§1.5#3Ἐπεὶ δὲ διηπόρηται περὶ αὐτῶν ἱκανῶς, δεῖ καὶ τῆς ἀπορίας πειρᾶσθαι λύσιν εὑρεῖν, σώζοντας τὸ ὑπομένοντός τε τοῦ αὐξανομένου καὶ προσιόντος τινὸς αὐξάνεσθαι, ἀπιόντος δὲ φθίνειν, ἔτι δὲ τὸ ὁτιοῦν σημεῖον αἰσθητὸν ἢ μεῖζον ἢ ἔλαττον γεγονέναι, καὶ μήτε κενὸν εἶναι τὸ σῶμα μήτε δύο ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τόπῳ μεγέθη μήτε ἀσωμάτῳ αὐξάνεσθαι.
Since these difficulties have been sufficiently discussed, we must also try to find a solution to the difficulty, while preserving [the conditions] that what grows persists and grows by something coming to it, and decays by something departing, and further, that any perceptible point becomes larger or smaller, and that the body is not void, nor are there two magnitudes in the same place, nor does it grow by an incorporeal thing.
ληπτέον δὲ τὸ αἴτιον διορισαμένοις πρῶτον ἐν μὲν ὅτι τὰ ἀνομοιομερῆ αὐξάνεται τῷ τὰ ὁμοιομερῆ αὐξάνεσθαι (σύγκειται γὰρ ἐκ τούτων ἕκαστον), ἔπειθ᾿ ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ ὀστοῦν καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν τοιούτων μορίων ἐστὶ διττόν, ὥσπερ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐν ὕλῃ εἶδος ἐχόντων· καὶ γὰρ ἡ ὕλη λέγεται καὶ τὸ εἶδος σὰρξ ἢ ὀστοῦν.
We must grasp the cause by first defining: first, that non-uniform parts grow by the growing of the uniform parts (for each of the former is composed of these), secondly, that flesh and bone and each of such parts is twofold, just as is the case with other things that have form in matter; for both the matter and the form are called flesh or bone.
τὸ οὖν ὁτιοῦν μέρος αὐξάνεσθαι καὶ προσιόντος τινὸς κατὰ μὲν τὸ εἶδός ἐστιν ἐνδεχόμενον, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ὕλην οὐκ ἔστιν.
Therefore, for any part to grow and by something coming to it is possible in respect of form, but in respect of matter it is not.
δεῖ γὰρ νοῆσαι ὥσπερ εἴ τις μετροίη τῷ αὐτῷ μέτρῳ ὕδωρ· ἀεὶ γὰρ ἄλλο καὶ ἄλλο τὸ γινόμενον.
For we must conceive it as if someone were measuring water with the same measure; for that which comes to be is always different and different.
οὕτω δ᾿ αὐξάνεται ἡ ὕλη τῆς σαρκός, καὶ οὐχ ὁτῳοῦν παντὶ προσγίνεται, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν ὑπεκρεῖ τὸ δὲ προσέρχεται, τοῦ δὲ σχήματος καὶ τοῦ εἴδους ὁτῳοῦν μορίῳ.
And in this way the matter of flesh grows, and it is not added to every single part, but one part flows away and another arrives, though it is added to any part of the shape and the form.
ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἀνομοιομερῶν τοῦτο μᾶλλον δῆλον, οἷον χειρός, ὅτι ἀνάλογον ηὔξηται· ἡ γὰρ ὕλη ἑτέρα οὖσα δήλη μᾶλλον τοῦ εἴδους ἐνταῦθα ἢ ἐπὶ σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν ὁμοιομερῶν· διὸ καὶ τεθνεῶτος μᾶλλον ἂν δόξειεν εἶναι ἔτι σὰρξ καὶ ὀστοῦν ἢ χεὶρ καὶ βραχίων.
This is more evident in the case of non-uniform parts, such as a hand, in that it has grown proportionally; for here the matter, being distinct, is more evident than the form, more so than in the case of flesh and uniform parts; wherefore even of a dead person, flesh and bone would still seem to be so, rather than a hand and an arm.
ὥστε ἔστι μὲν ὡς ὁτιοῦν τῆς σαρκὸς ηὔξηται, ἔστι δ᾿ ὡς οὔ. κατὰ μὲν γὰρ τὸ εἶδος ὁτῳοῦν προσελήλυθεν, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ὕλην οὔ.
So that there is a way in which any part of the flesh has grown, and there is a way in which it has not; for in respect of form, something has been added to any part, but in respect of matter it has not.
μεῖζον μέντοι τὸ ὅλον γέγονε προσελθόντος μέν τινος, ὃ καλεῖται τροφὴ καὶ ἐναντίον, μεταβάλλοντος δὲ εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ εἶδος, οἷον εἰ ξηρῷ προσίοι ὑγρόν, προσελθὸν δὲ μεταβάλοι καὶ γένοιτο ξηρόν· ἔστι μὲν γὰρ ὡς τὸ ὅμοιον ὁμοίῳ αὐξάνεται, ἔστι δ᾿ ὡς τὸ ἀνόμοιον¹ ἀνομοίῳ.
However, the whole has become larger by something coming to it, which is called food and is contrary, and changing into the same form, as if wet were to come to dry, and having come, were to change and become dry; for there is a way in which like grows by like, and there is a way in which unlike grows by unlike.
Ἀπορήσειε δ᾿ ἄν τις ποῖόν τι δεῖ εἶναι τὸ ᾧ αὐξάνεται.
One might also raise the question of what sort of thing that by which it grows must be.
φανερὸν δὴ ὅτι δυνάμει ἐκεῖνο, οἷον εἰ σάρξ, δυνάμει σάρκα.
It is clear, indeed, that it must be that potentially; for example, if it is flesh, it must be potentially flesh.
ἐντελεχείᾳ ἄρα ἄλλο· φθαρὲν δὴ τοῦτο σὰρξ γέγονεν.
Therefore, in actuality, it is something else; and having perished, this has become flesh.
οὐκοῦν οὐκ αὐτὸ καθ᾿ αὑτό (γένεσις γὰρ ἂν ἦν, οὐκ αὔξησις)· ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐξανόμενον τούτῳ.
So, not by itself (for that would be generation, not growth), but that which grows [is increased] by this.
τί οὖν παθὸν ὑπὸ τούτου 1;
What, then, has it suffered by this?
ἢ μιχθέν, ὥσπερ οἴνῳ εἴ τις ἐπιχέοι ὕδωρ, ὁ δὲ δύναιτο οἶνον ποιεῖν τὸ μιχθέν;
Or has it been mixed, as if someone were to pour water into wine, and the latter were able to make the mixture wine?
καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ πῦρ ἁψάμενον τοῦ καυστοῦ, οὕτως ἐν τῷ αὐξανομένῳ καὶ ὄντι ἐντελεχείᾳ σαρκὶ τὸ ἐνὸν αὐξητικὸν προσελθόντος δυνάμει σαρκὸς ἐποίησεν ἐντελεχείᾳ σάρκα.
And just as fire having touched the combustible, so in that which grows and is actually flesh, the inherent growing principle, upon the approach of what is potentially flesh, makes it actually flesh.
οὐκοῦν ἄμα ὄντος· εἰ γὰρ χωρίς, γένεσις.
Therefore, they must be together; for if they are separate, it is generation.
ἔστι μὲν γὰρ οὕτω πῦρ ποιῆσαι ἐπὶ τὸ ὑπάρχον ἐπιθέντα ξύλα.
For indeed, in this way one can make fire by putting wood upon what is already there.
ἀλλ᾿ οὕτω μὲν αὔξησις, ὅταν δὲ αὐτὰ τὰ ξύλα ἁφθῇ, γένεσις.
But this is growth, whereas when the wood itself is ignited, it is generation.
Ποσὸν δὲ τὸ μὲν καθόλου οὐ γίνεται, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ ζῷον ὃ μήτ᾿ ἄνθρωπος μήτε τῶν καθ᾿ ἕκαστα· ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἐνταῦθα τὸ καθόλου, κἀκεῖ τὸ ποσόν.
And quantity in general does not come to be, just as an animal does not, which is neither a man nor any of the particulars; but as the universal is here, so is quantity there.
σὰρξ δὲ ἢ ὀστοῦν ἢ χεὶρ καὶ τούτων τὰ ὁμοιομερῆ, προσελθόντος μὲν δή τινος ποσοῦ, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ σαρκὸς ποσῆς.
And flesh or bone or a hand, and the uniform parts of these, [are increased] by the addition of some quantity, but not of a quantity of flesh.
ᾗ μὲν οὖν δυνάμει τὸ συναμφότερον, οἷον ποσὴ σάρξ, ταύτῃ μὲν αὔξει· καὶ γὰρ ποσὴν δεῖ γενέσθαι καὶ σάρκα· ᾗ δὲ μόνον σάρξ, τρέφει· ταύτῃ γὰρ διαφέρει τροφὴ καὶ αὔξησις τῷ λόγῳ.
Insofar, then, as it is potentially both together, such as a quantum of flesh, in this respect it causes growth; for it must become both a quantity and flesh; but insofar as it is only flesh, it nourishes; for in this way food and growth differ in definition.
διὸ τρέφεται μὲν ἕως ἂν σώζηται καὶ φθῖνον,² αὐξάνεται δὲ οὐκ ἀεί.
Therefore, it is nourished even when decaying, as long as it is preserved, but it does not always grow.
καὶ ἡ τροφὴ τῇ αὐξήσει τὸ αὐτὸ μέν, τὸ δ᾿ εἶναι ἄλλο· ᾗ μὲν γάρ ἐστι τὸ προσιὸν δυνάμει ποσὴ σάρξ, ταύτῃ μὲν αὐξητικὸν σαρκός, ᾗ δὲ μόνον δυνάμει σάρξ, τροφή.
And food and growth are the same in subject, but different in essence; for insofar as the coming thing is potentially a quantum of flesh, in this respect it is what causes growth of flesh, but insofar as it is only potentially flesh, it is food.
Τοῦτο δὲ τὸ εἶδος [ἄνευ ὕλης],1 οἷον αὐλός,²δύναμίς τις ἐν ὕλῃ ἐστίν.
And this form [without matter], such as a pipe, is a certain power in matter.
ἐὰν δέ τις προσίῃ ὕλη, οὖσα δυνάμει αὐλός,² ἔχουσα καὶ τὸ ποσὸν δυνάμει, οὖτοι ἔσονται μείζους αὐλοί.
And if some matter comes to it, being potentially a pipe, and having also quantity potentially, these will be larger pipes.
2 ἐὰν δὲ μηκέτι ποιεῖν δύνηται, ἀλλ᾿ οἷον ὕδωρ οἴνῳ ἀεὶ πλεῖον μιγνύμενον τέλος ὑδαρῆ ποιεῖ καὶ ὕδωρ, τότε φθίσιν ποιεῖται τοῦ ποσοῦ, τὸ δ᾿ εἶδος μένει.
But if it can no longer perform [this], but as water, being mixed with wine in ever greater quantity, in the end makes it watery and [turns it into] water, then it causes decay of the quantity, though the form remains.