§4.27Διὰ τί μάλιστ’ αἰσχύνονται ὁμολογεῖν οἱ ἐπιθυμοῦντες ἀφροδισιάζεσθαι, ἀλλ’ οὐ πιεῖν οὐδὲ φαγεῖν οὐδὲ ἄλλο τῶν τοιούτων οὐδέν;
Why is it that those who desire sexual intercourse are most ashamed to admit it, but not to drink or to eat or any other such thing?
ἢ ὅτι τῶν μὲν πλείστων ἀναγκαῖαι αἱ ἐπιθυμίαι, ἔνια δὲ καὶ ἀναιρεῖ τοὺς μὴ τυγχάνοντας· ἡ δὲ τῶν ἀφροδισίων ἐκ περιουσίας ἐστίν.
Is it because, while most desires are necessary, and some even destroy those who do not satisfy them, the desire for sexual things is from superfluity?
§4.28Διὰ τί οἱ μὲν ἄνδρες τοῦ χειμῶνος, αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες τοῦ θέρους ὁρμητικώτεραι πρὸς τὰ ἀφροδίσια;
Why is it that men are more driven towards sexual intercourse in winter, but women in summer?
ἢ ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἄνδρες θερμοὶ μᾶλλον καὶ ξηροὶ τὰς φύσεις, αἱ δὲ γυναικες ὑγραὶ καὶ κατεψυγμέναι;
Is it because men are hotter and drier in their natures, whereas women are moist and cooled?
τοῖς μὲν οὖν τὸ ὑγρὸν καὶ τὸ θερμὸν αὔταρκες πρὸς τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ χειμῶνος (ἡ δὲ τοῦ σπέρματος γένεσις ἐκ τούτων), ταῖς δὲ τὸ θερμὸν ἔλαττον καὶ τὸ ὑγρόν ἐστι πεπηγὸς διὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν τοῦ πυρός· τοῦτο δὲ θέρους.
For men, indeed, the moisture and heat are sufficient for the impulse of winter (and the generation of seed is from these), whereas for women the heat is less and the moisture is congealed because of the lack of fire; and this [becomes sufficient] in summer.
ταῖς μὲν οὖν σύμμετρον τὸ θερμόν, τοῖς δὲ πλέον τοῦ ἱκανοῦ· τὸ γὰρ ἄγαν πολὺ ἐκλύει τῆς δυνάμεως.
Therefore, for women the heat is moderate, but for men it is more than sufficient; for what is excessively much weakens the power.
διὸ καὶ τὰ παιδία τοῦ θέρους λεπτότερα· συμβαίνει γὰρ πῦρ ἐπὶ πῦρ φέρειν.
For which reason also children are thinner in summer; for it happens that fire is brought upon fire.
§4.29Διὰ τί ὅσοι θερμοὶ τὴν φύσιν, ἐὰν ἰσχυροὶ ὦσι καὶ εὐτραφεῖς, ἐὰν μὴ ἀφροδισιάσωσι, χολή τε προΐσταται αὐτοῖς πολλάκις καὶ ἔκπικρον ὑποχωρεῖ καὶ φλέγμα ἁλμυρὸν γίνεται, καὶ ἀλλοχροοῦσιν;
Why is it that those who are hot by nature, if they are strong and well-nourished, if they do not perform sexual intercourse, bile often stands before them, extremely bitter excrement is discharged, phlegm becomes salty, and they change color?
ἢ ὅτι μετὰ τοῦ σπέρματος ἀεὶ περίττωμα συναπέρχεται;
Is it because a residue always departs along with the seed?
διὸ καὶ ἐνίοις τῶν πνευματικῶν ἰχθύων πλύντρου ὄζει ἡ γονή.
Wherefore also in some of the respiratory fish, the seed smells of wash-water.
ἀφροδισιάζουσι μὲν οὖν τοῦτο συναπέρχεται, ὥστ’ οὐ λυπεῖ· μὴ ἁπτομένοις δὲ τῆς ὁμιλίας τὸ περίττωμα ἐκπικροῦται ἢ ἁλμυρὸν γίνεται.
For those who perform sexual intercourse, then, this departs along with it, so that it does not cause pain; but for those who do not touch intercourse, the residue becomes extremely bitter or salty.
§4.30Διὰ τί ἀφροδισιαστικοὶ οἱ μελαγχολικοί;
Why are melancholic people lustful?
ἢ ὅτι πνευματώδεις, τὸ δὲ σπέρμα πνεύματος ἔξοδός ἐστιν.
Is it because they are full of breath, and the seed is the exit of breath?
οἷς οὖν πολὺ τοιοῦτον, ἀνάγκη πολλάκις ἐπιθυμεῖν τούτους ἀποκαθαίρεσθαι· κουφίζονται γάρ.
Those, therefore, in whom there is much of such a thing, must often desire to be purified of it; for they are relieved.
§4.31Διὰ τί καὶ οἱ ὄρνιθες καὶ οἱ δασεῖς ἄνθρωποι λάγνοι;
Why are both birds and hairy men lustful?
πότερον ὅτι ὑγρότητα ἔχουσιν πολλήν;
Is it because they have much moisture?
ἢ οὔ (τὸ γὰρ θῆλυ ὑγρὸν μέν, ἀλλ’ οὐ δασύ), ἀλλ’ ὅτι ἀμφότεραι αἱ φύσεις πεπτικαὶ πολλῆς ὑγρότητος διὰ θερμότητα;
Or not so (for the female is indeed moist, but not hairy), but because both natures are capable of concocting much moisture on account of heat?
σημεῖον δὲ αἱ τρίχες καὶ τὰ πτερά.
And the proof is the hairs and the feathers.
ἢ ὅτι πολὺ τὸ ὑγρόν, καὶ κρατεῖται ὑπὸ τοῦ θερμοῦ;
Or because the moisture is much, and is controlled by the heat?
οὔτε γὰρ ἂν μὴ πολλῆς οὔσης τῆς ὑγρότητος οὔτε μὴ κρατουμένης ἐξεφύετο τοῖς μὲν αἱ τρίχες, τοῖς δὲ τὰ πτερά.
For neither if the moisture were not much nor if it were not controlled, would hairs have grown out in some, and feathers in others.
τὸ δὲ σπέρμα γίνεται ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις πλεῖστον καὶ τόποις καὶ ὥραις, οἷον ἐν τῷ ἔαρι· ἡ γὰρ φύσις αὐτοῦ ὑγρὰ καὶ θερμή.
And seed is generated most in such natures, places, and seasons, as in the spring; for its nature is moist and hot.
διὰ ταὐτὸ δὲ καὶ οἱ ὄρνιθες λάγνοι καὶ οἱ χωλοί· ἡ γὰρ τροφὴ ἀμφοτέροις κάτω μὲν ὀλίγη διὰ τὴν ἀναπηρίαν τῶν σκελῶν, εἰς δὲ τὸν ἄνω τόπον ἔρχεται καὶ εἰς σπέρμα συγκρίνεται.
And for the same reason both birds and lame people are lustful; for in both, the nourishment going downwards is little because of the defect of the legs, but it goes to the upper region and is concocted into seed.
§4.32Διὰ τί, ἐὰν ἀφροδισιάζῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἀσθενοῦσι μάλιστα;
Why is it that, if a man performs sexual intercourse, his eyes become weakest?
ἢ δῆλον ὅτι ἀπολείποντος τοῦ ὑγροῦ τοῦτο γίνεται;
Is it clearly because this happens when the moisture fails?
τεκμήριον δ’ ὅτι ἡ γονὴ ψυχρά ἐστιν· οὐ γὰρ γίνεται ὑγρά, ἐὰν μὴ διαθερμάνῃ τὰ θερμά.
And the proof that the seed is cold is that it does not become liquid, unless hot things thoroughly warm it.
οὐδὲ δεῖται τήξεως· κέχυται γὰρ ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὥσπερ τὸ αἷμα.
Nor does it need melting; for it is poured in the man just like blood.