§3.1.11 Ἐχόμενον δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων ἡ τῶν ὀδόντων ἐστὶ φύσις τοῖς ζῴοις, καὶ τὸ στόμα τὸ περιεχὸμενον ὑπὸ τούτων καὶ συνεστηκὸς ἐκ τούτων.
1 Following upon what has been said is the nature of teeth in animals, and the mouth which is enclosed by them and composed of them.
τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἄλλοις ἡ τῶν ὀδόντων φύσις κοινὴ μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς τροφῆς ἐργασίαν ὑπάρχει, χωρὶς δὲ κατὰ γένη τοῖς μὲν ἀλκῆς χάριν, καὶ ταύτης διῃρημένης, ἐπί τε τὸ ποιεῖν καὶ τὸ μὴ πάσχεινʼ τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀμφοῖν ἓνεκεν ἔχει, καὶ τού μὴ παθεῖν καὶ τοῦ ποιεῖν, οἷον ὅσα σαρκοφάγα τῶν ἀγρίων τὴν φύσιν ἐστίν, τὰ δὲ βοηθείας χάριν, ὥσπερ πολλὰ τῶν ἀγρίων καὶ τῶν ἡμέρων.
Now, in the other animals, indeed, the nature of teeth exists in common for the processing of food, but separately according to their kinds, in some for the sake of prowess, and this being divided into both acting and not suffering; for some have them for the sake of both, namely for not suffering and for acting, such as all those of wild animals which are carnivorous by nature, while others have them for the sake of protection, like many of the wild and domesticated animals.
§3.1.2ὁ δʼ ἅνθρωπος πρὸς τε τὴν κοινὴν χρὴσιν καλῶς 2 ἔχει πεφυκότας, τοὺς μὲν προσθίους ὀξεῖς, ἵνα διαιρῶσι, τοὺς δὲ γομφίους πλατεῖς, ἵνα λεαίνωσιν.
But man has teeth 2 naturally well-adapted for the common use, the front ones sharp, so that they may divide, and the molars flat, so that they may grind.
ὁρίζουσσι δ ἑκατέρους οἱ κυνόδοντες, μέσοι τὴν φύσιν ἀμφοτέρων ὄντες· τό τε γὰρ μέσον ἀμφοτέρων μετέχει τῶν ἄκρων, οἵ τε κυνόδοντες τῇ μὲν ὀξεῖς τῇ δὲ πλατεῖς εἰσίν.
And the canine teeth bound each of these, being intermediate by nature between both; for the intermediate shares in both extremes, and the canine teeth are sharp in one part and flat in another.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἅλλων ζῴων, ὅσα μὴ πάντας ἔχουσιν ὀξεῖς.
And likewise also in the case of the other animals, as many as do not have all of them sharp.
μάλιστα δὲ καὶ τούτους τοιούτους καὶ τοσούτους πρὸς τὴν διάλεκτον· πολλἀ γὰρ πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν τῶν γραμμάτων οἱ πρὸσθιοι τῶν ὀδόντων συμβάλλονται.
But man has these teeth of such a kind and in such number especially for the sake of speech; for the front teeth contribute much to the formation of letters.
§3.1.3ἔυια δὲ τῶν ζῷόων, ὥσπερ 3 είπομεν, τροφῆς χάριν ἔχει μόνον.
But some animals, as 3 we said, have them only for the sake of food.
ὅσα δὲ καὶ πρὸς βοήθειάν τε καὶ πρὸς ἀλκήν, τὰ μὲν χαυλιόδοντας ἔχει, καθάπερ ὗς, τὰ δʼ ὀξεῖς καὶ ἐπαλλάττοντας, ὅθεν καρχαρόδοντα καλεῖται.
But as many as have them also for protection and prowess, some have tusks, like the pig, and others have sharp and interlocking teeth, whence they are called saw-toothed.
ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ὀδοῦσιν ἡ ἐσχὑς αὑτῶν, τοῦτο δὲ γίνοιτʼ ἄν διἀ τὴν ὀξύτητα, οί χρὴσιμοι πρὸς τὴν ἀλκὴν ἐνναλλὰξ ἐμπίπτουσιν, ὅπως μὴ ἀμβλύνωνται τριβόμενοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους
For since their strength is in their teeth, and this would happen through sharpness, those that are useful for prowess fit in alternately, so that they may not be blunted by rubbing against one another.
§3.1.4οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν ζῷων ἐστὶν ἅμα καρχαρὸδουν καὶ χαυλιόδουν,4 διὰ τὸ μηδὲν μάτην ποιεῖν τὴν φύσιν μηδὲ περίεργον·
And no animal is at the same time saw-toothed and tusked, 4 because nature does nothing in vain nor superfluous.
ἔστι δὲ τῶν μὲν διὰ πληγῆς ἡ βοήθεια, τῶν δὲ διὰ δήγματος.
And for some, protection is by means of a blow, and for others, by means of a bite.
διόπερ αἱ θήλειαι τῶν ὑῶν δάκνουσιν· οὐ γὰρ ἔχουσι χαυλιόδοντας.
Therefore, female pigs bite; for they do not have tusks.
§3.1.5καθόλου δὲ 5 χρεὼν τι λαβεῖν, α καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων καὶ ἐπὶ πολλῶνν τῶν ὕστερον λεχθησομένων ἔσται χρήσιμον.
But in general, we must 5 grasp something which will be useful both in these cases and in many of those to be discussed later.
τῶν τε γὰρ πρὸς ἀλκήν τε καὶ βοήθειαν ὀργανικῶν μορίων ἓκαστα ἀποδίδωσιν ἡ φύσις τοῖς δυναμένοις χρῆσθαι μόνοις ἦ μάλλον, μάλιστα δὲ τᾧ μάλιστα, οἷον κέντρον, πλ ῆκτρον, κέρατα, χαυλιόδοντας καὶ εἴ τι τοιἕτερον.
For each of the instrumental parts for prowess and protection, nature assigns to those alone who are able to use them, or more so to those who can, and most of all to that which can do so most of all; such as a sting, a spur, horns, tusks, and if there is any other such thing.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ ἄρρεν ίσχυρότερον καὶ θυμικωτερον, τὰ μὲν μόνα τὰ δὲ μἅλλον ἔχει τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν μορίων.
And since the male is stronger and more spirited, males have such parts of these organs, some exclusively, others in a greater degree.
ὅσα μὲν γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον καὶ τοῖς θήλεσιν ἔχειν, οἷον τὰ πρὸς τὴν τροφήν, ἔχουσι μὲν ἧττον δʼ ἓχουσιν, ὅσα δὲ πρὸς μηδὲν τῶν ἀναγκαίων, οὐκ ἔχουσιν.
For as many parts as are necessary also for females to have, such as those for food, they indeed have, but they have them in a lesser degree; while as many as are for none of the necessary purposes, they do not have.
§3.1.66 καὶ διὰ τούτο τῶν ἐλάφων οἱ μὶν ἄρρενες ἔχουσι κέρατκ, αἱ δὲ θήλειαι οὐκ ἔχουσιν.
6 And for this reason, of deer, the males have horns, but the females do not have them.
διαφέρει δὲ καὶ τὰ κέρατα τῶν θηλειῶν βοῶν καὶ τῶν ταύρων· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς προβάτοις.
And the horns of female cows also differ from those of bulls; and likewise also in sheep.
καὶ πλῆκτρα τῶν ἀρρένων ἐχόντων αἱ πολλαὶ τῶν θηλειῶν οὐκ ἔχουσιν.
And while the males have spurs, most of the females do not have them.