Medieval health poem

Published: Wednesday, January 06, 2021 07:00 | Hits: 1652

Cover page of Regimen Sanitatis Salernitatum c. 1480
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"Thou to health and vigor should attain
Shun mighty cares, all anger deem profane
From heavy suppers and much wine abstain;
Nor trivial count it after pompous fare
To rise from the table and take to the air.
Spurn idle noonday slumbers, nor delay
The urgent call of nature to obey.
These rules if thou wilt follow to the end
Thy life to greater length thou may extend".

The original poem is written in Latin and is part of the book "Regimen Sanitatis Salernitarum" published in 1480. This book contains articles and poems by Afflacius, Bartholomeus, Copho, Ferrarius, Petronius, Johannes Platearius, and Trotula. The editor of the book was Arnold de Villa Nova. It was later translated into English.

It is considered one of the two great publications of the School of Salerno in the Medieval Ages, the other one being the "Compendium Salernitatus"