§32.7Διὰ τί τὸ ἀριστερὸν οὖς θᾶττον συμφύεται ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ, ὅταν τρυπηθῇ;
Why is it that the left ear, when pierced, generally heals more quickly?
διὸ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τὸ μὲν ἄρρεν, τὸ δὲ θῆλυ καλοῦσι τῶν ὤτων.
Therefore women also call one of the ears male and the other female.
ἢ ὅτι τὰ ἀριστερὰ ὑγρὰ καὶ θερμὰ μᾶλλον, συμφύεται δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα μάλιστα.
Is it because the left parts are more moist and warm, and such things heal most easily?
διὸ καὶ ἐν φυτοῖς τοῖς χλωροῖς ἡ σύμφυσις· καὶ τὰ τῶν νέων δὲ ἕλκη μᾶλλον συμφύεται ἢ τὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων.
Therefore, healing also occurs in green plants; and the wounds of the young heal more quickly than those of the older.
σημεῖον δὲ ὅτι ὑγρὰ μᾶλλον καὶ ὅλως θηλυκώτερα τὰ ἀριστερά.
And a sign of this is that the left parts are more moist and altogether more feminine.
§32.8Διὰ τί τοῖς μὲν αἰσχυνομένοις ἄκρα τὰ ὦτα ἐπιφοινίσσεται, τοῖς δὲ ὀργιζομένοις οἱ ὀφθαλμοί;
Why is it that in those who are ashamed, the tips of the ears become red, but in those who are angry, the eyes?
ἢ ὅτι ἡ μὲν αἰδὼς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κατάψυξίς τις μετὰ φόβου, ὥστε εἰκότως ἀπολείπει τὸ θερμὸν τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς· χωριζόμενον δὲ εἰς τὸν δεκτικώτατον φέρεται τόπον.
Is it because shame is a certain cooling in the eyes accompanied by fear, so that naturally the heat leaves the eyes; and being separated, it is carried to the place most receptive of it?
τοιοῦτος δὲ ὁ ἐν τοῖς ἄκροις τῶν ὤτων· ὁ γὰρ ἄλλος ὀστώδης.
Such is the place in the tips of the ears; for the rest is bony.
ὀργιζομένοις δ’ ἐπανέρχεται τὸ θερμόν.
But in those who are angry, the heat returns.
μάλιστα δὲ γίνεται φανερὸν ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς διὰ τὴν χρόαν οὖσαν λευκήν.
And it becomes most manifest in the eyes because their color is white.
§32.9Διὰ τί ὁ ἦχος ὁ ἐν τοῖς ὠσίν, ἐάν τις ψοφήσῃ, παύεται;
Why does the ringing in the ears stop if someone makes a noise?
ἢ διότι ὁ μείζων ψόφος τὸν ἐλάττω ἐκκρούεται;
Is it because the louder noise drives out the smaller?
§32.10Διὰ τί, ἐὰν εἰς τὸ οὖς ὕδωρ ἐγχυθῇ, ἔλαιον προσεγχέονται, οὐ δυναμένου τοῦ ἐνόντος ὑγροῦ ἐξελθεῖν δι’ ἄλλου ὑγροῦ;
Why, if water has been poured into the ear, do they pour oil in addition, although the liquid inside cannot escape through another liquid?
πότερον διὰ τὸ ἐπιπολῆς γίνεσθαι τὸ ἔλαιον τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ διὰ γλισχρότητα αὐτοῦ ἔχεσθαι τὸ ὕδωρ ἐξιόντος τοῦ ἐλαίου, ἵνα συνεξίῃ τὸ ὕδωρ;
Is it because the oil comes to the surface of the water, and owing to its viscosity the water is held as the oil goes out, so that the water may come out together with it?
ἢ ἵνα ὀλισθηροῦ τοῦ ὠτὸς γενομένου ἐξέλθῃ τὸ ὕδωρ;
Or is it so that, the ear having become slippery, the water may escape?
τὸ γὰρ ἔλαιον λεῖον ὂν ποιεῖ ὀλισθαίνειν
For the oil, being smooth, causes things to slip.
§32.11Διὰ τί ἧττον ὦτα ῥήγνυται τοῖς κολυμβῶσιν, ἐὰν προεγχέωσιν εἰς τὰ ὦτα τὸ ἔλαιον;
Why do the ears of those who dive burst less if they pour oil into their ears beforehand?
ἢ τοῦ μὲν ῥήγνυσθαι τὰ ὦτα εἴρηται πρότερον ἡ αἰτία, τὸ δὲ ἔλαιον ἐγχυθὲν εἰς τὰ ὦτα τὴν ὕστερον θάλατταν ἀπολισθαίνειν ποιεῖ, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔξω τοῦ σώματος συμβαίνει τοῖς ἀληλιμμένοις.
Is it because, while the cause of the ears bursting has been stated before, the oil poured into the ears makes the subsequent seawater slip off, just as happens to those who have been anointed on the outside of their body?
ὀλισθαίνουσα δὲ πληγὴν οὐ ποιεῖ εἰς τὸ ἐντὸς τοῦ ὠτός, διόπερ οὐ ῥήγνυσιν.
And slipping off, it does not deal a blow to the inside of the ear, and therefore does not burst it.
§32.12Διὰ τί τῶν ὤτων ἀναίμων ὄντων μάλιστα οἱ αἰσχυνόμενοι ἐρυθριῶσιν;
Why is it that, although the ears have very little blood, those who are ashamed blush most there?
ἢ ἕκαστον εἰς τὸ κενὸν ἑκάστου μάλιστα φέρεται;
Is it because each thing is carried most towards the empty space of each?
δοκεῖ δὲ τοῦ αἰσχυνομένου ἄνω θερμὸν φέρεσθαι τὸ αἷμα.
And the warm blood of the person who is ashamed seems to be carried upwards.
εἰς οὖν τὸ κενώτατον ἐρυθριᾶν ποιεῖ.
Therefore, into the emptiest space, it causes them to blush.
τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν γνάθων.
And this same thing is also true of the cheeks.
ἔτι δὲ καὶ ὅτι λεπτότατον τὸ δέρμα τὸ περιτεταμένον, μάλιστα δὴ φαίνεται δι’ αὐτά.
Moreover, it is also because the skin stretched over them is extremely thin, so that it is especially visible through them.
§32.13Διὰ τί οὐδεὶς χασμώμενος τὸ οὖς σκαλεύει;
Why does no one scrape his ear while yawning?
ἢ ὅτι ὅτε χασμᾶται, ἐμφυσᾶται καὶ ἡ μῆνιγξ, δι’ ἧς ἀκούει;
Is it because when one yawns, the membrane through which one hears is also blown up?
σημεῖον δέ ἥκιστα γὰρ ἀκούουσι χασμώμενοι.
A sign of this is that they hear least when yawning.
τὸ γὰρ πνεῦμα, ὥσπερ καὶ κατὰ τὸ στόμα. καὶ εἰς τὰ ὦτα ἐντὸς πορευόμενον, ἐξωθεῖται τὸν ὑμένα καὶ κωλύει τὸν ψόφον εἰσιέναι.
For the breath, just as through the mouth, also travels into the inside of the ears, and pushes out the membrane and prevents the sound from entering.
ἐὰν οὖν οὕτως ἔχοντος ἅψηται τῆς ἀκοῆς ὡς σκαλεύειν, μάλιστ’ ἂν βλάψειε· πρὸς ἀντιπῖπτον γὰρ ἡ πληγὴ γίνεται, καὶ οὐ πρὸς ὑπεῖκον τὸ τοῦ πνεύματος.
If, therefore, while it is in this state, one touches the organ of hearing so as to scrape it, one would cause the greatest damage; for the blow is dealt against that which resists, and not against that which yields—namely, the resistance of the breath.
τὸ δὲ δέρμα καὶ τὴν μήνιγγα ἀφεστάναι τῶν στερεῶν δῆλον.
And it is clear that the skin and the membrane are separated from the solid parts.
ὥστε πόνον μάλιστα οὕτω ποιεῖ, καὶ τραυματίζοι ἄν.
Consequently, doing so causes the greatest pain, and would cause injury.