§34.1Διὰ τί οἱ μανοὺς ἔχοντες τοὺς ὀδόντας οὐ μακρόβιοι;
Why are those who have sparse teeth not long-lived?
ἢ ὅτι τὰ μακρόβια πλείους ἔχουσιν, οἷον τὰ ἄρσενα τῶν θηλειῶν.
Is it because long-lived animals have more teeth, as males do compared to females?
ἄνδρες γυναικῶν, πρόβατα προβάτων.
Men more than women, sheep more than sheep.
οἱ οὖν ἀραιόδοντες ὥσπερ ἂν ἐλάττονας ἔχουσιν ὀδόντας ἐοίκασιν.
So, those who have sparse teeth seem as if they have fewer teeth.
§34.2Διὰ τί οἱ ὀδόντες ἰσχυρότεροι τῶν σαρκῶν ὄντες ὅμως τοῦ ψυχροῦ αἰσθάνονται μᾶλλον;
Why is it that teeth, being stronger than flesh, nevertheless feel cold more?
ἢ ὅτι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόρους προσπεφύκασιν, ἐν οἷς ὀλίγον ὂν τὸ θερμὸν ταχὺ ὑπὸ τοῦ ψυχροῦ κρατούμενον ποιεῖ τὴν ἀλγηδόνα;
Is it because they are attached to passages, in which the heat, being small, is quickly overcome by the cold and produces pain?
§34.3Διὰ τί τοῦ ψυχροῦ μᾶλλον αἰσθάνονται οἱ ὀδόντες ἢ τοῦ θερμοῦ, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ τοὐναντίον;
Why do teeth feel cold more than heat, while flesh is the opposite?
πότερον ὅτι ἡ μὲν σὰρξ τοῦ μέσου καὶ εὔκρατος, οἱ δὲ ὀδόντες ψυχροί, ὥστε τοῦ ἐναντίου μᾶλλον αἰσθητικοί;
Is it because flesh belongs to the mean and is well-tempered, while teeth are cold, so that they are more sensitive to the opposite?
ἢ διότι λεπτῶν πόρων εἰσίν, ἐν οἷς μικρὸν τὸ θερμόν, ὥστε ταχὺ πάσχουσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐναντίου; ἡ δὲ σὰρξ θερμή, ὥστε οὐδὲν πάσχει ὑπὸ τοῦ ψυχροῦ, τοῦ δὲ θερμοῦ ταχὺ αἰσθάνεται· ὥσπερ γὰρ πῦρ ἐπὶ πυρὶ γίνεται.
Or is it because they consist of narrow passages, in which there is little heat, so that they quickly suffer from the opposite; while flesh is hot, so that it suffers nothing from cold, but quickly feels heat; for it is like fire added to fire?
§34.4Διὰ τί ἡ γλῶττα σημαντικὸν πολλῶν;
Why is the tongue indicative of many things?
καὶ γὰρ τῶν πυρετῶν ἐν τοῖς ὀξέσι νοσήμασιν, καὶ ἐὰν χάλαζαι ἐνῶσιν· καὶ τῶν ποικίλων προβάτων ποικίλαι.
For indeed it is indicative of fevers in acute diseases, and if there are cysts; and the tongues of speckled sheep are speckled.
ἢ ὅτι ὑγρότητος δεκτικόν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ πνεύμονι ἐπίκειται, οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐπὶ τῶν πυρετῶν.
Is it because it is receptive of moisture, and lies upon the lung, where the origin is in fevers?
πολύχροα δὲ πάντα διὰ τὴν πολύχροιαν τῶν ὑγρῶν· βάπτεται δὲ πρῶτον δι’ οὗ πρῶτον ἠθεῖται· ἡ δὲ γλῶττα τοιοῦτον.
And all things are multi-colored because of the multi-colored nature of the fluids; and that through which the fluid is first strained is dyed first, and the tongue is such a thing.
αἵ τε χάλαζαι διὰ τὸ σομφὴν εἶναι συλλέγονται· ἔστι γὰρ ἡ χάλαζα οἱονεὶ ἴονθος ἄπεπτος ἐν τοῖς ἐντός.
And the cysts collect because it is spongy; for the cyst is like an undigested pimple in the internal parts.
§34.5Διὰ τί ἡ γλῶττα γλυκεῖα μὲν οὐ γίνεται, πικρὰ δὲ καὶ ἁλμυρὰ καὶ ὀξεῖα;
Why does the tongue not become sweet, but becomes bitter, salty, and sour?
ἢ ὅτι διαφθοραὶ ταῦτ’ ἐστίν, τῆς δὲ φύσεως οὐκ αἰσθάνεται;
Is it because these latter states are corruptions, and it does not perceive its own natural state?
§34.6Διὰ τί ὅσας ἂν χρόας ἔχῃ τὸ δέρμα, τοσαύτας ἔχει καὶ ἡ γλῶττα;
Why is it that however many colors the skin has, the tongue has just as many?
πότερον ὅτι ἓν μέρος ἐστὶν ὥσπερ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἔξωθεν, ἀλλ’ ἐντὸς περιείληπται;
Is it because it is one part just like any other of the external parts, but has been enclosed inside?
διὰ δὲ τὸ λεπτὸν εἶναι ταύτῃ τὸ δέρμα καὶ ἡ μικρὰ ποικιλία ἐμφαίνεται.
And because the skin is thin in this part, even a slight variegation is visible?
ἢ διότι τὸ ὕδωρ ἐστὶν ὃ ποιεῖ μεταβάλλειν τὰς χρόας; ἡ δὲ γλῶττα μάλιστα πάσχει ὑπὸ τοῦ πόματος.
Or because it is water that causes colors to change, and the tongue is most affected by drink?
§34.7Διὰ τί ἐκ τοῦ στόματος καὶ θερμὸν καὶ ψυχρὸν πνέουσιν;
Why do people breathe out both hot and cold from the mouth?
φυσῶσι μὲν γὰρ ψυχρόν, ἀάζουσι δὲ θερμόν.
For they blow cold, but pant hot.
σημεῖον δὲ ὅτι θερμαίνει, ἐὰν πλησίον προσαγάγῃ τις τοῦ στόματος τὴν χεῖρα ἢ ἀμφοτέρως ὁ ἀὴρ κινούμενος ψυχρός·
And a sign that it warms is if one brings the hand close to the mouth; or otherwise, in both ways the air being moved is cold.
ὁ δὲ φυσῶν κινεῖ τὸν ἀέρα οὐκ ἀθρόως, ἀλλὰ διὰ στενοῦ τοῦ στόματος· ὀλίγον οὖν ἐκπνέων πολὺν κινεῖ τὸν θύραθεν, ἐν ᾧ τὸ θερμὸν ὂν τὸ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος οὐ φαίνεται δι’ ὀλιγότητα.
But he who blows moves the air not all at once, but through a narrow mouth; therefore, exhaling a little, he moves a lot of the outside air, in which the heat from the mouth is not apparent due to its small amount.
ὁ δὲ ἀάζων ἀθρόον ἐκπνεῖ· διὸ θερμόν.
But he who pants exhales all at once; wherefore it is hot.
ἔστι γὰρ φυσασμοῦ τῷ διαφέρειν τῇ συστροφῇ· ὁ δ’ ἀασμὸς ἀθρόου ἔκπνευσις.
For it differs from blowing in concentration; and panting is the exhalation of air all at once.