§3Ἔτι δὲ ἐπί τε τῶν φυτῶν δῆλον καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ζῴων, τῶν μὲν φυτῶν τήν τ’ ἐκ τῶν σπερμάτων γένεσιν ἐπισκοποῦσι καὶ τὰς ἐμφυτείας τε καὶ τὰς ἀποφυτείας.
Moreover, this is clear both in the case of plants and in that of animals—in plants, to those who study their generation from seeds and their graftings and cuttings.
Ἥ τε γὰρ τῶν σπερμάτων γένεσις συμβαίνει πᾶσιν ἐκ τοῦ μέσου· διθύρων γὰρ ὄντων πάντων, ᾗ συμπέφυκεν ἔχεται, καὶ τὸ μέσον ἐστὶν ἑκατέρου τῶν μορίων· ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ ὅ τε καυλὸς ἐκφύεται καὶ ἡ ῥίζα τῶν φυομένων, ἡ δ’ ἀρχὴ τὸ μέσον αὐτῶν ἐστίν.
For the generation from seeds occurs in all of them from the middle; for since all seeds are bilobed, they are connected where they grow together, and the middle is of each of the two parts; for from this both the stem and the root of the growing plants shoot forth, and their middle is the principle of their growth.
Ἔν τε ταῖς ἐμφυτείαις καὶ ταῖς ἀποφυτείαις μάλιστα τοῦτο συμβαίνει περὶ τοὺς ὄζους· ἔστι γὰρ ἀρχή τις ὁ ὄζος τοῦ κλάδου, ἅμα δὲ καὶ μέσον, ὥστε ἢ τοῦτο ἀφαιροῦσιν ἢ εἰς τοῦτο ἐμβάλλουσιν, ἵνα ἢ ὁ κλάδος ἢ αἱ ῥίζαι ἐκ τούτων γίνωνται, ὡς οὔσης τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐκ τοῦ μέσου καυλοῦ καὶ ῥίζης.
Both in graftings and in cuttings this happens especially around the buds; for the bud is a certain principle of the branch, and at the same time a middle, so that they either remove this or insert into this, in order that either the branch or the roots may come from these, as the principle of the stem and root is from the middle.
Καὶ τῶν ζῴων τῶν ἐναίμων ἡ καρδία γίνεται πρῶτον.
And in blooded animals, the heart is formed first.
Τοῦτο δὲ δῆλον ἐξ ὧν ἐν τοῖς ἐνδεχομένοις ἔτι γιγνομένοις ἰδεῖν τεθεωρήκαμεν.
This is clear from what we have observed to be visible in those still in the process of formation, where possible.
Ὥστε καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀναίμοις ἀναγκαῖον τὸ ἀνάλογον τῇ καρδίᾳ γίνεσθαι πρῶτον.
Hence, it is necessary that in bloodless animals too, the analogue of the heart is formed first.
Ἡ δὲ καρδία ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀρχὴ τῶν φλεβῶν, ἐν τοῖς περὶ τὰ μέρη τῶν ζῴων εἴρηται πρότερον· καὶ ὅτι τὸ αἷμα τοῖς ἐναίμοις ἐστὶ τελευταία τροφή, ἐξ οὗ γίνεται τὰ μόρια.
That the heart is the principle of the veins has been said before in the treatise on the parts of animals; and also that blood is the ultimate nourishment for blooded animals, from which the parts are formed.
Φανερὸν τοίνυν ὅτι μίαν μέν τινα ἐργασίαν ἡ τοῦ στόματος λειτουργεῖ δύναμις, ἑτέραν δ’ ἡ τῆς κοιλίας περὶ τὴν τροφήν.
It is manifest, then, that the power of the mouth performs one service, and that of the stomach another, with respect to food.
Ἡ δὲ καρδία κυριωτάτη, καὶ τὸ τέλος ἐπιτίθησιν.
But the heart is the most sovereign, and brings about the end.
Ὥστ’ ἀνάγκη καὶ τῆς αἰσθητικῆς καὶ τῆς θρεπτικῆς ψυχῆς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἶναι τοῖς ἐναίμοις· τὰ γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων μορίων ἔργα περὶ τὴν τροφὴν τοῦ ταύτης ἔργου χάριν ἐστί· δεῖ γὰρ τὸ κύριον πρὸς τὸ οὗ ἕνεκα διατελεῖν, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐν τοῖς τούτου ἕνεκα, οἷον ἰατρὸς πρὸς τὴν ὑγίειαν.
So it is necessary that both the principle of the sensory and that of the nutritive soul be in the heart in blooded animals; for the activities of the other parts concerning food are for the sake of its activity; for the sovereign must relate to that for the sake of which it exists, but not in those things which are for its sake, just as the physician relates to health.
Ἀλλὰ μὴν τό γε κύριον τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἐν ταύτῃ τοῖς ἐναίμοις πᾶσιν· ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι τὸ πάντων τῶν αἰσθητηρίων κοινὸν αἰσθητήριον.
Moreover, the sovereign organ of the senses is in this in all blooded animals; for in this it is necessary that the common sensorium of all the senses be.
Δύο δὲ φανερῶς ἐνταῦθα συντεινούσας ὁρῶμεν, τήν τε γεῦσιν καὶ τὴν ἁφήν, ὥστε καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀναγκαῖον· ἐν τούτῳ μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοις αἰσθητηρίοις ἐνδέχεται ποιεῖσθαι τὴν κίνησιν, ταῦτα δ’ οὐδὲν συντείνει πρὸς τὸν ἄνω τόπον.
We see two senses clearly extending to this, namely taste and touch, so that it is necessary that the others do so too; for in this it is possible for the motion to be produced for the other sense organs, but these do not extend at all to the upper region.
Χωρὶς δὲ τούτων, εἰ τὸ ζῆν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μορίῳ πᾶσίν ἐστι, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τὴν αἰσθητικὴν ἀρχὴν ἀναγκαῖον· ᾗ μὲν γὰρ ζῷον, ταύτῃ καὶ ζῆν φαμέν, ᾗ δ’ αἰσθητικόν, ταύτῃ τὸ σῶμα ζῷον εἶναι λέγομεν.
Apart from these, if living is in this part in all of them, it is clear that the sensory principle is also necessary in it; for in so far as it is an animal, in this respect we say it lives, and in so far as it is sensory, in this respect we say its body is an animal.
Διὰ τί δ’ αἱ μὲν τῶν αἰσθήσεων φανερῶς συντείνουσι πρὸς τὴν καρδίαν, αἱ δ’ εἰσὶν ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ (διὸ καὶ δοκεῖ τισὶν αἰσθάνεσθαι τὰ ζῷα διὰ τὸν ἐγκέφαλον), τὸ αἴτιον τούτων ἐν ἑτέροις εἴρηται χωρίς.
Why some of the senses clearly extend to the heart, while others are in the head (wherefore it seems to some that animals perceive through the brain), the cause of these has been stated separately elsewhere.
Κατὰ μὲν οὖν τὰ φαινόμενα δῆλον ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων ὅτι ἐν τούτῳ τε καὶ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τοῦ σώματος τῶν τριῶν μορίων ἥ τε τῆς αἰσθητικῆς ἀρχὴ ψυχῆς ἐστὶ καὶ ἡ τῆς αὐξητικῆς καὶ τῆς θρεπτικῆς.
From what has been observed, then, it is clear from what has been said that both the principle of the sensory soul and that of the growth-promoting and nutritive soul are in this part and in the middle of the three parts of the body.
§4Κατὰ δὲ τὸν λόγον, ὅτι τὴν φύσιν ὁρῶμεν ἐν πᾶσιν ἐκ τῶν δυνατῶν ποιοῦσαν τὸ κάλλιστον.
And according to reason, because we see nature in all cases making the best of what is possible.
Ἐν τῷ μέσῳ δὲ τῆς οὐσίας τῆς ἀρχῆς οὔσης ἑκατέρας μάλιστα μὲν ἀποτελεῖ τῶν μορίων ἑκάτερον τὸ αὑτοῦ ἔργον, τό τε κατεργαζόμενον τὴν ἐσχάτην τροφὴν καὶ τὸ δεκτικόν· πρὸς ἑκατέρῳ γὰρ αὐτῶν οὕτως ἔσται, καὶ ἔστιν ἡ τοῦ τοιούτου μέση χώρα ἄρχοντος χώρα.
And when the ruling principle is in the middle of the essence of each, each of the parts—both that which processes the ultimate nourishment and that which receives it—best performs its own function; for it will be so related to each of them, and the middle position of such a ruler is the ruler's proper place.
Ἔτι τὸ χρώμενον καὶ ᾧ χρῆται, δεῖ διαφέρειν.
Furthermore, that which uses and that which is used must differ.
Ὥσπερ δὲ τὴν δύναμιν, οὕτως ἂν ἐνδέχοιτο καὶ τὸν τρόπον, ὥσπερ οἵ τ’ αὐλοὶ καὶ τὸ κινοῦν τοὺς αὐλούς, ἡ χείρ.
And just as their power differs, so their manner might also differ, just as the flutes and that which moves the flutes, namely the hand.
Εἴπερ οὖν τὸ ζῷον ὥρισται τῷ τὴν αἰσθητικὴν ἔχειν ψυχήν, τοῖς μὲν ἐναίμοις ἀναγκαῖον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ταύτην ἔχειν τὴν ἀρχήν, τοῖς δ’ ἀναίμοις ἐν τῷ ἀνάλογον μορίῳ.
If, therefore, the animal is defined by possessing a sensory soul, for blooded animals it is necessary to have this principle in the heart, and for bloodless animals in the analogous part.
Πάντα δὲ τὰ μόρια καὶ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα τῶν ζῴων ἔχει τινὰ σύμφυτον θερμότητα φυσικήν· διὸ ζῶντα μὲν φαίνεται θερμά, τελευτῶντα δὲ καὶ στερισκόμενα τοῦ ζῆν τοὐναντίον.
And all the parts and the whole body of animals have a certain connate natural heat; wherefore while living they appear warm, but when dying and being deprived of life, the opposite.
Ἀναγκαῖον δὴ ταύτης τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς θερμότητος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τοῖς ἐναίμοις εἶναι, τοῖς δ’ ἀναίμοις ἐν τῷ ἀνάλογον· ἐργάζεται γὰρ καὶ πέττει τῷ φυσικῷ θερμῷ τὴν τροφὴν πάντα, μάλιστα δὲ τὸ κυριώτατον.
It is necessary, indeed, that the principle of this heat be in the heart for blooded animals, and in the analogous part for bloodless animals; for all parts process and digest food by natural heat, and most of all the most sovereign part.
Διὸ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων μορίων ψυχομένων ὑπομένει τὸ ζῆν, τοῦ δ’ ἐν ταύτῃ φθείρεται πάμπαν, διὰ τὸ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐντεῦθεν τῆς θερμότητος ἠρτῆσθαι πᾶσι, καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ὥσπερ ἐμπεπυρευμένης ἐν τοῖς μορίοις τούτοις, τῶν μὲν ἀναίμων ἐν τῷ ἀνάλογον, ἐν δὲ τῇ καρδίᾳ τῶν ἐναίμων.
Wherefore, while life remains when the other parts are cooled, when the heat in this part is destroyed, life is utterly lost, because the principle of heat for all is suspended from here, and the soul is, as it were, rekindled in these parts—in the analogous part for bloodless animals, and in the heart for blooded ones.
Ἀνάγκη τοίνυν ἅμα τό τε ζῆν ὑπάρχειν καὶ τὴν τοῦ θερμοῦ τούτου σωτηρίαν, καὶ τὸν καλούμενον θάνατον εἶναι τὴν τούτου φθοράν.
It is necessary, therefore, that living and the preservation of this heat coexist, and that what is called death is the destruction of this.