§5.14Διὰ τί τὰ μὲν ἄλλα τριβόμενα σαρκοῦνται μέρη, ἡ δὲ γαστὴρ λεπτοτέρα γίνεται;
Why is it that, while other parts when rubbed become fleshy, the belly becomes thinner?
ἢ οὐδὲ αὐτὴ ἐκ προσαγωγῆς, ἀλλὰ στιφροτέρα;
Or is it that even the belly itself does not become so by addition, but rather more compact?
οὐ μὴν ἀλλ’ οὐχ ὁμοίως γε καὶ ἡ σάρξ, διὸ καὶ τὸ πρόβλημά ἐστιν.
Nevertheless, it does not do so in the same way as the flesh, wherefore also the problem arises.
ὅλως γὰρ ἐν τοῖς γυμνασίοις καὶ πόνοις μάλιστα λεπτύνεται ἡ γαστήρ.
For in general, in gymnastic exercises and fatigues, the belly is thinned most of all.
αἴτιον δ’ ὅτι τὰ πίονα θερμαινόμενα τήκεται, καὶ τὰ φύσει τάσιν ἔχοντα μᾶλλον.
And the cause is that fatty things when heated melt, and especially those which naturally possess tension.
τὸ δὲ δέρμα ἐστὶ φύσει ἔχον τάσιν· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ πιαίνεσθαι τάχιστα ἀεί τινα ἔχει πιότητα, ἐὰν μὴ κάμνῃ τινὰ νόσον.
Now the skin naturally possesses tension; but because it gets fat very quickly, it always has some fatness, unless it suffers from some disease.
αἴτιον δὲ τούτου ὅτι ἐγγύς ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς.
And the cause of this is that it is near the food.
ἐπεὶ οὖν ὅλως ἡ πιμελὴ οὐκ ἔστιν φύσει, ἀλλ’ ἐπίκτητον, καὶ οὐ τῶν ἀναγκαίων μερῶν ὥσπερ ἡ σάρξ, καὶ ἡ τῶν γυμνασίων κίνησις καὶ ἡ τῆς τρίψεως θερμαίνουσαι τήκουσιν αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν τροφὴν ἐκπλεονάζουσαν νέμουσιν τοῖς ἄλλοις μορίοις.
Since, therefore, fat is not in general natural but acquired, and not one of the necessary parts like the flesh, the movement of gymnastic exercises and that of rubbing, by heating, melt it and distribute the excess food to the other parts.
διὸ αἱ μὲν καθέδραι τὴν κοιλίαν πιαίνουσι, τὸ δ’ ἄλλο σῶμα λεπτύνουσιν, αἱ δὲ κινήσεις καὶ αἱ τρίψεις τὴν μὲν κοιλίαν λεπτύνουσι, τὸ δ’ ἄλλο σῶμα παχύνουσιν.
Therefore, sitting makes the belly fat but thins the rest of the body, whereas movements and rubbings thin the belly but fatten the rest of the body.
§5.15Διὰ τί ἐκ τῶν μακρῶν καὶ σφοδρῶν ὁδῶν καὶ δρόμων, ὅταν στῇ τις ἐπ’ ἄκρων τῶν δακτύλων, σείονται τῶν ποδῶν αἱ πτέρναι καὶ σπᾶται κάτω προπετῶς;
Why is it that, after long and violent walks and runs, when one stands on the tips of one's toes, the heels of the feet shake and are drawn downwards in a forward-leaning posture?
ἢ διὰ τὴν συνέχειαν καὶ σφοδρότητα τῆς κινήσεως οὐκ ἀναπαύεται ὁ σεισμὸς τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῶν νεύρων;
Is it because, owing to the continuity and violence of the movement, the shaking of the tendons does not rest in a person?
τοῦ μὲν γὰρ ὅλου σώματος κρατεῖ ἡ ψυχὴ πολλάκις, μορίων δ’ οὔ, ὁπόταν πως κινηθῇ, οἷον καὶ καρδίας καὶ αἰδοίου.
For the soul often controls the whole body, but not the parts when they move in a certain way, as for instance the heart and the private parts.
αἴτιον δ’ ὅτι πνεῦμα πολὺ περὶ τὰ νεῦρα ἐκκαίεται, ὃ οὐχ ἅμα ἐκψύχεται στάντι.
And the cause is that much breath (pneuma) is heated around the tendons, which does not cool down at the same time when one stops.
τοῦτο οὖν σεῖον ὥσπερ ὑποσπῶν τῇ κινήσει κατασπᾶται καὶ τοῦ πορρωτάτω ἥκιστα ποιεῖ κρατεῖν· τοιοῦτον δὲ αἱ πτέρναι, οἷον τοῖς ὀργιζομένοις τὸ κάτω χεῖλος.
This, therefore, shaking and as it were undermining by its movement, draws them downwards and makes the soul least able to control the furthest parts; and the heels are of this kind, just like the lower lip in those who are angry.
§5.16Διὰ τί οἱ μὴ σφόδρα συντόνως τρέχοντες ἐν τῷ ῥυθμῷ ἀναπνέουσιν;
Why do those who do not run very intensely breathe in rhythm?
πότερον ὅτι πᾶς ῥυθμὸς ὡρισμένῃ μετρεῖται κινήσει, τοιαύτη δ’ ἐστὶν ἡ δι’ ἴσου οὖσα, ὅπερ οἱ τροχάζοντες ποιοῦσιν.
Is it because all rhythm is measured by a defined movement, and such a movement is that which is at equal intervals, which is exactly what those who jog do?
ἅμα οὖν ἀρχόμενοι τροχάζειν ἀναπνέουσιν, ὥστε τὴν ἀναπνοὴν δι’ ἴσου γινομένην, διὰ τὸ τῇ ἴσῃ κινήσει μετρεῖσθαι, ῥυθμὸν ποιεῖν.
Therefore, as soon as they begin to jog, they breathe, so that the breathing, occurring at equal intervals because it is measured by the equal movement, produces rhythm.
ἢ ὅτι πᾶσα μὲν ἁπλῶς ἀναπνοὴ δι’ ἴσου γίνεται τοῖς κατὰ φύσιν αὐτῇ χρωμένοις καὶ μὴ κατέχουσιν;
Or is it because simply all breathing occurs at equal intervals for those who use it naturally and do not hold it?
καθημένοις μὲν οὖν καὶ βαδίζουσι μετρίας οὔσης τῆς τοῦ σώματος κινήσεως, οὐκ εὔδηλος ὁ ῥυθμὸς γίνεται· συντόνως δὲ τρέχουσιν, οὐ παρακολουθούσης τῇ κινήσει τῆς αἰσθήσεως, οὐ δυνάμεθα συνορᾶν τὸν τῆς ἀναπνοῆς ῥυθμόν.
Now for those who sit and walk, since the movement of the body is moderate, the rhythm does not become obvious; but for those who run intensely, since perception does not keep pace with the movement, we are unable to discern the rhythm of their breathing.
ἐν δὲ τῷ μετρίως τροχάζειν μέτρον ἡ κίνησις αἰσθητὸν τῆς ἀναπνοῆς ποιοῦσα τὸν ῥυθμὸν δηλοῖ.
But in jogging moderately, the movement, by making a perceptible measure of the breathing, reveals its rhythm.
§5.17Διὰ τί ἐν τῷ τροχάζειν ἐκπνευματοῦσθαι δοκεῖ ἡμῖν ὁ ἀήρ;
Why is it that in jogging, the air seems to us to turn into wind?
πότερον ὅτι κινούμενοι διὰ τοῦ τροχάζειν τὸν συνεχῆ τοῖς σώμασιν ἡμῶν ἀέρα κινοῦμεν, ὅ ἐστι πνεῦμα;
Is it because, by moving through jogging, we move the air continuous with our bodies, which is wind?
διόπερ οὐ δοκεῖ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατ’ ἀλήθειαν ἐκπνευματοῦται ὁ ἀήρ;
Wherefore it does not only seem so, but in truth the air does turn into wind.
ἢ διότι τροχάζοντες προσκόπτομεν τῷ ἀέρι, τούτου δὲ συμβαίνοντος μᾶλλον αἴσθησιν λαμβάνομεν τοῦ ἀέρος διὰ τῆς κινήσεως;
Or is it because by jogging we strike against the air, and when this happens we receive a greater perception of the air through our movement?
εἰκότως οὖν ἡμῖν ἐκπνευματοῦσθαι δοκεῖ· τοῦτο γὰρ συμβαίνει διὰ τὴν φοράν.
Naturally, then, it seems to us to turn into wind; for this happens because of our locomotion.
§5.18Διὰ τί μᾶλλον θέοντες ἢ βαδίζοντες πίπτουσιν; 〈ἢ〉 ὅτι μᾶλλον πρὶν κινεῖσθαι αἴρουσιν;
Why do they fall more when running than when walking? 〈Is it〉 because they lift their feet more before moving forward?
τὸ γὰρ θέειν τοῦ βαδίζειν τούτῳ διαφέρει.
For running differs from walking in this.