Translation by W.H.S. Jones.

Iano Cornario (1546)

I swear by Apollo Healer, by Asclepius, by Hygieia, by Panacea, and by all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will carry out, according to my ability and judgment, this oath and this indenture.

Apollinem medicum et Aesculapium Hygeamque ac Panacaeam iuro deosque omnes itemque deas testes facio me hoc iusiurandum et hanc contestationem pro viribus et iudicio meo integrum servaturum esse:

To hold my teacher in this art equal to my own parents; to make him partner in my livelihood; when he is in need of money to share mine with him; to consider his family as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they want to learn it, without fee or indenture; to impart precept, oral instruction, and all other instruction to my own sons, the sons of my teacher, and to indentured pupils who have taken the Healer’s oath, but to nobody else.

Praeceptorem, qui me hanc edocuit artem, parentum loco habiturum, vitam communicaturum eaque, quibus opus habuerit, impertiturum; eos item, qui ex eo nati sunt, pro fratribus masculis iudicare artemque hanc si discere voluerint, absque mercede et pacto edocturum, praeceptionum ac auditionum reliquaeque totius disciplinae participes facturum; tum meos, tum praeceptoris mei filios, immo et discipulos, qui mihi scripto caverint et medico iureiurando addicti fuerint, alium vero praeter hos nullum.

I will use those dietary regimens which will benefit my patients according to my greatest ability and judgment, and I will do no harm or injustice to them.

Ceterum quod ad aegros pertinet sanandos, diaetam ipsis constituam pro facultate et iudicio meo commodam, omneque detrimentum et iniuriam ab eis prohibebo.

Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course. Similarly I will not give to a woman a pessary to cause abortion. But I will keep pure and holy both my life and my art.

Neque vero ullius preces apud me validae erunt, ut cuipiam venenum sim propinaturus neque etiam ad hanc rem consilium dabo. Similiter autem neque mulieri talum vulvae subditicium ad corrumpendum conceptum vel fetum dabo. Porro caste et sancte vitam et artem meam conservabo.

I will not use the knife, not even, verily, on sufferers from stone, but I will give place to such as are craftsmen therein.

Nec vero calculo laborantes secabo, sed viris chirurgiae operariis eius rei faciendae locum dabo.

Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free.

In quascumque domus ingrediar, ob utilitatem aegrotantium intrabo. Ab omnique iniuria voluntaria inferenda et corruptione cum alia, tum praesertim operum veneriorum abstinebo, sive muliebria sive virilia, liberorumve hominum et servorum corpora mihi contigerint curanda.

And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what should not be published abroad, I will never divulge, holding such things to be holy secrets.

Quaecumque vero inter curandum videro aut audivero, immo etiam ad medicandum non adhibitus in communi hominum vita cognovero, ea siquidem efferre non contulerit, tacebo et tamquam arcana apud me continebo.

Now if I carry out this oath, and break it not, may I gain for ever reputation among all men for my life and for my art; but if I break it and forswear myself, may the opposite befall me.

Hoc igitur iusiurandum mihi integre servanti et non confundenti contingat et vita et arte feliciter frui et apud omnes homines in perpetuum gloriam meam celebrari. Transgredienti autem et peieranti his contraria eveniant.