In his work „De plenitudine“ the Greek physician Galen deals with the phenomenon of plethos or "fullness"; its correct diagnosis is essential for choosing the appropriate therapeutic measure, for instance phlebotomy. For the first time, Galen's reflexions on this topic are presented in a modern critical edition -- supplemented by a German translation, notes and a detailed index.

Christoph Otte studierte an den Universitäten Münster, Würzburg und Caen die Fächer Latein, Griechisch und Katholische Theologie; die Promotion erfolgte im Rahmen des Graduiertenkollegs „Textüberlieferung“ an der Universität Hamburg. Nach dem Referendariat in München und Donauwörth war er als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter in dem Editionsvorhaben „Corpus Medicorum Graecorum“ an der Berlin-Brandenburgischen Akademie der Wissenschaften tätig. Derzeit ist er Lehrer für Latein und Griechisch in Berlin.

„Édition très soignée et donc très utile, ce livre est le fruit d’une thèse de l’Université de Hambourg et un hommage à Hermann Grensemann. Le traité „De plenitudine“ y est présenté comme authentique, notamment grâce à des citations à l’intérieur du Corpus galénique. C. Otte examine ensuite les éditions anciennes, les manuscrits, ainsi bien sûr que leur filiation, et les traductions, puis établit une liste de sigles. Il en arrive alors à une édition (apparat en bas de page) et une traduction allemande, en face à face (celles-ci numérotées es pages suivies contrairement à l’usage de la CUF, qui numérote en pages doubles). Suivent un commentaire, des notes, des „indices nominum et verborum“, une liste des abréviations et une bonne bibliographie organisée.“ In: L’Antiquite Classique. 72 (2003). S. 371. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- „This new eclition is a slightly revised doctoral dissertation; it passes muster as a solid and valuable piece of scholarship. Dr. Otte has carefully collated (so far as I can judge without autopsy) and evaluated the manuscrip[s that preserve the treatise, studied with profit the Latin versions of the Renaissance (there are no medieval Latin translations), and made full use of the relevant secondary literature. (...) Facing the Greek text is a German translation of an admirable clarity (there is still no English translation of the entire work in existence). Particularly helpful are the explanatory additions inserted in the translation (always enclosed in parentheses to indicate that these are not Galen's own words).“ By Robert Renehan In: Bulletin of the History of Medicine 77 (2003), S. 178-179 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- „Overall this is a pleasing book, written in a scholarly but unfussy way, and providing another modern appraisal of an area of ancient writing that has in the past been infairly neglected. For Galen can be read not just out of curiosity for a long extinct method of science, but also as a window on a world that was frightened of change and wanted to preserve the present by whatever means possible.“ By Mark Grant In: International Journal of the Classic Tradition, 2003, S.462-465