οἶδα δὲ καὶ ἐμαυτῷ ποτε συμβᾶσαν ὀδύνην σφοδροτάτην. Autobiography and patients’ imagery in Galen’s corpus

Abstract

The text explores several Galenic accounts of patients employing figurative language. Beyond acknowledging the diagnostic value of such imagery—often interpretable as genuine symptoms—Galen repeatedly notes that he himself, when in the role of a patient, has drawn upon the same expressive repertoire. This illustrates how autobiographical elements function not only (and not merely) as rhetorical devices but also as powerful means of fostering a deeper understanding of the patients.