§2.1Δεῖ δὴ οὖν ὁρίσαι περὶ ποῖα ἄττα ἐστὶν ἡ φυσιογνωμονία, ἐπειδὴ οὐ περὶ πάντα, καὶ ἐκ τίνων ἕκαστα σημεῖα λαμβάνεται, ἔπειτ’ ἐφεξῆς καθ’ ἓν ἕκαστον περὶ τῶν ἐπιφανεστέρων δηλῶσαι.
Therefore, it is necessary to define what kind of things physiognomy is concerned with, since it is not concerned with all things, and from what sources the respective signs are taken, and then in order to make clear individually concerning the more conspicuous things.
Ἡ μὲν οὖν φυσιογνωμονία ἐστί, καθάπερ καὶ τοὔνομα αὐτῆς λέγει, περὶ τὰ φυσικὰ παθήματα τῶν ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ, καὶ τῶν ἐπικτήτων ὅσα παραγινόμενα μεθίστησι τῶν σημείων τῶν φυσιογνωμονουμένων.
Physiognomy then is, as its name also implies, concerned with the natural affections of the mind, and of the acquired ones, as many as, when they supervene, alter the signs that are studied by physiognomy.
Ὁποῖα δὲ ταῦτά ἐστιν, ὕστερονδηλωθήσεται.
What kind of things these are will be made clear later.
§2.2Ἐξ ὧν δὲ γενῶν τὰ σημεῖα λαμβάνεται, νῦν ἐρῶ, καὶ ἔστιν ἅπαντα· ἔκ τε γὰρ τῶν κινήσεων φυσιογνωμονοῦσι, καὶ ἐκ τῶν σχημάτων, καὶ ἐκ τῶν χρωμάτων, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἠθῶν τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ προσώπου ἐμφαινομένων, καὶ ἐκ τῶν τριχωμάτων, καὶ ἐκ τῆς λειότητος, καὶ ἐκ τῆς φωνῆς, καὶ ἐκ τῆς σαρκός, καὶ ἐκ τῶν μερῶν, καὶἐκ τοῦ τύπου ὅλου τοῦ σώματος.
I will now state from what classes of things the signs are taken, and they are all-inclusive; for they practice physiognomy from movements, from gestures, from colors, from the facial expressions manifested on the face, from hair, from smoothness, from voice, from flesh, from parts, and from the mold of the whole body.
§2.3Καθόλου μὲν οὖν τοιαῦτά ἐστιν ἃ λέγουσιν οἱ φυσιογνώμονες περὶ ὅλων τῶν γενῶν ἐν οἷς ἐστὶ τὰ σημεῖα.
Generally speaking, then, such are the things that the physiognomists say about all the classes in which the signs are contained.
Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀσαφὴς ἢ μὴ εὔσημος ἦν ἡ τοιαύτη διέξοδος, ἀπέχρησεν ἂν τὰ εἰρημένα.
If, therefore, such an exposition were obscure or not easy to understand, what has been said would have been sufficient.
§2.4Νυνὶ δ' ἴσως βέλτιόν ἐστι καθ’ ἕκαστον περὶ πάντων, ὅσα ἐπιφανῆ παρὰ τῶν φυσιογνωμονουμένων, ἀκριβέστερον φράσαι, τά τε σημεῖα λέγοντα, οἷά τ’ ἐστὶν ἕκαστακαὶ ἐπὶ τί ἀναφέρεται, ὅσαμὴ ἐν τοῖς προειρημένοις δεδήλωται.
But as it is, perhaps it is better to state more accurately in detail about all the things that are conspicuous among those studied by physiognomy, telling both what each of the signs is like and to what it is referred, as many as have not been made clear in what was said before.
Αἱ μὲν οὖν χροιαὶ σημαίνουσιν αἱ μὲν ὀξεῖαι θερμὸν καὶ ὕφαιμον, αἱ δὲ λευκέρυθροι εὐφυΐαν, ὅταν ἐπὶ λείου χρωτὸς συμβῇ τοῦτο τὸ χρῶμα.
Now, among complexions, those that are vivid signify a hot and full-blooded temperament, while the ruddy-white ones signify a good natural disposition, when this color occurs on smooth skin.
§2.5Τὰ δὲ τριχώματα τὰ μὲν μαλακὰ δειλόν, τὰ δὲ σκληρὰ ἀνδρεῖον.
And as for hair, soft hair signifies a coward, while stiff hair signifies a brave man.
Τοῦτο δὲ τὸ σημεῖον εἴληπται ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν ζῴων.
This sign has been taken from all the animals.
Δειλότατον μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἔλαφος λαγωὸς πρόβατα, καὶ τὴν τρίχα μαλακωτάτην ἔχει· ἀνδρειότατον δὲ λέων, ὗς ἄγριος, καὶ τρίχα σκληροτάτην φέρει.
For the deer, the hare, and sheep are the most cowardly, and they have the softest hair; whereas the lion and the wild boar are the bravest, and they bear the stiffest hair.
§2.6Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὄρνισι τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἰδεῖν· καθόλου τε γὰρ ὅσοι μὲν σκληρὸν τὸ πτερὸν ἔχουσιν, ἀνδρεῖοι, ὅσοι δὲ μαλακόν, δειλοί, καὶ κατὰ μέρη ἔστιταὐτὸ τοῦτο ἰδεῖν ἔν τε τοῖς ὄρτυξι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀλεκτρυόσιν.
And it is possible to see this same thing also in birds; for generally, as many as have stiff plumage are brave, while those with soft plumage are cowardly, and individually one can see this same thing in quails and in cocks.
§2.7Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν γενῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ταὐτὸ τοῦτο συμπίπτει· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὸ ταῖς ἄρκτοις οἰκοῦντες ἀνδρεῖοί τε εἰσι καὶ σκληρότριχες, οἱ δὲ πρὸς μεσημβρίαν δειλοί τε καὶ μαλακὸν τρίχωμα φέρουσιν.
Similarly, this same thing happens also in the case of the races of men; for those who dwell under the Bears are both brave and stiff-haired, while those towards the south are cowardly and bear soft hair.
Ἡ δὲ δασύτης ἡ περὶτὴν κοιλίαν λαλιὰν σημαίνει.
And hairiness about the belly signifies talkativeness.
§2.8Τοῦτο δὲ ἀναφέρεται εἰς τὸ γένος τῶν ὀρνίθων· ἴδιον γὰρ ὄρνιθος τῶν περὶ τὸ σῶμα ἡ δασύτης ἡ περὶ τὴν κοιλίαν, τῶν δὲ περὶ διάνοιαν ἡ λαλιά.
And this is referred to the class of birds; for, as regards the body, hairiness about the belly is peculiar to a bird, and as regards the mind, talkativeness is.
Ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἡ μὲν σκληρὰ καὶ εὐεκτικὴ φύσει ἀναίσθητον σημαίνει, ἡ δὲ λεία καὶ εὐφυέα καὶ ἀβέβαιον, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπ’ ἰσχυροῦ σώματος καὶ τὰ ἀκρωτήρια ἐγκρατῆ ἔχοντος τοῦτο συμβῇ.
As for flesh, that which is naturally hard and robust signifies a lack of sensation, while smooth flesh signifies a good natural disposition and instability, unless this occurs in a strong body and one having firm extremities.