What Is a Human Being? · §3 · John of Damascus

Humors, the head's rule, and the brain's parts

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John of Damascus continues his account of the four humors, now linking each to a stage of life and its qualities, then turns to the head as ruler of the body and describes the brain's sutures, membranes, and parts.

Children, then, are warm and moist because of blood. Young men are warm and dry because of yellow bile. Those who are full-grown in age are cold and dry because of black bile. Old men are cold and moist because of phlegm. The temple, then, is the ruler of the body. As long as the brain is well settled and healthy, all the limbs of the body are at peace. Power and thought are sent up to the brain from the liver, and the soul itself is there, along with the depth of thoughts. The head has five sutures. There is also a single-sutured head, and it is always healthy. The brain has three membranes: the first is hypozomatias, the second is charakoeides, and the third is...oeides. The brain has three parts: one is kyreboeides, the second is the thitos, and the third is noeros. It is a warm substance.

Greek

Καὶ τὰ μὲν παιδία ἐκ τοῦ αἵματός εἰσι θερμὰ καὶ ὑγρά· οἱ δὲ νεανίσκοι ἐκ τῆς ξανθῆς χολῆς, θερμοὶ καὶ ξηροί· οἱ δὲ τέλειοι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ

ἀπὸ τῆς μελαίνης χολῆς εἰσὶ ψυχροὶ καὶ ξηροί· οἱ δὲ γέροντες, ἐκ τοῦ φλέγματος εἰσὶ ψυχροὶ καὶ ὑγροί. Ὁ δὲ κρόταφος οὖν τῆς κεφαλῆς ἐστὶν ὁ ἡγεμὼν τοῦ σώματος· καὶ ὅσον ὁ ἐγκέφαλος εὐκατασταθείη καὶ ὑγιαίνοι, καὶ ὅλα τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος μετ' εἰρήνης εἰσίν· ἡ δύναμις δὲ καὶ ἡ φρόνησις ἐκ τοῦ ἥπατος ἀναπέμπεται τῷ ἐγκεφάλῳ, καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκεῖ ἐστιν, καὶ ὁ βυθὸς τῶν νοημάτων. Ἔχει δὲ ἡ κεφαλὴ ῥαφὰς πέντε· ἔστι δὲ καὶ κεφαλὴ μονόῤῥαφος, καὶ ἔστιν αὐτὴ πάντοτε ὑγιής. Ὁ δὲ ἐγκέφαλος ἔχει μήνιγγας τρεῖς· ὁ μὲν πρῶτος ὑποζωματίας· ὁ δὲ δεύτερος, χαρακοειδής· ὁ δὲ τρίτος, ....τοειδής. Τοῦ δὲ ἐγκεφάλου εἰσὶ μέρη τρία· ὁ μὲν εἷς, κυρεβοειδής· ὁ δεύτερος, ὁ θίτος, καὶ ὁ τρίτος νοερός. Ἔστι δὲ οὐσία θερμώδης.

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.