§1.11Ἔτι δὲ κεφαλῆς μόριον, δι’ οὗ ἀκούει, ἄπνουν, τὸ οὖς· Ἀλκμαίων γὰρ οὐκ ἀληθῆ λέγει, φάμενος ἀναπνεῖν τὰς αἶγας κατὰ τὰ ὦτα.
Furthermore, there is a part of the head by which one hears, which does not breathe, namely the ear; for Alcmaeon does not speak the truth when he asserts that goats breathe through their ears.
Ὠτὸς δὲ μέρος τὸ μὲν ἀνώνυμον, τὸ δὲ λοβός.
Of the ear, one part is unnamed, and the other is the lobe.
Ὅλον δ’ ἐκ χόνδρου καὶ σαρκὸς σύγκειται.
The whole of it is composed of cartilage and flesh.
Εἴσω δὲ τὴν μὲν φύσιν ἔχει οἷον οἱ στρόμβοι, τὸ δ’ ἔσχατον ὀστοῦν ὅμοιον τῷ ὠτί, εἰς ὃ ὥσπερ ἀγγεῖον ἔσχατον ἀφικνεῖται ὁ ψόφος.
Inside, its nature is like that of spiral-shells, and the innermost bone is similar to the ear itself, into which sound arrives as if into a final receptacle.
Τοῦτο δ’ εἰς μὲν τὸν ἐγκέφαλον οὐκ ἔχει πόρον, εἰς δὲ τὸν τοῦ στόματος οὐρανόν· καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου φλὲψ τείνει εἰς αὐτό.
This does not have a passage to the brain, but it does to the roof of the mouth; and a vein extends from the brain to it.
Περαίνουσι δὲ καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ εἰς τὸν ἐγκέφαλον, καὶ κεῖται ἐπὶ φλεβίου ἑκάτερος.
The eyes also terminate in the brain, and each of them lies upon a small vein.
Ἀκίνητον δὲ τὸ οὖς ἄνθρωπος ἔχει μόνος τῶν ἐχόντων τοῦτο τὸ μόριον.
Man alone of those that possess this part has an immovable ear.
Τῶν γὰρ ἐχόντων ἀκοὴν τὰ μὲν ἔχει ὦτα, τὰ δ’ οὐκ ἔχει, ἀλλὰ τὸν πόρον φανερόν, οἷον ὅσα πτερωτὰ ἢ φολιδωτά.
For of those that possess hearing, some have ears, while others do not, but have the passage visible, such as all winged or scaly creatures.
Ὅσα δὲ ζῳοτοκεῖ, ἔξω φώκης καὶ δελφῖνος καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὅσα οὕτω κητώδη, πάντα ἔχει ὦτα· ζῳοτοκεῖ γὰρ καὶ τὰ σελάχη· ἀλλὰ μόνον ἄνθρωπος οὐ κινεῖ.
All viviparous animals have ears, except the seal, the dolphin, and such other cetaceans (for the cartilaginous fishes are also viviparous); but man alone does not move them.
Ἡ μὲν οὖν φώκη πόρους ἔχει φανεροὺς ᾗ ἀκούει· ὁ δὲ δελφὶς ἀκούει μέν, οὐκ ἔχει δ’ ὦτα.
Now the seal has visible passages by which it hears; the dolphin hears indeed, but has no ears.
Τὰ δ’ ἄλλα κινεῖ πάντα.
All other animals move them.
Κεῖται δὲ τὰ ὦτα ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς περιφερείας τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ οὐχ ὥσπερ ἐνίοις τῶν τετραπόδων ἄνωθεν.
And the ears lie on the same circumference as the eyes, and not above them as in some quadrupeds.
Ὤτων δὲ τὰ μὲν ψιλά, τὰ δὲ δασέα, τὰ δὲ μέσα· βέλτιστα δὲ τὰ μέσα πρὸς ἀκοήν, ἦθος δ’ οὐδὲν σημαίνει.
Of ears, some are smooth, some hairy, and some moderate; those of moderate hairiness are best for hearing, but they indicate nothing about character.
Καὶ ἢ μεγάλα ἢ μικρα ἢ μέσα, ἢ ἐπανεστηκότα σφόδρα ἢ οὐθὲν ἢ μέσον· τὰ δὲ μέσα βελτίστου ἤθους σημεῖον, τὰ δὲ μεγάλα καὶ ἐπανεστηκότα μωρολογίας καὶ ἀδολεσχίας.
They are also either large, small, or moderate, and either very prominent, not at all, or moderate; those of moderate size are a sign of an excellent character, while those that are large and prominent are a sign of foolish talk and loquacity.
Τὸ δὲ μεταξὺ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὠτὸς καὶ κορυφῆς καλεῖται κρόταφος.
The part between the eye, the ear, and the crown is called the temple.
Ἔτι προσώπου μέρος τὸ μὲν ὂν τῷ πνεύματι πόρος ῥίς· καὶ γὰρ ἀναπνεῖ καὶ ἐκπνεῖ ταύτῃ, καὶ ὁ πταρμὸς διὰ ταύτης γίνεται, πνεύματος ἀθρόου ἔξοδος, σημεῖον οἰωνιστικὸν καὶ ἱερὸν μόνον τῶν πνευμάτων.
Further, a part of the face which is the passage for the breath is the nose; for by this one breathes in and out, and sneezing occurs through this, being a sudden discharge of gathered breath, which is the only one of the breaths regarded as an omen and sacred.
Ἅμα δ’ ἡ ἀνάπνευσις καὶ ἔκπνευσις γίνεται εἰς τὸ στῆθος, καὶ ἀδύνατον χωρὶς τοῖς μυκτῆρσιν ἀναπνεῦσαι ἢ ἐκπνεῦσαι, διὰ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ στήθους εἶναι τὴν ἀναπνοὴν καὶ ἐκπνοὴν κατὰ τὸν γαργαρεῶνα, καὶ μὴ ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς τινὶ μέρει· ἐνδέχεται δὲ καὶ μὴ χρώμενον ταύτῃ ζῆν.
At the same time, breathing in and out occurs into the chest, and it is impossible to breathe in or out without the nostrils, because the inspiration and expiration come from the chest by way of the uvula, and not from any part of the head; however, it is possible to live without using this.
Ἡ δ’ ὄσφρησις γίνεται διὰ τούτου τοῦ μέρους· αὕτη δ’ ἐστὶν ἡ αἴσθησις ὀσμῆς.
And smelling takes place through this part; this is the sense of odour.
Εὐκίνητος δ’ ὁ μυκτήρ, καὶ οὐχ ὥσπερ τὸ οὖς ἀκίνητον κατ’ ἰδίαν.
The nostril is easily moved, and is not, like the ear, immovable by itself.
Μέρος δ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ μὲν διάφραγμα χόνδρος, τὸ δ’ ὀχέτευμα κενόν· ἔστι γὰρ ὁ μυκτὴρ διχότομος.
Of this part, the partition is cartilage, and the passage is empty; for the nostril is divided into two.
Τοῖς δὲ ἐλέφασιν ὁ μυκτὴρ γίνεται μακρὸς καὶ ἰσχυρός, καὶ χρῆται αὐτῷ ὥσπερ χειρί· προσάγεταί τε γὰρ καὶ λαμβάνει τούτῳ καὶ εἰς τὸ στόμα προσφέρεται τὴν τροφήν, καὶ τὴν ὑγρὰν καὶ τὴν ξηράν, μόνον τῶν ζῴων.
In elephants, the nostril becomes long and strong, and they use it like a hand; for they draw things to themselves, seize them with it, and bring food into their mouth, both liquid and dry, alone among animals.
Ἔτι δὲ σιαγόνες δύο· τούτων τὸ πρόσθιον γένειον, τὸ δ’ ὀπίσθιον γένυς.
Further, there are two jaws; of these, the front part is the chin, and the back part is the jaw.
Κινεῖ δὲ πάντα τὰ ζῷα τὴν κάτωθεν γένυν, πλὴν τοῦ ποταμίου κροκοδείλου· οὗτος δὲ τὴν ἄνω μόνον.
And all animals move the lower jaw, except the river crocodile; and this creature moves the upper jaw alone.
Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ῥῖνα χείλη δύο, σὰρξ εὐκίνητος.
And after the nose are two lips, easily moved flesh.
Τὸ δ’ ἐντὸς στόμα σιαγόνων καὶ χειλῶν.
The inside of the jaws and lips is the mouth.
Τούτου μέρη τὸ μὲν ὑπερῷα τὸ δὲ φάρυγξ.
Of this, the parts are the palate and the pharynx.
Τὸ δ’ αἰσθητικὸν χυμοῦ γλῶττα· ἡ δ’ αἴσθησις ἐν τῷ ἄκρῳ· ἐὰν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ πλατὺ ἐπιτεθῇ, ἧττον.
The organ sensitive to taste is the tongue; and the sensation is at the tip; but if the tastable object is placed upon the flat surface of the tongue, the sensation is less.
Αἰσθάνεται δὲ καὶ ὧν ἡ ἄλλη σὰρξ πάντων, οἷον σκληροῦ θερμοῦ καὶ ψυχροῦ καθ’ ὁτιοῦν μέρος, ὥσπερ καὶ χυμοῦ.
And it also perceives all things that the rest of the flesh perceives, such as hardness, heat, and cold, in any part of it, just as it perceives taste.
Αὕτη δὲ ἢ πλατεῖα ἢ στενὴ ἢ μέση· ἡ μέση δὲ βελτίστη καὶ σαφεστάτη.
This is either broad, narrow, or moderate; the moderate is the best and clearest.
Καὶ ἢ λελυμένη ἢ καταδεδεμένη, ὥσπερ τοῖς ψελλοῖς καὶ τοῖς τραυλοῖς.
It is also either free or tied down, as in those with a lisp or stammer.
Ἔστι δ’ ἡ γλῶττα σὰρξ μανὴ καὶ σομφή.
The tongue is a loose and spongy flesh.
Ταύτης τι μέρος ἐπιγλωττίς.
A part of this is the epiglottis.
Καὶ τὸ μὲν διφυὲς τοῦ στόματος παρίσθμιον, τὸ δὲ πολυφυὲς οὖλον· σάρκινα δὲ ταῦτα.
And the dual part of the mouth is the tonsils, and the multi-part is the gums; these are fleshy.
Ἐντὸς δ’ ὀδόντες ὀστέϊνοι.
Inside are the bony teeth.
Ἔσω δ’ ἄλλο μόριον σταφυλοφόρον, κίων ἐπίφλεβος· ὃς ἐὰν ἐξυγρανθεὶς φλεγμήνῃ, σταφυλὴ καλεῖται καὶ πνίγει.
Further inside is another part shaped like a bunch of grapes, the uvula which is full of veins; if this becomes moist and inflamed, it is called a "grape-like swelling" and causes choking.