Published in History of European Ideas (2020), this paper by George Kazantzidis explores the radical shift in ancient thought when doctors first linked a physical substance to a mental state.
If you are looking for an "interesting paper" on ( melaina cholē ), the following selection offers a fascinating deep dive into how this mythical substance shaped centuries of medicine, psychology, and philosophy.
: Black Bile as the Cause of Human Accomplishments and Behaviors . This examines the Aristotelian "Problem XXX.1," which famously asked why all men who have excelled in philosophy, politics, poetry, and the arts appear to be "melancholic"—suggesting black bile was a prerequisite for greatness. black bile
: It discusses the "violence" with which ancient thinkers forced black bile to fit the tetradic scheme (matching it with Earth, Autumn, and Cold/Dry qualities) despite it being the most elusive and "invisible" of the four humors.
: You can find the full article via Taylor & Francis Online . Other Recommended Readings Published in History of European Ideas (2020), this
: Black Bile, Manic Depression and Melancholy . This paper bridges the gap between ancient humoral theory and modern psychiatry, finding surprising resonances between the "movements" of black bile and modern clinical descriptions of manic depression. Quick Facts for Context Introduction in: Galen’s Theory of Black Bile - Brill
: It traces how "black bile" wasn't always a physical liquid. In early Greek epics like Homer’s, "black" was used to describe dark, raging emotions like anger ( cholos ). This paper argues that ancient doctors later "materialized" these dark metaphors into a literal bodily fluid to fit a scientific four-humor system. This examines the Aristotelian "Problem XXX
: Galen’s Theory of Black Bile . This book/paper explores how the influential physician Galen had to "defend" the existence of black bile against rivals who (rightly) pointed out that it didn't seem to exist in healthy bodies like blood or phlegm do.