§3.2.1Χρὴ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα παραφυλάσσειν, ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἐπιγινόμενα τοῖς φύσει γινομένοις ἔχει τι εὔχαρι καὶ ἐπαγωγόν.
We must also observe things of this kind, that even the secondary consequences of things which are produced according to nature have something pleasing and attractive.
οἷον ἄρτου ὀπτωμένου παραρρήγνυταί τινα μέρη· καὶ ταῦτα οὖν τὰ διέχοντα οὕτως καὶ τρόπον τινὰ παρὰ τὸ ἐπάγγελμα τῆς ἀρτοποιίας ἔχοντα ἐπιπρέπει πως καὶ προθυμίαν πρὸς τὴν τροφὴν ἰδίως ἀνακινεῖ.
For instance, when bread is baked, some parts of it split open; and these parts, though they part in this way and are in some measure contrary to the baker's art, yet they are somehow becoming and singularly excite the desire for food.
§3.2.2πάλιν τε τὰ σῦκα ὁπότε ὡραιότατά ἐστι, κέχηνε καὶ ἐν ταῖς δρυπεπέσιν ἐλαίαις αὐτὸ τὸ ἐγγὺς τῇ σήψει ἴδιόν τι κάλλος τῷ καρπῷ προστίθησι.
And again, when figs are quite ripe, they gape open; and in ripe olives, the very proximity to decay adds a peculiar beauty to the fruit.
καὶ οἱ στάχυες κάτω νεύοντες καὶ τὸ τοῦ λέοντος ἐπισκύνιον καὶ ὁ τῶν συῶν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ῥέων ἀφρὸς καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα, κατ’ ἰδίαν εἴ τις σκοποίη, πόρρω ὄντα τοῦ εὐειδοῦς, ὅμως διὰ τὸ τοῖς φύσει γινομένοις ἐπακολουθεῖν συνεπικοσμεῖ καὶ ψυχαγωγεῖ·
And the ears of corn bending down, and the shaggy brow of the lion, and the foam flowing from the mouth of wild boars, and many other things, if one should look at them individually, though they are far from being beautiful, yet because they follow as consequences of things produced by nature, they help to adorn them and delight us.
§3.2.3ὥστε, εἴ τις ἔχει πάθος καὶ ἔννοιαν βαθυτέραν πρὸς τὰ ἐν τῷ ὅλῳ γινόμενα, σχεδὸν οὐδὲν οὐχὶ δόξει αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν κατ̓ ἐπακολούθησιν συμβαινόντων ἡδέως πως διασυνίστασθαι.
So that, if a man has a deeper feeling and understanding of the things that come into being in the universe, there is hardly anything, even among those which happen by way of consequence, which will not seem to him to be somehow agreeably constituted.
οὗτος δὲ καὶ θηρίων ἀληθῆ χάσματα οὐχ ἧσσον ἡδέως ὄψεται ἢ ὅσα γραφεῖς καὶ πλάσται μιμούμενοι δεικνύουσιν, καὶ γραὸς καὶ γέροντος ἀκμήν τινα καὶ ὥραν καὶ τὸ ἐν παισὶν ἐπαφρόδιτον τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ σώφροσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρᾶν δυνήσεται·
And such a man will see the actual gaping jaws of wild beasts with no less pleasure than the imitations which painters and sculptors show us; and he will be able to look with his chaste eyes upon a certain ripeness and bloom of both old women and old men, and the lovely charm of children.
καὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα οὐ παντὶ πιθανά, μόνῳ δὲ τῷ πρὸς τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὰ ταύτης ἔργα γνησίως ᾠκειωμένῳ προσπεσεῖται.
And many such things will not appeal to everyone, but will strike only him who is truly familiar with Nature and her works.