§6.1Διὰ τί ἡ καθέδρα τοὺς μὲν παχύνει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τοὺς δὲ ἰσχναίνει;
Why does sitting make some people fat but others thin?
πότερον 〈ὅτι〉 αἱ ἕξεις διαφέρουσιν;
Is it because their constitutions differ?
οἱ μὲν γὰρ θερμοί εἰσιν, οἱ δὲ ψυχροί.
For some are warm, others cold.
οἱ μὲν οὖν θερμοὶ παχύνονται (κρατεῖ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα τῆς τροφῆς διὰ τὴν θερμασίαν)· οἱ δ’ ἐψυγμένοι, διὰ τὸ δεῖσθαι ἐπεισάκτου θερμότητος καὶ τοῦτο πάσχειν μάλιστα τὸ σῶμα ὑπὸ τῶν κινήσεων, οὐ δύνανται πέττειν ἠρεμοῦντες.
Thus, the warm become fat (for the body masters the food because of the heat); but those who are chilled, because they need adventitious heat and the body experiences this especially through movements, are unable to digest when they are at rest.
ἢ ὅτι οἱ μὲν περιττωματικοί εἰσι, καὶ δέονται κινήσεως ἣ ἀναλώσει ταῦτα, οἱ δὲ οὔ;
Or is it because some are full of residues and need movement which will consume them, while others are not?
§6.2Διὰ τί δεῖ ποιεῖν διάτασιν τῶν μερῶν, ὃ ποιεῖ ὁ γυμναζόμενος;
Why must one stretch the parts, which is what the person exercising does?
ἢ ὅτι δεῖ τῷ οἰκείῳ πνεύματι καθαίρεσθαι τοὺς πόρους;
Is it because the pores must be cleansed by one's own breath?
§6.3Διὰ τί συγκεκαμμένον βέλτιον κατακεῖσθαι, καὶ πολλοί γε παραγγέλλουσιν τοῦτο καὶ τῶν ἰατρῶν;
Why is it better to lie down curled up, which indeed many doctors also recommend?
ἢ ὅτι ἀλεαίνουσα ἡ κοιλία θᾶττον πέττει;
Is it because the belly, when warmed, digests more quickly?
οὕτω δὲ καὶ ἀλεαίνει μᾶλλον.
And in this way it also warms more.
ἔτι δεῖ τοῖς πνεύμασι τόπον διδόναι εἰς ὅν ἀπερείσονται· οὕτω γὰρ ἥκιστα λυπήσουσιν αἱ φῦσαι.
Furthermore, one must give a place for the gases to rest; for in this way flatulence will cause the least pain.
διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἰξίαι καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἀποστήματα ὑγιεινόν, ὅτι ἔχουσι κοιλίας εἰς ἃς ἀπο δέχονται τὰ πνεύματα.
For this reason indeed, both sciatica and other abscesses are healthy, because they have cavities into which they receive the gases.
ἐκτεταμένου μὲν οὖν οὐ γίνεται κοιλία (ἅπαντα γὰρ τὸν τόπον τὰ σπλάγχνα κατέχει), συγκαμφθέντος δὲ γίνεται.
Now, when one is stretched out, no cavity is formed (for the viscera occupy the whole space), but when one is curled up, a cavity is formed.
§6.4Διὰ τὶ ἀνισταμένοις ἴλιγγος μᾶλλον γίνεται ἢ καθιζάνουσιν;
Why is dizziness more likely to occur to those standing up than to those sitting down?
ἢ διότι ἠρεμοῦσι τὸ ὑγρὸν εἰς ἓν μόριον ἀθρόον ἀποκλίνει;
Is it because, when people are at rest, the fluid inclines all at once to one part?
διὸ καὶ τὰ ὠμὰ ᾠὰ οὐ δύναται δινεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ καταπίπτει.
For this reason indeed raw eggs cannot spin but fall over.
κινούμενον δὲ τὸ ὑγρὸν ὁμοίως ἔχει.
But when it is moving, the fluid is uniform.
ἀνίστανται μὲν οὖν ἠρεμήσαντες, ὅτε οὕτως διάκεινται· καθιζάνουσιν δὲ ἐν κινήσει γενόμενοι, ὅτε ὁμαλῶς ἔχει τὸ ὑγρὸν καὶ ἐσκέδασται.
Now they stand up after having been at rest, when they are in this state; but they sit down after being in motion, when the fluid is uniform and dispersed.
§6.5Διὰ τί ἐπὶ τὰ δεξιὰ κατακειμένοις μᾶλλον ἐπέρχεται ὕπνος;
Why does sleep come more to those lying on their right side?
πότερον ὅτι ἐναντίως ἔχοντες ἐγρηγόρασιν καὶ καθεύδουσιν;
Is it because waking and sleeping are opposite states?
ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐγρηγορότες ἐπὶ τὰ ἀριστερὰ κατάκεινται, τοὐναντίον ἔσται ἐπ’ ἄλλης ἀρχῆς καὶ τῆς ἐναντίας.
Since, then, when waking they lie on their left, the opposite will occur on the other and opposite principle.
ἢ ὅτι ἀκινησία ὁ ὕπνος;
Or is it because sleep is immobility?
τὰ μὲν οὖν κινητικὰ μέρη δεῖ ἠρεμεῖν, τὰ δὲ δεξιὰ κινητικά.
Therefore, the parts that cause movement must be at rest, and the right parts are the ones that cause movement.
οὕτω δὲ κατακειμένων οἷον δέδεται ἀρχή τις ἐπεγερτική.
When they lie in this way, a certain waking principle is, as it were, bound.
§6.6Διὰ τί ναρκῶσι;
Why do parts grow numb?
καὶ διὰ τί χεῖρας καὶ πόδας μᾶλλον;
And why hands and feet more?
ἢ ὅτι κατάψυξίς ἐστιν ἡ νάρκη;
Is it because numbness is a chilling?
διὰ στέρησιν γὰρ αἵματος γίνεται καὶ μετάστασιν.
For it occurs due to deprivation and displacement of blood.
ἀσαρκότατα δὲ ταῦτα καὶ νευρωδέστατα, μάλιστα δὲ οἱ πόδες.
And these parts are the least fleshy and most sinewy, especially the feet.
ὥστε προοδοποιεῖται ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως πρὸς τὸ καταψύχεσθαι ταχέως.
Consequently, the way is prepared by nature for their being rapidly chilled.
§6.7Διὰ τί κατακείμεθα μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀριστερὰ ἡδέως, καθεύδομεν δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ δεξιὰ μᾶλλον;
Why do we lie down on our left side with pleasure, but sleep more on our right side?
πότερον ὅτι ἀποστραφέντες πρὸς τὸ φῶς οὐ βλέπομεν;
Is it because we do not see, having turned away from the light?
ἐν γὰρ τῷ σκότει θᾶττον ὕπνος λαμβάνει.
For in the darkness sleep overtakes us more quickly.
ἢ διότι ἐγρηγόραμεν κατακείμενοι ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀριστεροῖς, καὶ αἱ χρήσεις ἡμῖν οὕτω πρόχειροι, ὥστε πρὸς τὸ ἐναντίον σχῆμα πρὸ ἔργου;
Or is it because when lying on our left side we are awake, and our active functions are so ready to hand, so that the opposite posture is advantageous for our purpose?
παρακαλεῖ δὲ ἕκαστον πρὸς τὸ ἔργον τὸ σχῆμα μᾶλλον.
For each posture rather summons us to its corresponding activity.