Nemesius the Philosopher translated by George Wither (1588-1667)

THE NATURE OF MAN. A learned and usefull Tract written in Greek by Nemesius, surnamed the Philosopher; sometime Bishop of a City in Phoenicia, and one of the most ancient Fathers Of the Church. Englished, And divided in Sections, with briefs of their prin

      London: Printed by M.F. for Henry Taunton in St. Dunstans Churchyard in Fleetstreet, 1636. Hardcover. Good. Duodecimo contemporary calf with old reback retaining original boards with triple rules (one cover re-attached, later black gilt title label) [42] +661pp Titlepage in red and black, paper water marked I.B and Crown, entire text within ruled border. Blank first leaf is here missing, neat pencil note on back of titlepage Sandell & Smith 7/6/73, minor edge browning, bottom margin of Ff2 torn off with no loss of text, marginal ink stain to last 8 leaves. *Wither's translation of Nemisius' 4th century AD work on the Nature of Man. Here he explains the classical Greek view of nature, of philosopy, of mental processes & physiology. In an early passage on the circulation of blood he describes on pp409-10 the veins & arteries: "These.. accompany one another, and receive profit and assistance each from the other.. therefore it is not possible to finde either an artery altogether voide of a thin kinde of blood; or a veine without spirits", going on to the pumping of the heart and the opening and contracting of the arteries "it sucks and draws a thin kinde of blood, from the veines that are neare unto it." He tries to map mental faculties, feelings & sensory perception to parts of the ventricles of the human brain, the third being the region of man's intellect. An interesting fusion of Hellenistic thought & medical theory bent to integrate with Christian theology.