Statue of Aesculapius

Asclepius was a hero and god of medicine in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Asclepius represents the healing aspect of the medical arts; his daughters are Hygieia (Hygiene, the goddess/personification of health, cleanliness, and sanitation), Iaso (the goddess of recuperation from illness), Aceso (the goddess of the healing process), Aglæa (the goddess of beauty, splendor, glory, magnificence, and adornment), and Panacea (the goddess of universal remedy). The rod of Asclepius, a snake-entwined staff, remains a symbol of medicine today. Those physicians and attendants who served this god were known as the Therapeutae of Asclepius.阿斯克勒庇俄斯（Asclepius）是古希腊宗教与神话中的医药英雄与神祇，代表着医学技艺的疗愈面向。他的诸位女儿分别为：许癸厄亚（Hygieia，健康、清洁与卫生的女神/人格化形象）、伊阿索（Iaso，病患康复女神）、阿刻索（Aceso，疗愈过程女神）、阿格莱亚（Aglæa，司掌美丽、光彩、荣耀、庄严与装饰的女神）以及帕那刻亚（Panacea，万应灵药女神）。阿斯克勒庇俄斯之杖——一根缠绕灵蛇的法杖，时至今日仍是医学的标志性符号。凡侍奉这位神祇的医师与侍从，皆被称为阿斯克勒庇俄斯疗法士（Therapeutae of Asclepius）。