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Aristotle · History of Animals §10.4

Uterine Disorders and Timing Mismatches That Impede Conception

Passage 186 of 189 · Greek

Summary

It explains various physical factors that hinder conception, such as spasms of the uterus and obstruction of its mouth due to ulcers or adhesion, along with their diagnostic signs, and points out that incompatibility in the timing of discharge between a man and a woman also causes childlessness.

§10.4Κωλύονται δὲ καὶ ἐὰν σπάσμα ἔχωσιν αἱ ὑστέραι.
They are also prevented if the uterus has a spasm.
Γίνονται δὲ σπάσματα ἐν ταῖς ὑστέραις ἢ φλεγμασίᾳ διατεινομένης τῆς ὑστέρας, ἢ ἐν τῷ τόκῳ πληρώματος πολλοῦ ἐξαπίνης ἐπιπεσόντος καὶ μὴ ἀνοιγομένου τοῦ στόματος· τότε ὑπὸ τῆς διατάσεως γίνεται σπάσμα.
Spasms in the uterus occur either when the uterus is distended by inflammation, or during childbirth when a large amount of fullness suddenly rushes in and the mouth does not open; then a spasm occurs because of the distension.
Σημεῖον δὲ τοῦ μὴ ἔχειν σπάσμα, ἐὰν μὴ φαίνηται εἰς φλεγμασίαν ἀφικνουμένη ἐν τοῖς αὑτῆς ἔργοις ἡ ὑστέρα· ἔχουσα γὰρ σπάσμα φλεγμαίνοι ἄν ποτε.
A sign of not having a spasm is if the uterus does not appear to reach inflammation in its own functions; for a uterus having a spasm would experience inflammation at some time.
Ἔτι δὲ ἐὰν φῦμα ἐπὶ τοῦ στόματος ᾖ, πολλὰ ἑλκωθέντος, ἐμποδίζει πρὸς τὰς συλλήψεις.
Furthermore, if there is a swelling on the mouth, because of its having been frequently ulcerated, it hinders conception.
Σημεῖον δὲ καὶ τοῦ ταῦτα μὴ ἔχειν, ἐὰν φαίνηται ἀνοιγομένη καλῶς ἡ ὑστέρα καὶ συμμύουσα, ὅταν γένηται αὐταῖς τὰ γυναικεῖα καὶ αἱ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα χρήσεις.
And a sign of not having these things is if the uterus appears to open and close well when their menstruation and relations with the husband take place.
Ἔτι ἔστιν αἷς πως τὸ στόμα συμφύεται, ταῖς μὲν ἐκ γενετῆς ταῖς δὲ διὰ νόσον.
Furthermore, there are some women whose mouth is somehow grown together, in some from birth and in others due to disease.
Γίνεται δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ἰατὸν καὶ ἀνίατον.
This becomes both curable and incurable.
Οὐ χαλεπὸν δὲ τοῦτο γνῶναι, ἐὰν ᾖ· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε οὔτε λαμβάνειν οὐθὲν ὧν δεῖ οὔτε προΐεσθαι.
And it is not difficult to recognize this if it is present; for it is not possible either to receive any of the things that are necessary or to discharge them.
Ἐὰν οὖν φαίνηται καὶ δεχομένη παρὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ ἀφιεῖσα, δῆλον ὅτι κἂν ἔλεγχος εἴη τῷ πάθει.
If, therefore, it appears both receiving from the husband and discharging, it is clear that this would be a proof of the condition.
Ὅσαις δὲ τούτων μηδὲν ἐμπόδιον ᾖ, ἀλλ’ ἔχουσιν ὃν τρόπον δὴ εἴρηται ἔχειν, ἂν μὴ ὁ ἀνὴρ αἴτιος ᾖ τῆς ἀτεκνίας, ἢ ἀμφότεροι μὲν δύνωνται τεκνοῦσθαι, πρὸς ἀλλήλους δὲ μὴ ὦσι σύμμετροι τῷ ἅμα προΐεσθαι ἀλλὰ πολὺ διαφωνῶσιν, [οὐκ] ἔσονται τέκνα τούτοις.
And for those women who have none of these obstacles, but are in the state that has been described, unless the husband is the cause of childlessness, or if both are able to procreate but are not compatible with each other in discharging at the same time but differ greatly, there will [not] be children for them.

Notes

  1. §10.4πολλὰ ἑλκωθέντος — The genitive participle ἑλκωθέντος agrees with the genitive noun τοῦ στόματος (either implied or supplied from the prepositional phrase). The adverbial πολλὰ means "frequently" or "severely," indicating that the swelling (φῦμα) is a result of the mouth of the uterus being repeatedly ulcerated.
  2. §10.4κἂν ἔλεγχος εἴη τῷ πάθει — κἂν is a crasis of καὶ ἄν, which forms a potential optative construction with the optative εἴη. The dative τῷ πάθει shows relation to the noun ἔλεγχος, meaning "it would be a proof or test for the condition."
  3. §10.4[οὐκ] ἔσονται — In the manuscripts, the negative particle οὐκ is missing or has variant readings. However, based on the logic of the context (there being causes of infertility or incompatibility in discharge), modern editors insert [οὐκ] to supply the negative meaning. Accordingly, all translations treat this as a negative ("there will not be children").

Cite this passage

Aristotle, History of Animals §10.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg014.humanitext-grc1:10.4

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