§7.1#1## Η.
Περὶ δ’ ἀνθρώπου γενέσεως τῆς τε πρώτης τῆς ἐν τῷ θήλει καὶ τῆς ὕστερον μέχρι γήρως, ὅσα συμβαίνει διὰ τὴν φύσιν τὴν οἰκείαν, τόνδ’ ἔχει τὸν τρόπον.
Concerning the generation of man, both the first which takes place in the female and the subsequent generation up to old age, and all things that happen through their own nature, the manner is as follows.
Ἡ μὲν διαφορὰ τοῦ ἄρρενος πρὸς τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὰ μόρια πρότερον εἴρηται, φέρειν δὲ σπέρμα πρῶτον ἄρχεται τὸ ἄρρεν ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ ἐν τοῖς ἔτεσι τοῖς δὶς ἑπτὰ τετελεσμένοις·
The difference between the male and the female and their parts has been spoken of before. The male begins to discharge semen for the first time, for the most part, when twice seven years are completed.
ἅμα δὲ καὶ τρίχωσις τῆς ἥβης ἄρχεται, καθάπερ καὶ τὰ φυτὰ μέλλοντα σπέρμα φέρειν ἀνθεῖν πρῶτον Ἀλκμαίων φησὶν ὁ Κροτωνιάτης.
At the same time, the hair of puberty begins to grow, just as plants, when they are about to bear seed, first bloom, as Alcmaeon of Croton says.
Περὶ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον τοῦτον ἥ τε φωνὴ μεταβάλλειν ἄρχεται ἐπὶ τὸ τραχύτερον καὶ ἀνωμαλέστερον, οὔτ’ ἔτι ὀξεῖα οὖσα οὔτε πω βαρεῖα, οὔτε πᾶσα ὁμαλή, ἀλλ’ ὁμοία φαινομένη ταῖς παρανενευρισμέναις καὶ τραχείαις χορδαῖς· ὃ καλοῦσι τραγίζειν.
Around this same time, the voice also begins to change to a rougher and more uneven tone, being no longer high-pitched nor yet deep, nor altogether smooth, but appearing like loose and rough strings; which people call "bleating like a goat".
Γίνεται δὲ τοῦτο μᾶλλον τοῖς πειρωμένοις ἀφροδισιάζειν· τοῖς γὰρ περὶ ταῦτα προθυμουμένοις καὶ μεταβάλλουσιν αἱ φωναὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀνδρῶν φωνήν, ἀπεχομένοις δὲ τοὐναντίον·
And this happens more to those who attempt sexual intercourse; for in those who are eager for these things, the voice changes into that of men, but in those who abstain, the contrary happens.
ἐὰν δὲ καὶ συναποβιάζωνται ταῖς ἐπιμελείαις, ὅπερ ποιοῦσιν ἔνιοι τῶν περὶ τὰς χορείας σπουδαζόντων, καὶ μέχρι πόρρω διαμένει καὶ τὸ πάμπαν μικρὰν λαμβάνει μεταβολήν.
And if they also suppress it by force through training, which some of those who are serious about choral performances do, it remains for a long time and undergoes very little change indeed.
Καὶ μαστῶν ἔπαρσις γίνεται καὶ αἰδοίων, οὐ μεγέθει μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴδει.
And there is a swelling of the breasts and of the privy parts, not only in size but also in form.
Συμβαίνει δὲ περὶ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον τοῖς τε πειρωμένοις τρίβεσθαι περὶ τὴν τοῦ σπέρματος πρόεσιν οὐ μόνον ἡδονὴν γίνεσθαι τοῦ σπέρματος ἐξιόντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ λύπην.
And it happens around this time to those who attempt to rub themselves for the discharge of semen that not only pleasure occurs as the semen goes out, but also pain.
Περὶ τὸν αὐτὸν δὲ χρόνον καὶ τοῖς θήλεσιν ἥ τ’ ἔπαρσις γίνεται τῶν μαστῶν καὶ τὰ καταμήνια καλούμενα καταρρήγνυται· τοῦτο δ’ ἐστὶν αἷμα οἷον νεόσφακτον.
And around the same time, in females also, the swelling of the breasts occurs and the so-called menses break out; and this is blood like that of a newly slaughtered animal.
Τὰ δὲ λευκὰ καὶ παιδίοις γίνεται νέοις οὖσι πάμπαν, μᾶλλον δ’ ἂν ὑγρᾷ χρῶνται τροφῇ· καὶ κωλύει τὴν αὔξην, καὶ τὰ σώματα ἰσχναίνει τῶν παιδίων.
And white discharges occur even in children who are very young, and more so if they use moist food; and this prevents their growth and emaciates the bodies of the children.
Τὰ δὲ καταμήνια γίνεται ταῖς πλείσταις ἤδη τῶν μαστῶν ἐπὶ δύο δακτύλους ᾐρμένων.
And the menses occur in most of them when the breasts are already raised to the height of two fingers.
Καὶ ἡ φωνὴ δὲ καὶ ταῖς παισὶ μεταβάλλει περὶ τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον ἐπὶ τὸ βαρύτερον.
And the voice also in girls changes around this time to a deeper tone.
Ὅλως μὲν γὰρ γυνὴ ἀνδρὸς ὀξυφωνότερον, αἱ δὲ νέαι τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ὥσπερ καὶ οἱ παῖδες τῶν ἀνδρῶν· ἀλλ’ ἔστιν ἡ φωνὴ ὀξυτέρα ἡ τῶν θηλειῶν παίδων ἢ τῶν ἀρρένων, καὶ ὁ παρθένιος αὐλὸς τοῦ παιδικοῦ ὀξύτερος.
For in general, a woman has a higher voice than a man, and young women than older ones, just as children have a higher voice than men; but the voice of female children is higher than that of male ones, and the maiden's pipe is higher than the boy's.
Μάλιστα δὲ καὶ φυλακῆς δέονται περὶ τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον· μάλιστα γὰρ ὁρμῶσι πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀφροδισίων χρῆσιν ἀρχομένων αὐτῶν, ὥστε ἂν μὴ διευλαβηθῶσι μηθὲν ἐπὶ πλεῖον κινῆσαι οὗ αὐτὰ τὰ σώματα μεταβάλλει μηθὲν χρωμένων ἀφροδισίοις, ἀκολουθεῖν εἴωθεν εἰς τὰς ὕστερον ἡλικίας.
And they especially need protection around this time; for they are most driven toward the use of sexual intercourse when they begin, so that if they do not take precautions against stimulating themselves further than their bodies naturally change when they do not use sexual intercourse, the habit is accustomed to follow into later life.
Αἵ τε γὰρ νέαι πάμπαν ἀφροδισιαζόμεναι ἀκολαστότεραι γίνονται καὶ οἱ ἄρρενες, ἐάν τ’ ἐπὶ θάτερα ἐάν τ’ ἐπ’ ἀμφότερα ἀφυλακτήσωσιν· οἵ τε γὰρ πόροι ἀναστομοῦνται, καὶ ποιοῦσιν εὔρουν τὸ σῶμα ταύτῃ· καὶ ἅμα ἡ τότε μνήμη τῆς συμβαινούσης ἡδονῆς ἐπιθυμίαν ποιεῖ τῆς τότε γινομένης ὁμιλίας.
For both young females and males who engage in sexual intercourse become more intemperate, whether one of them or both of them are unguarded; for the passages are opened, and make the body flow easily in this direction; and at the same time, the memory of the pleasure that occurs then produces a desire for the intercourse that took place at that time.