§38.1Διὰ τί τὸν μὲν κηρὸν καὶ τοὔλαιον λευκαίνει ὁ ἥλιος, τὴν δὲ σάρκα μελαίνει;
Why is it that the sun whitens wax and oil, but blackens the flesh?
ἢ ὅτι τὰ μὲν λευκαίνει ἀπάγων τὸ ὕδωρ, φύσει γὰρ τὸ ὑγρὸν μέλαν διὰ τὴν μῖξιν τοῦ γεώδους [ὕδατος], τὴν δὲ σάρκα ἐπικαίει;
Is it because it whitens the former by taking away the water—for by nature liquid is black owing to the mixture of the earthy [water]—but it burns up the flesh?
§38.2Διὰ τί οἱ ἁλιεῖς καὶ πορφυρεῖς καὶ ἁπλῶς οἱ τὴν θάλατταν ἐργαζόμενοι πυρροί εἰσιν;
Why are fishermen, purple-dyers, and in general those who work at sea, ruddy?
πότερον ὅτι ἡ θάλαττα θερμὴ καὶ αὐχμώδης ἐστὶ διὰ τὴν ἅλμην;
Is it because the sea is hot and parching owing to the salt?
τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτον πυρρὰς ποιεῖ τὰς τρίχας, καθάπερ ἥ τε κονία καὶ τὸ ἀρσενικόν.
And such a condition makes the hair reddish, just as lye and arsenic do.
ἢ τὰ μὲν ἐκτὸς γίνονται θερμότεροι, τὰ δ’ ἐντὸς περιψύχονται διὰ τὸ βρεχομένων αὐτῶν ἀεὶ ξηραίνεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου τὰ πέριξ;
Or is it because, while their outer parts become hotter, their inner parts are chilled because, as they are always wet, their surroundings are dried by the sun?
τούτων δὲ τοῦτο πασχόντων αἱ τρίχες ξηραινόμεναι λεπτύνονται καὶ πυρροῦνται.
And since they experience this, their hair, being dried, becomes thin and reddish.
καὶ πάντες δὲ οἱ πρὸς ἄρκτον πυρρότριχες καὶ λεπτότριχές εἰσιν.
Indeed, all those towards the north are red-haired and thin-haired.
§38.3Διὰ τί οἱ μὲν ἐν ἱματίῳ δρόμοι καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἐλαίου εἰς ἱμάτιον χρῖσις ἄχρους ποιεῖ, οἱ δὲ γυμνοὶ δρόμοι εὔχρους;
Why is it that running in a cloak and rubbing oil into a cloak make one pale, whereas running naked makes one healthy-complexioned?
ἢ ὅτι ἡ μὲν εὔπνοια εὔχροιαν ποιεῖ, ἡ δὲ κατάπνιξις τοὐναντίον.
Is it because ventilation makes a good complexion, whereas stifling does the opposite?
διὰ δὴ τὸ συνθερμαινόμενον τὸ ἐπιπολῆς ὑγρὸν μὴ διαψύχεσθαι ἄχροιαν ποιεῖ.
Indeed, because the surface moisture which is heated along with the body is not cooled, it causes pallor.
ἄμφω δὲ ταὐτον ποιεῖ, ἡ ἐν τῷ ἱματίῳ ἴδισις καὶ ἡ εἰς τὸ ἱμάτιον ἄλειψις· ἐγκατακλείεται γὰρ ἡ θερμότης.
Both running in a cloak and oiling a cloak produce the same effect; for the heat is enclosed inside.
οἱ δὲ γυμνοὶ δρόμοι εὔχρουν ποιοῦσιν διὰ τοὐναντίον, ὅτι καταψύχει ὁ ἀὴρ τὰς συνισταμένας ἐκκρίσεις καὶ διαπνεῖ τὸ σῶμα.
On the other hand, running naked produces a good complexion for the opposite reason, because the air cools the accumulated excretions and ventilates the body.
ἔτι τὸ ἔλαιον ὑγρὸν ὂν καὶ λεπτόν, ὑπαλειφθὲν καὶ τοὺς πόρους ἐμφράττον, οὔτε τὸ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος ὑγρὸν καὶ πνεῦμα ἔξω ῥεῖν ἐᾷ, οὔτε τὸ ἐκτὸς πνεῦμα ἐντός.
Furthermore, oil, being moist and fine, when smeared on and blocking the pores, allows neither the moisture and breath from the body to flow out, nor the external breath to enter.
διὸ καταπνιγόμενα ἐν τῷ σώματι ὑγρὰ περιττώματα σηπόμενα ἄχροιαν ποιεῖ.
Therefore, the liquid residues, being stifled within the body, putrefy and cause pallor.
§38.4Διὰ τί ἡ εὔπνοια εὔχρους ποιεῖ;
Why does ventilation make a good complexion?
ἢ ὅτι ἄχροια ἔοικεν εἶναι οἷον σῆψίς τις χρωτός;
Is it because pallor seems to be a kind of putrefaction of the skin?
ὅταν οὖν τὸ ἐπιπολῆς ὑγρὸν καὶ θερμὸν ᾖ. τοῦτο συμβαίνει καὶ χλωρὸν γίνεσθαι, ἐὰν μὴ ψυχθῇ καὶ ἀποπνεύσῃ τὸ θερμόν.
When, therefore, the surface moisture is hot, if it is not cooled and the heat does not escape, this happens and it becomes pale-green.
§38.5Διὰ τί οἱ μὲν ἱδρώσαντες ἐκ τῶν γυμνασίων εὔχροοί εἰσιν εὐθύς, οἱ δὲ ἀθληταὶ ἄχροοι;
Why is it that those who have sweated from exercises are immediately of a good complexion, whereas athletes are pale?
ἢ διότι ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ μετρίου πόνου τὸ θερμὸν ἐκκάεται καὶ ἐπιπολάζει, ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν πολλῶν ἐξηθεῖται μετὰ τοῦ ἱδρῶτος καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος, ἀραιουμένου τοῦ σώματος ἐν τῷ πονεῖν;
Is it because by moderate labor the heat is kindled and rises to the surface, but by excessive labor it is squeezed out along with the sweat and the breath, as the body becomes porous during the exertion?
ὅταν μὲν οὖν ἐπιπολάσῃ τὸ θερμόν, εὔχροοι γίνονται, καθάπερ οἵ τε θερμαινόμενοι καὶ αἰσχυνόμενοι· ὅταν δὲ ἐκλίπῃ, ἄχροοι.
When, therefore, the heat rises to the surface, they get a good complexion, just like those who are warmed or who feel shame; but when it fails, they become pale.
οἱ μὲν οὖν ἰδιῶται μέτρια γυμνάζονται, οἱ δὲ ἀθληταὶ πολλά.
Thus, ordinary people exercise moderately, whereas athletes exercise excessively.
§38.6Διὰ τί μᾶλλον καίονται ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου οἱ καθεζόμενοι τῶν γυμναζομένων;
Why are those who sit burned more by the sun than those who exercise?
ἢ ὅτι οἱ ἐν κινήσει ὄντες ὥσπερ ῥιπίζονται ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος διὰ τὸ κινεῖν τὸν ἀέρα, οἱ δὲ καθήμενοι οὐ πάσχουσι τοῦτο;
Is it because those in motion are, as it were, fanned by the breeze because they move the air, whereas those who sit do not experience this?
§38.7Διὰ τί ὁ μὲν ἥλιος ἐπικάει, τὸ δὲ πῦρ οὔ;
Why does the sun burn the flesh, but fire does not?
ἢ διότι λεπτότερός ἐστιν ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ μᾶλλον δύναται διαδύεσθαι εἰς τὴν σάρκα;
Is it because the sun is finer, and is better able to penetrate into the flesh?
τὸ δὲ πῦρ, ἐὰν καὶ ἐπικαύσῃ, ἄνω μόνον ποιεῖ τὸ χρῶμα, τὰς φοῖδας καλουμένας· εἴσω δὲ οὐκ εἰσδύεται.
On the other hand, fire, even if it burns, only produces color on the surface—the so-called "phoides"—but does not penetrate inside.
§38.8Διὰ τί τὸ πῦρ οὐ ποιεῖ μέλανας, ὁ δὲ ἥλιος ποιεῖ· p τὸν δὲ κέραμον ποιεῖ, ὁ δὲ ἥλιος οὔ;
Why does fire not make men black, whereas the sun does; and on the other hand, fire makes pottery black, whereas the sun does not?
ἢ οὐχ ὁμοίως ἑκάτερον ποιεῖ, ἀλλ’ ὁ μὲν ἐπικάων τὴν χρόαν μελαίνει, τὸ δὲ πῦρ τὸν κέραμον ἀναπιμπλᾷ, ᾗ ἀναφέρει ἀσβόλῳ.
Is it because they do not each do so in the same way, but the sun, by burning, blackens the complexion, whereas fire fills the pottery with the soot which it carries up?
τοῦτο δ’ ἔστι λεπτῆς μαρίλης, ἀποθραυομένων ἅμα καὶ καομένων τῶν ἀνθράκων.
And this is a fine coal-dust, when the coals are broken up and burned at the same time.
τοὺς δὲ ἀνθρώπους ὁ μὲν ἥλιος μελαίνει, τὸ δὲ πῦρ οὔ, ὅτι τοῦ μὲν μαλθακὴ ἡ θερμότης, καὶ διὰ μικρομέρειαν δύναται τὸ δέρμα αὐτὸ κάειν· ὥστε διὰ μὲν τὸ τῆς σαρκὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι οὐκ ἀλγεινόν, διὰ δὲ τὸ κάειν μέλαν ποιεῖ.
On the other hand, as for men, the sun blackens them but fire does not, because the heat of the sun is gentle and, owing to its fineness, is able to burn the skin itself; so that, because it does not touch the flesh itself, it is not painful, but because it burns, it makes them black.
τὸ δὲ πῦρ ἢ οὐχ ἅπτεται ἢ εἴσω διέρχεται, ἐπεὶ μέλανα καὶ τὰ πυρίκαυστα γίνεται, ἀλλ’ οὐ μόνον ἐκεῖνον τὸν τόπον κάει οὗ ἡ χροιά.
On the other hand, fire either does not touch the skin or passes right inside—since fire-burnt things also become black—but it does not burn only that place where the complexion is.
§38.9Διὰ τί οἱ γηράσκοντες μελάντεροι γίνονται;
Why do those who grow old become darker?
ἢ ὅτι πᾶν σηπόμενον μελάντερον γίνεται, πλὴν εὐρῶτος;
Is it because everything that putrefies becomes darker, except mold?
τοῦτο δ’ ἐστὶ γῆρας καὶ σαπρότης.
And this is old age and decay.
ἔτι ἐπειδὴ τὸ αἷμα ξηραινόμενον μελάντερον γίνεται, εἰκότως ἂν μελάντεροι εἶεν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ χρῷζον ἡμῶν τὰ σώματα φυσικῶς.
Furthermore, since blood becomes darker when dried, it is natural that older people should be darker; for this is what naturally colors our bodies.
§38.10Διὰ τί περὶ τὴν τῶν σίτων ἐργασίαν, οἱ μὲν περὶ τὰς κριθὰς ἄχροοι γίνονται καὶ καταρροϊκοί, οἱ δὲ περὶ τοὺς πυροὺς εὐεκτικοί;
Why is it that, in the working of grain, those who work with barley become pale and catarrhal, whereas those who work with wheat are in good condition?
ἢ διότι εὐπεπτότερος ὁ πυρὸς τῆς κριθῆς, ὥστε καὶ αἱ ἀπόρροιαι;
Is it because wheat is more easily digested than barley, and therefore its emanations are so too?
§38.11Διὰ τί ὁ μὲν ἥλιος τὸ μὲν ἔλαιον λευκαίνει, τὴν δὲ σάρκα μελαίνει;
Why does the sun whiten oil, but blacken the flesh?
ἢ ὅτι τοῦ μὲν ἐλαίου ἀπάγει τὸ γεῶδες;
Is it because it takes away the earthy element from the oil?
τοῦτο δὲ ἦν τὸ μέλαν, ὥσπερ τὸ γεῶδες τοῦ οἴνου.
And this was the black element, just like the earthy element in wine.
τὴν δὲ σάρκα μελαίνει, ὅτι κάει· τὸ γὰρ γεῶδες καόμενον ἅπαν γίνεται μέλαν.
On the other hand, it blackens the flesh because it burns it; for everything earthy, when burned, becomes black.