§5Ἡ δ’ ἐν τῷ Τιμαίῳ γεγραμμένη περίωσις περί τε τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων οὐδὲν διώρικε τίνα τρόπον αὐτοῖς ἡ τοῦ θερμοῦ γίνεται σωτηρία, πότερον τὸν αὐτὸν ἢ δι’ ἄλλην τινὰ αἰτίαν· εἰ μὲν γὰρ μόνοις τὸ τῆς ἀναπνοῆς ὑπάρχει τοῖς πεζοῖς, λεκτέον τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ μόνοις· εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ὁ δὲ τρόπος ἄλλος, καὶ περὶ τούτου διοριστέον, εἴπερ δυνατὸν ἀναπνεῖν πᾶσιν.
The circular thrust (periosis) described in the Timaeus has made no definition concerning the other animals, in what manner the preservation of their heat occurs, whether in the same way or through some other cause; for if respiration belongs only to terrestrial animals, the cause of its belonging only to them must be stated; but if it belongs to the others also, and the manner is different, this too must be defined, if indeed it is possible for all to respire.
Ἔτι δὲ καὶ πλασματώδης ὁ τρόπος τῆς αἰτίας.
Furthermore, the manner of this cause is also fantastical.
Ἐξιόντος γὰρ ἔξω τοῦ θερμοῦ διὰ τοῦ στόματος, τὸν περιέχοντα ὠθούμενον ἀέρα φερόμενον ἐμπίπτειν εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον φησὶ διὰ μανῶν οὐσῶν τῶν σαρκῶν, ὅθεν τὸ ἐντὸς ἐξῄει θερμόν, διὰ τὸ μηδὲν εἶναι κενὸν ἀντιπεριισταμένων ἀλλήλοις· θερμανθέντα δὲ πάλιν ἐξιέναι κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον, καὶ περιωθεῖν εἴσω διὰ τοῦ στόματος τὸν ἀέρα τὸν ἐκπίπτοντα θερμόν· καὶ τοῦτο δὴ διατελεῖν ἀεὶ ποιοῦντας, ἀναπνέοντάς τε καὶ ἐκπνέοντας.
For he says that when the heat goes out through the mouth, the surrounding air, being pushed, is carried and falls into the same place through the flesh being porous, whence the internal heat went out, because there is no void as they mutually replace one another; and when it has been warmed, it goes out again by the same place, and pushes inward through the mouth the air which is falling out warm; and that they perform this continually, both inhaling and exhaling.
Συμβαίνει δὲ τοῖς οὕτως οἰομένοις πρότερον τὴν ἐκπνοὴν γίνεσθαι τῆς εἰσπνοῆς.
But it happens to those who think thus that exhalation occurs prior to inhalation.
Ἔστι δὲ τοὐναντίον.
Yet the contrary is the case.
Σημεῖον δέ· γίνεται μὲν γὰρ ἀλλήλοις ταῦτα παρ’ ἄλληλα, τελευτῶντες δὲ ἐκπνέουσιν, ὥστ’ ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰσπνοήν.
And as proof: these occur alternately with each other, and at the end they exhale, so that the beginning must necessarily be inhalation.
Ἔτι δὲ τὸ τίνος ἕνεκα ταῦθ’ ὑπάρχει τοῖς ζῴοις (λέγω δὲ τὸ ἀναπνεῖν καὶ τὸ ἐκπνεῖν) οὐθὲν εἰρήκασιν οἱ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον λέγοντες, ἀλλ’ ὡς περὶ συμπτώματός τινος ἀποφαίνονται μόνον.
Furthermore, as to for the sake of what these things belong to animals (I mean inhaling and exhaling), those who speak in this manner have said nothing, but they only declare them as if they were some concomitant symptom.
Καίτοι γε κύρια ταῦθ’ ὁρῶμεν τοῦ ζῆν καὶ τελευτᾶν· ὅταν γὰρ ἀναπνεῖν μὴ δύνωνται, τότε συμβαίνει γίνεσθαι τὴν φθορὰν τοῖς ἀναπνέουσιν.
And yet we see that these are sovereign over living and dying; for when they cannot respire, then death happens to those that respire.
Ἔτι δὲ ἄτοπον τὸ τὴν μὲν τοῦ θερμοῦ διὰ τοῦ στόματος ἔξοδον καὶ πάλιν εἴσοδον μὴ λανθάνειν ἡμᾶς, τὴν δ’ εἰς τὸν θώρακα τοῦ πνεύματος εἴσοδον καὶ πάλιν θερμανθέντος ἔξοδον λανθάνειν.
Furthermore, it is absurd that the exit and again the entry of the heat through the mouth does not escape our notice, while the entry of the breath into the chest and its exit again when it has been warmed should escape our notice.
Ἄτοπον δὲ καὶ τοῦ θερμοῦ τὴν ἀναπνοὴν εἴσοδον εἶναι.
It is also absurd that respiration should be the entry of heat.
Φαίνεται γὰρ τοὐναντίον· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐκπνεόμενον εἶναι θερμόν, τὸ δ’ εἰσπνεόμενον ψυχρόν.
For the contrary is observed; for what is exhaled is hot, and what is inhaled is cold.
Ὅταν δὲ θερμὸν ᾖ, ἀσθμαίνοντες ἀναπνέουσιν· διὰ γὰρ τὸ μὴ καταψύχειν ἱκανῶς τὸ εἰσιὸν πολλάκις τὸ πνεῦμα συμβαίνει σπᾶν. §6Ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδὲ τροφῆς γε χάριν ὑποληπτέον γίνεσθαι τὴν ἀναπνοήν, ὡς τρεφομένου τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ ἐντὸς πυρός, καὶ ἀναπνέοντος μὲν ὥσ περ ἐπὶ πῦρ ὑπέκκαυμα ὑποβάλλεσθαι, τραφέντος δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς γίνεσθαι τὴν ἐκπνοήν.
And when the environment is hot, they respire gasping; for because the entering breath does not cool sufficiently, it happens that they frequently draw in the breath. Moreover, we must not suppose that respiration occurs for the sake of nourishment, as though the internal fire were nourished by the breath, and that in respiring it is like laying fuel on a fire, and when the fire has been nourished, exhalation occurs.
Ταὐτὰ γὰρ ἐροῦμεν πάλιν καὶ πρὸς τοῦτον τὸν λόγον ἅπερ πρὸς τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν· καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων ἐχρῆν τοῦτο συμβαίνειν ἢ τὸ ἀνάλογον τούτῳ· πάντα γὰρ ἔχει θερμότητα ζωτικήν.
For we shall say the same things again to this argument as to the previous ones; for this ought to have happened to the other animals as well, or something analogous to it; for all have vital heat.
Ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ γίνεσθαι τὸ θερμὸν ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος τίνα χρὴ τρόπον λέγειν, πλασματῶδες ὄν·
Next, in what manner should we say that heat is produced from the breath, since this is fantastical?
μᾶλλον γὰρ ἐκ τῆς τροφῆς τοῦτο γινόμενον ὁρῶμεν.
For we see this happening rather from nourishment.
Συμβαίνει τε κατὰ ταὐτὸ δέχεσθαι τὴν τροφὴν καὶ τὸ περίττωμα ἀφιέναι· τοῦτο δ’ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων οὐχ ὁρῶμεν γινόμενον.
And it happens that they receive nourishment and discharge the residue by the same way; but we do not see this happening in other cases.