phlegm increases until the age of eighty.

Greek

Καὶ ὅσοι μὲν ἐξ αἵματος

καθαροῦ τυγχάνουσιν, οὗτοί εἰσι πάντοτε χαίροντες καὶ παίζοντες καὶ γελῶντες, καὶ

εἰσὶν ἀνθηροὶ, καὶ καλόχρωοι· ὅσοι δὲ ἀπὸ χολῆς ξανθῆς τυγχάνουσιν, εἰσὶ γοργοὶ

καὶ εὔτολμοι, ὀργίλοι καὶ πικροὶ καὶ ἀλλόχρωοι· ὅσοι δὲ ἀπὸ χολῆς μελαίνης

τυγχάνουσιν, εἰσὶ ῥᾴθυμοι καὶ ὀλιγόψυχοι, φιλάσθενοι καὶ ὀκνηροὶ καὶ δειλοί· ὅσοι

δὲ ἀπὸ φλέγματος τυγχάνουσιν, εἰσὶ λυπηροὶ, καὶ μὴν καὶ ψυχροὶ, ἀμνήμονες καὶ

διαλελησμένοι, τὰ πολλὰ κοιμώμενοι, καὶ λευκόχρωοι. Καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς παιδικῆς

ἡλικίας τὸ αἷμα πληθύνεται ἕως ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν νεανίσκων ἡ χολὴ

ἡ ξανθὴ πληθύνεται, ἕως ἐτῶν εἴκοσι ὀκτώ· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς τελείας ἡλικίας ἡ χολὴ ἡ

μελαίνη πληθύνεται, ἕως ἐτῶν τεσσαράκοντα δύο· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν γερόντων τὸ φλέγμα

πληθύνεται, ἕως ἐτῶν ὀγδοήκοντα.

About this text

John of Damascus answers what a human being is, with a short account of the four humors, their seats in the body, temperaments, and stages of life.

John of Damascus, a Christian monk and priest, wrote this letter to an unnamed person who had asked him to explain what a human being is. He was born in Damascus and later lived at the monastery of Mar Saba near Jerusalem, where he was ordained a priest. He wrote in Greek, and this letter is his concise answer to that request.

The letter offers a short account of human nature based on the four elements of the body: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. John explains where each element is seated in the body and what temperament it produces. He also describes how these elements dominate different stages of life, from childhood through old age.

A reader should know that John defines a human being as a rational mortal animal capable of intellect and knowledge. He calls the temple of the head the ruler of the body, and says the brain receives power and thought from the liver, with the soul dwelling in the brain. He also describes the skull's sutures and the brain's membranes, contrasting the brain with marrow. The letter quotes no other speakers and cites no scripture.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 94-96; Quid est homo (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.