§10.1Διὰ τί τὰ μὲν βήττει, τὰ δὲ οὔ, οἷον ἄνθρωπος μὲν βήττει, βοῦς δὲ οὔ;
Διὰ τί Why do some animals cough, but others do not, for example, man coughs, but the ox does not?
πότερον τῷ εἰς ἄλλο τι τρέπεσθαι τοῖς πλείστοις ζῴοις τὸ περίττωμα, ἀνθρώπῳ δὲ δεῦρο;
Is it because in most animals the residue is diverted to something else, but in man to this part?
ἢ ὅτι ἐγκέφαλον πλεῖστον καὶ ὑγρότατον ἔχει ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἡ δὲ βὴξ καταρρέοντος γίνεται φλέγματος.
Or because man has the largest and most moist brain, and cough occurs when phlegm flows down?
§10.2Διὰ τί ἀνθρώπῳ μόνῳ τῶν ζῴων αἷμα ῥεῖ ἐκ τῶν μυκτήρων;
Διὰ τί Why does blood flow from the nostrils of man alone among animals?
ἢ ὅτι ἐγκέφαλον ἔχει πλεῖστον καὶ ὑγρότατον, ἀφ’ οὗ αἱ φλέβες πληρούμεναι τοῦ περιττώματος διὰ τῶν πόρων προΐενται τὴν ῥύσιν;
Or because he has the largest and most moist brain, from which the veins, being filled with residue, discharge their flow through the pores?
λεπτότερον γὰρ γίνεται τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ καθαροῦ τὸ νοσερόν, τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ μιχθὲν τοῖς τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου περιττώμασιν, καὶ ἔστι καθάπερ ἰχώρ.
For the diseased blood is thinner than the pure blood, and this is what has been mixed with the residues of the brain, and it is like ichor.
§10.3Διὰ τί τῶν ζῴων τὰ μὲν ὑπὸ σάρκα, τὰ δὲ κατὰ σάρκα πίονά ἐστιν, τὰ δὲ κατ’ ἀμφότερα;
Διὰ τί Why is it that among animals, some are fat under the skin, others in the flesh, and others in both?
ἢ ὅσων μὲν πυκνὴ ἡ σάρξ, μεταξὺ τοῦ δέρματος καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς συστέλλεται ἡ ἰκμὰς διὰ τὸ ταύτην εἶναι [τὸ δέρμα] ἀφεστὼς φύσει·
Or is it because, in those whose flesh is dense, the moisture is gathered between the skin and the flesh, because the skin is by nature separated from it, which moisture, being concocted, becomes fat?
ἣ πεττομένη γίνεται πιμελή. ὅσα δὲ ἀραιοτέραν ἔχει τὴν σάρκα τό τε δέρμα προεστώς, κατὰ σάρκα πίονα γίνεται.
But those that have looser flesh and whose skin is attached to it become fat in the flesh.
τὰ δὲ ἀμφοτέρως ἔχοντα ἐπ’ ἀμφότερα πιαίνεται.
And those that are in both conditions grow fat in both.
§10.4Διὰ τί οἱ παῖδες καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες ἧττον ἔχουσι λεύκην τῶν ἀνδρῶν, καὶ τῶν μὲν γυναικῶν αἱ πρεσβύτιδες μᾶλλον;
Διὰ τί Why do children and women have vitiligo less than men, and among women, elderly women more so?
ἢ ὅτι ἡ λεύκη ἐστὶ πνεύματος ἔξοδος, ἔστι δὲ τὰ μὲν τῶν παίδων οὐκ εὔπνοα σώματα, ἀλλὰ πυκνά, καὶ τὰ τῶν γυναικῶν ἧττον ἢ τὰ τῶν ἀνδρῶν· εἰς τὰ καταμήνια γὰρ τρέπεται· δηλοῖ δὲ ἡ λειότης τὴν πυκνότητα τῆς σαρκός.
Or because vitiligo is an outlet of breath, and the bodies of children are not well-ventilated, but dense, and those of women less so than those of men—for it is diverted to the menses, and smoothness indicates the density of the flesh.
τὰ δὲ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ τῶν γραῶν εὔπνοα· μόνα γάρ, ὥσπερ τὰ παλαιὰ οἰκοδομήματα, διεστῶσαν ἔχει τὴν σύνθεσιν τῶν μορίων.
But the bodies of older men and old women are well-ventilated; for they alone, like old buildings, have the structure of their parts loosened.
§10.5Διὰ τί ἄνθρωπος μόνον ἴσχει λεύκην;
Διὰ τί Why does man alone have vitiligo?
πότερον ὅτι λεπτοδερμότατον τῶν ζῴων ἐστίν, ἄμα δὲ καὶ πνευματωδέστερον;
Is it because he is the thinnest-skinned of animals, and at the same time more full of breath?
σημεῖον δέ, ὅτι ἡ λεύκη ἐν τοῖς λεπτοδερμοτάτοις μάλιστα καὶ πρῶτον γίνεται μέρεσιν.
And a sign is that vitiligo occurs especially and first in the thinnest-skinned parts.
ἢ διὰ ταῦτά τε, καὶ ὅτι μόνον πολιοῦται τῶν ζῴων;
Or is it due to these reasons, and because he alone among animals turns grey?
ἐν γὰρ ταῖς λεύκαις πολιαὶ γίνονται αἱ τρίχες, ὥστε ἀδύνατον ὅσα μὴ πολιοῦται λεύκην ἴσχειν.
For in vitiligo the hairs turn grey, so that it is impossible for those that do not turn grey to have vitiligo.
§10.6Διὰ τί αἶγες μὲν καὶ πρόβατα ἀμέλγονται πλεῖστον γάλα, οὐ μέγιστον σῶμα ἔχοντα, ἄνθρωπος δὲ καὶ βοῦς ἔλαττον ὡς κατὰ λόγον;
Διὰ τί Why are goats and sheep milked of the most milk, though not having the largest body, while man and the ox have less in proportion?
πότερον ὅτι εἰς τὸ σῶμα ἀναλίσκεται, τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις εἰς τὸ περίττωμα, τοῖς δὲ προβάτοις καὶ ταῖς αἰξὶ τὸ περιγινόμενον τοῦ περιττώματος γάλα γίνεται πᾶν;
Is it because in the latter it is consumed into the body, but in the others into the residue, and in sheep and goats all the remainder of the residue becomes milk?
ἢ ὅτι πολυτοκώτερά ἐστι τῶν μεγάλων, ὥστε πλεῖον σπᾷ περίττωμα διὰ τὸ πλείω τρέφειν;
Or because they are more prolific than the large ones, so that they draw more residue because they feed more offspring?
ἢ δι’ ἀσθένειαν τῶν σωμάτων πλεῖον περίττωμα γίνεται κύουσιν αὐτοῖς;
Or because of the weakness of their bodies, more residue is produced when they are pregnant?
τὸ δὲ γάλα γίνεται ἐκ τοῦ περιττώματος.
And milk is produced from residue.
§10.7Διὰ τί τῶν ζῴων τὰ μέν, μεταβάλλοντα τὰ ὕδατα, μεταβάλλει τὰς χρόας καὶ ὅμοια γίνεται τοῖς ἐκεῖ, οἷον αἶγες, τὰ δὲ οὔ, οἷον ἄνθρωποι;
Διὰ τί Why do some animals, when they change their waters, change their colors and become like those of that place, such as goats, while others do not, such as men?
καὶ ὅλως δὲ διὰ τί τὰ μὲν μεταβάλλει, τὰ δὲ οὔ, οἷον κόραξ οὐ μεταβάλλει;
And in general, why do some change, but others do not, for example, the raven does not change?
ἢ ὧν μὲν οὐ κρατεῖ ἡ φύσις τοῦ ὑγροῦ, ὥσπερ ἡ τῶν ὀρνέων (διὸ καὶ κύστιν οὐκ ἔχει), οὐ μεταβάλλει;
Or because those whose nature does not master the moisture, such as that of birds (which is why they do not have a bladder), do not change?
καὶ διὰ τί οὐκ αὐτά, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἔκγονα μεταβάλλει;
And why do they not change themselves, but their offspring do?
ἢ ὅτι ἀσθενέστερα τὰ νέα τῶν γεννησάντων;
Or because the young are weaker than those that begot them?
§10.8Διὰ τί τὰ ἄρσενα μείζω τῶν θηλειῶν ὡς ἐπίπαν ἐστίν;
Διὰ τί Why are males generally larger than females?
πότερον ὅτι θερμότερα, τοῦτο δὲ αὐξητικόν;
Is it because they are warmer, and this is promotive of growth?
ἢ ὅτι ὁλόκληρα, τὰ δὲ πεπήρωται;
Or because they are complete, while the females are mutilated?
ἢ ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἐν πολλῷ χρόνῳ τελειοῦται, τὰ δὲ ἐν ὀλίγῳ;
Or because the former are perfected in a long time, but the latter in a short time?
§10.9Διὰ τί τὰ μὲν ταχυτόκα τῶν ζῴων ἐστίν, τῶν δὲ πολυχρόνιος ἡ κύησις;
Διὰ τί Why are some animals quick-breeding, while the gestation of others is long-lasting?
ἢ ὅτι τὰ μακροβιώτερα βραδύτερον πέφυκεν τελειοῦσθαι;
Or because those that are longer-lived are by nature perfected more slowly?
ἔστι δὲ βραδυτόκα τὰ μακρόβια.
And the long-lived are slow-breeding.
οὐ μέντοι τὰ μάλιστα, οἷον ἵππος ἀνθρώπου βραδυτοκώτερον μέν, ὀλιγοχρονιώτερον δέ.
Not, however, those that are most so, for instance, the horse is slower-breeding than man, but shorter-lived.
τούτου δὲ αἴτιον ἡ σκληρότης τῶν ὑστερῶν· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ξηρὰ γῆ οὐ ταχὺ ἐκτρέφει, οὕτω καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἵππου ὑστέρα.
And the cause of this is the hardness of the womb; for just as dry land does not nourish quickly, so also the womb of the horse does not.