Drossaart Lulofs (OCT, 1965) · Platt (1910)
Platt (1910)
Greek line numbers are exact. The translations carry no Bekker numbers of their own, so those beside the English are aligned to the Greek: upright = fixed (anchored to this point in the text), italic grey = approximate (interpolated estimate).
Book 1,Chapter 1 (715a1–715b30)
715a
1 Ἐπεὶ δὲ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων μορίων εἴρηται τῶν ἐν τοῖς ζῴοις
καὶ κοινῇ καὶ καθ' ἕκαστον γένος περὶ τῶν ἰδίων χωρίς,
τίνα τρόπον διὰ τὴν τοιαύτην αἰτίαν ἐστὶν ἕκαστον, λέγω δὲ
ταύτην τὴν ἕνεκά του· ὑπόκεινται γὰρ αἰτίαι τέτταρες, τό
5 τε οὗ ἕνεκα ὡς τέλος καὶ ὁ λόγος τῆς οὐσίας (ταῦτα μὲν
οὖν ὡς ἕν τι σχεδὸν ὑπολαβεῖν δεῖ), τρίτον δὲ καὶ τέταρτον
ἡ ὕλη καὶ ὅθεν ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κινήσεως—περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν
ἄλλων εἴρηται (ὁ τε γὰρ λόγος καὶ τὸ οὗ ἕνεκα ὡς τέλος
ταὐτὸν καὶ ἡ ὕλη τοῖς ζῴοις τὰ μέρη· παντὶ μὲν τῷ ὅλῳ
10 τὰ ἀνομοιομερῆ, τοῖς δ' ἀνομοιομερέσι τὰ ὁμοιομερῆ, τούτοις
δὲ τὰ καλούμενα στοιχεῖα τῶν σωμάτων), λοιπὸν δὲ
τῶν μὲν μορίων τὰ πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν συντελοῦντα τοῖς ζῴοις
περὶ ὧν οὐθὲν διώρισται πρότερον, περὶ αἰτίας δὲ τῆς κινούσης
τίς ἀρχή. τὸ δὲ περὶ ταύτης σκοπεῖν καὶ τὸ περὶ τῆς
15 γενέσεως τῆς ἑκάστου τρόπον τινὰ ταὐτόν ἐστιν· διόπερ ὁ λόγος
εἰς ἓν συνήγαγε, τῶν μὲν περὶ τὰ μόρια τελευταῖα
ταῦτα, τῶν δὲ περὶ γενέσεως τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐχομένην τούτων
τάξας. Τῶν δὴ ζῴων τὰ μὲν ἐκ συνδυασμοῦ γίγνεται θήλεος
καὶ ἄρρενος, ἐν ὅσοις γένεσι τῶν ζῴων ἐστὶ τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ
20 ἄρρεν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν πᾶσίν ἐστιν, ἀλλ' ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἐναίμοις ἔξω
ὀλίγων ἅπασι τὸ μὲν ἄρρεν τὸ δὲ θῆλυ τελειωθέν ἐστι, τῶν
δ' ἀναίμων τὰ μὲν ἔχει τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν ὥστε τὰ
ὁμογενῆ γεννᾶν, τὰ δὲ γεννᾷ μέν, οὐ μέντοι τά γε ὁμογενῆ·
τοιαῦτα δ' ἐστὶν ὅσα γίγνεται μὴ ἐκ ζῴων συνδυαζομένων
25 ἀλλ' ἐκ γῆς σηπομένης καὶ περιττωμάτων. ὡς δὲ
κατὰ παντὸς εἰπεῖν, ὅσα μὲν κατὰ τόπον μεταβλητικὰ
τῶν ζῴων †ὄντα τὰ μὲν νευστικὰ τὰ δὲ πτηνὰ τὰ δὲ πεζευτικὰ
τοῖς σώμασιν, ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις ἐστὶ
τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν, οὐ μόνον τοῖς ἐναίμοις ἀλλ'
30 ἐνίοις καὶ ἀναίμοις. καὶ τούτων τοῖς μὲν καθ' ὅλον
1WE have now discussed the other parts of animals, both generally and with reference to the peculiarities of each kind, explaining how each part exists on account of such a cause, and I mean by this the final cause.
There are four causes underlying everything: first, the final cause, that for the sake of 5which a thing exists; secondly, the formal cause, the definition of its essence (and these two we may regard pretty much as one and the same); thirdly, the material; and fourthly, the moving principle or efficient cause.
We have then already discussed the other three causes, for the definition and the final cause are the same, and the material of animals is their parts of the 10whole animal the non-homogeneous parts, of these again the homogeneous, and of these last the so-called elements of all matter. It remains to speak of those parts which contribute to the generation of animals and of which nothing definite has yet been said, and to explain what is the moving or efficient cause. To inquire into this last and to inquire into the generation of each 15animal is in a way the same thing; and, therefore, my plan has united them together, arranging the discussion of these parts last, and the beginning of the question of generation next to them.
Now some animals come into being from the union of male and female, i.e. all those kinds of animal which possess the two sexes. This is not the case with all of them; though in the 20sanguinea with few exceptions the creature, when its growth is complete, is either male or female, and though some bloodless animals have sexes so that they generate offspring of the same kind, yet other bloodless animals generate indeed, but not offspring of the same kind; such are all that come into being not from a union of the sexes, but from decaying earth and excrements. To 25speak generally, if we take all animals which change their locality, some by swimming, others by flying, others by walking, we find in these the two sexes, not only in the sanguinea but also in some of the bloodless animals; and this applies in the case of the latter sometimes to the whole class, as the cephalopoda and crustacea, but in the class of insects only to the majority.
There are four causes underlying everything: first, the final cause, that for the sake of 5which a thing exists; secondly, the formal cause, the definition of its essence (and these two we may regard pretty much as one and the same); thirdly, the material; and fourthly, the moving principle or efficient cause.
We have then already discussed the other three causes, for the definition and the final cause are the same, and the material of animals is their parts of the 10whole animal the non-homogeneous parts, of these again the homogeneous, and of these last the so-called elements of all matter. It remains to speak of those parts which contribute to the generation of animals and of which nothing definite has yet been said, and to explain what is the moving or efficient cause. To inquire into this last and to inquire into the generation of each 15animal is in a way the same thing; and, therefore, my plan has united them together, arranging the discussion of these parts last, and the beginning of the question of generation next to them.
Now some animals come into being from the union of male and female, i.e. all those kinds of animal which possess the two sexes. This is not the case with all of them; though in the 20sanguinea with few exceptions the creature, when its growth is complete, is either male or female, and though some bloodless animals have sexes so that they generate offspring of the same kind, yet other bloodless animals generate indeed, but not offspring of the same kind; such are all that come into being not from a union of the sexes, but from decaying earth and excrements. To 25speak generally, if we take all animals which change their locality, some by swimming, others by flying, others by walking, we find in these the two sexes, not only in the sanguinea but also in some of the bloodless animals; and this applies in the case of the latter sometimes to the whole class, as the cephalopoda and crustacea, but in the class of insects only to the majority.
715b
1 τὸ γένος οἷον τοῖς μαλακίοις καὶ τοῖς μαλακοστράκοις, ἐν
δὲ τῷ τῶν ἐντόμων γένει τὰ πλεῖστα. τούτων δ' αὐτῶν ὅσα
μὲν ἐκ συνδυασμοῦ γίγνεται τῶν συγγενῶν ζῴων καὶ αὐτὰ
γεννᾷ κατὰ τὴν συγγένειαν· ὅσα δὲ μὴ ἐκ ζῴων ἀλλ' ἐκ
5 σηπομένης τῆς ὕλης, ταῦτα δὲ γεννᾷ μὲν ἕτερον δὲ γένος,
καὶ τὸ γιγνόμενον οὔτε θῆλύ ἐστιν οὔτε ἄρρεν· τοιαῦτα δ'
ἐστὶν ἔνια τῶν ἐντόμων. καὶ τοῦτο συμβέβηκεν εὐλόγως· εἰ
γὰρ ὅσα μὴ γίγνεται ἐκ ζῴων, ἐκ τούτων ἐγίγνετο ζῷα
συνδυαζομένων, εἰ μὲν ὁμογενῆ, καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοιαύτην
10 ἔδει τῶν τεκνωσάντων εἶναι γένεσιν (τοῦτο δ' εὐλόγως
ἀξιοῦμεν· φαίνεται γὰρ συμβαῖνον οὕτως ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων
ζῴων), εἰ δ' ἀνόμοια μὲν δυνάμενα δὲ συνδυάζεσθαι, πάλιν
ἐκ τούτων ἑτέρα τις ἂν ἐγίγνετο φύσις καὶ πάλιν ἄλλη
τις ἐκ τούτων, καὶ τοῦτ' ἐπορεύετ' ἂν εἰς ἄπειρον. ἡ δὲ φύσις
15 φεύγει τὸ ἄπειρον· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἄπειρον ἀτελές, ἡ δὲ
φύσις ἀεὶ ζητεῖ τέλος. ὅσα δὲ μὴ πορευτικὰ καθάπερ τὰ
ὀστρακόδερμα τῶν ζῴων καὶ τὰ ζῶντα τῷ προσπεφυκέναι,
διὰ τὸ παραπλησίαν αὐτῶν εἶναι τὴν οὐσίαν τοῖς φυτοῖς,
ὥσπερ οὐδ' ἐν ἐκείνοις οὐδ' ἐν τούτοις ἐστὶ τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ
20 ἄρρεν ἀλλ' ἤδη καθ' ὁμοιότητα καὶ κατ' ἀναλογίαν λέγεται·
μικρὰν γάρ τινα τοιαύτην ἔχει διαφοράν. καὶ γὰρ ἐν
τοῖς φυτοῖς ὑπάρχει τὰ μὲν καρποφόρα δένδρα τοῦ αὐτοῦ
γένους, τὰ δ' αὐτὰ μὲν οὐ φέρει καρπόν, συμβάλλεται δὲ
τοῖς φέρουσι πρὸς τὸ πέττειν, οἷον συμβαίνει περὶ τὴν συκῆν
25 καὶ τὸν ἐρινεόν. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν φυτῶν τὸν αὐτὸν
τρόπον· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ σπέρματος γίγνεται τὰ δ' ὥσπερ
αὐτοματιζούσης τῆς φύσεως. γίγνεται γὰρ ἢ τῆς γῆς σηπομένης
ἢ μορίων τινῶν ἐν τοῖς φυτοῖς· ἔνια γὰρ αὐτὰ μὲν οὐ
συνίσταται καθ' αὑτὰ χωρίς, ἐν ἑτέροις δ' ἐγγίγνεται δένδρεσιν
30 οἷον ὁ ἰξός.
1Of these, all which are produced by union of animals of the same kind generate also after their kind, but all which are not produced by animals, but from decaying matter, generate indeed, but produce another kind, and the offspring is neither male nor female; 5such are some of the insects. This is what might have been expected, for if those animals which are not produced by parents had themselves united and produced others, then their offspring must have been either like or unlike to themselves. If like, then their parents ought to have come into being in the same way; this is only 10a reasonable postulate to make, for it is plainly the case with other animals. If unlike, and yet able to copulate, then there would have come into being again from them another kind of creature and again another from these, and this would have gone on to infinity. But Nature flies from the infinite, for the infinite is 15unending or imperfect, and Nature ever seeks an end.
But all those creatures which do not move, as the testacea and animals that live by clinging to something else, inasmuch as their nature resembles that of plants, have no sex any more than plants have, but as applied to them the word is only used in virtue of a similarity and 20analogy. For there is a slight distinction of this sort, since even in plants we find in the same kind some trees which bear fruit and others which, while bearing none themselves, yet contribute to the ripening of the fruits of those which do, as in the case of the fig-tree and caprifig.
The same holds good also in plants, 25some coming into being from seed and others, as it were, by the spontaneous action of Nature, arising either from decomposition of the earth or of some parts in other plants, for some are not formed by themselves separately but are produced upon other trees, as the mistletoe. Plants, however, must be investigated separately.
But all those creatures which do not move, as the testacea and animals that live by clinging to something else, inasmuch as their nature resembles that of plants, have no sex any more than plants have, but as applied to them the word is only used in virtue of a similarity and 20analogy. For there is a slight distinction of this sort, since even in plants we find in the same kind some trees which bear fruit and others which, while bearing none themselves, yet contribute to the ripening of the fruits of those which do, as in the case of the fig-tree and caprifig.
The same holds good also in plants, 25some coming into being from seed and others, as it were, by the spontaneous action of Nature, arising either from decomposition of the earth or of some parts in other plants, for some are not formed by themselves separately but are produced upon other trees, as the mistletoe. Plants, however, must be investigated separately.
Book 1,Chapter 2 (716a1–716b12)
716a
1 Περὶ μὲν οὖν φυτῶν αὐτὰ καθ' αὑτὰ χωρὶς ἐπισκεπτέον.
Περὶ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων τῆς γενέσεως λεκτέον κατὰ
τὸν ἐπιβάλλοντα λόγον καθ' ἕκαστον αὐτῶν, ἀπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων
συνείροντας. καθάπερ γὰρ εἴπομεν τῆς γενέσεως ἀρχὰς
5 ἄν τις οὐχ ἥκιστα θείη τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν, τὸ μὲν
ἄρρεν ὡς τῆς κινήσεως καὶ τῆς γενέσεως ἔχον τὴν ἀρχήν, τὸ
δὲ θῆλυ ὡς ὕλης. τοῦτο δὲ μάλιστ' ἄν τις πιστεύσειε θεωρῶν
πῶς γίγνεται τὸ σπέρμα καὶ πόθεν· ἐκ τούτου μὲν γὰρ τὰ
φύσει γιγνόμενα συνίσταται, τοῦτο δὲ πῶς ἀπὸ τοῦ θήλεος καὶ
10 τοῦ ἄρρενος συμβαίνει γίγνεσθαι δεῖ μὴ λανθάνειν. τῷ γὰρ
ἀποκρίνεσθαι τὸ τοιοῦτον μόριον ἀπὸ τοῦ θήλεος καὶ τοῦ ἄρρενος
καὶ ἐν τούτοις τὴν ἀπόκρισιν εἶναι καὶ ἐκ τούτων, διὰ
τοῦτο τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν ἀρχαὶ τῆς γενέσεώς εἰσιν. ἄρρεν
μὲν γὰρ λέγομεν ζῷον τὸ εἰς ἄλλο γεννῶν, θῆλυ δὲ τὸ εἰς
15 αὑτό· διὸ καὶ ἐν τῷ ὅλῳ τὴν τῆς γῆς φύσιν ὡς θῆλυ καὶ
μητέρα νομίζουσιν, οὐρανὸν δὲ καὶ ἥλιον ἤ τι τῶν ἄλλων τῶν
τοιούτων ὡς γεννῶντας καὶ πατέρας προσαγορεύουσιν. Τὸ δ'
ἄρρεν καὶ τὸ θῆλυ διαφέρει κατὰ μὲν τὸν λόγον τῷ δύνασθαι
ἕτερον ἑκάτερον, κατὰ δὲ τὴν αἴσθησιν μορίοις τισίν·
20 κατὰ μὲν τὸν λόγον τῷ τὸ ἄρρεν μὲν εἶναι τὸ δυνάμενον γεννᾶν
εἰς ἕτερον, καθάπερ ἐλέχθη πρότερον, τὸ δὲ θῆλυ τὸ εἰς
αὑτό, καὶ ἐξ οὗ γίγνεται ἐνυπάρχον ἐν τῷ γεννῶντι τὸ γεννώμενον.
ἐπεὶ δὲ δυνάμει διώρισται καὶ ἔργῳ τινί, δεῖται δὲ
πρὸς πᾶσαν ἐργασίαν ὀργάνων, ὄργανα δὲ ταῖς δυνάμεσι
25 τὰ μέρη τοῦ σώματος, ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι καὶ πρὸς τὴν τέκνωσιν
καὶ πρὸς τὸν συνδυασμὸν μόρια, καὶ ταῦτα διαφέροντ' ἀλλήλων
καθὸ τὸ ἄρρεν διοίσει τοῦ θήλεος. εἰ γὰρ καὶ καθ'
ὅλου λέγεται τοῦ ζῴου τοῦ μὲν τὸ θῆλυ τοῦ δὲ τὸ ἄρρεν, ἀλλ'
οὐ κατὰ πᾶν γε αὐτὸ θῆλυ καὶ ἄρρεν ἐστὶν ἀλλὰ κατά
30 τινα δύναμιν καὶ κατά τι μόριον, ὥσπερ καὶ ὁρατικὸν
καὶ πορευτικόν, —ὅπερ καὶ φαίνεται κατὰ τὴν αἴσθησιν. τοιαῦτα
δὲ τυγχάνει μόρια ὄντα τοῦ μὲν θήλεος αἱ καλούμεναι
ὑστέραι τοῦ δ' ἄρρενος τὰ περὶ τοὺς ὄρχεις καὶ τοὺς περινέους
ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐναίμοις· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ὄρχεις ἔχει αὐτῶν
35 τὰ δὲ τοὺς τοιούτους πόρους. εἰσὶ δὲ διαφοραὶ τοῦ θήλεος καὶ
1Of the generation of animals we must speak as various questions arise in order in the case of each, and we must connect our account with what has been said. For, as we said above, the male and female principles may be put down first and foremost as origins of generation, the former 5as containing the efficient cause of generation, the latter the material of it. The most conclusive proof of this is drawn from considering how and whence comes the semen; for there is no doubt that it is out of this that those creatures are formed which are produced in the ordinary course of Nature; but we must observe carefully the way in which this 10semen actually comes into being from the male and female. For it is just because the semen is secreted from the two sexes, the secretion taking place in them and from them, that they are first principles of generation. For by a male animal we mean that which generates in another, and by a female that which generates in itself; wherefore men apply these 15terms to the macrocosm also, naming Earth mother as being female, but addressing Heaven and the Sun and other like entities as fathers, as causing generation.
Male and female differ in their essence by each having a separate ability or faculty, and anatomically by certain parts; essentially the male is that which is able to generate in another, as said 20above; the female is that which is able to generate in itself and out of which comes into being the offspring previously existing in the parent. And since they are differentiated by an ability or faculty and by their function, and since instruments or organs are needed for all functioning, and since the bodily parts are the instruments or organs to serve 25the faculties, it follows that certain parts must exist for union of parents and production of offspring. And these must differ from each other, so that consequently the male will differ from the female. (For even though we speak of the animal as a whole as male or female, yet really it is not male or female in virtue of the whole of itself, but only 30in virtue of a certain faculty and a certain part — just as with the part used for sight or locomotion — which part is also plain to sense-perception.)
Now as a matter of fact such parts are in the female the so-called uterus, in the male the testes and the penis, in all the sanguinea; for some of them have testes and others the corresponding passages.
Male and female differ in their essence by each having a separate ability or faculty, and anatomically by certain parts; essentially the male is that which is able to generate in another, as said 20above; the female is that which is able to generate in itself and out of which comes into being the offspring previously existing in the parent. And since they are differentiated by an ability or faculty and by their function, and since instruments or organs are needed for all functioning, and since the bodily parts are the instruments or organs to serve 25the faculties, it follows that certain parts must exist for union of parents and production of offspring. And these must differ from each other, so that consequently the male will differ from the female. (For even though we speak of the animal as a whole as male or female, yet really it is not male or female in virtue of the whole of itself, but only 30in virtue of a certain faculty and a certain part — just as with the part used for sight or locomotion — which part is also plain to sense-perception.)
Now as a matter of fact such parts are in the female the so-called uterus, in the male the testes and the penis, in all the sanguinea; for some of them have testes and others the corresponding passages.
716b
1 τοῦ ἄρρενος καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀναίμοις ὅσα αὐτῶν ἔχει ταύτην τὴν
ἐναντίωσιν, διαφέρει δ' ἐν τοῖς ἐναίμοις τὰ μέρη τὰ πρὸς
τὴν μίξιν τοῖς σχήμασιν. δεῖ δὲ νοεῖν ὅτι μικρᾶς ἀρχῆς
μετακινουμένης πολλὰ συμμεταβάλλειν εἴωθε τῶν μετὰ
5 τὴν ἀρχήν. δῆλον δὲ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῶν ἐκτεμνομένων· τοῦ γεννητικοῦ
γὰρ μορίου διαφθειρομένου μόνον ὅλη σχεδὸν ἡ
μορφὴ συμμεταβάλλει τοσοῦτον ὥστε ἢ θῆλυ δοκεῖν εἶναι ἢ
μικρὸν ἀπολείπειν, ὡς οὐ κατὰ τὸ τυχὸν μόριον οὐδὲ κατὰ
τὴν τυχοῦσαν δύναμιν θῆλυ ὂν καὶ ἄρρεν τὸ ζῷον. φανερὸν
10 οὖν ὅτι ἀρχή τις οὖσα φαίνεται τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν· πολλὰ
γοῦν συμμεταβάλλει μεταβαλλόντων ᾗ θῆλυ καὶ ἄρρεν,
ὡς ἀρχῆς μεταπιπτούσης.
1There are corresponding differences of male and female in all the bloodless animals also which have this division into opposite sexes. But if in the sanguinea it is the parts concerned in copulation that differ primarily in their forms, we must observe that a small 5change in a first principle is often attended by changes in other things depending on it. This is plain in the case of castrated animals, for, though only the generative part is disabled, yet pretty well the whole form of the animal changes in consequence so much that it seems to be female or not far short of it, and thus it is clear 10than an animal is not male or female in virtue of an isolated part or an isolated faculty. Clearly, then, the distinction of sex is a first principle; at any rate, when that which distinguishes male and female suffers change, many other changes accompany it, as would be the case if a first principle is changed.
Book 1,Chapter 3 (716b13–717a10)
Ἔχει δὲ τὰ περὶ τοὺς ὄρχεις καὶ τὰς ὑστέρας οὐχ
ὁμοίως πᾶσι τοῖς ἐναίμοις ζῴοις, καὶ πρῶτόν γε τὰ περὶ τοὺς
15 ὄρχεις τοῖς ἄρρεσιν· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ὅλως ὄρχεις οὐκ ἔχει τῶν
τοιούτων ζῴων, οἷον τό τε τῶν ἰχθύων γένος καὶ τὸ τῶν ὄφεων,
ἀλλὰ πόρους μόνον δύο σπερματικούς· τὰ δ' ἔχει μὲν
ὄρχεις, ἐντὸς δ' ἔχει τούτους πρὸς τῇ ὀσφύι κατὰ τὴν τῶν
νεφρῶν χώραν, ἀπὸ δὲ τούτων ἑκατέρου πόρον ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς
20 μὴ ἔχουσιν ὄρχεις, συνάπτοντας εἰς ἓν καθάπερ καὶ ἐπ'
ἐκείνων, οἷον οἵ τε ὄρνιθες πάντες καὶ τὰ ᾠοτοκοῦντα τετράποδα
τῶν δεχομένων τὸν ἀέρα καὶ πνεύμονα ἐχόντων. καὶ
γὰρ ταῦτα πάντα ἐντὸς ἔχει πρὸς τῇ ὀσφύι τοὺς ὄρχεις
καὶ δύο πόρους ἀπὸ τούτων ὁμοίως τοῖς ὄφεσιν, οἷον σαῦροι
25 καὶ χελῶναι καὶ τὰ φολιδωτὰ πάντα. τὰ δὲ ζῳοτόκα
πάντα μὲν ἐν τῷ ἔμπροσθεν ἔχει τοὺς ὄρχεις, ἀλλ' ἔνια αὐτῶν
ἔσω πρὸς τῷ τέλει τῆς γαστρὸς οἷον ὁ δελφίς, καὶ οὐ
πόρους ἀλλ' αἰδοῖον ἀπὸ τούτων περαῖνον εἰς τὸ ἔξω καθάπερ
οἱ βόες, —τὰ δ' ἔξω, καὶ τούτων τὰ μὲν ἀπηρτημένους ὥςπερ
30 ἄνθρωπος, τὰ δὲ πρὸς τῇ ἕδρᾳ καθάπερ οἱ ὕες. διώρισται
δὲ περὶ αὐτῶν ἀκριβέστερον ἐν ταῖς ἱστορίαις ταῖς περὶ
τῶν ζῴων. Αἱ δ' ὑστέραι πᾶσι μέν εἰσι διμερεῖς καθάπερ
καὶ οἱ ὄρχεις τοῖς ἄρρεσι δύο πᾶσιν· ταύτας δ' ἔχουσι τὰ
μὲν πρὸς τοῖς ἄρθροις, καθάπερ αἵ τε γυναῖκες καὶ πάντα
35 τὰ ζῳοτοκοῦντα μὴ μόνον θύραζε ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὑτοῖς καὶ
The sanguinea are not 15all alike as regards testes and uterus. Taking the former first, we find that some of them have not testes at all, as the classes of fish and of serpents, but only two spermatic ducts. Others have testes indeed, but internally by the loin in the region of the kidneys, and from each of these a duct, as in the case of those animals 20which have no testes at all, these ducts unite also as with those animals; this applies (among animals breathing air and having a lung) to all birds and oviparous quadrupeds. For all these have their testes internal near the loin, and two ducts from these in the same way as serpents; I mean the lizards and tortoises and all the scaly 25reptiles. But all the vivipara have their testes in front; some of them inside at the end of the abdomen, as the dolphin, not with ducts but with a penis projecting externally from them; others outside, either pendent as in man or towards the fundament as in swine. They have been discriminated more accurately in the Enquiries about 30Animals.
The uterus is always double, just as the testes are always two in the male. It is situated either near the pudendum (as in women, and all those animals which bring forth alive not only externally but also internally, and all fish that lay eggs externally) or up towards the hypozoma (as in all birds and in viviparous fishes).
The uterus is always double, just as the testes are always two in the male. It is situated either near the pudendum (as in women, and all those animals which bring forth alive not only externally but also internally, and all fish that lay eggs externally) or up towards the hypozoma (as in all birds and in viviparous fishes).
717a
1 οἱ ἰχθύες ὅσοι ᾠοτοκοῦσιν εἰς τοὐμφανές, —τὰ δὲ πρὸς τῷ
ὑποζώματι, καθάπερ οἵ τ' ὄρνιθες πάντες καὶ τῶν ἰχθύων
οἱ ζῳοτοκοῦντες. ἔχουσι δὲ δικρόας καὶ τὰ μαλακόστρακα
τὰς ὑστέρας καὶ τὰ μαλάκια, καὶ τὰ καλούμενα τούτων
5 ᾠὰ τοὺς περιέχοντας ὑμένας ὑστερικοὺς ἔχει. μάλιστα δὲ ἀδιόριστον
ἐπὶ τῶν πολυπόδων ἐστίν, ὥστε δοκεῖν μίαν εἶναι·
τούτου δ' αἴτιον ὁ τοῦ σώματος ὄγκος πάντῃ ὅμοιος ὤν. δικρόαι
δὲ καὶ αἱ τῶν ἐντόμων εἰσὶν ἐν τοῖς μέγεθος ἔχουσιν·
ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἐλάττοσιν ἄδηλοι διὰ μικρότητα τοῦ
10 σώματος.
1The uterus is also double in the crustacea and the cephalopoda, for the membranes which include their so-called eggs are of the nature of a uterus. It is particularly hard to distinguish in the case of the poulps, so that it 5seems to be single, but the reason of this is that the bulk of the body is everywhere similar.
It is double also in the larger insects; in the smaller the question is uncertain owing to the small size of the body.
Such is the description of the aforesaid parts of animals.
It is double also in the larger insects; in the smaller the question is uncertain owing to the small size of the body.
Such is the description of the aforesaid parts of animals.
Book 1,Chapter 4 (717a11–717b13)
Τὰ μὲν οὖν εἰρημένα μόρια τοῖς ζῴοις τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν
τρόπον. Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἐν τοῖς ἄρρεσι διαφορᾶς τῶν σπερματικῶν
ὀργάνων εἴ τις μέλλει θεωρήσειν τὰς αἰτίας δι' ἅς εἰσιν,
ἀνάγκη λαβεῖν πρῶτον τίνος ἕνεκεν ἡ τῶν ὄρχεών ἐστι
15 σύστασις. εἰ δὴ πᾶν ἡ φύσις ἢ διὰ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον ποιεῖ ἢ
διὰ τὸ βέλτιον, κἂν τοῦτο τὸ μόριον εἴη διὰ τούτων θάτερον.
ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν φανερόν· πᾶσι
γὰρ ἂν ὑπῆρχε τοῖς γεννῶσι, νῦν δ' οὔθ' οἱ ὄφεις ἔχουσιν ὄρχεις
οὔθ' οἱ ἰχθύες· ὠμμένοι γάρ εἰσι συνδυαζόμενοι καὶ
20 πλήρεις ἔχοντες θοροῦ τοὺς πόρους. λείπεται τοίνυν βελτίονός
τινος χάριν. ἔστι δὲ τῶν μὲν πλείστων ζῴων ἔργον σχεδὸν
οὐθὲν ἄλλο πλὴν ὥσπερ τῶν φυτῶν σπέρμα καὶ καρπός.
ὥσπερ δ' ἐν τοῖς περὶ τὴν τροφὴν τὰ εὐθυέντερα λαβρότερα
πρὸς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τὴν τῆς τροφῆς, οὕτω καὶ τὰ μὴ ἔχοντα
25 ὄρχεις πόρους δὲ μόνον ἢ ἔχοντα μὲν ἐντὸς δ' ἔχοντα,
πάντα ταχύτερα πρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῶν συνδυασμῶν. ἃ δὲ
δεῖ σωφρονέστερα εἶναι, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖ οὐκ εὐθυέντερα, καὶ ἐνταῦθ'
ἕλικας ἔχουσιν οἱ πόροι πρὸς τὸ μὴ λάβρον μηδὲ ταχεῖαν
εἶναι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν. οἱ δ' ὄρχεις εἰσὶ πρὸς τοῦτο μεμηχανημένοι·
30 τοῦ γὰρ σπερματικοῦ περιττώματος στασιμωτέραν
ποιοῦσι τὴν κίνησιν, ἐν μὲν τοῖς ζῳοτόκοις οἷον ἵπποις
τε καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς τοιούτοις καὶ ἐν ἀνθρώποις σώζοντες
τὴν ἐπαναδίπλωσιν (ὃν δὲ τρόπον ἔχει αὕτη ἐκ τῶν ἱστοριῶν
τῶν περὶ τὰ ζῷα δεῖ θεωρεῖν)· οὐθὲν γάρ εἰσι μόριον
35 τῶν πόρων οἱ ὄρχεις ἀλλὰ πρόσκεινται—καθάπερ τὰς λαιὰς
προσάπτουσιν αἱ ὑφαίνουσαι τοῖς ἱστοῖς—ἀφαιρουμένων
With 10regard to the difference of the spermatic organs in males, if we are to investigate the causes of their existence, we must first grasp the final cause of the testes. Now if Nature makes everything either because it is necessary or because it is better so, this part also must be 15for one of these two reasons. But that it is not necessary for generation is plain; else had it been possessed by all creatures that generate, but as it is neither serpents have testes nor have fish; for they have been seen uniting and with their ducts full of milt. It remains then 20that it must be because it is somehow better so. Now it is true that the business of most animals is, you may say, nothing else than to produce young, as the business of a plant is to produce seed and fruit. But still as, in the case of nutriment, animals with straight intestines 25are more violent in their desire for food, so those which have not testes but only ducts, or which have them indeed but internally, are all quicker in accomplishing copulation. But those which are to be more temperate in the one case have not straight intestines, and in the 30other have their ducts twisted to prevent their desire being too violent and hasty. It is for this that the testes are contrived; for they make the movement of the spermatic secretion steadier, preserving the folding back of the passages in the vivipara, as horses and the like, 35and in man. (For details see the Enquiries about Animals.)
717b
1 γὰρ αὐτῶν ἀνασπῶνται οἱ πόροι ἐντός, ὥστ' οὐ δύνανται γεννᾶν
τὰ ἐκτεμνόμενα, ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ ἀνεσπῶντο ἐδύναντο ἄν, —
καὶ ἤδη ταῦρός τις μετὰ τὴν ἐκτομὴν εὐθέως ὀχεύσας
ἐπλήρωσε διὰ τὸ μήπω τοὺς πόρους ἀνεσπάσθαι. τοῖς δ' ὄρνισι
5 καὶ τοῖς ᾠοτόκοις τῶν τετραπόδων δέχονται τὴν σπερματικὴν
περίττωσιν, ὥστε βραδυτέραν εἶναι τὴν ἔξοδον ἢ τοῖς
ἰχθύσιν. φανερὸν δ' ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρνίθων· περὶ γὰρ τὰς ὀχείας
πολὺ μείζους ἴσχουσι τοὺς ὄρχεις, καὶ ὅσα γε τῶν ὀρνέων
καθ' ὥραν μίαν ὀχεύει, ὅταν ὁ χρόνος οὗτος παρέλθῃ οὕτω
10 μικροὺς ἔχουσιν ὥστε σχεδὸν ἀδήλους εἶναι, περὶ δὲ τὴν ὀχείαν
σφόδρα μεγάλους. θᾶττον μὲν οὖν ὀχεύουσι τὰ ἐντὸς ἔχοντα·
καὶ γὰρ τὰ ἐκτὸς ἔχοντα οὐ πρότερον τὸ σπέρμα ἀφίησι
πρὶν ἀνασπάσαι τοὺς ὄρχεις.
1For the testes are no part of the ducts but are only attached to them, as women fasten stones to the loom when weaving; if they are removed the ducts are drawn up internally, so that castrated animals are unable to generate; if they were not drawn up they would be able, and before now a bull mounting 5immediately after castration has caused conception in the cow because the ducts had not yet been drawn up. In birds and oviparous quadrupeds the testes receive the spermatic secretion, so that its expulsion is slower than in fishes. This is clear in the case of birds, for their testes are much enlarged at the time of copulation, and all those which pair at one season 10of the year have them so small when this is past that they are almost indiscernible, but during the season they are very large. When the testes are internal the act of copulation is quicker than when they are external, for even in the latter case the semen is not emitted before the testes are drawn up.
Book 1,Chapter 5 (717b14–32)
Ἔτι δὲ τὸ ὄργανον τὸ πρὸς τὸν συνδυασμὸν τὰ μὲν
15 τετράποδα ἔχει· ἐνδέχεται γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἔχειν—τοῖς δ' ὄρνισι
καὶ τοῖς ἄποσιν οὐκ ἐνδέχεται διὰ τὸ τῶν μὲν τὰ σκέλη
ὑπὸ μέσην εἶναι τὴν γαστέρα, τὰ δ' ὅλως ἀσκελῆ εἶναι, τὴν
δὲ τοῦ αἰδοίου φύσιν ἠρτῆσθαι ἐντεῦθεν καὶ τῇ θέσει κεῖσθαι
ἐνταῦθα (διὸ καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁμιλίᾳ ἡ σύντασις γίγνεται τῶν σκελῶν·
20 τό τε γὰρ ὄργανον νευρῶδες καὶ ἡ φύσις τῶν σκελῶν
νευρώδης)· ὥστ' ἐπεὶ τοῦτ' οὐκ ἐνδέχεται ἔχειν ἀνάγκη καὶ
ὄρχεις ἢ μὴ ἔχειν ἢ μὴ ἐνταῦθ' ἔχειν· τοῖς γὰρ ἔχουσιν ἡ
αὐτὴ θέσις ἀμφοτέρων αὐτῶν. Ἔτι δὲ τοῖς γε τοὺς ὄρχεις ἔχουσιν
ἔξω διὰ τῆς κινήσεως θερμαινομένου τοῦ αἰδοίου προέρχεται τὸ
25 σπέρμα συναθροισθέν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ἕτοιμον ὂν εὐθὺς θιγοῦσιν
ὥσπερ τοῖς ἰχθύσιν. Πάντα δ' ἔχει τὰ ζῳοτόκα τοὺς ὄρχεις
ἐν τῷ πρόσθεν, <ἢ ἔσω> ἢ ἔξω πλὴν ἐχίνου· οὗτος δὲ πρὸς τῇ ὀσφύι
μόνος διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἥνπερ καὶ οἱ ὄρνιθες· ταχὺν
γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον γίγνεσθαι τὸν συνδυασμὸν αὐτῶν· οὐ γὰρ
30 ὥσπερ τὰ ἄλλα τετράποδα ἐπὶ τὰ πρανῆ ἐπιβαίνει ἀλλ' ὀρθοὶ
μίγνυνται διὰ τὰς ἀκάνθας. Δι' ἣν μὲν οὖν αἰτίαν ἔχουσι τὰ
ἔχοντα ὄρχεις εἴρηται, καὶ δι' ἣν αἰτίαν τὰ μὲν ἔξω τὰ
δ' ἐντός.
Besides, quadrupeds have the organ of copulation, since it is possible 15for them to have it, but for birds and the footless animals it is not possible, because the former have their legs under the middle of the abdomen and the latter have no legs at all; now the penis depends from that region and is situated there. (Wherefore also the legs are strained in intercourse, both the penis and the legs being sinewy.) So that, since it is not possible 20for them to have this organ, they must necessarily either have no testes also, or at any rate not have them there, as those animals that have both penis and testes have them in the same situation.
Further, with those animals at any rate that have external testes, the semen is collected together before emission, and emission is due to the penis being heated by its 25movement; it is not ready for emission at immediate contact as in fishes.
All the vivipira have their testes in front, internally or externally, except the hedgehog; he alone has them near the loin. This is for the same reason as with birds, because their union must be quick, for the hedgehog does not, like the other quadrupeds, mount upon the back of the female, but they 30conjugate standing upright because of their spines.
So much for the reasons why those animals have testes which have them, and why they are sometimes external and sometimes internal.
Further, with those animals at any rate that have external testes, the semen is collected together before emission, and emission is due to the penis being heated by its 25movement; it is not ready for emission at immediate contact as in fishes.
All the vivipira have their testes in front, internally or externally, except the hedgehog; he alone has them near the loin. This is for the same reason as with birds, because their union must be quick, for the hedgehog does not, like the other quadrupeds, mount upon the back of the female, but they 30conjugate standing upright because of their spines.
So much for the reasons why those animals have testes which have them, and why they are sometimes external and sometimes internal.
Book 1,Chapter 6 (717b33–718a16)
Ὅσα δὲ μὴ ἔχει, καθάπερ εἴρηται, διά τε τὸ μὴ
εὖ ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον μόνον οὐκ ἔχει τοῦτο τὸ μόριον,
35 καὶ διὰ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι ταχεῖαν γίγνεσθαι τὴν ὀχείαν·
τοιαύτη δ' ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν ἰχθύων φύσις καὶ ἡ τῶν ὄφεων. οἱ
All those animals which have no testes are deficient in this part, as has been said, not because it is better to be so but simply because of necessity, and secondly because it is necessary that 35their copulation should be speedy. Such is the nature of fish and serpents.
718a
1 μὲν γὰρ ἰχθύες ὀχεύονται παραπίπτοντες καὶ ἀπολύονται
ταχέως. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ πάντων τῶν
τοιούτων ἀνάγκη κατασχόντας τὸ πνεῦμα προΐεσθαι τὴν γονήν,
τοῦτο δ' ἐκείνοις συμβαίνει μὴ δεχομένοις τὴν θάλατταν,
5 εἰσὶ δὲ εὔφθαρτοι τοῦτο μὴ ποιοῦντες· οὔκουν δεῖ ἐν τῷ
συνδυασμῷ τὸ σπέρμα πέττειν αὐτοὺς ὥσπερ τὰ πεζὰ καὶ
ζῳοτόκα, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῆς ὥρας τὸ σπέρμα πεττόμενον ἀθρόον
ἔχουσιν ὥστε μὴ ἐν τῷ θιγγάνειν ἀλλήλων πέττειν
ἀλλὰ προΐεσθαι πεπεμμένον. διὸ ὄρχεις οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἀλλ'
10 εὐθεῖς καὶ ἁπλοῦς τοὺς πόρους, οἷον μικρὸν μόριον τοῖς τετράποσιν
ὑπάρχει περὶ τοὺς ὄρχεις· τῆς γὰρ ἐπαναδιπλώσεως
τοῦ πόρου τὸ μὲν ἔναιμον μέρος ἐστὶ τὸ δ' ἄναιμον, ὃ δέχεται
<τὸ ὑγρὸν> καὶ δι' οὗ ἤδη σπέρμα ὂν πορεύεται, ὥσθ' ὅταν
ἐνταῦθα ἔλθῃ ἡ γονὴ ταχεῖα καὶ τούτοις γίγνεται ἡ ἀπόλυσις. τοῖς
15 δ' ἰχθύσι τοιοῦτος ὁ πόρος πᾶς ἐστιν οἷος ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων
καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ζῴων κατὰ τὸ ἕτερον μέρος τῆς ἐπαναδιπλώσεως.
1Fish copulate throwing themselves alongside of the females and separating again quickly. For as men and all such creatures must hold their breath before emitting the semen, so fish at such times must cease taking in the sea-water, and then they 5perish easily. Therefore they must not mature the semen during copulation, as viviparous land-animals do, but they have it all matured together before the time, so as not to be maturing it while in contact but to emit it ready matured. So they have no testes, and the ducts are straight and simple. There is a small 10part similar to this connected with the testes in the system of quadrupeds, for part of the reflected duct is sanguineous and part is not; the fluid is already semen when it is received by and passes through this latter part, so that once it has arrived there it is soon emitted in these quadrupeds also. Now 15in fishes the whole passage resembles the last section of the reflected part of the duct in man and similar animals.
Book 1,Chapter 7 (718a17–34)
Οἱ δὲ ὄφεις ὀχεύονται περιελιττόμενοι ἀλλήλοις,
οὐκ ἔχουσι δ' ὄρχεις οὐδ' αἰδοῖον ὥσπερ εἴρηται πρότερον, —αἰδοῖον
μὲν ὅτι οὐδὲ σκέλη, ὄρχεις δὲ διὰ τὸ μῆκος—ἀλλὰ
20 πόρους ὥσπερ οἱ ἰχθύες· διὰ γὰρ τὸ εἶναι αὐτῶν προμήκη
τὴν φύσιν, εἰ ἔτι ἐπίστασις ἐγίγνετο περὶ τοὺς ὄρχεις ἐψύχετ'
ἂν ἡ γονὴ διὰ τὴν βραδυτῆτα. ὅπερ συμβαίνει καὶ ἐπὶ
τῶν μέγα τὸ αἰδοῖον ἐχόντων· ἀγονώτεροι γάρ εἰσι τῶν
μετριαζόντων διὰ τὸ μὴ γόνιμον εἶναι τὸ σπέρμα τὸ ψυχρόν,
25 ψύχεσθαι δὲ τὸ φερόμενον λίαν μακράν. δι' ἣν μὲν
οὖν αἰτίαν τὰ μὲν ὄρχεις ἔχει τὰ δ' οὐκ ἔχει τῶν ζῴων εἴρηται.
Περιπλέκονται δ' ἀλλήλοις οἱ ὄφεις διὰ τὴν ἀφυΐαν
τῆς παραπτώσεως. μικρῷ γὰρ προσαρμόττοντες μορίῳ λίαν
μακροὶ ὄντες οὐκ εὐσυνάρμοστοί εἰσιν· ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐκ ἔχουσι
30 μόρια οἷς περιλήψονται, ἀντὶ τούτου τῇ ὑγρότητι χρῶνται
τοῦ σώματος περιελιττόμενοι ἀλλήλοις. διὸ καὶ δοκοῦσι
βραδύτερον ἀπολύεσθαι τῶν ἰχθύων, οὐ μόνον διὰ
τὸ μῆκος τῶν πόρων ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὴν περὶ ταῦτα σκευωρίαν.
Serpents copulate twining round one another, and, as said above, have neither testes nor penis, the latter because they have no legs, the former because of their length, but they have ducts like 20for on account of their extreme length the seminal fluid would take too long in its passage and be cooled if it were further delayed by testes. (This happens also if the penis is large; such men are less fertile than when it is smaller because the semen, if cold, is not generative, and that which is carried 25too far is cooled.) So much for the reason why some animals have testes and others not. Serpents intertwine because of their inaptitude to cast themselves alongside of one another. For they are too long to unite closely with so small a part and have no organs of attachment, so they make use of the suppleness 30of their bodies, intertwining. Wherefore also they seem to be slower in copulation than fish, not only on account of the length of the ducts but also of this elaborate arrangement in uniting.
Book 1,Chapter 8 (718a35–718b26)
35 Τοῖς δὲ θήλεσι τὰ περὶ τὰς ὑστέρας ἀπορήσειεν ἄν τις
ὃν τρόπον ἔχει· πολλαὶ γὰρ ὑπεναντιώσεις ὑπάρχουσιν αὐτοῖς.
οὔτε γὰρ τὰ ζῳοτοκοῦντα ὁμοίως ἔχει πάντα, ἀλλ'
ἄνθρωποι μὲν καὶ τὰ πεζὰ πάντα κάτω πρὸς τοῖς ἄρθροις,
It is not easy to state the facts about the uterus in female animals, for there are many points of difference. The 35vivipara are not alike in this part; women and all the vivipara with feet have the uterus low down by the pudendum, but the cartilaginous viviparous fish have it higher up near the hypozoma.
718b
1 τὰ δὲ σελάχη <τὰ> ζῳοτοκοῦντα ἄνω πρὸς τῷ ὑποζώματι, —οὔτε
τὰ ᾠοτοκοῦντα, ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν ἰχθύες κάτω καθάπερ ἄνθρωπος
καὶ τὰ ζῳοτοκοῦντα τῶν τετραπόδων, οἱ δ' ὄρνιθες ἄνω
καὶ ὅσα ᾠοτοκεῖ τῶν τετραπόδων. οὐ μὴν ἀλλ' ἔχουσι καὶ
5 αὗται αἱ ὑπεναντιώσεις κατὰ λόγον. πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τὰ
ᾠοτοκοῦντα ᾠοτοκεῖ διαφερόντως· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀτελῆ προΐεται
τὰ ᾠὰ οἷον οἱ ἰχθύες· ἔξω γὰρ ἐπιτελεῖται καὶ λαμβάνει
αὔξησιν τὰ τῶν ἰχθύων. αἴτιον δ' ὅτι πολύγονα ταῦτα
καὶ τοῦτ' ἔργον αὐτῶν ὥσπερ τῶν φυτῶν· εἰ οὖν ἐν αὑτοῖς
10 ἐτελεσιούργουν ἀναγκαῖον ὀλίγα τῷ πλήθει εἶναι· νῦ
δὲ τοσαῦτα ἴσχουσιν ὥστε δοκεῖν ᾠὸν εἶναι τὴν ὑστέραν ἑκατέραν
ἔν γε τοῖς μικροῖς ἰχθυδίοις· ταῦτα γὰρ πολυγονώτατά
ἐστιν ὥσπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἀνάλογον τούτοις
ἐχόντων τὴν φύσιν, καὶ ἐν φυτοῖς καὶ ἐν ζῴοις· ἡ γὰρ τοῦ
15 μεγέθους αὔξησις τρέπεται εἰς τὸ σπέρμα τούτοις. οἱ δ' ὄρνιθες
καὶ τὰ τετράποδα τῶν ᾠοτόκων τέλεια ᾠὰ τίκτουσιν,
ἃ δεῖ πρὸς τὸ σώζεσθαι σκληρόδερμα εἶναι (μαλακόδερμα
γὰρ ἕως ἂν αὔξησιν ἔχῃ ἐστίν), τὸ δ' ὄστρακον γίγνεται ὑπὸ
θερμότητος ἐξικμαζούσης τὸ ὑγρὸν ἐκ τοῦ γεώδους. ἀναγκαῖον
20 οὖν θερμὸν εἶναι τὸν τόπον ἐν ᾧ τοῦτο συμβήσεται. τοιοῦτος δ'
ὁ περὶ τὸ ὑπόζωμα· καὶ γὰρ τὴν τροφὴν πέττει οὗτος. εἰ οὖν
τὰ ᾠὰ ἀνάγκη ἐν τῇ ὑστέρᾳ εἶναι καὶ τὴν ὑστέραν ἀνάγκη
πρὸς τῷ ὑποζώματι εἶναι τοῖς τέλεια τὰ ᾠὰ τίκτουσι, τοῖς
δ' ἀτελῆ κάτω· πρὸ ὁδοῦ γὰρ οὕτως ἔσται. καὶ πέφυκε δὲ
25 μᾶλλον ἡ ὑστέρα κάτω εἶναι ἢ ἄνω, ὅπου μή τι ἐμποδίζει
ἕτερον ἔργον τῆς φύσεως· κάτω γὰρ αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ πέρας
ἐστίν·
1In the ovipara, again, it is low in fish (as in women and the viviparous quadrupeds), high in birds and all oviparous quadrupeds. Yet even these differences are on a principle. To begin with the ovipara, they differ in the manner of laying their eggs, for some produce them 5imperfect, as fishes whose eggs increase and are finally developed outside of them. The reason is that they produce many young, and this is their function as it is with plants. If then they perfected the egg in themselves they must needs be few in number, but as it is, they have so many that each uterus seems to be an egg, at any rate in the 10small fishes. For these are the most productive, just as with the other animals and plants whose nature is analogous to theirs, for the increase of size turns with them to seed.
But the eggs of birds and the quadrupedal ovipara are perfect when produced. In order that these may be preserved they must have a hard covering (for their envelope is 15soft so long as they are increasing in size), and the shell is made by heat squeezing out the moisture for the earthy material; consequently the place must be hot in which this is to happen. But the part about the hypozoma is hot, as is shown by that being the part which concocts the food. If then the eggs must be within the uterus, then the 20uterus must be near the hypozoma in those creatures which produce their eggs in a perfect form. Similarly it must be low down in those which produce them imperfect, for it is profitable that it should be so. And it is more natural for the uterus to be low down than high up, when Nature has no other business in hand to hinder it; for its end is 25low down, and where is the end, there is the function, and the uterus itself is naturally where the function is.
But the eggs of birds and the quadrupedal ovipara are perfect when produced. In order that these may be preserved they must have a hard covering (for their envelope is 15soft so long as they are increasing in size), and the shell is made by heat squeezing out the moisture for the earthy material; consequently the place must be hot in which this is to happen. But the part about the hypozoma is hot, as is shown by that being the part which concocts the food. If then the eggs must be within the uterus, then the 20uterus must be near the hypozoma in those creatures which produce their eggs in a perfect form. Similarly it must be low down in those which produce them imperfect, for it is profitable that it should be so. And it is more natural for the uterus to be low down than high up, when Nature has no other business in hand to hinder it; for its end is 25low down, and where is the end, there is the function, and the uterus itself is naturally where the function is.
Book 1,Chapter 9 (718b27–31)
ὅπου δὲ τὸ πέρας καὶ τὸ ἔργον—αὕτη δ' οὗ τὸ ἔργον. Ἔχει
δὲ καὶ τὰ ζῳοτοκοῦντα πρὸς ἄλληλα διαφοράν. τὰ μὲν γὰρ
οὐ μόνον θύραζε ζῳοτοκεῖ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὑτοῖς, οἷον ἄνθρωποί
30 τε καὶ ἵπποι καὶ κύνες καὶ πάντα τὰ τρίχας ἔχοντα,
καὶ τῶν ἐνύδρων δὲ δελφῖνές τε καὶ φάλαιναι καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα
κήτη.
We find differences in the vivipara also as compared with one another. Some produce their young alive, not only externally, but also internally, as men, horses, dogs, and all those which have hair, and among aquatic animals, dolphins, 30whales, and such cetacea.
Book 1,Chapter 10 (718b32–35)
Τὰ δὲ σελάχη καὶ οἱ ἔχεις θύραζε μὲν ζῳοτοκοῦσιν,
ἐν αὑτοῖς δ' ᾠοτοκοῦσι πρῶτον. ᾠοτοκοῦσι δὲ τέλειον ᾠόν· οὕτω
γὰρ γεννᾶται ἐκ τοῦ ᾠοῦ τὸ ζῷον, ἐξ ἀτελοῦς δὲ οὐθέν. θύραζε
35 δὲ οὐκ ᾠοτοκοῦσι διὰ τὸ ψυχρὰ τὴν φύσιν εἶναι καὶ οὐχ ὥς
τινές φασι θερμά.
But the cartilaginous fish and the vipers produce their young alive externally, but first produce eggs internally. The egg is perfect, for so only can an animal be generated from an egg, and nothing comes from an imperfect one. It is because they are of a cold nature, not hot as some assert, that they do not lay 35their eggs externally.
Book 1,Chapter 11 (718b36–719a29)
μαλακόδερμα γοῦν τὰ ᾠὰ γεννῶσιν· διὰ
γὰρ τὸ εἶναι ὀλιγόθερμα οὐ ξηραίνει αὐτῶν ἡ φύσις τὸ
ἔσχατον. διὰ μὲν οὖν τὸ ψυχρὰ εἶναι μαλακόδερμα γεννῶσι,
At least they certainly produce their eggs in a soft envelope, the reason being that they have but little heat and so their nature does not complete the process of drying the egg-shell.
719a
1 διὰ δὲ τὸ μαλακόδερμα οὐ θύραζε· διεφθείρετο γὰρ
ἄν. ὅταν δὲ ζῷον ἐκ τοῦ ᾠοῦ γίγνηται, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον τὰ
πλεῖστα γίγνεται ὅνπερ ἐν τοῖς ὀρνιθίοις, καὶ καταβαίνει κάτω
καὶ γίγνεται ζῷα πρὸς τοῖς ἄρθροις καθάπερ καὶ ἐν τοῖς
5 ἐξ ἀρχῆς εὐθὺς ζῳοτοκοῦσιν. διὸ καὶ τὴν ὑστέραν τὰ τοιαῦτα
ἔχει ἀνομοίαν καὶ τοῖς ζῳοτόκοις καὶ τοῖς ᾠοτόκοις διὰ τὸ
ἀμφοτέρων μετέχειν τῶν εἰδῶν· καὶ γὰρ πρὸς τῷ ὑποζώματι
ἔχουσι καὶ κάτω παρήκουσαν πάντα τὰ σελαχώδη. δεῖ
δὲ καὶ περὶ ταύτης καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὑστερῶν, ὃν τρόπον
10 ἔχουσιν, ἔκ τε τῶν ἀνατομῶν τεθεωρηκέναι καὶ τῶν ἱστοριῶν.
ὥστε διὰ μὲν τὸ ᾠοτόκα εἶναι τελείων ᾠῶν ἄνω ἔχει, διὰ
δὲ τὸ ζῳοτοκεῖν κάτω, καὶ ἀμφοτέρων μετειλήφασιν. Τὰ
δ' εὐθὺς ζῳοτοκοῦντα πάντα κάτω· οὐ γὰρ ἐμποδίζει τῆς
φύσεως οὐδὲν ἔργον οὐδὲ διττογονεῖ. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἀδύνατον
15 ζῷα γίγνεσθαι πρὸς τῷ ὑποζώματι· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἔμβρυα
βάρος ἔχειν ἀναγκαῖον καὶ κίνησιν, ὁ δὲ τόπος ἐπίκαιρος
ὢν τοῦ ζῆν οὐκ ἂν δύναιτο ταῦθ' ὑπενεγκεῖν. ἔτι δ' ἀνάγκη
δυστοκίαν εἶναι διὰ τὸ μῆκος τῆς φορᾶς, ἐπεὶ καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ
τῶν γυναικῶν ἐὰν περὶ τὸν τόκον ἀνασπάσωσι χασμησάμεναι
20 ἤ τι τοιοῦτον ποιήσασαι δυστοκοῦσιν. καὶ κεναὶ δ' οὖσαι
αἱ ὑστέραι ἄνω προσιστάμεναι πνίγουσιν· καὶ γὰρ ἀνάγκη
τὰς μελλούσας ζῷον ἕξειν ἰσχυροτέρας εἶναι, διὸ σαρκώδεις
εἰσὶν αἱ τοιαῦται πᾶσαι, αἱ δὲ πρὸς τῷ ὑποζώματι
ὑμενώδεις. καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῶν δὲ τῶν διγονίαν ποιουμένων
25 ζῴων φανερὸν τοῦτο συμβαῖνον· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ᾠὰ ἄνω καὶ
ἐν τῷ πλαγίῳ ἴσχουσι, τὰ δὲ ζῷα ἐν τῷ κάτω μέρει τῆς
ὑστέρας.
Δι' ἣν μὲν οὖν αἰτίαν ὑπεναντίως ἔχουσι τὰ περὶ τὰς
ὑστέρας ἐνίοις τῶν ζῴων, καὶ ὅλως διὰ τί τοῖς μὲν κάτω τοῖς
30 δὲ ἄνω πρὸς τῷ ὑποζώματί εἰσιν εἴρηται.
1Because, then, they are cold they produce soft-shelled eggs, and because the eggs are soft they do not produce them externally; for that would have caused their destruction.
The process is for the most part the same as in birds, for the egg descends and the young is hatched from it near 5the vagina, where the young is produced in those animals which are viviparous from the beginning. Therefore in such animals the uterus is dissimilar to that of both the vivipara and ovipara, because they participate in both classes; for it is at once near the hypozoma and also stretching along downwards in all the cartilaginous fishes. But the facts about this 10and the other kinds of uterus must be gathered from inspection of the drawings of dissections and from the Enquiries. Thus, because they are oviparous, laying perfect eggs, they have the uterus placed high, but, as being viviparous, low, participating in both classes.
Animals that are viviparous from the beginning all have it low, Nature here having no other 15business to interfere with her, and their production having no double character. Besides this, it is impossible for animals to be produced alive near the hypozoma, for the foetus must needs be heavy and move, and that region in the mother is vital and would not be able to bear the weight and the movement. Thirdly, parturition would be difficult because of the length 20of the passage to be traversed; even as it is there is difficulty with women if they draw up the uterus in parturition by yawning or anything of the kind, and even when empty it causes a feeling of suffocation if moved upwards. For if a uterus is to hold a living animal it must be stronger than in ovipara, and therefore in all the vivipara it is fleshy, 25whereas when the uterus is near the hypozoma it is membranous. And this is clear also in the case of the animals which produce young by the mixed method, for their eggs are high up and sideways, but the living young are produced in the lower part of the uterus.
So much for the reason why differences are found in the uterus of various animals, and generally why it 30is low in some and high in others near the hypozoma.
The process is for the most part the same as in birds, for the egg descends and the young is hatched from it near 5the vagina, where the young is produced in those animals which are viviparous from the beginning. Therefore in such animals the uterus is dissimilar to that of both the vivipara and ovipara, because they participate in both classes; for it is at once near the hypozoma and also stretching along downwards in all the cartilaginous fishes. But the facts about this 10and the other kinds of uterus must be gathered from inspection of the drawings of dissections and from the Enquiries. Thus, because they are oviparous, laying perfect eggs, they have the uterus placed high, but, as being viviparous, low, participating in both classes.
Animals that are viviparous from the beginning all have it low, Nature here having no other 15business to interfere with her, and their production having no double character. Besides this, it is impossible for animals to be produced alive near the hypozoma, for the foetus must needs be heavy and move, and that region in the mother is vital and would not be able to bear the weight and the movement. Thirdly, parturition would be difficult because of the length 20of the passage to be traversed; even as it is there is difficulty with women if they draw up the uterus in parturition by yawning or anything of the kind, and even when empty it causes a feeling of suffocation if moved upwards. For if a uterus is to hold a living animal it must be stronger than in ovipara, and therefore in all the vivipara it is fleshy, 25whereas when the uterus is near the hypozoma it is membranous. And this is clear also in the case of the animals which produce young by the mixed method, for their eggs are high up and sideways, but the living young are produced in the lower part of the uterus.
So much for the reason why differences are found in the uterus of various animals, and generally why it 30is low in some and high in others near the hypozoma.
Book 1,Chapter 12 (719a30–719b28)
Διότι δὲ τὰς μὲν
ὑστέρας ἔχουσι πάντα ἐντός, τοὺς δ' ὄρχεις τὰ μὲν ἐντὸς τὰ
δ' ἐκτός, αἴτιον τοῦ μὲν τὰς ὑστέρας ἐντὸς εἶναι πᾶσιν ὅτι ἐν
ταύταις ἐστὶ τὸ γιγνόμενον ὃ δεῖται φυλακῆς καὶ σκέπης
καὶ πέψεως, ὁ δ' ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος τόπος εὔβλαπτος καὶ
35 ψυχρός. οἱ δ' ὄρχεις τοῖς μὲν ἐκτὸς τοῖς δ' ἐντός ** διὰ τὸ
Why is the uterus always internal, but the testes sometimes internal, sometimes external? The reason for the uterus always being internal is that in this is contained the egg or foetus, which needs guarding, shelter, and maturation by concoction, while the outer surface of the body is easily injured and cold.
719b
1 δεῖσθαι καὶ τούτους σκέπης καὶ καλύμματος πρός τε σωτηρίαν
καὶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ σπέρματος πέψιν· ἀδύνατον γὰρ
ἐψυγμένους καὶ πεπηγότας ἀνασπᾶσθαι καὶ προΐεσθαι τὴν
γονήν. διόπερ ὅσοις ἐν φανερῷ εἰσιν οἱ ὄρχεις ἔχουσι σκέπην
5 δερματικὴν τὴν καλουμένην ὀσχέαν· ὅσοις δ' ἡ τοῦ δέρματος
φύσις ὑπεναντιοῦται διὰ σκληρότητα πρὸς τὸ μὴ περιληπτικὴν
εἶναι μηδὲ μαλθακὴν [καὶ δερματικήν], οἷον τοῖς
τ' ἰχθυῶδες ἔχουσι τὸ δέρμα καὶ τοῖς φολιδωτόν, τούτοις
δ' ἀναγκαῖον ἐντὸς ἔχειν. διόπερ οἵ τε δελφῖνες καὶ ὅσα
10 τῶν κητωδῶν ὄρχεις ἔχουσιν ἐντὸς ἔχουσι, καὶ τὰ ᾠοτόκα
καὶ τετράποδα τῶν φολιδωτῶν. καὶ τὸ τῶν ὀρνίθων δὲ
δέρμα σκληρὸν ὥστε κατὰ μέγεθος ἀσύμμετρον εἶναι περιλαβεῖν,
καὶ ταύτην αἰτίαν εἶναι πᾶσι τούτοις πρὸς ταῖς εἰρημέναις
πρότερον ἐκ τῶν περὶ τὰς ὀχείας συμβαινόντων
15 ἀναγκαίων. διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν δ' αἰτίαν καὶ ὁ ἐλέφας καὶ ὁ
ἐχῖνος ἔχουσιν ἐντὸς τοὺς ὄρχεις· οὐδὲ γὰρ τούτοις εὐφυὲς τὸ
δέρμα πρὸς τὸ χωριστὸν ἔχειν τὸ σκεπαστικὸν μόριον. Κεῖνται
δὲ καὶ τῇ θέσει ὑπεναντίως αἱ ὑστέραι τοῖς τε ζῳοτοκοῦσιν
ἐν αὑτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ᾠοτοκοῦσι θύραζε, καὶ τούτων τοῖς
20 τε τὰς ὑστέρας ἔχουσι κάτω καὶ τοῖς πρὸς τῷ ὑποζώματι,
οἷον τοῖς ἰχθύσι πρός τε τοὺς ὄρνιθας καὶ τὰ ᾠοτόκα τῶν
τετραπόδων, καὶ τοῖς κατ' ἀμφοτέρους τοὺς τρόπους γεννῶσιν,
ἐν αὑτοῖς μὲν ᾠοτοκοῦσιν εἰς δὲ τὸ φανερὸν ζῳοτοκοῦσιν.
τὰ μὲν γὰρ ζῳοτοκοῦντα καὶ ἐν αὑτοῖς καὶ ἐκτὸς ἐπὶ τῆς
25 γαστρὸς ἔχει τὰς ὑστέρας, οἷον ἄνθρωπος καὶ βοῦς καὶ κύων
καὶ τἆλλα τὰ τοιαῦτα· πρὸς γὰρ τὴν τῶν ἐμβρύων σωτηρίαν
καὶ αὔξησιν συμφέρει μηθὲν ἐπεῖναι βάρος ἐπὶ ταῖς
ὑστέραις.
1The testes vary in position because they also need shelter and a covering to preserve them and to mature the semen; for it would be impossible for them, if chilled and stiffened, to be drawn up and discharge it. Therefore, whenever the testes are 5visible, they have a cuticular covering known as the scrotum. If the nature of the skin is opposed to this, being too hard to be adapted for enclosing them or for being soft like a true ‘skin’, as with the scaly integument of fish and reptiles, then the testes must needs be internal. Therefore they are so in 10dolphins and all the cetacea which have them, and in the oviparous quadrupeds among the scaly animals. The skin of birds also is hard so that it will not conform to the size of anything and enclose it neatly. (This is another reason with all these animals for their testes being internal besides those previously 15mentioned as arising necessarily from the details of copulation.) For the same reason they are internal in the elephant and hedgehog, for the skin of these, too, is not well suited to keep the protective part separate.
[The position of the uterus differs in animals viviparous within themselves and those 20externally oviparous, and in the latter class again it differs in those which have the uterus low and those which have it near the hypozoma, as in fishes compared with birds and oviparous quadrupeds. And it is different again in those which produce young in both ways, being oviparous internally and viviparous 25externally. For those which are viviparous both internally and externally have the uterus placed on the abdomen, as men, cattle, dogs, and the like, since it is expedient for the safety and growth of the foetus that no weight should be upon the uterus.]
[The position of the uterus differs in animals viviparous within themselves and those 20externally oviparous, and in the latter class again it differs in those which have the uterus low and those which have it near the hypozoma, as in fishes compared with birds and oviparous quadrupeds. And it is different again in those which produce young in both ways, being oviparous internally and viviparous 25externally. For those which are viviparous both internally and externally have the uterus placed on the abdomen, as men, cattle, dogs, and the like, since it is expedient for the safety and growth of the foetus that no weight should be upon the uterus.]
Book 1,Chapter 13 (719b29–720b1)
Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἕτερος ὁ πόρος δι' οὗ ἥ τε ξηρὰ περίττωσις
30 ἐξέρχεται καὶ δι' οὗ ἡ ὑγρὰ τούτοις πᾶσιν. διὸ ἔχουσιν αἰδοῖα
τὰ τοιαῦτα πάντα καὶ τὰ ἄρρενα καὶ τὰ θήλεα καθ'
ἃ ἐκκρίνεται τὸ περίττωμα τὸ ὑγρὸν καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἄρρεσι τὸ
σπέρμα τοῖς δὲ θήλεσι τὸ κύημα. οὗτος δ' ἐπάνω καὶ ἐν
τοῖς προσθίοις ὑπάρχει ὁ πόρος τοῦ τῆς ξηρᾶς τροφῆς. [ὅσα δ'
35 ᾠοτοκεῖ μὲν ἀτελὲς δ' ᾠόν, οἷον ὅσοι τῶν ἰχθύων ᾠοτοκοῦσιν,
The passages also are different through which the solid 30and liquid excreta pass out in all the vivipara. Wherefore both males and females in this class all have a part whereby the urine is voided, and this serves also for the issue of the semen in males, of the offspring in females. This passage is situated above and in front of the passage of the solid excreta.
720a
1 οὗτοι δ' οὐχ ὑπὸ τῇ γαστρὶ ἀλλὰ πρὸς τῇ ὀσφύι ἔχουσι τὰς
ὑστέρας· οὔτε γὰρ ἐμποδίζει ἡ τοῦ ᾠοῦ αὔξησις διὰ τὸ ἔξω
τελειοῦσθαι καὶ προϊέναι τὸ αὐξανόμενον.] ὅ τε πόρος ὁ αὐτός
ἐστι καὶ ἐν τοῖς μὴ ἔχουσι γεννητικὸν αἰδοῖον τῷ τῆς ξηρᾶς
5 τροφῆς, πᾶσι τοῖς ᾠοτόκοις καὶ τοῖς ἔχουσιν αὐτῶν κύστιν,
οἷον ταῖς χελώναις· τῆς γενέσεως γὰρ ἕνεκεν, οὐ τῆς τοῦ
ὑγροῦ περιττώματος ἐκκρίσεως εἰσὶ διττοὶ οἱ πόροι· διὰ δὲ
τὸ ὑγρὰν εἶναι τὴν φύσιν τοῦ σπέρματος καὶ ἡ τῆς ὑγρᾶς
τροφῆς περίττωσις κεκοινώνηκε τοῦ αὐτοῦ πόρου. δῆλον δὲ
10 τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ σπέρμα μὲν πάντα φέρειν τὰ ζῷα, περίττωμα
δὲ μὴ πᾶσι γίγνεσθαι ὑγρόν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν δεῖ καὶ τοὺς τῶν ἀρρένων
πόρους τοὺς σπερματικοὺς ἐρηρεῖσθαι καὶ μὴ πλανᾶσθαι
καὶ τοῖς θήλεσι τὰς ὑστέρας, τοῦτο δ' ἀναγκαῖον ἢ
πρὸς τὰ πρόσθια τοῦ σώματος ἢ πρὸς τὰ πρανῆ συμβαίνειν,
15 τοῖς μὲν ζῳοτόκοις διὰ τὰ ἔμβρυα ἐν τοῖς προσθίοις
αἱ ὑστέραι τοῖς δ' ᾠοτόκοις πρὸς τῇ ὀσφύι καὶ τοῖς πρανέσιν·
ὅσα δ' ᾠοτοκήσαντα ἐν αὑτοῖς ζῳοτοκεῖ ἐκτός, ταῦτα
δ' ἀμφοτέρως ἔχει διὰ τὸ μετειληφέναι ἀμφοτέρων
καὶ εἶναι καὶ ζῳοτόκα καὶ ᾠοτόκα· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἄνω τῆς
20 ὑστέρας καὶ ᾗ γίγνεται τὰ ᾠὰ ὑπὸ τὸ ὑπόζωμα πρὸς τῇ
ὀσφύι ἐστὶ καὶ τοῖς πρανέσι, †προϊούσης δὲ κάτω ἐπὶ τῇ γαστρί·
ταύτῃ γὰρ ζῳοτοκεῖ ἤδη. ὁ δὲ πόρος εἷς καὶ τούτοις
τῆς τε ξηρᾶς περιττώσεως καὶ τῆς ὀχείας· οὐθὲν γὰρ ἔχει
τούτων αἰδοῖον, καθάπερ εἴρηται πρότερον, ἀπηρτημένον. ὁμοίως
25 δ' ἔχουσι καὶ οἱ τῶν ἀρρένων πόροι, καὶ τῶν ἐχόντων
καὶ τῶν μὴ ἐχόντων ὄρχεις, ταῖς τῶν ᾠοτόκων ὑστέραις·
πᾶσι γὰρ πρὸς τοῖς πρανέσι προσπεφύκασι καὶ κατὰ
τὸν τόπον τῆς ῥάχεως· δεῖ μὲν γὰρ μὴ πλανᾶσθαι
ἀλλ' ἑδραίους εἶναι, τοιοῦτος δ' ὁ ὄπισθεν τόπος· οὗτος γὰρ τὸ
30 συνεχὲς παρέχει καὶ τὴν στάσιν. τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἐντὸς ἔχουσι
τοὺς ὄρχεις εὐθὺς ἐρηρεισμένοι εἰσὶν [ἅμα τοῖς πόροις] καὶ
τοῖς ἐκτὸς δ' ὁμοίως· εἶτ' ἀπαντῶσιν εἰς ἓν πρὸς τὸν τοῦ
αἰδοίου τόπον. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τοῖς δελφῖσιν οἱ πόροι ἔχουσιν·
ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὄρχεις ἔχουσι κεκρυμμένους ὑπὸ τὸ περὶ τὴν γαστέρα
35 κύτος.
Πῶς μὲν οὖν ἔχουσι τῇ θέσει περὶ τὰ μόρια τὰ συντελοῦντα
1The passage is the same as that of the solid nutriment in all those animals that have no penis, in all the ovipara, even those of them that have a bladder, as the tortoises. For it is for the sake of generation, not for the 5evacuation of the urine, that the passages are double; but because the semen is naturally liquid, the liquid excretion also shares the same passage. This is clear from the fact that all animals produce semen, but all do not void liquid excrement. Now the spermatic passages of the male must 10be fixed and must not wander, and the same applies to the uterus of the female, and this fixing must take place at either the front or the back of the body. To take the uterus first, it is in the front of the body in vivipara because of the foetus, but at the loin and the back in 15ovipara. All animals which are internally oviparous and externally viviparous are in an intermediate condition because they participate in both classes, being at once oviparous and viviparous. For the upper part of the uterus, where the eggs are produced, is under the hypozoma by the 20loin and the back, but as it advances is low at the abdomen; for it is in that part that the animal is viviparous. In these also the passage for solid excrement and for copulation is the same, for none of these, as has been said already, has a separate pudendum.
The same applies to the 25passages in the male, whether they have testes or no, as to the uterus of the ovipara. For in all of them, not only in the ovipara, the ducts adhere to the back and the region of the spine. For they must not wander but be settled, and that is the character of the region of the back, 30which gives continuity and stability. Now in those which have internal testes, the ducts are fixed from the first, and they are fixed in like manner if the testes are external; then they meet together towards the region of the penis.
The like applies to the ducts in the dolphins, but 35they have their testes hidden under the abdominal cavity.
The same applies to the 25passages in the male, whether they have testes or no, as to the uterus of the ovipara. For in all of them, not only in the ovipara, the ducts adhere to the back and the region of the spine. For they must not wander but be settled, and that is the character of the region of the back, 30which gives continuity and stability. Now in those which have internal testes, the ducts are fixed from the first, and they are fixed in like manner if the testes are external; then they meet together towards the region of the penis.
The like applies to the ducts in the dolphins, but 35they have their testes hidden under the abdominal cavity.
720b
1 πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν καὶ διὰ τίνας αἰτίας εἴρηται.
1We have now discussed the situation of the parts contributing to generation, and the causes thereof.
Book 1,Chapter 14 (720b2–14)
Τῶν δ' ἄλλων ζῴων τῶν ἀναίμων οὐχ ὁ αὐτὸς τρόπος τῶν
μορίων τῶν πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν συντελούντων οὔτε τοῖς ἐναίμοις
οὔθ' ἑαυτοῖς. ἔστι δὲ γένη τέτταρα τὰ λοιπά, ἓν μὲν τὸ τῶν
5 μαλακοστράκων, δεύτερον δὲ τὸ τῶν μαλακίων, τρίτον δὲ
τὸ τῶν ἐντόμων, καὶ τέταρτον τὸ τῶν ὀστρακοδέρμων (τούτων
δὲ περὶ μὲν πάντων ἄδηλον, τὰ δὲ πλεῖστα ὅτι οὐ συνδυάζεται
φανερόν· τίνα δὲ συνίσταται τρόπον ὕστερον λεκτέον).
Τὰ δὲ μαλακόστρακα συνδυάζεται μὲν ὥσπερ τὰ
10 ὀπισθουρητικά, ὅταν τὸ μὲν ὕπτιον τὸ δὲ πρανὲς ἐπαλλάξῃ
τὰ οὐραῖα· τοῖς γὰρ ὑπτίοις πρὸς τὰ πρανῆ ἐπιβαίνειν ἐμποδίζει
τὰ οὐραῖα μακρὰν ἔχοντα τὴν ἀπάρτησιν τῶν πτερυγίων.
ἔχουσι δ' οἱ μὲν ἄρρενες λεπτοὺς πόρους θορικούς, αἱ
δὲ θήλειαι ὑστέρας ὑμενώδεις παρὰ τὸ ἔντερον ἔνθεν καὶ
15 ἔνθεν ἐσχισμένας ἐν αἷς ἐγγίγνεται τὸ ᾠόν.
The bloodless animals do not agree either with the sanguinea or with each other in the fashion of the parts contributing to generation. There are four classes still left to deal with, 5first the crustacea, secondly the cephalopoda, thirdly the insects, and fourthly the testacea. We cannot be certain about all of them, but that most of them copulate is plain; in what manner they unite must be stated later.
The crustacea copulate like the retromingent quadrupeds, fitting their tails to one another, the one supine and the other prone. 10For the flaps attached to the sides of the tail being long prevent them from uniting with the belly against the back. The males have fine spermatic ducts, the females a membranous uterus alongside the intestine, cloven on each side, in which the egg is produced.
The crustacea copulate like the retromingent quadrupeds, fitting their tails to one another, the one supine and the other prone. 10For the flaps attached to the sides of the tail being long prevent them from uniting with the belly against the back. The males have fine spermatic ducts, the females a membranous uterus alongside the intestine, cloven on each side, in which the egg is produced.
Book 1,Chapter 15 (720b15–721a1)
Τὰ δὲ μαλάκια
συμπλέκεται μὲν κατὰ τὸ στόμα ἀντερείδοντα καὶ
διαπτύττοντα τὰς πλεκτάνας, συμπλέκεται δὲ τὸν τρόπον
τοῦτον ἐξ ἀνάγκης· ἡ γὰρ φύσις παρὰ τὸ στόμα τὴν τελευτὴν
τοῦ περιττώματος συνήγαγε κάμψασα, καθάπερ
20 εἴρηται πρότερον [ἐν τοῖς περὶ τῶν μορίων λόγοις]. ἔχει δ' ἡ
θήλεια μὲν ὑστερικὸν μόριον φανερῶς ἐν ἑκάστῳ τούτων τῶν
ζῴων· ᾠὸν γὰρ ἴσχει τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀδιόριστον, ἔπειτα διακρινόμενον
γίγνεται πολλὰ καὶ ἀποτίκτει ἕκαστον τούτων ἀτελές,
καθάπερ καὶ οἱ ᾠοτοκοῦντες τῶν ἰχθύων. ὁ δὲ πόρος
25 ὁ αὐτὸς τοῦ περιττώματος καὶ τοῦ ὑστερικοῦ μορίου καὶ τοῖς
μαλακοστράκοις καὶ τούτοις, †ἔστι γὰρ ᾗ τὸν θολὸν ἀφίησι
διὰ τοῦ πόρου. ταῦτα δ' ἐστὶν† ἐν τοῖς ὑπτίοις τοῦ σώματος
ᾗ τὸ κέλυφος ἀφέστηκε καὶ ἡ θάλαττα εἰσέρχεται· διὸ ὁ
συνδυασμὸς κατὰ τοῦτο γίγνεται τῷ ἄρρενι πρὸς τὴν θήλειαν·
30 ἀναγκαῖον γάρ, εἴπερ ἀφίησί τι ὁ ἄρρεν εἴτε σπέρμα εἴτε
μόριον εἴτε ἄλλην τινὰ δύναμιν, κατὰ τὸν ὑστερικὸν πόρον
πλησιάζειν. ἡ δὲ τῆς πλεκτάνης τοῦ ἄρρενος διὰ τοῦ αὐλοῦ
δίεσις ἐπὶ τῶν πολυπόδων, ᾗ φασιν ὀχεύειν πλεκτάνῃ οἱ
ἁλιεῖς, συμπλοκῆς χάριν ἐστὶν ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ὀργάνου χρησίμου
35 πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν· ἔξω γάρ ἐστι τοῦ πόρου καὶ τοῦ σώματος.
ἐνίοτε δὲ συνδυάζονται καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ πρανῆ τὰ μαλάκια·
The cephalopoda entwine together at the mouth, pushing against one another and enfolding 15their arms. This attitude is necessary, because Nature has bent backwards the end of the intestine and brought it round near the mouth, as has been said before in the treatise on the parts of animals. The female has a part corresponding to the uterus, plainly to be seen in each of these animals, for it contains an egg which is at first indivisible to 20the eye but afterwards splits up into many; each of these eggs is imperfect when deposited, as with the oviparous fishes. In the cephalopoda (as also in the crustacea) the same passage serves to void the excrement and leads to the part like a uterus, for the male discharges the seminal fluid through this passage. And it is on the lower surface of the 25body, where the mantle is open and the sea-water enters the cavity. Hence the union of the male with the female takes place at this point, for it is necessary, if the male discharges either semen or a part of himself or any other force, that he should unite with her at the uterine passage. But the insertion, in the case of the poulps, of the arm of the 30male into the funnel of the female, by which arm the fishermen say the male copulates with her, is only for the sake of attachment, and it is not an organ useful for generation, for it is outside the passage in the male and indeed outside the body of the male altogether.
Sometimes also cephalopoda unite by the male mounting on the back of the female, 35but whether for generation or some other cause has not yet been observed.
Sometimes also cephalopoda unite by the male mounting on the back of the female, 35but whether for generation or some other cause has not yet been observed.
721a
1 πότερον δὲ γενέσεως χάριν ἢ δι' ἄλλην αἰτίαν οὐθὲν
ὦπταί πω.
Book 1,Chapter 16 (721a2–29)
Τῶν δ' ἐντόμων τὰ μὲν συνδυάζεται καὶ ἡ
γένεσις αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἐκ ζῴων συνωνύμων καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν
ἐναίμων, οἷον αἵ τε ἀκρίδες καὶ οἱ τέττιγες καὶ τὰ φαλάγγια
5 καὶ οἱ σφῆκες καὶ οἱ μύρμηκες, —τὰ δὲ συνδυάζεται
μὲν καὶ γεννῶσιν, οὐχ ὁμογενῆ δ' αὑτοῖς ἀλλὰ σκώληκας
μόνον, οὐδὲ γίγνονται ἐκ ζῴων ἀλλ' ἐκ σηπομένων ὑγρῶν,
τὰ δὲ ξηρῶν, οἷον αἵ τε ψύλλαι καὶ αἱ μυῖαι καὶ αἱ κανθαρίδες,
—τὰ δ' οὔτ' ἐκ ζῴων γίγνονται οὔτε συνδυάζονται καθάπερ
10 ἐμπίδες τε καὶ κώνωπες καὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα γένη.
τῶν δὲ συνδυαζομένων ἐν τοῖς πλείστοις τὰ θήλεα μείζω τῶν
ἀρρένων ἐστίν. πόρους δὲ τὰ ἄρρενα θορικοὺς οὐ φαίνονται ἔχοντα.
ἀφίησι δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον εἰπεῖν τὸ ἄρρεν εἰς τὸ θῆλυ
οὐδὲν μόριον ἀλλὰ τὸ θῆλυ εἰς τὸ ἄρρεν κάτωθεν ἄνω. τεθεώρηται
15 δὲ τοῦτο ἐπὶ πολλῶν, [καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀναβαίνειν ὡςαύτως]
τοὐναντίον δ' ἐπ' ὀλίγων· ὥστε δὲ γένει διελεῖν οὔπω
συνεώραται. σχεδὸν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ᾠοτόκων ἰχθύων
τῶν πλείστων ἐστὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τετραπόδων καὶ ᾠοτόκων· τὰ
γὰρ θήλεα μείζω τῶν ἀρρένων ἐστὶ διὰ τὸ συμφέρειν πρὸς
20 τὸν γιγνόμενον αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν ᾠῶν ὄγκον ἐν τῇ κυήσει. τοῖς
δὲ θήλεσιν αὐτῶν τὸ ταῖς ὑστέραις ἀνάλογον μόριον ἐσχισμένον
ἐστὶ παρὰ τὸ ἔντερον, ὥσπερ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἐν ᾧ
ἐγγίγνεται τὰ κυήματα. δῆλον δὲ τοῦτο ἐπί τε τῶν ἀκρίδων
καὶ ὅσα μέγεθος αὐτῶν ἔχει, συνδυάζεσθαι πεφυκότων·
25 τὰ γὰρ πλεῖστα μικρὰ λίαν τῶν ἐντόμων ἐστίν.
Τὰ μὲν οὖν περὶ τὴν γένεσιν ὄργανα τοῖς ζῴοις περὶ
ὧν οὐκ ἐλέχθη πρότερον, τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον· τῶν δ'
ὁμοιομερῶν ἀπελείφθη περὶ γονῆς καὶ γάλακτος, περὶ ὧν
καιρός ἐστιν εἰπεῖν, περὶ μὲν γονῆς ἤδη περὶ δὲ γάλακτος
30 ἐν τοῖς ἐχομένοις.
1Some insects copulate and the offspring are produced from animals of the same name, just as with the sanguinea; such are the locusts, cicadae, spiders, wasps, and ants. Others unite indeed and generate; but the result is not a creature of the same kind, 5but only a scolex, and these insects do not come into being from animals but from putrefying matter, liquid or solid; such are fleas, flies, and cantharides. Others again are neither produced from animals nor unite with each other; such are gnats, ‘conopes’, and many similar kinds. In most of those which unite the female 10is larger than the male. The males do not appear to have spermatic passages. In most cases the male does not insert any part into the female, but the female from below upwards into the male; this has been observed in many cases (as also that the male mounts the female), the opposite in few cases; but observations 15are not yet comprehensive enough to enable us to make a distinction of classes. And generally it is the rule with most of the oviparous fish and oviparous quadrupeds that the female is larger than the because this is expedient in view of the increase of bulk in conception by reason of the eggs. In the female the part 20analogous to the uterus is cleft and extends along the intestine, as with the other animals; in this are produced the results of conception. This is clear in locusts and all other large insects whose nature it is to unite; most insects are too small to be observed in this respect.
Such is the character of the generative 25organs in animals which were not spoken of before. It remains now to speak of the homogeneous parts concerned, the seminal fluid and milk. We will take the former first, and treat of milk afterwards.
Such is the character of the generative 25organs in animals which were not spoken of before. It remains now to speak of the homogeneous parts concerned, the seminal fluid and milk. We will take the former first, and treat of milk afterwards.
Book 1,Chapter 17 (721a30–721b35)
Τὰ μὲν γὰρ προΐεται φανερῶς σπέρμα
τῶν ζῴων οἷον ὅσα αὐτῶν ἔναιμα τὴν φύσιν ἐστί, τὰ δ'
ἔντομα καὶ τὰ μαλάκια ποτέρως ἄδηλον. ὥστε τοῦτο θεωρητέον
πότερον πάντα προΐεται σπέρμα τὰ ἄρρενα ἢ οὐ
πάντα, καὶ εἰ μὴ πάντα, διὰ τίν' αἰτίαν τὰ μὲν τὰ δ' οὔ·
35 καὶ τὰ θήλεα δὲ πότερον συμβάλλεται σπέρμα τι ἢ οὔ,
Some animals manifestly emit semen, as all the sanguinea, but whether the insects and cephalopoda do so is uncertain. 30Therefore this is a question to be considered, whether all males do so, or not all; and if not all, why some do and some not; and whether the female also contributes any semen or not; and, if not semen, whether she does not contribute anything else either, or whether she contributes something else which is not semen.
721b
1 καὶ εἰ μὴ σπέρμα, πότερον οὐδ' ἄλλο οὐθέν, ἢ συμβάλλεται
μέν τι, οὐ σπέρμα δέ. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ προϊέμενα σπέρμα τί
συμβάλλεται διὰ τοῦ σπέρματος πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν σκεπτέον
καὶ ὅλως τίς ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ σπέρματος φύσις καὶ ἡ τῶν καλουμένων
5 καταμηνίων, ὅσα ταύτην τὴν ὑγρότητα προΐεται τῶν
ζῴων. Δοκεῖ δὲ πάντα γίγνεσθαι ἐκ σπέρματος, τὸ δὲ σπέρμα
ἐκ τῶν γεννώντων. διὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ λόγου ἐστὶ πότερον καὶ
τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν προΐενται ἄμφω ἢ θάτερον μόνον, καὶ
πότερον ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπέρχεται τοῦ σώματος ἢ οὐκ ἀπὸ παντός·
10 εὔλογον γὰρ εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ παντός, μηδ' ἀπ' ἀμφοτέρων
τῶν γεννώντων. διόπερ ἐπισκεπτέον, ἐπειδή φασί τινες
ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπιέναι τοῦ σώματος, περὶ τούτου πῶς ἔχει πρῶτον.
ἔστι δὲ σχεδὸν οἷς ἄν τις χρήσαιτο τεκμηρίοις, [ὡς ἀφ'
ἑκάστου τῶν μορίων ἀπιόντος τοῦ σπέρματος] τέτταρα, πρῶτον
15 μὲν ἡ σφοδρότης τῆς ἡδονῆς· μᾶλλον γὰρ ἡδὺ πλέον ταὐτὸ
γιγνόμενον πάθος, πλέον δὲ τὸ πᾶσι τοῖς μορίοις ἢ τὸ ἑνὶ ἢ
ὀλίγοις συμβαῖνον αὐτῶν. ἔτι τὸ ἐκ κολοβῶν κολοβὰ γίγνεσθαι·
διὰ μὲν γὰρ τὸ τοῦ μορίου ἐνδεὲς εἶναι οὐ βαδίζειν
σπέρμα ἐντεῦθέν φασιν, ὅθεν δ' ἂν μὴ ἔλθῃ τοῦτο συμβαίνειν
20 μὴ γίγνεσθαι. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις αἱ ὁμοιότητες πρὸς τοὺς
γεννήσαντας· γίγνονται γὰρ ἐοικότες ὥσπερ καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα
καὶ μόρια μορίοις· εἴπερ οὖν καὶ τῷ ὅλῳ αἴτιον τῆς
ὁμοιότητος τὸ ἀφ' ὅλου ἐλθεῖν τὸ σπέρμα, καὶ τοῖς μορίοις
αἴτιον ἂν εἴη τὸ ἀφ' ἑκάστου τι τῶν μορίων ἐλθεῖν. ἔτι δὲ καὶ
25 εὔλογον ἂν εἶναι δόξειεν, ὥσπερ καὶ τοῦ ὅλου ἐστί τι ἐξ οὗ γίγνεται
πρῶτον οὕτω καὶ τῶν μορίων ἑκάστου, ὥστ' εἰ ἐκείνου
σπέρμα καὶ τῶν μορίων ἑκάστου εἴη ἄν τι σπέρμα ἴδιον.
πιθανὰ δὲ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα μαρτύρια ταύταις ταῖς δόξαις·
οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὰ σύμφυτα προσεοικότες γίγνονται τοῖς γονεῦσιν
30 οἱ παῖδες ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐπίκτητα· οὐλάς τε γὰρ ἐχόντων
τῶν γεννησάντων ἤδη τινὲς ἔσχον ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς τόποις
τῶν ἐκγόνων τὸν τύπον τῆς οὐλῆς, καὶ στίγμα ἔχοντος ἐν τῷ
βραχίονι τοῦ πατρὸς ἐπεσήμηνεν ἐν Χαλκηδόνι τῷ τέκνῳ
συγκεχυμένον μέντοι καὶ οὐ διηρθρωμένον τὸ γράμμα. ὅτι
35 μὲν οὖν ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔρχεται τὸ σπέρμα σχεδὸν ἐκ τούτων
1We must also inquire what those animals which emit semen contribute by means of it to generation, and generally what is the nature of semen, and of the so-called catamenia in all animals which discharge this liquid.
Now it is thought that all animals are generated out of semen, and 5that the semen comes from the parents. Wherefore it is part of the same inquiry to ask whether both male and female produce it or only one of them, and to ask whether it comes from the whole of the body or not from the whole; for if the latter is true it is reasonable to suppose that it does not come from both parents either. Accordingly, since some 10say that it comes from the whole of the body, we must investigate this question first.
The proofs from which it can be argued that the semen comes from each and every part of the body may be reduced to four. First, the intensity of the pleasure of coition; for the same state of feeling is more pleasant if multiplied, and that which affects all the 15parts is multiplied as compared with that which affects only one or a few. Secondly, the alleged fact that mutilations are inherited, for they argue that since the parent is deficient in this part the semen does not come from thence, and the result is that the corresponding part is not formed in the offspring. Thirdly, the resemblances to the parents, 20for the young are born like them part for part as well as in the whole body; if then the coming of the semen from the whole body is cause of the resemblance of the whole, so the parts would be like because it comes from each of the parts. Fourthly, it would seem to be reasonable to say that as there is some first thing from which the whole arises, so 25it is also with each of the parts, and therefore if semen or seed is cause of the whole so each of the parts would have a seed peculiar to itself. And these opinions are plausibly supported by such evidence as that children are born with a likeness to their parents, not in congenital but also in acquired characteristics; for before now, when the parents 30have had scars, the children have been born with a mark in the form of the scar in the same place, and there was a case at Chalcedon where the father had a brand on his arm and the letter was marked on the child, only confused and not clearly articulated. That is pretty much the evidence on which some believe that the semen comes from all the body.
Now it is thought that all animals are generated out of semen, and 5that the semen comes from the parents. Wherefore it is part of the same inquiry to ask whether both male and female produce it or only one of them, and to ask whether it comes from the whole of the body or not from the whole; for if the latter is true it is reasonable to suppose that it does not come from both parents either. Accordingly, since some 10say that it comes from the whole of the body, we must investigate this question first.
The proofs from which it can be argued that the semen comes from each and every part of the body may be reduced to four. First, the intensity of the pleasure of coition; for the same state of feeling is more pleasant if multiplied, and that which affects all the 15parts is multiplied as compared with that which affects only one or a few. Secondly, the alleged fact that mutilations are inherited, for they argue that since the parent is deficient in this part the semen does not come from thence, and the result is that the corresponding part is not formed in the offspring. Thirdly, the resemblances to the parents, 20for the young are born like them part for part as well as in the whole body; if then the coming of the semen from the whole body is cause of the resemblance of the whole, so the parts would be like because it comes from each of the parts. Fourthly, it would seem to be reasonable to say that as there is some first thing from which the whole arises, so 25it is also with each of the parts, and therefore if semen or seed is cause of the whole so each of the parts would have a seed peculiar to itself. And these opinions are plausibly supported by such evidence as that children are born with a likeness to their parents, not in congenital but also in acquired characteristics; for before now, when the parents 30have had scars, the children have been born with a mark in the form of the scar in the same place, and there was a case at Chalcedon where the father had a brand on his arm and the letter was marked on the child, only confused and not clearly articulated. That is pretty much the evidence on which some believe that the semen comes from all the body.
722a
1 μάλιστα πιστεύουσί τινες.
Book 1,Chapter 18 (722a1–726a27)
Φαίνεται δ' ἐξετάζουσι τὸν λόγον
τοὐναντίον μᾶλλον· τά τε γὰρ εἰρημένα λύειν οὐ χαλεπόν,
καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἄλλα συμβαίνει λέγειν ἀδύνατα. πρῶτον
μὲν οὖν ὅτι οὐθὲν σημεῖον ἡ ὁμοιότης τοῦ ἀπιέναι ἀπὸ παντός,
5 ὅτι καὶ φωνὴν καὶ ὄνυχας καὶ τρίχας ὅμοιοι γίγνονται καὶ
τὴν κίνησιν, ἀφ' ὧν οὐθὲν ἀπέρχεται. ἔνια δ' οὐκ ἔχουσί πω
ὅταν γεννῶσιν, οἷον τρίχωσιν πολιῶν ἢ γενείου. ἔτι τοῖς ἄνωθεν
γονεῦσιν ἐοίκασιν ἀφ' ὧν οὐθὲν ἀπῆλθεν· ἀποδιδόασι
γὰρ διὰ πολλῶν γενεῶν αἱ ὁμοιότητες, οἷον καὶ ἐν Ἤλιδι ἡ
10 τῷ Αἰθίοπι συγγενομένη· οὐ γὰρ ἡ θυγάτηρ ἐγένετο ἀλλ' ὁ
ἐκ ταύτης Αἰθίοψ. καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν φυτῶν δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς λόγος·
δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι καὶ τούτοις ἀπὸ πάντων ἂν τῶν μερῶν τὸ
σπέρμα γίγνοιτο. πολλὰ δὲ τὰ μὲν οὐκ ἔχει, τὰ δὲ καὶ
ἀφέλοι τις ἄν, τὰ δὲ προσφύεται. ἔτι οὐδ' ἀπὸ τῶν περικαρπίων
15 ἀπέρχεται· καίτοι καὶ ταῦτα γίγνεται τὴν αὐτὴν
ἔχοντα μορφήν. Ἔτι πότερον ἀπὸ τῶν ὁμοιομερῶν μόνον ἀπέρχεται
ἀφ' ἑκάστου οἷον ἀπὸ σαρκὸς καὶ ὀστοῦ καὶ νεύρου,
ἢ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνομοιομερῶν οἷον προσώπου καὶ χειρός; εἰ
μὲν γὰρ ἀπ' ἐκείνων μόνον—ἐοίκασι δὲ μᾶλλον ταῦτα τοῖς
20 γονεῦσι [τὰ ἀνομοιομερῆ οἷον πρόσωπον καὶ χεῖρας καὶ πόδας]·
εἴπερ οὖν μηδὲ ταῦτα τῷ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπελθεῖν, τί
κωλύει μηδ' ἐκεῖνα τῷ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπελθεῖν ὅμοια εἶναι
ἀλλὰ δι' ἄλλην αἰτίαν; εἰ δ' ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνομοιομερῶν μόνον
—οὔκουν ἀπὸ πάντων. προσήκει δὲ μᾶλλον ἀπ' ἐκείνων· πρότερα
25 γὰρ ἐκεῖνα καὶ σύγκειται τὰ ἀνομοιμερῆ ἐξ ἐκείνων,
καὶ ὥσπερ πρόσωπον καὶ χεῖρας γίγνονται ἐοικότες
οὕτω καὶ σάρκας καὶ ὄνυχας. εἰ δ' ἀπ' ἀμφοτέρων, τίς ὁ
τρόπος ἂν εἴη τῆς γενέσεως; σύγκειται γὰρ ἐκ τῶν ὁμοιομερῶν
τὰ ἀνομοιομερῆ ὥστε τὸ ἀπὸ τούτων ἀπιέναι τὸ ἀπ'
30 ἐκείνων ἂν εἴη ἀπιέναι καὶ τῆς συνθέσεως· ὥσπερ κἂν εἰ
ἀπὸ τοῦ γεγραμμένου· ὀνόματος ἀπῄει τι, εἰ μὲν ἀπὸ παντός, κἂν
ἀπὸ τῶν συλλαβῶν ἑκάστης, εἰ δ' ἀπὸ τούτων, ἀπὸ τῶν
στοιχείων καὶ τῆς συνθέσεως. ὥστ' εἴπερ ἐκ πυρὸς καὶ τῶν
τοιούτων σάρκες καὶ ὀστᾶ συνεστᾶσιν, ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων ἂν
35 εἴη μᾶλλον· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς συνθέσεως πῶς ἐνδέχεται; ἀλλὰ
1On examining the question, however, the opposite appears more likely, for it is not hard to refute the above arguments and the view involves impossibilities. First, then, the resemblance of children to parents is no proof that the semen comes from the whole body, because the resemblance is found also in voice, 5nails, hair, and way of moving, from which nothing comes. And men generate before they yet have certain characters, such as a beard or grey hair. Further, children are like their more remote ancestors from whom nothing has come, for the resemblances recur at an interval of many generations, as in the case of the woman in Elis who had intercourse with the Aethiop; her daughter was 10not an Aethiop but the son of that daughter was. The same thing applies also to plants, for it is clear that if this theory were true the seed would come from all parts of plants also; but often a plant does not possess one part, and another part may be removed, and a third grows afterwards. Besides, the seed does not come from the pericarp, and yet this also comes into being with the 15same form as in the parent plant.
We may also ask whether the semen comes from each of the homogeneous parts only, such as flesh and bone and sinew, or also from the heterogeneous, such as face and hands. For if from the former only, we object that resemblance exists rather in the heterogeneous parts, such as face and hands and feet; if then it is not because of the semen coming from 20all parts that children resemble their parents in these, what is there to stop the homogeneous parts also from being like for some other reason than this? If the semen comes from the heterogeneous alone, then it does not come from all parts; but it is more fitting that it should come from the homogeneous parts, for they are prior to the heterogeneous which are composed of them; and 25as children are born like their parents in face and hands, so they are, necessarily, in flesh and nails. If the semen comes from both, what would be the manner of generation? For the heteroeneous parts are composed of the homogneous, so that to come from the former would be to come from the latter and from their composition. To make this clearer by an illustration, take a written name; 30if anything came from the whole of it, it would be from each of the syllables, and if from these, from the letters and their composition. So that if really flesh and bones are composed of fire and the like elements, the semen would come rather from the elements than anything else, for how can it come from their composition? Yet without this composition there would be no resemblance.
We may also ask whether the semen comes from each of the homogeneous parts only, such as flesh and bone and sinew, or also from the heterogeneous, such as face and hands. For if from the former only, we object that resemblance exists rather in the heterogeneous parts, such as face and hands and feet; if then it is not because of the semen coming from 20all parts that children resemble their parents in these, what is there to stop the homogeneous parts also from being like for some other reason than this? If the semen comes from the heterogeneous alone, then it does not come from all parts; but it is more fitting that it should come from the homogeneous parts, for they are prior to the heterogeneous which are composed of them; and 25as children are born like their parents in face and hands, so they are, necessarily, in flesh and nails. If the semen comes from both, what would be the manner of generation? For the heteroeneous parts are composed of the homogneous, so that to come from the former would be to come from the latter and from their composition. To make this clearer by an illustration, take a written name; 30if anything came from the whole of it, it would be from each of the syllables, and if from these, from the letters and their composition. So that if really flesh and bones are composed of fire and the like elements, the semen would come rather from the elements than anything else, for how can it come from their composition? Yet without this composition there would be no resemblance.
722b
1 μὴν ἄνευ γε ταύτης οὐκ ἂν εἴη ὅμοια. ταύτην δ' εἴ τι δημιουργεῖ
ὕστερον, τοῦτ' ἂν εἴη τὸ τῆς ὁμοιότητος αἴτιον ἀλλ'
οὐ τὸ ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ παντός. Ἔτι εἰ μὲν διεσπασμένα τὰ μέρη
ἐν τῷ σπέρματι πῶς ζῇ; εἰ δὲ συνεχῆ ζῷον ἂν εἴη μικρόν.
5 καὶ τὰ τῶν αἰδοίων πῶς; οὐ γὰρ ὅμοιον τὸ ἀπιὸν ἀπὸ
τοῦ ἄρρενος καὶ τοῦ θήλεος. Ἔτι εἰ ἀπ' ἀμφοτέρων ὁμοίως ἀπὸ
πάντων ἀπέρχεται, δύο γίγνεται ζῷα· ἑκατέρου γὰρ ἅπαντα
ἕξει. διὸ καὶ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς ἔοικεν, εἴπερ οὕτω λεκτέον,
μάλιστα λέγειν ὁμολογούμενα τούτῳ τῷ λόγῳ [τό γε
10 τοσοῦτον, ἀλλ' εἴπερ ἑτέρᾳ πῃ, οὐ καλῶς]· φησὶ γὰρ ἐν τῷ
ἄρρενι καὶ τῷ θήλει οἷον σύμβολον ἐνεῖναι, ὅλον δ' ἀπ'
οὐδετέρου ἀπιέναι, ἀλλὰ διέσπασται μελέων φύσις, ἡ μὲν ἐν ἀνδρός ...
διὰ τί γὰρ τὰ θήλεα οὐ γεννᾷ ἐξ αὑτῶν εἴπερ
ἀπὸ παντός τε ἀπέρχεται καὶ ἔχει ὑποδοχήν; ἀλλ' ὡς
15 ἔοικεν ἢ οὐκ ἀπέρχεται ἀπὸ παντὸς ἢ οὕτως ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος
λέγει, οὐ ταὐτὰ ἀφ' ἑκατέρου, διὸ καὶ δέονται τῆς ἀλλήλων
συνουσίας. ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτ' ἀδύνατον. ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ
μεγάλα ὄντ' ἀδύνατον διεσπασμένα σώζεσθαι καὶ ἔμψυχα
εἶναι, καθάπερ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς γεννᾷ ἐπὶ τῆς Φιλότητος
20 λέγων· ᾗ πολλαὶ μὲν κόρσαι ἀναύχενες ἐβλάστησαν, εἶθ'
οὕτω συμφύεσθαί φησιν, τοῦτο δὲ φανερὸν ὅτι ἀδύνατον·
οὔτε γὰρ μὴ ψυχὴν ἔχοντα οὔτε μὴ ζωήν τινα δύναιτ' ἂν
σώζεσθαι, οὔτε ὥσπερ ζῷα ὄντα πλείω συμφύεσθαι ὥστ'
εἶναι πάλιν ἕν. ἀλλὰ μὴν τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον συμβαίνει λέγειν
25 τοῖς ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπιέναι φάσκουσιν, ὥσπερ τότε ἐν τῇ
γῇ ἐπὶ τῆς Φιλότητος, οὕτω τούτοις ἐν τῷ σώματι. ἀδύνατον
γὰρ συνεχῆ τὰ μόρια γίγνεσθαι καὶ ἀπιέναι εἰς ἕνα
τόπον συνιόντα. εἶτα πῶς καὶ διέσπασται τὰ ἄνω καὶ κάτω
καὶ δεξιὰ καὶ ἀριστερὰ καὶ πρόσθια καὶ ὀπίσθια; πάντα
30 γὰρ ταῦτα ἄλογά ἐστιν. Ἔτι δὲ τὰ μέρη τὰ μὲν δυνάμει τὰ
δὲ πάθεσι διώρισται, τὰ μὲν ἀνομοιομερῆ τῷ δύνασθαί τι
ποιεῖν οἷον γλῶττα καὶ χείρ, τὰ δ' ὁμοιομερῆ σκληρότητι
καὶ μαλακότητι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς τοιούτοις πάθεσιν. οὐ
πάντως οὖν ἔχον αἷμα οὐδὲ σάρξ. δῆλον τοίνυν ὅτι ἀδύνατον
35 τὸ ἀπελθὸν εἶναι συνώνυμον τοῖς μέρεσιν, οἷον αἷμα ἀπὸ
1If again something creates this composition later, it would be this that would be the cause of the resemblance, not the coming of the semen from every part of the body.
Further, if the parts of the future animal are separated in the semen, how do they live? and if they are connected, they would form a small 5animal.
And what about the generative parts? For that which comes from the male is not similar to what comes from the female.
Again, if the semen comes from all parts of both parents alike, the result is two animals, for the offspring will have all the parts of both. Wherefore Empedocles seems to say what agrees pretty well with this view (if we are to adopt it), to a certain extent at 10any rate, but to be wrong if we think otherwise. What he says agrees with it when he declares that there is a sort of tally in the male and female, and that the whole offspring does not come from either, ‘but sundered is the fashion of limbs, some in man’s . . . ’ For why does not the female generate from herself if the semen comes from all parts alike and she has a receptacle ready in 15the uterus? But, it seems, either it does not come from all the parts, or if it does it is in the way Empedocles says, not the same parts coming from each parent, which is why they need intercourse with each other.
Yet this also is impossible, just as much as it is impossible for the parts when full grown to survive and have life in them when torn apart, as Empedocles accounts for the 20creation of animals; in the time of his ‘Reign of Love’, says he, ‘many heads sprang up without necks,’ and later on these isolated parts combined into animals. Now that this is impossible is plain, for neither would the separate parts be able to survive without having any soul or life in them, nor if they were living things, so to say, could several of them combine so as to become one 25animal again. Yet those who say that semen comes from the whole of the body really have to talk in that way, and as it happened then in the earth during the ‘Reign of Love’, so it happens according to them in the body. Now it is impossible that the parts should be united together when they come into being and should come from different parts of the parent, meeting together in one place. 30Then how can the upper and lower, right and left, front and back parts have been ‘sundered’? All these points are unintelligible. Further, some parts are distinguished by possessing a faculty, others by being in certain states or conditions; the heterogeneous, as tongue and hand, by the faculty of doing something, the homogeneous by hardness and softness and the other similar states.
Further, if the parts of the future animal are separated in the semen, how do they live? and if they are connected, they would form a small 5animal.
And what about the generative parts? For that which comes from the male is not similar to what comes from the female.
Again, if the semen comes from all parts of both parents alike, the result is two animals, for the offspring will have all the parts of both. Wherefore Empedocles seems to say what agrees pretty well with this view (if we are to adopt it), to a certain extent at 10any rate, but to be wrong if we think otherwise. What he says agrees with it when he declares that there is a sort of tally in the male and female, and that the whole offspring does not come from either, ‘but sundered is the fashion of limbs, some in man’s . . . ’ For why does not the female generate from herself if the semen comes from all parts alike and she has a receptacle ready in 15the uterus? But, it seems, either it does not come from all the parts, or if it does it is in the way Empedocles says, not the same parts coming from each parent, which is why they need intercourse with each other.
Yet this also is impossible, just as much as it is impossible for the parts when full grown to survive and have life in them when torn apart, as Empedocles accounts for the 20creation of animals; in the time of his ‘Reign of Love’, says he, ‘many heads sprang up without necks,’ and later on these isolated parts combined into animals. Now that this is impossible is plain, for neither would the separate parts be able to survive without having any soul or life in them, nor if they were living things, so to say, could several of them combine so as to become one 25animal again. Yet those who say that semen comes from the whole of the body really have to talk in that way, and as it happened then in the earth during the ‘Reign of Love’, so it happens according to them in the body. Now it is impossible that the parts should be united together when they come into being and should come from different parts of the parent, meeting together in one place. 30Then how can the upper and lower, right and left, front and back parts have been ‘sundered’? All these points are unintelligible. Further, some parts are distinguished by possessing a faculty, others by being in certain states or conditions; the heterogeneous, as tongue and hand, by the faculty of doing something, the homogeneous by hardness and softness and the other similar states.
723a
1 αἵματος ἢ σάρκα ἀπὸ σαρκός. ἀλλὰ μὴν εἴ γ' ἐξ ἑτέρου
τινὸς ὄντος αἷμα γίγνεται οὐδ' ἂν τῆς ὁμοιότητος αἴτιον εἴη,
ὡς λέγουσιν οἱ φάσκοντες οὕτω, τὸ ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ πάντων
τῶν μορίων· ἱκανὸν γὰρ ἀφ' ἑνὸς ἀπιέναι μόνον εἴπερ μὴ
5 ἐξ αἵματος αἷμα γίγνεται. διὰ τί γὰρ οὐκ ἂν καὶ ἅπαντα
ἐξ ἑνὸς γίγνοιτο; ὁ αὐτὸς γὰρ λόγος ἔοικεν εἶναι οὗτος τῷ
Ἀναξαγόρου, τῷ μηθὲν γίγνεσθαι τῶν ὁμοιομερῶν· πλὴν
ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐπὶ πάντων, οὗτοι δ' ἐπὶ τῆς γενέσεως τῶν ζῴων
τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν. ἔπειτα τίνα τρόπον αὐξηθήσεται ταῦτα τὰ
10 ἀπελθόντα ἀπὸ παντός; Ἀναξαγόρας μὲν γὰρ εὐλόγως
φησὶ σάρκας ἐκ τῆς τροφῆς προσιέναι ταῖς σαρξίν· τοῖς
δὲ ταῦτα μὲν μὴ λέγουσιν ἀπὸ παντὸς δ' ἀπιέναι φάσκουσι,
πῶς ἑτέρου προσγενομένου ἔσται μεῖζον εἰ μὴ μεταβάλλει τὸ προςελθόν;
ἀλλὰ μὴν εἴ γε δύναται μεταβάλλειν τὸ προσελθόν,
15 διὰ τί οὐκ εὐθὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὸ σπέρμα τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν ὥστ'
ἐξ αὐτοῦ δυνατὸν εἶναι γίγνεσθαι αἷμα καὶ σάρκας, ἀλλὰ μὴ
αὐτὸ εἶναι ἐκεῖνο καὶ αἷμα καὶ σάρκας; οὐ γὰρ δὴ οὐδὲ τοῦτο
ἐνδέχεται λέγειν ὡς τῇ κατακεράσει αὐξάνεται ὕστερον οἷον
οἶνος ὕδατος προσεγχυθέντος· αὐτὸ γὰρ ἂν πρῶτον μάλιστα
20 ἦν ἕκαστον ἄκρατον ὄν· νῦν δὲ ὕστερον μᾶλλον καὶ σὰρξ καὶ
ὀστοῦν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἕκαστόν ἐστι μορίων. τοῦ δὲ σπέρματος
φάναι τι νεῦρον εἶναι καὶ ὀστοῦν λίαν ἐστὶν ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς τὸ
λεγόμενον. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις εἰ τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν ἐν τῇ
κυήσει διαφέρει καθάπερ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς λέγει·
25 ἐν δ' ἐχύθη καθαροῖσι· τὰ μὲν τελέθουσι γυναῖκες, ψύχεος ἀντιάσαντα ..,
φαίνονται δ' οὖν μεταβάλλουσαι καὶ γυναῖκες καὶ ἄνδρες,
ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀγόνων γόνιμοι οὕτω καὶ ἐκ θηλυτόκων ἀρρενοτόκοι,
ὡς οὐκ ἐν τῷ ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ παντὸς ἢ μὴ τῆς αἰτίας
οὔσης ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ σύμμετρον ἢ ἀσύμμετρον εἶναι τὸ
30 ἀπὸ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀπιόν, ἢ καὶ δι' ἄλλην
τινὰ τοιαύτην αἰτίαν. δῆλον τοίνυν, εἰ τοῦτο θήσομεν οὕτως
ὅτι οὐ τῷ ἀπελθεῖν ἀπό τινος τὸ θῆλυ, ὥστ' οὐδὲ τὸ μέρος ὃ
ἔχει ἴδιον τό τε ἄρρεν καὶ τὸ θῆλυ, εἴπερ τὸ αὐτὸ σπέρμα
καὶ θῆλυ καὶ ἄρρεν δύναται γίγνεσθαι ὡς οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ
35 μορίου ἐν τῷ σπέρματι. τί οὖν διαφέρει ἐπὶ τούτου λέγειν ἢ
1Blood, then, will not be blood, nor flesh flesh, in any and every state. It is clear, then, that that which comes from any part, as blood from blood or flesh from flesh, will not be identical with that part. But if it is something different from which the blood of the offspring comes, 5the coming of the semen from all the parts will not be the cause of the resemblance, as is held by the supporters of this theory. For if blood is formed from something which is not blood, it is enough that the semen come from one part only, for why should not all the other parts of the offspring as well as blood be formed from one part of the parent? 10Indeed, this theory seems to be the same as that of Anaxagoras, that none of the homogeneous parts come into being, except that these theorists assume, in the case of the generation of animals, what he assumed of the universe.
Then, again, how will these parts that came from all the body of the parent be increased or grow? It is true that Anaxagoras 15plausibly says that particles of flesh out of the food are added to the flesh. But if we do not say this (while saying that semen comes from all parts of the body), how will the foetus become greater by the addition of something else if that which is added remain unchanged? But if that which is added can change, then why not say that the semen from the very 20first is of such a kind that blood and flesh can be made out of it, instead of saying that it itself is blood and flesh? Nor is there any other alternative, for surely we cannot say that it is increased later by a process of mixing, as wine when water is poured into it. For in that case each element of the mixture would be itself at first while still 25unmixed, but the fact rather is that flesh and bone and each of the other parts is such later. And to say that some part of the semen is sinew and bone is quite above us, as the saying is.
Besides all this there is a difficulty if the sex is determined in conception (as Empedocles says: ‘it is shed in clean vessels; some wax female, if they fall in with 30cold’). Anyhow, it is plain that both men and women change not only from infertile to fertile, but also from bearing female to bearing male offspring, which looks as if the cause does not lie in the semen coming from all the parent or not, but in the mutual proportion or disproportion of that comes from the woman and the man, or in something of this kind.
Then, again, how will these parts that came from all the body of the parent be increased or grow? It is true that Anaxagoras 15plausibly says that particles of flesh out of the food are added to the flesh. But if we do not say this (while saying that semen comes from all parts of the body), how will the foetus become greater by the addition of something else if that which is added remain unchanged? But if that which is added can change, then why not say that the semen from the very 20first is of such a kind that blood and flesh can be made out of it, instead of saying that it itself is blood and flesh? Nor is there any other alternative, for surely we cannot say that it is increased later by a process of mixing, as wine when water is poured into it. For in that case each element of the mixture would be itself at first while still 25unmixed, but the fact rather is that flesh and bone and each of the other parts is such later. And to say that some part of the semen is sinew and bone is quite above us, as the saying is.
Besides all this there is a difficulty if the sex is determined in conception (as Empedocles says: ‘it is shed in clean vessels; some wax female, if they fall in with 30cold’). Anyhow, it is plain that both men and women change not only from infertile to fertile, but also from bearing female to bearing male offspring, which looks as if the cause does not lie in the semen coming from all the parent or not, but in the mutual proportion or disproportion of that comes from the woman and the man, or in something of this kind.
723b
1 ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων μορίων; εἰ γὰρ μηδ' ἀπὸ τῆς ὑστέρας σπέρμα
γίγνεται ὁ αὐτὸς λόγος καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἂν εἴη μορίων.
Ἔτι ἔνια γίγνεται τῶν ζῴων οὔτ' ἐξ ὁμογένων οὔτε τῷ γένει
διαφόρων, οἷον αἱ μυῖαι καὶ τὰ γένη τῶν καλουμένων
5 ψυλλῶν· ἐκ δὲ τούτων γίγνεται μὲν ζῷα οὐκέτι δ' ὅμοια τὴν
φύσιν, ἀλλὰ γένος τι σκωλήκων. δῆλον οὖν ὅτι οὐκ ἀπὸ
παντὸς μέρους ἀπιόντος γίγνονται ὅσα ἑτερογενῆ· ὅμοια γὰρ
ἂν ἦν εἴπερ τοῦ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπιέναι σημεῖόν ἐστιν ἡ ὁμοιότης.
Ἔτι ἀπὸ μιᾶς συνουσίας καὶ τῶν ζῴων ἔνια γεννᾷ πολλά
10 (τὰ δὲ φυτὰ καὶ παντάπασιν· δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι ἀπὸ μιᾶς
κινήσεως τὸν ἐπέτειον πάντα φέρει καρπόν)· καίτοι πῶς δυνατὸν
εἰ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπεκρίνετο τὸ σπέρμα; μίαν γὰρ
ἀπόκρισιν ἀπὸ μιᾶς ἀναγκαῖον γίγνεσθαι συνουσίας καὶ μιᾶς
διακρίσεως. ἐν δὲ ταῖς ὑστέραις χωρίζεσθαι ἀδύνατον· ἤδη
15 γὰρ ὥσπερ ἀπὸ ζῴου, οὐ σπέρματος εἴη ἡ διαχώρισις.
Ἔτι τὰ ἀποφυτευόμενα ἀφ' αὑτοῦ φέρει σπέρμα·
δῆλον οὖν ὅτι καὶ πρὶν ἀποφυτευθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μεγέθους
ἔφερε τὸν καρπόν, καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ παντὸς τοῦ φυτοῦ ἀπῄει τὸ
σπέρμα. Μέγιστον δὲ τούτων τεκμήριον τεθεωρήκαμεν ἱκανῶς
20 ἐπὶ τῶν ἐντόμων. καὶ γὰρ εἰ μὴ ἐν πᾶσιν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῶν
πλείστων ἐν τῇ ὀχείᾳ τὸ θῆλυ εἰς τὸ ἄρρεν μέρος τι αὑτοῦ
ἀποτείνει· διὸ καὶ τὴν ὀχείαν, καθάπερ εἴπομεν πρότερον,
οὕτω ποιοῦνται· τὰ γὰρ κάτωθεν εἰς τὰ ἄνω φαίνεται ἐναφιέντα,
οὐκ ἐν πᾶσιν ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς πλείστοις τῶν τεθεωρημένων.
25 ὥστε φανερὸν ἂν εἴη ὅτι οὐδ' ὅσα προΐεται γονὴν τῶν ἀρρένων,
οὐ τὸ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπιέναι τῆς γενέσεως αἴτιόν ἐστιν, ἀλλ'
ἄλλον τινὰ τρόπον περὶ οὗ σκεπτέον ὕστερον. καὶ γὰρ εἴπερ
τὸ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπιέναι συνέβαινεν, ὥσπερ φασίν, οὐθὲν ἔδει
ἀπὸ πάντων ἀξιοῦν ἀπιέναι ἀλλὰ μόνον ἀπὸ τοῦ δημιουργοῦντος,
30 οἷον ἀπὸ τοῦ τέκτονος ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ὕλης. νῦν δ'
ὅμοιον λέγουσιν ὥσπερ κἂν εἰ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑποδημάτων· σχεδὸν
γὰρ ὅμοιος υἱὸς τῷ πατρὶ ὅμοια φορεῖ. Ὅτι δ' ἡδονὴ
σφοδροτέρα γίγνεται ἐν τῇ ὁμιλίᾳ τῇ τῶν ἀφροδισίων, οὐ τὸ ἀπὸ
παντὸς ἀπιέναι αἴτιον ἀλλ' ὅτι κνησμός ἐστιν ἰσχυρός· διὸ
35 καὶ εἰ πολλάκις συμβαίνει ἡ ὁμιλία αὕτη ἧττον γίγνεται
1It is clear, then, if we are to put this down as being so, that the female sex is not determined by the semen coming from any particular part, and consequently neither is the special sexual part so determined (if really the same semen can become either male or female child, which shows that the sexual part does not exist in the 5semen). Why, then, should we assert this of this part any more than of others? For if semen does not come from this part, the uterus, the same account may be given of the others.
Again, some creatures come into being neither from parents of the same kind nor from parents of a different kind, as flies and the various kinds of what are called fleas; from these are produced animals indeed, but not in this case of 10similar nature but a kind of scolex. It is plain in this case that the young of a different kind are not produced by semen coming from all parts of the parent, for they would then resemble them, if indeed resemblance is a sign of its coming from all parts.
Further even among animals some produce many young from a single coition (and something like this is universal among plants, for it is plain that they bear 15all the fruit of a whole season from a single movement). And yet how would this be possible if the semen were secreted from all the body? For from a single coition and a single segregation of the semen scattered throughout the body must needs follow only a single secretion. Nor is it possible for it to be separated in the uterus, for this would no longer be a mere separation of semen, but, as it were, a severance 20from a new plant or animal.
Again, the cuttings from a plant bear seed; clearly, therefore, even before they were cut from the parent plant, they bore their fruit from their own mass alone, and the seed did not come from all the plant.
But the greatest proof of all is derived from observations we have sufficiently established on insects. For, if not in all, at least in most of these, the female in the act 25of copulation inserts a part of herself into the male. This, as we said before, is the way they copulate, for the females manifestly insert this from below into the males above, not in all cases, but in most of those observed. Hence it seems clear that, when the males do emit semen, then also the cause of the generation is not its coming from all the body, but something else which must be investigated hereafter. 30For even if it were true that it comes from all the body, as they say, they ought not to claim that it comes from all parts of it, but only from the creative part — from the workman, so to say, not the material he works in. Instead of that, they talk as if one were to say that the semen comes from the shoes, for, generally speaking, if a son is like his father, the shoes he wears are like his father’s shoes.
Again, some creatures come into being neither from parents of the same kind nor from parents of a different kind, as flies and the various kinds of what are called fleas; from these are produced animals indeed, but not in this case of 10similar nature but a kind of scolex. It is plain in this case that the young of a different kind are not produced by semen coming from all parts of the parent, for they would then resemble them, if indeed resemblance is a sign of its coming from all parts.
Further even among animals some produce many young from a single coition (and something like this is universal among plants, for it is plain that they bear 15all the fruit of a whole season from a single movement). And yet how would this be possible if the semen were secreted from all the body? For from a single coition and a single segregation of the semen scattered throughout the body must needs follow only a single secretion. Nor is it possible for it to be separated in the uterus, for this would no longer be a mere separation of semen, but, as it were, a severance 20from a new plant or animal.
Again, the cuttings from a plant bear seed; clearly, therefore, even before they were cut from the parent plant, they bore their fruit from their own mass alone, and the seed did not come from all the plant.
But the greatest proof of all is derived from observations we have sufficiently established on insects. For, if not in all, at least in most of these, the female in the act 25of copulation inserts a part of herself into the male. This, as we said before, is the way they copulate, for the females manifestly insert this from below into the males above, not in all cases, but in most of those observed. Hence it seems clear that, when the males do emit semen, then also the cause of the generation is not its coming from all the body, but something else which must be investigated hereafter. 30For even if it were true that it comes from all the body, as they say, they ought not to claim that it comes from all parts of it, but only from the creative part — from the workman, so to say, not the material he works in. Instead of that, they talk as if one were to say that the semen comes from the shoes, for, generally speaking, if a son is like his father, the shoes he wears are like his father’s shoes.
724a
1 τὸ χαίρειν τοῖς πλησιάζουσιν. ἔτι πρὸς τῷ τέλει ἡ χαρά,
ἔδει δὲ ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν μορίων, καὶ μὴ ἅμα ἀλλ' ἐν μὲν
τοῖς πρότερον ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὕστερον. Τοῦ δ' ἐκ κολοβῶν γίγνεσθαι
κολοβὰ ἡ αὐτὴ αἰτία καὶ διὰ τί ὅμοια τοῖς γονεῦσιν. γίγνεται
5 δὲ καὶ οὐ κολοβὰ ἐκ κολοβῶν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἀνόμοια
τοῖς τεκνώσασιν· περὶ ὧν ὕστερον τὴν αἰτίαν θεωρητέον· τὸ
γὰρ πρόβλημα τοῦτ' ἐκείνοις ταὐτόν ἐστιν. Ἔτι εἰ τὸ θῆλυ μὴ
προΐεται σπέρμα τοῦ αὐτοῦ λόγου μηδ' ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπιέναι.
κἂν εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπέρχεται, οὐθὲν ἄλογον τὸ μηδ'
10 ἀπὸ τοῦ θήλεος ἀλλ' ἄλλον τινὰ τρόπον αἴτιον εἶναι τὸ θῆλυ
τῆς γενέσεως. περὶ οὗ ἐχόμενόν ἐστιν ἐπισκέψασθαι ἐπειδὴ
φανερὸν ὅτι οὐκ ἀπὸ πάντων ἀποκρίνεται τὸ σπέρμα τῶν
μορίων.
Ἀρχὴ δὲ καὶ ταύτης τῆς σκέψεως καὶ τῶν ἑπομένων
15 πρῶτον λαβεῖν περὶ σπέρματος τί ἐστιν· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ περὶ
τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸ συμβαινόντων ἔσται
μᾶλλον εὐθεώρητον. βούλεται δὲ τοιοῦτον τὴν φύσιν εἶναι τὸ
σπέρμα ἐξ οὗ τὰ κατὰ φύσιν συνιστάμενα γίγνεται πρώτου,
†οὐ τῷ ἐξ ἐκείνου τι εἶναι τὸ ποιοῦν οἷον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου· γίγνεται
20 γὰρ ἐκ τούτου ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σπέρμα.† ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλαχῶς
γίγνεται ἄλλο ἐξ ἄλλου—ἕτερον γὰρ τρόπον ὡς ἐξ
ἡμέρας φαμὲν νὺξ γίγνεται καὶ ἐκ παιδὸς ἀνήρ, ὅτι τόδε
μετὰ τόδε· ἄλλον δὲ τρόπον ὡς ἐκ χαλκοῦ ἀνδριὰς καὶ
ἐκ ξύλου κλίνη καὶ τἆλλα ὅσα ὡς ἐξ ὕλης γίγνεσθαι τὰ
25 γιγνόμενα λέγομεν, ἔκ τινος ἐνυπάρχοντος καὶ σχηματισθέντος
τὸ ὅλον ἐστίν. ἕτερον δὲ τρόπον ὡς ἐκ μουσικοῦ ἄμουσος
καὶ ὡς ἐξ ὑγιοῦς κάμνων καὶ ὅλως ὡς τὸ ἐναντίον ἐκ
τοῦ ἐναντίου. ἔτι δὲ παρὰ ταῦτα ὡς Ἐπίχαρμος ποιεῖ τὴν
ἐποικοδόμησιν, ἐκ τῆς διαβολῆς ἡ λοιδορία, ἐκ δὲ ταύτης
30 ἡ μάχη· ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἔκ τινος ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κινήσεως.
τῶν δὲ τοιούτων ἐνίων μὲν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κινήσεώς
ἐστιν οἷον καὶ ἐν τοῖς νῦν εἰρημένοις (μέρος γάρ τι ἡ διαβολὴ
τῆς πάσης ταραχῆς ἐστιν), ἐνίων δ' ἔξω οἷον αἱ
τέχναι τῶν δημιουργουμένων καὶ ὁ λύχνος τῆς καιομένης
35 οἰκίας. Τὸ δὲ σπέρμα φανερὸν ὅτι δυοῖν τούτοιν ἐν θατέρῳ
ἐστίν· ἢ γὰρ ὡς ἐξ ὕλης αὐτοῦ ἢ ὡς ἐκ πρώτου κινήσαντός
1As to the vehemence of pleasure in sexual intercourse, it is not because the semen comes from all the body, but because there is a strong friction (wherefore if this intercourse is often repeated the pleasure is diminished in the persons concerned). Moreover, the pleasure is at the end of the 5act, but it ought, on the theory, to be in each of the parts, and not at the same time, but sooner in some and later in others.
If mutilated young are born of mutilated parents, it is for the same reason as that for which they are like them. And the young of mutilated parents are not always mutilated, just as they are not always like their parents; the cause of this must 10be inquired into later, for this problem is the same as that.
Again, if the female does not produce semen, it is reasonable to suppose it does not come from all the body of the male either. Conversely, if it does not come from all the male it is not unreasonable to suppose that it does not come from the female, but that the female is cause of the generation in some 15other way. Into this we must next inquire, since it is plain that the semen is not secreted from all the parts.
In this investigation and those which follow from it, the first thing to do is to understand what semen is, for then it will be easier to inquire into its operations and the phenomena connected with it. Now the object of semen is to be of such a nature that 20from it as their origin come into being those things which are naturally formed, not because there is any agent which makes them from it as simply because this is the semen. Now we speak of one thing coming from another in many senses; it is one thing when we say that night comes from day or a man becomes man from boy, meaning that A follows B; it is another if we 25say that a statue is made from bronze and a bed from wood, and so on in all the other cases where we say that the thing made is made from a material, meaning that the whole is formed from something preexisting which is only put into shape. In a third sense a man becomes unmusical from being musical, sick from being well, and generally in this sense contraries arise from 30contraries. Fourthly, as in the ‘climax’ of Epicharmus; thus from slander comes railing and from this fighting, and all these are from something in the sense that it is the efficient cause. In this last class sometimes the efficient cause is in the things themselves, as in the last mentioned (for the slander is a part of the whole trouble), and sometimes external, as 35the art is external to the work of art or the torch to the burning house.
If mutilated young are born of mutilated parents, it is for the same reason as that for which they are like them. And the young of mutilated parents are not always mutilated, just as they are not always like their parents; the cause of this must 10be inquired into later, for this problem is the same as that.
Again, if the female does not produce semen, it is reasonable to suppose it does not come from all the body of the male either. Conversely, if it does not come from all the male it is not unreasonable to suppose that it does not come from the female, but that the female is cause of the generation in some 15other way. Into this we must next inquire, since it is plain that the semen is not secreted from all the parts.
In this investigation and those which follow from it, the first thing to do is to understand what semen is, for then it will be easier to inquire into its operations and the phenomena connected with it. Now the object of semen is to be of such a nature that 20from it as their origin come into being those things which are naturally formed, not because there is any agent which makes them from it as simply because this is the semen. Now we speak of one thing coming from another in many senses; it is one thing when we say that night comes from day or a man becomes man from boy, meaning that A follows B; it is another if we 25say that a statue is made from bronze and a bed from wood, and so on in all the other cases where we say that the thing made is made from a material, meaning that the whole is formed from something preexisting which is only put into shape. In a third sense a man becomes unmusical from being musical, sick from being well, and generally in this sense contraries arise from 30contraries. Fourthly, as in the ‘climax’ of Epicharmus; thus from slander comes railing and from this fighting, and all these are from something in the sense that it is the efficient cause. In this last class sometimes the efficient cause is in the things themselves, as in the last mentioned (for the slander is a part of the whole trouble), and sometimes external, as 35the art is external to the work of art or the torch to the burning house.
724b
1 ἐστι τὸ γιγνόμενον. οὐ γὰρ δὴ ὡς τόδε μετὰ τόδε οἷον ἐκ
τῶν Παναθηναίων ὁ πλοῦς, οὐδ' ὡς ἐξ ἐναντίου· φθειρομένου
τε γὰρ γίγνεται τὸ ἐναντίον ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου, καὶ ἕτερόν τι
δεῖ ὑποκεῖσθαι ἐξ οὗ ἔσται πρώτου ἐνυπάρχοντος. τοῖν δυοῖν
5 δὴ ληπτέον ἐν ποτέρῳ θετέον τὸ σπέρμα, πότερον ὡς ὕλην
καὶ πάσχον ἢ ὡς εἶδός τι καὶ ποιοῦν, ἢ καὶ ἄμφω. ἅμα
γὰρ ἴσως δῆλον ἔσται καὶ πῶς ἡ ἐξ ἐναντίων γένεσις ὑπάρχει
πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος· φυσικὴ γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἐκ
τῶν ἐναντίων γένεσις· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἐναντίων γίγνεται,
10 ἄρρενος καὶ θήλεος, τὰ δ' ἐξ ἑνὸς μόνου, οἷον τά τε φυτὰ
καὶ τῶν ζῴων ἔνια ἐν ὅσοις μή ἐστι διωρισμένον τὸ ἄρρεν
καὶ τὸ θῆλυ χωρίς. ⟦Γονὴ μὲν οὖν τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ γεννῶντος καλεῖται
ἀπιόν, ὅσα συνδυάζεσθαι πέφυκε, τὸ πρῶτον ἔχον
ἀρχὴν γενέσεως, σπέρμα δὲ τὸ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων τὰς ἀρχὰς
15 ἔχον τῶν συνδυασθέντων (οἷον τά τε τῶν φυτῶν καὶ ἐνίων
ζῴων ἐν οἷς μὴ κεχώρισται τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν), ὥσπερ
τὸ γιγνόμενον ἐκ θήλεος καὶ ἄρρενος πρῶτον μίγμα οἷον
κύημά τι ὂν ἢ ᾠόν· καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα ἤδη ἔχει τὸ ἐξ ἀμφοῖν.
Σπέρμα δὲ καὶ καρπὸς διαφέρει τῷ ὕστερον καὶ πρότερον·
20 καρπὸς μὲν γὰρ τῷ ἐξ ἄλλου εἶναι, σπέρμα δὲ τῷ
ἐκ τούτου ἄλλο, ἐπεὶ ἄμφω γε ταὐτόν ἐστιν. Ἡ δὲ τοῦ λεγομένου
σπέρματος φύσις ἡ πρώτη, πάλιν λεκτέα τίς ἐστιν.⟧
Ἀνάγκη δὴ πᾶν ὃ ἂν λαμβάνωμεν ἐν τῷ σώματι ἢ μέρος
εἶναι τῶν κατὰ φύσιν, καὶ τοῦτο ἢ τῶν ἀνομοιομερῶν ἢ
25 τῶν ὁμοιομερῶν, —ἢ τῶν παρὰ φύσιν οἷον φῦμα, ἢ περίττωμα
ἢ σύντηγμα ἢ τροφήν. (λέγω δὲ περίττωμα μὲν τὸ τῆς
τροφῆς ὑπόλειμμα, σύντηγμα δὲ τὸ ἀποκριθὲν ἐκ τοῦ αὐξήματος
ὑπὸ τῆς παρὰ φύσιν ἀναλύσεως). ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὐκ
ἂν εἴη μέρος φανερόν· ὁμοιομερὲς μὲν γάρ ἐστιν, ἐκ δὲ τούτου
30 οὐθὲν σύγκειται ὥσπερ ἐκ νεύρου καὶ σαρκός. ἔτι δὲ οὐδὲ
κεχωρισμένον, τὰ δ' ἄλλα πάντα μέρη. ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδὲ τῶν
παρὰ φύσιν οὐδὲ πήρωμα· ἐν ἅπασί τε γὰρ ὑπάρχει, καὶ
ἡ φύσις ἐκ τούτου γίγνεται. ἡ δὲ τροφὴ φανερῶς ἐπείςακτον.
ὥστ' ἀνάγκη ἢ σύντηγμα ἢ περίττωμα εἶναι. οἱ μὲν
35 οὖν ἀρχαῖοι ἐοίκασιν οἰομένοις εἶναι σύντηγμα· τὸ γὰρ ἀπὸ
παντὸς ἀπιέναι φάναι διὰ τὴν θερμότητα τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς κινήσεως
1Now the offspring comes from the semen, and it is plainly in one of the two following senses that it does so — either the semen is the material from which it is made, or it is the first efficient cause. For assuredly it is not in the sense of A being after B, as the voyage comes from, i.e. after, the Panathenaea; 5nor yet as contraries come from contraries, for then one of the two contraries ceases to be, and a third substance must exist as an immediate underlying basis from which the new thing comes into being. We must discover then, in which of the two other classes the semen is to be put, whether it is to be regarded as matter, and therefore acted upon by something else, or as a form, and therefore 10acting upon something else, or as both at once. For perhaps at the same time we shall see clearly also how all the products of semen come into being from contraries, since coming into being from contraries is also a natural process, for some animals do so, i.e. from male and female, others from only one parent, as is the case with plants and all those animals in which male and female are 15not separately differentiated. Now that which comes from the generating parent is called the seminal fluid, being that which first has in it a principle of generation, in the case of all animals whose nature it is to unite; semen is that which has in it the principles from both united parents, as the first mixture which arises from the union of male and female, be it a foetus or an ovum, for 20these already have in them that which comes from both. (Semen, or seed, and grain differ only in the one being earlier and the other later, grain in that it comes from something else, i.e. the seed, and seed in that something else, the grain, comes from it, for both are really the same thing.)
We must again take up the question what the primary nature of what is called semen is. Needs must 25everything which we find in the body either be (1) one of the natural parts, whether homogeneous or heterogeneous, or (2) an unnatural part such as a growth, or (3) a secretion or excretion, or (4) waste-product, or (5) nutriment. (By secretion or excretion I mean the residue of the nutriment, by waste-product that which is given off from the tissues by an unnatural decomposition.)
Now that 30semen cannot be a part of the body is plain, for it is homogeneous, and from the homogeneous nothing is composed, e.g. from only sinew or only flesh; nor is it separated as are all the other parts. But neither is it contrary to Nature nor a defect, for it exists in all alike, and the development of the young animal comes from it. Nutriment, again, is obviously introduced from without.
It 35remains, then, that it must be either a waste-product or a secretion or excretion.
We must again take up the question what the primary nature of what is called semen is. Needs must 25everything which we find in the body either be (1) one of the natural parts, whether homogeneous or heterogeneous, or (2) an unnatural part such as a growth, or (3) a secretion or excretion, or (4) waste-product, or (5) nutriment. (By secretion or excretion I mean the residue of the nutriment, by waste-product that which is given off from the tissues by an unnatural decomposition.)
Now that 30semen cannot be a part of the body is plain, for it is homogeneous, and from the homogeneous nothing is composed, e.g. from only sinew or only flesh; nor is it separated as are all the other parts. But neither is it contrary to Nature nor a defect, for it exists in all alike, and the development of the young animal comes from it. Nutriment, again, is obviously introduced from without.
It 35remains, then, that it must be either a waste-product or a secretion or excretion.
725a
1 συντήγματος ἔχει δύναμιν. τὰ δὲ συντήγματα τῶν
παρὰ φύσιν τι, ἐκ δὲ τῶν παρὰ φύσιν οὐθὲν γίγνεται τῶν
κατὰ φύσιν. ἀνάγκη ἄρα περίττωμα εἶναι. ἀλλὰ μὴν περίττωμά
γε πᾶν ἢ ἀχρήστου τροφῆς ἐστιν ἢ χρησίμης. ἄχρηστον
5 μὲν οὖν λέγω ἀφ' ἧς μηθὲν ἔτι συντελεῖται εἰς τὴν φύσιν
ἀλλ' ἀναλισκομένου πλέονος μάλιστα κακοῦται, τὴν δὲ
χρησίμην τὴν ἐναντίαν. ὅτι μὲν δὴ τοιοῦτον περίττωμα οὐκ ἂν
εἴη φανερόν· τοῖς γὰρ κάκιστα διακειμένοις δι' ἡλικίαν ἢ
νόσον πλεῖστον ἐνυπάρχει τοιοῦτον, σπέρμα δὲ ἥκιστα· ἢ γὰρ
10 ὅλως οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἢ οὐ γόνιμον διὰ τὸ μίγνυσθαι ἄχρηστον περίττωμα
καὶ νοσηματικόν. Χρησίμου ἄρα περιττώματος μέρος
τί ἐστι τὸ σπέρμα. χρησιμώτατον δὲ τὸ ἔσχατον καὶ
ἐξ οὗ ἤδη γίγνεται ἕκαστον τῶν μορίων. ἔστι γὰρ τὸ μὲν πρότερον
τὸ δ' ὕστερον. τῆς μὲν οὖν πρώτης τροφῆς περίττωμα
15 φλέγμα καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τοιοῦτον· καὶ γὰρ τὸ φλέγμα τῆς
χρησίμου τροφῆς περίττωμά ἐστιν· σημεῖον δ' ὅτι μιγνύμενον
τροφῇ καθαρᾷ τρέφει καὶ πονοῦσι καταναλίσκεται. τὸ δὲ
τελευταῖον ἐκ πλείστης τροφῆς ὀλίγιστον γίγνεται. ἐννοεῖν δὲ δεῖ
ὅτι μικρῷ αὐξάνεται τὰ ζῷα καὶ τὰ φυτὰ τῷ καθ' ἡμέραν·
20 παμμίκρου γὰρ ἂν προστιθεμένου τοῦ αὐτοῦ ὑπερέβαλλε τὸ
μέγεθος. Τοὐναντίον ἄρα ἢ οἱ ἀρχαῖοι ἔλεγον λεκτέον. οἱ
μὲν γὰρ τὸ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπιόν, ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸ πρὸς ἅπαντ' ἰέναι
πεφυκὸς σπέρμα ἐροῦμεν, καὶ οἱ μὲν σύντηγμα, φαίνεται
δὲ περίττωμα μᾶλλον. εὐλογώτερον γὰρ ὅμοιον εἶναι τὸ
25 προσιὸν ἔσχατον καὶ τὸ περιγιγνόμενον τοῦ τοιούτου, οἷον
τοῖς γραφεῦσι τοῦ ἀνδρεικέλου πολλάκις περιγίγνεται ὅμοιον
τῷ ἀναλωθέντι. συντηκόμενον δὲ φθείρεται πᾶν καὶ ἐξίσταται
τῆς φύσεως. τεκμήριον δὲ τοῦ μὴ σύντηγμα εἶναι ἀλλὰ
περίττωμα μᾶλλον τὸ τὰ μεγάλα τῶν ζῴων ὀλιγοτόκα
30 εἶναι, τὰ δὲ μικρὰ πολύγονα. σύντηγμα μὲν γὰρ
πλέον ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι τοῖς μεγάλοις, περίττωμα δ' ἔλαττον·
εἰς γὰρ τὸ σῶμα μέγα ὂν ἀναλίσκεται τὸ πλεῖστον
τῆς τροφῆς ὥστ' ὀλίγον γίγνεται τὸ περίττωμα. ἔτι τόπος
συντήγματι μὲν οὐθεὶς ἀποδέδοται κατὰ φύσιν ἀλλὰ ῥεῖ
35 ὅπου ἂν εὐοδήσῃ τοῦ σώματος, τοῖς δὲ κατὰ φύσιν περιττώμασι
1Now the ancients seem to think that it is a waste-product, for when they say that it comes from all the body by reason of the heat of the movement of the body in copulation, they imply that it is a kind of waste-product. But these are contrary to Nature, and from such arises nothing according to Nature. 5So then it must be a secretion or excretion.
But, to go further into it, every secretion or excretion is either of useless or useful nutriment; by ‘useless’ I mean that from which nothing further is contributed to natural growth, but which is particularly mischievous to the body if too much of it is consumed; by ‘useful’ I mean the opposite. Now it is evident that it cannot be of 10the former character, for such is most abundant in persons of the worst condition of body through age or sickness; semen, on the contrary, is least abundant in them for either they have none at all or it is not fertile, because a useless and morbid secretion is mingled with it.
Semen, then, is part of a useful secretion. But the most useful is the last and that from which finally 15is formed each of the parts of the body. For secretions are either earlier or later; of the nutriment in the first stage the secretion is phlegm and the like, for phlegm also is a secretion of the useful nutriment, an indication of this being that if it is mixed with pure nutriment it is nourishing, and that it is used up in cases of illness. The final secretion is the smallest 20in proportion to the quantity of nutriment. But we must reflect that the daily nutriment by which animals and plants grow is but small, for if a very little be added continually to the same thing the size of it will become excessive.
So we must say the opposite of what the ancients said. For whereas they said that semen is that which comes from all the body, we shall say it is 25that whose nature is to go to all of it, and what they thought a waste-product seems rather to be a secretion. For it is more reasonable to suppose that the last extract of the nutriment which goes to all parts resembles that which is left over from it, just as part of a painter’s colour is often left over resembling that which he has used up. Waste-products, on the contrary, 30are always due to corruption or decay and to a departure from Nature.
A further proof that it is not a waste-product, but rather a secretion, is the fact that the large animals have few young, the small many. For the large must have more waste and less secretion, since the great size of the body causes most of the nutriment to be used up, so that the residue or secretion is small.
But, to go further into it, every secretion or excretion is either of useless or useful nutriment; by ‘useless’ I mean that from which nothing further is contributed to natural growth, but which is particularly mischievous to the body if too much of it is consumed; by ‘useful’ I mean the opposite. Now it is evident that it cannot be of 10the former character, for such is most abundant in persons of the worst condition of body through age or sickness; semen, on the contrary, is least abundant in them for either they have none at all or it is not fertile, because a useless and morbid secretion is mingled with it.
Semen, then, is part of a useful secretion. But the most useful is the last and that from which finally 15is formed each of the parts of the body. For secretions are either earlier or later; of the nutriment in the first stage the secretion is phlegm and the like, for phlegm also is a secretion of the useful nutriment, an indication of this being that if it is mixed with pure nutriment it is nourishing, and that it is used up in cases of illness. The final secretion is the smallest 20in proportion to the quantity of nutriment. But we must reflect that the daily nutriment by which animals and plants grow is but small, for if a very little be added continually to the same thing the size of it will become excessive.
So we must say the opposite of what the ancients said. For whereas they said that semen is that which comes from all the body, we shall say it is 25that whose nature is to go to all of it, and what they thought a waste-product seems rather to be a secretion. For it is more reasonable to suppose that the last extract of the nutriment which goes to all parts resembles that which is left over from it, just as part of a painter’s colour is often left over resembling that which he has used up. Waste-products, on the contrary, 30are always due to corruption or decay and to a departure from Nature.
A further proof that it is not a waste-product, but rather a secretion, is the fact that the large animals have few young, the small many. For the large must have more waste and less secretion, since the great size of the body causes most of the nutriment to be used up, so that the residue or secretion is small.
725b
1 πᾶσιν, οἷον τῆς τροφῆς τῆς ξηρᾶς ἡ κάτω κοιλία καὶ
τῆς ὑγρᾶς ἡ κύστις καὶ τῆς χρησίμης ἡ ἄνω κοιλία, καὶ
τοῖς σπερματικοῖς ὑστέραι καὶ αἰδοῖα καὶ μαστοί· εἰς τούτους
γὰρ ἀθροίζεται καὶ συρρεῖ. καὶ μαρτύρια τὰ συμβαίνοντα
5 ὅτι τὸ εἰρημένον σπέρμα ἐστίν· ταῦτα δὲ συμβαίνει διὰ τὸ
τὴν φύσιν εἶναι τοῦ περιττώματος τοιαύτην· ἥ τε γὰρ ἔκλυσις
ἐλαχίστου ἀπελθόντος τούτου γίγνεται ἐπίδηλος, ὡς στερισκόμενα
τὰ σώματα τοῦ ἐκ τῆς τροφῆς γιγνομένου τέλους. (ὀλίγοις
δέ τισιν ἐν μικρῷ χρόνῳ κατὰ τὰς ἡλικίας κουφίζει
10 τοῦτ' ἀπιὸν ὅταν πλεονάσῃ, καθάπερ ἡ πρώτη τροφὴ ἂν
ὑπερβάλλῃ τῷ πλήθει· καὶ γὰρ ταύτης ἀπιούσης τὰ σώματ'
εὐημερεῖ μᾶλλον. ἔτι ὅταν συναπίῃ ἄλλα περιττώματα·
οὐ γὰρ μόνον σπέρμα τὸ ἀπιὸν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτεραι
μεμιγμέναι δυνάμεις τούτοις συναπέρχονται, αὗται δὲ νοσώδεις,
15 —διὸ ἐνίων γε καὶ ἄγονόν ποτε γίγνεται τὸ ἀποχωροῦν
διὰ τὸ ὀλίγον ἔχειν τὸ σπερματικόν. ἀλλὰ τοῖς πλείστοις
καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ εἰπεῖν συμβαίνει ἐκ τῶν ἀφροδισιασμῶν
ἔκλυσις καὶ ἀδυναμία μᾶλλον διὰ τὴν εἰρημένην αἰτίαν.)
ἔτι οὐκ ἐνυπάρχει σπέρμα οὔτ' ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἡλικίᾳ οὔτ'
20 ἐν τῷ γήρᾳ οὔτ' ἐν ταῖς ἀρρωστίαις, ἐν μὲν τῷ κάμνειν διὰ
τὴν ἀδυναμίαν, ἐν δὲ τῷ γήρᾳ διὰ τὸ μὴ πέττειν τὸ ἱκάνον
τὴν φύσιν, νέοις δ' οὖσι διὰ τὴν αὔξησιν· φθάνει γὰρ ἀναλισκόμενον
πᾶν· ἐν ἔτεσι γὰρ πέντε σχεδὸν ἐπί γε τῶν ἀνθρώπων
ἥμισυ λαμβάνειν δοκεῖ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ μεγέθους τοῦ ἐν
25 τῷ ἄλλῳ χρόνῳ γιγνομένου ἅπαντος. Πολλοῖς δὲ συμβαίνει
καὶ ζῴοις καὶ φυτοῖς καὶ γένεσι πρὸς γένη διαφορὰ περὶ
ταῦτα κἀν τῷ γένει τῷ αὐτῷ τοῖς ὁμοειδέσι πρὸς ἄλληλα,
οἷον ἀνθρώπῳ πρὸς ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀμπέλῳ πρὸς ἄμπελον.
τὰ μὲν γὰρ πολύσπερμα τὰ δ' ὀλιγόσπερμά ἐστι, τὰ δ' ἄσπερμα
30 πάμπαν, οὐ δι' ἀσθένειαν ἀλλ' ἐνίοις γε διὰ τοὐναντίον·
καταναλίσκεται γὰρ εἰς τὸ σῶμα οἷον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐνίοις·
εὐεκτικοὶ γὰρ ὄντες καὶ γιγνόμενοι πολύσαρκοι ἢ πιότεροι
μᾶλλον ἧττον προΐενται σπέρμα καὶ ἧττον ἐπιθυμοῦσι τοῦ
ἀφροδισιάζειν. ὅμοιον δὲ καὶ τὸ περὶ τὰς τραγώσας ἀμπέλους
35 πάθος αἳ διὰ τὴν τροφὴν ἐξυβρίζουσιν (ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ
1Again, no place has been set apart by Nature for waste-products but they flow wherever they can find an easy passage in the body, but a place has been set apart for all the natural secretions; thus the lower intestine serves for the excretion of the solid nutriment, the bladder for that of the liquid; 5for the useful part of the nutriment we have the upper intestine, for the spermatic secretions the uterus and pudenda and breasts, for it is collected and flows together into them.
And the resulting phenomena are evidence that semen is what we have said, and these result because such is the nature of the secretion. For the exhaustion consequent on the loss of even a very little 10of the semen is conspicuous because the body is deprived of the ultimate gain drawn from the nutriment. With some few persons, it is true, during a short time in the flower of their youth the loss of it, if it be excessive in quantity, is an alleviation (just as in the case of the nutriment in its first stage, if too much have been taken, since getting rid of this also makes 15the body more comfortable), and so it may be also when other secretions come away with it, for in that case it is not only semen that is lost but also other influences come away mingled with it, and these are morbid. Wherefore, with some men at least, that which comes from them proves sometimes incapable of procreation because the seminal element in it is so small. But still in 20most men and as a general rule the result of intercourse is exhaustion and weakness rather than relief, for the reason given. Moreover, semen does not exist in them either in childhood or in old age or in sickness — in the last case because of weakness, in old age because they do not sufficiently concoct their food, and in childhood because they are growing and so all the 25nutriment is used up too soon, for in about five years, in the case of human beings at any rate, the body seems to gain half the height that is gained in all the rest of life.
In many animals and plants we find a difference in this connexion not only between kinds as compared with kinds, but also between similar individuals of the same kind as compared with each other, e.g. man 30with man or vine with vine. Some have much semen, others little, others again none at all, not through weakness but the contrary, at any rate in some cases. This is because the nutriment is used up to form the body, as with some human beings, who, being in good condition and developing much flesh or getting rather too fat, produce less semen and are less desirous of intercourse.
And the resulting phenomena are evidence that semen is what we have said, and these result because such is the nature of the secretion. For the exhaustion consequent on the loss of even a very little 10of the semen is conspicuous because the body is deprived of the ultimate gain drawn from the nutriment. With some few persons, it is true, during a short time in the flower of their youth the loss of it, if it be excessive in quantity, is an alleviation (just as in the case of the nutriment in its first stage, if too much have been taken, since getting rid of this also makes 15the body more comfortable), and so it may be also when other secretions come away with it, for in that case it is not only semen that is lost but also other influences come away mingled with it, and these are morbid. Wherefore, with some men at least, that which comes from them proves sometimes incapable of procreation because the seminal element in it is so small. But still in 20most men and as a general rule the result of intercourse is exhaustion and weakness rather than relief, for the reason given. Moreover, semen does not exist in them either in childhood or in old age or in sickness — in the last case because of weakness, in old age because they do not sufficiently concoct their food, and in childhood because they are growing and so all the 25nutriment is used up too soon, for in about five years, in the case of human beings at any rate, the body seems to gain half the height that is gained in all the rest of life.
In many animals and plants we find a difference in this connexion not only between kinds as compared with kinds, but also between similar individuals of the same kind as compared with each other, e.g. man 30with man or vine with vine. Some have much semen, others little, others again none at all, not through weakness but the contrary, at any rate in some cases. This is because the nutriment is used up to form the body, as with some human beings, who, being in good condition and developing much flesh or getting rather too fat, produce less semen and are less desirous of intercourse.
726a
1 τράγοι πίονες ὄντες ἧττον ὀχεύουσιν, διὸ καὶ προλεπτύνουσιν
αὐτούς· καὶ τὰς ἀμπέλους τραγᾶν ἀπὸ τοῦ πάθους τῶν τράγων
καλοῦσιν). καὶ οἱ πίονες δὲ ἀγονώτεροι φαίνονται εἶναι
τῶν μὴ πιόνων, καὶ γυναῖκες καὶ ἄνδρες διὰ τὸ τοῖς εὐτραφέσι
5 πεττόμενον τὸ περίττωμα γίγνεσθαι πιμελήν· ἔστι
γὰρ καὶ ἡ πιμελὴ περίττωμα δι' εὐβοσίαν ὑγιεινόν. Ἔνια
δ' ὅλως οὐδὲ φέρει σπέρμα οἷον ἰτέα καὶ αἴγειρος. εἰσὶ μὲν
οὖν καὶ †ἕτεραι αἰτίαι τούτου τοῦ πάθους. καὶ γὰρ δι' ἀδυναμίαν
οὐ πέττουσι καὶ διὰ δύναμιν ἀναλίσκουσιν ὥσπερ εἴρηται. ὁμοίως
10 δὲ καὶ πολύχοά ἐστι καὶ πολύσπερμα τὰ μὲν διὰ
δύναμιν τὰ δὲ δι' ἀδυναμίαν· ⟦πολὺ γὰρ καὶ ἄχρηστον περίττωμα
συμμίγνυται, ὥστ' ἐνίοις γίγνεσθαι καὶ ἀρρώστημα
ὅταν αὐτῶν μὴ εὐοδήσῃ ἡ ἀποκάθαρσις. καὶ ἔνιοι μὲν ὑγιάζονται,
οἱ δὲ καὶ ἀναιροῦνται. συντήκονται γὰρ ταύτῃ ὥσπερ
15 καὶ εἰς τὸ οὖρον· ἤδη γὰρ καὶ τοῦτ' ἀσθένημα συνέβη τισίν.
Ἔτι ὁ πόρος ὁ αὐτὸς τῷ περιττώματι καὶ τῷ σπέρματι· καὶ
ὅσοις μὲν ἀμφοῖν γίγνεται περίττωμα, καὶ τῆς ὑγρᾶς καὶ
τῆς ξηρᾶς τροφῆς, ᾗπερ ἡ τοῦ ὑγροῦ ταύτῃ καὶ ἡ τῆς γονῆς
γίγνεται ἀπόκρισις (ὑγροῦ γὰρ περίττωμά ἐστιν· ἡ γὰρ τροφὴ
20 πάντων ὑγρὰ μᾶλλον), οἷς δὲ μή ἐστιν αὕτη, κατὰ τὴν
τῆς ξηρᾶς ὑποστάσεως ἀποχώρησιν. ἔτι ἡ μὲν σύντηξις ἀεὶ
νοσώδης, ἡ δὲ τοῦ περιττώματος ἀφαίρεσις ὠφέλιμος· ἡ δὲ
τοῦ σπέρματος ἀποχώρησις ἐπαμφοτερίζει διὰ τὸ προσλαμβάνειν
<τι> τῆς μὴ χρησίμου τροφῆς. εἰ δέ γ' ἦν σύντηξις, ἀεὶ
25 ἔβλαπτεν ἄν· νῦν δ' οὐ ποιεῖ τοῦτο.⟧
Ὅτι μὲν οὖν περίττωμά ἐστι τὸ σπέρμα χρησίμου τροφῆς
καὶ τῆς ἐσχάτης, εἴτε πάντα προΐεται σπέρμα εἴτε
μή, ἐν τοῖς προειρημένοις φανερόν.
1Like this is what happens with those vines which ‘play the goat’, that is, luxuriate wantonly through too much nutrition, for he-goats when fat are less inclined to mount the female; for which reason they thin them before breeding from them, and say that the vines ‘play the goat’, so calling it from the 5condition of the goats. And fat people, women as well as men, appear to be less fertile than others from the fact that the secretion when in process of concoction turns to fat with those who are too well-nourished. For fat also is a healthy secretion due to good living.
In some cases no semen is produced at all, as by the willow and poplar. This condition is due to each of the two 10causes, weakness and strength; the former prevents concoction of the nutriment, the latter causes it to be all consumed, as said above. In like manner other animals produce much semen through weakness as well as through strength, when a great quantity of a useless secretion is mixed with it; this sometimes results in actual disease when a passage is not found to carry off the impurity, 15and though some recover of this, others actually die of it. For corrupt humours collect here as in the urine, which also has been known to cause disease.
[Further the same passage serves for urine and semen; and whatever animals have both kinds of excrement, that of liquid and that of solid nutriment, discharge the semen by the same passage as the liquid excrement (for it is a 20secretion of a liquid, since the nutriment of all animals is rather liquid than solid), but those which have no liquid excrement discharge it at the passage of the solid residua. Moreover, waste-products are always morbid, but the removal of the secretion is useful; now the discharge of the semen participates in both characteristics because it takes up some of the non-useful nutriment. 25But if it were a waste-product it would be always harmful; as it is, it is not so.]
From what has been said, it is clear that semen is a secretion of useful nutriment, and that in its last stage, whether it is produced by all or no.
In some cases no semen is produced at all, as by the willow and poplar. This condition is due to each of the two 10causes, weakness and strength; the former prevents concoction of the nutriment, the latter causes it to be all consumed, as said above. In like manner other animals produce much semen through weakness as well as through strength, when a great quantity of a useless secretion is mixed with it; this sometimes results in actual disease when a passage is not found to carry off the impurity, 15and though some recover of this, others actually die of it. For corrupt humours collect here as in the urine, which also has been known to cause disease.
[Further the same passage serves for urine and semen; and whatever animals have both kinds of excrement, that of liquid and that of solid nutriment, discharge the semen by the same passage as the liquid excrement (for it is a 20secretion of a liquid, since the nutriment of all animals is rather liquid than solid), but those which have no liquid excrement discharge it at the passage of the solid residua. Moreover, waste-products are always morbid, but the removal of the secretion is useful; now the discharge of the semen participates in both characteristics because it takes up some of the non-useful nutriment. 25But if it were a waste-product it would be always harmful; as it is, it is not so.]
From what has been said, it is clear that semen is a secretion of useful nutriment, and that in its last stage, whether it is produced by all or no.
Book 1,Chapter 19 (726a28–727b32)
Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα διοριστέον
περίττωμά τε ποίας τροφῆς καὶ περὶ καταμηνίων·
30 γίγνεται γάρ τισι καταμήνια τῶν ζῳοτόκων. διὰ τούτων γὰρ
φανερὸν ἔσται καὶ περὶ τοῦ θήλεος πότερον προΐεται σπέρμα
ὥσπερ τὸ ἄρρεν καὶ ἔστιν μίγμα τὸ γιγνόμενον ἐκ δυοῖν
σπερμάτοιν, ἢ οὐθὲν σπέρμα ἀποκρίνεται ἀπὸ τοῦ θήλεος·
καὶ εἰ μηθέν, πότερον οὐδὲ ἄλλο οὐθὲν συμβάλλεται εἰς τὴν
35 γένεσιν ἀλλὰ μόνον παρέχει τόπον, ἢ συμβάλλεταί τι, καὶ
After this we must distinguish of what sort of nutriment it is a secretion, and must discuss the catamenia which occur in certain of the vivipara. 30For thus we shall make it clear (1) whether the female also produces semen like the male and the foetus is a single mixture of two semens, or whether no semen is secreted by the female, and, (2) if not, whether she contributes nothing else either to generation but only provides a receptacle, or whether she does contribute something, and, if so, how and in what manner she does so.
726b
1 τοῦτο πῶς καὶ τίνα τρόπον. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἐστιν ἐσχάτη τροφὴ
τὸ αἷμα τοῖς ἐναίμοις, τοῖς δ' ἀναίμοις τὸ ἀνάλογον, εἴρηται
πρότερον· ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ἡ γονὴ περίττωμά ἐστι τροφῆς καὶ
τῆς ἐσχάτης, ἤτοι αἷμα ἂν εἴη ἢ τὸ ἀνάλογον ἢ ἐκ τούτων
5 τι. ἐπεὶ δ' ἐκ τοῦ αἵματος πεττομένου καὶ μεριζομένου πως
γίγνεται τῶν μορίων ἕκαστον, τὸ δὲ σπέρμα πεφθὲν μὲν ἀλλοιότερον
ἀποκρίνεται τοῦ αἵματος, ἄπεπτον δ' ὄν, καὶ ὅταν
τις προσβιάζηται πλεονάκις χρώμενος τῷ ἀφροδισιάζειν
ἐνίοις αἱματῶδες ἤδη προελήλυθεν, φανερὸν ὅτι τῆς αἱματικῆς
10 ἂν εἴη περίττωμα τροφῆς τὸ σπέρμα τῆς εἰς τὰ μέρη
διαδιδομένης τελευταίας. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μεγάλην ἔχει δύναμιν—καὶ
γὰρ ἡ τοῦ καθαροῦ καὶ ὑγιεινοῦ αἵματος ἀποχώρησις
ἐκλυτικόν—καὶ τὸ ὅμοια γίγνεσθαι τὰ ἔκγονα τοῖς
γεννήσασιν εὔλογον· ὅμοιον γὰρ τὸ προσελθὸν πρὸς τὰ μέρη
15 τῷ ὑπολειφθέντι. ὥστε τὸ σπέρμα ἐστὶ τὸ τῆς χειρὸς ἢ τὸ
τοῦ προσώπου ἢ ὅλου τοῦ ζῴου ἀδιορίστως χεὶρ ἢ πρόσωπον ἢ
ὅλον ζῷον· καὶ οἷον ἐκείνων ἕκαστον ἐνεργείᾳ τοιοῦτον τὸ σπέρμα
δυνάμει, ἢ κατὰ τὸν ὄγκον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ, ἢ ἔχει τινὰ δύναμιν
ἐν ἑαυτῷ (τοῦτο γὰρ οὔπω δῆλον ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν διωρισμένων
20 πότερον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ σπέρματός ἐστι τὸ αἴτιον τῆς
γενέσεως ἢ ἔχει τινὰ ἕξιν καὶ ἀρχὴν κινήσεως γεννητικήν)·
οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ χεὶρ οὐδ' ἄλλο τῶν μορίων οὐθὲν ἄνευ ψυχικῆς ἢ
ἄλλης τινὸς δυνάμεώς ἐστι χεὶρ οὐδὲ μόριον οὐθὲν ἀλλὰ μόνον
ὁμώνυμον. ⟦Φανερὸν δὲ καὶ ὅτι ὅσοις σύντηξις γίγνεται
25 σπερματικὴ καὶ τοῦτο περίττωμά ἐστιν. συμβαίνει δὲ τοῦτο
ὅταν ἀναλύηται εἰς τὸ προελθόν, ὥσπερ ὅταν ἀποπέσῃ τὸ
ἐναλειφθὲν τοῦ κονιάματος εὐθύς· ταὐτὸν γάρ ἐστι τὸ ἀπελθὸν
τῷ πρώτῳ προστεθέντι. τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον
περίττωμα τῷ πρώτῳ συντήγματι ταὐτόν ἐστιν.⟧ καὶ
30 περὶ μὲν τούτων διωρίσθω τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. Ἐπεὶ δ' ἀναγκαῖον
καὶ τῷ ἀσθενεστέρῳ γίγνεσθαι περίττωμα πλεῖον καὶ ἧττον
πεπεμμένον, τοιοῦτον δ' ὂν ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι αἱματώδους ὑγρότητος
πλῆθος, ἀσθενέστερον δὲ τὸ ἐλάττονος θερμότητος κοινωνοῦν
κατὰ φύσιν, τὸ δὲ θῆλυ ὅτι τοιοῦτον εἴρηται πρότερον,
35 ἀναγκαῖον καὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ θήλει γιγνομένην αἱματώδη ἀπόκρισιν
1We have previously stated that the final nutriment is the blood in the sanguinea and the analogous fluid in the other animals. Since the semen is also a secretion of the nutriment, and that in its final stage, it follows that it will be either (1) blood or that which is analogous to 5blood, or (2) something formed from this. But since it is from the blood, when concocted and somehow divided up, that each part of the body is made, and since the semen if properly concocted is quite of a different character from the blood when it is separated from it, but if not properly concocted has been known in some cases to issue in a bloody condition 10if one forces oneself too often to coition, therefore it is plain that semen will be a secretion of the nutriment when reduced to blood, being that which is finally distributed to the parts of the body. And this is the reason why it has so great power, for the loss of the pure and healthy blood is an exhausting thing; for this reason also it is natural that 15the offspring should resemble the parents, for that which goes to all the parts of the body resembles that which is left over. So that the semen which is to form the hand or the face or the whole animal is already the hand or face or whole animal undifferentiated, and what each of them is actually such is the semen potentially, either in virtue of its 20own mass or because it has a certain power in itself. I mention these alternatives here because we have not yet made it clear from the distinctions drawn hitherto whether it is the matter of the semen that is the cause of generation, or whether it has in it some faculty and efficient cause thereof, for the hand also or any other bodily part is not hand or 25other part in a true sense if it be without soul or some other power, but is only called by the same name as the living hand.
On this subject, then, so much may be laid down. But since it is necessary (1) that the weaker animal also should have a secretion greater in quantity and less concocted, and (2) that being of such a nature it should be a mass of 30sanguineous liquid, and (3) since that which Nature endows with a smaller portion of heat is weaker, and (4) since it has already been stated that such is the character of the female — putting all these considerations together we see that the sanguineous matter discharged by the female is also a secretion. And such is the discharge of the so-called catamenia.
On this subject, then, so much may be laid down. But since it is necessary (1) that the weaker animal also should have a secretion greater in quantity and less concocted, and (2) that being of such a nature it should be a mass of 30sanguineous liquid, and (3) since that which Nature endows with a smaller portion of heat is weaker, and (4) since it has already been stated that such is the character of the female — putting all these considerations together we see that the sanguineous matter discharged by the female is also a secretion. And such is the discharge of the so-called catamenia.
727a
1 περίττωμα εἶναι. γίγνεται δὲ τοιαύτη ἡ τῶν καλουμένων
καταμηνίων ἔκκρισις. Ὅτι μὲν τοίνυν ἐστὶ τὰ καταμήνια περίττωμα
καὶ ὅτι ἀνάλογον ὡς τοῖς ἄρρεσιν ἡ γονὴ οὕτω τοῖς
θήλεσι τὰ καταμήνια φανερόν, ὅτι δ' ὀρθῶς εἴρηται σημεῖα
5 τὰ συμβαίνοντα περὶ αὐτά. κατὰ γὰρ τὴν αὐτὴν ἡλικίαν
τοῖς μὲν ἄρρεσιν ἄρχεται ἐγγίγνεσθαι γονὴ καὶ ἀποκρίνεται,
τοῖς δὲ θήλεσι ῥήγνυται τὰ καταμήνια καὶ φωνήν
τε μεταβάλλουσι καὶ ἐπισημαίνει τὰ περὶ τοὺς μαστούς, —καὶ
παύεται τῆς ἡλικίας ληγούσης τοῖς μὲν τὸ δύνασθαι γεννᾶν
10 τοῖς δὲ τὰ καταμήνια. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ τοιάδε σημεῖα ὅτι
περίττωμά ἐστιν αὕτη ἡ ἔκκρισις τοῖς θήλεσιν. ὡς γὰρ ἐπὶ
τὸ πολὺ οὔθ' αἱμορροΐδες γίγνονται ταῖς γυναιξὶν οὔτ' ἐκ τῶν
ῥινῶν ῥύσις αἵματος οὔτε τι ἄλλο μὴ τῶν καταμηνίων ἱσταμένων·
ἐάν τε συμβῇ τι τούτων χείρους γίγνονται αἱ καθάρσεις
15 ὡς μεθισταμένης εἰς ταῦτα τῆς ἀποκρίσεως. ἔτι δὲ
οὔτε φλεβώδεις ὁμοίως γλαφυρώτερά τε καὶ λειότερα τὰ
θήλεα τῶν ἀρρένων ἐστὶ διὰ τὸ συνεκκρίνεσθαι τὴν εἰς ταῦτα
περίττωσιν ἐν τοῖς καταμηνίοις. τὸ δ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο δεῖ νομίζειν
αἴτιον εἶναι καὶ τοῦ τοὺς ὄγκους ἐλάττους εἶναι τῶν σωμάτων
20 τοῖς θήλεσιν ἢ τοῖς ἄρρεσιν ἐν τοῖς ζῳοτοκοῦσιν· ἐν τούτοις γὰρ
ἡ τῶν καταμηνίων γίγνεται ῥύσις θύραζε μόνοις, καὶ τούτων
ἐπιδηλότατα ἐν ταῖς γυναιξίν· πλείστην γὰρ ἀφίησιν ἀπόκρισιν
γυνὴ τῶν ζῴων. διόπερ ἐπιδηλοτάτως ἀεὶ ὠχρόν τέ
ἐστι καὶ ἀδηλόφλεβον, καὶ τὴν ἔλλειψιν πρὸς τοὺς ἄρρενας
25 ἔχει τοῦ σώματος φανεράν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦτ' ἔστιν ὃ γίγνεται τοῖς
θήλεσιν ὡς ἡ γονὴ τοῖς ἄρρεσιν, δύο δ' οὐκ ἐνδέχεται σπερματικὰς
ἅμα γίγνεσθαι ἀποκρίσεις, φανερὸν ὅτι τὸ θῆλυ οὐ
συμβάλλεται σπέρμα εἰς τὴν γένεσιν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ σπέρμα
ἦν τὰ καταμήνια οὐκ ἂν ἦν· νῦν δὲ διὰ τὸ ταῦτα γίγνεσθαι
30 ἐκεῖνο οὐκ ἔστιν. Διότι μὲν οὖν ὥσπερ τὸ σπέρμα καὶ
τὰ καταμήνια περίττωμά ἐστιν εἴρηται· λάβοι δ' ἄν τις
εἰς τοῦτο μαρτύρια ἔνια τῶν συμβαινόντων τοῖς ζῴοις. τά τε
γὰρ πίονα ἧττόν ἐστι σπερματικὰ τῶν ἀπιμέλων, ὥσπερ εἴρηται
πρότερον (αἴτιον δ' ὅτι καὶ ἡ πιμελὴ περίττωμά ἐστι
35 καθάπερ τὸ σπέρμα, καὶ πεπεμμένον αἷμα, ἀλλ' οὐ τὸν
αὐτὸν τρόπον τῷ σπέρματι. ὥστ' εὐλόγως εἰς τὴν πιμελὴν
1It is plain, then, that the catamenia are a secretion, and that they are analogous in females to the semen in males. The circumstances connected with them are evidence that this view is correct. For the semen begins to appear in males and to be emitted at the same time of life that the catamenia begin 5to flow in females, and that they change their voice and their breasts begin to develop. So, too, in the decline of life the generative power fails in the one sex and the catamenia in the other.
The following signs also indicate that this discharge in females is a secretion. Generally speaking women suffer neither from haemorrhoids nor bleeding at the nose nor anything 10else of the sort except when the catamenia are ceasing, and if anything of the kind occurs the flow is interfered with because the discharge is diverted to it.
Further, the blood-vessels of women stand out less than those of men, and women are rounder and smoother because the secretion which in men goes to these vessels is drained away with the catamenia. We must suppose, 15too, that the same cause accounts for the fact that the bulk of the body is smaller in females than in males among the vivipara, since this is the only class in which the catamenia are discharged from the body. And in this class the fact is clearest in women, for the discharge is greater in women than in the other animals. Wherefore her pallor and the absence of prominent 20blood-vessels is most conspicuous, and the deficient development of her body compared with a man’s is obvious.
Now since this is what corresponds in the female to the semen in the male, and since it is not possible that two such discharges should be found together, it is plain that the female does not contribute semen to the generation of the offspring. For if she had semen 25she would not have the catamenia; but, as it is, because she has the latter she has not the former.
It has been stated then that the catamenia are a secretion as the semen is, and confirmation of this view may be drawn from some of the phenomena of animals. For fat creatures produce less semen than lean ones, as observed before. The reason is that fat also, like semen, is a 30secretion, is in fact concocted blood, only not concocted in the same way as the semen. Thus, if the secretion is consumed to form fat the semen is naturally deficient. And so among the bloodless animals the cephalopoda and crustacea are in best condition about the time of producing eggs, for, because they are bloodless and no fat is formed in them, that which is analogous 35in them to fat is at that season drawn off to form the spermatic secretion.
The following signs also indicate that this discharge in females is a secretion. Generally speaking women suffer neither from haemorrhoids nor bleeding at the nose nor anything 10else of the sort except when the catamenia are ceasing, and if anything of the kind occurs the flow is interfered with because the discharge is diverted to it.
Further, the blood-vessels of women stand out less than those of men, and women are rounder and smoother because the secretion which in men goes to these vessels is drained away with the catamenia. We must suppose, 15too, that the same cause accounts for the fact that the bulk of the body is smaller in females than in males among the vivipara, since this is the only class in which the catamenia are discharged from the body. And in this class the fact is clearest in women, for the discharge is greater in women than in the other animals. Wherefore her pallor and the absence of prominent 20blood-vessels is most conspicuous, and the deficient development of her body compared with a man’s is obvious.
Now since this is what corresponds in the female to the semen in the male, and since it is not possible that two such discharges should be found together, it is plain that the female does not contribute semen to the generation of the offspring. For if she had semen 25she would not have the catamenia; but, as it is, because she has the latter she has not the former.
It has been stated then that the catamenia are a secretion as the semen is, and confirmation of this view may be drawn from some of the phenomena of animals. For fat creatures produce less semen than lean ones, as observed before. The reason is that fat also, like semen, is a 30secretion, is in fact concocted blood, only not concocted in the same way as the semen. Thus, if the secretion is consumed to form fat the semen is naturally deficient. And so among the bloodless animals the cephalopoda and crustacea are in best condition about the time of producing eggs, for, because they are bloodless and no fat is formed in them, that which is analogous 35in them to fat is at that season drawn off to form the spermatic secretion.
727b
1 ἀνηλωμένης τῆς περιττώσεως ἐλλείπει τὰ περὶ τὴν γονήν),
τῶν τε ἀναίμων τὰ μαλάκια καὶ τὰ μαλακόστρακα
περὶ τὴν κύησίν ἐστιν ἄριστα· διὰ τὸ ἄναιμα γὰρ εἶναι καὶ
μὴ γίγνεσθαι πιμελὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸ ἀνάλογον αὐτοῖς τῇ πιμελῇ
5 ἀποκρίνεται εἰς τὸ περίττωμα τὸ σπερματικόν. σημεῖον
δ' ὅτι οὐ τοιοῦτον σπέρμα προΐεται τὸ θῆλυ οἷον τὸ ἄρρεν,
οὐδὲ μιγνυμένων ἀμφοῖν γίγνεται, ὥσπερ τινές φασιν, ὅτι
πολλάκις τὸ θῆλυ συλλαμβάνει οὐ γενομένης αὐτῇ τῆς ἐν
τῇ ὁμιλίᾳ ἡδονῆς· καὶ γιγνομένης πάλιν οὐδὲν ἧττον, καὶ
10 ἰσοδρομησάντων [παρὰ] τοῦ ἄρρενος καὶ τοῦ θήλεος οὐθὲν γεννᾶται
ἐὰν μὴ ἡ τῶν καλουμένων καταμηνίων ἰκμὰς ὑπάρχῃ σύμμετρος.
διὸ οὔτε ὅλως μὴ γιγνομένων αὐτῶν γεννᾷ τὸ θῆλυ
οὔτε γιγνομένων ὅταν ἐξικμάζῃ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ, ἀλλὰ μετὰ
τὴν κάθαρσιν. ὁτὲ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἔχει τροφὴν οὐδ' ὕλην ἐξ
15 ἧς δυνήσεται συστῆσαι τὸ ζῷον ἡ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄρρενος ἐνυπάρχουσα
ἐν τῇ γονῇ δύναμις, ὁτὲ δὲ συνεκκλύζεται διὰ τὸ
πλῆθος. ὅταν δὲ γενομένων ἀπέλθῃ τὸ ὑπολειφθὲν συνίσταται.
ὅσαι δὲ μὴ γιγνομένων τῶν καταμηνίων συλλαμβάνουσιν,
ἢ μεταξὺ γιγνομένων ὕστερον δὲ μή, αἴτιον ὅτι ταῖς
20 μὲν τοσαύτη γίγνεται ἰκμὰς ὅση μετὰ τὴν κάθαρσιν ὑπολείπεται
ταῖς γονίμοις, πλείων δ' οὐ γίγνεται περίττωσις ὥστε
καὶ θύραζε ἀπελθεῖν, —ταῖς δὲ μετὰ τὴν κάθαρσιν συμμύει
τὸ στόμα τῶν ὑστερῶν. ὅταν οὖν πολὺ μὲν τὸ ἀπεληλυθὸς ᾖ,
ἔτι δὲ γίγνηται μὲν κάθαρσις, μὴ τοσαύτη δὲ ὥστε συνεξικμάζειν
25 τὸ σπέρμα, τότε πλησιάζουσαι συλλαμβάνουσιν.
οὐδὲν δὲ ἄτοπον τὸ συνειληφυίαις ἔτι γίγνεσθαι· καὶ γὰρ
ὕστερον μέχρι τινὸς φοιτᾷ τὰ καταμήνια, ὀλίγα δὲ καὶ οὐ
διὰ παντός. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν νοσηματῶδες, διόπερ ὀλίγαις
καὶ ὀλιγάκις συμβαίνει· τὰ δ' ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ γιγνόμενα
30 μάλιστα κατὰ φύσιν ἐστίν.
Ὅτι μὲν οὖν συμβάλλεται τὸ θῆλυ εἰς τὴν γένεσιν τὴν
ὕλην, τοῦτο δ' ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ καταμηνίων συστάσει, τὰ δὲ
καταμήνια περίττωμα, δῆλον.
1And a proof that the female does not emit similar semen to the male, and that the offspring is not formed by a mixture of both, as some say, is that often the female conceives without the sensation of pleasure in intercourse, and if again the pleasure is experience by her no less than 5by the male and the two sexes reach their goal together, yet often no conception takes place unless the liquid of the so-called catamenia is present in a right proportion. Hence the female does not produce young if the catamenia are absent altogether, nor often when, they being present, the efflux still continues; but she does so after the purgation. For 10in the one case she has not the nutriment or material from which the foetus can be framed by the power coming from the male and inherent in the semen, and in the other it is washed away with the catamenia because of their abundance. But when after their occurrence the greater part has been evacuated, the remainder is formed into a foetus. Cases of conception 15when the catamenia do not occur at all, or of conception during their discharge instead of after it, are due to the fact that in the former instance there is only so much liquid to begin with as remains behind after the discharge in fertile women, and no greater quantity is secreted so as to come away from the body, while in the latter instance the 20mouth of the uterus closes after the discharge. When, therefore, the quantity already expelled from the body is great but the discharge still continues, only not on such a scale as to wash away the semen, then it is that conception accompanies coition. Nor is it at all strange that the catamenia should still continue after conception (for even after it 25they recur to some extent, but are scanty and do not last during all the period of gestation; this, however, is a morbid phenomenon, wherefore it is found only in a few cases and then seldom, whereas it is that which happens as a regular thing that is according to Nature).
It is clear then that the female contributes the material for generation, and that 30this is in the substance of the catamenia, and that they are a secretion.
It is clear then that the female contributes the material for generation, and that 30this is in the substance of the catamenia, and that they are a secretion.
Book 1,Chapter 20 (727b33–729a33)
Ὃ δ' οἴονταί τινες σπέρμα
συμβάλλεσθαι ἐν τῇ συνουσίᾳ τὸ θῆλυ διὰ τὸ γίγνεσθαι παραπλησίαν
35 τε χαρὰν ἐνίοτε αὐταῖς τῇ τῶν ἀρρένων καὶ ἅμα
ὑγρὰν ἀπόκρισιν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ὑγρασία αὕτη σπερματικὴ ἀλλὰ
Some think that the female contributes semen in coition because the pleasure she experiences is sometimes similar to that of the male, and also is attended by a liquid discharge. But this discharge is not seminal; it is merely proper to the part concerned in each case, for there is a 35discharge from the uterus which occurs in some women but not in others.
728a
1 τοῦ τόπου ἴδιος ἑκάσταις. ἔστι γὰρ τῶν ὑστερῶν ἔκκρισις
καὶ ταῖς μὲν γίγνεται ταῖς δ' οὔ· γίγνεται μὲν γὰρ ταῖς λευκοχρόοις
καὶ θηλυκαῖς ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ εἰπεῖν, οὐ γίγνεται δὲ
ταῖς μελαίναις καὶ ἀρρενωποῖς. τὸ δὲ πλῆθος αἷς γίγνεται
5 ἐνίοτε οὐ κατὰ σπέρματος πρόεσίν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ πολὺ
ὑπερβάλλει. ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐδέσματα ἕτερα ἑτέρων ποιεῖ πολλὴν
διαφορὰν τοῦ γίγνεσθαι τὴν ἔκκρισιν ἢ ἐλάττω ἢ πλείω
τὴν τοιαύτην, οἷον ἔνια τῶν δριμέων ἐπίδηλον ποιεῖ εἰς πλῆθος
τὴν ἀπόκρισιν. Τὸ δὲ συμβαίνειν ἡδονὴν ἐν τῇ συνουσίᾳ
10 οὐ μόνον τοῦ σπέρματος προϊεμένου ἐστὶν ἀλλὰ καὶ πνεύματος
ἐξ οὗ συνισταμένου ἀποσπερματίζει. δῆλον δ' ἐπὶ τῶν
παίδων τῶν μήπω δυναμένων προΐεσθαι, ἐγγὺς δὲ τῆς ἡλικίας
ὄντων, καὶ τῶν ἀγόνων ἀνδρῶν· γίγνεται γὰρ πᾶσι τούτοις
ἡδονὴ ξυομένοις. καὶ τοῖς γε διεφθαρμένοις τὴν γένεσιν
15 ἔστιν ὅτε ἀναλύονται αἱ κοιλίαι διὰ τὸ ἀποκρίνεσθαι περίττωμα
εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν οὐ δυνάμενον πεφθῆναι καὶ γενέσθαι
σπέρμα. Ἔοικε δὲ καὶ τὴν μορφὴν γυναικὶ παῖς, καὶ ἔστιν
ἡ γυνὴ ὥσπερ ἄρρεν ἄγονον· ἀδυναμίᾳ γάρ τινι τὸ θῆλύ
ἐστι τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι πέττειν ἐκ τῆς τροφῆς σπέρμα τῆς
20 ὑστάτης (τοῦτο δ' ἐστὶν ἢ αἷμα ἢ τὸ ἀνάλογον ἐν τοῖς ἀναίμοις)
διὰ ψυχρότητα τῆς φύσεως. ὥσπερ οὖν ἐν ταῖς κοιλίαις
διὰ τὴν ἀπεψίαν γίγνεται διάρροια οὕτως ἐν ταῖς φλεψὶν
αἵ τ' ἄλλαι αἱμορροΐδες καὶ αἱ τῶν καταμηνίων· καὶ
γὰρ αὕτη αἱμορροΐς ἐστιν, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖναι μὲν διὰ νόσον αὕτη
25 δὲ φυσική. Ὥστε φανερὸν ὅτι εὐλόγως γίγνεται ἐκ τούτου ἡ
γένεσις. ἔστι γὰρ τὰ καταμήνια σπέρμα οὐ καθαρὸν ἀλλὰ
δεόμενον ἐργασίας, ὥσπερ ἐν τῇ περὶ τοὺς καρποὺς γενέσει,
ὅταν ᾖ μήπω διηττημένη, ἔνεστι μὲν ἡ τροφή, δεῖται δ' ἐργασίας
πρὸς τὴν κάθαρσιν. διὸ καὶ μιγνυμένη ἐκείνη μὲν τῇ
30 γονῇ, αὕτη δὲ καθαρᾷ τροφῇ, ἡ μὲν γεννᾷ ἡ δὲ τρέφει.
Σημεῖον δὲ τοῦ τὸ θῆλυ μὴ προΐεσθαι σπέρμα καὶ τὸ γίγνεσθαι
ἐν τῇ ὁμιλίᾳ τὴν ἡδονὴν τῇ ἁφῇ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον
τοῖς ἄρρεσιν· καίτοι οὐ προΐενται τὴν ἰκμάδα ταύτην ἐντεῦθεν.
ἔτι δ' οὐ πᾶσι γίγνεται τοῖς θήλεσιν αὕτη ἡ ἔκκρισις
35 ἀλλὰ τοῖς αἱματικοῖς, καὶ οὐδὲ τούτοις πᾶσιν ἀλλ' ὅσων αἱ
ὑστέραι μὴ πρὸς τῷ ὑποζώματί εἰσι μηδ' ᾠοτοκοῦσιν, ἔτι δ'
1It is found in those who are fair-skinned and of a feminine type generally, but not in those who are dark and of a masculine appearance. The amount of this discharge, when it occurs, is sometimes on a different scale from the emission of semen and far exceeds it. Moreover, different kinds of food 5cause a great difference in the quantity of such discharges; for instance some pungently-flavoured foods cause them to be conspicuously increased. And as to the pleasure which accompanies coition it is due to emission not only of semen, but also of a spiritus, the coming together of which precedes the emission. This is plain in the case of boys who are not yet able 10to emit semen, but are near the proper age, and of men who are impotent, for all these are capable of pleasure by attrition. And those who have been injured in the generative organs sometimes suffer from diarrhoea because the secretion, which they are not able to concoct and turn into semen, is diverted into the intestine. Now a boy is like a woman in form, and the 15woman is as it were an impotent male, for it is through a certain incapacity that the female is female, being incapable of concocting the nutriment in its last stage into semen (and this is either blood or that which is analogous to it in animals which are bloodless owing to the coldness of their nature). As then diarrhoea is caused in the bowels by the insufficient 20concoction of the blood, so are caused in the blood-vessels all discharges of blood, including that of the catamenia, for this also is such a discharge, only it is natural whereas the others are morbid.
Thus it is clear that it is reasonable to suppose that generation comes from this. For the catamenia are semen not in a pure state but in need of working up, as in the 25formation of fruits the nutriment is present, when it is not yet sifted thoroughly, but needs working up to purify it. Thus the catamenia cause generation mixture with the semen, as this impure nutriment in plants is nutritious when mixed with pure nutriment.
And a sign that the female does not emit semen is the fact that the pleasure of intercourse is caused by touch in 30the same region of the female as of the male; and yet is it not from thence that this flow proceeds. Further, it is not all females that have it at all, but only the sanguinea, and not all even of these, but only those whose uterus is not near the hypozoma and which do not lay eggs; it is not found in the animals which have no blood but only the analogous fluid (for 35what is blood in the former is represented by another fluid in the latter).
Thus it is clear that it is reasonable to suppose that generation comes from this. For the catamenia are semen not in a pure state but in need of working up, as in the 25formation of fruits the nutriment is present, when it is not yet sifted thoroughly, but needs working up to purify it. Thus the catamenia cause generation mixture with the semen, as this impure nutriment in plants is nutritious when mixed with pure nutriment.
And a sign that the female does not emit semen is the fact that the pleasure of intercourse is caused by touch in 30the same region of the female as of the male; and yet is it not from thence that this flow proceeds. Further, it is not all females that have it at all, but only the sanguinea, and not all even of these, but only those whose uterus is not near the hypozoma and which do not lay eggs; it is not found in the animals which have no blood but only the analogous fluid (for 35what is blood in the former is represented by another fluid in the latter).
728b
1 οὐδὲ τοῖς αἷμα μὴ ἔχουσιν ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀνάλογον· ὅπερ γὰρ ἐν
ἐκείνοις τὸ αἷμα, ἐν τούτοις ἑτέρα ὑπάρχει σύγκρισις. τοῦ δὲ
μήτε τούτοις γίγνεσθαι κάθαρσιν μήτε τῶν αἷμα ἐχόντων
τοῖς εἰρημένοις, [τοῖς κάτω ἔχουσι καὶ μὴ ᾠοτοκοῦσιν] αἰτία
5 ἡ ξηρότης τῶν σωμάτων, ὀλίγον λείπουσα τὸ περίττωμα
καὶ τοσοῦτον ὅσον εἰς τὴν γένεσιν ἱκανὸν μόνον, ἔξω δὲ μὴ
προΐεσθαι. ὅσα δὲ ζῳοτόκα ἄνευ ᾠοτοκίας (ταῦτα δ' ἐστὶν
ἄνθρωπος καὶ τῶν τετραπόδων ὅσα κάμπτει τὰ ὀπίσθια
σκέλη ἐντός· ταῦτα μὲν γὰρ πάντα ζῳοτοκεῖ ἄνευ ᾠοτοκίας)
10 τούτοις δὲ γίγνεται μὲν πᾶσιν, πλὴν εἴ τι πεπήρωται
ἐν τῇ γενέσει οἷον ὀρεύς, οὐ μὴν ἐπιπολάζουσί γε αἱ καθάρσεις
ὥσπερ ἀνθρώποις. δι' ἀκριβείας δέ, πῶς συμβαίνει
ταῦτα περὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ζῴων, γέγραπται ἐν ταῖς περὶ τὰ
ζῷα ἱστορίαις. πλείστη δὲ γίγνεται κάθαρσις τῶν ζῴων ταῖς
15 γυναιξί, καὶ τοῖς ἄρρεσι πλείστη τοῦ σπέρματος πρόεσις
κατὰ λόγον τοῦ μεγέθους. αἴτιον δ' ἡ τοῦ σώματος σύστασις
ὑγρὰ καὶ θερμὴ οὖσα· ἀναγκαῖον γὰρ ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ γίγνεσθαι
πλείστην περίττωσιν. ἔτι δὲ οὐδὲ τὰ τοιαῦτ' ἔχει ἐν τῷ
σώματι μέρη εἰς ἃ τρέπεται ἡ περίττωσις ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς
20 ἄλλοις· οὐ γὰρ ἔχει οὔτε τριχῶν πλῆθος κατὰ τὸ σῶμα
οὔτε ὀστῶν καὶ κεράτων καὶ ὀδόντων ἐκκρίσεις. Σημεῖον δ' ὅτι
ἐν τοῖς καταμηνίοις τὸ σπέρμα ἐστίν· ἅμα γάρ, ὥσπερ εἴρηται
πρότερον, τοῖς ἄρρεσι γίγνεται τὸ περίττωμα τοῦτο
καὶ τοῖς θήλεσι τὰ καταμήνια ἐπισημαίνει ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ἡλικίᾳ,
25 ὡς καὶ ἅμα διισταμένων τῶν τόπων τῶν δεκτικῶν ἑκατέρου
τοῦ περιττώματος· καὶ ἀραιουμένων ἑκατέρων τῶν πλησίον
τόπων ἐξανθεῖ ἡ τῆς ἥβης τρίχωσις. μελλόντων δὲ διίστασθαι
οἱ τόποι ἀνοιδοῦσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος, τοῖς μὲν ἄρρεσιν
ἐπιδηλότερον περὶ τοὺς ὄρχεις, ἐπισημαίνει δὲ καὶ περὶ
30 τοὺς μαστούς, τοῖς δὲ θήλεσι περὶ τοὺς μαστοὺς μᾶλλον· ὅταν
γὰρ δύο δακτύλους ἀρθῶσι τότε γίγνεται τὰ καταμήνια ταῖς
πλείσταις. Ἐν ὅσοις μὲν οὖν τῶν ζωὴν ἐχόντων μὴ κεχώρισται
τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν, τούτοις μὲν τὸ σπέρμα οἷον κύημά
ἐστιν. λέγω δὲ κύημα τὸ πρῶτον μίγμα ἐκ θήλεος καὶ ἄρρενος.
35 διὸ καὶ ἐξ ἑνὸς σπέρματος ἓν σῶμα γίγνεται οἷον ἐξ ἑνὸς πυροῦ
εἷς πυθμήν, ὥσπερ ἐξ ἑνὸς ᾠοῦ ἓν ζῷον (τὰ γὰρ δίδυμα τῶν
1The reason why neither the latter nor those sanguinea mentioned (i.e. those whose uterus is low and which do not lay eggs) have this effluxion is the dryness of their bodies; this allows but little matter to be secreted, only enough for generation but not enough to be 5discharged from the body. All animals that are viviparous without producing eggs first (such are man and all quadrupeds which bend their hind-legs outwards, for all these are viviparous without producing eggs)— all these have the catamenia, unless they are defective in development as the mule, only the efflux is not abundant as in women. 10Details of the facts in each animal have been given in the Enquiries concerning animals.
The catamenia are more abundant in women than in the other animals, and men emit the most semen in proportion to their size. The reason is that the composition of their bodies is liquid and hot compared to others, for more matter must be secreted in such a 15case. Further, man has no such parts in his body as those to which the superfluous matter is diverted in the other animals; for he has no great quantity of hair in proportion to his body, nor outgrowths of bones, horns, and teeth.
There is evidence that the semen is in the catamenia, for, as said before, this secretion appears in the male 20at the same time of life as the catamenia in the female; this indicates that the parts destined to receive each of these secretions are differentiated at the same time in both sexes; and as the neighboring parts in both become swollen the hair of puberty springs forth in both alike. As the parts in question are on the point of differentiating 25they are distended by the spiritus; this is clearer in males in the testes, but appears also about the breasts; in females it is more marked in the breasts, for it is when they have risen two fingers’ breadth that the catamenia generally begin.
Now, in all living things in which the male and female are not separated the semen (or 30seed) is a sort of embryo; by embryo I mean the first mixture of male and female; hence, from one semen comes one bodys — for example, one stalk of wheat from one grain, as one animal from one egg (for twin eggs are really two eggs). But in whatever kinds the sexes are distinguished, in these many animals may come from one emission of semen, 35showing that the semen differs in its nature in plants and animals.
The catamenia are more abundant in women than in the other animals, and men emit the most semen in proportion to their size. The reason is that the composition of their bodies is liquid and hot compared to others, for more matter must be secreted in such a 15case. Further, man has no such parts in his body as those to which the superfluous matter is diverted in the other animals; for he has no great quantity of hair in proportion to his body, nor outgrowths of bones, horns, and teeth.
There is evidence that the semen is in the catamenia, for, as said before, this secretion appears in the male 20at the same time of life as the catamenia in the female; this indicates that the parts destined to receive each of these secretions are differentiated at the same time in both sexes; and as the neighboring parts in both become swollen the hair of puberty springs forth in both alike. As the parts in question are on the point of differentiating 25they are distended by the spiritus; this is clearer in males in the testes, but appears also about the breasts; in females it is more marked in the breasts, for it is when they have risen two fingers’ breadth that the catamenia generally begin.
Now, in all living things in which the male and female are not separated the semen (or 30seed) is a sort of embryo; by embryo I mean the first mixture of male and female; hence, from one semen comes one bodys — for example, one stalk of wheat from one grain, as one animal from one egg (for twin eggs are really two eggs). But in whatever kinds the sexes are distinguished, in these many animals may come from one emission of semen, 35showing that the semen differs in its nature in plants and animals.
729a
1 ᾠῶν δύο ᾠά ἐστιν). ἐν ὅσοις δὲ τῶν γενῶν διώρισται τὸ θῆλυ
καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν, ἐν τούτοις ἀφ' ἑνὸς σπέρματος ἐνδέχεται
πολλὰ γίγνεσθαι ζῷα, ὡς διαφέροντος τῇ φύσει τοῦ σπέρματος
ἐν τοῖς φυτοῖς τε καὶ ζῴοις. σημεῖον δέ, ἀπὸ μιᾶς
5 γὰρ ὀχείας πλείω γίγνεται ἐν τοῖς πλείω δυναμένοις γεννᾶν
ἑνός. ᾗ καὶ δῆλον ὅτι οὐκ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔρχεται ἡ γονή· οὔτε
γὰρ ἂν κεχωρισμένα ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μέρους εὐθὺς ἀπεκρίνετο
οὔτε ἅμα ἐλθόντα εἰς τὰς ὑστέρας ἐκεῖ διεχωρίζετο·
ἀλλὰ συμβαίνει ὥσπερ εὔλογον, ἐπειδὴ τὸ μὲν ἄρρεν παρέχεται
10 τό τε εἶδος καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς κινήσεως τὸ δὲ θῆλυ
τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ὕλην, οἷον ἐν τῇ τοῦ γάλακτος πήξει τὸ
μὲν σῶμα τὸ γάλα ἐστίν, ὁ δὲ ὀπὸς ἢ ἡ πυετία τὸ τὴν ἀρχὴν
ἔχον τὴν συνιστᾶσαν, οὕτω τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄρρενος ἐν τῷ
θήλει μεριζόμενον. δι' ἣν δ' αἰτίαν μερίζεται ἔνθα μὲν εἰς
15 πλείω ἔνθα δ' εἰς ἐλάττω ἔνθα δὲ μοναχῶς ἕτερος ἔσται
λόγος. ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μηθέν γε διαφέρειν τῷ εἴδει, ἀλλ'
ἐὰν μόνον σύμμετρον ᾖ τὸ διαιρούμενον πρὸς τὴν ὕλην, καὶ
μήτε ἔλαττον ὥστε μὴ πέττειν μηδὲ συνιστάναι, μήτε πλεῖον
ὥστε ξηρᾶναι, πλείω οὕτω γεννᾶται. ἐκ δὲ τοῦ συνιστάντος
20 πρώτου, ἐξ ἑνὸς ἤδη ἓν γίγνεται μόνον. ὅτι μὲν οὖν τὸ θῆλυ
εἰς τὴν γένεσιν γονὴν μὲν οὐ συμβάλλεται, συμβάλλεται
δέ τι καὶ τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἡ τῶν καταμηνίων σύστασις καὶ τὸ ἀνάλογον
ἐν τοῖς ἀναίμοις, ἔκ τε τῶν εἰρημένων δῆλον καὶ κατὰ
τὸν λόγον καθόλου σκοπουμένοις. ἀνάγκη γὰρ εἶναι τὸ
25 γεννῶν καὶ ἐξ οὗ, καὶ τοῦτ' ἂν καὶ ἓν ᾖ, τῷ γε εἴδει διαφέρειν
καὶ τῷ τὸν λόγον αὐτῶν εἶναι ἕτερον, ἐν δὲ τοῖς κεχωρισμένας
ἔχουσι τὰς δυνάμεις καὶ τὰ σώματα καὶ τὴν
φύσιν ἑτέραν εἶναι τοῦ τε ποιοῦντος καὶ τοῦ πάσχοντος. εἰ οὖν
τὸ ἄρρεν ἐστὶν ὡς κινοῦν καὶ ποιοῦν, τὸ δὲ θῆλυ [ᾗ θῆλυ] ὡς
30 παθητικόν, εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἄρρενος γονὴν τὸ θῆλυ ἂν συμβάλλοιτο
οὐ γονὴν ἀλλ' ὕλην. ὅπερ καὶ φαίνεται συμβαῖνον·
κατὰ γὰρ τὴν πρώτην ὕλην ἐστὶν ἡ τῶν καταμηνίων
φύσις.
Καὶ
1A proof of this is that animals which can bear more than one young one at a time do so in consequence of only one coition. Whereby, too, it is plain that the semen does not come from the whole of the body; for neither would the different parts of the semen already be separated 5as soon as discharged from the same part, nor could they be separated in the uterus if they had once entered it all together; but what does happen is just what one would expect, since what the male contributes to generation is the form and the efficient cause, while the female contributes the material. In fact, as in the coagulation of 10milk, the milk being the material, the fig-juice or rennet is that which contains the curdling principle, so acts the secretion of the male, being divided into parts in the female. Why it is sometimes divided into more or fewer parts, and sometimes not divided at all, will be the subject of another discussion. But because it does not differ in 15kind at any rate this does not matter, but what does matter is only that each part should correspond to the material, being neither too little to concoct it and fix it into form, nor too much so as to dry it up; it then generates a number of offspring. But from this first formative semen, if it remains one, and is not divided, only one young 20one comes into being.
That, then, the female does not contribute semen to generation, but does contribute something, and that this is the matter of the catamenia, or that which is analogous to it in bloodless animals, is clear from what has been said, and also from a general and abstract survey of the question. For there must needs be that 25which generates and that from which it generates; even if these be one, still they must be distinct in form and their essence must be different; and in those animals that have these powers separate in two sexes the body and nature of the active and the passive sex must also differ. If, then, the male stands for the effective and active, and the 30female, considered as female, for the passive, it follows that what the female would contribute to the semen of the male would not be semen but material for the semen to work upon. This is just what we find to be the case, for the catamenia have in their nature an affinity to the primitive matter.
That, then, the female does not contribute semen to generation, but does contribute something, and that this is the matter of the catamenia, or that which is analogous to it in bloodless animals, is clear from what has been said, and also from a general and abstract survey of the question. For there must needs be that 25which generates and that from which it generates; even if these be one, still they must be distinct in form and their essence must be different; and in those animals that have these powers separate in two sexes the body and nature of the active and the passive sex must also differ. If, then, the male stands for the effective and active, and the 30female, considered as female, for the passive, it follows that what the female would contribute to the semen of the male would not be semen but material for the semen to work upon. This is just what we find to be the case, for the catamenia have in their nature an affinity to the primitive matter.
Book 1,Chapter 21 (729a34–730a31)
περὶ μὲν τούτων διωρίσθω τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον. ἅμα
35 δ' ἐκ τούτων φανερόν, περὶ ὧν ἐχόμενόν ἐστιν ἐπισκέψασθαι,
So much for the discussion of this question.
729b
1 πῶς ποτε συμβάλλεται εἰς τὴν γένεσιν τὸ ἄρρεν καὶ πῶς
αἴτιόν ἐστι τοῦ γιγνομένου τὸ σπέρμα τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄρρενος, πότερον
ὡς ἐνυπάρχον καὶ μόριον ὂν εὐθὺς τοῦ γιγνομένου σώματος,
μιγνύμενον τῇ ὕλῃ τῇ παρὰ τοῦ θήλεος, ἢ τὸ μὲν
5 σῶμα οὐθὲν κοινωνεῖ τοῦ σπέρματος, ἡ δ' ἐν αὐτῷ δύναμις
καὶ κίνησις· αὕτη μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ποιοῦσα, τὸ δὲ συνιστάμενον
καὶ λαμβάνον τὴν μορφὴν τὸ τοῦ ἐν τῇ θήλει περιττώματος
λοιπόν. κατά τε δὴ τὸν λόγον οὕτω φαίνεται
καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων. καθόλου τε γὰρ ἐπισκοποῦσιν οὐ φαίνεται
10 γιγνόμενον ἓν ἐκ τοῦ παθητικοῦ καὶ τοῦ ποιοῦντος ὡς ἐνυπάρχοντος
ἐν τῷ γιγνομένῳ τοῦ ποιοῦντος, οὐδ' ὅλως δὴ ἐκ τοῦ κινουμένου
καὶ κινοῦντος. ἀλλὰ μὴν τό γε θῆλυ ᾗ θῆλυ παθητικόν,
τὸ δ' ἄρρεν ᾗ ἄρρεν ποιητικὸν καὶ ὅθεν ἡ ἀρχὴ
τῆς κινήσεως. ὥστε ἂν ληφθῇ τὰ ἄκρα ἑκατέρων, ᾗ τὸ μὲν
15 ποιητικὸν καὶ κινοῦν τὸ δὲ παθητικὸν καὶ κινούμενον, οὐκ ἔστιν
ἐκ τούτων τὸ γιγνόμενον ἕν, ἀλλ' ἢ οὕτως ὡς ἐκ τοῦ τέκτονος
καὶ ξύλου ἡ κλίνη ἢ ὡς ἐκ τοῦ κηροῦ καὶ τοῦ εἴδους ἡ σφαῖρα.
δῆλον ἄρα ὅτι οὔτ' ἀνάγκη ἀπιέναι τι ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄρρενος,
οὔτ' εἴ τι ἀπέρχεται διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τούτου ὡς ἐνυπάρχοντος τὸ
20 γεννώμενόν ἐστιν ἀλλ' ὡς ἐκ κινήσαντος καὶ τοῦ εἴδους, ὡς
καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἰατρικῆς ὁ ὑγιασθείς. συμβαίνει δ' ὁμολογούμενα
τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ ἔνια τῶν
ἀρρένων καὶ συνδυαζομένων τοῖς θήλεσιν οὐδὲ μόριον οὐθὲν
φαίνεται προϊέμενα εἰς τὸ θῆλυ ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον τὸ θῆλυ
25 εἰς τὸ ἄρρεν, οἷον συμβαίνει ἐν ἐνίοις τῶν ἐντόμων. ὃ γὰρ τοῖς
προϊεμένοις ἀπεργάζεται τὸ σπέρμα ἐν τῷ θήλει, τούτοις ἡ
ἐν τῷ ζῴῳ αὐτῷ θερμότης καὶ δύναμις ἀπεργάζεται, εἰςφέροντος
τοῦ θήλεος τὸ δεκτικὸν τοῦ περιττώματος μόριον.
καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν ζῴων συμπλέκεται μὲν πολὺν
30 χρόνον, διαλυθέντα δὲ γεννᾷ ταχέως. συνδεδύασται γὰρ
μέχρις οὗ ἂν συστήσῃ, ὥσπερ ἡ γονή· διαλυθέντα δὲ προΐεται
τὸ κύημα ταχέως· γεννᾷ γὰρ ἀτελές· σκωληκοτοκεῖ
γὰρ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα. Μέγιστον δὲ σημεῖον τὸ συμβαῖνον
περὶ τοὺς ὄρνιθας καὶ τὸ τῶν ἰχθύων γένος τῶν ᾠοτόκων τοῦ
35 μήτε ἀπὸ πάντων ἰέναι τὸ σπέρμα τῶν μορίων, μήτε προΐεσθαι
1At the same time the answer to the next question we have to investigate is clear from these considerations, I mean how it is that the male contributes to generation and how it is that the semen from the male is the cause of the offspring. Does it exist in the body of the embryo as a part of it from the first, mingling 5with the material which comes from the female? Or does the semen communicate nothing to the material body of the embryo but only to the power and movement in it? For this power is that which acts and makes, while that which is made and receives the form is the residue of the secretion in the female. Now the latter alternative appears to be the right one both a priori and in view of the facts. For, 10if we consider the question on general grounds, we find that, whenever one thing is made from two of which one is active and the other passive, the active agent does not exist in that which is made; and, still more generally, the same applies when one thing moves and another is moved; the moving thing does not exist in that which is moved. But the female, as female, is passive, and the male, as 15male, is active, and the principle of the movement comes from him. Therefore, if we take the highest genera under which they each fall, the one being active and motive and the other passive and moved, that one thing which is produced comes from them only in the sense in which a bed comes into being from the carpenter and the wood, or in which a ball comes into being from the wax and the form. It 20is plain then that it is not necessary that anything at all should come away from the male, and if anything does come away it does not follow that this gives rise to the embryo as being in the embryo, but only as that which imparts the motion and as the form; so the medical art cures the patient.
This a priori argument is confirmed by the facts. For it is for this reason that some males which unite 25with the female do not, it appears, insert any part of themselves into the female, but on the contrary the female inserts a part of herself into the male; this occurs in some insects. For the effect produced by the semen in the female (in the case of those animals whose males do insert a part) is produced in the case of these insects by the heat and power in the male animal itself when the female 30inserts that part of herself which receives the secretion. And therefore such animals remain united a long time, and when they are separated the young are produced quickly. For the union lasts until that which is analogous to the semen has done its work, and when they separate the female produces the embryo quickly; for the young is imperfect inasmuch as all such creatures give birth to scoleces.
This a priori argument is confirmed by the facts. For it is for this reason that some males which unite 25with the female do not, it appears, insert any part of themselves into the female, but on the contrary the female inserts a part of herself into the male; this occurs in some insects. For the effect produced by the semen in the female (in the case of those animals whose males do insert a part) is produced in the case of these insects by the heat and power in the male animal itself when the female 30inserts that part of herself which receives the secretion. And therefore such animals remain united a long time, and when they are separated the young are produced quickly. For the union lasts until that which is analogous to the semen has done its work, and when they separate the female produces the embryo quickly; for the young is imperfect inasmuch as all such creatures give birth to scoleces.
730a
1 τὸ ἄρρεν τοιοῦτόν τι μόριον ὃ ἔσται ἐνυπάρχον τῷ γεννηθέντι
ἀλλὰ μόνον τῇ δυνάμει τῇ ἐν τῇ γονῇ ζῳοποιεῖν,
ὥσπερ εἴπομεν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐντόμων ἐν οἷς τὸ θῆλυ προΐεται
εἰς τὸ ἄρρεν. ἐάν τε γὰρ ὑπηνέμια τύχῃ κύουσα ἡ ὄρνις,
5 ἐὰν μετὰ ταῦτα ὀχεύηται μήπω μεταβεβληκότος τοῦ ᾠοῦ
ἐκ τοῦ ὠχρὸν ὅλον εἶναι εἰς τὸ λευκαίνεσθαι, γόνιμα γίγνεται
ἀντὶ ὑπηνεμίων· ἐάν τε ὑφ' ἑτέρου ὠχευμένη <ᾖ> καὶ ἔτι
ὠχροῦ ὄντος, κατὰ τὸν ὕστερον ὀχεύσαντα τὸ γένος ἀποβαίνει
πᾶν τὸ τῶν νεοττῶν. διὸ ἔνιοι τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον τῶν
10 περὶ τὰς ὄρνιθας τὰς γενναίας σπουδαζόντων ποιοῦσι μεταβάλλοντες
τὰ πρῶτα ὀχεῖα καὶ τὰ ὕστερα, ὡς οὐ συμμιγνύμενον
καὶ ἐνυπάρχον, οὐδ' ἀπὸ παντὸς ἐλθὸν τὸ σπέρμα·
ἀπ' ἀμφοῖν γὰρ ἂν ἦλθεν, ὥστ' εἶχεν ἂν δὶς ταὐτὰ μέρη.
ἀλλὰ τῇ δυνάμει τὸ τοῦ ἄρρενος σπέρμα τὴν ἐν τῷ θήλει
15 ὕλην καὶ τροφὴν ποιάν τινα κατασκευάζει. τοῦτο γὰρ ἐνδέχεται
ποιεῖν τὸ ὕστερον ἐπεισελθὸν ἐκ τοῦ θερμᾶναι καὶ
πέψαι· λαμβάνει γὰρ τροφὴν τὸ ᾠὸν ἕως ἂν αὐξάνηται.
τὸ δ' αὐτὸ συμβαίνει καὶ περὶ τὴν τῶν ἰχθύων γένεσιν τῶν
ᾠοτοκουμένων. ὅταν γὰρ ἀποτέκῃ τὰ ᾠὰ ἡ θήλεια, ὁ ἄρρην
20 ἐπιρραίνει τὸν θορόν· καὶ ὧν μὲν ἂν ἐφάψηται, γόνιμα
ταῦτα γίγνεται τὰ ᾠά, ὧν δ' ἂν μή, ἄγονα, ὡς οὐκ εἰς
τὸ ποσὸν συμβαλλομένου τοῖς ζῴοις τοῦ ἄρρενος ἀλλ' εἰς
τὸ ποιόν.
Ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὔτ' ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀπέρχεται τὸ σπέρμα
25 τοῖς προϊεμένοις σπέρμα τῶν ζῴων, οὔτε τὸ θῆλυ πρὸς τὴν
γένεσιν οὕτω συμβάλλεται τοῖς συνισταμένοις ὡς τὸ ἄρρεν,
ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν ἄρρεν ἀρχὴν κινήσεως τὸ δὲ θῆλυ τὴν ὕλην,
δῆλον ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων. διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο οὔτ' αὐτὸ καθ' αὑτὸ
γεννᾷ τὸ θῆλυ· δεῖται γὰρ ἀρχῆς καὶ τοῦ κινήσοντος καὶ
30 διοριοῦντος (ἀλλ' ἐνίοις γε τῶν ζῴων οἷον ταῖς ὄρνισι μέχρι
τινὸς ἡ φύσις δύναται γεννᾶν· αὗται γὰρ συνιστᾶσι μέν,
ἀτελῆ δὲ συνιστᾶσι τὰ καλούμενα ὑπηνέμια ᾠά),
1What occurs in birds and oviparous fishes is the greatest proof that neither does the semen come from all parts of the male nor does he emit anything of such a nature as to exist within that which is generated, as part of the material embryo, but that he only makes a living creature by the power which resides in 5the semen (as we said in the case of those insects whose females insert a part of themselves into the male). For if a hen-bird is in process of producing wind-eggs and is then trodden by the cock before the egg has begun to whiten and while it is all still yellow, then they become fertile instead of being wind-eggs. And if while it is still yellow she be trodden by another cock, the whole 10brood of chicks turn out like the second cock. Hence some of those who are anxious to rear fine birds act thus; they change the cocks for the first and second treading, not as if they thought that the semen is mingled with the egg or exists in it, or that it comes from all parts of the cock; for if it did it would have come from both cocks, so that the chick would have all its parts doubled. 15But it is by its force that the semen of the male gives a certain quality to the material and the nutriment in the female, for the second semen added to the first can produce this effect by heat and concoction, as the egg acquires nutriment so long as it is growing.
The same conclusion is to be drawn from the generation of oviparous fishes. When the female has laid her eggs, the male 20spinkles the milt over them, and those eggs are fertilized which it reaches, but not the others; this shows that the male does not contribute anything to the quantity but only to the quality of the embryo.
From what has been said it is plain that the semen does not come from the whole of the body of the male in those animals which emit it, and that the contribution of the female to the generative 25product is not the same as that of the male, but the male contributes the principle of movement and the female the material. This is why the female does not produce offspring by herself, for she needs a principle, i.e. something to begin the movement in the embryo and to define the form it is to assume. Yet in some animals, as birds, the nature of the female unassisted can generate to a 30certain extent, for they do form something, only it is incomplete; I mean the so-called wind-eggs.
The same conclusion is to be drawn from the generation of oviparous fishes. When the female has laid her eggs, the male 20spinkles the milt over them, and those eggs are fertilized which it reaches, but not the others; this shows that the male does not contribute anything to the quantity but only to the quality of the embryo.
From what has been said it is plain that the semen does not come from the whole of the body of the male in those animals which emit it, and that the contribution of the female to the generative 25product is not the same as that of the male, but the male contributes the principle of movement and the female the material. This is why the female does not produce offspring by herself, for she needs a principle, i.e. something to begin the movement in the embryo and to define the form it is to assume. Yet in some animals, as birds, the nature of the female unassisted can generate to a 30certain extent, for they do form something, only it is incomplete; I mean the so-called wind-eggs.
Book 1,Chapter 22 (730a32–730b32)
ἥ τε γένεσις
ἐν τῷ θήλει συμβαίνει τῶν γιγνομένων, ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰς τὸ
ἄρρεν οὔτ' αὐτὸ τὸ ἄρρεν προΐεται τὴν γονὴν οὔτε τὸ θῆλυ,
35 ἀλλ' ἄμφω εἰς τὸ θῆλυ συμβάλλονται τὸ παρ' αὐτῶν γιγνόμενον,
For the same reason the development of the embryo takes place in the female; neither the male himself nor the female emits semen into the male, but the female receives within herself the share contributed by both, because in the female is the material from which is made the resulting product.
730b
1 διὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ θήλει εἶναι τὴν ὕλην ἐξ ἧς ἐστι τὸ
δημιουργούμενον. καὶ εὐθὺς τὴν μὲν ἀθρόον ὑπάρχειν ἀναγκαῖον
ἐξ ἧς συνίσταται τὸ κύημα τὸ πρῶτον, τὴν δ' ἐπιγίγνεσθαι
ἀεὶ τῆς ὕλης ἵν' αὐξάνηται τὸ κυούμενον. ὥστ' ἀνάγκη
5 ἐν τῷ θήλει ὑπάρχειν τὸν τόκον· καὶ γὰρ πρὸς τῷ ξύλῳ
ὁ τέκτων καὶ πρὸς τῷ πηλῷ ὁ κεραμεύς, καὶ ὅλως πᾶσα
ἡ ἐργασία καὶ ἡ κίνησις ἡ ἐσχάτη πρὸς τῇ ὕλῃ οἷον ἡ
οἰκοδόμησις ἐν τοῖς οἰκοδομουμένοις. λάβοι δ' ἄν τις ἐκ τούτων
καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν πῶς συμβάλλεται πρὸς τὴν γένεσιν· οὐδὲ
10 γὰρ τὸ ἄρρεν ἅπαν προΐεται σπέρμα, ὅσα τε προΐεται τῶν
ἀρρένων, οὐθὲν μόριον τοῦτ' ἔστι τοῦ γιγνομένου κυήματος, ὥςπερ
οὐδ' ἀπὸ τοῦ τέκτονος πρὸς τὴν τῶν ξύλων ὕλην οὔτ' ἀπέρχεται
οὐθέν, οὔτε μόριον οὐθέν ἐστιν ἐν τῷ γιγνομένῳ τῆς
τεκτονικῆς, ἀλλ' ἡ μορφὴ καὶ τὸ εἶδος ἀπ' ἐκείνου ἐγγίγνεται
15 διὰ τῆς κινήσεως ἐν τῇ ὕλῃ, καὶ ἡ μὲν ψυχὴ ἐν ᾗ τὸ εἶδος
καὶ ἡ ἐπιστήμη κινοῦσι τὰς χεῖρας ἤ τι μόριον ἕτερον
ποιάν τινα κίνησιν, ἑτέραν μὲν ἀφ' ὧν τὸ γιγνόμενον ἕτερον,
τὴν αὐτὴν δὲ ἀφ' ὧν τὸ αὐτό, αἱ δὲ χεῖρες τὰ ὄργανα, τὰ δ'
ὄργανα τὴν ὕλην. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἡ φύσις ἡ ἐν τῷ ἄρρενι
20 τῶν σπέρμα προϊεμένων χρῆται τῷ σπέρματι ὡς ὀργάνῳ
καὶ ἔχοντι κίνησιν ἐνεργείᾳ, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τέχνην γιγνομένοις
τὰ ὄργανα κινεῖται· ἐν ἐκείνοις γάρ πως ἡ κίνησις
τῆς τέχνης. ὅσα μὲν οὖν προΐεται σπέρμα συμβάλλεται
τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον εἰς τὴν γένεσιν· ὅσα δὲ μὴ προΐεται
25 ἀλλ' ἐναφίησι τὸ θῆλυ εἰς τὸ ἄρρεν τῶν αὑτοῦ τι μορίων,
ὅμοιον ἔοικε ποιοῦντι ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ τὴν ὕλην κομίσειέ
τις πρὸς τὸν δημιουργόν. δι' ἀσθένειαν γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ἀρρένων
οὐθὲν δι' ἑτέρων οἵα τε ποιεῖν ἡ φύσις, ἀλλὰ μόλις
αὐτῆς προσεδρευούσης ἰσχύουσιν αἱ κινήσεις, καὶ ἔοικε τοῖς
30 πλάττουσιν, οὐ τοῖς τεκταινομένοις· οὐ γὰρ δι' ἑτέρου θιγγάνουσα
δημιουργεῖ τὸ συνιστάμενον ἀλλ' αὐτὴ τοῖς αὑτῆς
μορίοις.
1Not only must the mass of material exist there from which the embryo is formed in the first instance, but further material must constantly be added that it may increase in size. Therefore the birth must take place in the female. For the carpenter must keep in close 5connexion with his timber and the potter with his clay, and generally all workmanship and the ultimate movement imparted to matter must be connected with the material concerned, as, for instance, architecture is in the buildings it makes.
From these considerations we may also gather how it is that the male contributes to generation. The male 10does not emit semen at all in some animals, and where he does this is no part of the resulting embryo; just so no material part comes from the carpenter to the material, i.e. the wood in which he works, nor does any part of the carpenter’s art exist within what he makes, but the shape and the form are imparted from him to the material 15by means of the motion he sets up. It is his hands that move his tools, his tools that move the material; it is his knowledge of his art, and his soul, in which is the form, that moves his hands or any other part of him with a motion of some definite kind, a motion varying with the varying nature of the object made. In like manner, in 20the male of those animals which emit semen Nature uses the semen as a tool and as possessing motion in actuality, just as tools are used in the products of any art, for in them lies in a certain sense the motion of the art. Such, then, is the way in which these males contribute to generation. But when the male does not emit semen, but the 25female inserts some part of herself into the male, this is parallel to a case in which a man should carry the material to the workman. For by reason of weakness in such males Nature is not able to do anything by any secondary means, but the movements imparted to the material are scarcely strong enough when Nature herself watches over 30them. Thus here she resembles a modeller in clay rather than a carpenter, for she does not touch the work she is forming by means of tools, but, as it were, with her own hands.
From these considerations we may also gather how it is that the male contributes to generation. The male 10does not emit semen at all in some animals, and where he does this is no part of the resulting embryo; just so no material part comes from the carpenter to the material, i.e. the wood in which he works, nor does any part of the carpenter’s art exist within what he makes, but the shape and the form are imparted from him to the material 15by means of the motion he sets up. It is his hands that move his tools, his tools that move the material; it is his knowledge of his art, and his soul, in which is the form, that moves his hands or any other part of him with a motion of some definite kind, a motion varying with the varying nature of the object made. In like manner, in 20the male of those animals which emit semen Nature uses the semen as a tool and as possessing motion in actuality, just as tools are used in the products of any art, for in them lies in a certain sense the motion of the art. Such, then, is the way in which these males contribute to generation. But when the male does not emit semen, but the 25female inserts some part of herself into the male, this is parallel to a case in which a man should carry the material to the workman. For by reason of weakness in such males Nature is not able to do anything by any secondary means, but the movements imparted to the material are scarcely strong enough when Nature herself watches over 30them. Thus here she resembles a modeller in clay rather than a carpenter, for she does not touch the work she is forming by means of tools, but, as it were, with her own hands.
Book 1,Chapter 23 (730b33–731b14)
Ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς ζῴοις πᾶσι τοῖς πορευτικοῖς κεχώρισται
τὸ θῆλυ τοῦ ἄρρενος, καὶ ἔστιν ἕτερον ζῷον θῆλυ καὶ
35 ἕτερον ἄρρεν, τῷ δὲ εἴδει ταὐτόν, οἷον ἄνθρωπος ἢ ἵππος ἀμφότερα·
In all animals which can move about, the sexes are separated, one individual being male and one female, though both are the same in species, as with man and horse.
731a
1 ἐν δὲ τοῖς φυτοῖς μεμιγμέναι αὗται αἱ δυνάμεις εἰσί,
καὶ οὐ κεχώρισται τὸ θῆλυ τοῦ ἄρρενος. διὸ καὶ γεννᾷ αὐτὰ
ἐξ αὑτῶν καὶ προΐεται οὐ γονὴν ἀλλὰ κύημα τὰ καλούμενα
σπέρματα. καὶ τοῦτο καλῶς λέγει Ἐμπεδοκλῆς ποιήσας·
5 οὕτω δ' ᾠοτοκεῖ μακρὰ δένδρεα· πρῶτον ἐλαίας ... τό τε
γὰρ ᾠὸν κύημά ἐστι, καὶ ἔκ τινος αὐτοῦ γίγνεται τὸ ζῷον,
τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν τροφή, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος ἐκ μέρους
γίγνεται τὸ φυόμενον, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν τροφὴ γίγνεται τῷ
βλαστῷ καὶ τῇ ῥίζῃ τῇ πρώτῃ. τρόπον δέ τινα ταὐτὰ συμβαίνει
10 καὶ ἐν τοῖς κεχωρισμένον ἔχουσι ζῴοις τὸ θῆλυ καὶ
τὸ ἄρρεν. ὅταν γὰρ δεήσῃ γεννᾶν γίγνεται ἀχώριστον ὥςπερ
ἐν τοῖς φυτοῖς, καὶ βούλεται ἡ φύσις αὐτῶν ἓν γίγνεσθαι·
ὅπερ ἐμφαίνεται κατὰ τὴν ὄψιν μιγνυμένων καὶ συνδυαζομένων
[ἕν τι ζῷον γίγνεσθαι ἐξ ἀμφοῖν]. Καὶ τὰ μὲν
15 μὴ προϊέμενα σπέρμα πολὺν χρόνον συμπεπλέχθαι πέφυκεν
ἕως ἂν συστήσῃ τὸ κύημα, οἷον τὰ συνδυαζόμενα τῶν
ἐντόμων· τὰ δ' ἕως ἂν ἀποπέμψῃ τι τῶν ἐπεισάκτων αὐτοῦ
μορίων, ὃ συστήσει τὸ κύημα ἐν πλείονι χρόνῳ, οἷον ἐπὶ
τῶν ἐναίμων. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἡμέρας τι μόριον συνέχεται, ἡ
20 δὲ γονὴ ἐν ἡμέραις συνίστησι πλείοσιν· προέμενα δὲ τὸ τοιοῦτον
ἀπολύεται. καὶ ἀτεχνῶς ἔοικε τὰ ζῷα ὥσπερ φυτὰ
εἶναι διῃρημένα, οἷον εἴ τις κἀκεῖνα, ὅτε σπέρμα ἐξενέγκειεν,
διαλύσειε καὶ χωρίσειεν εἰς τὸ ἐνυπάρχον θῆλυ καὶ
ἄρρεν. Καὶ ταῦτα πάντα εὐλόγως ἡ φύσις δημιουργεῖ. τῆς
25 μὲν γὰρ τῶν φυτῶν οὐσίας οὐθέν ἐστιν ἄλλο ἔργον οὐδὲ πρᾶξις
οὐδεμία πλὴν ἡ τοῦ σπέρματος γένεσις, ὥστ' ἐπεὶ τοῦτο διὰ
τοῦ θήλεος γίγνεται καὶ τοῦ ἄρρενος συνδεδυασμένων, μίξασα
ταῦτα διέθηκε μετ' ἀλλήλων· διὸ ἐν τοῖς φυτοῖς ἀχώριστον
τὸ θῆλυ καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἐν ἑτέροις
30 ἐπέσκεπται, τοῦ δὲ ζῴου οὐ μόνον τὸ γεννῆσαι ἔργον (τοῦτο μὲν
γὰρ κοῖνον τῶν ζώντων πάντων), ἀλλὰ καὶ γνώσεώς τινος
πάντα μετέχουσι, τὰ μὲν πλείονος τὰ δ' ἐλάττονος τὰ δὲ
πάμπαν μικρᾶς. αἴσθησιν γὰρ ἔχουσιν, ἡ δ' αἴσθησις γνῶσίς
τις. ταύτης δὲ τὸ τίμιον καὶ ἄτιμον πολὺ διαφέρει σκοποῦσι
35 πρὸς φρόνησιν καὶ πρὸς τὸ τῶν ἀψύχων γένος. πρὸς
1But in plants these powers are mingled, female not being separated from male. Wherefore they generate out of themselves, and do not emit semen but produce an embryo, what is called the seed. Empedocles puts this well in the line: ‘and thus the tall trees oviposit; first 5olives . . . ’ For as the egg is an embryo, a certain part of it giving rise to the animal and the rest being nutriment, so also from a part of the seed springs the growing plant, and the rest is nutriment for the shoot and the first root.
In a certain sense the same thing happens also in those animals which have the sexes separate. For when 10there is need for them to generate the sexes are no longer separated any more than in plants, their nature desiring that they shall become one; and this is plain to view when they copulate and are united, that one animal is made out of both.
It is the nature of those creatures which do not emit semen to remain united a long time until the male 15element has formed the embryo, as with those insects which copulate. The others so remain only until the male has discharged from the parts of himself introduced something which will form the embryo in a longer time, as among the sanguinea. For the former remain paired some part of a day, while the semen forms the embryo in several days. 20And after emitting this they cease their union.
And animals seem literally to be like divided plants, as though one should separate and divide them, when they bear seed, into the male and female existing in them.
In all this Nature acts like an intelligent workman. For to the essence of plants belongs no other function or business than the 25production of seed; since, then, this is brought about by the union of male and female, Nature has mixed these and set them together in plants, so that the sexes are not divided in them. Plants, however, have been investigated elsewhere. But the function of the animal is not only to generate (which is common to all living things), but they 30all of them participate also in a kind of knowledge, some more and some less, and some very little indeed. For they have sense-perception, and this is a kind of knowledge. (If we consider the value of this we find that it is of great importance compared with the class of lifeless objects, but of little compared with the use of the intellect.
In a certain sense the same thing happens also in those animals which have the sexes separate. For when 10there is need for them to generate the sexes are no longer separated any more than in plants, their nature desiring that they shall become one; and this is plain to view when they copulate and are united, that one animal is made out of both.
It is the nature of those creatures which do not emit semen to remain united a long time until the male 15element has formed the embryo, as with those insects which copulate. The others so remain only until the male has discharged from the parts of himself introduced something which will form the embryo in a longer time, as among the sanguinea. For the former remain paired some part of a day, while the semen forms the embryo in several days. 20And after emitting this they cease their union.
And animals seem literally to be like divided plants, as though one should separate and divide them, when they bear seed, into the male and female existing in them.
In all this Nature acts like an intelligent workman. For to the essence of plants belongs no other function or business than the 25production of seed; since, then, this is brought about by the union of male and female, Nature has mixed these and set them together in plants, so that the sexes are not divided in them. Plants, however, have been investigated elsewhere. But the function of the animal is not only to generate (which is common to all living things), but they 30all of them participate also in a kind of knowledge, some more and some less, and some very little indeed. For they have sense-perception, and this is a kind of knowledge. (If we consider the value of this we find that it is of great importance compared with the class of lifeless objects, but of little compared with the use of the intellect.
731b
1 μὲν γὰρ τὸ φρονεῖν ὥσπερ οὐδὲν εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ κοινωνεῖν ἁφῆς
καὶ γεύσεως μόνον, πρὸς δὲ φυτὸν ἢ λίθον θαυμάσιον· ἀγαπητὸν
γὰρ ἂν δόξειε καὶ ταύτης τυχεῖν τῆς γνώσεως ἀλλὰ
μὴ κεῖσθαι τεθνεὸς καὶ μὴ ὄν. διαφέρει δ' αἰσθήσει τὰ ζῷα
5 τῶν ζώντων μόνον. ἐπεὶ δ' ἀνάγκη καὶ ζῆν, ἐὰν ᾖ ζῷον, ὅταν
δεήσῃ ἀποτελεῖν τὸ τοῦ ζῶντος ἔργον, τότε συνδυάζεται
καὶ μίγνυται καὶ γίγνεται ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ φυτόν, καθάπερ εἴπομεν.
Τὰ δ' ὀστρακόδερμα τῶν ζῴων μεταξὺ ὄντα τῶν ζῴων
καὶ τῶν φυτῶν, ὡς ἐν ἀμφοτέροις ὄντα τοῖς γένεσιν οὐδετέρων
10 ποιεῖ τὸ ἔργον· ὡς μὲν γὰρ φυτὸν οὐκ ἔχει τὸ θῆλυ
καὶ τὸ ἄρρεν καὶ οὐ γεννᾷ εἰς ἕτερον, ὡς δὲ ζῷον οὐ φέρει ἐξ
αὑτοῦ καρπὸν ὥσπερ τὰ φυτά, ἀλλὰ συνίσταται καὶ γεννᾶται
ἔκ τινος συστάσεως γεοειδοῦς καὶ ὑγρᾶς. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν
τῆς τούτων γενέσεως ὕστερον λεκτέον.
1For against the latter the mere participation in touch and taste seems to be practically nothing, but beside absolute insensibility it seems most excellent; for it would seem a treasure to gain even this kind of knowledge rather than to lie in a state of death and non-existence.) Now it is by 5sense-perception that an animal differs from those organisms which have only life. But since, if it is a living animal, it must also live; therefore, when it is necessary for it to accomplish the function of that which has life, it unites and copulates, becoming like a plant, as we said before.
Testaceous animals, being intermediate between animals and plants, perform the function of 10neither class as belonging to both. As plants they have no sexes, and one does not generate in another; as animals they do not bear fruit from themselves like plants; but they are formed and generated from a liquid and earthy concretion. However, we must speak later of the generation of these animals.
Testaceous animals, being intermediate between animals and plants, perform the function of 10neither class as belonging to both. As plants they have no sexes, and one does not generate in another; as animals they do not bear fruit from themselves like plants; but they are formed and generated from a liquid and earthy concretion. However, we must speak later of the generation of these animals.