§32.1Διὰ τί τὰ ὦτα ὄντα ἀναιμότατα τοῦ προσώπου, ὅταν αἰσχύνωνται, ἐρυθριᾷ μάλιστα;
Why is it that the ears, which have the least blood of the parts of the face, become reddest when people are ashamed?
πότερον ὅτι εἰς τὸ κενὸν μάλιστα πορεύεσθαι πέφυκεν τὸ ἀλλότριον ὑγρόν, ὥστε ὅταν διαλυθῇ ὑπὸ τῆς θερμότητος, ἣ γίνεται αἰσχυνομένοις, συνέρχεται εἰς ταῦτα;
Is it because foreign moisture naturally travels most towards an empty space, so that when it is melted by the heat that arises in those who are ashamed, it gathers into them?
ἢ διότι ἐπὶ τοῖς κροτάφοις ἐπίκεινται, εἰς οὓς τὸ ὑγρὸν ἀθροίζεται μάλιστα;
Or is it because they lie upon the temples, where moisture especially accumulates?
αἰσχυνομένων δὲ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον ἔρχεται ἡ ὑγρότης· διὸ καὶ ἐρυθριῶσιν.
When people are ashamed, moisture comes into the face; therefore they blush.
τοῦ δὲ προσώπου ἥκιστα βάθος ἔχει τὰ ὦτα· καὶ φύσει θερμότατα καὶ εὔχροα, ἐὰν μὴ ἀπηρτημένα πόρρωθεν ᾖ τῷ ψύχει.
And of the face, the ears have the least depth; and unless they are separated from afar by the cold, they are by nature very warm and of good color.
διὸ καὶ εὐχρούστατον τῶν ἐν τῷ προσώπῳ μορίων.
Therefore they are also the most colorful of the parts of the face.
ὥστε ὅταν σκεδασθῇ ἡ θερμότης, μάλιστα ἐπιπολῆς οὖσα ἐν τούτοις ποιεῖ ἐρυθρά.
So when the heat is dispersed, being especially on the surface in these parts, it makes them red.
§32.2Διὰ τί τὰ ὦτα ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ ῥήγνυται τοῖς κολυμβῶσιν;
Why is it that the ears of those who dive in the sea burst?
πότερον διὰ τὸ κατέχειν τὸ πνεῦμα πληρούμενον βιάζεται;
Is it because, through holding the breath, the ears being filled are forced?
ἢ εἰ τοῦτ’ αἴτιον, ἔδει καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀέρι.
Or, if this were the cause, it ought to happen in the air too.
ἢ ὅτι μὴ ὑπεῖκον διακόπτεται θᾶττον, καὶ ὑπὸ σκληροτέρου ἢ μαλακοῦ;
Or is it because that which does not yield is torn more quickly, and by a harder rather than a soft thing?
τὸ οὖν πεφυσημένον ἧττον ὑπείκει.
Therefore, that which is blown up yields less.
τὰ δὲ ὦτα, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, ὑπὸ τοῦ κατέχεσθαι τὸ πνεῦμα ἐμφυσᾶται, ὥστε τὸ ὕδωρ σκληρότερον ὂν τοῦ ἀέρος, προσπῖπτον διακόπτει.
And the ears, as has been said, are blown up by the holding of the breath, so that the water, being harder than the air, strikes against them and tears them.
§32.3Διὰ τί οἱ κολυμβηταὶ σπόγγους περὶ τὰ ὦτα καταδοῦνται;
Why do divers tie sponges around their ears?
ἢ ἵνα ἡ θάλαττα βίᾳ ἰοῦσα μὴ ῥηγνύῃ τὰ ὦτα.
Is it so that the sea, coming with force, may not burst their ears?
οὕτω μὲν γὰρ οὐ γίνεται, ὥσπερ ἀφῃρημένων, πλήρη.
For in this way they do not become full, as they do if they are removed.
§32.4Διὰ τί ὁ ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶ ῥύπος πικρός ἐστιν;
Why is the dirt in the ears bitter?
ἢ διότι ὁ ἱδρώς ἐστι σαπρός;
Is it because sweat is putrid?
ἔστιν οὖν ἁλμυρὸν σαπρόν.
Therefore, it is putrid salty matter.
τὸ δὲ σαπρὸν ἁλμυρὸν πικρόν.
And putrid salty matter is bitter.
§32.5Διὰ τί οἱ σπογγεῖς διατέμνονται τὰ ὦτα καὶ τοὺς μυκτῆρας;
Why do sponge-divers slit their ears and nostrils?
ἢ ὅπως εὐπνούστεροι ὦσι;
Is it so that they may breathe more easily?
ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐξιέναι δοκεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα.
For in this way the breath seems to go out.
ἀνατέμνουσι δὲ καὶ τὸν τόπον καὶ πρὸς εὔπνοιαν· πονεῖν γὰρ δή φασι μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ δυσπνοίᾳ τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι προΐεσθαι θύραζε· ὅταν δὲ ὥσπερ ἐξεράσωσι, κουφίζονται.
And they slit the place for the sake of easy breathing; for they say that they suffer more in difficulty of breathing by being unable to send [the breath] out of doors; but when they have, as it were, discharged it, they are relieved.
ἄτοπον οὖν εἰ μὴ δύνανται τυγχάνειν ἀναπνοῆς καταψύξεως χάριν· ἀλλ’ ἔοικε τοῦτο ἀναγκαιότερον εἶναι.
It is strange, then, if they cannot obtain respiration for the sake of cooling; but this seems to be more necessary.
ἢ εὐλόγως ὁ πόνος πλείων κατέχουσιν, ὀγκουμένων καὶ διατεινομένων;
Or is it reasonable that the pain is greater for those who hold their breath, when the parts are swollen and distended?
φαίνεται δὲ καὶ αὐτόματός τις εἶναι φορὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ἔξω· εἰ δὲ καὶ εἴσω, σκεπτέον.
And there seems also to be a certain spontaneous movement of the breath outwards; but whether there is also one inwards must be considered.
ἔοικεν δέ.
And it seems so.
ὁμοίως γὰρ ἀναπνοὴν ποιοῦσι τοῖς κολυμβηταῖς λέβητα καταφέντες. οὐ πίμπλαται γὰρ οὗτος τοῦ ὕδατος, ἀλλὰ τηρεῖ τὸν ἀέρα.
For they make respiration in the same way for the divers by letting down a cauldron; for this does not fill with water, but preserves the air.
μετὰ βίας γὰρ ἡ κάθεσις. ὀρθὸν γὰρ ὁτιοῦν παρεγκλιθὲν εἰσρεῖ
For the lowering is done with force; for if it is tilted in any way, being upright, the water flows in.
§32.6Διὰ τί ἔνιοι τὰ ὦτα σκαλεύοντες βήττουσιν;
Why do some people cough when they scrape their ears?
ἢ ὅτι ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πόρου τῷ πνεύμονι καὶ τῇ ἀρτηρίᾳ ἡ ἀκοή;
Is it because hearing is upon the same passage as the lungs and the windpipe?
σημεῖον δέ, ὅτι ἀναπληροῦνται καὶ γίνονται ἐνεοί.
A sign of this is that they are filled up and become speechless.
θερμαινομένου οὖν τῇ τρίψει συντήκεται ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρτηρίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ πόνου κάτωθεν ὑγρόν, ὃ ποιεῖ τὴν βῆχα.
Therefore, when it is warmed by the rubbing, moisture melts down from below towards the windpipe because of the irritation, which causes the cough.