§7.1#2Γίνονται δέ τινες ἄνηβοι ἐκ γενετῆς καὶ ἄγονοι διὰ τὸ πηρωθῆναι περὶ τὸν τόπον τὸν γόνιμον· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες γίνονται ἄνηβοι ἐκ γενετῆς.
There are some who from birth do not reach puberty and are barren because they are damaged in the generative parts; and likewise, women also from birth do not reach puberty.
Μεταβάλλουσι δὲ καὶ τὰς ἕξεις καὶ τὰ ἄρρενα καὶ τὰ θήλεα περί τε τὸ ὑγιεινότερα εἷναι καὶ νοσερώτερα, καὶ περὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἰσχνότητα καὶ παχύτητα καὶ εὐτροφίαν· μετὰ γὰρ τὴν ἥβην οἱ μὲν ἐξ ἰσχνῶν παχύνονται καὶ ὑγιεινότεροι γίνονται, οἱ δὲ τοὐναντίον· ὁμοίως δὲ τοῦτο συμβαίνει καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν παρθένων.
And both males and females change their habits of body in respect to being healthier or more sickly, and in respect to the thinness, fatness, and well-nourished condition of the body; for after puberty, some grow fat from being thin and become healthier, while others experience the contrary; and the same happens likewise in the case of girls.
Ὅσοι μὲν γὰρ παῖδες ἢ ὅσαι παρθένοι περιττωματικὰ τὰ σώματα εἶχον, συναποκρινομένων τῶν τοιούτων τοῖς μὲν ἐν τῷ σπέρματι ταῖς δ’ ἐν τοῖς καταμηνίοις ὑγιεινότερα τὰ σώματα γίνεται καὶ εὐτραφέστερα, ἐξιόντων τῶν ἐμποδιζόντων τὴν ὑγίειαν καὶ τὴν τροφήν· ὅσοι δὲ τοὐναντίον, ἰσχνότερα καὶ νοσερώτερα τὰ σώματα γίνεται· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς φύσεως καὶ τῶν καλῶς ἐχόντων ἡ ἀπόκρισις γίνεται τοῖς μὲν ἐν τῷ σπέρματι ταῖς δ’ ἐν τοῖς καταμηνίοις.
For all those boys or girls who had their bodies full of residue, when such residues are discharged together—in the semen for boys, and in the menses for girls—their bodies become healthier and better nourished, as those things which hindered health and nourishment are discharged; but in those who are the contrary, their bodies become thinner and more sickly; for the discharge occurs from their natural and healthy substance—in the semen for the former, and in the menses for the latter.
Ἔτι δὲ ταῖς γε παρθένοις καὶ τὰ περὶ τοὺς μαστοὺς γίνεται διαφερόντως ἑτέραις πρὸς ἑτέρας· αἱ μὲν γὰρ πάμπαν μεγάλους ἴσχουσιν, αἱ δὲ μικρούς.
Moreover, in girls especially, the development of the breasts varies greatly from one to another; for some have very large breasts, and others small.
Ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ δὲ συμβαίνει τοῦτο, ὅσαι ἂν παῖδες οὖσαι περιττωματικαὶ ὦσιν· μελλόντων γὰρ καὶ οὔπω γινομένων τῶν γυναικείων, ὅσῳ ἂν πλείων ἡ ὑγρότης ᾖ, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἀναγκάζει αἴρεσθαι ἄνω, ἕως ἂν καταρραγῇ· ὥστε τότε λαβόντες ὄγκον οἱ μαστοὶ διαμένουσι καὶ εἰς τὸ ὕστερον.
This happens for the most part to those who, when they were children, were full of residue; for when the menses are about to flow and have not yet done so, the more moisture there is, the more it of necessity forces its way upward until it breaks out; so that, having then acquired a swelling, the breasts remain so afterward as well.
Καὶ τῶν ἀρρένων δὲ ἐπιδηλότεροι γίνονται καὶ γυναικικώτεροι οἱ μαστοί, καὶ νεωτέροις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις οὖσι, τοῖς ὑγροῖς καὶ λείοις καὶ μὴ φλεβώδεσι, καὶ τούτων μᾶλλον τοῖς μέλασιν ἢ λευκοῖς.
And in males also, the breasts become more conspicuous and more womanly, both in the younger and the older, in those who are moist, smooth, and not veiny, and among these, more in those who are dark-skinned than in those who are fair.
Μέχρι μὲν οὖν τῶν τρὶς ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἄγονα τὰ σπέρματά ἐστιν· ἔπειτα γόνιμα μὲν μικρὰ δὲ καὶ ἀτελῆ γεννῶσι καὶ οἱ νέοι καὶ αἱ νέαι, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων τῶν πλείστων.
Until the age of thrice seven years, then, the semen is at first barren; afterward, though they are fertile, both young men and young women produce small and imperfect offspring, just as it happens in most of other animals.
Συλλαμβάνουσι μὲν οὖν αἱ νέαι θᾶττον· ἐὰν δὲ συλλάβωσιν, ἐν τοῖς τόκοις πονοῦσι μᾶλλον.
Young women, indeed, conceive more quickly; but if they conceive, they suffer more in childbirth.
Καὶ τὰ σώματα δ’ αὐτῶν ἀτελέστερα γίνεται ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ καὶ γηράσκει θᾶττον, τῶν τ’ ἀφροδισιαστικῶν ἀρρένων καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν τῶν τοῖς τόκοις χρωμένων πλείοσιν· δοκεῖ γὰρ οὐδ’ ἡ αὔξησις ἔτι γίνεσθαι μετὰ τοὺς τρεῖς τόκους.
And their bodies remain for the most part more imperfect and age more quickly, both in the case of males who are sexually active and in women who have many childbirths; for it seems that growth no longer occurs even after three childbirths.
Καθίστανται δὲ καὶ σωφρονίζονται μᾶλλον ὅσαι τῶν γυναικῶν ἀκόλαστοι πρὸς πρὸς τὴν ὁμιλίαν εἰσὶ τὴν τῶν ἀφροδισίων, ὅταν τοῖς τόκοις χρήσωνται πολλοῖς.
And those women who are intemperate regarding sexual intercourse become more settled and self-controlled when they have had many childbirths.
Μετὰ δὲ τὰ τρὶς ἑπτὰ ἔτη αἱ μὲν γυναῖκες πρὸς τὰς τεκνογονίας ἤδη εὐκαίρως ἔχουσιν, οἱ δ’ ἄνδρες ἔτι ἔχουσιν ἐπίδοσιν.
After thrice seven years, women are already at a suitable age for childbearing, but men still have room for growth.
Ἔστι δὲ τὰ μὲν λεπτὰ τῶν σπερμάτων ἄγονα, τὰ δὲ χαλαζώδη γόνιμα καὶ ἀρρενογόνα μᾶλλον· τὰ δὲ λεπτὰ καὶ μὴ θρομβώδη θηλυγόνα.
Furthermore, thin semen is barren, whereas that which is like hailstones is fertile and more productive of males; but that which is thin and not clotted is productive of females.
Καὶ τοῦ γενείου δὲ τρίχωσις συμβαίνει τοῖς ἄρρεσι περὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν ταύτην.
And the growth of the beard also happens to males around this age.