§10.46Διὰ τί τοῖς μὲν ἀνθρώποις οἱ ὀμφαλοὶ μεγάλοι γίνονται, τοῖς δ’ ἄλλοις ζῴοις οὐ φανεροί;
Why is it that in human beings the navels become large, while in other animals they are not noticeable?
ἢ διότι τοῖς μὲν διὰ τὸ πολὺν χρόνον εἴσω ἐμμένειν ἀφαυαίνονται καὶ εὐθὺ τείνονται, ὅλον δ’ ἐπανοιδοῦσι τὰ ἕλκη, διὸ ἔνιοι τῶν ὀμφαλῶν καὶ αἰσχίους εἰσίν· ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἀτελὴς ἐξέρχεται, ὥστε ἔφυγροι καὶ ἔναιμοι οἱ ὀμφαλοὶ ἀκολουθοῦσιν.
Is it because in the latter, due to remaining inside for a long time, they wither away and are immediately stretched, and the wounds swell up as a whole, which is why some of their navels are even rather ugly; whereas man comes out incomplete, so that moist and bloody navels follow?
ὅτι δὲ τὰ μὲν τετελειωμένα, τὰ δὲ ἀτελῆ ἐξέρχεται, σημεῖον, ὅτι τὰ μὲν εὐθὺς δύναται ζῆν, τὰ δὲ παιδία ἐπιμελείας δεῖται.
That some come out complete and others incomplete is proved by the fact that the former can live immediately, while human infants require care.
§10.47Διὰ τί τὰ μὲν τῶν ζῴων ἅπαξ ὀχεύεται, τὰ δὲ πολλάκις, καὶ τὰ μὲν ὥρᾳ ἔτους, τὰ δ’ ὅτε ἔτυχεν, ἄνθρωπος μὲν ἀεί, τὰ δὲ ἄγρια οὐ πολλάκις, καὶ ὗς μὲν ἄγριος ἅπαξ, ἥμερος δὲ πολλάκις;
Why is it that some animals copulate only once, others many times, and some at a certain season of the year, others whenever it happens, man always, but wild animals not often, and the wild boar only once, but the tame one many times?
ἢ διὰ τὴν τροφὴν καὶ ἀλέαν καὶ πόνον;
Is it due to food, warmth, and exertion?
ἐν πλησμονῇ γὰρ Κύπρις.
For Aphrodite is in satiety.
ἔπειτα τὰ αὐτὰ ἄλλοθι μὲν ἅπαξ τίκτει, ἄλλοθι δὲ πλεονάκις, οἷον τὰ πρόβατα ἐν Μαγνησίᾳ καὶ Λιβύῃ τίκτει δίς.
Furthermore, the same animals bring forth once in some places, but more often in others, for example, sheep in Magnesia and Libya bring forth twice.
τὸ δ’ αἴτιον ἡ πολυχρονία τοῦ τόκου· οὐ γὰρ ἐπιθυμεῖ ὅταν πλησθῇ, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τροφῆς τὰ πλήρη.
The cause is the long duration of pregnancy; for an animal does not desire when it is full, just as those who are full do not desire food.
τὰ δὲ κυοῦντα ἧττον ὀχείας ἐπιθυμεῖ διὰ τὸ μὴ γίνεσθαι τὴν κάθαρσιν.
And those that are pregnant desire copulation less because purging does not take place.
§10.48Διὰ τί τῶν ἀνθρώπων οἱ ἀραιοὺς ἔχοντες τοὺς ὀδόντας βραχύβιοι ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ;
Why is it that of human beings those who have wide-spaced teeth are for the most part short-lived?
ἢ ὅτι σημεῖον τοῦ τὸ ὀστοῦν πυκνὸν εἶναι, ὡς ὁ ἐγκέφαλος ἀσθενὴς οὐκ εὐπνοῶν, ὥστε ὑγρὸς ὢν τὴν φύσιν ταχὺ σήπεται;
Is it because it is a sign of the bone being dense, so that the brain is weak and does not breathe well, and thus, being moist by nature, it quickly rots?
καὶ γὰρ τὰ ἄλλα μὴ κινούμενα καὶ ἀπατμίζοντα.
For indeed other things that do not move and evaporate do so.
διὸ καὶ ἄνθρωπος τὴν κεφαλὴν δασύτατον, καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν τοῦ θήλεος μακροβιώτερον διὰ τὰς ῥαφάς.
That is why man has the hairiest head, and the male is longer-lived than the female because of the sutures.
δεῖ δὲ ἰδεῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων.
But we must also observe this in the case of other animals.
§10.49Διὰ τί δὲ ὅσοι τὴν διὰ τῆς χειρὸς τομὴν ἔχουσι δι’ ὅλης, μακροβιώτεροι;
And why is it that those who have the line running all the way through the hand are longer-lived?
ἢ διότι τὰ ἄναρθρα βραχυβιώτατα, ὡς τὰ ἔνυγρα;
Is it because those without joints are shortest-lived, like aquatic creatures?
εἰ δὲ τὰ ἄναρθρα βραχύβια, δῆλον ὅτι τὰ ἠρθρωμένα τοὐναντίον.
And if those without joints are short-lived, it is clear that those with joints are the opposite.
τοιαῦτα δὲ ὧν καὶ τὰ φύσει ἄναρθρα μάλιστα ἤρθρωται· τῆς δὲ χειρὸς τὸ εἴσω ἀναρθρότατον.
And such are those in which even parts naturally without joints are most jointed; and the inside of the hand is the most jointless part.
§10.50Διὰ τί τῶν ζῴων ἄνθρωπος ἢ μόνον ἢ μάλιστα διαστρέφεται;
Why is it that of animals man is either alone or most of all distorted?
ἢ ὅτι ἢ μόνον ἢ μάλιστα ληπτὸν ἐν τῇ νηπιότητι γίνεται, ὅτε καὶ διαστρέφεσθαι συμβαίνει πᾶσιν.
Is it because he is either alone or most of all susceptible to disease in infancy, when it happens to everyone to be distorted?
§10.51Διὰ τί τῶν ζῴων ἄνθρωπος μάλιστα καπνίζεται;
Why is it that of animals man is most affected by smoke?
ἢ ὅτι μάλιστα δακρύει, ἡ δὲ κάπνισις μετὰ δακρύου;
Is it because he weeps most of all, and being affected by smoke is accompanied by weeping?
§10.52Διὰ τί ἵππος ἵππῳ χαίρει καὶ ἐπιθυμεῖ, ἄνθρωπος δὲ ἀνθρώπῳ, καὶ ὅλως δὲ τὰ συγγενῆ τοῖς συγγενέσι καὶ ὁμοίοις;
Why does a horse delight in and desire a horse, and a man a man, and in general kindred things delight in kindred and similar things?
οὐ γὰρ δὴ ὁμοίως ὅτι πᾶν ζῷον καλόν, ἡ δὲ ἐπιθυμία τοῦ καλοῦ.
For it is surely not likewise because every animal is beautiful, and desire is for the beautiful.
ἔδει οὖν τὸ καλὸν ἥδιον εἶναι.
For then the beautiful ought to be more pleasant.
νῦν δὲ μᾶλλον οὐ πᾶν κάλλος ἡδύ, τὸ καλὸν † καὶ τὸ ἡδύ.
But as it is, not all beauty is pleasant, the beautiful [and the pleasant being different].
οὐδὲ πᾶσιν ἡ ἡδονὴ ἢ τὸ καλὸν ἡδύ, οἷον φαγεῖν ἢ πιεῖν ἐστὶν ἥδιον ἑτέρῳ καὶ ἀφροδισιάσαι ἄλλῳ.
Nor is pleasure or the beautiful pleasant to all, for example, eating or drinking is more pleasant to one, and copulation to another.
διότι μὲν οὖν ἕκαστον τῷ συγγενεῖ μιγνύμενον μάλιστα καὶ ἥδιστα ἀφροδισιάζει, ἄλλο πρόβλημα· ὅτι δὲ καὶ κάλλιστον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθές.
Why, then, each animal copulating with its kindred copulates most and most pleasantly is another problem; but that it is because it is most beautiful is not true.
ἀλλὰ ἡμεῖς τὸ εἰς τὴν συνουσίαν ἡδύ οἰόμεθα καλόν, ὅτι ἐπιθυμοῦντες χαίρομεν ὁρῶντες.
Rather, we think that what is pleasant for intercourse is beautiful, because when desiring we rejoice in seeing it.
καίτοι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιθυμιῶν ἔχει ὁμοίως· διψῶντες γὰρ ἥδιον ὁρῶσι τὸ πόμα.
Yet it is the same in the case of other desires; for those who are thirsty look upon a drink with greater pleasure.
τὸ μὲν οὖν πρὸς χρείαν τινὰ καλόν, οὗ καὶ μάλιστα ἐπιθυμοῦμεν, τοῦτο δοκεῖ ἥδιστον εἶναι, τὸ δὲ καθ’ αὑτὸ οὐκέτι οὕτως.
Therefore, what is beautiful for some use, which we also most desire, seems to be most pleasant, but what is beautiful in itself is no longer so.
σημεῖον δὲ τούτου· δοκοῦσι γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ ἄνδρες καλοὶ εἶναι, πρὸς τὴν συνουσίαν βλέψασιν.
And a sign of this: for even men seem to us to be beautiful, to those who do not look to intercourse.
ἆρ’ οὖν οὕτως ὥστε καὶ ἡσθῆναι ὁρῶσι μᾶλλον τῶν εἰς συνουσίαν;
Is it then so that they enjoy seeing them even more than those suitable for intercourse?
οὐδέν γε κωλύει, εἰ μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντες τύχοιμεν.
Nothing prevents it, if we happen not to be desiring.
οὕτω δὲ πόμα κάλλιον· εἰ γὰρ διψῶντες τύχοιμεν, ἥδιον ὀψόμεθα.
And in this way a drink is more beautiful; for if we happen to be thirsty, we shall look upon it with greater pleasure.