OBJECTIVE To reanalyze Aristotle's classic lecture, "On melancholy," with current clinical interpretations. METHOD The full lecture is described and interpreted in a new translation. RESULTS Aristotle's lecture has been understood to reflect a claim about a link between genius and madness, or more specifically depression and genius. In fact, his concept of melancholia included what today would be called mania, and thus his lecture really is about manic-depressive illness (MDI) and genius. He appears to have been the first ancient thinker (not Aretaeus of Cappadocia) to identify manic and depressive states as part of the same disease. Aristotle claims that MDI is necessary in all persons who become great leaders in politics, thinkers in philosophy, or inspired poets or artists. Specifically, he sees the mood states as producing such genius especially when mild as part of mood temperaments (dysthymia, cyclothymia, hyperthymia in modern terms), but also sometimes in full-blown mood disease. Though he makes his argument in the language of humoral theory about black bile, his clinical insights mostly coincide with contemporary empirical data on creativity and leadership. CONCLUSIONS Properly understood, Aristotle is making a radical claim about MDI, which would have major implications for understanding leadership in particular, and greatness in general.

中文翻译：

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观点：亚里士多德对躁狂抑郁症和伟大的看法。

目的以当前临床解释重新分析亚里士多德的经典演讲“忧郁”。方法整个演讲以新译本进行了描述和解释。结果据了解，亚里斯多德的演讲反映了一种关于天才与疯狂之间联系的主张，或更具体地说，是抑郁与天才之间的联系。实际上，他的忧郁症概念包括今天所谓的躁狂症，因此他的演讲确实涉及躁狂抑郁症（MDI）和天才。他似乎是第一个将躁狂和抑郁状态识别为同一疾病一部分的古代思想家（不是卡帕多细亚的Aretaeus）。亚里士多德（Aristotle）声称，对于成为政治上的伟大领袖，哲学上的思想家，或受启发的诗人或艺术家的所有人，都必须使用MDI。特别，他认为情绪状态会产生这种天才，尤其是在情绪气质（现代意义上的心境不佳，气旋性心律失常，体温过高）的一部分出现轻度情绪时，但有时也会出现情绪成熟状态。尽管他用有关黑胆汁的幽默理论来表达自己的观点，但他的临床见解与当代有关创造力和领导力的经验数据大体上吻合。结论正确理解亚里士多德对MDI提出了激进的主张，这将对理解领导力（特别是领导力）产生重大影响。他的临床见解与当代有关创造力和领导力的经验数据相吻合。结论正确理解亚里士多德对MDI提出了激进的主张，这将对理解领导力（特别是领导力）产生重大影响。他的临床见解与当代有关创造力和领导力的经验数据相吻合。结论正确理解亚里士多德对MDI提出了激进的主张，这将对理解领导力（特别是领导力）产生重大影响。