§36.1Διὰ τί τοῦ προσώπου τὰς εἰκόνας ποιοῦνται;
Why is it that people have portraits made of their face?
πότερον ὅτι τοῦτο δηλοῖ ποῖοί τινες;
Is it because this shows what kind of persons they are?
ἢ ὅτι μάλιστα γινώσκεται;
Or because it is the most recognized part?
§36.2Διὰ τί τὸ πρόσωπον ἰδίουσι μάλιστα, ἀσαρκότατον ὄν; p.
Why do they sweat most on the face, although it is the least fleshy part? p.
ἢ διότι εὐΐδρωτα μὲν ὅσα ὕφυγρα καὶ ἀραιά, ἡ δὲ κεφαλὴ τοιαύτη·
Is it because all parts that are moist and porous are prone to sweat, and the head is of this nature?
ὑγρότητα γὰρ οἰκείαν ἔχει πλείστην.
For it has the greatest amount of its own moisture.
δηλοῦσι δ’ αἱ φλέβες τείνουσαι ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ οἱ κατάρροι γινόμενοι ἐξ αὐτῆς, καὶ ὁ ἐγκέφαλος ὑγρός, καὶ οἱ πόροι πολλοί·
This is shown by the veins extending from there, and the catarrhs arising from it, and the brain being moist, and the pores being many.
σημεῖον δ’ αἱ τρίχες, ὅτι πολλοὶ πόροι εἰσὶ περαίνοντες ἔξω.
And a sign of this is the hair, showing that there are many pores extending outwards.
οὔκουν ἐκ τῶν κάτω ὁ ἱδρώς, ἀλλ’ ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς γίνεται.
Therefore, sweat does not come from the lower parts, but is produced from the head.
διὸ ἰδίουσιν καὶ πρῶτον μάλιστα τὸ μέτωπον· ὑπόκειται γὰρ τὸ πρῶτον.
For this reason, they sweat first and most on the forehead; for it is what lies first beneath.
τὸ δ’ ὑγρὸν κάτω ῥεῖ, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἄνω.
And moisture flows downwards, but not upwards.
§36.3Διὰ τί ἐν τῷ προσώπῳ μάλιστα οἱ ἴονθοι;
Why do pimples appear most on the face?
ἢ διότι μανὸς ὁ τόπος καὶ ὑγρότητα ἔχει;
Is it because the place is porous and contains moisture?
σημεῖον δὲ ἥ τε τῶν τριχῶν ἔκφυσις καὶ ἡ τῶν αἰσθήσεων δύναμις·
And a sign of this is both the growth of hair and the power of the senses.
ὁ δὲ ἴονθος ὥσπερ ἐξάνθημα ὑγρότητός τινος ἀπέπτου.
And a pimple is like an eruption of some undigested moisture.