§3.29Διὰ τί οἱ οἰνόφλυγες ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου θερμαινόμενοι μάλιστα χαίρουσιν;
Why do habitual drunkards especially delight in being warmed by the sun?
ἢ ὅτι δέονται πέψεως;
Is it because they need concoction?
ἔτι δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ κατεψῦχθαι· διὸ καὶ αἱ ἀποπληξίαι καὶ αἱ ἀποναρκώσεις τάχιστα μετὰ τοὺς πότους γίνονται.
And furthermore, because they have been chilled; wherefore both apoplexies and numbnesses occur most quickly after drinking bouts.
§3.30Διὰ τί τοῖς μεθύουσιν ἐνίοτε πολλὰ φαίνεται τὸ ἓν ὁρῶσιν;
Why does one thing sometimes appear as many to those who are drunk, when they are looking at one thing?
ἢ ὅτι αἱ ἀρχαὶ τῶν ὄψεων ἔσω μὲν κινοῦνται ὑπὸ τοῦ οἴνου, καθάπερ ἡ ὅλη κεφαλή, κινουμένων δὲ τῶν ἀρχῶν οὐκ εἰς ταὐτὸ συμβάλλουσιν αἱ ὄψεις, ἀλλ’ οἷον ἐπὶ μέρος ἑκάτερον τοῦ ὁμωμένου· διὸ δύο φαίνεται.
Is it because the origins of the sights are moved inside by the wine, just as the whole head is, and when the origins are moved, the sights do not converge upon the same point, but rather, as it were, upon each part of the object seen; wherefore it appears as two.
ταὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο γίνεται καὶ ἐάν τις κάτωθεν πιέσῃ τὴν ὄψιν· ἐκίνησεν γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ὄψεως, ὥστε μηκέτι εἰς ταὐτὸ συμβάλλειν τῇ ἑτέρᾳ.
Indeed, this very same thing happens also if one presses the eye from below; for this moves the origin of the sight, so that it no longer converges upon the same point as the other.
ἡ μὲν οὖν τοιαύτη κίνησις ἔξωθεν γίνεται, ἡ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴνου ἔσωθεν.
Now while such a movement occurs from without, that which is from wine occurs from within.
διαφέρει δ’ οὐθέν· ταὐτὰ γὰρ ποιήσει ὁπωσοῦν κινηθεῖσα.
But it makes no difference; for in whatever way it is moved, it will produce the same effect.
§3.31Διὰ τί τῶν μεθυόντων ἡ γλῶττα πταίει;
Why does the tongue of those who are drunk stumble?
πότερον ὅτι καθάπερ τὸ ὅλον σῶμα ἐν τῇ μέθῃ σφάλλεται, οὕτω καὶ ἡ γλῶττα σφαλλομένη πταίει καὶ οὐ δύναται τὴν λέξιν διαρθροῦν;
Is it because just as the whole body staggers in drunkenness, so also the tongue, staggering, stumbles and cannot articulate the speech?
ἢ σπογγώδης ἐστὶν ἡ τῆς γλώττης σάρξ· βρεχομένη οὖν ἐξαίρεται· τούτου δὲ συμβαίνοντος διὰ τὸ πάχος τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄγκου δυσκινητοτέρα οὖσα οὐ δύναται διακριβοῦν.
Or is the flesh of the tongue spongy, so that when it is soaked it swells up; and when this happens, being harder to move because of the thickness from the swelling, it cannot make the speech precise?
ἢ διότι οὔτε ἐν τῷ ὑγρῷ δυνάμεθα λαλεῖν διὰ τὴν ἀπουσίαν τοῦ ἀέρος, οὔθ’ ὅταν εἰς τὸ στόμα λάβωμεν ὑγρόν;
Or is it because we can neither speak in water because of the absence of air, nor when we take liquid into our mouth?
ἐν τῇ μέθῃ οὖν ἐν ὑγρῷ πολλῷ τῆς γλώττης οὔσης οὐκ ἀκριβοῦμεν τὸ δὲ μὴ ἀκριβοῦν ἐστὶ τὸ πταίειν.
In drunkenness, then, since the tongue is in much liquid, we do not make the speech precise; and not making it precise is what stumbling is.
ἢ διότι ἐν ταῖς μέθαις ἡ ψυχὴ συμπαθὴς γινομένη πταίει;
Or is it because in drunkenness the soul, becoming sympathetic, stumbles?
τῆς ψυχῆς οὖν τοῦτο πασχούσης εἰκὸς καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ταὐτὸ πάσχειν· ἀπ’ ἐκείνης γὰρ ἡ τοῦ λέγειν ἀρχή.
When the soul suffers this, then, it is natural that the tongue also suffers the same; for from the soul is the origin of speaking.
διὸ καὶ χωρὶς τῆς μέθης, ὅταν ἡ ψυχὴ πάθῃ τι, συμπάσχει καὶ ἡ γλῶττα, οἷον τῶν φοβουμένων.
Wherefore also apart from drunkenness, when the soul suffers anything, the tongue suffers with it, as in the case of those who are afraid.
§3.32Διὰ τί οἱ οἰνόφλυγες καὶ οἱ περὶ τὴν θάλατταν χαίρουσιν ἡλίῳ;
Why do habitual drunkards and those who are around the sea delight in the sun?
ἢ διότι οἱ μὲν οἰνόφλυγες δέονται πέψεως, καὶ ἅμα συμβαίνει τινὰς τόπους κατεψῦχθαι;
Is it because habitual drunkards need concoction, and at the same time it happens that certain parts are chilled?
διὸ καὶ ἀποπληξίαι καὶ ἀποναρκώσεις μετὰ τοὺς πότους.
Wherefore both apoplexies and numbnesses occur after drinking bouts.
οἱ δὲ θαλάττιοι διὰ τὸ ἀεὶ ἐν ὑγρῷ εἶναι τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν.
But those of the sea do this because they are always in moisture.
§3.33Διὰ τί οἱ μεθύοντες ἀδύνατοι ἀφροδισιάζειν;
Why are those who are drunk unable to perform sexual intercourse?
ἢ ὅτι δεῖ μᾶλλόν τινα τόπον ἐκθερμανθῆναι τοῦ ἄλλου σώματος, οἱ δὲ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς θερμασίας ἀδυνατοῦσιν, ἀποσβέννυται οὖν τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς κινήσεως, θερμὸν γινόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ περιέχοντος.
Is it because some part must be warmed more than the rest of the body, but they are unable to do so because of the abundance of heat, so that the heat from movement is extinguished, being made hot by the surrounding heat?
ἢ διότι δεῖ μὲν ἐκθερμανθῆναι τοὺς κάτω τόπους, ὁ δ’ οἶνος ἄνω πέφυκεν φέρεσθαι, ὥστε ἐκεῖ ποιεῖ τὴν θερμασίαν, ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ἀπάγει.
Or is it because while the lower parts must be warmed, wine by nature is carried upwards, so that it produces the heat there, and withdraws it from here?
καὶ μετὰ τὰ σιτία ἥκιστα ἀφροδισιαστικοί, καὶ κελεύουσιν ἀριστᾶν μὲν πολύ, δειπνεῖν δὲ ὀλίγον·
Indeed, they are least inclined to sexual intercourse after food, and they recommend to have a large midday meal, but a small evening meal.
ἀπέπτων μὲν γὰρ ὄντων ἄνω φέρεται, πεπεμμένων δὲ κάτω τὸ θερμὸν καὶ τὸ ὑγρόν· ἡ δὲ τοῦ σπέρματος γένεσις ἐκ τούτων.
For while things are unconcocted, the heat is carried upwards, but when they are concocted, the heat and moisture are carried downwards; and the generation of seed is from these.
καὶ οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐξονειρώττουσιν, ὅτι ὑγρὸς καὶ θερμὸς ὁ κόπος· ἐὰν οὖν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ γένηται ἡ περίττωσις, συμβαίνει ἐξονειρώττειν.
Also those who are exhausted have wet dreams, because exhaustion is wet and warm; if then the residue occurs in this part, it happens that they have wet dreams.
διὰ ταὐτὸ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀρρωστήμασιν, ὅσοις γίνεται, συμβαίνει.
And for the same reason, this happens also in all those illnesses in which it occurs.
καὶ τοῖς φοβουμένοις καὶ τοῖς ἀποθνήσκουσιν συμβαίνει ὡσαύτως.
And it happens in the same way to those who are afraid and to those who are dying.
§3.34Διὰ τί νέοι ὄντες ἐνουροῦσι μᾶλλον, ὅταν μεθυσθῶσιν, ἢ πρεσβύτεροι;
Why do those who are young wet their bed more when they get drunk than those who are older?
ἢ διὰ τὸ θερμοὺς καὶ ὑγροὺς εἶναι πολὺ τὸ συρρυὲν γίνεται περίττωμα, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀναλίσκειν τὸ σῶμα τὸ ὑγρόν, ὥστε ὑπερχεῖται· πρεσβυτέροις δὲ γινομένοις διὰ ξηρότητα τὴν ὑπερβολὴν ἀντισπᾷ τὸ σῶμα.
Is it because, being warm and moist, the residue that flows together becomes abundant, because the body does not consume the moisture, so that it overflows; whereas in those who are older, because of dryness, the body draws back the excess?
ἢ ὅτι μᾶλλον ὑπνωτικώτεροί εἰσιν οἱ νέοι τῶν πρεσβυτέρων;
Or is it because the young are more sleepy than the older?
διὸ τοὺς μὲν νέους καθύπνους ὄντας λανθάνει ἡ ὁρμὴ τοῦ οὔρου ἐκπίπτουσα πρὶν διεγερθῆναι, τοὺς δὲ πρεσβυτέρους οὔ, καθάπερ οὐδὲ τῶν ἔξωθεν κινήσεων οὐδὲν ἧττόν τι λανθάνει αὐτοὺς ἢ τοὺς νέους.
Wherefore the impulse of the urine escaping escapes the notice of the young while they are asleep before they are awakened, but not the older, just as none of the external movements escapes their notice any less than it does the young.
δῆλον δέ· καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ οἱ νέοι ἐν τοῖς βαθυτάτοις ὕπνοις μάλιστα ἐνουροῦσιν.
And this is clear; for even the young themselves wet their bed most in their deepest sleeps.
§3.35Διὰ τί τὸ ἔλαιον πρὸς τὰς μέθας συμφέρει, καὶ τοῦ δύνασθαι πίνειν τὸ καταρροφεῖν;
Why is olive oil beneficial against drunkenness, and why does supping it help to enable one to drink?
ἢ διότι οὐρητικόν ἐστι καὶ τῷ πόματι προοδοποιεῖ;
Is it because it is diuretic and prepares the way for the drink?