Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §188.1

Why the Octopus Changes Color Due to Fear

Passage 194 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Discusses why the octopus changes its color, presenting Theophrastus' view that it is a cowardly animal by nature whose color changes along with its breath when disturbed, just like a human.

§188.1Fr. 188 Δίοτι τὴν χροιὰν ὁ πολύπους ἐξαλλάττει;
Why does the octopus change its color?
πότερον, ὡν Θ. ᾤετο, δειλόν ἐστι φύσει ζῶον;
Is it because, as Theophrastus thought, it is by nature a cowardly animal?
ὅταν οὖν ταραχθῇ τρεπόμενον τῷ πνεύματι συμμεταβάλλει τὸ χρῶμα εἷ καθάπερ ἄνθρωπος.
Therefore, when it is disturbed, being changed in its breath (pneuma), it changes its color along with it, just like a human.

Notes

  1. §188.1Δίοτι — The form Δίοτι is likely a corruption or late spelling of διὰ τί ('why').
  2. §188.1ὡν — The word ὡν is understood as a corruption of ὡς ('as'), forming the phrase 'as Theophrastus thought' with the following Θ. ᾤετο.
  3. §188.1τρεπόμενον τῷ πνεύματι — Composed of the middle/passive present participle τρεπόμενον of the verb τρέπω, and the dative τῷ πνεύματι. It indicates that the octopus is 'changed in or by its breath (pneuma)' due to fear, drawing an analogy to human physiological changes when frightened.
  4. §188.1εἷ — This word is likely corrupt, possibly a misspelling of ἤ ('or'), ὡς ('as'), or εὐθύς ('immediately'). It is here interpreted as part of the comparative expression with καθάπερ ἄνθρωπος ('just like a human').

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §188.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:188.1

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