§2.19Διὰ τί ποτε ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ τῶν ποδῶν μάλιστα οἱ ἱδρῶτες γίνονται θερμαινομένων;
Why is it that sweat arises most of all from the head and the feet when people are warmed?
ἢ ὅτι τὸ θερμαινόμενον ἐφέλκει ἐφ’ ἑαυτὸ τὸ ὑγρόν, τὸ δὲ ὑγρὸν οὐκ ἔχει ὅπῃ καταναλίσκηται διὰ τὸ εἶναι τοὺς τόπους τούτους ὀστώδεις.
Is it because that which is warmed draws the moisture to itself, but the moisture has no place to be consumed because these parts are bony?
ἐκπίπτει οὖν ἔξω.
Therefore, it falls outside.
§2.20Διὰ τί οἱ πονοῦντες, ὅτε παύσονται, ἱδροῦσιν;
Why do those who exert themselves sweat when they stop?
ἔδει γάρ, εἴπερ ὁ πόνος αἴτιος, ὅταν πονῶσιν.
For if the exertion were the cause, they ought to sweat when they are exerting themselves.
πότερον ὅτι πονούντων μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος αἱ φλέβες ἐμφυσώμεναι τοὺς πόρους συμμεμυκέναι ποιοῦσι, παυσαμένων δὲ συνίζουσιν, ὥστε δι’ εὐρυτέρων γινομένων τῶν πόρων ῥᾷον διέρχεται τὸ ὑγρόν.
Is it because, while they exert themselves, the vessels being inflated by the breath cause the pores to close, but when they stop, they contract, so that the moisture passes through more easily because the pores become wider?
ἢ ὅτι πονούντων μὲν ἀποκρίνει ἡ κίνησις ἐκ τοῦ συμπεφυκότος ὑγροῦ πνεῦμα, καὶ διὰ θερμότητα τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς κινήσεως γίνεται τὸ ὑγρὸν πνεῦμα ἐπιπολῆς· ὅταν δὲ παύσηται πονῶν, ἅμα καὶ ἡ θερμότης λήγει, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος πυκνουμένου ὑγρότης γίνεται, ὁ καλούμενος ἱδρώς.
Or is it because, while they exert themselves, the movement separates the breath from the innate moisture, and because of the heat from the movement, the moisture becomes breath on the surface; but when they stop exerting themselves, the heat also ceases at the same time, and from the condensing breath arises moisture, the so-called sweat?
§2.21Πότερον δεῖ μᾶλλον τοῦ θέρους παρασκευάζειν τὸ ἱδροῦν ἢ τοῦ χειμῶνος;
Should one prepare the body for sweating more in summer or in winter?
ἢ ὅτε μᾶλλον ὑγροὶ καὶ χαλεπώτεροι ἄνευ ἐπιμελείας γένοιντ’ ἄν, ὥστε τοῦ χειμῶνος ἂν δέοι μᾶλλον, ᾗ μεγάλη ἡ μεταβολή, καὶ τὰ περιττώματα οὐ συνεκπέττεται.
Is it when the body would become more moist and in a worse condition without care, so that it would be needed more in winter, where the change is great, and the residues are not co-concocted?
πάλιν ψυχθέντος ἔτι παρὰ φύσιν τὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος.
On the other hand, the winter condition is further cooled contrary to nature.
δῆλον ἄρα ὅτι τοῦ θέρους μᾶλλον· καὶ γὰρ τὰ ὑγρὰ σήπεται μᾶλλον ἅπαντα τοῦ θέρους· διὸ τότε δεῖ ἀπαντλεῖν.
Therefore, it is clear that it is more necessary in summer; for indeed, all moist things putrefy more in summer, wherefore one must drain them off at that time.
διὰ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ οἱ ἀρχαῖοι πάντες οὕτως ἔλεγον.
And this is why all the ancients also spoke in this way.
§2.22Διὰ τί ἀεὶ τοῦ σώματος ῥέοντος καὶ τῆς ἀπορροῆς γινομένης ἐκ τῶν περιττωμάτων οὐ κουφίζεται τὸ σῶμα, ἐὰν μὴ ἀφιδρώσῃ;
Why is it that, although the body is always in flux and the runoff from the residues is taking place, the body is not relieved unless it sweats thoroughly?
ἢ ὅτι ἐλάττων ἡ ἔκκρισις.
Is it because the excretion is less?
ὅταν γὰρ ἐξ ὑγροῦ μεταβάλῃ εἰς ἀέρα, πλεῖον γίνεται ἐξ ἐλάττονος· τὸ γὰρ ὑγρὸν διακρινόμενον πλεῖον, ὥστε πλείονι χρόνῳ ἡ ἔκκρισις, διά τε τοῦτο καὶ ὅτι δι’ ἐλαττόνων πόρων ἡ ἔκκρισίς ἐστιν.
For when it changes from liquid to air, a greater amount comes from a smaller; for the liquid when dispersed becomes more, so that the excretion takes longer, both for this reason and because the excretion is through smaller pores.
ἔτι τὸ γλίσχρον καὶ τὸ κολλῶδες μετὰ μὲν τοῦ ὑγροῦ ἐκκρίνεται διὰ τὴν κατάμιξιν, μετὰ δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος ἀδυνατεῖ.
Furthermore, because that which is viscous and sticky is excreted with the liquid because of their mixture, but is unable to be excreted with the breath.
μάλιστα δὲ τοῦτ’ ἐστὶ τὸ λυποῦν.
And this is what causes the most distress.
διὸ καὶ οἱ ἔμετοι τῶν ἱδρώτων κουφίζουσι μᾶλλον, ὅτι συνεξάγουσι τοῦτο ἅτε παχύτεροι καὶ σωματωδέστεροι ὄντες.
Wherefore vomiting also relieves more than sweating, because vomits carry this away with them, since they are thicker and more substantial.
καὶ ὅτι τῇ μὲν σαρκὶ πόρρω ὁ τόπος οὗτος, ἐν ᾧ τὸ γλίσχρον καὶ τὸ κολλῶδες, ὥστε ἔργον μεταστῆσαι, τῇ δὲ κοιλίᾳ ἐγγύς·
And because for the flesh this place in which the viscous and sticky reside is far, so that it is a task to move it, but for the belly it is near; for it arises either in it or near it.
ἢ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ ἐγγίνεται ἢ πλησίον· διὸ καὶ δυσεξάγωγον ἄλλως.
Wherefore it is otherwise difficult to extract.
§2.23Διὰ τί ἧττον ἱδροῦσιν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ πονεῖν ἢ ἀνέντες;
Why do people sweat less during the actual exertion than when they have desisted?
ἢ ὅτι πονοῦντες μὲν ποιοῦσιν, πεπονηκότες δὲ πεποιήκασιν;
Is it because while they are exerting themselves they are producing it, but when they have exerted themselves they have produced it?
εἰκότως οὖν ἐκκρίνεται πλέον· ὁτὲ μὲν γὰρ γίνεται, ὁτὲ δὲ ἐστίν.
It is reasonable, then, that more is excreted; for at one time it is being produced, and at another it already exists.
ἢ ὅτι πονούντων μὲν συγκλείονται τῆς σαρκὸς οἱ πόροι διὰ τὴν κάθεξιν τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅταν δ’ ἀνῶσιν, ἀνοίγονται;
Or is it because, while they exert themselves, the pores of the flesh are closed because of the holding of the breath, but when they desist, they open?
διὸ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα κατέχοντες ἧττον ἱδροῦσιν.
Wherefore those who hold their breath also sweat less.
§2.24Διὰ τί οὐχὶ ὅταν τροχάζωμεν, ὁ ἱδρὼς πλείων, καὶ ὅταν ἐν κινήσει ᾖ τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλ’ ὅταν παύσωνται;
Why is it that the sweat is not more when we are running and when the body is in motion, but when they stop?
ἢ ὄτι τότε μὲν ὥσπερ ὑπὸ τῆς χειρὸς ἢ ἄλλου τινος ἔστιν ὕδωρ ῥέον ἀποφρᾶξαι πανταχόθεν συναθροιζόμενον, ὅταν δὲ ἀφεθῇ, πλέον ἢ ὅσον ἐξ ἀρχῆς.
Is it because at that time, just as by a hand or something else, flowing water can be blocked and accumulated from all sides, and when it is released, it is more than at the beginning?
ὡς δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς χειρός, οὕτω καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος ἔστιν ἀποληφθῆναι, ὥσπερ ἐν τῇ κλεψύδρᾳ, καὶ πάλιν πρὸς τὴν κύστιν· ἀπολαμβάνει γὰρ ἐντός.
And just as by the hand, so too by the breath it can be shut in, as in the clepsydra, and again in the bladder; for it shuts it in within.
ὁμοίως οὖν πολλῆς κινήσεως οὔσης τὸ πνεῦμα ἐναπολαμβάνεται· διὸ καὶ αἱ φλέβες διατείνονται τοῦ ὑγροῦ οὐ δυναμένου ἐξιέναι.
Similarly, then, when there is much motion, the breath is shut in within; wherefore also the vessels are distended because the moisture cannot exit.
ἀπολαμβανόμενον δὲ ἀθρόον τὸ ὑγρόν, ὅταν ἀνεθῇ τὸ πνεῦμα, ἀθρόον ἐξέρχεται.
But the moisture, having been shut in all at once, when the breath is relaxed, comes out all at once.