§10.62Διὰ τί ἡ κεφαλὴ δασεῖα τῶν ἀνθρώπων μᾶλλον τοῦ ἄλλου σώματος καὶ οὐ κατὰ λόγον, τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις ζῴοις τοὐναντίον;
Why is the head of man hairier than the rest of his body, and that disproportionately, whereas in other animals the opposite is the case?
ἢ ὅτι καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τὰ μὲν εἰς ὀδόντας ἐκδίδωσιν καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν τῆς τροφῆς, τὰ δὲ εἰς κέρατα, τὰ δὲ εἰς τρίχας;
Is it because among other animals, too, the surplus of nourishment is directed in some cases to the teeth, in others to the horns, and in others to the hair?
ὅσα μὲν εἰς κέρατα, ἧττον τὴν κεφαλὴν ἔχει δασεῖαν· ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἀνήλωται· ὅσα δὲ εἰς ὀδόντας μᾶλλον μὲν τῶν κερατοφόρων (ἔχει γὰρ λοφιάν), ἧττον δὲ τῶν τοιούτων, οἷον ὀρνέων.
Those that direct it to the horns have the head less hairy, for the nourishment is consumed there; while those that direct it to the teeth are hairier than the horned ones (for they have a mane), but less so than such animals as birds.
ἔχουσιν γὰρ ταῦτα καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὃ ἐκείνοις πολλαχῇ διὰ πλῆθος, τοῦτο εἰς κεφαλὴν ἐκδίδωσιν·
For these latter have the same character as man; that which in those animals is directed to many places because of its abundance, in man is directed to the head.
οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲν ἔχει, οὐδὲ πολὺ οὕτως ὥστε πανταχῇ.
For man is neither entirely hairless, nor has he so much hair as to have it everywhere.
§10.63Διὰ τί ἄνθρωπος μόνος τῶν ζῴων πολιὰς ἔχει;
Why does man alone among animals get gray hair?
ἢ ὅτι τὰ μὲν πλεῖστα τῶν ζῴων ῥυάδα τὴν τρίχα ἀνὰ πᾶν ἔτος ἔχει, οἷον ἵππος, βοῦς, ἔνια δὲ ῥυάδα μὲν οὐκ ἔχει, βραχύβια δέ εἰσιν, καθάπερ πρόβατον καὶ ἄλλα· οὗ ἡ θρὶξ ὥσπερ οὐ γηράσκουσα οὐδὲ πολιοῦται.
Is it because most animals shed their hair every year, as the horse and the ox do, while others do not shed it but are short-lived, like the sheep and others, whose hair, as if not growing old, does not turn gray?
ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐδὲ ῥυάδα ἔχει τὴν τρίχα, μακρόβιόν τέ ἐστιν, ὥστε ὑπὸ τοῦ χρόνου πολιοῦται.
But man does not shed his hair and is long-lived, so that it turns gray through time.
§10.64Διὰ τί, ὅσοις τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀμφαλοῦ κάτω μείζονα ἢ τὰ πρὸς τὰ στήθη, βραχύβιοι καὶ ἀσθενεῖς;
Why are those in whom the parts below the navel are larger than those toward the chest short-lived and weak?
ἢ ὅτι ἡ κοιλία ψυχρὰ διὰ μικρότητα, ὥστε οὐ πεπτική, ἀλλὰ περιττωματική;
Is it because their belly is cold owing to its smallness, so that it is not digestive but productive of residue?
οἱ δὲ τοιοῦτοι νοσακεροί.
And such people are sickly.
§10.65Διὰ τί τὰ μὲν γίνεται τῶν ζῴων οὐ μόνον ἐξ ἀλλήλων, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτόματα, τὰ δ’ ἐξ ἀλλήλων μόνον, οἷον ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἵππος;
Why is it that some animals are generated not only from one another but also spontaneously, while others only from one another, like man and the horse?
ἢ κἂν εἰ καὶ μὴ δι’ ἑτέρας αἰτίας, ἀλλ’ ὅτι τοῖς μὲν ὀλίγος ὁ χρόνος τῆς γενέσεως, ὥστε ἡ γεννητικὴ ὥρα 〈οὐχ〉ὑπερτείνει καὶ ἐνδέχεται γενέσθαι ἐν τῇ μεταβολῇ τῶν ὡρῶν, τῶν δὲ πολὺ ἡ γένεσις ὑπερτείνει· ἐνιαύσιοι γὰρ ἢ δεκάμηνοί εἰσιν·
Is it, if for no other reason, because for some the time of generation is short, so that the reproductive season does not exceed [the limits] and it is possible for generation to occur in the transition of seasons, whereas for others generation is greatly prolonged (for they require a year or ten months)?
ὥστε ἀνάγκη. . . γίνεσθαι ἢ ἐξ ἀλλήλων γίνεσθαι.
Therefore, it is necessary for them either to be generated [from a parent] or to be generated from one another.
§10.66Διὰ τί τῶν Αἰθιόπων οἱ μὲν ὀδόντες λευκοί, καὶ λευκότεροι ἢ τῶν ἄλλων, οἱ δὲ ὄνυχες οὐκέτι;
Why are the teeth of Ethiopians white, and even whiter than those of others, while their nails are not?
ἢ οἱ μὲν ὄνυχες, ὅτι καὶ τὸ δέρμα μέλαν, καὶ μελάντερον ἢ τῶν ἄλλων, οἱ δὲ ὄνυχες ἐκ τοῦ δέρματος φύονται.
Is it, as for the nails, because their skin also is black, and blacker than that of others, and nails grow out of the skin?
οἱ δὲ ὀδόντες λευκοὶ διὰ τί;
But why are their teeth white?
ἢ ὅτι ἐξ ὧν τὸ ὑγρὸν ἐξάγει ὁ ἥλιος ἄνευ τοῦ ἐπιβάπτειν, λευκαίνεται, οἷον καὶ τὸν κηρόν;
Is it because things from which the sun draws out the moisture without staining them become white, as is the case with wax?
τὸ μὲν οὖν δέρμα ἐπιβάπτει, τοὺς δὲ ὀδόντας οὐκ ἐπιβάπτει, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὑγρὸν διὰ τὴν ἀλέαν ἐξατμίζεται ἐξ αὐτῶν.
Thus, the sun stains the skin, but does not stain the teeth, while the moisture is evaporated from them because of the heat.
§10.67Διὰ τί τὰ μὲν ἀφαιρουμένης τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποθνήσκει εὐθὺς ἢ ταχύ, τὰ δὲ οὔ;
Why do some animals die immediately or quickly when their head is removed, while others do not?
ἢ ὅσα ἄναιμα καὶ ὀλιγότροφα, τοῦτο πάσχει;
Is it because all those that are bloodless and require little nourishment experience this [i.e., do not die immediately]?
οὔτε τροφῆς γὰρ δεῖται ταχύ, οὔτε ἐγχεῖται αὐτῶν τὸ θερμὸν ἐν τῷ ὑγρῷ, ὧν ἄνευ οὐχ οἷόν τε ζῆν τοῖς ἐναίμοις.
For they neither stand in need of food quickly, nor is their heat poured out from the moisture, without which things it is impossible for red-blooded animals to live.
τούτοις δὲ οἷόν τέ ἐστιν· ἀπνευστὶ ζῆν γὰρ δύνανται πολὺ μᾶλλον.
But for these it is possible; for they are much more capable of living without breathing.
ἡ δὲ αἰτία ἐν ἑτέροις εἴρηται.
The cause has been stated in other works.