Health Preservation during Travel: Evidence from the Medieval Medical Manuscript Cantica Canticorum Avicenne Cum Commento Averrois
Abstract
This paper examines medieval recommendations for maintaining health during travel, as recorded in the manuscript Cantica canticorum Avicenne cum commento Averrois, preserved in the Metropolitan Library of Zagreb. It is a Latin translation of Avicenna’s poetic medical treatise Urjuza fi’l tibb (Poem of Medicine) accompanied by Averroes’ commentary. Focusing on chapters that provide practical guidance for travellers, the study examines advice concerning diet, hygiene, environmental conditions, and preventive medical practices for journeys by land and sea during both winter and summer times. These instructions are analysed within the broader framework of medieval medical theory, particularly the humoral concept of bodily balance. The paper also situates Avicenna’s recommendations in relation to earlier medical observations found in the Corpus Hippocraticum, highlighting continuities and divergences in the perception of travel as a potential health risk. The analysis illustrates how medieval medical authors synthesized ancient and Arabic medical knowledge with practical guidance, emphasizing the significance of preventive measures and the preservation of health in premodern travel contexts.
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