§33.15Διὰ τί μόνον ὁ πταρμὸς ἡμῖν καθεύδουσιν οὐ γίνεται, ἀλλ’ ὡς εἰπεῖν ἅπαντα ἐγρηγορόσιν;
Why is it that only sneezing does not occur to us when we are sleeping, but so to speak all other things occur when we are awake?
ἢ ὅτι ὁ μὲν πταρμὸς γίνεται καὶ ὑπὸ θερμοῦ τινος κινήσαντος τὸν τόπον τοῦτον ἀφ’ οὗ γίνεται· διὸ καὶ ἀνακύπτομεν πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον, ὅταν βουλώμεθα πτάρειν· 〈ἢ〉 ὅτι καθευδόντων ἡμῶν ἀντιπεριίσταται τὸ θερμὸν ἐντός.
Is it because sneezing is caused also by a certain heat that moves this region from which it arises—which is why we also look up toward the sun when we want to sneeze—〈or〉 because, when we are sleeping, the heat concentrates inside?
διὸ καὶ γίνεται τὰ κάτω θερμὰ τῶν καθευδόντων, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ πολὺ αἴτιόν ἐστιν τοῦ ἐξονειρώττειν ἡμᾶς.
Therefore the lower parts of those who are sleeping become warm, and the abundant breath is the cause of our having wet dreams.
εἰκότως οὖν οὐ πταρνύμεθα· ἀπαλλαγέντος γὰρ τοῦ θερμοῦ τοῦ ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς, ὃ κινεῖν πέφυκεν τὸ ἐνταῦθα ὑγρόν, οὗ ἐξαιρουμένου γίνεται ὁ πταρμός, καὶ τὸ συμβαῖνον πάθος εἰκὸς μὴ γίνεσθαι.
Naturally, then, we do not sneeze; for when the heat from the head—which is of a nature to move the moisture there, by the expulsion of which sneezing is caused—has departed, it is natural that the resulting affection does not occur.
ἀποψοφοῦσι δὲ μᾶλλον ἢ πτάρνυνται καὶ ἐρεύγονται καθεύδοντες ἢ ἐγρηγορότες, ὅτι ἐκθερμαινομένου τοῦ περὶ τὴν κοιλίαν τόπου ἐν τοῖς ὕπνοις μᾶλλον ἐκπνευματοῦσθαι συμβαίνει τὰ περὶ αὐτὴν ὑγρά, πνευματούμενα δὲ εἰς τοὺς ἔγγιστα τόπους φέρεσθαι.
But people pass wind rather than sneeze or belch when they are sleeping than when they are awake, because, when the region around the stomach is warmed during sleep, it happens that the moisture around it is vaporized more, and being vaporized it is carried to the nearest regions.
ἐνταῦθα γὰρ καὶ συναπωθεῖται ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐν τῷ ὕπνῳ γινομένου πνεύματος, καθεκτικώτερος γάρ ἐστιν ἢ προετικώτερος ὁ καθεύδων τοῦ πνεύματος, διὸ καὶ συστέλλει τὸ θερμὸν ἐντός.
For there it is also pushed out along with the breath that is produced during sleep; for the sleeper is more retentive than emissive of breath, which is why he also contracts the heat inside.
ὁ δὲ κατέχων τὸ πνεῦμα ὠθεῖ κάτω αὐτό· παρὰ φύσιν γάρ ἐστι τῷ πνεύματι ἡ κάτω φορά, διὸ καὶ χαλεπόν ἐστι κατέχειν τὸ πνεῦμα.
And he who holds the breath pushes it downward; for the downward movement is contrary to nature for breath, which is why it is also difficult to hold the breath.
τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ αἴτιον καὶ τοῦ καθεύδειν ἡμῖν ἐστίν.
And this same cause is also the cause of our sleeping.
οὔσης γὰρ τῆς ἐγρηγόρσεως κινήσεως, ταύτης δ’ ἐν τοῖς αἰσθητηρίοις ἡμῶν γινομένης μάλιστα ἐν τῷ ἐγρηγορέναι ἡμᾶς, δῆλον ὡς καὶ ἠρεμούντων ἡμῶν καθεύδοιμεν ἄν.
For since waking is a movement, and this occurs in our sense organs especially when we are awake, it is clear that when they are at rest we would sleep.
ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ μὲν πῦρ κινητικόν ἐστι τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν μορίων, τοῦτο δ’ ἐν τῷ ὕπνῳ ἐντὸς περιίσταται, λιπὸν τὸν περὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τόπον οὗ ἐστὶ τὸ αἰσθητήριον, ἠρεμοίη ἂν μάλιστα ἡμῶν τότε τὰ αἰσθητήρια· ὃ εἴη ἂν αἴτιον τοῦ καθεύδειν.
And since fire is capable of moving the parts in us, and this in sleep concentrates inside, leaving the region around the head where the sense organ is, our sense organs would then be especially at rest; which would be the cause of sleeping.
§33.16Διὰ τί πτάραντες καὶ οὐρήσαντες φρίττουσιν;
Why is it that people shiver after sneezing and urinating?
ἢ ὅτι κενοῦνται αἱ φλέβες ἀμφοτέροις τούτοις τοῦ πρότερον ἐνυπάρχοντος ἀέρος θερμοῦ, κενωθέντων δὲ ἄλλος ἀὴρ ἔξωθεν εἰσέρχεται ψυχρότερος τοῦ προϋπάρχοντος ἐν ταῖς φλεψίν· τοιοῦτος δ’ εἰσιὼν ποιεῖ φρίττειν.
Is it because by both of these the veins are emptied of the warm air previously existing in them, and when they are emptied, other air from outside enters, colder than that pre-existing in the veins; and such air entering causes shivering?
§33.17Διὰ τί τοὺς λυγμοὺς οἱ πταρμοὶ παύουσιν;
Why do sneezes stop hiccups?
ἢ ὅτι ὁ λυγμὸς οὐχ ὥσπερ οἱ ἐρυγμοὶ ἀπὸ τῆς τὰ σιτία δεχομένης κοιλίας ἐστίν, ἀλλ’ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος, συμβαίνει δὲ μάλιστα ἀπὸ καταψύξεως ἐκ ῥίγους καὶ λύπης καὶ φαρμακείας τῆς ἄνω μάλιστα γίνεσθαι.
Is it because the hiccup, unlike belching, is not from the stomach that receives food, but from the breath, and it happens to arise especially from cooling due to shivering, grief, or medicine for the upper region?
θερμὸς γὰρ ὢν φύσει ὁ τόπος, ὅταν καταψυχθῇ, οὐ προίεται τὸ πνεῦμα πᾶν, ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ πομφόλυγας ποιεῖ· διὸ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα κατασχοῦσι παύεται (ἐκθερμαίνεται γὰρ ὁ τόπος), καὶ τὸ ὄξος, θερμαντικὸν ὄν, προσφερόμενον.
For that region being warm by nature, when it is cooled, does not let go of all the breath, but makes it like bubbles; wherefore it stops also for those who hold their breath (for the place is thoroughly warmed), and when vinegar, which is warming, is administered.
τοῦ δὴ θερμοῦ συμβαίνοντος ἀπὸ θερμασίας καὶ τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου, τῶν ἄνω τόπων εἰς τὸν πνεύμονα συντετρημένων, θερμοῦ τοῦ πνεύμονος ὄντος, ἥ τε πρὸ τοῦ πταρμοῦ κατοχὴ καὶ ἡ ἄνωθεν κατάκρουσις λύει τὸ πάθος.
Since heat is produced from the warming of the brain, and the upper regions are connected through into the lungs, and the breath there is warm, both the holding of the breath before the sneeze and the downward impact from above dissolve the affection.
§33.18Διὰ τί οἱ οὐλότριχες, καὶ οἷς ἐπέστραπται τὸ τρίχιον, ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ σιμότεροι;
Why is it that curly-haired people, and those whose hair is twisted, are for the most part snub-nosed?
ἢ εἴπερ ἡ οὐλότης ἐν παχύτητι, ἡ δὲ παχύτης μετὰ σκληρότητος, σκληρὸν δ’ ὂν τὸ αἷμα θερμόν, ἡ δὲ θερμότης οὐ ποιεῖ περίττωσιν, τὸ δὲ ὀστοῦν ἐκ περιττώματος, ὁ δὲ χόνδρος ὀστοῦν, εὐλόγως ἂν ἔκλειψις εἴη τοῦ μορίου;
Is it because, if curliness is in thickness, and thickness is accompanied by hardness, and blood being hard is hot, and heat does not produce residue, whereas bone is from residue, and cartilage is a kind of bone, there would reasonably be a deficiency of this part?
σημεῖον δὲ τὸ τὰ παιδία πάντα εἶναι σιμά.
And a sign is that all infants are snub-nosed.