§10.26.1Σπέρμα εἰς μήτραν ἀφεὶς ἀπεχώρησε καὶ λοιπὸν ἄλλη αἰτία παραλαβοῦσα ἐργάζεται καὶ ἀποτελεῖ βρέφος·
A man casts seed into the womb and departs; and henceforth another cause takes it over, works on it, and fashions a baby.
ἐξ οἵου οἷον; πάλιν·
From what sort of thing, what a thing!
τροφὴν διὰ φάρυγγος ἀφῆκε καὶ λοιπὸν ἄλλη αἰτία παραλαβοῦσα αἴσθησιν καὶ ὁρμὴν καὶ τὸ ὅλον ζωὴν καὶ ῥώμην καὶ ἄλλα (ὅσα καὶ οἷα; ) ποιεῖ.
Again, one lets food down through the throat; and henceforth another cause takes it over and produces sensation, impulse, and, on the whole, life, strength, and other things (how many and what kind!).
ταῦτα οὖν ἐν τοιαύτῃ ἐγκαλύψει γινόμενα θεωρεῖν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν οὕτως ὁρᾶν, ὡς καὶ τὴν βρίθουσαν καὶ τὴν ἀνωφερῆ ὁρῶμεν, οὐχὶ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, ἀλλ’ οὐχ ἧττον ἐναργῶς.
These things, then, taking place in such concealment, you must contemplate, and perceive the power in this way, just as we perceive the downward-tending and the upward-tending force, not with the eyes, but no less clearly.