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BOOK THREE

PART 1

It has been made clear in the preceding discussion that nutrition occurs by an alteration or assimilation of that which nourishes to that which receives nourishment,¹ and that there exists in every part of the animal a faculty which in view of its activity we call, in general terms, alterative, or, more specifically, assimilative and nutritive. It was also shown that a sufficient supply of the matter which the part being nourished makes into nutriment for itself is ensured by virtue of another faculty which naturally attracts its proper juice [humour] that juice is proper to each part which is adapted for assimilation, and that the faculty which attracts the juice is called, by reason of its activity, attractive or epispastic.² It has also been shown that assimilation is preceded by adhesion, and this, again, by presentation,³ the latter stage being, as one might say, the end or goal of the activity corresponding to the attractive faculty. For the actual bringing up of nutriment from the veins into each of the parts takes place through the activation of the attractive faculty,⁴ whilst to have been finally brought up and presented to the part is the actual end for which we desired such an activity; it is attracted in order that it may be presented. After this, considerable time is needed for the nutrition of the animal; whilst a thing may be even rapidly attracted, on the other hand to become adherent, altered, and entirely assimilated to the part which is being nourished and to become a part of it, cannot take place suddenly, but requires a considerable amount of time. But if the nutritive juice, so presented, does not remain in the part, but withdraws to another one, and keeps flowing away, and constantly changing and shifting its position, neither adhesion nor complete assimilation will take place in any of them. Here too, then, the [animal's] nature has need of some other faculty for ensuring a prolonged stay of the presented juice at the part, and this not a faculty which comes in from somewhere outside but one which is resident in the part which is to be nourished. This faculty, again, in view of its activity our predecessors were obliged to call retentive.

Thus our argument has clearly shown⁵ the necessity for the genesis of such a faculty, and whoever has an appreciation of logical sequence must be firmly persuaded from what we have said that, if it be laid down and proved by previous demonstration that Nature is artistic and solicitous for the animal's welfare, it necessarily follows that she must also possess a faculty of this kind.

PART 2

Since, however, it is not our habit to employ this kind of demonstration⁶ alone, but to add thereto cogent and compelling proofs drawn from obvious facts, we will also proceed to the latter kind in the present instance: we will demonstrate that in certain parts of the body the retentive faculty is so obvious that its operation can be actually recognised by the senses, whilst in other parts it is less obvious to the senses, but is capable even here of being detected by the argument.⁷

Let us begin our exposition, then, by first dealing systematically for a while with certain definite parts of the body, in reference to which we may accurately test and enquire what sort of thing the retentive faculty is.

Now, could one begin the enquiry in any better way than with the largest and hollowest organs? Personally I do not think one could. It is to be expected that in these, owing to their size, the activities will show quite clearly, whereas with respect to the small organs, even if they possess a strong faculty of this kind, its activation will not at once be recognisable to sense.

Now those parts of the animal which are especially hollow and large are the stomach and the organ which is called the womb or uterus.⁸ What prevents us, then, from taking up these first and considering their activities, conducting the enquiry on our own persons in regard to those activities which are obvious without dissection, and, in the case of those which are more obscure, dissecting animals which are near to man;⁹ not that even animals unlike him will not show, in a general way, the faculty in question, but because in this manner we may find out at once what is common to all and what is peculiar to ourselves, and so may become more resourceful in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Now it is impossible to speak of both organs at once, so we shall deal with each in turn, beginning with the one which is capable of demonstrating the retentive faculty most plainly. For the stomach retains the food until it has quite digested it, and the uterus retains the embryo until it brings it to completion, but the time taken for the completion of the embryo is many times more than that for the digestion of food.

PART 3

We may expect, then, to detect the retentive faculty in the uterus more clearly in proportion to the longer duration of its activity as compared with that of the stomach. For, as we know, it takes nine months in most women for the foetus to attain maturity in the womb, this organ having its neck quite closed, and entirely surrounding the embryo together with the chorion. Further, it is the utility of the function which determines the closure of the os and the stay of the foetus in the uterus. For it is not casually nor without reason that Nature has made the uterus capable of contracting upon, and of retaining the embryo, but in order that the latter may arrive at a proper size. When, therefore, the object for which the uterus brought its retentive faculty into play has been fulfilled, it then stops this faculty and brings it back to a state of rest, and employs instead of it another faculty hitherto quiescent — the propulsive faculty. In this case again the quiescent and active states are both determined by utility; when this calls, there is activity; when it does not, there is rest.

Here, then, once more, we must observe well the Art [artistic tendency] of Nature — how she has not merely placed in each organ the capabilities of useful activities, but has also fore-ordained the times both of rest and movement. For everything connected with the pregnancy proceeds properly, the eliminative faculty remains quiescent as though it did not exist, but if anything goes wrong in connection either with the chorion or any of the other membranes or with the foetus itself, and its completion is entirely despaired of, then the uterus no longer awaits the nine-months period, but the retentive faculty forthwith ceases and allows the heretofore inoperative faculty to come into action. Now it is that something is done — in fact, useful work effected — by the eliminative or propulsive faculty (for so it, too, has been called, receiving, like the rest,its names from the corresponding activities).

Further, our theory can, I think, demonstrate both together; for seeing that they succeed each other, and that the one keeps giving place to the other according as utility demands, it seems not unreasonable to accept a common demonstration also for both. Thus it is the work of the retentive faculty to make the uterus contract upon the foetus at every point, so that, naturally enough, when the midwives palpate it, the os is found to be closed, whilst the pregnant women themselves, during the first days — and particularly on that on which conception takes place — experience a sensation as if the uterus were moving and contracting upon itself. Now, if both of these things occur — if the os closes apart from inflammation or any other disease, and if this is accompanied by a feeling of movement in the uterus — then the women believe that they have received the semen which comes from the male, and that they are retaining it.

Now we are not inventing this for ourselves: one may say the statement is based on prolonged experience of those who occupy themselves with such matters. Thus Herophilus¹⁰ does not hesitate to state in his writings that up to the time of labour the os uteri will not admit so much as the tip of a probe, that it no longer opens to the slightest degree if pregnancy has begun — that, in fact, it dilates more widely at the times of the menstrual flow. With him are in agreement all the others who have applied themselves to this subject; and particularly Hippocrates, who was the first of all physicians and philosophers to declare that the os uteri closes during pregnancy and inflammation, albeit in pregnancy it does not depart from its own nature, whilst in inflammation it becomes hard.

In the case of the opposite (the eliminative) faculty, the os opens, whilst the whole fundus approaches as near as possible to the os, expelling the embryo as it does so; and along with the fundus the contiguous parts — which form as it were a girdle round the whole organ — cooperate in the work; they squeeze upon the embryo and propel it bodily outwards. And, in many women who exercise such a faculty immoderately, violent pains cause forcible prolapse of the whole womb; here almost the same thing happens as frequently occurs in wresting-bouts and struggles, when in our eagerness to overturn and throw others we are ourselves upset along with them; for similarly when the uterus is forcing the embryo forward it sometimes becomes entirely prolapsed, and particularly when the ligaments connecting it with the spine happen to be naturally lax.¹¹

A wonderful device of Nature's also is this — that, when the foetus is alive, the os uteri is closed with perfect accuracy, but if it dies, the os at once opens up to the extent which is necessary for the foetus to make its exit. The midwife, however, does not make the parturient woman get up at once and sit down on the [obstetric] chair, but she begins by palpating the os as it gradually dilates, and the first thing she says is that it has dilated enough to admit the little finger, then that it is bigger now, and as we make enquiries from time to time, she answers that the size of the dilatation is increasing. And when it is sufficient to allow of the transit of the foetus,¹² she then makes the patient get up from her bed and sit on the chair, and bids her make every effort to expel the child. Now, this additional work which the patient does of herself is no longer the work of the uterus but of the epigastric muscles, which also help us in defaecation and micturition.

PART 4

Thus the two faculties are clearly to be seen in the case of the uterus; in the case of the stomach they appear as follows: — Firstly in the condition of gurgling, which physicians are persuaded, and with reason, to be a symptom of weakness of the stomach; for sometimes when the very smallest quantity of food has been ingested this does not occur, owing to the fact that the stomach is contracting accurately upon the food and constricting it at every point; sometimes when the stomach is full the gurglings yet make themselves heard as though it were empty. For if it be in a natural condition, employing its contractile faculty in the ordinary way, then, even if its contents be very small, it grasps the whole of them and does not leave any empty space. When it is weak, however, being unable to lay hold of its contents accurately, it produces a certain amount of vacant space, and amount of vacant space, and allows the liquid contents to flow about in different directions in accordance with its changes of shape, and so to produce gurglings.

Thus those who are troubled with this symptom expect, with good reason, that they will also be unable to digest adequately; proper digestion cannot take place in a weak stomach. In such people also, the mass of food may be plainly seen to remain an abnormally long time in the stomach, as would be natural if their digestion were slow. Indeed, the chief way in which these people will surprise one is in the length of time that not food alone but even fluids will remain in their stomachs. Now, the actual cause of this is not, as one would imagine, that the lower outlet of the stomach,¹³ being fairly narrow, will allow nothing to pass before being reduced to a fine state of division. There are a great many people who frequently swallow large quantities of big fruit-stones; one person who was holding a gold ring in his mouth, inadvertently swallowed it; another swallowed a coin, and various people have swallowed various hard and indigestible objects; yet all these people easily passed by the bowel what they had swallowed, without there being any subsequent symptoms. Now surely if narrowness of the gastric outlet were the cause of untriturated food remaining for an abnormally long time, none of these articles I have mentioned would ever have escaped. Furthermore, the fact that it is liquids which remain longest in these people's stomachs is sufficient to put the idea of narrowness of the outlet out of court. For, supposing a rapid descent were dependent upon emulsification,¹⁴ then soups, milk, and barley-emulsion¹⁵ would at once pass along in every case. But as a matter of fact this is not so. For in people who are extremely asthenic it is just these fluids which remain undigested, which accumulate and produce gurglings, and which oppress and overload the stomach, whereas in strong persons not merely do none of these things happen, but even a large quantity of bread or meat passes rapidly down. And it is not only because the stomach is distended and loaded and because the fluid runs from one part of it to another accompanied by gurglings — it is not only for these reasons that one would judge that there was an unduly long continuance of the food in it, in those people who are so disposed, but also from the vomiting. Thus, there are some who vomit up every particle of what they have eaten, not after three or four hours, but actually in the middle of the night, a lengthy period having elapsed since their meal.

Suppose you fill any animal whatsoever with liquid food — an experiment I have often carried out in pigs, to whom I give a sort of mess of wheaten flour and water, there after cutting them open after three or four hours; if you will do this yourself, you will find the food still in the stomach. For it is not chylification¹⁶ which determines the length of its stay here — since this can also be effected outside the stomach; the determining factor is digestion¹⁷ which is a different thing from chylification, as are blood-production and nutrition. For, just as it has been shown¹⁸ that these two processes depend upon a change of qualities, similarly also the digestion of food in the stomach involves a transmutation of it into the quality proper to that which is receiving nourishment.¹⁹ Then, when it is completely digested, the lower outlet opens and the food is quickly ejected through it, even if there should be amongst it abundance of stones, bones, grape-pips, or other things which cannot be reduced to chyle. And you may observe this yourself in an animal, if you will try to hit upon the time at which the descent of food from the stomach takes place. But even if you should fail to discover the time, and nothing was yet passing down, and the food was still undergoing digestion in the stomach, still even then you would find dissection not without its uses. You will observe, as we have just said, that the pylorus is accurately closed, and that the whole stomach is in a state of contraction upon the food very much as the womb contracts upon the foetus. For it is never possible to find a vacant space in the uterus, the stomach, or in either of the two bladders — that is, either in that called bile-receiving²⁰ or in the other; whether their contents be abundant or scanty, their cavities are seen to be replete and full, owing to the fact that their coats contract constantly upon the contents — so long, as least, as the animal is in a natural condition.

Now Erasistratus for some reason declares that it is the contractions²¹ of the stomach which are the cause of everything — that is to say, of the softening of the food,²² the removal of waste matter, and the absorption of the food when chylified [emulsified].

Now I have personally, on countless occasions, divided the peritoneum of a still living animal and have always found all the intestines contracting peristaltically²³ upon their contents. The condition of the stomach, however, is found less simple; as regards the substances freshly swallowed, it had grasped these accurately both above and below, in fact at every point, and was as devoid of movement as though it had grown round and become united with the food.²⁴ At the same time I found the pylorus persistently closed and accurately shut, like the os uteri on the foetus.

In the cases, however, where digestion had been completed the pylorus had opened, and the stomach was undergoing peristaltic movements, similar to those of the intestines.

PART 5

Thus all these facts agree that the stomach, uterus, and bladders possess certain inborn faculties which are retentive of their own proper qualities and eliminative of those that are foreign. For it has been already shown²⁵ that the bladder by the liver draws bile into itself, while it is also quite obvious that it eliminates this daily into the stomach. Now, of course, if the eliminative were to succeed the attractive faculty and there were not a retentive faculty between the two, there would be found, on every occasion that animals were dissected, an equal quantity of bile in the gall-bladder. This however, we do not find. For the bladder is sometimes observed to be very full, sometimes quite empty, while at other times you find in it various intermediate degrees of fulness, just as is the case with the other bladder — that which receives the urine; for even without resorting to anatomy we may observe that the urinary bladder continues to collect urine up to the time that it becomes uncomfortable through the increasing quantity of urine or the irritation caused by its acidity — the presumption thus being that here, too, there is a retentive faculty.

Similarly, too, the stomach, when, as often happens, it is irritated by acidity, gets rid of the food, although still undigested, earlier than proper; or again, when oppressed by the quantity of its contents, or disordered from the co-existence of both conditions, it is seized with diarrhoea. Vomiting also is an affection of the upper [part of the] stomach analogous to diarrhoea, and it occurs when the stomach is overloaded or is unable to stand the quality of the food or surplus substances which it contains. Thus, when such a condition develops in the lower parts of the stomach, while the parts about the inlet are normal, it ends in diarrhoea, whereas if this condition is in the upper stomach, the lower parts being normal, it ends in vomiting.

PART 6

This may often be clearly in those who are disinclined for food; when obliged to eat, they have not the strength to swallow, and, even if they force themselves to do so, they cannot retain the food, but at vomit it up. And those especially who have a dislike to some particular kind of food, sometimes take it under compulsion, and then promptly bring it up; or, if they force themselves to keep it down, they are nauseated and feel their stomach turned up, and endeavouring to relieve itself of its discomfort.

Thus, as was said at the beginning, all the observed facts testify that there must exist in almost all parts of the animal a certain inclination towards, or, so to speak, an appetite for their own special quality, and an aversion to, or, as it were, a hatred²⁶ of the foreign quality. And it is natural that when they feel an inclination they should attract, and that when they feel aversion they should expel.

From these facts, then, again, both the attractive and the propulsive faculties have been demonstrated to exist in everything.²⁷

But if there be an inclination or attraction, there will also be some benefit derived; for no existing thing attracts anything else for the mere sake of attracting, but in order to benefit by what is acquired by the attraction. And of course it cannot benefit by it if it cannot retain it. Herein, then, again, the retentive faculty is shown to have its necessary origin: for the stomach obviously inclines towards its own proper qualities and turns away from those that are foreign to it.²⁸

PART 7

But if the stomach both retains and benefits by its food, then it employs it for the end for which it [the stomach] naturally exists. And it exists to partake of that which is of a quality befitting and proper to it. Thus it attracts all the most useful parts of the food in a vaporous²⁹ and finely divided condition, storing this up in its own coats, and applying³⁰ it to them. And when it is sufficiently full it puts away from it, as one might something troublesome, the rest of the food, this having itself meanwhile obtained some profit from its association with the stomach. For it is impossible for two bodies which are adapted for acting and being acted upon to come together without either both acting or being acted upon, or else one acting and the other being acted upon. For if their forces are equal they will act and be acted upon equally, and if the one be much superior in strength, it will exert its activity upon its passive neighbour; thus, while producing a great and appreciable effect, it will itself be acted upon either little or not at all. But it is herein also that the main difference lies between nourishing food and a deleterious drug; the latter masters the forces of the body, whereas the former is mastered by them.³¹

There cannot, then, be food which is suited for the animal which is not also correspondingly subdued by the qualities existing in the animal. And to be subdued means to undergo alteration.³² Now, some parts are stronger in power and others weaker; therefore, while all will subdue the nutriment which is proper to the animal, they will not all do so equally. Thus the stomach will subdue and alter its food, but not to the same extent as will the liver, veins, arteries, and heart.

We must therefore observe to what extent it does alter it. The alteration is more than that which occurs in the mouth, but less than that in the liver and veins. For the latter alteration changes the nutriment into the substance of blood, whereas that in the mouth obviously changes it into a new form, but certainly does not completely transmute it. This you may discover in the food which is left in the intervals between the teeth, and which remains there all night; the bread is not exactly bread, nor the meat meat, for they have a smell similar to that of the animal's mouth, and have been disintegrated and dissolved, and have had the qualities of the animal's flesh impressed upon them. And you may observe the extent of the alteration which occurs to food in the mouth if you will chew some corn and then apply it to an unripe [undigested] boil: you will see it rapidly transmuting — in fact entirely digesting — the boil, though it cannot do anything of the kind if you mix it with water. And do not let this surprise you; this phlegm [saliva] in the mouth is also a cure for lichens³³; it even rapidly destroys scorpions; while, as regards the animals which emit venom, some it kills at once, and others after an interval; to all of them in any case it does great damage. Now, the masticated food is all, firstly, soaked in and mixed up with this phlegm; and secondly, it is brought into contact with the actual skin of the mouth; thus it undergoes more change than the food which is wedged into the vacant spaces between the teeth.

But just as masticated food is more altered than the latter kind, so is food which has been swallowed more altered than that which has been merely masticated. Indeed, there is no comparison between these two processes; we have only to consider what the stomach contains — phlegm, bile, pneuma, [innate] heat,³⁴ and, indeed the whole substance of the stomach. And if one considers along with this the adjacent viscera like a lot of burning hearths around a great cauldron — to the right the liver, to the left the spleen, the heart above, and along with it the diaphragm (suspended and in a state of constant movement), and the omentum sheltering them all — you may believe what an extraordinary alteration it is which occurs in the food taken into the stomach.

How could it easily become blood if it were not previously prepared by means of a change of this kind? It has already been shown³⁵ that nothing is altered all at once from one quality to its opposite. How then could bread, beef, beans, or any other food turn into blood if they had not previously undergone some other alteration? And how could the faeces be generated right away in the small intestine?³⁶ For what is there in this organ more potent in producing alteration than the factors in the stomach? Is it the number of the coats, or the way it is surrounded by neighbouring viscera, or the time that the food remains in it, or some kind of innate heat which it contains? Most assuredly the intestines have the advantage of the stomach in none of these respects. For what possible reason, then, will objectors have it that bread may often remain a whole night in the stomach and still preserve its original qualities, whereas when once it is projected into the intestines, it straightway becomes ordure? For, if such a long period of time is incapable of altering it, neither will the short period be sufficient, or, if the latter is enough, surely the longer time will be much more so! Well, then, can it be that, while the nutriment does undergo an alteration in the stomach, this is a different kind of alteration and one which is not dependent on the nature of the organ which alters it? Or if it be an alteration of this latter kind, yet one perhaps which is not proper to the body of the animal? This is still more impossible. Digestion was shown to be nothing else than an alteration to the quality proper to that which is receiving nourishment.³⁷ Since, then, this is what digestion means and since the nutriment has been shown to take on in the stomach a quality appropriate to the animal which is about to be nourished by it, it has been demonstrated adequately that nutriment does undergo digestion in the stomach.

And Asclepiades is absurd when he states that the quality of the digested food never shows itself either in eructations or in the vomited matter, or on dissection.³⁸ For of course the mere fact that the food smells of the body shows that it has undergone gastric digestion. But this man is so foolish that, when he hears the Ancients saying that the food is converted in the stomach into something good, he thinks it proper to look out not for what is good in its possible effects, but for what is good to the taste : this is like saying that apples (for so one has to argue with him) become more apple-like [in flavour] in the stomach, or honey more honey-like!

Erasistratus, however, is still more foolish and absurd, either through not perceiving in what sense the Ancients said that digestion is similar to the process of boiling, or because he purposely confused himself with sophistries. It is, he says, inconceivable that digestion, involving as it does such trifling warmth, should be related to the boiling process. This is as if we were to suppose that it was necessary to put the fires of Etna under the stomach before it could manage to alter the food; or else that, while it was capable of altering the food, it did not do this by virtue of its innate heat, which of course was moist, so that the word boil was used instead of bake.

What he ought to have done, if it was facts that he wished to dispute about, was to have tried to show, first and foremost, that the food is not transmuted or altered in quality by the stomach at all, and secondly, if he could not be confident of this, he ought to have tried to show that this alteration was not of any advantage to the animal.³⁹ If, again, he were unable even to make this misrepresentation, he ought to have attempted to confute the postulate concerning the active principles — to show, in fact, that the functions taking place in the various parts do not depend on the way in which the Warm, Cold, Dry, and Moist are mixed, but on some other factor. And if he had not the audacity to misrepresent facts even so far as this, still he should have tried at least to show that the Warm is not the most active of all the principles which play a part in things governed by Nature. But if he was unable to demonstrate this any more than any of the previous propositions, then he ought not to have made himself ridiculous by quarrelling uselessly with a mere name — as though Aristotle had not clearly stated in the fourth book of his Meteorology, as well as in many other passages, in what way digestion can be said to be allied to boiling, and also that the latter expression is not used in its primitive or strict sense.

But, as has been frequently said already,⁴⁰ the one starting-point of all this is a thorough-going enquiry into the question of the Warm, Cold, Dry and Moist; this Aristotle carried out in the second of his books On Genesis and Destruction, where he shows that all the transmutations and alterations throughout the body take place as a result of these principles. Erasistratus, however, advanced nothing against these or anything else that has been said above, but occupied himself merely with the word boiling.

PART 8

Thus, as regards digestion, even though he neglected everything else, he did at least attempt to prove his point — namely, that digestion in animals differs from boiling carried on outside; in regard to the question of deglutition, however, he did not go even so far as this. What are his words?

The stomach does not appear to exercise any traction.⁴¹

Now the fact is that the stomach possesses two coats, which certainly exist for some purpose; they extend as far as the mouth, the internal one remaining throughout similar to what it is in the stomach, and the other one tending to become of a more fleshy nature in the gullet. Now simple observation will testify that these coats have their fibres inserted in contrary directions.⁴²And, although Erasistratus did not attempt to say for what reason they are like this, I am going to do so.

The inner coat has its fibres straight, since it exists for the purpose of traction. The outer coat has its fibres transverse, for the purpose of peristalsis.⁴³ In fact, the movements of each of the mobile organs of the body depend on the setting of the fibres. Now please test this assertion first in the muscles themselves; in these the fibres are most distinct, and their movements visible owing to their vigour. And after the muscles, pass to the physical organs,⁴⁴ and you will see that they all move in correspondence with their fibres. This is why the fibres throughout the intestines are circular in both coats — they only contract peristaltically, they do not exercise traction. The stomach, again, has some of its fibres longitudinal for the purpose of traction and the others transverse for the purpose of peristalsis.⁴⁵ For just as the movements in the muscles⁴⁶ take place when each of the fibres becomes tightened and drawn towards its origin, such also is what happens in the stomach; when the transverse fibres tighten, the breadth of the cavity contained by them becomes less; and when the longitudinal fibres contract and draw in upon themselves, the length must necessarily be curtailed. This curtailment of length, indeed, is well seen in the act of swallowing: the larynx is seen to rise upwards to exactly the same degree that the gullet is drawn downwards; while, after the process of swallowing has been completed and the gullet is released from tension, the larynx can be clearly seen to again. This is because the inner coat of the stomach, which has the longitudinal fibres and which also lines the gullet and the mouth, extends to the interior of the larynx, and it is thus impossible for it to be drawn down by the stomach without the larynx being involved in the traction.

Further, it will be found acknowledged in Erasistratus's own writings that the circular fibres (by which the stomach as well as other parts performs its contractions) do not curtail its length, but contract and lessen its breadth. For he says that the stomach contracts peristaltically round the food during the whole period of digestion. But if it contracts, without in any way being diminished in length, this is because downward traction of the gullet is not a property of the movement of circular peristalsis. For what alone happens, as Erasistratus himself said, is that when the upper parts contract the lower ones dilate.⁴⁷ And everyone knows that this can be plainly seen happening even in a dead man, if water be poured down his throat; this symptom⁴⁸ results from the passage of matter through a narrow channel; it would be extraordinary if the channel did not dilate when a mass was passing through it.⁴⁹ Obviously then the dilatation of the lower parts along with the contraction of the upper is common both to dead bodies, when anything whatsoever is passing through them, and to living ones, whether they contract peristaltically round their contents or attract them.⁵⁰

Curtailment of length, on the other hand, is peculiar to organs which possess longitudinal fibres for the purpose of attraction. But the gullet was shown to be pulled down; for otherwise it would not have drawn upon the larynx. It is therefore clear that the stomach attracts food by the gullet.

Further, in vomiting, the mere passive conveyance of rejected matter up to the mouth will certainly itself suffice to keep open those parts of the oesophagus which are distended by the returned food; as it occupies each part in front [above], it first dilates this, and of course leaves the part behind [below] contracted. Thus, in this respect at least, the condition of the gullet is precisely similar to what it is in the act of swallowing.⁵¹ But there being no traction, the whole length remains equal in such cases.

And for this reason it is easier to swallow than to vomit, for deglutition results from both coats of the stomach being brought into action, the inner one exerting a pull and the outer one helping by peristalsis and propulsion, whereas emesis occurs from the outer coat alone functioning, without there being any kind of pull towards the mouth. For, although the swallowing of food is ordinarily preceded by a feeling of desire on the part of the stomach, there is in the case of vomiting no corresponding desire from the mouth-parts for the experience; the two are opposite dispositions of the stomach itself; it yearns after and tends towards what is advantageous and proper to it, it loathes and rids itself of what is foreign. Thus the actual process of swallowing occurs very quickly in those who have a good appetite for such foods as are proper to the stomach; this organ obviously draws them in and down before they are masticated; whereas in the case of those who are forced to take a medicinal draught or who take food as medicine, the swallowing of these articles is accomplished with distress and difficulty.

From what has been said, then, it is clear that the inner coat of the stomach (that containing longitudinal fibres) exists for the purpose of exerting a pull the from to stomach, and that it is only in deglutition that it is active, whereas the external coat, which contains transverse fibres, has been so constituted in order that it may contract upon its contents and propel them forward; this coat furthermore, functions in vomiting no less than in swallowing. The truth of my statement is also borne out by what happens in the channae and synodonts⁵²; the stomachs of these animals are sometimes found in their mouths, as also Aristotle writes in his History of Animals; he also adds the cause of this: he says that it is owing to their voracity.

The facts are as follows. In all animals, when the appetite is very intense, the stomach rises up, so that some people who have a clear perception of this condition say that their stomach creeps out of them; in others, who are still masticating their food and have not yet worked it up properly in the mouth, the stomach obviously snatches away the food from them against their will. In those animals, therefore, which are naturally voracious, in whom the mouth cavity is of generous proportions, and the stomach situated close to it (as in the case of the synodont and channae), it is in no way surprising that, when they are sufficiently hungry and are pursuing one of the smaller animals, and are just on the point of catching it, the stomach should, under the impulse of desire, spring into the mouth. And this cannot possibly take place in any other way than by the stomach drawing the food to itself by means of the gullet, as though by a hand. In fact, just as we ourselves, in our eagerness to grasp more quickly something lying before us, sometimes stretch out our whole bodies along with our hands, so also the stomach stretches itself forward along with the gullet, which is, as it were, its hand. And thus, in these animals in whom those three factors co-exist — an excessive propensity for food, a small gullet, and ample mouth proportions — in these, any slight tendency to movement forwards brings the whole stomach into the mouth.

Now the constitution of the organs might itself suffice to give a naturalist an indication of their functions. For Nature would never have purposelessly constructed the oesophagus of two coats with contrary dispositions; they must also have each been meant to have a different action. The Erasistratean school, however, are capable of anything rather than of recognizing the effects of Nature. Come, therefore, let us demonstrate to them by animal dissection as well that each of the two coats does exercise the activity which I have stated. Take an animal, then; lay bare the structures surrounding the gullet, without severing any of the nerves,⁵³ arteries, or veins which are there situated; next divide with vertical incisions, from the lower jaw to the thorax, the outer coat of the oesophagus (that containing transverse fibres); then give the animal food and you will see that it still swallows although the peristaltic function has been abolished. If, again, in another animal, you cut through both coats⁵⁴ with transverse incisions, you will observe that this animal also swallows although the inner coat is no longer functioning. From this it is clear that the animal can also swallow by either of the two coats, although not so well as by both. For the following also, in addition to other points, may be distinctly observed in the dissection which I have described — that during deglutition the gullet becomes slightly filled with air which is swallowed along with the food, and that, when the outer coat is contracting, this air is easily forced with the food into the stomach, but that, when there only exists an inner coat, the air impedes the conveyance of food, by distending this coat and hindering its action.

But Erasistratus said nothing about this, nor did he point out that the oblique situation of the gullet clearly confutes the teaching of those who hold that it is simply by virtue of the impulse from above that food which is swallowed reaches the stomach. The only correct thing he said was that many of the longnecked animals bend down to swallow. Hence, clearly, the observed fact does not show how we swallow but how we do not swallow. For from this observation it is clear that swallowing is not due merely to the impulse from above; it is yet, however, not clear whether it results from the food being attracted by the stomach, or conducted by the gullet. For our part, however, having enumerated all the different considerations — those based on the constitution of the organs, as well as those based on the other symptoms which, as just mentioned, occur both before and after the gullet has been exposed — we have thus sufficiently proved that the inner coast exists for the purpose of attraction and the outer for the purpose of propulsion.

Now the original task we set before ourselves was to demonstrate that the retentive faculty exists in every one of the organs, just as in the previous book we proved the existence of the attractive, and, over and above this, the alterative faculty. Thus, in the natural course of our argument, we have demonstrated these four faculties existing in the stomach — the attractive faculty in connection with swallowing, the retentive with digestion, the expulsive with vomiting and with the descent of digested food into the small intestine — and digestion itself we have shown to be a process of alteration.

PART 9

Concerning the spleen, also, we shall therefore have no further doubts⁵⁵ as to whether it attracts what is proper to it, rejects what is foreign, and has a natural power of altering and retaining all that it attracts; nor shall we be in any doubt as to the liver, veins, arteries, heart, or any other organ. For these four faculties have been shown to be necessary for every part which is to be nourished; this is why we have called these faculties the handmaids of nutrition. For just as human faeces are most pleasing to dogs, so the residual matters from the liver are, some of them, proper to the spleen⁵⁶, others to the gall-bladder, and others to the kidneys.

PART 10

I should not have cared to say anything further as to the origin of these [surplus substances] after Hippocrates, Plato, Aristotle, Diocles, Praxagoras, and Philotimus, nor indeed should I even have said anything about the faculties, if any of our predecessors had worked out this subject thoroughly.

While, however, the statements which the Ancients made on these points were correct, they yet omitted to defend their arguments with logical proofs; of course they never suspected that there could be sophists so shameless as to try to contradict obvious facts. More recent physicians, again, have been partly conquered by the sophistries of these fellows and have given credence to them; whilst others who attempted to argue with them appear to me to lack to a great extent the power of the Ancients. For this reason I have attempted to put together my arguments in the way in which it seems to me the Ancients, had any of them been still alive, would have done, in opposition to those who would overturn the finest doctrines of our art.

I am not, however, unaware that I shall achieve either nothing at all or else very little. For I find that a great many things which have been conclusively demonstrated by the Ancients are unintelligible to the bulk of the Moderns owing to their ignorance — nay, that, by reason of their laziness, they will not even make an attempt to comprehend them; and even if any of them have understood them, they have not given them impartial examination.

The fact is that he whose purpose is to know anything better than the multitude do must far surpass all others both as regards his nature and his early training. And when he reaches early adolescence he must become possessed with an ardent love for truth, like one inspired; neither day nor night may he cease to urge and strain himself in order to learn thoroughly all that has been said by the most illustrious of the Ancients. And when he has learnt this, then for a prolonged period he must test and prove it, observing what part of it is in agreement, and what in disagreement with obvious fact; thus he will choose this and turn away from that. To such an one my hope has been that my treatise would prove of the very greatest assistance.... Still, such people may be expected to be quite few in number, while, as for the others, this book will be as superfluous to them as a tale told to an ass.

PART 11

For the sake, then, of those who are aiming at truth, we must complete this treatise by adding what is still wanting in it. Now, in people who are very hungry, the stomach obviously attracts or draws down the food before it has been thoroughly softened in the mouth, whilst in those who have no appetite or who are being forced to eat, the stomach is displeased and rejects the food.⁵⁷ And in a similar way of the other organs possesses both faculties — that of attracting what is proper to it, and that of rejecting what is foreign. Thus, even if there be any organ which consists of only one coat (such as the two bladders,⁵⁸ the uterus, and the veins), it yet possesses both kinds of fibres, the longitudinal and the transverse.

But further, there are fibres of a third kind — the oblique — which are much fewer in number than the two kinds already spoken of. In the organs consisting of two coats this kind of fibre is found in the one coat only, mixed with the longitudinal fibres; but in the organs composed of one coat it is found along with the other two kinds. Now, these are of the greatest help to the action of the faculty which we have named retentive. For during this period the part needs to be tightly contracted and stretched over its contents at every point — the stomach during the whole period of digestion,⁵⁹ and the uterus during that of gestation.

Thus too, the coat of a vein, being single, consists of various kinds of fibres; whilst the outer coat of an artery consists of circular fibres, and its inner coat mostly of longitudinal fibres, but with a few oblique ones also amongst them. Veins thus resemble the uterus or the bladder as regards the arrangement of their fibres, even though they are deficient in thickness; similarly arteries resemble the stomach. Alone of all organs the intestines consist of two coats of which both have their fibres transverse.⁶⁰ Now the proof that it was for the best that all the organs should be naturally such as they are (that, for instance, the intestines should be composed of two coats) belongs to the subject of the use of parts;⁶¹ thus we must not now desire to hear about matters of this kind nor why the anatomists are at variance regarding the number of coats in each organ. For these questions have been sufficiently discussed in the treatise On Disagreement in Anatomy. And the problem as to why each organ has such and such a character will be discussed in the treatise On the Use of Parts.

PART 12

It is not, however, our business to discuss either of these questions here, but to consider duly the natural faculties, which, to the number of four, exist in each organ. Returning then, to this point, let us recall what has already been said, and set a crown to the whole subject by adding what is still wanting. For when every part of the animal has been shewn to draw into itself the juice which is proper to it (this being practically the first of the natural faculties ), the next point to realise is that the part does not get rid either of this attracted nutriment as a whole, or even of any superfluous portion of it, until either the organ itself, or the major part of its contents also have their condition reversed. Thus, when the stomach is sufficiently filled with the food and has absorbed and stored away the most useful part of it in its own coats, it then rejects the rest like an alien burden. The same happens to the bladders, when the matter attracted into them begins to give trouble either because it distends them through its quantity or irritates them by its quality.

And this also happens in the case of the uterus; for it is either because it can no longer bear to be stretched that it strives to relieve itself of its annoyance, or else because it is irritated by the quality of the fluids poured out into it. Now both of these conditions sometimes occur with actual violence, and then miscarriage takes place. But for the most part they happen in a normal way, this being then called not miscarriage but delivery or parturition. Now abortifacient drugs or certain other conditions which destroy the embryo or rupture certain of its membranes are followed by abortion, and similarly also when the uterus is in pain from being in a bad state of tension; and, as has been well said by Hippocrates, excessive movement on the part of the embryo itself brings on labour. Now pain is common to all these conditions, and of this there are three possible causes — either excessive bulk, or weight, or irritation; bulk when the uterus can no longer support the stretching, weight when the contents surpass its strength, and irritation when the fluids which had previously been pent up in the membranes, flow out, on the rupture of these, into the uterus itself, or else when the whole foetus perishes, putrefies, and is resolved into pernicious ichors, and so irritates and bites the coat of the uterus.

In all organs, then, both their natural effects and their disorders and maladies plainly take place on analogous lines,⁶² some so clearly and manifestly as to need no demonstration, and others less plainly, although not entirely unrecognizable to those who are willing to pay attention.

Thus, to take the case of the stomach: the irritation is evident here because this organ possesses most sensibility, and among its other affections those producing nausea and the so-called heartburn clearly demonstrate the eliminative faculty which expels foreign matter. So also in the case of the uterus and the urinary bladder; this latter also may be plainly observed to receive and accumulate fluid until it is so stretched by the amount of this as to be incapable of enduring the pain; or it may be the quality of the urine which irritates it; for every superfluous substance which lingers in the body must obviously putrefy, some in a shorter, and some in a longer time, and thus it becomes pungent, acrid, and burdensome to the organ which contains it. This does not apply, however, in the case of the bladder alongside the liver, whence it is clear that it possesses fewer nerves than do the other organs. Here too, however, at least the physiologist⁶³ must discover an analogy. For since it was shown that the gall-bladder attracts its own special juice, so as to be often found full, and that it discharges it soon after, this desire to discharge must be either due to the fact that it is burdened by the quantity or that the bile has changed in quality to pungent and acrid. For while food does not change its original quality so fast that it is already ordure as soon as it falls into the small intestine, on the other hand the bile even more readily than the urine becomes altered in quality as soon as ever it leaves the veins, and rapidly undergoes change and putrefaction. Now, if there be clear evidence in relation to the uterus, stomach, and intestines, as well as to the urinary bladder, that there is either some distention, irritation, or burden inciting each of these organs to elimination, there is no difficulty in imagining this in the case of the gall-bladder also, as well as in the other organs, — to which obviously the arteries and veins also belong.

PART 13

Nor is there any further difficulty in ascertaining that it is through the same channel that both attraction and discharge take place at different times. For obviously the inlet to the stomach does not merely conduct food and drink into this organ, but in the condition of nausea it performs the neck of the bladder which is beside the liver, albeit single, both fills and empties the bladder. Similarly the canal of the uterus affords an entrance to the semen and an exit to the foetus.

But in this latter case, again, whilst the eliminative faculty is evident, the attractive faculty is not so obvious to most people. It is, however, the cervix which Hippocrates blames for inertia of the uterus when he says: — Its orifice has no power of attracting semen.⁶⁴

Erasistratus, however, and Asclepiades reached such heights of wisdom that they deprived not merely the stomach and the womb of this faculty but also the bladder by the liver, and the kidneys as well. I have, however, pointed out in the first book that it is impossible to assign any other cause for the secretion of urine or bile.⁶⁵

Now, when we find that the uterus, the stomach and the bladder by the liver carry out attraction and expulsion through one and the same duct, we need no longer feel surprised that Nature should also frequently discharge waste-substances into the stomach through the veins. Still less need we be astonished if a certain amount of the food should, during long fasts, be drawn back from the liver into the stomach through the same veins⁶⁶ by which it was yielded up to the liver during absorption of nutriment.⁶⁷ To disbelieve such things would of course be like refusing to believe that purgative drugs draw their appropriate humours from all over the body by the same stomata through which absorption previously takes place, and to look for separate stomata for absorption and purgation respectively. As a matter of fact one and the same stoma subserves two distinct faculties, and these exercise their pull at different times in opposite directions — first it subserves the pull of the liver and, during catharsis, that of the drug. What is there surprising, then, in the fact that the veins situated between the liver and the region of the stomach⁶⁸ fulfil a double service or purpose? Thus, when there is abundance of nutriment contained in the food-canal, it is carried up to the liver by the veins mentioned; and when the canal is empty and in need of nutriment, this is again attracted from the liver by the same veins.

For everything appears to attract from and to go shares with everything else, and, as the most divine Hippocrates has said, there would seem to be a consensus in the movements of fluids and vapours.⁶⁹ Thus the stronger draws and the weaker is evacuated.

Now, one part is weaker or stronger than another either absolutely, by nature, and in all cases, or else it becomes so in such and such a particular instance. Thus, by nature and in all men alike, the heart is stronger than the liver at attracting what is serviceable to it and rejecting what is not so; similarly the liver i s stronger than the intestines and stomach, and the arteries than the veins. In each of us personally, however, liver has stronger drawing power at one time, and the stomach at another. For when there is much nutriment contained in the alimentary canal and the appetite and craving of the liver is violent, then the viscus⁷⁰ exerts far the strongest traction. Again, when the liver is full and distended and the stomach empty and in need, then the force of the traction shifts to the latter. Suppose we had some food in our hands and were snatching it from one another; if we were equally in want, the stronger would be likely to prevail, but if he had satisfied his appetite, and was holding what was over carelessly, or was anxious to share it with somebody, and if the weaker was excessively desirous of it, there would be nothing to prevent the latter from getting it all. In a similar manner the stomach easily attracts nutriment from the liver when it [the stomach] has a sufficiently strong craving for it, and the appetite of the viscus is satisfied. And sometimes the surplusage of nutriment in the liver is a reason why the animal is not hungry; for when the stomach has better and more available food it requires nothing from extraneous sources, but if ever it is in need and is at a loss how to supply the need, it becomes filled with waste-matters; these are certain biliary, phlegmatic [mucous] and serous fluids, and are the only substances that the liver yields in response to the traction of the stomach, on the occasions when the latter too is in want of nutriment.

Now, just as the parts draw food from each other, so also they sometimes deposit their excess substances in each other, and just as the stronger prevailed when the two were exercising traction, so it is also when they are depositing; this is the cause of the so-called fluxions,⁷¹ for every part has a definite inborn tension, by virtue of which it expels its superfluities, and, therefore, when one of these parts, — owing, of course, to some special condition — becomes weaker, there will necessarily be a confluence into it of the superfluities from all the other parts. The strongest part deposits its surplus matter in all the parts near it; these again in other parts which are weaker; these next into yet others; and this goes on for a long time, until the superfluity, being driven from one part into another, comes to rest in one of the weakest of all; it cannot flow from this into another part, because none of the stronger ones will receive it, while the affected part is unable to drive it away.

When, however, we come to deal again with the origin and cure of disease, it will be possible to find there also abundant proofs of all that we have correctly indicated in this book. For the present, however, let us resume again the task that lay before us, i.e. to show that there is nothing surprising in nutriment coming from the liver to the intestines and stomach by way of the very veins through which it had previously been yielded up from these organs into the liver. And in many people who have suddenly and completely given up active exercise, or who have had a limb cut off, there occurs at certain periods an evacuation of blood by way of the intestines — as Hippocrates has also pointed out somewhere. This causes no further trouble but sharply purges the whole body and evacuates the plethoras; the passage of the superfluities is effected, of course, through the same veins by which absorption took place.

Frequently also in disease Nature purges the animal through these same veins — although in this case the discharge is not sanguineous, but corresponds to the humour which is at fault. Thus in cholera the entire body is evacuated by way of the veins leading to the intestines and stomach.

To imagine that matter of different kinds is carried in one direction only would characterise a man who was entirely ignorant of all the natural faculties, and particularly of the eliminative faculty, which is the opposite of the attractive. For opposite movements of matter, active and passive, must necessarily follow opposite faculties; that is to say, every part, after it has attracted its special nutrient juice and has retained and taken the benefit of it hastens to get rid of all the surplusage as quickly and effectively as possible, and this it does in accordance with the mechanical tendency of this surplus matter.⁷²

Hence the stomach clears away by vomiting those superfluities which come to the surface of its contents,⁷³ whilst the sediment it clears away by diarrhoea. And when the animal becomes sick, this means that the stomach is striving to be evacuated by vomiting. And the expulsive faculty has in it so violent and forcible an element that in cases of ileus [volvulus], when the lower exit is completely closed, vomiting of faeces occurs; yet such surplus matter could not be emitted from the mouth without having first traversed the whole of the small intestine, the jejunum, the pylorus, the stomach, and the oesophagus. What is there to wonder at, then, if something should also be transferred from the extreme skin-surface and so reach the intestines and stomach? This also was pointed out to us by Hippocrates, who maintained that not merely pneuma or excess-matter, but actual nutriment is brought down from the outer surface to the original place from which it was taken up. For the slightest mechanical movements⁷⁴ determine this expulsive faculty, which apparently acts through the transverse fibres, and which is very rapidly transmitted from the source of motion to the opposite extremities. It is, therefore, neither unlikely nor impossible that, when the part adjoining the skin becomes suddenly oppressed by an unwonted cold, it should at once be weakened and should find that the liquid previously deposited beside it without discomfort had now become more of a burden than a source of nutrition, and should therefore strive to put it away. Finally, seeing that the passage outwards was shut off by the condensation [of tissue], it would turn to the remaining exit and would thus forcibly expel all the waste-matter at once into the adjacent part; this would do the same to the part following it; and the process would not cease until the transference finally terminated at the inner of the veins.⁷⁵

Now, mov ements like these come to an end fairly soon, but those resulting from internal irritants ( e.g., in the administration of purgative drugs or in cholera) become much stronger and more lasting; they persist as long as the condition of things⁷⁶ about the mouths of the veins continues, that is, so long as these continue to attract what is adjacent. For this condition⁷⁷ causes evacuation of the contiguous part, and that again of the part next to it, and this never stops until the extreme surface is reached; thus, as each part keeps passing on matter to its neighbour, the original affection⁷⁸ very quickly arrives at the extreme termination. Now this is also the case in ileus; the inflamed intestine is unable to support either the weight or the acridity of the waste substances and so does its best to excrete them, in fact to drive them as far away as possible. And, being prevented from effecting an expulsion downwards when the severest part of the inflammation is there, it expels the matter into the adjoining part of the intestines situated above. Thus the tendency of the eliminative faculty is step by step upwards, until the superfluities reach the mouth.

Now this will be also spoken of at greater length in my treatise on disease. For the present, however, I think I have shown clearly that there is a universal conveyance or transference from one thing into another, and that, as Hippocrates used to say, there exists in everything a consensus in the movement of air and fluids. And I do not think that anyone, however slow his intellect, will now be at a loss to understand any of these points, — how, for instance, the stomach or intestines get nourished, or in what manner anything makes its way inwards from the outer surface of the body. Seeing that all parts have the faculty of attracting what is suitable or well-disposed and of eliminating what is troublesome or irritating, it is not surprising that opposite movements should occur in them consecutively — as may be clearly seen in the case of the heart, in the various arteries, in the thorax, and lungs. In all these⁷⁹ the active movements of the organs and therewith the passive movements of [their contained] matters may be seen taking place almost every second in opposite directions. Now, you are not astonished when the trachea-artery⁸⁰ alternately draws air into the lungs and gives it out, and when the nostrils and the whole mouth act similarly; nor do you think it strange or paradoxical that the air is dismissed through the very channel by which it was admitted just before. Do you, then, feel a difficulty in the case of the veins which pass down from the liver into the stomach and intestines, and do you think it strange that nutriment should at once be yielded up to the liver and drawn back from it into the stomach by the same veins? You must define what you mean by this expression at once. If you mean at the same time this is not what we ourselves say; for just as we take in a breath at one moment and give it out again at another, so at one time the liver draws nutriment from the stomach, and at another the stomach from the liver. But if your expression at once means that in one and the same animal a single organ subserves the transport of matter in opposite directions, and if it is this which disturbs you, consider inspiration and expiration. For of course these also take place through the same organs, albeit they differ in their manner of movement, and in the way in which the matter is conveyed through them.

Now the lungs, the thorax, the arteries rough and smooth, the heart, the mouth, and the nostrils reverse their movements at very short intervals and change the direction of the matters they contain. On the other hand, the veins which pass down the from the liver to the intestines and stomach reverse the direction not at such short intervals, but sometimes once in many days.

The whole matter, in fact, is as follows: — Each of the organs draws into itself the nutriment alongside it, and devours all the useful fluid in it, until it is thoroughly satisfied; this nutriment, as I have already shown, it stores up in itself, afterwards making it adhere and then assimilating it — that is, it becomes nourished by it. For it has been demonstrated with sufficient clearness already⁸¹ that there is something which necessarily precedes actual nutrition, namely adhesion, and that before this again comes presentation. Thus as in the case of the animals themselves the end of eating is that the stomach should be filled, similarly in the case of each of the parts, the end of presentation is the filling of this part with its appropriate liquid. Since, therefore, every part has, like the stomach, a craving⁸²to be nourished, it too envelops its nutriment and clasps it all round as the stomach does. And this [action of the stomach], as has been already said, is necessarily followed by the digestion of the food, although it is not to make it suitable for the other parts that the stomach contracts upon it; if it did so, it would no longer be a physiological organ,⁸³ but an animal possessing reason and intelligence, with the power of choosing the better [of two alternatives].

But while the stomach contracts for the reason that the whole body possesses a power of attracting and of utilising appropriate qualities, as has already been explained, it also happens that, in this process, the food undergoes alteration; further, when filled and saturated with the fluid pabulum from the food, it thereafter looks on the food as a burden; thus it at once gets of the excess — that is to say, drives it gets downwards — itself turning to another task, namely that of causing adhesion. And during this time, while the nutriment is passing along the whole length of the intestine, it is caught up by the vessels which pass into the intestine; as we shall shortly demonstrate⁸⁴, most of it is seized by the veins, but a little also by the arteries; at this stage also it becomes presented to the coats of the intestines.

Now imagine the whole economy of nutrition divided into three periods. Suppose that in the first period the nutriment remains in the stomach and is digested and presented to the stomach until satiety is reached, also that some of it is taken up from the stomach to the liver.⁸⁵

During the second period it passes along the intestines and becomes presented both to them and to the liver — again until the stage of satiety — while a small part of it is carried all over the body.⁸⁶ During this period, also imagine that what was presented to the stomach in the first period becomes now adherent to it.

During the third period the stomach has reached the stage of receiving nourishment; it now entirely assimilates everything that had become adherent to it: at the same time in the intestines and liver there takes place adhesion of what had been before presented, while dispersal [anadosis] is taking place to all parts of the body,⁸⁷ as also presentation. Now, if the animal takes food immediately after these [three stages] then, during the time that the stomach is again digesting and getting the benefit of this by presenting all the useful part of it to its own coats, the intestines will be engaged in final assimilation of the juices which have adhered to them, and so also will the liver: while in the various parts of the body there will be taking place adhesion of the portions of nutriment presented. And if the stomach is forced to remain without food during this time, it will draw its nutriment the from the veins in the mesentery and liver; for it will not do so from the actual body of the liver (by body of the liver I mean first and foremost its flesh proper, and after this all the vessels contained in it), for it is irrational to suppose that one part would draw away from another part the juice already contained in it, especially when adhesion and final assimilation of that juice were already taking place; the juice, however, that is in the cavity of the veins will be abstracted by the part which is stronger and more in need.

It is in this way, therefore, that the stomach, when it is in need of nourishment and the animal has nothing to eat, seizes it from the veins in the liver. Also in the case of the spleen we have shown in a former passage⁸⁸ how it draws all material from the liver that tends to be thick, and by working it up converts it into more useful matter. There is nothing surprising, therefore, if, in the present instance also, some of this should be drawn from the spleen into such organs as communicate with it by veins, e.g. the omentum, mesentery, small intestine, colon, and the stomach itself. Nor is it surprising that the spleen should disgorge its surplus matters into the stomach at one time, while at another time it should draw some of its appropriate nutriment from the stomach.

For, as has already been said, speaking generally, everything has the power at different times of attracting from and of adding to everything else. What happens is just as if you might imagine a number of animals helping themselves at will to a plentiful common stock of food; some will naturally be eating when others have stopped, some will be on the point of stopping when others are beginning, some eating together, and others in succession. Yes, by Zeus! and one will often be plundering another, if he be in need while the other has an abundant supply ready to hand. Thus it is in no way surprising that matter should make its way back from the outer surface of the body to the interior, or should be carried from the liver and spleen into the stomach by the same vessels by which it was carried in the reverse direction.

In the case of the arteries⁸⁹ this is clear enough, as also in the case of heart, thorax, and lungs; for, since all of these dilate and contract alternately, it must needs be that matter is subsequently discharged back into the parts from which it was previously drawn. Now Nature foresaw this necessity,⁹⁰ and provided the cardiac openings of the vessels with membranous attachments,⁹¹ to prevent their contents from being carried backwards. How and in what manner this takes place will be stated in my work On the Use of Parts, where among other things I show that it is impossible for the openings of the vessels to be closed so accurately that nothing at all can run back. Thus it is inevitable that the reflux into the venous artery⁹² (as will also be made clear in the work mentioned) should be much greater than through the other openings. But what it is important for our present purpose to recognise is that every thing possessing a large and appreciable cavity must, when it dilates, abstract matter from all its neighbours, and, when it contracts, must squeeze matter back into them. This should all be clear from what has already been said in this treatise and from what Erasistratus and I myself have demonstrated elsewhere respecting the tendency of a vacuum to become refilled.⁹³

PART 14

And further, it has been shown in other treatises that all the arteries possess a power which derives from the heart, and by virtue of which they dilate and contract.

Put together, therefore, the two facts — that the arteries have this motion, and that everything, when it dilates, draws neighbouring matter into itself — and you will find nothing strange in the fact that those arteries which reach the skin draw in the outer air when they dilate, while those which anastomose at any point with the veins attract the thinnest and most vaporous part of the blood which these contain, and as for those arteries which are near the heart, it is on the heart itself that they exert their traction. For, by virtue of the tendency by which a vacuum becomes refilled, the lightest and thinnest part obeys the tendency before that which is heavier and thicker. Now the lightest and thinnest of anything in the body is firstly pneuma, secondly vapour, and in the third place that part of the blood which has been accurately elaborated and refined.

These, then, are what the arteries draw into themselves on every side; those arteries which reach the skin draw in the outer air⁹⁴ (this being near them and one of the lightest of things); as to the other arteries, those which pass up from the heart into the neck, and that which lies along the spine, as also such arteries as are near these-draw mostly from the heart itself; and those which are farther from the heart and skin necessarily draw the lightest part of the blood out of the veins. So also the traction exercised by the diastole of the arteries which go to the stomach and intestines takes place at the expense of the heart itself and the numerous veins in its neighbourhood; for these arteries cannot get anything worth speaking of from the thick heavy nutriment contained in the intestines and stomach,⁹⁵ since they first become filled with lighter elements. For if you let down a tube into a vessel full of water and sand, and suck the air out of the tube with your mouth, the sand cannot come up to you before the water, for in accordance with the principle of the refilling of a vacuum the lighter matter is always the first to succeed to the evacuation.

PART 15

is not to be wondered at, therefore, that only a very little [nutrient matter] such, namely, as has been accurately elaborated — gets from the stomach into the arteries, since these first become filled with lighter matter. We must understand that there are two kinds of attraction, that by which a vacuum becomes refilled and that caused by appropriateness of quality;⁹⁶ air is drawn into bellows in one way, and iron by the lodestone in another. And we must also understand that the traction which results from evacuation acts primarily on what is light, whilst that from appropriateness of quality acts frequently, it may be, on what is heavier (if this should be naturally more nearly related⁹⁷). Therefore, in the case of the heart and the arteries, it is in so far as they are hollow organs, capable of diastole, that they always attract the lighter matter first, while, in so far as they require nourishment, it is actually into their coats (which are the real bodies of these organs) that the appropriate matter is drawn⁹⁸. Of the blood, then, which is taken into their cavities when they dilate, that part which is most proper to them and most able to afford nourishment is attracted by their actual coats.

Now, apart from what has been said⁹⁹, the following is sufficient proof that something is taken over from the veins into the arteries. If you will kill an animal by cutting through a number of its large arteries, you will find the veins becoming empty along with the arteries: now, this could never occur if there were not anastomoses between them. Similarly, also, in the heart itself, the thinnest portion of the blood is drawn from the right ventricle into the left, owing to there being perforations in the septum between them: these can be seen for a great part [of their length]; they are like a kind of fossae [pits] with wide mouths, and they get constantly narrower; it is not possible, however, actually to observe their extreme terminations, owing both to the smallness of these and to the fact that when the animal is dead all the parts are chilled and shrunken.¹⁰⁰ Here, too, however, our argument,¹⁰¹ starting from the principle that nothing is done by Nature in vain, discovers these anastomoses between the ventricles of the heart; for it could not be at random and by chance that there occurred fossae ending thus in narrow terminations.

And secondly [the presence of these anastomoses has been assumed] from the fact that, of the two orifices in the right ventricle, the one conducting blood in and the other out, the former¹⁰² is much the larger. For, the fact that the insertion of the vena cava into the heart¹⁰³ is larger than the vein which is inserted into the lungs¹⁰⁴ suggests that not all the blood which the vena cava gives to the heart is driven away again from the heart to the lungs. Nor can it be said that any of the blood is expended in the nourishment of the actual body of the heart, since there is another vein¹⁰⁵ which breaks up in it and which does not take its origin nor get its share of blood from the heart itself. And even if a certain amount is so expended, still the vein leading to the lungs is not to such a slight extent smaller than that inserted into the heart as to make it likely that the blood is used as nutriment for the heart: the disparity is much too great for such an explanation. It is, therefore, clear that something is, taken over into the left ventricle.¹⁰⁶

Moreover, of the two vessels connected with it, that which brings pneuma into it from the lungs¹⁰⁷ is much smaller than the great outgrowing artery¹⁰⁸ from which the arteries all over the body originate; this would suggest that it not merely gets pneuma from the lungs, but that it also gets blood from the right ventricle through the anastomoses mentioned.

Now it belongs to the treatise On the Use of Parts to show that it was best that some parts of the body should be nourished by pure, thin, and vaporous blood, and others by thick, turbid blood, and that in this matter also Nature has overlooked nothing. Thus it is not desirable that these matters should be further discussed. Having mentioned, however, that there are two kinds of attraction, certain bodies exerting attraction along wide channels during diastole (by virtue of the principle by which a vacuum becomes refilled) and others exerting it by virtue of their appropriateness of quality, we must next remark that the former bodies can attract even from a distance, while the latter can only do so from among things which are quite close to them; the very longest tube let down into water can easily draw up the liquid into the mouth, but if you withdraw iron to a distance from the lodestone or corn from the jar (an instance of this kind has in fact been already given¹⁰⁹) no further attraction can take place.

This you can observe most clearly in connection with garden conduits. For a certain amount of moisture is distributed from these into every part lying close at hand but it cannot reach those lying farther off: therefore one has to arrange the flow of water into all parts of the garden by cutting a number of small channels leading from the large one. The intervening spaces between these small channels are made of such a size as will, presumably, best allow them [the spaces] to satisfy their needs by drawing from the liquid which flows to them from every side. So also is it in the bodies of animals. Numerous conduits distributed through the various limbs bring them pure blood, much like the garden water-supply, and, further, the intervals between these conduits have been wonderfully arranged by Nature from the outset so that the intervening parts should be plentifully provided for when absorbing blood, and that they should never be deluged by a quantity of superfluous fluid running in at unsuitable times.

For the way in which they obtain nourishment is somewhat as follows. In the body¹¹⁰ which is continuous throughout, such as Erasistratus supposes his simple vessel to be, it is the superficial parts which are the first to make use of the nutriment with which they are brought into contact; then the parts coming next draw their share from these by virtue of their contiguity; and again others from these; and this does not stop until the quality of the nutrient substance has been distributed among all parts of the corpuscle in question. And for such parts as need the humour which is destined to nourish them to be altered still further, Nature has provided a kind of storehouse, either in the form of a central cavity or else as separate caverns,¹¹¹ or something analogous to caverns. Thus the flesh of the viscera and of the muscles is nourished from the blood directly, this having undergone merely a slight alteration; the bones, however, in order to be nourished, very great change, and what blood is to flesh marrow is to bone; in the case of the small bones, which do not possess central cavities, this marrow is distributed in their caverns, whereas in the larger bones which do contain central cavities the marrow is all concentrated in these.

For, as was pointed out in the first book,¹¹² things having a similar substance can easily change into one another, whereas it is impossible for those which are very different to be assimilated to one another without intermediate stages. Such a one in respect to cartilage is the myxoid substance which surrounds it, and in respect to ligaments, membranes, and nerves the viscous liquid dispersed inside them; for each of these consists of numerous fibres, which are homogeneous¹¹³ — in fact, actual sensible elements; and in the intervals between these fibres is dispersed the humour most suited for nutrition; this they drawn from the blood in the veins, choosing the most appropriate possible, and now they are assimilating it step by step and changing it into their own substance.

All these considerations, then, agree with one another, and bear sufficient witness to the truth of what has been already demonstrated; there is thus no need to prolong the discussion further. For, from what has been said, anyone can readily discover in what way all the particular [vital activities] come about. For instance, we could in this way ascertain why it is that in the case of many people who are partaking freely of wine, the fluid which they have drunk is rapidly absorbed¹¹⁴ through the body and almost the whole of it is passed by the kidneys within a very short time. For here, too, the rapidity with which the fluid is absorbed depends on appropriateness of quality, on the thinness of the fluid, on the width of the vessels and their mouths, and on the efficiency of the attractive faculty. The parts situated near the alimentary canal, by virtue of their appropriateness of quality, draw in the imbibed food for their own purposes, then the parts next to them in their turn snatch it away, then those next again take it from these, until it reaches the vena cava, whence finally the kidneys attract that part of it which is proper to them. Thus it is in no way surprising that wine is taken up more rapidly than water, owing to its appropriateness of quality, and, further, that the white clear kind of wine is absorbed more rapidly owing to its thinness, while black turbid wine is checked on the way and retarded because of its thickness.

These facts, also, will afford abundant proof of what has already been said about the arteries; everywhere, in fact, such blood as is both specifically appropriate and at the same time thin in consistency answers more readily to their traction than does blood which is not so; this is why the arteries which, in their diastole, absorb vapour, pneuma, and thin blood attract either none at all or very little of the juices contained in the stomach and intestines.

De naturalibus facultatibus. Galen. Arthur John Brock (Translator). London. 1916.

Funding provided by National Library of Medicine History of Medicine Division.

Current edition Perseus

On the Natural Faculties (English) (Galen. On the Natural Faculties. Brock, Arthur John, translator. London: William Heinemann Ltd.; Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press, 1916.)

Editions (2)

De naturalibus facultatibus First1KGreek (Galen. Claudii Galeni Opera Omnia, Volume 2. Kühn, Karl Gottlob, editor. Leipzig: Knobloch, 1821.) — 3 focus

ΓΑΛΗΝΟΥ ΠΕΡΙ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΩΝ ΦΥΣΙΚΩΝ
ΒΙΒΛΙΟΝ ΤΡΙΤΟΝ.

Ὅτι μὲν οὖν, ἡ θρέψις ἀλλοιουμένου τε
καὶ ὁμοιουμένου γίνεται τοῦ τρέφοντος τῷ τρεφομένῳ, καὶ
ὡς ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν τοῦ ζώου μορίων ἐστί τις δύναμις, ἣν
ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνεργείας ἀλλοιωτικὴν μὲν κατὰ γένος, ὁμοιωτικὴν
δὲ καὶ θρεπτικὴν κατ’ εἶδος ὀνομάζομεν, ἐν τῷ πρόσθεν
δεδήλωται λόγῳ. τὴν δ’ εὐπορίαν τῆς ὕλης, ἣν τροφὴν
ἑαυτῷ ποιεῖται τὸ τρεφόμενον, ἐξ ἑτέρας τινὸς ἔχειν
ἐδείκνυτο δυνάμεως ἐπισπᾶσθαι πεφυκυίας τὸν οἰκεῖον χυμόν.
εἶναι δ’ οἰκεῖον ἑκάστῳ τῶν μορίων χυμὸν, ὃς ἂν ἐπιτηδειότατος εἰς τὴν ἐξομοίωσιν ᾖ, καὶ τὴν ἕλκουσαν
αὐτὸν δύναμιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνεργείας ἑλκτικήν τέ τινα καὶ
ἐπισπαστικὴν ὀνομάζεσθαι. δέδεικται δὲ καὶ ὡς πρὸ μὲν
τῆς ὁμοιώσεως ἡ πρόσφυσίς ἐστιν, ἐκείνης δ’ ἔμπροσθεν
ἡ πρόσθεσις γίγνεται, τέλος, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, οὖσα τῆς
κατὰ τὴν ἐπισπαστικὴν δύναμιν ἐνεργείας. αὐτὸ μὲν γὰρ
τὸ παράγεσθαι τὴν τροφὴν ἐκ τῶν φλεβῶν εἰς ἕκαστον
τῶν μορίων τῆς ἑλκτικῆς ἐνεργούσης γίγνεται δυνάμεως·
τὸ δ’ ἤδη παρῆχθαί τε καὶ προστίθεσθαι τῷ μορίῳ τὸ
τέλος ἐστὶν αὐτὸ, δι’ ὃ καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης ἐνεργείας ἐδεήθημεν.
ἵνα γὰρ προστεθῇ, διὰ τοῦθ’ ἕλκεται. χρόνου
δ’ ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη πλείονος εἰς τὴν θρέψιν τοῦ ζώου δεῖ.
ἑλχθῆναι μὲν γὰρ καὶ διὰ ταχέων τι δύναται προσφυῆναι
δὲ καὶ ἀλλοιωθῆναι. καὶ τελέως ὁμοιωθῆναι τῷ τρεφομένῳ,
καὶ μέρος αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι, παραχρῆμα μὲν οὐχ
οἷόν τε, χρόνῳ δ’ ἂν πλείονι συμβαίνοι καλῶς. ἀλλ’ εἰ μὴ
μένει κατὰ τὸ μέρος ὁ προστεθεὶς. οὗτος χυμὸς, εἰς ἕτερον
δέ τι μεθίσταται, καὶ παραῤῥεῖ διὰ 55 παντὸς, ἀμείβων
τε καὶ ὑπαλλάττων τὰ χωρία, κατ’ οὐδὲν αὐτῶν οὔτε πρόσφυσις, οὔτ’ ἐξομοίωσις ἔσται. δεῖ δὲ κᾀνταῦθά
τινος τῇ φύσει δυνάμεως ἑτέρας εἰς πολυχρόνιον μονὴν τοῦ
προστεθέντος τῷ μορίῳ χυμοῦ, καὶ ταύτης οὐκ ἔξωθέν ποθεν
ἐπιῤῥεούσης, ἀλλ’ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ θρεψομένῳ κατῳκισμένης,
ἣν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνεργείας πάλιν οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν ἠναγκάσθησαν
ὀνομάσαι καθεκτικήν. ὁ μὲν δὴ λόγος ἤδη σαφῶς
ἐνεδείξατο τὴν ἀνάγκην τῆς γενέσεως τῆς τοιαύτης δυνάμεως.
καὶ ὅστις ἀκολουθοῦσαν σύνεσιν ἔχει, πέπεισται
βιαίως ἐξ ὧν εἴπομεν, ὡς, ὑποκειμένου τε καὶ ἀποδεδειγμένου
τοῦ τεχνικὴν εἶναι τὴν φύσιν καὶ τοῦ ζώου κηδεμονικὴν,
ἀναγκαῖον ὑπάρχειν αὐτῇ καὶ τὴν τοιαύτην
δύναμιν·

Ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς οὐ τούτῳ μόνῳ τῷ γένει τῆς
ἀποδείξεως εἰθισμένοι χρῆσθαι, προστιθέντες δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ
τὰς ἐκ τῶν ἐναργῶς φαινομένων ἀναγκαζούσας τε καὶ βιαζομένας
πίστεις, ἐπὶ τὰς τοιαύτας καὶ νῦν ἀφιξόμεθα,
καὶ δείξομεν ἐπὶ μέν τινων μορίων τοῦ σώματος οὕτως
ἐναργῆ τὴν καθεκτικὴν δύναμιν, ὡς αὐταῖς ταῖς αἰσθήσεσι διαγιγνώσκεσθαι τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτῆς, ἐπὶ δέ τινων ἧττον
μὲν ἐναργῶς ταῖς αἰσθήσεσι, λόγῳ δὲ κᾀνταῦθα φωραθῆναι
δυναμένην. ἀρξώμεθα οὖν τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ
τοῦ πρώτου, μεθόδῳ τινὶ προχειρίσασθαι μόρι’ ἄττα τοῦ
σώματος, ἐφ’ ὧν ἀκριβῶς ἐστι βασανίσαι τε καὶ ζητῆσαι
τὴν καθεκτικὴν δύναμιν, ὁποία ποτ’ ἐστίν. ἆρ’ οὖν ἄν τις
ἄμεινον ἑτέρωθεν ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν μεγίστων τε καὶ κοιλοτάτων
ὀργάνων ὑπάρξαιτο τῆς ζητήσεως; ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἂν δοκεῖ
βέλτιον. ἐναργεῖς γοῦν εἰκὸς ἐπὶ τούτων φανῆναι τὰς
ἐνεργείας διὰ τὸ μέγεθος· ὡς τά γε σμικρὰ τάχ’ ἂν, εἰ
καὶ σφοδρὰν ἔχει τὴν τοιαύτην δύναμιν, ἀλλ’ οὐκ αἰσθήσει
γ’ ἑτοίμην διαγιγνώσκεσθαι τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτῆς. ἀλλ’
ἔστιν ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα κοιλότατα καὶ μέγιστα τῶν τοῦ ζώου
μορίων ἥ τε γαστὴρ, αἱ μῆτραί τε, αἱ καὶ ὑστέραι καλούμεναι.
τί οὖν κωλύει ταῦτα προχειρισαμένους ἐπισκέψασθαι.
τὰς ἐνεργείας αὐτῶν, ὅσαι μὲν καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀνατομῆς
δῆλαι, τὴν ἐξέτασιν ἐφ’ ἐμῶν αὐτῶν ποιουμένους, ὅσαι
δ’ ἀμυδρότεραι, τὰ παραπλήσια διαιροῦντας ἀνθρώπῳ ζῶα; οὐχ ὡς οὐκ ἂν ἱκανῶς τό γε καθόλου περὶ τῆς ζητουμένης
δυνάμεως καὶ τῶν ἀνομοίων ἐνδειξαμένων, ἀλλ’ ὅσην ἅμα
τῷ κοινῷ καὶ τὸ ἴδιον ἐφ’ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐγνωκότες, εἴς τε
τὰς διαγνώσεις τῶν νοσημάτων αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς ἰάσεις εὐπορώτεροι
γιγνώμεθα. περὶ μὲν οὖν ἀμφοτέρων τῶν ὀργάνων
ἅμα λέγειν ἀδύνατον· ἐν μέρει δ’ ὑπὲρ ἑκατέρου ποιησόμεθα
τὸν λόγον, ἀπὸ τοῦ σαφέστερον ἐνδείξασθαι δυναμένου
τὴν καθεκτικὴν δύναμιν ἀρξάμενοι. κατέχει μὲν γὰρ
καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ τὰ σιτία, μέχρι περ ἂν ἐκπέψῃ· κατέχουσι
δὲ καὶ αἱ μῆτραι τὸ ἔμβρυον, ἔστ’ ἂν τελειώσωσιν. ἀλλὰ
πολλαπλάσιός ἐστιν ὁ τῆς τῶν ἐμβρύων τελειώσεως χρόνος
τῆς τῶν σιτίων πέψεως.

56 Εἰκὸς οὖν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν ἐναργέστερον
ἐν ταῖς μήτραις φωράσειν ἡμᾶς τὴν καθεκτικὴν, ὅσῳ
καὶ πολυχρονιωτέραν τῆς γαστρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν κέκτηται.
μησὶ γὰρ ἐννέα που ταῖς πλείσταις τῶν γυναικῶν ἐν αὐταῖς
τελειοῦται τὰ κυήματα, μεμυκυίαις μὲν ἅπαντι τῷ
αὐχένι, περιεχούσαις δὲ πανταχόθεν αὐτὰ σὺν τῷ χορίῳ. καὶ πέρας γε τῆς τοῦ στόματος μύσεως καὶ τῆς τοῦ κυουμένου
κατὰ τὰς μήτρας μονῆς ἡ χρεία τῆς ἐνεργείας ἐστίν.
οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἔτυχεν, οὐδ’ ἀλόγως ἱκανὰς περιστέλλεσθαι
καὶ κατέχειν τὸ ἔμβρυον ἡ φύσις ἀπειργάσατο τὰς ὑστέρας,
ἀλλ’ ἵν’ εἰς τὸ πρέπον ἀφίκηται μέγεθος τὸ κυούμενον.
ὅταν οὖν, οὗ χάριν ἐνήργουν τῇ καθεκτικῇ δυνάμει, συμπεπληρωμένον
ᾖ, ταύτην μὲν ἀνέπαυσάν τε καὶ εἰς ἠρεμίαν
ἀνήγαγον· ἀντ’ αὐτῆς δ’ ἑτέρᾳ χρῶνται τῇ τέως ἡσυχαζούσῃ,
τῇ προωστικῇ. ἦν δ’ ἄρα καὶ τῆς ἐκείνης ἡσυχίας
ὅρος ἡ χρεία, καὶ τῆς γ’ ἐνεργείας ὡσαύτως ἡ χρεία.
καλούσης μὲν γὰρ αὐτῆς, ἐνεργεῖ, μὴ καλούσης δὲ, ἡσυχάζει.
καὶ χρὴ πάλιν. κᾀνταῦθα καταμαθεῖν τῆς φύσεως τὴν
τέχνην, ὡς οὐ μόνον ἐνεργειῶν χρησίμων δυνάμεις ἐνέθηκεν
ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὀργάνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ τῶν ἡσυχιῶν τε καὶ
κινήσεων καιροῦ προὐνοήσατο. καλῶς μὲν γὰρ ἁπάντων
γιγνομένων τῶν κατὰ τὴν ὑστέραν, ἡ ἀποκριτικὴ δύναμις
ἡσυχάζει τελέως, ὥσπερ οὐκ οὖσα· κακοπραγίας δέ τινος
γε 109 νομένης, ἢ περὶ τὸ χορίον, ἢ περί τινα τῶν ἄλλων ὑμένων, ἢ περὶ τὸ κυούμενον αὐτὸ, καὶ τῆς τελειώσεως
αὐτοῦ παντάπασιν ἀπογνωσθείσης, οὐκέτ’ ἀναμένουσι τὸν
ἐννεάμηνον αἱ μῆτραι χρόνον, ἀλλ’ ἡ μὲν καθεκτικὴ δύναμις
αὐτίκα δὴ πέπαυται, καὶ παραχωρεῖ κινεῖσθαι τῇ πρότερον
ἀργούσῃ, πράττει δ’ ἤδη τι καὶ πραγματεύεται χρηστὸν
ἡ ἀποκριτική τε καὶ προωστική· καὶ γὰρ οὖν καὶ
ταύτην οὕτως ἐκάλεσαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῇ τὰ ὀνόματα
θέμενοι, καθάπερ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις. καί πως ὁ λόγος ἔοικεν
ὑπὲρ ἀμφοτέρων ἀποδείξειν ἅμα· καὶ γάρ τοι καὶ διαδεχομένας
αὐτὰς ἀλλήλας, καὶ παραχωροῦσαν ἀεὶ τὴν ἑτέραν
τῇ λοιπῇ, καθότι ἂν ἡ χρεία κελεύῃ, καὶ τὴν διδασκαλίαν
κοινὴν οὐκ ἀπεικός ἐστι δέχεσθαι. τῆς μὲν οὖν καθεκτικῆς
δυνάμεως ἔργον περιστεῖλαι τὰς μήτρας τῶν κυουμένων
πανταχόθεν, ὥστ’ εὐλόγως ἁπτομέναις μὲν ταῖς μαιευτρίαις
τὸ στόμα μεμυκὸς αὐτῶν φαίνεται, καὶ ταῖς κυούσαις δ’
αὐταῖς κατὰ τὰς πρώτας ἡμέρας, καὶ μάλιστα κατ’ αὐτὴν
ἐκείνην, ἐν ᾗπερ ἄν ἡ τῆς γονῆς σύλληψις γίνηται, κινουμένων
τε καὶ συντρεχουσῶν εἰς ἑαυτὰς τῶν ὑστερῶν αἴσθησις γίνεται. καὶ ἢν ἄμφω ταῦτα συμβαίη, μῦσαι μὲν τὸ
στόμα χωρὶς φλεγμονῆς ἤ τινος ἄλλου παθήματος, αἴσθησιν
δὲ τῆς κατὰ τὴν μήτραν κινήσεως ἀκολουθῆσαι, πρὸς
αὑτὰς ἤδη τὸ σπέρμα τὸ παρὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς εἰληφέναι τε
καὶ κατέχειν αἱ γυναῖκες νομίζουσι. ταῦτα δ’ οὐχ ἡμεῖς
νῦν ἀναπλάττομεν αὐταῖς, ἀλλ’ ἐκ μακρᾶς πείρας δοκιμασθέντα
πᾶσι γέγραπται σχεδόν τι τοῖς περὶ τούτων πραγματευσαμένοις.
Ἡρόφιλός γε μὴν, ὡς οὐδὲ πυρῆνα μήλης
οὐκ ἂν δέχοιτο τῶν μητρῶν τὸ στόμα, πρὶν ἀποκύειν τὴν
γυναῖκα, καὶ ὡς οὐδὲ τοὐλάχιστον ἔτι διέστηκε, πρὶν ὑπάρξηται
κύειν, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ πλέον ἀναστομοῦνται κατὰ τὰς τῶν
ἐπιμηνίων φορὰς, οὐκ ὤκνησε γράφειν. συνομολογοῦσι δ’
αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες οἱ περὶ τούτων πραγματευσάμενοι,
καὶ πρῶτός γε πάντων ἰατρῶν τε 57 καὶ φιλοσόφων
Ἱπποκράτης ἀπεφῄνατο μύειν τὸ στόμα τῶν ὑστερῶν ἔν τε
ταῖς κυήσεσι καὶ ταῖς φλεγμοναῖς, ἀλλ’ ἐν μὲν ταῖς κυήσεσιν
οὐκ ἐξιστάμενον τῆς φύσεως, ἐν δὲ ταῖς φλεγμοναῖς
σκληρὸν γιγνόμενον. ἐπὶ δέ γε τῆς ἐναντίας, τῆς ἐκκριτικῆς,
ἀνοίγνυται μὲν τὸ στόμα, προέρχεται δ’ ὁ πυθμὴν ἅπας ὅσον οἶόν τ’ ἐγγυτάτω τοῦ στόματος, ἀπωθούμενος
ἔξω τὸ ἔμβρυον· ἅμα δ’ αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ συνεχῆ μέρη, τὰ
οἷον πλευρὰ τοῦ παντὸς ὀργάνου, συνεπιλαμβανόμενα παντὸς
τοῦ ἔργου, θλίβει τε καὶ προωθεῖ πᾶν ἔξω τὸ ἔμβρυον.
καὶ πολλαῖς τῶν γυναικῶν ὠδῖνες βίαιοι τὰς μήτρας ὅλας
ἐκπεσεῖν ἠνάγκασαν, ἀμέτρως χρησαμέναις τῇ τοιαύτη δυνάμει,
παραπλησίου τινὸς γιγνομένου τῷ πολλάκις ἐν πάλαις
τισὶ καὶ φιλονεικίαις συμβαίνοντι, ὅταν ἀνατρέψαι τε
καὶ καταβαλεῖν ἑτέρους σπεύδοντες αὐτοῖς συγκαταπέσωμεν.
οὕτω γὰρ καὶ αἱ μῆτραι τὸ ἔμβρυον ὠθοῦσαι συνεξέπεσον
ἐνίοτε, καὶ μάλισθ’ ὅταν οἱ πρὸς τὴν ῥάχιν αὐτῶν σύνδεσμοι
χαλαροὶ φύσει τυγχάνωσιν ὄντες. ἔστι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο θαυμαστόν
τι τῆς φύσεως σόφισμα, τὸ, ζῶντος τοῦ κυήματος,
ἀκριβῶς πάνυ τὸ στόμα μεμυκέναι τῶν μητρῶν, ἀποθανόντος
δὲ, παραχρῆμα διανοίγεσθαι τοσοῦτον, ὅσον εἰς τὴν
ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ διαφέρει. καὶ μέντοι καὶ αἱ μαῖαι τὰς τικτούσας
οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀνιστῶσιν, οὐδ’ ἐπὶ τῶν δίφρων καθίζουσιν,
ἀλλ’ ἅπτονται πρότερον ἀνοιγομένου τοῦ στόματος κατὰ βραχὺ, καὶ πρῶτον μὲν, ὥστε τὸν μικρὸν δάκτυλον
καθιέναι, διεστηκέναι φασὶν, ἔπειτα ἤδη καὶ μεῖζον, καὶ κατὰ
βραχὺ δὴ πυνθανομένοις ἡμῖν ἀποκρίνονται τὸ μέγεθος τῆς
διαστάσεως ἐπαυξανόμενον. ὅταν δ’ ἱκανὸν ᾖ πρὸς τὴν
τοῦ κυουμένου δίοδον, ἀνιστῶσιν αὐτὰς καὶ καθίζουσι, καὶ
προθυμεῖσθαι κελεύουσιν ἀπώσασθαι τὸ παιδίον. ἔστι δὲ
τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον, ὃ παρ’ ἑαυτῶν αἱ κύουσαι προστιθέασιν,
οὐκέτι τῶν ὑστερῶν, ἀλλὰ τῶν κατ’ ἐπιγάστριον μυῶν,
οἳ πρὸς τὴν ἀποπάτησίν τε καὶ τὴν οὔρησιν ἡμῖν συντελοῦσιν.
οὕτω μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν μητρῶν ἐναργῶς αἱ δύο φαίνονται
δυνάμεις.

Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς γαστρὸς ᾧδε. πρῶτον μὲν τοῖς
κλύδωσιν, οἳ δὴ καὶ πεπίστευνται τοῖς ἰατροῖς ἀῤῥώστου
κοιλίας εἶναι συμπτώματα, καὶ κατὰ λόγον πεπίστευνται.
ἐνίοτε μὲν γὰρ, ἐλάχιστα προσενηνεγμένων, οὐ γίνονται, περιστελλομένης
αὐτοῖς ἀκριβῶς τῆς γαστρὸς καὶ σφιγγούσης
πανταχόθεν. ἐνίοτε δὲ μεστὴ μὲν ἡ γαστήρ ἐστιν, οἱ κλύδωνες δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ κενῆς ἐξακούονται. κατὰ φύσιν μὲν γὰρ
ἔχουσα, καὶ χρωμένη καλῶς τῇ περισταλτικῇ δυνάμει, κᾂν
ὀλίγον ᾖ τὸ περιεχόμενον, ἅπαν αὐτὸ περιλαμβάνουσα, χώραν
οὐδεμίαν ἀπολείπει κενήν· ἀῤῥωστοῦσα δὲ, καθότι ἂν ἀδυνατήσῃ
περιλαβεῖν ἀκριβῶς, ἐνταῦθα εὐρυχωρίαν ἐργαζομένη
τινα, συγχωρεῖ τοῖς περιεχομένοις ὑγροῖς κατὰ τὰς
τῶν σχημάτων μεταλλαγὰς ἄλλοτε ἀλλαχόσε μεταῤῥεῖν καὶ
κλύδωνας ἀποτελεῖν. εὐλόγως οὖν, ὅτι μηδὲ πέψουσιν ἱκανῶς,
οἱ ἐν τῷδε τῷ συμπτώματι γενόμενοι προσδοκῶσιν·
οὐ γὰρ ἐνδέχεται πέψαι καλῶς ἄῤῥωστον γαστέρα. τοῖς
τοιούτοις δὲ καὶ μέχρι πλείονος ἐν αὐτῇ φαίνεται παραμένον
τὸ βάρος, ὡς ἂν καὶ βραδύτερον πέττουσι. καὶ μὴν θαυμάσειεν
ἄν τις ἐπ’ αὐτῶν τούτων μάλιστα τὸ πολυχρόνιον
τῆς ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ διατριβῆς, οὐ τῶν σιτίων μόνον, ἀλλὰ
καὶ τοῦ πόματος. 58 οὐ γὰρ, ὅπερ ἂν ᾠήθη τις, ὡς τὸ
τῆς γαστρὸς στόμα τὸ κάτω, στενὸν ὑπάρχον ἀκριβῶς, οὐδὲν
παρίησι, πρὶν ἀκριβῶς λειωθῆναι, τοῦτ’ αἴτιον ὄντως ἐστί.
πολλοὶ γοῦν πολλάκις ὀπωρῶν ὀστᾶ μέγιστα καταπίνουσι πάμπολλα, καί τις δακτύλιον χρυσοῦν ἐν τῷ στόματι φυλάττων
ἄκων κατέπιε, καὶ ἄλλος τις νόμισμα, καὶ ἄλλος
ἄλλο τι σκληρὸν καὶ δυσκατέργαστον· ἀλλ’ ὅμως ἅπαντες
οὗτοι ῥᾳδίως ἀπεπάτησαν, ἃ κατέπιον, οὐδενὸς αὐτοῖς ἀποκολουθήσαντος
συμπτώματος. εἰ δέ γ’ ἡ στενότης τοῦ πόρου
τῆς γαστρὸς αἰτία τοῦ μένειν ἐπιπλέον ἦν τοῖς ἀτρίπτοις
σιτίοις, οὐδὲν ἂν τούτων ποτὲ διεχώρησεν. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τὰ
πόματ’ αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ παραμένειν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον, ἱκανὸν
ὑπάγειν τὴν ὑπόνοιαν τοῦ πόρου τῆς στενότητος. ὅλως
γὰρ, εἴπερ ἦν ἐν τῷ κεχυλῶσθαι τὸ θᾶττον ὑπιέναι, τά τε
ῥοφήματα ἂν οὕτω καὶ τὸ γάλα καὶ ὁ τῆς πτισάνης χυλὸς
αὐτίκα διεξῄει πᾶσιν. ἀλλ’ οὐχ ᾧδ’ ἔχει. τοῖς μὲν γὰρ
ἀσθενέσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐμπλεῖ ταῦτα, καὶ κλύδωνας ἐργάζεται
παραμένοντα, καὶ θλίβει, καὶ βαρύνει τὴν γαστέρα·
τοῖς δ’ ἰσχυροῖς οὐ μόνον τούτων οὐδὲν συμβαίνει, ἀλλὰ
καὶ πολὺ πλῆθος ἄρτων καὶ κρεῶν ὑποχωρεῖ ταχέως. οὐ
μόνον δ’ ἐκ τοῦ περιτετάσθαι καὶ βαρύνεσθαι τὴν γαστέρα, καὶ μεταῤῥεῖν ἄλλοτ’ εἰς ἄλλα μέρη μετὰ κλύδωνος, τὸ παραμένειν
ἐπὶ πλέον ἐν αὐτῇ πάντως τοῖς οὕτως ἔχουσι τεκμήραιτ’
ἄν τις, ἀλλὰ κᾀκ τῶν ἐμέτων. ἔνιοι γὰρ οὐ μετὰ
τρεῖς ὥρας ἢ τέτταρας, ἀλλὰ νυκτῶν ἤδη μέσων, παμπόλλου
μεταξὺ χρόνου διελθόντος ἐπὶ ταῖς προσφοραῖς, ἀνήμεσαν
ἀκριβῶς πάντα τὰ ἐδηδεσμένα. καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ ζώων
ὁτιοῦν ἐμπλήσας ὑγρᾶς τροφῆς, ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς πολλάκις ἐπὶ
συῶν ἐπειράθημεν, ἐξ ἀλεύρων μεθ’ ὕδατος οἷον κυκεῶνά
τινα δόντες αὐτοῖς, ἔπειτα μετὰ τρεῖς που καὶ τέτταρας
ὥρας 110 ἀνατεμόντες, εἰ οὕτω καὶ σὺ πράξειας, εὑρήσεις
ἔτι κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα τὰ ἐδηδεσμένα. πέρας γὰρ αὐτοῖς
ἐστι τῆς ἐνταῦθα μονῆς, οὐχ ἡ χύλωσις, ἥν καὶ ἐκτὸς
ἔτι ὄντων μηχανήσασθαι δυνατόν ἐστιν, ἀλλ’ ἡ πέψις, ἕτερόν
τι τῆς χυλώσεως οὖσα, καθάπερ αἱμάτωσίς τε καὶ
θρέψις. ὡς γὰρ κᾀκεῖνα δέδεικται ποιοτήτων μεταβολῇ γιγνόμενα,
κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ἡ ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ πέψις
τῶν σιτίων εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐστὶ τῷ τρεφομένῳ ποιότητα μεταβολή. καὶ ὅταν γε πεφθῇ τελέως, ἀνοίγνυται μὲν τηνικαῦτα
τὸ κάτω στόμα, καὶ διεκπίπτει δι’ αὐτοῦ τὰ σιτία
ῥᾳδίως, εἰ καὶ πλῆθός τι μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔχοντα τύχοι λίθων,
ἢ ὀστῶν, ἢ γιγάρτων, ἤ τινος ἄλλου χυλωθῆναι μὴ δυναμένου.
καί σοι τοῦτ’ ἔνεστιν ἐπὶ ζώου θεάσασθαι, στοχασαμένῳ
τὸν καιρὸν τῆς κάτω διεξόδου. καὶ μέν γε καὶ εἰ
σφαλείης ποτὲ τοῦ καιροῦ, καὶ μηδὲν μήπω κάτω παρέρχοιτο,
πεπτομένων ἔτι κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα τῶν σιτίων, οὐδ’
οὕτως ἄκαρπος ἡ ἀνατομή σοι γενήσεται. θεάσῃ γὰρ ἐπ’
αὐτῶν, ὅπερ ὀλίγῳ πρόσθεν ἐλέγομεν, ἀκριβῶς μὲν μεμυκότα
τὸν πυλωρὸν, ἅπασαν δὲ τὴν γαστέρα περιστελλομένην
τοῖς σιτίοις τρόπον ὁμοιότατον, ὅνπερ καὶ αἱ μῆτραι
τοῖς κυουμένοις. οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οὐδέπω κενὴν εὑρεῖν χώραν,
οὔτε κατὰ τὰς ὑστέρας, οὔτε κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν, οὔτε κατὰ
τὰς κύστεις ἀμφοτέρας, οὔτε κατὰ τὴν χοληδόχον ὀνομαζομένην,
οὔτε τὴν ἑτέραν· ἀλλ’ εἴτε ὀλίγον εἴη τὸ περιεχόμενον
ἐν αὐταῖς, εἴτε πολὺ, μεσταὶ καὶ πλήρεις αὐτῶν
αἱ κοιλίαι φαίνονται, περιστελλομένων ἀεὶ τῶν χιτώνων
τοῖς περιεχομένοις, ὅταν γε κατὰ φύσιν ἔχῃ τὸ ζῶον. Ἐρασίστρατος δὲ οὐκ οἶδ’ ὅπως τὴν περιστολὴν τῆς γαστρὸς
ἁπάντων αἰτίαν ἀποφαίνει, 59 καὶ τῆς λειώσεως τῶν σιτίων,
καὶ τῆς τῶν περιττωμάτων ὑποχωρήσεως, καὶ τῆς
τῶν κεχυλωμένων ἀναδόσεως. ἐγὼ μέντοι μυριάκις ἐπὶ
ζῶντος ἔτι τοῦ ζώου διελὼν τὸ περιτόναιον εὗρον ἀεὶ τὰ
μὲν ἔντερα πάντα περιστελλόμενα τοῖς ἐνυπάρχουσι, τὴν
κοιλίαν δ’ οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ μὲν ταῖς ἐδωδαῖς ἄνωθέν
τε καὶ κάτωθεν αὐτὰ καὶ πανταχόθεν ἀκριβῶς περιειληφυῖαν
ἀκίνητον, ὡς δοκεῖν ἡνῶσθαι, καὶ περιπεφυκέναι τοῖς
σιτίοις· ἐν δὲ τούτῳ καὶ τὸν πυλωρὸν εὕρισκον ἀεὶ μεμυκότα
καὶ κεκλεισμένον ἀκριβῶς, ὥσπερ τὸ τῶν ὑστερῶν
στόμα ταῖς ἐγκύμοσιν· ἐπὶ μέντοι ταῖς πέψεσι συμπεπληρωμέναις
ἀνέῳκτο μὲν ὁ πυλωρὸς, ἡ γαστὴρ δὲ περισταλτικῶς
ἐκινεῖτο παραπλησίως τοῖς ἐντέροις.

Ἅπαντα οὖν ἀλλήλοις ὁμολογεῖ ταῦτα, ἐν τῇ
γαστρὶ καὶ ταῖς ὑστέραις καὶ ταῖς κύστεσιν εἶναί τινας
ἐμφύτους δυνάμεις, καθεκτικὰς μὲν τῶν οἰκείων ποιοτήτων, ἀποκριτικὰς δὲ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων. ὅτι μέν γὰρ ἕλκει τὴν χολὴν
εἰς ἑαυτὴν ἡ ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι κύστις, ἔμπροσθεν δέδεικται.
ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἀποκρίνει καθ’ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν εἰς τὴν γαστέρα,
καὶ τοῦτ’ ἐναργῶς φαίνεται. καὶ μὴν εἰ διεδέχετο τὴν
ἑλκτικὴν δύναμιν ἡ ἐκκριτικὴ, καὶ οὐ μέση τις ἦν ἀμφοῖν ἡ
καθεκτικὴ, διὰ παντὸς ἐχρῆν, ἀνατεμνομένων τῶν ζώων, ἴσον
πλῆθος χολῆς εὑρίσκεσθαι κατὰ τὴν κύστιν. οὐ μὴν εὑρίσκεταί
γε. ποτὲ μὲν γὰρ πληρεστάτη, ποτὲ δὲ κενωτάτη,
ποτὲ δὲ τὰς ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ διαφορὰς ἔχουσα θεωρεῖται, καθάπερ
καὶ ἡ ἑτέρα κύστις ἡ τὸ οὖρον ὑποδεχομένη. ταύτης
μέν γε καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀνατομῆς αἰσθανόμεθα, πρὶν ἀνιαθῆναι,
τῷ πλήθει βαρυνθείσης, ἢ τῇ δριμύτητι δηχθείσης, ἀθροιζούσης
ἔτι τὸ οὖρον, ὡς οὔσης κᾀνταῦθά τινος δυνάμεως
καθεκτικῆς. οὕτω δὲ καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ ὑπὸ δριμύτητος πολλάκις
δηχθεῖσα, πρωϊαίτερον τοῦ δέοντος ἄπεπτον ἔτι τὴν τροφὴν
ἀποτρίβεται. αὖθις δ’ ἄν ποτε τῷ πλήθει βαρυνθεῖσα,
ἢ κατ’ ἄμφω συνελθόντων κακῶς διατεθεῖσα, διαῤῥοίαις
ἑάλω. καὶ μέν γε καὶ οἱ ἔμετοι, τῷ πλήθει βαρυνθείσης αὐτῆς, ἢ τὴν ποιότητα τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ σιτίων τε καὶ περιττωμάτων
μὴ φερούσης, ἀνάλογόν τι ταῖς διαῤῥοίαις πάθημα
τῆς ἄνω γαστρός ἐστιν. ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς κάτω μέρεσιν
αὐτῆς ἡ τοιαύτη γένηται διάθεσις, ἐῤῥωμένων τῶν κατὰ
τὸν στόμαχον, εἰς διάῤῥοιαν ἐτελεύτησεν· ὅταν δ’ ἐν τοῖς
κατὰ τὸ στόμα, τῶν ἄλλων εὐρωστούντων, εἰς ἐμέτους.

Ἔνεστι δὲ καὶ τοῦτ’ ἐναργῶς ἰδεῖν πολλάκις
ἐπὶ τῶν ἀποσίτων. ἀναγκαζόμενοι γὰρ ἐσθίειν, οὔτε καταπίνειν
εὐσθενοῦσιν, οὔτ’, εἰ καὶ βιάσαιντο, κατέχουσιν, ἀλλ’
εὐθὺς ἀνεμοῦσι. καὶ οἱ ἄλλως δὲ τῶν ἐδεσμάτων πρὸς
ὁτιοῦν δυσχεραίνοντες, βιασθέντες ἐνίοτε προσάρασθαι, ταχέως
ἐξεμοῦσιν, ἢ, εἰ κατάσχοιεν βιασάμενοι, ναυτιώδεις τέ
εἰσι καὶ τῆς γαστρὸς ὑπτίας αἰσθάνονται καὶ σπευδούσης
ἀποθέσθαι τὸ λυποῦν. οὕτως ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν φαινομένων,
60 ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐῤῥέθη, μαρτυρεῖται τὸ δεῖν ὑπάρχειν
τοῖς τοῦ ζώου μορίοις σχεδὸν ἅπασιν ἔφεσιν μέν τινα καὶ
οἷον ὄρεξιν τῆς οἰκείας ποιότητος, ἀποστροφὴν δέ τινα καὶ οἷον μῖσός τι τῆς ἀλλοτρίας. ἀλλ’ ἐφιέμενα μὲν ἕλκειν
εὔλογον, ἀποστρεφόμενα δ’ ἐκκρίνειν. κᾀκ τούτων πάλιν
ἥ τε ἑλκτικὴ δύναμις ἀποδείκνυται ὑπάρχουσα, καθάπερ καὶ
ἡ προωστική. ἀλλ’ εἴπερ ἔφεσίς τέ τίς ἐστι καὶ ἕλξις,
εἴη ἂν τις καὶ ἀπόλαυσις. οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν ὄντων ἕλκει τι
δι’ αὐτὸ τὸ ἕλκειν, ἀλλ’ ἵν’ ἀπολαύσῃ τοῦ διὰ τῆς ὁλκῆς
εὐπορηθέντος. καὶ μὴν ἀπολαύειν οὐ δύναται, μὴ κατασχόν.
κᾀν τούτῳ πάλιν. ἡ καθεκτικὴ δύναμις ἀποδείκνυται
τὴν γένεσιν ἀναγκαίαν ἔχουσα. σαφῶς γὰρ ἐφίεται μὲν
τῶν οἰκείων ποιοτήτων ἡ γαστὴρ, ἀποστρέφεται δὲ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων.
ἀλλ’ εἴπερ ἐφίεταί τε καὶ ἕλκει, καὶ ἀπολαύει, καὶ ἀπολαύει
κατέχουσα καὶ περιστελλομένη, εἴη ἂν τι καὶ πέρας αὐτῆς
τῆς ἀπολαύσεως, κᾀπὶ τῷδ’ ὁ καιρὸς ἤδη τῆς ἐκκριτικῆς
δυνάμεως ἐνεργούσης.

Ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ κατέχει καὶ ἀπολαύει, καταχρῆται
πρὸς ὃ πέφυκε. πέφυκε δὲ τοῦ προσήκοντος ἑαυτῇ κατὰ ποιότητα καὶ οἰκείου μεταλαμβάνειν. ὥσθ’ ἕλκει τῶν
σιτίων ὅσον χρηστότατον ἀτμωδῶς τε καὶ κατὰ βραχὺ, καὶ
τοῦτο τοῖς ἑαυτῆς χιτῶσιν ἐναποτίθεταί τε καὶ προστίθησιν.
ὅταν δ’ ἱκανῶς ἐμπλησθῇ, καθάπερ ἄχθος τι τὴν λοιπὴν
ἀπωθεῖται τροφὴν, ἐσχηκυῖάν τι χρηστὸν ἤδη καὶ αὐτὴν
ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τὴν γαστέρα κοινωνίας. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνδέχεται
δύο σώματα δρᾷν καὶ πάσχειν ἐπιτήδεια συνελθόντα μὴ
οὐκ ἤτοι πάσχειν τε ἅμα καὶ δρᾷν, ἢ θάτερον μὲν δρᾷν,
θάτερον δ’ αὐτῶν πάσχειν. ἐὰν μὲν γὰρ ἰσάζῃ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν,
ἐξ ἴσου δράσει τε καὶ πείσεται· ἂν δ’ ὑπερέχῃ πολὺ
καὶ κρατῇ θάτερον, ἐνεργήσει περὶ τὸ πάσχον. ὥστε δράσει
μέγα μέν τι καὶ αἰσθητόν· αὐτὸ δ’ ἤτοι σμικρόν τι καὶ
οὐκ αἰσθητὸν, ἢ παντάπασιν οὐδὲν πείσεται. ἀλλ’ ἐν
τούτῳ δὴ καὶ μάλιστα διήνεγκε φαρμάκου δηλητηρίου
τροφή· τὸ μὲν γὰρ κρατεῖ τῆς ἐν τῷ σώματι δυνάμεως, ἡ
δὲ κρατεῖται. οὔκουν ἐνδέχεται τροφὴν μὲν εἶναί τι τῷ ζώῳ
προσήκουσάν, οὐ μὴν καὶ κρατεῖσθαί γ’ ὁμοίως πρὸς τῶν ἐν τῷ ζώῳ ποιοτήτων· τὸ κρατεῖσθαι δ’ ἦν ἀλλοιοῦσθαι.
ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ τὰ μὲν ἰσχυρότερα ταῖς δυνάμεσίν ἐστι μόρια, τὰ
δ’ ἀσθενέστερα, κρατήσει μὲν πάντα τῆς οἰκείας τῷ ζώῳ
τροφῆς, οὐχ ὁμοίως δὲ πάντα. κρατήσει δ’ ἄρα καὶ ἡ
γαστὴρ, καὶ ἀλλοιώσει τὴν τροφήν· οὐ μὴν ὁμοίως ἥπατι,
καὶ φλεψὶ, καὶ ἀρτηρίαις, καὶ καρδίᾳ. πόσον οὖν ἐστιν, ὃ
ἀλλοιοῖ, καὶ δὴ θεασώμεθα. πλέον μὲν ἢ κατὰ στόμα,
μεῖον δὲ ἢ κατὰ ἧπάρ τε καὶ 111 τὰς φλέβας. αὕτη μὲν
γὰρ ἡ ἀλλοίωσις εἰς αἵματος οὐσίαν ἄγει τὴν τροφὴν, ἡ
δ’ ἐν τῷ στόματι μεθίστησι μὲν αὐτὴν ἐναργῶς εἰς ἕτερον
εἶδος, οὐ μὴν εἰς τέλος γε μετακοσμεῖ. μάθοις δ’ ἂν ἐπὶ
τῶν καταλειφθέντων ταῖς διαστάσεσι τῶν ὀδόντων σιτίων,
καταμεινάντων δι’ ὅλης νυκτός. οὔτε γὰρ ἄρτος ἀκριβῶς ὁ
ἄρτος, οὔτε κρέας ἐστὶ τὸ κρέας, ἀλλ’ ὄζει μὲν τοιοῦτον,
οἷον καὶ τὸ τοῦ ζώου στόμα· διαλέλυται δὲ καὶ διατέτηκε,
καὶ τὰς ἐν τῷ ζώῳ τῆς 61 σαρκὸς ἀπομέμακται ποιότητας.
ἔνεστι δέ σοι θεάσασθαι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ἐν τῷ στόματι τῶν σιτίων ἀλλοιώσεως, εἰ πυροὺς μασησάμενος, ἐπιθείης
ἀπέπτοις δοθιῆσιν. ὄψει γὰρ αὐτοὺς τάχιστα μεταβάλλοντάς
τε καὶ συμπέττοντας, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον, ὅταν ὕδατι φυραθῶσιν,
ἐργάσασθαι δυναμένους. καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς· τὸ γάρ τοι φλέγμα
τουτὶ τὸ κατὰ τὸ στόμα καὶ λειχήνων ἐστὶν ἄκος, καὶ σκορπίους
ἀναιρεῖ παραχρῆμα, καὶ πολλὰ τῶν ἰοβόλων θηρίων τὰ
μὲν εὐθέως ἀποκτείνει, τὰ δ’ ἐς ὕστερον· ἅπαντα γοῦν
βλάπτει μεγάλως. ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν μεμασημένα σιτία πρῶτον
μὲν τούτῳ τῷ φλέγματι βέβρεκταί τε καὶ πεφύραται· δεύτερον
δὲ καὶ τῷ χρωτὶ τοῦ στόματος ἅπαντα πεπλησίακεν·
ὥστε πλείονα μεταβολὴν εἴληφε τῶν ἐν αὐταῖς ταῖς κεναῖς
χώραις τῶν ὀδόντων ἐσφηνωμένων. ἀλλ’ ὅσον τὰ μεμασημένα
τούτων ἐπὶ πλέον ἠλλοίωτο, τοσοῦτον ἐκείνων τὰ καταποθέντα.
μὴ γὰρ οὐδὲ παραβλητὸν εἴη τὸ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς,
εἰ τὸ κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν ἐννοήσαιμεν φλέγμα, καὶ χολὴν,
καὶ πνεῦμα, καὶ θερμασίαν, καὶ ὅλην τὴν οὐσίαν τῆς
γαστέρος. εἰ δὲ καὶ συνεπινοήσαις αὐτῇ τὰ παρακείμενα σπλάγχνα, καθάπερ τινὶ λέβητι μεγάλῳ πυρὸς ἑστίας πολλὰς,
ἐκ δεξιῶν μὲν τὸ ἧπαρ, ἐξ ἀριστερῶν δὲ τὸν σπλῆνα, τὴν
καρδίαν δ’ ἐκ τῶν ἄνω, σὺν αὐτῇ δὲ καὶ τὰς φρένας αἰωρουμένας
τε καὶ διαπαντὸς κινουμένας, ἐφ’ ἅπασι δὲ τούτοις
σκέπον τὸ ἐπίπλοον, ἐξαίσιόν τινα πεισθήσῃ τὴν ἀλλοίωσιν
γίγνεσθαι τῶν εἰς τὴν γαστέρα καταποθέντων σιτίων. πῶς
δ’ ἂν ἠδύνατο ῥᾳδίως αἱματοῦσθαι, μὴ προπαρασκευασθέντα
τῇ τοιαύτῃ μεταβολῇ; δέδεικται γὰρ οὖν καὶ πρόσθεν,
ὡς οὐδὲν εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν ἀθρόως μεθίσταται ποιότητα.
πῶς οὖν ὁ ἄρτος αἷμα γίνεται, πῶς δὲ τὸ τεῦτλον, ἢ ὁ
κύαμος, ἤ τι τῶν ἄλλων, εἰ μὴ πρότερόν τινα ἑτέραν ἀλλοίωσιν
ἐδέξατο; πῶς δ’ ἡ κόπρος εὐθὺς ἐν τοῖς λεπτοῖς
ἐντέροις ἀθρόως γεννηθήσεται; τί γὰρ ἐν τούτοις σφοδρότερον
εἰς ἀλλοίωσίν ἐστι τῶν κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα; πότερον τῶν
χιτώνων τὸ πλῆθος, ἢ τῶν γειτνιώντων σπλάγχνων ἡ περίθεσις,
ἢ τῆς μονῆς ὁ χρόνος, ἢ σύμφυτός τις ἐν τοῖς ὀργάνοις
θερμασία; καὶ μὴν κατ’ οὐδὲν τούτων πλεονεκτεῖ τὰ
ἔντερα τῆς γαστρός. τί ποτ’ οὖν ἐν μὲν τῇ γαστρὶ νυκτὸς ὅλης πολλάκις μείναντα τὸν ἄρτον ἔτι φυλάττεσθαι βούλονται
τὰς ἀρχαίας διασώζοντα ποιότητας, ἐπειδὰν δ’ ἅπαξ
ἐμπέσῃ τοῖς ἐντέροις, εὐθὺς γίγνεσθαι κόπρον; εἰ μὲν γὰρ
ὁ τοσοῦτος χρόνος ἀδύνατος ἀλλοιοῦν, οὐδ’ ὁ βραχὺς ἱκανός.
εἰ δ’ οὗτος αὐτάρκης, πῶς οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ μακρός;
ἆρ’ οὖν ἀλλοιοῦται μὲν ἡ τροφὴ κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν,
ἄλλην δέ τιν’ ἀλλοίωσιν, καὶ οὐχ οἵαν ἐκ τῆς φύσεως ἴσχει
τοῦ μεταβάλλοντος ὀργάνου; ἢ ταύτην μὲν, οὐ μὴν τήν γ’
οἰκείαν τῷ τοῦ ζώου σώματι; μακρῷ τοῦτ’ ἀδυνατώτερόν
ἐστι. καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἄλλο γε ἦν πέψις ἢ ἀλλοίωσις εἰς τὴν
οἰκείαν τοῦ τρεφομένου ποιότητα. εἴπερ οὖν ἡ πέψις τοῦτό
ἐστι, καὶ ἡ τροφὴ κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα δέδεικται δεχομένη
ποιότητα τῷ μέλλοντι πρὸς αὐτῆς τραφήσεσθαι ζώῳ προσήκουσαν,
ἱκανῶς ἀποδέδεικται τὸ πέττεσθαι κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα
τὴν τροφήν. καὶ γελοῖος μὲν Ἀσκληπιάδης, οὔτ’ ἐν
ταῖς ἐρυγαῖς λέγων ἐμφαίνεσθαί ποτε τὴν ποιότητα τῶν
πεφθέντων σιτίων, οὔτ’ ἐν τοῖς ἐμέτοις, οὔτ’ ἐν ταῖς ἀνατομαῖς. αὐτὸ γὰρ δὴ τὸ τοῦ σώματος ἐξόζειν αὐτὰ τῆς κοιλίας
ἐστὶ τὸ πεπέφθαι ὁ δ’ οὕτως ἐστὶν εὐήθης, ὥστ’, ἐπειδὴ τῶν
παλαιῶν ἀκούει λεγόντων, ἐπὶ τὸ χρηστὸν ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ μεταβάλλειν
τὰ σιτία, δοκιμάζει ζητεῖν οὐ τὸ κατὰ δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ
τὸ κατὰ γεῦσιν χρηστὸν, 62 ὥσπερ ἢ τοῦ μήλου μηλωδεστέρου,
χρὴ γὰρ οὕτως αὐτῷ διαλέγεσθαι, γιγνομένου κατὰ τὴν
κοιλίαν, ἢ τοῦ μέλιτος μελιτωδεστέρου. πολὺ δ’ εὐηθέστερός
ἐστι καὶ γελοιότερος ὁ Ἐρασίστρατος, ἢ μὴ νοῶν, ὅπως
εἴρηται πρὸς τῶν παλαιῶν ἡ πέψις ἑψήσει παραπλήσιον
ὑπάρχειν, ἢ ἑκὼν σοφιζόμενος ἑαυτόν. ἑψήσει μὲν οὖν,
φησὶν οὗτος, ἐλαφρὰν ἔχουσαν θερμασίαν, οὐκ εἰκὸς εἶναι
παραπλησίαν τὴν πέψιν, ὥσπερ ἢ τὴν Αἴτνην δέον ὑποθεῖναι
τῇ γαστρὶ, ἢ ἄλλως αὐτῆς ἀλλοιῶσαι τὰ σιτία μὴ δυναμένης,
ἢ δυναμένης ἀλλοιοῦν μὲν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἔμφυτον δὲ
θερμασίαν, ὑγρὰν οὖσαν δηλονότι, καὶ διὰ τοῦθ’ ἕψειν, οὔκ
ὀπτᾷν, εἰρημένην. ἐχρῆν δ’ αὐτὸν, εἴπερ περὶ πραγμάτων
ἀντιλέγειν ἐβούλετο, πειραθῆναι δεῖξαι, μάλιστα μὲν καὶ πρῶτον τὴν γαστέρα, ὡς οὐδὲ μεταβάλλει τὴν ἀρχὴν, οὐδ’
ἀλλοιοῦται κατὰ ποιότητα πρὸς τῆς γαστρὸς τὰ σιτία· δεύτερον
δὲ, εἴπερ μὴ οἷός τε ἦν τοῦτο πιστώσασθαι, τὸ τὴν
ἀλλοίωσιν αὐτῶν ἄχρηστον εἶναι τῷ ζώῳ· εἰ δὲ μηδὲ τοῦτ’
εἶχε διαβάλλειν, ἐξελέγξαι τὴν περὶ τὰς δραστικὰς ἀρχὰς
ὑπόληψιν; καὶ δεῖξαι, τὰς ἐνεργείας ἐν τοῖς μορίοις οὐ
διὰ τὴν ἐκ θερμοῦ καὶ ψυχροῦ καὶ ξηροῦ καὶ ὑγροῦ
ποιὰν κρᾶσιν ὑπάρχειν, ἀλλὰ δι’ ἄλλο τι· εἰ δὲ μηδὲ
τοῦτ’ ἐτόλμησε διαβάλλειν, ἀλλ’ ὅτι γε μὴ τὸ θερμόν ἐστιν
ἐν τοῖς ὑπὸ φύσεως διοικουμένοις τὸ τῶν ἄλλων δραστικώτατον·
ἢ εἰ μηδὲ τοῦτο μήτε τῶν ἄλλων τι τῶν ἔμπροσθεν
εἶχεν ἀποδεικνύναι, μὴ ληρεῖν ὀνόματι προσπαλαίοντα
μάτην, ὥσπερ οὐ σαφῶς Ἀριστοτέλους ἔν τ’ ἄλλοις πολλοῖς
κᾀν τῷ τετάρτῳ τῶν μετεωρολογικῶν, ὅπως ἡ πέψις ἑψήσει
παραπλήσιος εἶναι λέγεται, καὶ ὅτι μὴ πρώτως, μηδὲ κυρίως
ὀνομαζόντων, εἰρηκότος. ἀλλ’, ὡς ἤδη λέλεκται πολλάκις,
ἀρχὴ τούτων ἁπάντων ἐστὶ μία, περὶ θερμοῦ καὶ ψυχροῦ
καὶ ξηροῦ καὶ ὑγροῦ διασκέψασθαι, καθάπερ Ἀριστοτέλης
ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ περὶ γενέσεως καὶ φθορᾶς, ἀποδείξας ἁπάσας τὰς κατὰ τὸ σῶμα μεταβολὰς καὶ ἀλλοιώσεις
ὑπὸ τούτων γίγνεσθαι. ἀλλ’ Ἐρασίστρατος οὔτε τούτοις,
οὔτε ἄλλῳ τινὶ τῶν προειρημένων ἀντειπὼν, ἐπὶ τοὔνομα
μόνον ἐτράπετο τῆς ἑψήσεως. ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς πέψεως, εἰ
καὶ τἄλλα πάντα παρέλιπε, τὸ γοῦν, ὅτι διαφέρει τῆς ἐκτὸς
ἑψήσεως ἡ ἐν τοῖς ζώοις πέψις, ἐπειράθη δεικνύναι.

Περὶ δὲ τῆς καταπόσεως οὐδ’ ἄχρι τοσούτου.
τί γάρ φησιν; ὁλκὴ μὲν οὖν τῆς κοιλίας οὐδὲ μία
φαίνεται εἶναι. καὶ μὴν δύο χιτῶνας ἡ γαστὴρ ἔχει, πάντως
ἕνεκά του γεγονότας, καὶ διήκουσιν οὗτοι μέχρι καὶ
τοῦ στόματος, ὁ μὲν ἔνδον, οἷός ἐστι κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα,
τοιοῦτος διαμένων, ὁ δ’ ἕτερος ἐπὶ τὸ σαρκωδέστερον ἐν τῷ
στομάχῳ τρεπόμενος. ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἐναντίας ἀλλήλαις τὰς
ἐπιβολὰς τῶν ἰνῶν ἔχουσιν οἱ χιτῶνες οὗτοι, τὸ φαινόμενον
αὐτὸ μαρτυρεῖ. τίνος δ’ ἕνεκα τοιοῦτοι γεγόνασιν, Ἐρασίστρατος
μὲν οὐδ’ ἐπεχείρησεν εἰπεῖν, ἡμεῖς δ’ ἐροῦμεν.
ὁ μὲν ἔνδον εὐθείας ἔχει τὰς ἶνας, ὁλκῆς γὰρ ἕνεκα γέγονεν· ὁ δ’ ἔξωθεν ἐγκαρσίας, ὑπὲρ τοῦ κατὰ κύκλον περιστέλλεσθαι.
ἑκάστων γὰρ καὶ 112 τῶν κινουμένων ὀργάνων
ἐν τοῖς σώμασι κατὰ τὰς τῶν ἰνῶν θέσεις αἱ κινήσεις
εἰσίν. ἐπ’ αὐτῶν δὲ πρῶτον τῶν μυῶν, εἰ βούλει,
βασάνισον τὸν λόγον, ἐφ’ ὧν καὶ αἱ ἶνες ἐναργέσταται, καὶ
αἱ κινήσεις αὐτῶν ὁρῶνται διὰ σφοδρότητα. μετὰ δὲ τοὺς
μῦς 63 ἐπὶ τὰ φυσικὰ τῶν ὀργάνων ἴθι, καὶ πάντως
ὄψει κατὰ τὰς ἶνας κινούμενα. καὶ διὰ τοῦθ’ ἑκάστῳ μὲν
τῶν ἐντέρων στρογγύλαι καθ’ ἑκάτερον τῶν χιτώνων αἱ ἶνές
εἰσι· περιστέλλονται γὰρ μόνον, ἕλκουσι δὲ οὐδέν. ἡ γαστὴρ
δὲ τῶν ἰνῶν τὰς μὲν εὐθείας ἔχει χάριν ὁλκῆς, τὰς
δ’ ἐγκαρσίας ἕνεκα περιστολῆς. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς μυσὶν,
ἑκάστης τῶν ἰνῶν τεινομένης τε καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἑλκομένης,
αἱ κινήσεις γίγνονται, κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ
γαστρὶ, τῶν μὲν ἐγκαρσίων ἰνῶν τεινομένων, ἔλαττον ἀνάγκη
γίγνεσθαι τὸ εὖρος τῆς περιεχομένης ὑπ’ αὐτῶν κοιλότητος,
τῶν δ’ εὐθειῶν ἑλκομένων τε καὶ εἰς αὑτὰς συναγομένων,
οὐκ ἐνδέχεται μὴ οὐ συναιρεῖσθαι τὸ μῆκος. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐναργῶς φαίνεται καταπινόντων συναιρούμενον, καὶ τοσοῦτον
ὁ λάρυγξ ἀνατρέχων, ὅσον ὁ στόμαχος κατασπᾶται. καὶ
ὅταν γε, συμπληρωθείσης τῆς ἐν τῷ καταπίνειν ἐνεργείας,
ἀφεθῇ τῆς τάσεως ὁ στόμαχος, ἐναργῶς πάλιν φαίνεται καταφερόμενος
ὁ λάρυγξ. ὁ γὰρ ἔνδον χιτὼν τῆς γαστρὸς, ὁ
τὰς εὐθείας ἶνας ἔχων, ὁ καὶ τὸν στόμαχον ὑπαλείφων καὶ
τὸ στόμα, τοῖς ἐντὸς μέρεσιν ἐπεκτείνεται τοῦ λάρυγγος. ὥστ’
οὐκ ἐνδέχεται, κατασπωμένων αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τῆς κοιλίας, μὴ
οὐ συνεπισπᾶσθαι καὶ τὸν λάρυγγα. ὅτι δ’ αἱ περιφερεῖς
ἶνες, αἷς περιστέλλεται τά τ’ ἄλλα μόρια καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ, οὐ
συναιροῦσι τὸ μῆκος, ἀλλὰ συστέλλουσι καὶ στενοῦσι τὴν
εὐρύτητα, καὶ παρ’ αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν ἐστιν ὁμολογούμενον Ἐρασιστράτου.
περιστέλλεσθαι γάρ φησι τοῖς σιτίοις τὴν γαστέρα
κατὰ τὸν τῆς πέψεως ἅπαντα χρόνον. ἀλλ’ εἰ περιστέλλεται
μὲν, οὐδὲν δὲ τοῦ μήκους ἀφαιρεῖται τῆς κοιλίας,
οὐκ ἔστι τῆς περισταλτικῆς κινήσεως ἴδιον τὸ κατασπᾷν
κάτω τὸν στόμαχον. ὅπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἐρασίστρατος
εἶπε, τοῦτο μόνον αὐτὸ συμβήσεται, τὸ, τῶν ἄνω συστελλομένων, διαστέλλεσθαι τὰ κάτω. τοῦτο δ’ ὅτι, κᾂν εἰς
νεκροῦ τὸν στόμαχον ὕδατος ἐκχέῃς, φαίνεται γιγνόμενον,
οὐδεὶς ἀγνοεῖ. ταῖς γὰρ τῶν ὑλῶν διὰ στενοῦ τοῦ σώματος
ὁδοιπορίαις ἀκόλουθόν ἐστι τὸ σύμπτωμα· θαυμαστὸν γὰρ,
εἰ. διερχομένου τινὸς αὐτὸν ὄγκου, μὴ διασταλήσεται. οὐκοῦν
τὸ μὲν, τῶν ἄνω συστελλομένων, διαστέλλεσθαι τὰ κάτω
κοινόν ἐστι καὶ τοῖς νεκροῖς σώμασι, δι’ ὧν ὁπωσοῦν τι
διεξέρχεται, καὶ τοῖς ζῶσιν, εἴτε περιστέλλοιτο τοῖς διερχομένοις,
εἴθ’ ἕλκοιτο· τὸ δὲ τῆς τοῦ μήκους συναιρέσεως
ἴδιον τῶν τὰς εὐθείας ἶνας ἐχόντων ὀργάνων, ἵν’ ἐπισπάσωνταί
τι. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐδείχθη κατασπώμενος ὁ στόμαχος,
οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἷλκε τὸν λάρυγγα. δῆλον οὖν, ὡς ἡ γαστὴρ ἕλκει
τὰ σιτία διὰ τοῦ στομάχου. καὶ ἡ κατὰ τὸν ἔμετον δὲ τῶν
ἐμουμένων ἄχρι τοῦ στόματος φορὰ πάντως μέν που καὶ
αὐτὴ τὰ μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀναφερομένων διατεινόμενα μέρη τοῦ
στομάχου διεστῶτα κέκτηται, τῶν πρόσω δ’ ὅ τι ἂν ἑκάστοτ’
ἐπιλαμβάνηται, τοῦτ’ ἀρχόμενον διαστέλλεται, τὸ δ’ ὄπισθεν καταλείπει δηλονότι συστελλόμενον, ὥσθ’ ὁμοίαν
εἶναι πάντη τὴν διάθεσιν τοῦ στομάχου κατὰ γε τοῦτο τῇ
τῶν καταπινόντων. ἀλλὰ, τῆς ὁλκῆς μὴ παρούσης, τὸ μῆκος
ὅλον ἴσον ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις συμπτώμασι διαφυλάττεται.
διὰ τοῦτο καὶ καταπίνειν ῥᾷόν ἐστιν ἢ ἐμεῖν, ὅτι καταπίνεται
μὲν, ἀμφοῖν τῆς γαστρὸς τῶν χιτώνων ἐνεργούντων,
τοῦ μὲν ἐντὸς ἕλκοντος, τοῦ δ’ ἐκτὸς περιστελλομένου τε
καὶ συνεπωθοῦντος, ἐμεῖται δὲ, θατέρου μόνου τοῦ ἔξωθεν
ἐνεργοῦντος, οὐδενὸς ἕλκοντος εἰς τὸ στόμα. οὐ γὰρ δὴ, ὥσπερ
ἡ τῆς γαστρὸς ὄρεξις προηγεῖτο τοῦ καταπίνειν τὰ σιτία, τὸν
αὐτὸν τρόπον κᾀν τοῖς ἐμέτοις ἐπιθυμεῖ τι τῶν κατὰ τὸ στόμα
μορίων τοῦ γιγνομένου παθήματος, 64 ἀλλ’ ἄμφω τῆς γαστρὸς
αὐτῆς εἰσιν ἐναντίαι διαθέσεις, ὀρεγομένης μὲν καὶ προσιεμένης
τὰ χρήσιμά τε καὶ οἰκεῖα, δυσχεραινούσης δὲ καὶ ἀποτριβομένης
τὰ ἀλλότρια. διὸ καὶ τὸ καταπίνειν αὐτὸ τοῖς
μὲν ἱκανῶς ὀρεγομένοις τῶν οἰκείων ἐδεσμάτων τῇ γαστρὶ
τάχιστα γίγνεται, σαφῶς ἑλκούσης αὐτὰ καὶ κατασπώσης,
πρινὴ μασσηθῆναι· τοῖς δ’ ἤτοι φάρμακόν τι κατ’ ἀνάγκην πίνουσιν ἤ τι σιτίον ἐν χώρᾳ φαρμάκου προσφερομένοις
ἀνιαρὰ καὶ βραδεῖα καὶ μόγις ἡ κατάποσις αὐτῶν
ἐπιτελεῖται. δῆλος οὖν ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων ὁ μὲν ἔνδον
χιτὼν τῆς γαστρὸς, ὁ τὰς εὐθείας ἔχων ἶνας, τῆς ἐκ
τοῦ στόματος εἰς αὐτὴν ὁλκῆς ἕνεκα γεγονὼς, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο
ἐν ταῖς καταπόσεσι μόναις ἐνεργῶν· ὁ δ’ ἔξωθεν, ὁ τὰς
ἐγκαρσίας ἶνας ἔχων, ἕνεκα μὲν τοῦ περιστέλλεσθαι τοῖς
ἐνυπάρχουσι καὶ προωθεῖν αὐτὰ τοιοῦτος ἀποτελεσθεὶς,
ἐνεργῶν δ’ οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐν τοῖς ἐμέτοις, ἢ ταῖς καταπόσεσιν.
ἐναργέστατα δὲ μαρτυρεῖ τῷ λεγομένῳ καὶ τὸ κατὰ
τὰς χάννας τε καὶ τοὺς συνόδοντας γιγνόμενον· εὑρίσκεται
γὰρ ἐνίοτε τούτων ἡ γαστὴρ ἐν τῷ στόματι, καθάπερ καὶ
Ἀριστοτέλης ἐν ταῖς περὶ ζώων ἔγραψεν ἱστορίαις, καὶ
προστίθησί γε τὴν αἰτίαν, ὑπὸ λαιμαργίας αὐτοῖς τοῦτο
συμβαίνειν φάσκων. ἔχει γὰρ ᾧδε. κατὰ τὰς σφοδροτέρας
ὀρέξεις ἄνω προστρέχει πᾶσι τοῖς ζώοις ἡ γαστὴρ, ὥστε τινὲς
τοῦ πάθους αἴσθησιν ἐναργῆ σχόντες ἐξέρπειν αὐτοῖς
φασι τὴν κοιλίαν, ἐνίων δὲ μασσωμένων ἔτι, καὶ μήπω καλῶς ἐν τῷ στόματι τὰ σιτία κατειργασμένων, ἐξαρπάζειν
φανερῶς ἀκόντων. ἐφ’ ὧν οὖν ζώων, φύσει λαιμάργων ὑπαρχόντων,
ἥ τ’ εὐρυχωρία τοῦ στόματός ἐστι δαψιλὴς, ἥ τε τῆς
γαστρὸς θέσις ἐγγὺς, ὡς ἐπὶ συνόδοντος καὶ χάννης, οὐδὲν
θαυμαστὸν, ὅταν ἱκανῶς πεινάσαντα διώκῃ τι τῶν μικροτέρων
ζώων, εἶτ’ ἤδη πλησίον ᾖ τοῦ συλλαβεῖν, ἀνατρέχειν,
ἐπειγούσης τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, εἰς τὸ στόμα τὴν γαστέρα.
γενέσθαι δ’ ἄλλως ἀμήχανον τοῦτο, μὴ οὐχ ὥσπερ διὰ χειρὸς
τοῦ στομάχου τῆς γαστρὸς ἐπισπωμένης εἰς ἑαυτὴν τὰ
σιτία. καθάπερ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ προθυμίας ἐνίοτε τῇ
χειρὶ συνεπεκτείνομεν ὅλους ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἕνεκα τοῦ θᾶττον
ἐπιδράξασθαι τοῦ προκειμένου σώματος, οὕτω καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ
οἷον χειρὶ τῷ στομάχῳ συνεπεκτείνεται. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ἐφ’
ὧν ζώων ἅμα τὰ τρία ταυτὶ συνέπεσεν, ἔφεσίς τε σφοδρὰ
τῆς τροφῆς, ὅ τε στόμαχος μικρὸς, ἥ τ’ εὐρυχωρία τοῦ στόματος
δαψιλὴς, ἐπὶ τούτων ὀλίγη ῥοπὴ τῆς ἐπεκτάσεως εἰς
τὸ στόμα τὴν κοιλίαν ὅλην ἀναφέρει. ἤρκει μὲν οὖν ἴσως
ἀνδρὶ φυσικῷ παρ’ αὐτῆς μόνης τῆς κατασκευῆς τῶν ὀργάνων τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἐνεργείας λαμβάνειν. οὐ γὰρ δὴ
μάτην γε ἂν ἡ φύσις ἐκ δυοῖν χιτώνων ἐναντίως ἀλλήλοις
ἐχόντων ἀπειργάσατο τὸν οἰσοφάγον, εἰ μὴ καὶ διαφόρως
ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν ἐνεργεῖν ἔμελλεν. ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ πάντα μᾶλλον
ἢ τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἔργα διαγινώσκειν οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἐρασίστρατόν
εἰσιν ἱκανοὶ, φέρε κᾀκ τῆς τῶν ζώων ἀνατομῆς
ἐπιδείξωμεν αὐτοῖς, ὡς ἑκάτερος τῶν χιτώνων ἐνεργεῖ τὴν
εἰρημένην ἐνέργειαν. εἰ δή τι λαβὼν ζῶον, εἶτα γυμνώσας
αὐτοῦ τὰ περικείμενα τῷ στομάχῳ σώματα, χωρὶς τοῦ διατεμεῖν
τινα τῶν νεύρων, ἢ τῶν ἀρτηριῶν, ἢ τῶν φλεβῶν
τῶν αὐτόθι τεταγμένων, ἐθέλοις ἀπὸ τῆς γένυος ἕως τοῦ
θώρακος εὐ 113 θείαις τομαῖς διελεῖν τὸν ἔξω χιτῶνα, τὸν
ἔχοντα τὰς ἶνας ἐγκαρσίας, κᾄπειτα τῷ ζώῳ τροφὴν προσενεγκεῖν,
ὄψει καταπῖνον αὐτὸ, καίτοι τῆς περισταλτικῆς
ἐνεργείας ἀπολωλυίας. εἰ δ’ αὖ πάλιν ἐφ’ ἑτέρου ζώου
διατέμοις ἀμφοτέρους τοὺς χιτῶνας τομαῖς ἐγκαρσίαις, θεάσῃ
καὶ τοῦτο καταπῖνον, οὐκέτ’ ἐνεργοῦντος τοῦ ἐντός.
ᾧ δῆλον, ὅτι καὶ θατέρῳ αὐτῶν καταπίνειν οἷόν τ’ ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ χεῖρον ἤ δι’ ἀμφοτέρων. 65 πρὸς γὰρ αὖ τοῖς ἄλλοις
καὶ τοῦτ’ ἔστι σαφῶς θεάσασθαι ἐπὶ τῆς εἰρημένης
ἀνατομῆς, ὡς ἐν τῷ καταπίνειν ὑποπίμπλαται πνεύματος ὁ
στόμαχος τοῦ συγκαταπινομένου τοῖς σιτίοις, ὃ, περιστελλομένου
μὲν τοῦ ἔξωθεν χιτῶνος, ὠθεῖται ῥᾳδίως εἰς τὴν γαστέρα
σὺν τοῖς ἐδέσμασι, χρόνου δὲ τοῦ ἔνδον ὑπάρχοντος,
ἐμποδὼν ἵσταται τῇ φορᾷ τῶν σιτίων, διατεῖνόν τε αὐτὸν
καὶ τὴν ἐνέργειαν ἐμποδίζον. ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ τούτων οὐδὲν
Ἐρασίστρατος εἶπεν, οὔθ’ ὡς ἡ σκολιὰ θέσις τοῦ στομάχου
διαβάλλει σαφῶς τὸ δόγμα τῶν νομιζόντων, ὑπὸ τῆς
ἄνωθεν βολῆς ποδηγούμενα μέχρι τῆς γαστρὸς ἰέναι τὰ
καταπινόμενα. μόνον δ’, ὅτι πολλὰ τῶν μακροτραχήλων
ζώων ἐπικεκυφότα καταπίνει, καλῶς εἶπεν. ᾧ δῆλον, ὅτι
φαινόμενον, οὐ τὸ πῶς καταπίνομεν ἀποδείκνυσιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ
πῶς οὐ καταπίνομεν. ὅτι γὰρ μη διὰ μόνης τῆς ἄνωθεν βολῆς,
ἐκ τούτου δῆλον· οὐ μὴν εἴθ’ ἑλκούσης τῆς κοιλίας, εἴτε παράγοντος
αὐτὰ τοῦ στομάχου, δῆλον ἤδη πω. ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς γε πάντας τοὺς λογισμοὺς εἰπόντες, τούς τ’ ἐκ τῆς κατασκευῆς
τῶν ὀργάνων ὁρμωμένους, καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων συμπτωμάτων,
τῶν τε πρὸ τοῦ γυμνωθῆναι τὸν στόμαχον, καὶ
γυμνωθέντος, ὡς ὀλίγῳ πρόσθεν ἐλέγομεν, ἱκανῶς ἐνεδειξάμεθα,
τοῦ μὲν ἕλκειν ἕνεκα τὸν ἐντὸς χιτῶνα, τοῦ δ’
ἀπωθεῖν τὸν ἐκτὸς γεγονέναι. προὐθέμεθα μὲν οὖν ἀποδεῖξαι
τὴν καθεκτικὴν δύναμιν ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὀργάνων
οὖσαν, ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ πρόσθεν λόγῳ τὴν ἑλκτικήν τε καὶ
προσέτι τὴν ἀλλοιωτικήν. ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἀκολουθίας τοῦ λόγου
τὰς τέτταρας ἀπεδείξαμεν ὑπαρχούσας τῇ γαστρὶ, τὴν
ἑλκτικὴν μὲν ἐν τῷ καταπίνειν, τὴν καθεκτικὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ
πέττειν, τὴν ἀπωστικὴν δ’ ἐν τοῖς ἐμέτοις καὶ ταῖς τῶν
πεπεμμένων σιτίων εἰς τὸ λεπτὸν ἔντερον ὑποχωρήσεσιν,
αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν πέψιν ἀλλοίωσιν ὑπάρχειν.

Οὐκ οὖν ἔτ’ ἀπορήσαιμεν ἂν, οὐδὲ περὶ τοῦ
σπληνὸς, εἰ ἕλκει μὲν τὸ οἰκεῖον, ἀποκρίνει δὲ τὸ ἀλλότριον,
ἀλλοιοῖ δὲ καὶ κατέχει, ὅσον ἂν ἐπισπάσασθαι πεφύκῃ,
οὔτε περὶ ἥπατος, ἢ φλεβὸς, ἢ ἀρτηρίας, ἢ καρδίας, ἢ τῶν ἄλλων τινός. ἀναγκαῖαι γὰρ ἐδείχθησαν αἱ τέτταρες αὗται
δυνάμεις ἅπαντι μορίῳ τῷ μέλλοντι θρέψεσθαι, καὶ διὰ
τοῦτ’ αὐτὰς ὑπηρέτιδας εἶναι θρέψεως ἔφαμεν. ὡς γὰρ τὸ
τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀποπάτημα τοῖς κυσὶν ἥδιστον, οὕτω καὶ
τὰ τοῦ ἥπατος περιττώματα, τὸ μὲν τῷ σπληνὶ, τὸ δὲ τῇ
χοληδόχῳ κύστει, τὸ δὲ τοῖς νεφροῖς οἰκεῖον.

Καὶ λέγειν ἔτι περὶ τῆς τούτων γενέσεως
οὐκ ἂν ἐθέλοιμι μεθ’ Ἱπποκράτην, καὶ Πλάτωνα, καὶ
Ἀριστοτέλην, καὶ Διοκλέα, καὶ Πραξαγόραν, καὶ Φιλότιμον.
οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ περὶ τῶν δυνάμεων εἶπον ἂν, εἴ τις
τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἀκριβῶς ἐξειργάσατο τὸν περὶ αὐτῶν λόγον.
ἐπεὶ δὲ οἱ μὲν παλαιοὶ καλῶς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποφηνάμενοι
πολλὰ παρέλιπον ἀγωνίσασθαι τῷ λόγῳ, μηδ’ ὑπονοήσαντες
ἔσεσθαί τινας εἰς τοσοῦτον ἀναισχύντους σοφιστὰς, ὡς
ἀντιλέγειν ἐπιχειρῆσαι τοῖς ἐναργέσιν, οἱ νεώτεροι δὲ,
66 τὸ μέν τι νικηθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν σοφισμάτων ἐπείσθησαν
αὐτοῖς, τὸ δέ τι καὶ ἀντιλέγειν ἐπιχειρήσαντες
ἀποδεῖν μοι πολὺ τῆς τῶν παλαιῶν ἔδοξαν δυνάμεως, διὰ τοῦθ’ ὡς ἂν ἐκείνων αὐτῶν εἴπερ ἔτι ἦν τις ἀγωνίσασθαί
μοι δοκεῖ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνατρέποντας τῆς τέχνης τὰ
κάλλιστα, καὶ αὐτὸς οὕτως ἐπειράθην συνθεῖναι τοὺς λόγους.
ὅτι δ’ οὐδὲν ἢ παντάπασι σμικρὸν ἀνύσω τι, καὶ
τοῦτο οὐκ ἀγνοῶ. πάμπολλα γὰρ εὑρίσκω τελέως μὲν ἀποδεδειγμένα
τοῖς παλαιοῖς, οὔτε δὲ συνετὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς τῶν
νῦν δι’ ἀμαθίαν, ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ἐπιχειρούμενα γιγνώσκεσθαι
διὰ ῥᾳθυμίαν, οὔτ’, εἰ καὶ γνωσθείη τινὶ, δικαίως ἐξεταζόμενα.
χρὴ γὰρ τὸν μέλλοντα γνώσεσθαί τι τῶν πολλῶν
ἄμεινον εὐθὺς μὲν καὶ τῇ φύσει καὶ τῇ πρώτῃ διδασκαλίᾳ
πολὺ τῶν ἄλλων διενεγκεῖν· ἐπειδὰν δὲ γένηται μειράκιον,
ἀληθείας τινὸς ἔχειν ἐρωτικὴν μανίαν, ὥσπερ ἐνθουσιῶντα,
καὶ μήθ’ ἡμέρας μήτε νυκτὸς διαλείπειν, σπεύδοντά
τε καὶ συντεταμένον ἐκμαθεῖν, ὅσα τοῖς ἐνδοξοτάτοις
εἴρηται τῶν παλαιῶν· ἐπειδὰν δ’ ἐκμάθῃ, κρίνειν αὐτὰ
καὶ βασανίζειν χρόνῳ παμπόλλῳ, καὶ σκοπεῖν, πόσα μὲν
ὁμολογεῖ τοῖς ἐναργῶς φαινομένοις, πόσα δὲ διαφέρεται, καὶ οὕτως τὰ μὲν αἱρεῖσθαι, τὰ δ’ ἀποστρέφεσθαι. τῷ
μὲν δὴ τοιούτῳ πάνυ σφόδρα χρησίμους τοὺς ἡμετέρους
ἤλπικα λόγους ἔσεσθαι· εἶεν δ’ ἂν ὀλίγοι παντάπασιν οὗτοι·
τοῖς δ’ ἄλλοις οὕτω γενήσεσθαι τὸ γράμμα περιττὸν, ὡς εἰ
καὶ μῦθον ὄνῳ τις λέγοι.

Συμπεραντέον οὖν ἡμῖν τὸν λόγον ἕνεκα
τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐφιεμένων, ὅσα δὲ λείπει κατ’ αὐτὸν,
ἐπιπροσθήσειν. ὡς ἡ γαστὴρ ἕλκει μὲν ἐναργῶς καὶ μετασπᾷ
τὰ σιτία τοῖς σφόδρα πεινώδεσι, πρὶν ἀκριβῶς ἐν
τῷ στόματι λειωθῆναι, δυσχεραίνει δὲ καὶ ἀπωθεῖται τοῖς
ἀποσίτοις τε καὶ πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἐσθίουσιν, οὕτω καὶ τῶν
ἄλλων ὀργάνων ἕκαστον ἀμφοτέρας ἔχει τὰς δυνάμεις, τήν
τε τῶν οἰκείων ἑλκτικὴν καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἀποκριτικήν.
καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, κᾂν ἐξ ἑνὸς ᾖ χιτῶνος ὄργανόν τι
συνεστὸς, ὥσπερ καὶ αἱ κύστεις ἀμφότεραι, καὶ αἱ μῆτραι,
καὶ αἱ φλέβες, ἀμφοτέρων τῶν ἰνῶν ἔχει τὰ γένη, τῶν εὐθειῶν
τε καὶ τῶν ἐγκαρσίων. καὶ μέν γε καὶ τρίτον τι γένος ἐστὶν ἰνῶν λοξῶν, ἔλαττον πολὺ τῷ πλήθει τῶν προειρημένων
δύο γενῶν. εὑρίσκεται δ’ ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἐκ δυοῖν
χιτώνων συνεστηκόσιν ὀργάνοις ἐν θατέρῳ μόνῳ ταῖς εὐθείαις
ἰσὶν ἀναμεμιγμένον, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἐξ ἑνὸς ἅμα τοῖς
ἄλλοις δύο γένεσιν. συνεπιλαμβάνουσι δ’ αὗται μέγιστον
τῇ τῆς καθεκτικῆς ὀνομασθείσης δυνάμεως ἐνεργεία. δεῖται
γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ πανταχόθεν ἐσφίχθαι καὶ περιτετάσθαι
τοῖς ἐνυπάρχουσι τὸ μόριον· ἡ μὲν γαστὴρ ἐν
τῷ τῆς πέψεως, αἱ μῆτραι δὲ ἐν τῷ τῆς κυήσεως χρόνῳ
παντί. ταῦτ’ ἄρα καὶ ὁ τῆς φλεβὸς χιτὼν, εἶς ὢν, ἐκ
πολυειδῶν ἰνῶν ἐγένετο, καὶ τῶν τῆς ἀρτηρίας ὁ μὲν ἔξωθεν
ἐκ τῶν στρογγύλων, ὁ δ’ ἔσωθεν ἐκ μὲν τῶν εὐθειῶν
πλείστων, ὀλίγων δέ τινων σὺν αὐταῖς καὶ τῶν λοξῶν,
ὥστε τὰς μὲν φλέβας ταῖς μήτραις καὶ ταῖς κύστεσιν
ἐοικέναι κατά γε τὴν τῶν ἰνῶν θέσιν, εἰ καὶ τῷ πάχει
λείπονται, τὰς δ’ ἀρτηρίας τῇ γαστρί. μόνα δὲ πάντων
ὀργάνων ἐκ δυοῖν ἅμα καὶ ἀμφοτέρων ἐγκαρσίας ἐχόντων
τὰς ἶνας ἐγένετο τὰ ἔντερα. 67 τὸ δ’, ὅτι βέλτιον ἦν τῶν ἄλλων ἑκάστῳ τοιοῦτον τὴν φύσιν ὑπάρχειν, οἶόν περ καὶ
νῦν ἐστι, τοῖς δ’ ἐντέροις ἐκ δυοῖν ὁμοίων χιτώνων συγκεῖσθαι,
τῆς περὶ χρείας μορίων πραγματείας ἐστίν. οὕκουν
νῦν χρὴ ποθεῖν ἀκούειν ὑπὲρ τῶν τοιούτων, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ
διὰ τί περὶ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν χιτώνων ἑκάστου τῶν ὀργάνων
διαπεφώνηται τοῖς ἀνατομικοῖς ἀνδράσιν. ὑπὲρ μὲν γὰρ
τούτων αὐτάρκως ἐν τοῖς περὶ τῆς ἀνατομικῆς διαφωνίας
εἴρηται. περὶ δὲ τοῦ, διότι τοιοῦ 114 τον ἕκαστον ἐγένετο
τῶν ὀργάνων, ἐν τοῖς περὶ χρείας μορίων εἰρήσεται.

Νυνὶ δὲ οὐδέτερον τούτων πρόκειται λέγειν,
ἀλλὰ τὰς φυσικὰς δυνάμεις μόνας ἀποδεικνύειν, ἐν
ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὀργάνων τέτταρας ὑπαρχούσας. ἐπὶ τοῦτ’ οὖν
πάλιν ἐπανελθόντες, ἀναμνήσωμεν τῶν ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένων,
ἐπιθῶμέν τε κεφαλὴν ἤδη τῷ λόγῳ παντὶ, τὸ λεῖπον
ἔτι προσθέντες. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἕκαστον τῶν ἐν τῷ ζώῳ μορίων
ἕλκειν εἰς ἑαυτὸ τὸν οἰκεῖον χυμὸν ἀποδέδεικται, καὶ
πρώτη σχεδὸν αὕτη τῶν φυσικῶν ἐστι δυνάμεων, ἐφεξῆς ἐκείνῳ γνωστέον, ὡς οὐ πρότερον ἀποτρίβεται τὴν ἑλχθεῖσαν,
ἤτοι σύμπασαν, ἢ καί τι περίττωμα αὐτῆς, πρὶν ἂν εἰς
ἐναντίαν μεταπέσῃ διάθεσιν ἢ αὐτὸ τὸ ὄργανον, ἢ καὶ
τῶν περιεχομένων ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πλεῖστα. ἡ μὲν οὗν γαστὴρ,
ἐπειδὰν μὲν ἱκανῶς ἐμπλησθῇ τῶν σιτίων, καὶ τὸν χρηστότατον
αὐτῶν εἰς τοὺς ἑαυτῆς χιτῶνας ἐναπόθηται βδάλλουσα,
τηνικαῦτ’ ἤδη τὸ λοιπὸν ἀποτρίβεται, καθάπερ ἄχθος
ἀλλότριον· αἱ κύστεις δὲ, ἐπειδὰν ἕκαστον τῶν ἑλχθέντων,
ἢ τῷ πλήθει διατεῖνον, ἢ τῇ ποιότητι δάκνον, ἀνιαρὸν γένηται·
τῷ δ’ αὐτῷ τρόπῳ καὶ αἱ μῆτραι· ἤτοι γὰρ, ἐπειδὰν
μηκέτι φέρωσι διατεινόμεναι, τὸ λυποῦν ἀποθέσθαι
σπεύδουσιν, ἢ τῇ ποιότητι δακνόμεναι τῶν ἐκχυθέντων εἰς
αὐτὰς ὑγρῶν. ἑκάτερον δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων γίγνεται μὲν καὶ
βιαίως ἐστὶν ὅτε, καὶ ἀμβλώσκουσι τηνικαῦτα· γίγνεται δ’
ὡς τὰ πολλὰ καὶ προσηκόντως, ὅπερ οὐκ ἀμβλώσκειν, ἀλλ’
ἀποκυΐσκειν τε καὶ τίκτειν ὀνομάζεται. τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἀμβλωθριδίοις
φαρμάκοις, ἤ τισιν ἄλλοις παθήμασι διαφθείρουσι τὸ ἔμβρυον, ἤ τινας τῶν ὑμένων αὐτοῦ. ῥηγνύουσιν,
αἱ ἀμβλώσεις ἕπονται· οὕτω δὲ κᾀπειδὰν ἀνεθῶσί ποθ’
αἱ μῆτραι, κακῶς ἔχουσαι τῇ διατάσει· ταῖς δὲ τῶν ἐμβρύων
αὐτῶν κινήσεσι ταῖς σφοδροτάταις οἱ τόκοι, καθάπερ
καὶ τοῦθ’ ὑφ’ Ἱπποκράτους καλῶς εἴρηται. κοινὸν δ’ ἁπασῶν
τῶν διαθέσεων ἡ ἀνία, καὶ ταύτης αὐτῆς αἴτιον τριττὸν,
ἢ ὄγκος περιττὸς, ἤ τι βάρος, ἢ δῆξις· ὄγκος μὲν,
ἐπειδὰν μηκέτι φέρωσι διατεινόμεναι, βάρος δ’, ἐπειδὰν
ὑπὲρ τὴν ῥώμην αὐτῶν ᾖ τὸ περιεχόμενον, δῆξις δὲ, ἐπειδὰν
ἤτοι τὰ πρότερον ἐν τοῖς ὑμέσιν ὑγρὰ στεγόμενα, ῥαγέντων
αὐτῶν, εἰς αὐτὰς ἐκχυθῇ τὰς μήτρας, ἢ καὶ σύμπαν ἀποφθαρὲν
τὸ κύημα, σηπόμενόν τε καὶ διαλυόμενον εἰς μοχθηροὺς
ἰχῶρας, οὕτως ἐρεθίζῃ καὶ δάκνῃ τὸν χιτῶνα τῶν
ὑστερῶν. ἀνάλογον οὖν ἐν ἅπασι τοῖς ὀργάνοις ἕκαστα
τῶν τ’ ἔργων αὐτῶν τῶν φυσικῶν, καὶ μέντοι τῶν παθημάτων
τε καὶ νοσημάτων φαίνεται γιγνόμενα, τὰ μὲν ἐναργῶς
καὶ σαφῶς οὕτως, ὡς ἀποδείξεως δεῖσθαι μηδὲν, τὰ
δ’ ἧττον μὲν ἐναργῶς, οὐ μὴν ἄγνωστά γε παντάπασι τοῖς θέλουσι προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν. 68 ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς γαστρὸς
αἵ τε δήξεις ἐναργεῖς, διότι πλείστης αἰσθήσεως μετέχει, τά
τ’ ἄλλα παθήματα, τά τε ναυτίαν ἐμποιοῦντα καὶ οἱ καλούμενοι
καρδιωγμοί, σαφῶς ἐνδείκνυνται τὴν ἀποκριτικήν τε
καὶ ἀπωστικὴν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων δύναμιν. οὕτω δὲ κᾀπὶ τῶν
ὑστερῶν τε καὶ τῆς κύστεως τῆς τὸ οὖρον ὑποδεχομένης.
ἐναργῶς γὰρ καὶ αὕτη φαίνεται μέχρι τοσούτου τὸ ὑγρὸν
ὑποδεχομένη τε καὶ ἀθροίζουσα, ἄχρις ἂν ἤτοι πρὸς τοῦ
πλήθους αὐτοῦ διατεινομένη μηκέτι φέρῃ τὴν ἀνίαν, ἢ
πρὸς τῆς ποιότητος δακνομένη. χρονίζον γὰρ ἕκαστον τῶν
περιττωμάτων ἐν τῷ σώματι σήπεται δηλονότι, τὸ μὲν
ἐλάττονι, τὸ δὲ πλείονι χρόνῳ, καὶ οὕτω δακνῶδές τε καὶ
δριμὺ καὶ ἀνιαρὸν τοῖς περιέχουσι γίγνεται. οὐ μὴν ἐπί γε
τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι κύστεως ὁμοίως ἔχει· ᾧ δῆλον, ὅτι νεύρων
ἥκιστα μετέχει. χρὴ δὲ κᾀνταῦθα τόν γε φυσικὸν ἄνδρα
τὸ ἀνάλογον ἐξευρίσκειν. εἰ γὰρ ἕλκειν τε τὸν οἰκεῖον
ἀπεδείχθη χυμὸν, ὡς φαίνεσθαι πολλάκις μεστὴν, ἀποκρίνειν τε τὸν αὐτὸν τοῦτον οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν, ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν
αὐτὴν, ἢ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος βαρυνομένην, ἢ τῆς ποιότητος
μεταβαλλούσης ἐπὶ τὸ δακνῶδές τε καὶ δριμὺ, τῆς ἀποκρίσεως
ἐφίεσθαι. οὐ γὰρ δὴ τὰ μὲν σιτία τὴν ἀρχαίαν ὑπαλλάττει
ποιότητα ταχέως οὕτως, ὥστ’, ἐπειδὰν ἐμπέσῃ τοῖς
λεπτοῖς ἐντέροις, εὐθὺς εἶναι κόπρον, ἡ χολὴ δ’ οὐ πολλῷ
μᾶλλον, ἢ τὸ οὖρον, ἐπειδὰν ἅπαξ ἐκπέσῃ τῶν φλεβῶν,
ἐξαλλάττει τὴν ποιότητα, τάχιστα μεταβάλλοντα καὶ σηπόμενα.
καὶ μὴν εἴ περ ἐπί τε τῶν κατὰ τὰς ὑστέρας καὶ
τὴν κοιλίαν καὶ τὰ ἔντερα καὶ προσέτι τὴν τὸ οὖρον ὑποδεχομένην
κύστιν ἐναργῶς φαίνεται διάτασίς τις, ἢ δῆξις,
ἢ ἄχθος ἐπεγεῖρον ἕκαστον τῶν ὀργάνων εἰς ἀπόκρισιν, οὐδὲν
χαλεπὸν κᾀπὶ τῆς χοληδόχου κύστεως ταὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐννοεῖν,
ἐπί τε τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ὀργάνων, ἐξ ὧν δηλονότι
καὶ αἱ ἀρτηρίαι καὶ αἱ φλέβες εἰσίν.

Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὸ διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πόρου
τὴν ὁλκὴν γίνεσθαι καὶ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν ἐν διαφόροις τοῖς χρόνοις οὐδὲν ἔτι χαλεπὸν ἐξευρεῖν, εἴ γε καὶ τῆς γαστρὸς
ὁ στόμαχος, οὐ μόνον ἐδέσματα καὶ πόματα παράγων εἰς
αὐτὴν, ἀλλὰ κᾀν ταῖς ναυτίαις τὴν ἐναντίαν ὑπηρεσίαν
ὑπηρετῶν ἐναργῶς φαίνεται· καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι κύστεως
ὁ αὐχὴν εἷς ὢν ἅμα μὲν δι’ ἑαυτοῦ πληροῖ τὴν κύστιν,
ἅμα δὲ καὶ ἐκκενοῖ· καὶ τῶν μητρῶν ὡσαύτως ὁ στόμαχος
ὁδός ἐστιν εἴσω μὲν τοῦ σπέρματος, ἔξω δὲ τοῦ κυήματος.
ἀλλὰ κᾀνταῦθα πάλιν ἡ μὲν ἐκκριτικὴ δύναμις ἐναργὴς,
οὐ μὴν ὁμοίως γε σαφὴς αὐτῇ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἡ ἑλκτική. ἀλλ’
Ἱπποκράτης μὲν, ἀῤῥώστου μήτρας αἰτιώμενος αὐχένα, φησί·
οὐ γὰρ δύναται αὐτέης ὁ στόμαχος εἰρύσαι τὴν γονὴν εἴσω.
Ἐρασίστρατος δὲ καὶ Ἀσκληπιάδης εἰς τοσοῦτον ἥκουσι σοφίας,
ὥστ’ οὐ μόνον τὴν μήτραν καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν ἀποστεροῦσι
τῆς τοιαύτης δυνάμεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι
κύστιν ἅμα τοῖς νεφροῖς. καίτοι γ’, ὅτι μηδ’ εἰπεῖν δυνατὸν
ἕτερον αἴτιον ἢ οὔρων ἢ χολῆς διακρίσεως, ἐν τῷ
πρώτῳ δέδεικται λόγῳ. καὶ μήτραν οὖν καὶ γαστέρα καὶ
τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι κύστιν 69 δι’ ἑνὸς καὶ ταὐτοῦ στομάχου τήν θ’ ὁλκὴν καὶ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν εὑρίσκοντες ποιουμένας,
μηκέτι θαυμάζωμεν, εἰ καὶ διὰ τῶν φλεβῶν ἡ φύσις
ἐκκρίνει πολλάκις εἰς τὴν γαστέρα περιττώματα. τούτου δ’
ἔτι μᾶλλον οὐ χρὴ θαυμάζειν, εἰ, δι’ ὧν εἰς ἧπαρ ἀνεδόθη
τι φλεβῶν ἐκ γαστρὸς, αὖθις εἰς αὐτὴν ἐξ ἥπατος ἐν ταῖς
μακροτέραις ἀσιτίαις δύναται ἕλκεσθαι ἡ τροφή. τὸ γὰρ
τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀπορεῖν, ὅμοιόν ἐστι δήπου τῷ μηκέτι πιστεύειν,
μηδ’ ὅτι τὰ καθαίροντα φάρμακα διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν
στομάτων ἐξ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος εἰς τὴν γαστέρα τοὺς οἰκείους
ἐπισπᾶται χυμοὺς, δι’ ὧν ἔμπροσθεν ἡ ἀνάδοσις
ἐγένετο, ἀλλ’ ἕτερα μὲν ζητεῖν ἀναδόσεως, ἕτερα δὲ καθάρσεως
στόματα. καὶ μὴν, εἴπερ ἕν καὶ ταὐτὸν στόμα
διτταῖς ὑπηρετεῖ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν, ἐν διαφόροις χρόνοις εἰς
τἀναντία τὴν ὁλκὴν ποιουμέναις, ἔμπροσθεν μὲν τῇ κατὰ
τὸ ἧπαρ, ἐν δὲ τῷ τῆς καθάρσεως καιρῷ τῇ τοῦ φαρμάκου,
τί θαυμαστόν ἐστι, διττὴν ὑπηρεσίαν τε καὶ χρείαν
εἶναι ταῖς φλεψὶ ταῖς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τεταγμέναις ἥπατός τε
καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν, ὥσθ’, ὁπότε μὲν ἐν τούτοις
ἄφθονος εἴη περιεχομένη τροφὴ, διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων εἰς ἧπαρ ἀναφέρεσθαι φλεβῶν, ὁπότε δ’ εἴη κενὰ 115 καὶ
δεόμενα τρέφεσθαι, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν αὖθις ἐξ ἥπατος ἕλκεσθαι;
πᾶν γὰρ ἐκ παντὸς ἕλκειν φαίνεται, καὶ παντὶ μεταδιδόναι,
καὶ μίαν πάντων εἶναι σύῤῥοιαν καὶ σύμπνοιαν, καθάπερ
καὶ τοῦθ’ ὁ θαυμασιώτατος Ἱπποκράτης εἶπεν· ἕλκει μὲν οὖν
τὸ ἰσχυρότερον, ἐκκενοῦται δὲ τὸ ἀσθενέστερον. ἰσχυρότερον
δὲ καὶ ἀσθενέστερον ἕτερον ἑτέρου μόριον ἢ ἁπλῶς
καὶ φύσει καὶ κοινῇ πᾶσίν ἐστιν, ἢ ἰδίως τῷδέ τινι γίγνεται.
φύσει μὲν καὶ κοινῇ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τε ἅμα καὶ
ζώοις ἡ μὲν καρδία τοῦ ἥπατος, τὸ δ’ ἧπαρ ἐντέρων τε
καὶ γαστρὸς, αἱ δ’ ἀρτηρίαι τῶν φλεβῶν, ἑλκύσαι τε τὸ
χρήσιμον ἑαυταῖς, ἀποκρῖναί τε τὸ μὴ τοιοῦτον ἰσχυρότεραι.
καὶ καθ’ ἕκαστον δ’ ἡμῶν ἰδίως ἐν μὲν τῷδε τῷ καιρῷ
τὸ ἧπαρ ἰσχυρότερον ἕλκειν, ἐν δὲ τῷδε ἡ γαστήρ. πολλῆς
μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ περιεχομένης τροφῆς, καὶ σφοδρῶς ὀρεγομένου
τε καὶ χρῄζοντος τοῦ ἥπατος, πάντως ἰσχυρότερον ἕλκει
τὸ σπλάγχνον. ἔμπαλιν δὲ, τοῦ μὲν ἐμπεπλησμένου τε καὶ διατεταμένου, τῆς γαστρὸς δ’ ὀρεγομένης καὶ κενῆς ὑπαρχούσης,
ἡ τῆς ὁλκῆς ἰσχὺς εἰς ἐκείνην μεθίσταται· ὥσπερ, εἰ κᾀν
ταῖς χερσί τινα σιτία κατέχοντες ἀλλήλων ἁρπάζοιμεν, εἰ
μὲν ὁμοίως εἴημεν δεόμενοι, περιγίνεσθαι τὸν ἰσχυρότερον
εἰκός· εἰ δ’ οὗτος μὲν ἐμπεπλησμένος εἴη, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο
ἀμελῶς κατέχων τὰ περιττὰ, ἢ καί τινι μεταδοῦναι ποθῶν,
ὁ δ’ ἀσθενέστερος ὀρέγοιτο δεινῶς, οὐδὲν ἂν εἴη κώλυμα
τοῦ μὴ πάντα λαβεῖν αὐτόν. οὕτω καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ ἐκ τοῦ
ἥπατος ἐπισπᾶται ῥᾳδίως, ὅταν αὐτὴ μὲν ἱκανῶς ὀρέγοιτο
τροφῆς, ἐμπεπλησμένον δ’ εἴη τὸ σπλάγχνον. καὶ τοῦ γε μὴ
πεινῇν ἐνίοτε τὸ ζῶον ἡ περιουσία τῆς ἐν τῷ ἥπατι τροφῆς
αἰτία. κρείττονα γὰρ ἔχουσα καὶ ἑτοιμοτέραν τροφὴν ἡ
γαστὴρ οὐδὲν δεῖται τῆς ἔξωθεν. εἰ δέ γέ ποτε δέοιτο
μὲν, ἀποροίη δὲ, πληροῦται περιττωμάτων. ἰχῶρες δέ τινές
εἰσι ταῦτα, χολώδεις τε καὶ φλεγματώδεις καὶ ὀῤῥωδεις,
οὓς μόνους ἑλκούσῃ μεθίησιν αὐτῇ τὸ ἧπαρ, ὅταν ποτὲ καὶ
αὐτὸ δέηται τροφῆς. ὥσπερ οὖν ἐξ ἀλλήλων ἕλκει τὰ μόρια τροφὴν, οὕτω καὶ ἀποτίθεταί ποτ’ εἰς ἄλληλα τὸ περιττόν·
καὶ 70 ὥσπερ ἑλκόντων ἐπλεονέκτει τὸ ἰσχυρότερον, οὕτω
καὶ ἀποτιθεμένων καὶ τῶν γε καλουμένων ῥευμάτων ἥδε
ἡ πρόφασις. ἕκαστον γὰρ τῶν μορίων ἔχει τινὰ τόνον σύμφυτον,
ᾧ διωθεῖται τὸ περιττόν. ὅταν οὖν ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν
ἀῤῥωστότερον γένηται κατά τινα διάθεσιν, ἐξ ἁπάντων εἰς
ἐκεῖνο συῤῥεῖν ἀνάγκη τὰ περιττά. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἰσχυρότατον
ἐναποτίθεται τοῖς πλησίον ἅπασιν, ἐκείνων δ’ αὖ πάλιν
ἕκαστον εἰς ἕτερ’ ἄττα τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων, εἶτ’ αὖθις ἐκείνων
ἕκαστον εἰς ἄλλα. καὶ τοῦτ’ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον γίνεται, μέχρι
περ ἂν ἐξ ἁπάντων ἐλαυνόμενον τὸ περίττωμα καθ’
ἕν τι μείνῃ τῶν ἀσθενεστάτων· ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ οὐκέτ’ εἰς
ἄλλο δύναται μεταῤῥεῖν, ὡς ἂν μήτε δεχομένου τινὸς αὐτὸ
τῶν ἰσχυροτέρων, μήτ’ ἀπώσασθαι δυναμένου τοῦ πεπονθότος.
ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τῶν παθῶν τῆς γενέσεως καὶ τῆς
ἰάσεως αὖθις ἡμῖν ἐπιδεικνύουσιν ἱκανὰ κᾀξ ἐκείνων λαβεῖν
ἐστι μαρτύρια τῷ λόγῳ τῶν ἐν τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ παντὶ δεδειγμένων ὀρθῶς. ὃ δ’ ἐν τῷ παρόντι δεῖξαι προὔκειτο,
πάλιν ἀναλάβωμεν, ὡς οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν ἐξ ἥπατος ἥκειν
τινὰ τροφὴν ἐντέροις τε καὶ γαστρὶ διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν φλεβῶν,
δι’ ὧν ἔμπροσθεν ἐξ ἐκείνων εἰς ἧπαρ ἀνεφέρετο. καὶ πολλοῖς
ἀθρόως τε καὶ τελέως ἀποστᾶσιν ἰσχυρῶν γυμνασίων
ἤ τι κῶλον ἀποκοπεῖσιν αἵματος ἀθρόου διὰ τῶν ἐντέρων
γίνεται κένωσις ἔκ τινων περιόδων, ὥς που καὶ Ἱπποκράτης
ἔλεγεν, οὐδὲν μὲν ἄλλο λυποῦσα, καθαίρουσα δ’ ὀξέως
τὸ πᾶν σῶμα, καὶ τὰς πλησμονὰς ἐκκενοῦσα, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν
δήπου φλεβῶν τῆς ἔσω φορᾶς τῶν περιττῶν ἐπιτελουμένης,
δι’ ὧν ἔμπροσθεν ἡ ἀνάδοσις ἐγίνετο. πολλάκις δ’ ἐν νόσοις
ἡ φύσις διὰ μὲν τῶν αὐτῶν τούτων δήπου φλεβῶν τὸ
πᾶν ἐκκαθαίρει ζῶον· οὐ μὴν αἱματώδης γ’ ἡ κένωσις αὐτοῖς,
ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν λυποῦντα γίνεται χυμόν. οὕτω δὲ κᾀν
ταῖς χολέραις ἐκκενοῦται πᾶν σῶμα διὰ τῶν εἰς ἔντερά τε
καὶ γαστέρα καθηκουσῶν φλεβῶν. τὸ δ’ οἴεσθαι, μίαν εἶναι
ταῖς ὕλαις φορὰν, τελέως ἀγνοοῦντός ἐστι τὰς φυσικὰς δυνάμεις, τάς τ’ ἄλλας καὶ τὴν ἐκκριτικὴν ἐναντίαν οὖσαν
τῇ ἑλκτικῇ. ταῖς γὰρ ἐναντίαις δυνάμεσιν ἐναντίας κινήσεις
τε καὶ φορὰς τῶν ὑλῶν ἀναγκαῖον ἀκολουθεῖν. ἕκαστον
γὰρ τῶν μορίων, ὅταν ἑλκύσῃ τὸν οἰκεῖον χυμὸν, ἔπειτα
κατάσχῃ καὶ ἀπολαύσῃ, τὸ περιττὸν ἅπαν ἀποθέσθαι
σπεύδει, καθ’ ὅτι μάλιστα δύναται, τάχιστά τε ἅμα καὶ
κάλλιστα κατὰ τὴν τοῦ περιττοῦ ῥοπήν. ὅθεν ἡ γαστὴρ
τὰ μὲν ἐπιπολάζοντα τῶν περιττωμάτων ἐμέτοις ἐκκαθαίρει,
τὰ δ’ ὑφιστάμενα διαῤῥοίαις. καὶ τότε ναυτιῶδες γίνεσθαι
τὸ ζῶον λέγομεν, τουτέστιν ὁρμῆσαι τὴν γαστέρα κενωθῆναι
δι’ ἐμέτου. οὕτως δή τι βίαιον καὶ σφοδρὸν ἡ ἐκκριτικὴ
δύναμις ἔχει, ὥστ’ ἐν τοῖς εἰλεοῖς, ὅταν ἀποκλεισθῇ τελέως
ἡ κάτω διέξοδος, ἐμεῖται κόπρος. καίτοι πρὶν διελθεῖν
τό τε λεπτὸν ἔντερον ἅπαν, καὶ τὴν νῆστιν, καὶ τὸν πυλωρὸν,
καὶ τὴν γαστέρα, καὶ τὸν οἰσοφάγον, οὐχ οἷόν τε διὰ
τοῦ στόματος ἐκπεσεῖν οὐδὲν οὐδενὶ τοιούτῳ περιττώματι. τί
δὴ θαυμαστὸν, εἰ κᾀκ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας τῆς κατὰ τὸ
δέρμα μέχρι τῶν ἐντέρων τε καὶ τῆς γαστρὸς ἀφικνεῖταί τι μεταλαμβανόμενον, ὡς καὶ τοῦθ’ Ἱπποκράτης ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν,
οὐ πνεῦμα μόνον, ἢ περίττωμα φάσκων, ἀλλὰ καὶ
τὴν τροφὴν αὐτὴν ἐκ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας αὖθις ἐπὶ
τὴν ἀρχὴν, ὅθεν ἀνηνέχθη, καταφέρεσθαι. ἐλάχισται γὰρ
ῥοπαὶ κινήσεων τὴν ἐκκριτικὴν ταύτην οἰακί 71 ζουσι δύναμιν,
ὡς ἂν διὰ τῶν ἐγκαρσίων μὲν ἰνῶν γινομένην, ὠκύτατα
δὲ διαδιδομένην ἀπὸ τῆς κινησάσης ἀρχῆς ἐπὶ τὰ καταντικρὺ
πέρατα. οὔκουν ἀπεικὸς οὐδ’ ἀδύνατον, ἀήθει ποτὲ
ψύξει τὸ πρὸς τῷ δέρματι μόριον ἐξαίφνης πιληθὲν, ἅμα
μὲν ἀῤῥωστότερον αὐτὸ γινόμενον, ἅμα δ’ οἷον ἄχθος τι
μᾶλλον ἢ παρασκευὴν θρέψεως ἔχον τὴν ἔμπροσθεν ἀλύπως
αὐτῷ παρεσπαρμένην ὑγρότητα καὶ διὰ τοῦτ’ ἀποθέσθαι
σπεῦδον, ἅμα δὲ τῆς ἔξω φορᾶς ἀποκεκλεισμένης
τῇ πυκνώσει, πρὸς τὴν λοιπὴν ἐπιστραφῆναι, καὶ οὕτω
βιασάμενον εἰς τὸ παρακείμενον αὐτῷ μόριον ἀθρόως ἀπώσασθαι
τὸ περιττὸν, ἐκεῖνο δ’ αὖ πάλιν εἰς τὸ μετ’ αὐτὸ, καὶ τοῦτο μὴ παύσασθαι γινόμενον, ἄχρις ἂν ἡ μετάληψις
ἐπὶ τὰ ἐντὸς πέρατα τῶν φλεβῶν τελευτήσῃ. αἱ μὲν δὴ
τοιαῦται κινήσεις θᾶττον ἀποπαύονται. αἱ δ’ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔνδοθεν
διερεθιζόντων, ὡς ἔν τε τοῖς καθαίρουσι φαρμάκοις
καὶ ταῖς χολέραις, ἰσχυρότεραί τε πολὺ καὶ μονιμώτεραι
γίνονται, καὶ διαμένουσιν, ἔστ’ ἂν καὶ ἡ περὶ τοῖς στόμασι
τῶν ἀγγείων διάθεσις, ἡ τὸ πλησίον ἕλκουσα, παραμένῃ.
αὕτη μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὸ συνεχὲς ἐκκενοῖ μόριον, ἐκεῖνο δ’ αὖ
εἰς τὸ μετ’ αὐτὸ, καὶ τοῦτ’ οὐ παύεται μέχρι τῆς ἐσχάτης
ἐπιφανείας, ὥστε, μεταδιδόντων τῶν ἐφεξῆς ἀεὶ μορίων ἑτέρων
ἑτέροις, τὸ πρῶτον πάθος ὠκύτατα διϊκνεῖσθαι μέχρι
τῶν ἐσχάτων. οὕτως οὖν ἔχει κᾀπὶ τῶν εἰλεῶν. αὐτὸ μὲν
γὰρ τὸ φλεγμαῖνον ἔντερον οὔτε τοῦ βάρους οὔτε τῆς
δριμύτητος ἀνέχεται τῶν περιττωμάτων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτ’
116 ἐκκρίνειν αὐτὰ σπεύδει καὶ ἀπωθεῖσθαι ποῤῥωτάτω·
κωλυόμενον δὲ κάτω ποιεῖσθαι τὴν δίωσιν, ὅταν ἐνταυθοῖ
ποτε τὸ σφοδρότατον ᾖ τῆς φλεγμονῆς, εἰς τὰ πλησιάζοντα
τῶν ὑπερκειμένων ἐντέρων ἀπωθεῖται· καὶ οὕτως ἤδη κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς, τὴν ῥοπὴν τῆς ἐκκριτικῆς δυνάμεως ἄνω ποιησάμενον,
ἄχρι τοῦ στόματος ἐπανέρχεται τὰ περιττώματα.
ταῦτα μὲν δὴ κᾀν τοῖς τῶν νοσημάτων λογισμοῖς ἐπὶ πλέον
εἰρήσεται. τὸ δ’ ἐκ παντὸς εἰς πᾶν φέρεσθαί τι καὶ μεταλαμβάνεσθαι,
καὶ μίαν ἁπάντων εἶναι σύμπνοιάν τε καὶ
σύῤῥοιαν, ὡς Ἱπποκράτης ἔλεγεν, ἤδη μοι δοκῶ δεδεῖχθαι
σαφῶς, καὶ μηκέτ’ ἄν τινα, μηδ’ εἰ βραδὺς αὐτῷ νοῦς
ἐνείη, περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀπορῆσαι μηδενὸς, οἷον ὅπως ἡ
γαστὴρ ἢ τὰ ἔντερα τρέφεται, καὶ τίνα τρόπον ἐκ τῆς
ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας εἴσω τι διϊκνεῖται. πάντων γὰρ τῶν
μορίων ἕλκειν μὲν τὸ προσῆκόν τε καὶ φίλιον, ἀποκρίνειν
δὲ τὸ βαρύνον ἢ δάκνον ἐχόντων δύναμιν, οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν
ἐναντίας συνεχῶς γίγνεσθαι κινήσεις ἐν αὐτοῖς, ὥσπερ
ἐπί τε τῆς καρδίας ὁρᾶται σαφῶς καὶ τῶν ἀρτηριῶν ἁπασῶν,
καὶ τοῦ θώρακος, καὶ τοῦ πνεύμονος. ἐπὶ μέν γε
τούτων ἁπάντων μόνον οὐ καθ’ ἑκάστην καιροῦ ῥοπὴν τὰς
ἐναντίας κινήσεις τε ἅμα τῶν ὀργάνων καὶ φορὰς τῶν ὑλῶν ἐναργῶς ἐστιν ἰδεῖν γιγνομένας. εἶτ’ ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς τραχείας
ἀρτηρίας οὐκ ἀπορεῖς, ἐναλλὰξ ποτὲ μὲν εἴσω παραγούσης
εἰς τὸν πνεύμονα τὸ πνεῦμα, ποτὲ δ’ ἔξω, καὶ τῶν κατὰ
τὰς ῥῖνας πόρων, καὶ ὅλου τοῦ στόματος ὡσαύτως, οὐδέ τ’
εἶναι δοκεῖ σοι θαυμαστὸν οὐδὲ παράδοξον, εἰ, δι’ οὗ μικρῷ
πρόσθεν εἴσω παρεκομίζετο τὸ πνεῦμα, διὰ τούτου νῦν
ἐκπέμπεται, περὶ δὲ τῶν ἐξ ἥπατος εἰς ἔντερά τε καὶ γαστέρα
καθηκουσῶν φλεβῶν ἀπορεῖς, καί σοι θαυμαστὸν
εἶναι φαίνεται, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀναδίδοσθαί τε ἅμα τὴν
τροφὴν εἰς ἧπαρ, ἕλκεσθαί τ’ ἐξ ἐκείνου πάλιν εἰς τὴν
γαστέρα; διορίσαι δεῖ, τὸ ἅμα τοῦτο ποτέρως λέγεις. 72 εἰ
μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον, οὐδὲ ἡμεῖς τοῦτό γέ φαμεν.
ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰσπνέομεν ἐν ἑτέρῳ χρόνῳ, καὶ αὖθις
πάλιν ἐν ἑτέρῳ ἀντεκπνέομεν, οὕτω καὶ τροφὴν ἐν ἑτέρῳ
μὲν χρόνῳ τὸ ἧπαρ ἐκ τῆς γαστρὸς, ἐν ἑτέρῳ δ’ ἡ γαστὴρ
ἀπὸ τοῦ ἥπατος ἐπισπᾶται. εἰ δ’, ὅτι καθ’ ἓν καὶ ταὐτὸν
ζῶον ἓν ὄργανον ἐναντίαις φοραῖς ὑλῶν ὑπηρετεῖται, τοῦτό
σοι βούλεται τὸ ἅμα δηλοῦν, καὶ τοῦτό σε ταράττει, τήν τε εἰσπνοὴν ἴδε καὶ τὴν ἐκπνοήν. πάντως που γὰρ καὶ αὗται
διὰ μὲν τῶν αὐτῶν ὀργάνων γίγνονται, τρόπῳ δὲ κινήσεώς
τε καὶ φορᾶς τῶν ὑλῶν διαφέρουσιν. ὁ πνεύμων οὖν
καὶ ὁ θώραξ, καὶ αἱ ἀρτηρίαι αἱ τραχεῖαι καὶ αἱ λεῖαι,
καὶ καρδία, καὶ στόμα, καὶ ῥῖνες ἐν ἐλαχίσταις χρόνου
ῥοπαῖς εἰς ἐναντίας κινήσεις αὐτά τε μεταβάλλει καὶ τὰς
ὕλας μεθίστησιν. αἱ δ’ ἐξ ἥπατος εἰς ἔντερα καὶ γαστέρα
καθήκουσαι φλέβες οὐκ ἐν οὕτω βραχέσι χρόνου μορίοις,
ἀλλ’ ἐν πολλαῖς ἡμέραις ἅπαξ ἐνίοτε τὴν ἐναντίαν κινοῦνται
κίνησιν. ἔχει γὰρ ᾧδε τὸ σύμπαν. ἕκαστον τῶν ὀργάνων
εἰς ἑαυτὸ τὴν πλησιάζουσαν ἐπισπᾶται τροφὴν, ἐκβοσκόμενον
αὐτῆς ἅπασαν τὴν χρηστὴν νοτίδα, μέχρις ἂν ἱκανῶς
κορεσθῇ, καὶ ταύτην, ὡς καὶ πρόσθεν ἐδείκνυμεν, ἐναποτίθεται
ἐν ἑαυτῷ, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα προσφύει τε καὶ ὁμοιοῖ,
τουτέστι τρέφεται. διώρισται γὰρ ἱκανῶς ἔμπροσθεν ἕτερόν
τι τῆς θρέψεως ἐξ ἀνάγκης αὐτῆς προηγούμενον ἡ πρόσφυσις
ὑπάρχειν, ἐκείνης δ’ ἔτι πρότερον ἡ πρόσθεσις. ὥσπερ οὖν τοῖς ζώοις αὐτοῖς ὅρος ἐστὶ τῆς ἐδωδῆς τὸ ἐκπληρῶσαι τὴν
γαστέρα, κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἑκάστῳ τῶν μορίων ὅρος
ἐστὶ τῆς προσθέσεως ἡ πλήρωσις τῆς οἰκείας ὑγρότητος.
ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἅπαν μόριον τῇ γαστρὶ ὁμοίως ὀρέγεται, τρέφεταί
τε καὶ περιπτύσσεται τὴν τροφὴν, καὶ οὕτως σφίγγει
πανταχόθεν αὐτὴν, ὡς ἡ γαστήρ. ἕπεται δ’ ἐξ ἀνάγκης
τούτῳ, καθάπερ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐῤῥέθη, τὸ πέττεσθαι τοῖς
σιτίοις, τῆς γαστρὸς οὐ διὰ τοῦτο περιστελλομένης αὐτοῖς,
ἵν’ ἐπιτήδεια τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐργάσηται μορίοις· οὕτως γὰρ ἂν
οὐκέτι φυσικὸν ὄργανον, ἀλλὰ ζῶόν τι γίγνοιτο, λογισμόν
τε καὶ νοῦν ἔχον, ὡς αἱρεῖσθαι τὸ βέλτιον· ἀλλὰ αὕτη μὲν
περιστέλλεται, τῷ τὸ πᾶν σῶμα δύναμιν ἑλκτικήν τε καὶ
ἀπολαυστικὴν κεκτῆσθαι τῶν οἰκείων ποιοτήτων, ὡς ἔμπροσθεν
ἐδείκνυτο· συμβαίνει δ’ ἐν τούτῳ τοῖς σιτίοις ἀλλοιοῦσθαι.
καὶ μέντοι καὶ πληρωθεῖσα τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὑγρότητος
καὶ κορεσθεῖσα βάρος ἡγεῖται λοιπὸν αὐτά. τὸ
περιττὸν οὖν εὐθὺς ἀποτρίβεταί τε καὶ ὠθεῖ κάτω, πρὸς ἕτερον ἔργον αὕτη τρεπομένη, τὴν πρόσφυσιν. ἐν δὲ τούτῳ
τῷ χρόνῳ διερχομένη τὸ ἔντερον ἅπαν ἡ τροφὴ, διὰ τῶν
εἰς αὐτὰ καθηκόντων ἀγγείων ἀναρπάζεται, πλείστη μὲν
εἰς τὰς φλέβας, ὀλίγη δέ τις εἰς τὰς ἀρτηρίας, ὡς μικρὸν
ὕστερον ἀποδείξομεν. ἐν τούτῳ δ’ αὖ τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ τοῖς
τῶν ἐντέρων χιτῶσι προστίθεται. καί μοι τεμὼν ἤδη τῷ
λογισμῷ τὴν τῆς τροφῆς οἰκονομίαν ἅπασαν εἰς τρεῖς μοίρας
χρόνων, ἐν μὲν τῇ πρώτῃ νόει μένουσάν τε ἅμα κατὰ τὴν
κοιλίαν αὐτὴν, καὶ πεττομένην, καὶ προστιθεμένην εἰς κόρον
τῇ γαστρὶ, καί τι καὶ τῷ ἥπατι παρ’ αὐτῆς ἀναφερόμενον·
ἐν δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ διερχομένην τά τε ἔντερα καὶ προστιθεμένην
εἰς κόρον αὐτοῖς τε τούτοις καὶ τῷ ἥπατι, καί τι
βραχὺ μέρος αὐτῆς πάντη τοῦ σώματος φερόμενον· ἐν δὲ
δὴ τούτῳ τῷ καιρῷ τὸ προστεθὲν ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ χρόνῳ
προσφύεσθαι νόει τῇ γαστρί· κατὰ δὲ τὴν 73 τρίτην
μοῖραν τοῦ χρόνου τρέφεσθαι μὲν ἤδη τὴν κοιλίαν, ὁμοιώσασαν
ἑαυτῇ τελέως τὰ προσφύντα· πρόσφυσιν δὲ τῷ
ἥπατι καὶ τοῖς ἐντέροις γίγνεσθαι τῶν προστεθέντων, ἀνάδοσιν δὲ πάντη τοῦ σώματος καὶ πρόσθεσιν. εἰ μὲν οὖν
ἐπὶ τούτοις εὐθέως τὸ ζῶον λαμβάνοι τροφὴν, ἐν ᾧ πάλιν
ἡ γαστὴρ χρόνῳ πέττει ταύτην καὶ ἀπολαύει, προστιθεῖσα
πᾶν ἐξ αὐτῆς τὸ χρηστὸν τοῖς ἑαυτῆς χιτῶσι, τὰ μὲν ἔντερα
τελέως ὁμοιώσει τὸν προσφύντα χυμόν· ὡσαύτως δὲ
καὶ τὸ ἧπαρ· ἐν ὅλῳ δὲ τῷ σώματι πρόσφυσις τῶν προστεθέντων
τῆς τροφῆς ἔσται μορίων. εἰ δ’ ἄσιτος ἀναγκάζοιτο
μένειν ἡ γαστὴρ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ, παρὰ τῶν ἐν
μεσεντερίῳ τε καὶ ἥπατι φλεβῶν ἕλξει τὴν τροφήν· οὐ γὰρ
ἐξ αὐτοῦ γε τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ἥπατος. λέγω δὲ σῶμα τοῦ
ἥπατος αὐτήν τε τὴν ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ σάρκα πρώτην καὶ μάλιστα,
μετὰ δὲ τήνδε καὶ τῶν ἀγγείων ἕκαστον τῶν κατ’
αὐτό. τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν μορίων ἤδη περιεχόμενον
χυμὸν οὐκέτ’ εὔλογον ἀντισπᾷν ἑτέρῳ μορίῳ, καὶ μάλισθ’
ὅταν ἤδη πρόσφυσις ἢ ἐξομοίωσις αὐτοῦ γίγνηται· τὸν δ’ ἐν
ταῖς εὐρυχωρίαις τῶν φλεβῶν τὸ μᾶλλον ἰσχύον τε ἅμα
καὶ δεόμενον ἀντισπᾷ μόριον. οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ, ἐν ᾧ χρόνῳ δεῖται μὲν αὕτη τροφῆς, ἐσθίει δ’ οὐδέπω τὸ
ζῶον, ἐν τούτῳ τῶν κατὰ τὸ ἧπαρ ἐξαρπάζει φλεβῶν. ἐπεὶ
δὲ καὶ τὸν σπλῆνα διὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἐδείκνυμεν, ὅσον
ἐν ἥπατι παχύτερον ἕλκοντα, κατεργάζεσθαί τε καὶ μεταβάλλειν
ἐπὶ τὸ χρηστότερον, οὐδὲν οὐδ’ ἐνταῦθα θαυμαστὸν,
ἕλκεσθαί τι κᾀκ τοῦ σπληνὸς εἰς ἕκαστον τῶν κοινωνούντων
αὐτῷ κατὰ τὰς φλέβας ὀργάνων, οἶον εἰς ἐπίπλοον,
καὶ μεσεντέριον, καὶ λεπτὸν 117 ἔντερον, καὶ
κῶλον, καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν γαστέρα· κατὰ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον
ἐξερεύγεσθαι μὲν εἰς τὴν γαστέρα τὸ περίττωμα καθ’ ἕτερον
χρόνον, αὐτὸν δ’ αὖθις ἐκ τῆς γαστρὸς ἕλκειν τι τῆς
οἰκείας τροφῆς ἐν ἑτέρῳ καιρῷ. καθόλου δ’ εἰπεῖν, ὃ καὶ
πρόσθεν ἤδη λέλεκται, πᾶν ἐκ παντὸς ἕλκειν τε καὶ πέμπειν
ἐγχωρεῖ κατὰ διαφέροντας χρόνους, ὁμοιοτάτου γιγνομένου
τοῦ συμβαίνοντος, ὡς εἰ καὶ ζῶα νοήσαις πολλὰ τροφὴν
ἄφθονον ἐν κοινῷ κατακειμένην, εἰς ὅσον βούλεται,
προσφερόμενα. καθ’ ὃν γὰρ ἤδη πέπαυται χρόνον ἕτερα,
κατὰ τοῦτον εἰκὸς ἐσθίειν ἕτερα, καὶ μέλλειν γε τὰ μὲν παύεσθαι, τὰ δ’ ἄρχεσθαι, καί τινα μὲν συνεσθίοντα, τὰ
δ’ ἀνὰ μέρος ἐσθίοντα, καὶ ναὶ μὰ Δία γε τὸ ἕτερον ἁρπάζειν
θατέρου πολλάκις, εἰ τὸ μὲν ἕτερον ἐπιδέοιτο, τῷ
δ’ ἀφθόνως παρακέοιτο. καὶ οὕτως οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν, οὔτ’
ἐκ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας εἴσω τι πάλιν ὑποστρέφειν, οὔτε
διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀγγείων ἐξ ἥπατός τε καὶ σπληνὸς εἰς κοιλίαν
ἀνενεχθῆναί τι, δι’ ὧν ἐκ ταύτης εἰς ἐκεῖνα πρότερον
ἀνηνέχθη. κατὰ μὲν γὰρ τὰς ἀρτηρίας ἱκανῶς ἐναργὲς τὸ
τοιοῦτο, ὥσπερ καὶ κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν τε καὶ τὸν θώρακα
καὶ τὸν πνεύμονα. τούτων γὰρ ἁπάντων διαστελλομένων τε
καὶ συστελλομένων ἐναλλὰξ, ἀναγκαῖον, ἐξ ὧν εἱλκύσθη τι
πρότερον, εἰς ταῦθ’ ὕστερον ἐκπέμπεσθαι. καὶ ταύτην ἄρα
τὴν ἀνάγκην ἡ φύσις προγινώσκουσα τοῖς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ
στόμασι τῶν ἀγγείων ὑμένας ἐπέφυσε, κωλύσοντας εἰς τοὐπίσω
φέρεσθαι τὰς ὕλας. ἀλλ’ ὅπως μὲν τοῦτο γίγνεται,
καὶ καθ’ ὅντινα τρόπον, ἐν τοῖς περὶ χρείας μορίων εἰρήσεται,
δεικνύντων ἡμῶν τά τ’ ἄλλα, καὶ ὡς ἀδύνατον
οὕτως ἀκριβῶς κλείεσθαι τὰ στόματα τῶν ἀγγείων, ὡς μηδὲν παλινδρομεῖν. εἰς μέν γε τὴν ἀρτηρίαν τὴν φλεβώδη,
74 καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτ’ ἐν ἐκείνοις δειχθήσεται, πολὺ πλέον
ἢ διὰ τῶν ἄλλων στομάτων εἰς τοὐπίσω πάλιν ἀναγκαῖον
ἐπανέρχεσθαι. τὸ δ’ εἰς τὰ παρόντα χρήσιμον, ὡς οὐκ ἐνδέχεταί
τι τῶν αἰσθητὴν καὶ μεγάλην ἐχόντων εὐρύτητα
μὴ οὐκ ἤτοι διαστελλόμενον μὲν ἕλκειν ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν
πλησίον, ἢ ἐκθλίβειν δ’ αὖθις εἰς ταῦτα συστελλόμενον,
ἔκ τε τῶν ἤδη προειρημένων ἐν τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ σαφὲς ἂν
εἴη, κᾀξ ὧν Ἐρασίστρατός τε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἑτέρωθι περὶ τῆς
πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίας ἐδείξαμεν.

Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ὡς ἐν ἑκάστῃ τῶν ἀρτηριῶν
ἐστί τις δύναμις ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἐπιῤῥέουσα, καθ’ ἣν
διαστέλλονταί τε καὶ συστέλλονται, δέδεικται δι’ ἑτέρων.
εἴπερ οὖν συνθείης ἄμφω, τό τε ταύτην εἶναι τὴν κίνησιν
αὐτῆς, τό τε πᾶν τὸ διαστελλόμενον ἕλκειν ἐκ τῶν πλησίον
εἰς ἑαυτὸ, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν σοι φανεῖται, τὰς ἀρτηρίας,
ὅσαι μὲν εἰς τὸ δέρμα περαίνουσιν αὐτῶν, ἐπισπᾶσθαι τὸν
ἔξωθεν ἀέρα διαστελλομένας· ὅσαι δὲ κατά τι πρὸς τὰς φλέβας ἀνεστόμωνται, τὸ λεπτότατον ἐν αὐταῖς καὶ ἀτμωδέστατον
ἐπισπᾶσθαι τοῦ αἵματος· ὅσαι δ’ ἐγγὺς τῆς καρδίας
εἰσὶν, ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐκείνης ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ὁλκήν. ἐν γὰρ
τῇ πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθία τὸ κουφότατόν τε καὶ
λεπτότατον ἕπεται πρότερον τοῦ βαρυτέρου τε καὶ παχυτέρου.
κουφότατον δ’ ἐστὶ καὶ λεπτότατον ἁπάντων τῶν
κατὰ σῶμα πρῶτον μὲν τὸ πνεῦμα, δεύτερον δ’ ὁ ἀτμὸς,
ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὲ τρίτον, ὅσον ἂν ἀκριβῶς ᾖ κατειργασμένον τε
καὶ λελεπτυσμένον αἷμα. ταῦτ’ οὖν εἰς ἑαυτὰς ἕλκουσιν αἱ
ἀρτηρίαι πανταχόθεν· αἱ μὲν εἰς τὸ δέρμα καθήκουσαι τὸν
ἔξωθεν ἀέρα· πλησίον τε γὰρ αὐταῖς οὗτός ἐστιν, ἐν τοῖς
μάλιστά τε κουφότατος· τῶν δ’ ἄλλων ἡ μὲν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον
ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἀνιοῦσα καὶ ἡ κατὰ ῥάχιν, ἤδη δὲ
καὶ ὅσαι τούτων ἐγγὺς, ἐξ αὐτῆς μάλιστα τῆς καρδίας. ὅσαι
δὲ καὶ τῆς καρδίας ποῤῥωτέρω καὶ τοῦ δέρματος, ἕλκειν
ταύταις ἀναγκαῖον ἐκ τῶν φλεβῶν τὸ κουφότατον τοῦ αἵματος·
ὥστε καὶ τῶν εἰς τὴν γαστέρα τε καὶ τὰ ἔντερα
καθηκουσῶν ἀρτηριῶν, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπὶ ῥάχει πεφυκυίας, ἁπασῶν
τὴν ὁλκὴν ἐν τῷ διαστέλλεσθαι γίνεσθαι παρά τε τῆς καρδίας αὐτῆς καὶ τῶν παρακειμένων αὐτῇ φλεβῶν παμπόλλων
οὐσῶν. οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἔκ γε τῶν ἐντέρων καὶ τῆς κοιλίας,
τροφὴν οὕτω παχεῖάν τε καὶ βαρεῖαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἐχόντων,
δύνανταί τι μεταλαμβάνειν, ὅ τι καὶ ἄξιον λόγου,
φθάνουσαι πληροῦσθαι τοῖς κουφοτέροις. οὐδὲ γὰρ, εἰ καθιεὶς
αὐλίσκον εἰς ἀγγεῖον ὕδατός τε καὶ ψάμμου πλῆρες
ἐπισπάσαιο τῷ στόματι τὸν ἐκ τοῦ ἀγγείου ἀέρα, δύναιτ’
ἂν ἀκολουθῆσαί σοι πρὸ τοῦ ὕδατος ψάμμος. ἀεὶ γὰρ ἐν
τῇ πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίᾳ τὸ κουφότερον ἕπεται
πρότερον. οὔκουν χρὴ θαυμάζειν, εἰ παντελῶς ὀλίγον ἐκ
τῆς κοιλίας, ὅσον ἂν ἀκριβῶς ᾖ κατειργασμένον, εἰς τὰς
ἀρτηρίας παραγίνεται, φθανούσας πληροῦσθαι τῶν
κουφοτέρων.

75 Ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνο γινώσκειν, ὡς δύο εἰσὶν
ὁλκῆς εἴδη, τὸ μὲν τῇ πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίᾳ, τὸ δ’
οἰκειότητι ποιότητος γιγνόμενον· ἑτέρως μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὰς
φύσας ὁ ἀὴρ, ἑτέρως δ’ ὁ σίδηρος ὑπὸ τῆς ἡρακλείας ἐπισπᾶται
λίθου· καὶ ὡς ἡ μὲν πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθία τὸ κουφότερον ἕλκει πρότερον, ἡ δὲ κατὰ τὴν τῆς ποιότητος
οἰκειότητα πολλάκις, εἰ οὕτως ἔτυχε, τὸ βαρύτερον,
ἂν τῇ φύσει συγγενέστερον ὑπάρχῃ. καὶ τοίνυν καὶ ταῖς
ἀρτηρίαις τε καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὡς μὲν κοίλοις τε καὶ διαστέλλεσθαι
δυναμένοις ὀργάνοις, ἀεὶ τὸ κουφότερον ἀκολουθεῖ
πρότερον, ὡς δὲ καὶ τρέφεσθαι δεομένοις, εἰς αὐτοὺς τοὺς
χιτῶνας, οἳ δὴ τὰ σώματα τῶν ὀργάνων εἰσὶν, ἕλκεται τὸ
οἰκεῖον. ὅσον οὖν ἂν εἰς τὴν κοιλότητα διαστελλομένων
αὐτῶν αἵματος μεταληφθῇ, τοῦθ’, ὡς οἰκειότατόν τε καὶ
μάλιστα τρέφειν δυνάμενον, οἱ χιτῶνες αὐτοὶ τῶν ἀγγείων
ἐπισπῶνται. τοῦ δ’ ἐκ τῶν φλεβῶν εῖς τὰς ἀρτηρίας μεταλαμβάνεσθαί
τι πρὸς τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἱκανὸν καὶ τό γε
τεκμήριον. εἰ πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας ἀρτηρίας διατεμὼν
ἀποκτεῖναι δι’ ἐκείνων βουληθείης τὸ ζῶον, εὑρήσεις αὐτοῦ
τὰς φλέβας ὁμοίως ταῖς ἀρτηρίαις ἐκκενουμένας, οὐκ ἂν
τούτου ποτὲ γενομένου χωρὶς τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλας αὐταῖς
ἀναστομώσεων. ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ κατ’ αὐτὴν τὴν καρδίαν
ἐκ τῆς δεξιᾶς κοιλίας εἰς τὴν ἀριστερὰν ἕλκεται τὸ λεπτότατον, ἔχοντός τινα τρήματα τοῦ μέσου διαφράγματος αὐτῶν,
ἃ μέχρι μὲν πλείστου δυνατὸν ἰδεῖν οἷον βοθύνους
τινὰς ἐξ εὐρυτάτου στόματος ἀεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον εἰς στενώτερον
προϊόντας. οὐ μὴν αὐτά γε τὰ ἔσχατα πέρατα δυνατὸν ἔτι
θεάσασθαι διά τε σμικρότητα, καὶ ὅτι, τεθνεῶτος ἤδη τοῦ
ζώου, κατέψυκταί τε καὶ πεπύκνωται πάντα. ἀλλ’ ὁ λόγος
κᾀνταῦθα πρῶτον μὲν ἐκ τοῦ μηδὲν ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως γίγνεσθαι
μάτην ὁρμώμενος ἐξευρίσκει τὰς ἀναστομώσεις ταύτας
τῶν κοιλιῶν τῆς καρδίας· οὐ γὰρ δὴ εἰκῇ γε καὶ ὡς
ἔτυχεν οἱ εἰς στενὸν οὕτω τελευτῶντες ἐγένοντο βόθυνοι·
δεύτερον δὲ κᾀκ τοῦ, δυοῖν ὄντοιν στομάτοιν ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ
τῆς καρδίας κοιλίᾳ, τοῦ μὲν εἰσάγοντος τὸ αἷμα πολλῷ μείζονος,
τοῦ δ’ ἐξάγοντος ἥττονος, πολλῷ μεῖζον εἶναι τὸ τοῦ
εἰσάγοντος. ὡς γὰρ οὐ παντὸς τοῦ αἵματος, ὅσον ἡ κοίλη
φλὲψ δίδωσι τῇ καρδίᾳ, πάλιν ἐξ ἐκείνης ἐκπεμπομένου
τῷ πνεύμονι, μείζων ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς κοίλης εἰς αὐτὴν ἔμφυσις
τῆς ἐμφυομένης εἰς τὸν πνεύ 118 μονα φλεβός. οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτ’ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ὡς ἐδαπανήθη τι τοῦ αἵματος εἰς
τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ σώματος τῆς καρδίας θρέψιν. ἑτέρα γάρ
ἐστι φλέψ ἡ εἰς ἐκεῖνο κατασχιζομένη, μήτε τὴν γένεσιν ἐκ
τῆς καρδίας αὐτῆς, μήτε τὴν τοῦ αἵματος ἔχουσα μετάληψιν.
εἰ δὲ καὶ δαπανᾶταί τι, ἀλλ’ οὐ τοσοῦτον μείων
ἐστὶν ἡ εἰς τὸν πνεύμονα φλὲψ ἄγουσα τῆς εἰς τὴν καρδίαν
ἐμφυομένης, ὅσον εἰκὸς εἰς τροφὴν ἀνηλῶσθαι τῆς καρδίας,
ἀλλὰ πλέονι πολλῷ. δῆλον οὖν, ὡς εἰς τὴν ἀριστερὰν
μεταλαμβάνεται κοιλίαν. καὶ γὰρ δὴ καὶ τῶν κατ’ ἐκείνην
ἀγγείων δυοῖν ὄντων, ἔλαττόν ἐστι πολλῷ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πνεύμονος
εἰς αὐτὴν εἰσάγον τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἐκφυομένης ἀρτηρίας
τῆς μεγάλης, ἀφ’ ἧς αἱ κατὰ τὸ σῶμα σύμπασαι πεφύκασιν,
ὡς ἂν μὴ μόνον ἐκ τοῦ πνεύμονος πνεῦμα μεταλαμβανούσης
αὐτῆς, ἀλλὰ κᾀκ τῆς δεξιᾶς κοιλίας αἷμα διὰ τῶν
εἰρημένων ἀναστομώσεων. 76 ὅτι δ’ ἄμεινον ἦν τοῖς τοῦ
σώματος μορίοις, τοῖς μὲν ὑπὸ καθαροῦ καὶ λεπτοῦ καὶ
ἀτμώδους αἵματος τρέφεσθαι, τοῖς δ’ ὑπὸ παχέος καὶ θολεροῦ,
καὶ ὡς οὐδ’ ἐνταῦθά τι παρεώραται τῇ φύσει, τῆς περὶ χρείας μορίων πραγματείας ἐστίν. ὥστ’ οὐ χρὴ νῦν
περὶ τούτων ἔτι λέγειν, ἀλλ’ ὑπομνήσαντας, ὡς δύο ἐστὶν
ὁλκῆς εἴδη, τῶν μὲν εὐρείαις ὁδοῖς ἐν τῷ διαστέλλεσθαι
τῇ πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίᾳ ποιουμένων τὴν ἕλξιν,
τῶν δ’ οἰκειότητι ποιότητος, ἐφεξῆς λέγειν, ὡς τὰ μὲν
πρότερα καὶ πόῤῥωθεν ἕλκειν τι δύναται, τὰ δὲ δεύτερα
ἐκ τῶν ἐγγυτάτω μόνον. αὐλίσκον μὲν γὰρ ὅτι μήκιστον
εἰς ὕδωρ ἔνεστι καθέντι ῥᾳδίως ἀνασπᾷν εἰς τὸ στόμα δι’
αὐτοῦ τὸ ὑγρόν· οὐ μὴν εἴ γ’ ἐπὶ πλέον ἀπαγάγοις τῆς
ἡρακλείας λίθου τὸν σίδηρον, ἢ τοὺς πυροὺς τοῦ κεραμίου,
καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοιοῦτόν τι πρόσθεν ἐλέγετο παράδειγμα, δύναιτ’
ἂν ἔτι γενέσθαι τις ὁλκή. σαφέστατα δ’ ἂν αὐτὸ
μάθοις ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς κήποις ὀχετῶν. ἐκ τούτων γὰρ εἰς
μὲν τὰ παρακείμενα καὶ πλησίον ἅπαντα διαδίδοταί τις
ἰκμὰς, εἰς δὲ τὰ ποῤῥωτέρω προσελθεῖν οὐκέτι δύναται·
καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀναγκάζονται πολλοῖς ὀχετοῖς μικροῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ
μεγάλου τετμημένοις εἰς ἕκαστον μέρος τοῦ κήπου τὴν
ἐπίῤῥυσιν τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι· καὶ τηλικαῦτά γε τὰ μεταξὺ διαστήματα τούτων τῶν μικρῶν ὀχετῶν ποιοῦσιν,
ἡλίκα μάλιστα νομίζουσιν ἀρκεῖν εἰς τὸ ἱκανῶς ἀπολαύειν
ἕλκοντα τῆς ἑκατέρωθεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιῤῥεούσης ὑγρότητος. οὕτως
οὖν ἔχει κᾀν τοῖς τῶν ζώων σώμασιν. ὀχετοὶ πολλοὶ
κατὰ πάντα τὰ μέρη διεσπαρμένοι παράγουσιν αὐτοῖς αἷμα,
καθάπερ ἐν κηπίῳ ὑδρείαν τινά. καὶ τούτων τῶν ὀχετῶν
τὰ μεταξὺ διαστήματα θαυμαστῶς ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως εὐθὺς
ἐξ ἀρχῆς διατέτακται πρὸς τὸ μήτ’ ἐνδεῶς χορηγεῖσθαι τοῖς
μεταξὺ μορίοις ἕλκουσιν εἰς ἑαυτὰ τὸ αἷμα, μήτε κατακλύζεσθαί
ποτ’ αὐτὰ πλήθει περιττῆς ὑγρότητος ἀκαίρως ἐπιῤῥεούσης.
ὁ γὰρ δὴ τρόπος τῆς θρέψεως αὐτῶν τοιόσδ’
ἐστί. τοῦ συνεχοῦς ἑαυτῷ σώματος, οἷόν περ τὸ ἁπλοῦν
ἀγγεῖον Ἐρασίστρατος ὑποτίθεται, τὰ μὲν ἐπιπολῆς μέρη
πρῶτα τῆς ὁμιλούσης ἀπολαύει τροφῆς· ἐκ τούτων δ’ αὖ
μεταλαμβάνει κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ἕλκοντα τὰ τούτων ἑξῆς,
εἶτ’ ἐξ ἐκείνων αὖθις ἕτερα. καὶ τοῦτ’ οὐ παύεται γιγνόμενον,
ἄχρις ἂν εἰς ἅπαντ’ αὐτοῦ διαδοθῇ τὰ μόρια τῆς
τρεφούσης οὐσίας ἡ ποιότης. ὅσα δὲ τῶν μορίων ἐπὶ πλέον ἀλλοιουμένου δεῖται τοῦ μέλλοντος αὐτὰ θρέψειν χυμοῦ,
τούτοις ὥσπερ τι ταμεῖον ἡ φύσις παρεσκεύασεν, ἤτοι κοιλίας,
ἢ σήραγγας, ἤ τι ταῖς σήραγξιν ἀνάλογον. αἱ μὲν
οὖν σάρκες, αἵ τε τῶν σπλάγχνων ἁπάντων, αἵ τε τῶν
μυῶν, ἐξ αἵματος αὐτοῦ τρέφονται, βραχεῖαν ἀλλοίωσιν
δεξαμένου. τὰ δ’ ὀστᾶ παμπόλλης ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ δεῖται
τῆς μεταβολῆς, ἵνα τραφῇ, καὶ ἔστιν, οἷόν περ τὸ αἷμα
ταῖς σαρξὶ, τοιοῦτον ὁ μυελὸς τοῖς ὀστοῖς, ἐν μὲν τοῖς μικροῖς
τε καὶ ἀκοιλίοις κατὰ τὰς σήραγγας αὐτῶν διεσπαρμένος,
ἐν δὲ τοῖς μείζοσί τε καὶ κοιλίας ἔχουσιν ἐν ἐκείναις
ἠθροισμένος. ὡς γὰρ καὶ διὰ τοῦ πρώτου γράμματος
ἐδείκνυτο, τοῖς μὲν ὁμοίαν ἔχουσι τὴν οὐσίαν εἰς ἄλληλα
μεταβάλλειν ἐγχωρεῖ· τοῖς δὲ πάμπολυ διεστῶσιν ἀμήχανον
ἀλλήλοις ὁμοιωθῆναι χωρὶς τῶν ἐν μέσῳ μεταβολῶν.
τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ τοῖς χόνδροις ἐστὶ τὸ περικεχυμένον μυξῶδες,
καὶ τοῖς συνδέσμοις, καὶ τοῖς ὑμέσι, καὶ τοῖς νεύροις
τὸ παρεσπαρμένον ἐν αὐτοῖς ὑγρὸν γλίσχρον. ἕκαστον γὰρ τούτων ἐξ ἰνῶν σύγκειται πολλῶν, αἵπερ ὁμοιομερεῖς τέ
εἰσι καὶ ὄντως αἰσθητὰ στοιχεῖα. 77 κατὰ δὲ τὰς μεταξὺ
χώρας αὐτῶν ὁ οἰκειότατος εἰς θρέψιν παρέσπαρται
χυμὸς, ὃν εἵλκυσαν μὲν ἐκ τῶν φλεβῶν τοῦ αἵματος, ὅσον
οἷόν τ’ ἦν, ἐκλεξάμενα τὸ ὁμοιότατον, ἐξομοιοῦσι δὲ κατὰ
βραχὺ καὶ μεταβάλλουσιν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν οὐσίαν. ἅπαντα
οὖν ταῦτα καὶ ἀλλήλοις ὁμολογεῖ, καὶ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἀποδεδειγμένοις
ἱκανῶς μαρτυρεῖ. καὶ οὐ χρὴ μηκύνειν ἔτι τὸν
λόγον· ἐκ γὰρ τῶν εἰρημένων ἔνεστιν ἑκάστῳ τὰ κατὰ
μέρος ἅπαντα καθ’ ὅν τινα γίνεται τρόπον ἐξευρίσκειν
ἑτοίμως. ὥσπερ καὶ νὴ Δία πολλοῖς κωθωνιζομένοις πάμπολυ
τάχιστα μὲν ἀναδίδοται τὸ ποθὲν, οὐρεῖται δ’ ὀλίγου
δεῖν ἅπαν ἐντὸς οὐ πολλοῦ χρόνου. καὶ γὰρ κᾀνταῦθα
τῇ τε τῆς ποιότητος οἰκειότητι, καὶ τῇ τῆς ὑγρότητος
λεπτότητι, καὶ τῇ τῶν ἀγγείων τε καὶ τῶν κατ’ αὐτὰ
στομάτων εὐρύτητι, καὶ τῇ τῆς ἑλκτικῆς δυνάμεως εὐρωστίᾳ,
τὸ τάχος συντελεῖται τῆς ἀναδόσεως, τῶν μὲν πλησίον
τῆς κοιλίας τεταγμένων μορίων οἰκειότητι ποιότητος ἑαυτῶν ἕνεκα ἑλκόντων τὸ πόμα, τῶν δ’ ἑξῆς τούτοις
ἐξαρπαζόντων καὶ αὐτῶν εἰς ἑαυτὰ, κᾄπειτα τῶν ἐφεξῆς
πάλιν ἐκ τούτων μεταλαμβανόντων, ἄχρις ἂν εἰς τὴν κοίλην
ἀφίκηται φλέβα, τοὐντεῦθεν δ’ ἤδη τῶν νεφρῶν τὸ οἰκεῖον
ἐπισπωμένων. ὥστ’ οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν, οἶνον μὲν ὕδατος
ἀναλαμβάνεσθαι θᾶττον οἰκειότητι ποιότητος, αὐτῶν
δὲ τῶν οἴνων τὸν μὲν λευκὸν καὶ καθαρὸν ἑτοίμως ἀναδίδοσθαι
διὰ λεπτότητα, τὸν δ’ αὖ μέλανα καὶ θολερὸν
ἴσχεσθαί τε κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ βραδύνειν ὑπὸ πάχους. εἴη
δ’ ἂν ταῦτα καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀρτηριῶν ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένων
οὐ σμικρὰ μαρτύρια. πανταχοῦ γὰρ ὅσον οἰκεῖόν τε
καὶ λεπτὸν αἷμα τοῦ μὴ τοιούτου ῥᾷον ἕπεται τοῖς ἕλκουσιν.
ἀτμὸν μὲν οὖν ἔχουσαι καὶ πνεῦμα καὶ λεπτὸν αἷμα
κατὰ τὰς διαστάσεις ἕλκειν αἱ ἀρτηρίαι τὸν κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν
καὶ τὰ ἔντερα περιεχόμενον χυμὸν ἢ οὐδ’ ὅλως ἢ
παντάπασι συνεπισπῶνται βραχύν.

Περί φυσικῶν δυνάμεων Perseus (Galen. On the Natural Faculties. Brock, Arthur John, editor. London: William Heinemann Ltd.; Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press, 1916.) — 3 focus

Γ

[1] k.v.2.p.143 Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἡ θρέψις ἀλλοιουμένου τε καὶ ὁμοιουμένου γίγνεται τοῦ τρέφοντος τῷ τρεφομένῳ καὶ ὡς ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν τοῦ ζῴου μορίων ἐστί τις δύναμις, ἣν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνεργείας ἀλλοιωτικὴν μὲν κατὰ γένος, ὁμοιωτικὴν δὲ καὶ θρεπτικὴν κατʼ εἶδος ὀνομάζομεν, ἐν τῷ πρόσθεν δεδήλωται λόγῳ. τὴν δʼ εὐπορίαν τῆς ὕλης, ἣν τροφὴν ἑαυτῷ ποιεῖται τὸ τρεφόμενον, ἐξ ἑτέρας τινὸς ἔχειν ἐδείκνυτο δυνάμεως ἐπισπᾶσθαι πεφυκυίας τὸν οἰκεῖον χυμόν, εἶναι δʼ οἰκεῖον k.v.2.p.144 ἑκάστῳ τῶν μορίων χυμόν, ὃς ἂν ἐπιτήδειος εἰς τὴν ἐξομοίωσιν ᾖ, καὶ τὴν ἕλκουσαν αὐτὸν δύναμιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνεργείας ἑλκτικήν τέ τινα καὶ ἐπισπαστικὴν ὀνομάζεσθαι. δέδεικται δὲ καί, ὡς πρὸ μὲν τῆς ὁμοιώσεως ἡ πρόσφυσίς ἐστιν, ἐκείνης δʼ ἔμπροσθεν ἡ πρόσθεσις γίγνεται, τέλος, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, οὖσα τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἐπισπαστικὴν δύναμιν ἐνεργείας. αὐτὸ μὲν γὰρ τὸ παράγεσθαι τὴν τροφὴν ἐκ τῶν φλεβῶν εἰς ἕκαστον τῶν μορίων τῆς ἑλκτικῆς ἐνεργούσης γίγνεται δυνάμεως, τὸ δʼ ἤδη παρῆχθαί τε καὶ προστίθεσθαι τῷ μορίῳ τὸ τέλος ἐστὶν αὐτό, διʼ ὃ καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης ἐνεργείας ἐδεήθημεν· ἵνα γὰρ προστεθῇ, διὰ τοῦθʼ ἕλκεται. χρόνου δʼ ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη πλείονος εἰς τὴν θρέψιν τοῦ ζῴου δεῖ· ἑλχθῆναι μὲν γὰρ καὶ διὰ ταχέων τι δύναται, προσφῦναι δὲ καὶ ἀλλοιωθῆναι καὶ τελέως ὁμοιωθῆναι τῷ τρεφομένῳ καὶ μέρος αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι παραχρῆμα μὲν οὐχ οἷόν τε, χρόνῳ δʼ ἂν πλείονι συμβαίνοι καλῶς. ἀλλʼ εἰ μὴ μένοι κατὰ τὸ μέρος ὁ προστεθεὶς οὗτος χυμός, εἰς ἕτερον δέ τι μεθίσταιτο καὶ παραρρέοι διὰ παντὸς ἀμείβων τε καὶ k.v.2.p.145 ὑπαλλάττων τὰ χωρία, κατʼ οὐδὲν αὐτῶν οὔτε πρόσφυσις οὔτʼ ἐξομοίωσις ἔσται. δεῖ δὲ κἀνταῦθά τινος τῇ φύσει δυνάμεως ἑτέρας εἰς πολυχρόνιον μονὴν τοῦ προστεθέντος τῷ μορίῳ χυμοῦ καὶ ταύτης οὐκ ἔξωθέν ποθεν ἐπιρρεούσης ἀλλʼ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ θρεψομένῳ κατῳκισμένης, ἣν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνεργείας πάλιν οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν ἠναγκάσθησαν ὀνομάσαι καθεκτικήν.

ὁ μὲν δὴ λόγος ἤδη σαφῶς ἐνεδείξατο τὴν ἀνάγκην τῆς γενέσεως τῆς τοιαύτης δυνάμεως καὶ ὅστις ἀκολουθίας σύνεσιν ἔχει, πέπεισται βεβαίως ἐξ ὧν εἴπομεν, ὡς ὑποκειμένου τε καὶ προαποδεδειγμένου τοῦ τεχνικὴν εἶναι τὴν φύσιν καὶ τοῦ ζῴου κηδεμονικὴν ἀναγκαῖον ὑπάρχειν αὐτῇ καὶ τὴν τοιαύτην δύναμιν.

[2] ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς οὐ τούτῳ μόνῳ τῷ γένει τῆς ἀποδείξεως εἰθισμένοι χρῆσθαι, προστιθέντες δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ τὰς ἐκ τῶν ἐναργῶς φαινομένων ἀναγκαζούσας τε καὶ βιαζομένας πίστεις ἐπὶ τὰς τοιαύτας καὶ νῦν ἀφιξόμεθα καὶ δείξομεν ἐπὶ μέν τινων μορίων τοῦ σώματος οὕτως ἐναργῆ τὴν καθεκτικὴν k.v.2.p.146 δύναμιν, ὡς αὐταῖς ταῖς αἰσθήσεσι διαγιγνώσκεσθαι τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτῆς, ἐπὶ δέ τινων ἧττον μὲν ἐναργῶς ταῖς αἰσθήσεσι, λόγῳ δὲ κἀνταῦθα φωραθῆναι δυναμένην.

Ἀρξώμεθʼ οὖν τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ τέως πρῶτον μεθόδῳ τινὶ προχειρίσασθαι μόριʼ ἄττα τοῦ σώματος, ἐφʼ ὧν ἀκριβῶς ἔστι βασανίσαι τε καὶ ζητῆσαι τὴν καθεκτικὴν δύναμιν ὁποία ποτʼ ἐστίν.

ἆρʼ οὖν ἄμεινον ἄν τις ἑτέρωθεν ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν μεγίστων τε καὶ κοιλοτάτων ὀργάνων ὑπάρξαιτο τῆς ζητήσεως; ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἂν δοκεῖ βέλτιον. ἐναργεῖς γοῦν εἰκὸς ἐπὶ τούτων φανῆναι τὰς ἐνεργείας διὰ τὸ μέγεθος· ὡς τά γε σμικρὰ τάχʼ ἄν, εἰ καὶ σφοδρὰν ἔχει τὴν τοιαύτην δύναμιν, ἀλλʼ οὐκ αἰσθήσει γʼ ἑτοίμην διαγιγνώσκεσθαι τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτῆς.

ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα κοιλότατα καὶ μέγιστα τῶν τοῦ ζῴου μορίων ἥ τε γαστὴρ καὶ αἱ μῆτραί τε καὶ ὑστέραι καλούμεναι. τί οὖν κωλύει ταῦτα πρῶτα προχειρισαμένους ἐπισκέψασθαι τὰς ἐνεργείας αὐτῶν, ὅσαι μὲν καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀνατομῆς δῆλαι, τὴν ἐξέτασιν ἐφʼ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ποιουμένους, ὅσαι δʼ ἀμυδρότεραι, τὰ παραπλήσια διαιροῦντας k.v.2.p.147 ἀνθ ρώπῳ ζῷα, οὐχ ὡς οὐκ ἂν ἱκανῶς τό γε καθόλου περὶ τῆς ζητουμένης δυνάμεως καὶ τῶν ἀνομοίων ἐνδειξομένων, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἵνʼ ἅμα τῷ κοινῷ καὶ τὸ ἴδιον ἐφʼ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐγνωκότες εἴς τε τὰς διαγνώσεις τῶν νοσημάτων καὶ τὰς ἰάσεις εὐπορώτεροι γιγνώμεθα.

περὶ μὲν οὖν ἀμφοτέρων τῶν ὀργάνων ἅμα λέγειν ἀδύνατον, ἐν μέρει δʼ ὑπὲρ ἑκατέρου ποιησόμεθα τὸν λόγον ἀπὸ τοῦ σαφέστερον ἐνδείξασθαι δυναμένου τὴν καθεκτικὴν δύναμιν ἀρξάμενοι. κατέχει μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ τὰ σιτία, μέχρι περ ἂν ἐκπέψῃ, κατέχουσι δὲ καὶ αἱ μῆτραι τὸ ἔμβρυον, ἔστʼ ἂν τελειώσωσιν· ἀλλὰ πολλαπλάσιός ἐστιν ὁ τῆς τῶν ἐμβρύων τελειώσεως χρόνος τῆς τῶν σιτίων πέψεως.

[3] εἰκὸς οὖν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν ἐναργέστερον ἐν ταῖς μήτραις φωράσειν ἡμᾶς τὴν καθεκτικήν, ὅσῳ καὶ πολυχρονιωτέραν τῆς γαστρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν κέκτηται. μησὶ γὰρ ἐννέα που ταῖς πλείσταις τῶν γυναικῶν ἐν αὐταῖς τελειοῦται τὰ κυήματα, μεμυκυίαις μὲν ἅπαντι τῷ αὐχένι, περιεχούσαις δὲ πανταχόθεν αὐτὰ σὺν τῷ χορίῳ. k.v.2.p.148 καὶ πέρας γε τῆς τοῦ στόματος μύσεως καὶ τῆς τοῦ κυουμένου κατὰ τὰς μήτρας μονῆς ἡ χρεία τῆς ἐνεργείας ἐστίν· οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἔτυχεν οὐδʼ ἀλόγως ἱκανὰς περιστέλλεσθαι καὶ κατέχειν τὸ ἔμβρυον ἡ φύσις ἀπείργασατο τὰς ὑστέρας, ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ εἰς τὸ πρέπον ἀφίκηται μέγεθος τὸ κυούμενον. ὅταν οὖν, οὗ χάριν ἐνήργουν τῇ καθεκτ́ικῇ δυνάμει, συμπεπληρωμένον ᾖ, ταύτην μὲν ἀνέπαυσάν τε καὶ εἰς ἠρεμίαν ἐπανήγαγον, ἀντʼ αὐτῆς δʼ ἑτέρᾳ χρῶνται τῆς τέως ἡσυχαζούσῃ, τῇ προωστικῇ. ἦν δʼ ἄρα καὶ τῆς ἐκείνης ἡσυχίας ὅρος ἡ χρεία καὶ τῆς γʼ ἐνεργείας ὡσαύτως ἡ χρεία· καλούσης μὲν γὰρ αὐτῆς ἐνεργεῖ, μὴ καλούσης δʼ ἡσυχάζει.

καὶ χρὴ πάλιν κἀνταῦθα καταμαθεῖν τῆς φύσεως τὴν τέχνην, ὡς οὐ μόνον ἐνεργειῶν χρησίμων δυνάμεις ἐνέθηκεν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὀργάνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ τῶν ἡσυχιῶν τε καὶ κινήσεων καιροῦ προὐνοήσατο. καλῶς μὲν γὰρ ἁπάντων γιγνομένων τῶν κατὰ τὴν κύησιν ἡ ἀποκριτικὴ δύναμις ἡσυχάζει τελέως ὥσπερ οὐκ οὖσα, κακοπραγίας δέ τινος γενομένης ἢ περὶ τὸ χορίον ἢ k.v.2.p.149 περί τινα τῶν ἄλλων ὑμένων ἢ περὶ τὸ κυούμενον αὐτὸ καὶ τῆς τελειώσεως αὐτοῦ παντάπασιν ἀπογνωσθείσης οὐκέτʼ ἀναμένουσι τὸν ἐννεάμηνον αἱ μῆτραι χρόνον, ἀλλʼ ἡ μὲν καθεκτικὴ δύναμις αὐτίκα δὴ πέπαυται καὶ παραχωρεῖ κινεῖσθαι τῇ πρότερον ἀργούσῃ, πράττει δʼ ἤδη τι καὶ πραγματεύεται χρηστὸν ἡ ἀποκριτική τε καὶ προωστική· καὶ γὰρ οὖν καὶ ταύτην οὕτως ἐκάλεσαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν αὐτῇ τὰ ὀνόματα θέμενοι καθάπερ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις.

καί πως ὁ λόγος ἔοικεν ὑπὲρ ἀμφοτέρων ἀποδείξειν ἅμα· καὶ γάρ τοι καὶ διαδεχομένας αὐτὰς ἀλλήλας καὶ παραχωροῦσαν ἀεὶ τὴν ἑτέραν τῇ λοιπῇ, καθότι ἂν ἡ χρεία κελεύῃ, καὶ τὴν διδασκαλίαν κοινὴν οὐκ ἀπεικός ἐστι δέχεσθαι. τῆς μὲν οὖν καθεκτικῆς δυνάμεως ἔργον περιστεῖλαι τὰς μήτρας τῷ κυουμένῳ πανταχόθεν, ὥστʼ εὐλόγως ἁπτομέναις μὲν ταῖς μαιευτρίαις τὸ στόμα μεμυκὸς αὐτῶν φαίνεται, ταῖς κυούσαις δʼ αὐταῖς κατὰ τὰς πρώτας ἡμέρας καὶ μάλιστα κατʼ αὐτὴν ἐκείνην, ἐν ᾗπερ ἂν ἡ τῆς γονῆς σύλληψις γένηται, κινουμένων τε καὶ k.v.2.p.150 συντρεχουσῶν εἰς ἑαυτὰς τῶν ὑστερῶν αἴσθησις γίγνεται καὶ ἢν ἄμφω ταῦτα συμβῇ, μῦσαι μὲν τὸ στόμα χωρὶς φλεγμονῆς ἤ τινος ἄλλου παθήματος, αἴσθησιν δὲ τῆς κατὰ τὰς μήτρας κινήσεως ἀκολουθῆσαι, πρὸς αὑτὰς ἤδη τὸ σπέρμα τὸ παρὰ τἀνδρὸς εἰληφέναι τε καὶ κατέχειν αἱ γυναῖκες νομίζουσι.

ταῦτα δʼ οὐχ ἡμεῖς νῦν ἀναπλάττομεν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς, ἀλλʼ ἐκ μακρᾶς πείρας δοκιμασθέντα πᾶσι γέγραπται σχεδόν τι τοῖς περὶ τούτων πραγματευσαμένοις. Ἡρόφιλος μέν γε καὶ ὡς οὐδὲ πυρῆνα μήλης ἂν δέχοιτο τῶν μητρῶν τὸ στόμα, πρὶν ἀποκυεῖν τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ ὡς οὐδὲ τοὐλάχιστον ἔτι διέστηκεν, ἢν ὑπάρξηται κύειν, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ πλέον ἀναστομοῦνται κατὰ τὰς τῶν ἐπιμηνίων φοράς, οὐκ ὤκνησε γράφειν· συνομολογοῦσι δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες οἱ περὶ τούτων πραγματευσάμενοι καὶ πρῶτός γʼ ἁπάντων ἰατρῶν τε καὶ φιλοσόφων Ἱπποκράτης ἀπεφήνατο μύειν τὸ στόμα τῶν ὑστερῶν ἔν τε ταῖς κυήσεσι καὶ ταῖς φλεγμοναῖς, ἀλλʼ ἐν μὲν ταῖς κυήσεσιν οὐκ ἐξιστάμενον τῆς φύσεως, ἐν δὲ ταῖς φλεγμοναῖς σκληρὸν γιγνόμενον.

ἐπὶ δέ γε τῆς ἐναντίας τῆς ἐκκριτικῆς ἀνοίγνυται μὲν τὸ στόμα, προέρχεται δʼ ὁ πυθμὴν k.v.2.p.151 ἅπας ὅσον οἷόν τʼ ἐγγυτάτω τοῦ στόματος ἀπωθούμενος ἔξω τὸ ἔμβρυον, ἅμα δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ συνεχῆ μέρη τὰ οἷον πλευρὰ τοῦ παντὸς ὀργάνου συνεπιλαμβανόμενα τοῦ ἔργου θλίβει τε καὶ προωθεῖ πᾶν ἔξω τὸ ἔμβρυον. καὶ πολλαῖς τῶν γυναικῶν ὠδῖνες βίαιοι τὰς μήτρας ὅλας ἐκπεσεῖν ἠνάγκασαν ἀμέτρως χρησαμέναις τῇ τοιαύτῃ δυνάμει, παραπλησίου τινὸς γιγνομένου τῷ πολλάκις ἐν πάλαις τισὶ καὶ φιλονεικίαις συμβαίνοντι, ὅταν ἀνατρέψαι τε καὶ καταβαλεῖν ἑτέρους σπεύδοντες αὐτοὶ συγκαταπέσωμεν. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ αἱ μῆτραι τὸ ἔμβρυον ὠθοῦσαι συνεξέπεσον ἐνίοτε καὶ μάλισθʼ, ὅταν οἱ πρὸς τὴν Ῥάχιν αὐτῶν σύνδεσμοι χαλαροὶ φύσει τυγχάνωσιν ὄντες.

ἔστι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο θαυμαστόν τι τῆς φύσεως σόφισμα, τὸ ζῶντος μὲν τοῦ κυήματος ἀκριβῶς πάνυ μεμυκέναι τὸ στόμα τῶν μητρῶν, ἀποθανόντος δὲ παραχρῆμα διανοίγεσθαι τοσοῦτον, ὅσον εἰς τὴν ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ διαφέρει. καὶ μέντοι καὶ αἱ μαῖαι τὰς τικτούσας οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀνιστᾶσιν οὐδʼ ἐπὶ τὸν δίφρον καθίζουσιν, ἀλλʼ ἅπτονται k.v.2.p.152 πρότερον ἀνοιγομένου τοῦ στόματος κατὰ βραχὺ καὶ πρῶτον μέν, ὥστε τὸν μικρὸν δάκτυλον καθιέναι, διεστηκέναι φασίν, ἔπειτʼ ἤδη καὶ μεῖζον καὶ κατὰ βραχὺ δὴ πυνθανομένοις ἡμῖν ἀποκρίνονται τὸ μέγεθος τῆς διαστάσεως ἐπαυξανόμενον. ὅταν δʼ ἱκανὸν ᾖ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ κυουμένου δίοδον, ἀνιστᾶσιν αὐτὰς καὶ καθίζουσι καὶ προθυμεῖσθαι κελεύουσιν ἀπώσασθαι τὸ παιδίον. ἔστι δʼ ἤδη τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον, ὃ παρʼ ἑαυτῶν αἱ κύουσαι προστιθέασιν, οὐκέτι τῶν ὑστερῶν, ἀλλὰ τῶν κατʼ ἐπιγάστριον μυῶν, οἳ πρὸς τὴν ἀποπάτησίν τε καὶ τὴν οὔρησιν ἡμῖν συνεργοῦσιν.

[4] οὕτω μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν μητρῶν ἐναργῶς αἱ δύο φαίνονται δυνάμεις, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς γαστρὸς ὧδε. πρῶτον μὲν τοῖς κλύδωσιν, οἳ δὴ καὶ πεπίστευνται τοῖς ἰατροῖς ἀρρώστου κοιλίας εἶναι συμπτώματα καὶ κατὰ λόγον πεπίστευνται· ἐνίοτε μὲν γὰρ ἐλάχιστα προσενηνεγμένων οὐ γίγνονται περιστελλομένης ἀκριβῶς αὐτοῖς τῆς γαστρὸς καὶ σφιγγούσης πανταχόθεν, ἐνίοτε δὲ μεστὴ μὲν ἡ k.v.2.p.153 γαστήρ ἐστιν, οἱ κλύδωνες δʼ ὡς ἐπὶ κενῆς ἐξακούονται. κατὰ φύσιν μὲν γὰρ ἔχουσα καὶ χρωμένη καλῶς τῇ περισταλτικῇ δυνάμει, κἂν ὀλίγον ᾖ τὸ περιεχόμενον, ἅπαν αὐτὸ περιλαμβάνουσα χώραν οὐδεμίαν ἀπολείπει κενήν, ἀρρωστοῦσα δέ, καθότι ἂν ἀδυνατήσῃ περιλαβεῖν ἀκριβῶς, ἐνταῦθʼ εὐρυχωρίαν τινʼ ἐργαζομένη συγχωρεῖ τοῖς περιεχομένοις ὑγροῖς κατὰ τὰς τῶν σχημάτων μεταλλαγὰς ἄλλοτʼ ἀλλαχόσε μεταρρεουσι κλύδωνας ἀποτελεῖν.

εὐλόγως οὖν, ὅτι μηδὲ πέψουσιν ἱκανῶς, οἱ ἐν τῶδε τῷ συμπτώματι γενόμενοι προσδοκῶσιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐνδέχεται πέψαι καλῶς ἄρρωστον γαστέρα. τοῖς τοιούτοις δὲ καὶ μέχρι πλείονος ἐν αὐτῇ φαίνεται παραμένον τὸ βάρος, ὡς ἂν καὶ βραδύτερον πέττουσι. καὶ μὴν θαυμάσειεν ἄν τις ἐπʼ αὐτῶν τούτων μάλιστα τὸ πολυχρόνιον τῆς ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ διατριβῆς οὐ τῶν σιτίων μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ πόματος· οὐ γάρ, ὅπερ ἂν οἰηθείη τις, ὡς τὸ τῆς γαστρὸς στόμα τὸ κάτω στενὸν ἱκανῶς ὑπάρχον οὐδὲν παρίησι πρὶν ἀκριβῶς λειωθῆναι, τοῦτʼ αἴτιον ὄντως ἐστί. πολλὰ γοῦν πολλάκις k.v.2.p.154 ὀπωρῶν ὀστᾶ μέγιστα καταπίνουσι πάμπολλοι καί τις δακτύλιον χρυσοῦν ἐν τῷ στόματι φυλάττων ἄκων κατέπιε καὶ ἄλλος τις νόμισμα καὶ ἄλλος ἄλλο τι σκληρὸν καὶ δυσκατέργαστον, ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἅπαντες οὗτοι Ῥᾳδίως ἀπεπάτησαν, ἃ κατέπιον, οὐδενὸς αὐτοῖς ἀκολουθήσαντος συμπτώματος. εἰ δέ γʼ ἡ στενότης τοῦ πόρου τῆς γαστρὸς αἰτία τοῦ μένειν ἐπὶ πλέον ἦν τοῖς ἀτρίπτοις σιτίοις, οὐδὲν ἂν τούτων ποτὲ διεχώρησεν. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τὰ πόματʼ αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ παραμένειν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἱκανὸν ἀπάγειν τὴν ὑπόνοιαν τοῦ πόρου τῆς στενότητος· ὅλως γάρ, εἴπερ ἦν ἐν τῷ κεχυλῶσθαι τὸ θᾶττον ὑπιέναι, τά τε Ῥοφήματʼ ἂν οὕτω καὶ τὸ γάλα καὶ ὁ τῆς πτισάνης χυλὸς αὐτίκα διεξῄει πᾶσιν. ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὧδʼ ἔχει· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἀσθενέσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐμπλεῖ ταῦτα καὶ κλύδωνας ἐργάζεται παραμένοντα καὶ θλίβει καὶ βαρύνει τὴν γαστέρα, τοῖς δʼ ἰσχυροῖς οὐ μόνον τούτων οὐδὲν συμβαίνει, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολὺ πλῆθος ἄρτων καὶ κρεῶν ὑποχωρεῖ ταχέως.

οὐ μόνον δʼ ἐκ τοῦ περιτετάσθαι τὴν γαστέρα k.v.2.p.155 καὶ βαρύνεσθαι καὶ μεταρρεῖν ἄλλοτʼ εἰς ἄλλα μέρη μετὰ κλύδωνος τὸ παραμένειν ἐπὶ πλέον ἐν αὐτῇ πάντως τοῖς οὕτως ἔχουσι τεκμήραιτʼ ἄν τις ἀλλὰ κἀκ τῶν ἐμέτων· ἔνιοι γὰρ οὐ μετὰ τρεῖς ὥρας ἢ τέτταρας ἀλλὰ νυκτῶν ἤδη μέσων παμπόλλου μεταξὺ χρόνου διελθόντος ἐπὶ ταῖς προσφοραῖς ἀνήμεσαν ἀκριβῶς ἅπαντα τὰ ἐδηδεσμένα.

καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ ζῷον ὁτιοῦν ἐμπλήσας ὑγρᾶς τροφῆς, ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς πολλάκις ἐπὶ συῶν ἐπειράθημεν ἐξ ἀλεύρων μέθʼ ὕδατος οἷον κυκεῶνά τινα δόντες αὐτοῖς, ἔπειτα μετὰ τρεῖς που καὶ τέτταρας ὥρας ἀνατεμόντες, εἰ οὕτω καὶ σὺ πράξειας, εὑρήσεις ἔτι κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα τὰ ἐδηδεσμένα· πέρας γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐστι τῆς ἐνταῦθα μονῆς οὐχ ἡ χύλωσις, ἣν καὶ ἐκτὸς ἔτι ὄντων μηχανήσασθαι δυνατόν ἐστιν, ἀλλʼ ἡ πέψις, ἕτερόν τι τῆς χυλώσεως οὖσα, καθάπερ αἱμάτωσίς τε καὶ θρέψις. ὡς γὰρ κἀκεῖνα δέδεικται ποιοτήτων μεταβολῇ γιγνόμενα, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ἡ ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ πέψις τῶν σιτίων εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐστὶ τῷ k.v.2.p.156 τρεφομένῳ ποιότητα μεταβολὴ καὶ ὅταν γε πεφθῇ τελέως, ἀνοίγνυται μὲν τηνικαῦτα τὸ κάτω στόμα, διεκπίπτει δʼ αὐτοῦ τὰ σιτία Ῥᾳδίως, εἰ καὶ πλῆθός τι μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν ἔχοντα τύχοι λίθων ἢ ὀστῶν ἢ γιγάρτων ἤ τινος ἄλλου χυλωθῆναι μὴ δυναμένου. καί σοι τοῦτʼ ἔνεστιν ἐπὶ ζῴου θεάσασθαι στοχασαμένῳ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς κάτω διεξόδου. καὶ μέν γε καὶ εἰ σφαλείης ποτὲ τοῦ καιροῦ καὶ μηδὲν μήπω κάτω παρέρχοιτο πεττομένων ἔτι κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα τῶν σιτίων, οὐδʼ οὕτως ἄκαρπος ἡ ἀνατομή σοι γενήσεται· θεάσῃ γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῶν, ὅπερ ὀλίγῳ πρόσθεν ἐλέγομεν, ἀκριβῶς μὲν μεμυκότα τὸν πυλωρόν, ἅπασαν δὲ τὴν γαστέρα περιεσταλμένην τοῖς σιτίοις τρόπον ὁμοιότατον, οἷόνπερ καὶ αἱ μῆτραι τοῖς κυουμένοις. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν οὐδέποτε κενὴν εὑρεῖν χώραν οὔτε κατὰ τὰς ὑστέρας οὔτε κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν οὔτε κατὰ τὰς κύστεις ἀμφοτέρας οὔτε κατὰ τὴν χοληδόχον ὀνομαζομένην οὔτε τὴν ἑτέραν· ἀλλʼ εἴτʼ ὀλίγον εἴη τὸ περιεχόμενον ἐν αὐταῖς εἴτε πολύ, μεσταὶ καὶ πλήρεις αὐτῶν αἱ κοιλίαι φαίνονται περιστελλομένων ἀεὶ τῶν χιτώνων τοῖς περιεχομένοις, ὅταν γε κατὰ φύσιν ἔχῃ τὸ ζῷον.

k.v.2.p.157 Ἐρασίστρατος δʼ οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως τὴν περιστολὴν τῆς γαστρὸς ἁπάντων αἰτίαν ἀποφαίνει καὶ τῆς λειώσεως τῶν σιτίων καὶ τῆς τῶν περιττωμάτων ὑποχωρήσεως καὶ τῆς τῶν κεχυλωμένων ἀναδόσεως.

ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ μυριάκις ἐπὶ ζῶντος ἔτι τοῦ ζῴου διελὼν τὸ περιτόναιον εὗρον ἀεὶ τὰ μὲν ἔντερα πάντα περιστελλόμενα τοῖς ἐνυπάρχουσι, τὴν κοιλίαν δʼ οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ μὲν ταῖς ἐδωδαῖς ἄνωθέν τε καὶ κάτωθεν αὐτὰ καὶ πανταχόθεν ἀκριβῶς περιειληφυῖαν ἀκίνητον, ὡς δοκεῖν ἡνῶσθαι καὶ περιπεφυκέναι τοῖς σιτίοις· ἐν δὲ τούτῳ καὶ τὸν πυλωρὸν εὕρισκον ἀεὶ μεμυκότα καὶ κεκλεισμένον ἀκριβῶς ὥσπερ τὸ τῶν ὑστερῶν στόμα ταῖς ἐγκύμοσιν.

ἐπὶ μέντοι ταῖς πέψεσι συμπεπληρωμέναις ἀνέῳκτο μὲν ὁ πυλωρός, ἡ γαστὴρ δὲ περισταλτικῶς ἐκινεῖτο παραπλησίως τοῖς ἐντέροις.

[5] ἅπαντʼ οὖν ἀλλήλοις ὁμολογεῖ ταῦτα καὶ τῇ γαστρὶ καὶ ταῖς ὑστέραις καὶ ταῖς κύστεσιν εἶναί τινας ἐμφύτους δυνάμεις καθεκτικὰς μὲν τῶν k.v.2.p.158 οἰκείων ποιοτήτων, ἀποκριτικὰς δὲ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων. ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἕλκει τὴν χολὴν εἰς ἑαυτὴν ἡ ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι κύστις, ἔμπροσθεν δέδεικται, ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἀποκρίνει καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν εἰς τὴν γαστέρα, καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐναργῶς φαίνεται. καὶ μὴν εἰ διεδέχετο τὴν ἑλκτικὴν δύναμιν ἡ ἐκκριτικὴ καὶ μὴ μέση τις ἀμφοῖν ἦν ἡ καθεκτική, διὰ παντὸς ἐχρῆν ἀνατεμνομένων τῶν ζῴων ἴσον πλῆθος χολῆς εὑρίσκεσθαι κατὰ τὴν κύστιν· οὐ μὴν εὑρίσκεταί γε. ποτὲ μὲν γὰρ πληρεστάτη, ποτὲ δὲ κενοτάτη, ποτὲ δὲ τὰς ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ διαφορὰς ἔχουσα θεωρεῖται, καθάπερ καὶ ἡ ἑτέρα κύστις ἡ τὸ οὖρον ὑποδεχομένη. ταύτης μέν γε καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀνατομῆς αἰσθανόμεθα, πρὶν ἀνιαθῆναι τῷ πλήθει βαρυνθεῖσαν ἢ τῇ δριμύτητι δηχθεῖσαν, ἀθροιζούσης ἔτι τὸ οὖρον, ὡς οὔσης τινὸς κἀνταῦθα δυνάμεως καθεκτικῆς.

οὕτω δὲ καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ ὑπὸ δριμύτητος πολλάκις δηχθεῖσα πρωιαίτερον τοῦ δέοντος ἄπεπτον ἔτι τὴν τροφὴν ἀποτρίβεται. αὖθις δʼ ἄν ποτε τῷ πλήθει βαρυνθεῖσα ἢ καὶ κατʼ ἄμφω συνελθόντα κακῶς διατεθεῖσα διαρροίαις ἑάλω. καὶ μέν γε καὶ οἱ ἔμετοι, τῷ πλήθει βαρυνθείσης k.v.2.p.159 αὐτῆς ἢ τὴν ποιότητα τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ σιτίων τε καὶ περιττωμάτων μὴ φερούσης, ἀνάλογόν τι ταῖς διαρροίαις πάθημα τῆς ἄνω γαστρός ἐστιν. ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς κάτω μέρεσιν αὐτῆς ἡ τοιαύτη γένηται διάθεσις, ἐρρωμένων τῶν κατὰ τὸν στόμαχον, εἰς διαρροίας ἐτελεύτησεν, ὅταν δʼ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὸ στόμα, τῶν ἄλλων εὐρωστούντων, εἰς ἐμέτους.

[6] ἔνεστι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο πολλάκις ἐναργῶς ἰδεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀποσίτων· ἀναγκαζόμενοι γὰρ ἐσθίειν οὔτε καταπίνειν εὐσθενοῦσιν οὔτʼ, εἰ καὶ βιάσαιντο, κατέχουσιν, ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς ἀνεμοῦσι. καὶ οἱ ἄλλως δὲ τῶν ἐδεσμάτων πρὸς ὁτιοῦν δυσχεραίνοντες βιασθέντες ἐνίοτε προσάρασθαι ταχέως ἐξεμοῦσιν, ἢ εἰ κατάσχοιεν βιασάμενοι, ναυτιώδεις τʼ εἰσὶ καὶ τῆς γαστρὸς ὑπτίας αἰσθάνονται καὶ σπευδούσης ἀποθέσθαι τὸ λυποῦν.

οὕτως ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν φαινομένων, ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐρρέθη, μαρτυρεῖται τὸ δεῖν ὑπάρχειν τοῖς τοῦ ζῴου μορίοις σχεδὸν ἅπασιν ἔφεσιν μέν τινα καὶ οἷον ὄρεξιν τῆς οἰκείας ποιότητος, ἀποστροφὴν k.v.2.p.160 δέ τινα καὶ οἷον μῖσός τι τῆς ἀλλοτρίας. ἀλλʼ ἐφιέμενα μὲν ἕλκειν εὔλογον, ἀποστρεφόμενα δʼ ἐκκρίνειν.

κἀκ τούτων πάλιν ἥ θʼ ἑλκτικὴ δύναμις ἀποδείκνυται καθʼ ἅπαν ὑπάρχουσα καὶ ἡ προωστική.

ἀλλʼ εἴπερ ἔφεσίς τέ τίς ἐστι καὶ ἕλξις, εἴη ἄν τις καὶ ἀπόλαυσις· οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν ὄντων ἕλκει τι διʼ αὐτὸ τὸ ἕλκειν, ἀλλʼ ἵνʼ ἀπολαύσῃ τοῦ διὰ τῆς ὁλκῆς εὐπορηθέντος. καὶ μὴν ἀπολαύειν οὐ δύναται μὴ κατασχόν. κἀν τούτῳ πάλιν ἡ καθεκτικὴ δύναμις ἀποδείκνυται τὴν γένεσιν ἀναγκαίαν ἔχουσα· σαφῶς γὰρ ἐφίεται μὲν τῶν οἰκείων ποιοτήτων ἡ γαστήρ, ἀποστρέφεται δὲ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας.

ἀλλʼ εἴπερ ἐφίεταί τε καὶ ἕλκει καὶ ἀπολαύει κατέχουσα καὶ περιστελλομένη, εἴη ἄν τι καὶ πέρας αὐτῇ τῆς ἀπολαύσεως κἀπὶ τῷδʼ ὁ καιρὸς ἤδη τῆς ἐκκριτικῆς δυνάμεως ἐνεργούσης.

[7] ἀλλʼ εἰ καὶ κατέχει καὶ ἀπολαύει, καταχρῆται πρὸς ὃ πέφυκε. πέφυκε δὲ τοῦ k.v.2.p.161 προσήκοντος ἑαυτῇ κατὰ ποιότητα καὶ οἰκείου μεταλαμβάνειν· ὥσθʼ ἕλκει τῶν σιτίων ὅσον χρηστότατον ἀτμωδῶς τε καὶ κατὰ βραχὺ καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς ἑαυτῆς χιτῶσιν ἐναποτίθεταί τε καὶ προστίθησιν. ὅταν δʼ ἱκανῶς ἐμπλησθῇ, καθάπερ ἄχθος τι τὴν λοιπὴν ἀποτίθεται τροφὴν ἐσχηκυῖάν τι χρηστὸν ἤδη καὶ αὐτὴν ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τὴν γαστέρα κοινωνίας· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνδέχεται δύο σώματα δρᾶν καὶ πάσχειν ἐπιτήδεια συνελθόντα μὴ οὐκ ἤτοι πάσχειν θʼ ἅμα καὶ δρᾶν ἢ θάτερον μὲν δρᾶν, θάτερον δὲ πάσχειν. ἐὰν μὲν γὰρ ἰσάζῃ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν, ἐξ ἴσου δράσει τε καὶ πείσεται, ἂν δʼ ὑπερέχῃ πολὺ καὶ κρατῇ θάτερον, ἐνεργήσει περὶ τὸ πάσχον· ὥστε δράσει μέγα μέν τι καὶ αἰσθητόν, αὐτὸ δʼ ἤτοι σμικρόν τι καὶ οὐκ αἰσθητὸν ἢ παντάπασιν οὐδὲν πείσεται. ἀλλʼ ἐν τούτῳ δὴ καὶ μάλιστα διήνεγκε φαρμάκου δηλητηρίου τροφή· τὸ μὲν γὰρ κρατεῖ τῆς ἐν τῷ σώματι δυνάμεως, ἡ δὲ κρατεῖται.

οὔκουν ἐνδέχεται τροφὴν μὲν εἶναί τι τῷ ζῴῳ προσήκουσαν, οὐ μὴν καὶ κρατεῖσθαί γʼ ὁμοίως k.v.2.p.162 πρὸς τῶν ἐν τῷ ζῴῳ ποιοτήτων· τὸ κρατεῖσθαι δʼ ἦν ἀλλοιοῦσθαι. ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ τὰ μὲν ἰσχυρότερα ταῖς δυνάμεσίν ἐστι μόρια, τὰ δʼ ἀσθενέστερα, κρατήσει μὲν πάντα τῆς οἰκείας τῷ ζῴῳ τροφῆς, οὐχ ὁμοίως δὲ πάντα· κρατήσει δʼ ἄρα καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ καὶ ἀλλοιώσει μὲν τὴν τροφήν, οὐ μὴν ὁμοίως ἥπατι καὶ φλεψὶ καὶ ἀρτηρίαις καὶ καρδίᾳ.

πόσον οὖν ἐστιν, ὃ ἀλλοιοῖ, καὶ δὴ θεασώμεθα· πλέον μὲν ἢ κατὰ τὸ στόμα, μεῖον δʼ ἢ κατὰ τὸ ἧπάρ τε καὶ τὰς φλέβας. αὕτη μὲν γὰρ ἡ ἀλλοίωσις εἰς αἵματος οὐσίαν ἄγει τὴν τροφήν, ἡ δʼ ἐν τῷ στόματι μεθίστησι μὲν αὐτὴν ἐναργῶς εἰς ἕτερον εἶδος, οὐ μὴν εἰς τέλος γε μετακοσμεῖ. μάθοις δʼ ἂν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐγκαταλειφθέντων ταῖς διαστάσεσι τῶν ὀδόντων σιτίων καὶ καταμεινάντων διʼ ὅλης νυκτός· οὔτε γὰρ ἄρτος ἀκριβῶς ὁ ἄρτος οὔτε κρέας ἐστὶ τὸ κρέας, ἀλλʼ ὄζει μὲν τοιοῦτον, οἷόνπερ καὶ τοῦ ζῴου τὸ στόμα, διαλέλυται δὲ καὶ διατέτηκε καὶ τὰς ἐν τῷ ζῴῳ τῆς σαρκὸς ἀπομέμακται ποιότητας. ἔνεστι δέ σοι k.v.2.p.163 θεάσασθαι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ἐν τῷ στόματι τῶν σιτίων ἀλλοιώσεως, εἰ πυροὺς μασησάμενος ἐπιθείης ἀπέπτοις δοθιῆσιν· ὄψει γὰρ αὐτοὺς τάχιστα μεταβάλλοντάς τε καὶ συμπέττοντας, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον, ὅταν ὕδατι φυραθῶσιν, ἐργάσασθαι δυναμένους. καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς· τὸ γάρ τοι φλέγμα τουτὶ τὸ κατὰ τὸ στόμα καὶ λειχήνων ἐστὶν ἄκος καὶ σκορπίους ἀναιρεῖ παραχρῆμα καὶ πολλὰ τῶν ἰοβόλων θηρίων τὰ μὲν εὐθέως ἀποκτείνει, τὰ δʼ ἐς ὕστερον· ἅπαντα γοῦν βλάπτει μεγάλως. ἀλλὰ τὰ μεμασημένα σιτία πρῶτον μὲν τούτῳ τῷ φλέγματι βέβρεκταί τε καὶ πεφύραται, δεύτερον δὲ καὶ τῷ χρωτὶ τοῦ στόματος ἅπαντα πεπλησίακεν, ὥστε πλείονα μεταβολὴν εἴληφε τῶν ἐν ταῖς κεναῖς χώραις τῶν ὀδόντων ἐσφηνωμένων.

ἀλλʼ ὅσον τὰ μεμασημένα τούτων ἐπὶ πλέον ἠλλοίωται, τοσοῦτον ἐκείνων τὰ καταποθέντα. μὴ γὰρ οὐδὲ παραβλητὸν ᾖ τὸ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς, εἰ τὸ κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν ἐννοήσαιμεν φλέγμα καὶ χολὴν καὶ πνεῦμα καὶ θερμασίαν καὶ ὅλην τὴν οὐσίαν τῆς γαστρός. εἰ δὲ καὶ συνεπινοήσαις k.v.2.p.164 αὐτῇ τὰ παρακείμενα σπλάγχνα καθάπερ τινὶ λέβητι μεγάλῳ πυρὸς ἑστίας πολλάς, ἐκ δεξιῶν μὲν τὸ ἧπαρ, ἐξ ἀριστερῶν δὲ τὸν σπλῆνα, τὴν καρδίαν δʼ ἐκ τῶν ἄνω, σὺν αὐτῇ δὲ καὶ τὰς φρένας αἰωρουμένας τε καὶ διὰ παντὸς κινουμένας, ἐφʼ ἅπασι δὲ τούτοις σκέπον τὸ ἐπίπλοον, ἐξαίσιόν τινα πεισθήσῃ τὴν ἀλλοίωσιν γίγνεσθαι τῶν εἰς τὴν γαστέρα καταποθέντων σιτίων.

πῶς δʼ ἂν ἠδύνατο Ῥᾳδίως αἱματοῦσθαι μὴ προπαρασκευασθέντα τῇ τοιαύτῃ μεταβολῇ; δέδεικται γὰρ οὖν καὶ πρόσθεν, ὡς οὐδὲν εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν ἀθρόως μεθίσταται ποιότητα. πῶς οὖν ὁ ἄρτος αἷμα γίγνεται, πῶς δὲ τὸ τεῦτλον ἢ ὁ κύαμος ἤ τι τῶν ἄλλων, εἰ μὴ πρότερόν τινʼ ἑτέραν ἀλλοίωσιν ἐδέξατο; πῶς δʼ ἡ κόπρος ἐν τοῖς λεπτοῖς ἐντέροις ἀθρόως γεννηθήσεται; τί γὰρ ἐν τούτοις σφοδρότερον εἰς ἀλλοίωσίν ἐστι τῶν κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα; ποτερα τῶν χιτώνων τὸ πλῆθος ἢ τῶν γειτνιώντων σπλάγχνων ἡ περίθεσις ἢ τῆς μονῆς ὁ χρόνος ἢ σύμφυτός τις ἐν τοῖς ὀργάνοις θερμασία; καὶ μὴν κατʼ οὐδὲν τούτων πλεονεκτεῖ τὰ ἔντερα τῆς γαστρός. τί ποτʼ οὖν ἐν μὲν τῇ k.v.2.p.165 γαστρὶ νυκτὸς ὅλης πολλάκις μείναντα τὸν ἄρτον ἔτι φυλάττεσθαι βούλονται τὰς ἀρχαίας διασῴζοντα ποιότητας, ἐπειδὰν δʼ ἅπαξ ἐμπέσῃ τοῖς ἐντέροις, εὐθὺς γίγνεσθαι κόπρον; εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὁ τοσοῦτος χρόνος ἀδύνατος ἀλλοιοῦν, οὐδʼ ὁ βραχὺς ἱκανός· εἰ δʼ οὗτος αὐτάρκης, πῶς οὐ πολὺ μᾶλλον ὁ μακρός; ἆρʼ οὖν ἀλλοιοῦται μὲν ἡ τροφὴ κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν, ἄλλην δέ τινʼ ἀλλοίωσιν καὶ οὐχ οἵαν ἐκ τῆς φύσεως ἴσχει τοῦ μεταβάλλοντος ὀργάνου; ἢ ταύτην μέν, οὐ μὴν τήν γʼ οἰκείαν τῷ τοῦ ζῴου σώματι; μακρῷ τοῦτʼ ἀδυνατώτερόν ἐστι. καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἄλλο γʼ ἦν ἡ πέψις ἢ ἀλλοίωσις εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν τοῦ τρεφομένου ποιότητα. εἴπερ οὖν ἡ πέψις τοῦτʼ ἔστι καὶ ἡ τροφὴ κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα δέδεικται δεχομένη ποιότητα τῷ μέλλοντι πρὸς αὐτῆς θρέψεσθαι ζῴῳ προσήκουσαν, ἱκανῶς ἀποδέδεικται τὸ πέττεσθαι κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα τὴν τροφήν.

καὶ γελοῖος μὲν Ἀσκληπιάδης οὔτʼ ἐν ταῖς ἐρυγαῖς λέγων ἐμφαίνεσθαί ποτε τὴν ποιότητα τῶν πεφθέντων σιτίων οὔτʼ ἐν τοῖς ἐμέτοις οὔτʼ k.v.2.p.166 ἐν ταῖς ἀνατομαῖς· αὐτὸ γὰρ δὴ τὸ τοῦ σώματος ἐξόζειν αὐτὰ τῆς κοιλίας ἐστὶ τὸ πεπέφθαι. ὁ δʼ οὕτως ἐστὶν εὐήθης, ὥστʼ, ἐπειδὴ τῶν παλαιῶν ἀκούει λεγόντων ἐπὶ τὸ χρηστὸν ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ μεταβάλλειν τὰ σιτία, δοκιμάζει ζητεῖν οὐ τὸ κατὰ δύναμιν ἀλλὰ τὸ κατὰ γεῦσιν χρηστόν, ὥσπερ ἢ τοῦ μήλου μηλωδεστέρου--χρὴ γὰρ οὕτως αὐτῷ διαλέγεσθαι--γιγνομένου κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν ἢ τοῦ μέλιτος μελιτωδεστέρου.

πολὺ δʼ εὐηθέστερός ἐστι καὶ γελοιότερος ὁ Ἐρασίστρατος ἢ μὴ νοῶν, ὅπως εἴρηται πρὸς τῶν παλαιῶν ἡ πέψις ἑψήσει παραπλήσιος ὑπάρχειν, ἢ ἑκὼν σοφιζόμενος ἑαυτόν. ἑψήσει μὲν οὖν, φησίν, οὕτως ἐλαφρὰν ἔχουσαν θερμασίαν οὐκ εἰκὸς εἶναι παραπλησίαν τὴν πέψιν, ὥσπερ ἢ τὴν Αἴτνην δέον ὑποθεῖναι τῇ γαστρὶ ἢ ἄλλως αὐτῆς ἀλλοιῶσαι τὰ σιτία μὴ δυναμένης ἢ δυναμένης μὲν ἀλλοιοῦν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἔμφυτον δὲ θερμασίαν, ὑγρὰν οὖσαν δηλονότι καὶ διὰ τοῦθʼ ἕψειν οὐκ ὀπτᾶν εἰρημένην.

ἐχρῆν δʼ αὐτόν, εἴπερ περὶ πραγμάτων ἀντιλέγειν ἐβούλετο, πειραθῆναι δεῖξαι μάλιστα μὲν k.v.2.p.167 καὶ πρῶτον, ὡς οὐδὲ μεταβάλλει τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐδʼ ἀλλοιοῦται κατὰ ποιότητα πρὸς τῆς γαστρὸς τὰ σιτία, δεύτερον δʼ, εἴπερ μὴ οἷός τʼ ἦν τοῦτο πιστώσασθαι, τὸ τὴν ἀλλοίωσιν αὐτῶν ἄχρηστον εἶναι τῷ ζῴῳ· εἰ δὲ μηδὲ τοῦτʼ εἶχε διαβάλλειν, ἐξελέγξαι τὴν περὶ τὰς δραστικὰς ἀρχὰς ὑπόληψιν καὶ δεῖξαι τὰς ἐνεργείας ἐν τοῖς μορίοις οὐ διὰ τὴν ἐκ θερμοῦ καὶ ψυχροῦ καὶ ξηροῦ καὶ ὑγροῦ ποιὰν κρᾶσιν ὑπάρχειν ἀλλὰ διʼ ἄλλο τι· εἰ δὲ μηδὲ τοῦτʼ ἐτόλμα διαβάλλειν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι γε μὴ τὸ θερμόν ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς ὑπὸ φύσεως διοικουμένοις τὸ τῶν ἄλλων δραστικώτατον. ἢ εἰ μήτε τοῦτο μήτε τῶν ἄλλων τι τῶν ἔμπροσθεν εἶχεν ἀποδεικνύναι, μὴ ληρεῖν ὀνόματι προσπαλαίοντα μάτην, ὥσπερ οὐ σαφῶς Ἀριστοτέλοὺς ἔν τʼ ἄλλοις πολλοῖς κἀν τῷ τετάρτῳ τῶν μετεωρολογικῶν ὅπως ἡ πέψις ἑψήσει παραπλήσιος εἶναι λέγεται, καὶ ὅτι μὴ πρώτως μηδὲ κυρίως ὀνομαζόντων, εἰρηκότος.

ἀλλʼ, ὡς ἤδη λέλεκται πολλάκις, ἀρχὴ τούτων ἁπάντων ἐστὶ μία τὸ περὶ θερμοῦ καὶ ψυχροῦ καὶ ξηροῦ καὶ ὑγροῦ διασκέψασθαι, καθάπερ Ἀριστοτέλης ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ περὶ γενέσεως καὶ k.v.2.p.168 φθορᾶς, ἀποδείξας ἁπάσας τὰς κατὰ τὰ σώματα μεταβολὰς καὶ ἀλλοιώσεις ὑπὸ τούτων γίγνεσθαι. ἀλλʼ Ἐρασίστρατος οὔτε τούτοις οὔτʼ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τῶν προειρημένων ἀντειπὼν ἐπὶ τοὔνομα μόνον ἐτράπετο τῆς ἑψήσεως.

[8] ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς πέψεως, εἰ καὶ τἆλλα πάντα παρέλιπε, τὸ γοῦν ὅτι διαφέρει τῆς ἐκτὸς ἑψήσεως ἡ ἐν τοῖς ζῴοις πέψις, ἐπειράθη δεικνύναι, περὶ δὲ τῆς καταπόσεως οὐδʼ ἄχρι τοσούτου. τί γάρ φησιν;

"Ὁλκὴ μὲν οὖν τῆς κοιλίας οὐδεμία φαίνεται εἶναι."

καὶ μὴν δύο χιτῶνας ἡ γαστὴρ ἔχει πάντως ἕνεκά του γεγονότας καὶ διήκουσιν οὗτοι μέχρι τοῦ στόματος, ὁ μὲν ἔνδον, οἷός ἐστι κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα, τοιοῦτος διαμένων, ὁ δʼ ἕτερος ἐπὶ τὸ σαρκωδέστερον ἐν τῷ στομάχῳ τρεπόμενος. ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἐναντίας ἀλλήλαις τὰς ἐπιβολὰς τῶν ἰνῶν ἔχουσιν οἱ χιτῶνες οὗτοι, τὸ φαινόμενον αὐτὸ μαρτυρεῖ. τίνος δʼ ἕνεκα τοιοῦτοι γεγόνασιν, Ἐρασίστρατος μὲν οὐδʼ ἐπεχείρησεν εἰπεῖν, ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐροῦμεν.

ὁ μὲν ἔνδον εὐθείας ἔχει τὰς ἶνας, ὁλκῆς γὰρ k.v.2.p.169 ἕνεκα γέγονεν· ὁ δʼ ἔξωθεν ἐγκαρσίας ὑπὲρ τοῦ κατὰ κύκλον περιστέλλεσθαι· ἑκάστῳ γὰρ τῶν κινουμένων ὀργάνων ἐν τοῖς σώμασι κατὰ τὰς τῶν ἰνῶν θέσεις αἱ κινήσεις εἰσίν. ἐπʼ αὐτῶν δὲ πρῶτον τῶν μυῶν, εἰ βούλει, βασάνισον τὸν λόγον, ἐφʼ ὧν καὶ αἱ ἶνες ἐναργέσταται καὶ αἱ κινήσεις αὐτῶν ὁρῶνται διὰ σφοδρότητα. μετὰ δὲ τοὺς μῦς ἐπὶ τὰ φυσικὰ τῶν ὀργάνων ἴθι καὶ πάντʼ ὄψει κατὰ τὰς ἶνας κινούμενα καὶ διὰ τοῦθʼ ἑκάστῳ μὲν τῶν ἐντέρων στρογγύλαι καθʼ ἑκάτερον τῶν χιτώνων αἱ ἶνές εἰσι· περιστέλλονται γὰρ μόνον, ἕλκουσι δʼ οὐδέν. ἡ γαστὴρ δὲ τῶν ἰνῶν τὰς μὲν εὐθείας ἔχει χάριν ὁλκῆς, τὰς δʼ ἐγκαρσίας ἕνεκα περιστολῆς· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς μυσὶν ἑκάστης τῶν ἰνῶν τεινομένης τε καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἑλκομένης αἱ κινήσεις γίγνονται, κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον κἀν τῇ γαστρί· τῶν μὲν οὖν ἐγκαρσίων ἰνῶν τεινομένων ἔλαττον ἀνάγκη γίγνεσθαι τὸ εὖρος τῆς περιεχομένης ὑπʼ αὐτῶν κοιλότητος, τῶν δʼ εὐθειῶν ἑλκομένων τε καὶ εἰς ἑαυτὰς συναγομένων οὐκ ἐνδέχεται μὴ οὐ k.v.2.p.170 συναιρεῖσθαι τὸ μῆκος. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐναργῶς γε φαίνεται καταπινόντων συναιρούμενον καὶ τοσοῦτον ὁ λάρυγξ ἀνατρέχων, ὅσον ὁ στόμαχος κατασπᾶται, καὶ ὅταν γε συμπληρωθείσης τῆς ἐν τῷ καταπίνειν ἐνεργείας ἀφεθῇ τῆς τάσεως ὁ στόμαχος, ἐναργῶς πάλιν φαίνεται καταφερόμενος ὁ λάρυγξ· ὁ γὰρ ἔνδον χιτὼν τῆς γαστρὸς ὁ τὰς εὐθείας ἶνας ἔχων ὁ καὶ τὸν στόμαχον ὑπαλείφων καὶ τὸ στόμα τοῖς ἐντὸς μέρεσιν ἐπεκτείνεται τοῦ λάρυγγος, ὥστʼ οὐκ ἐνδέχεται κατασπώμενον αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῆς κοιλίας μὴ οὐ συνεπισπᾶσθαι καὶ τὸν λάρυγγα.

ὅτι δʼ αἱ περιφερεῖς ἶνες, αἷς περιστέλλεται τά τʼ ἄλλα μόρια καὶ ἡ γαστήρ, οὐ συναιροῦσι τὸ μῆκος, ἀλλὰ συστέλλουσι καὶ στενοῦσι τὴν εὐρύτητα, καὶ παρʼ αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν ἔστιν ὁμολογούμενον Ἐρασιστράτου· περιστέλλεσθαι γάρ φησι τοῖς σιτίοις τὴν γαστέρα κατὰ τὸν τῆς πέψεως ἅπαντα χρόνον. ἀλλʼ εἰ περιστέλλεται μέν, οὐδὲν δὲ τοῦ μήκους ἀφαιρεῖται τῆς κοιλίας, οὐκ ἔστι τῆς περισταλτικῆς κινήσεως ἴδιον τὸ κατασπᾶν κάτω τὸν στόμαχον. ὅπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἐρασίστρατος εἶπε, τοῦτο μόνον αὐτὸ k.v.2.p.171 συμβήσεται τὸ τῶν ἄνω συστελλομένων διαστέλλεσθαι τὰ κάτω. τοῦτο δʼ ὅτι, κἂν εἰς νεκροῦ τὸν στόμαχον ὕδατος ἐγχέῃς, φαίνεται γιγνόμενον, οὐδεὶς ἀγνοεῖ. ταῖς γὰρ τῶν ὑλῶν διὰ στενοῦ σώματος ὁδοιπορίαις ἀκόλουθόν ἐστι τὸ σύμπτωμα· θαυμαστὸν γάρ, εἰ διερχομένου τινὸς αὐτὸν ὄγκου μὴ διασταλήσεται. οὐκοῦν τὸ μὲν τῶν ἄνω συστελλομένων διαστέλλεσθαι τὰ κάτω κοινόν ἐστι καὶ τοῖς νεκροῖς σώμασι, διʼ ὧν ὁπωσοῦν τι διεξέρχεται, καὶ τοῖς ζῶσιν, εἴτε περιστέλλοιτο τοῖς διερχομένοις εἴθʼ ἕλκοιτο.

τὸ δὲ τῆς τοῦ μήκους συναιρέσεως ἴδιον τῶν τὰς εὐθείας ἶνας ἐχόντων ὀργάνων, ἵνʼ ἐπισπάσωνταί τι. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐδείχθη κατασπώμενος ὁ στόμαχος, οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἷλκε τὸν λάρυγγα· δῆλον οὖν, ὡς ἡ γαστὴρ ἕλκει τὰ σιτία διὰ τοῦ στομάχου.

καὶ ἡ κατὰ τὸν ἔμετον δὲ τῶν ἐμουμένων ἄχρι τοῦ στόματος φορὰ πάντως μέν που καὶ αὐτὴ τὰ μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀναφερομένων διατεινόμενα μέρη τοῦ στομάχου διεστῶτα κέκτηται, τῶν πρόσω δʼ ὅ τι ἂν ἑκάστοτʼ ἐπιλαμβάνηται, τοῦτʼ ἀρχόμενον k.v.2.p.172 διαστέλλεται, τὸ δʼ ὄπισθεν καταλείπει δηλονότι συστελλόμενον, ὥσθʼ ὁμοίαν εἶναι πάντη τὴν διάθεσιν τοῦ στομάχου κατά γε τοῦτο τῇ τῶν καταπινόντων· ἀλλὰ τῆς ὁλκῆς μὴ παρούσης τὸ μῆκος ὅλον ἴσον ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις συμπτώμασι διαφυλάττεται.

διὰ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ καταπίνειν Ῥᾷόν ἐστιν ἢ ἐμεῖν, ὅτι καταπίνεται μὲν ἀμφοῖν τῆς γαστρὸς τῶν χιτώνων ἐνεργούντων, τοῦ μὲν ἐντὸς ἕλκοντος, τοῦ δʼ ἐκτὸς περιστελλομένου τε καὶ συνεπωθοῦντος, ἐμεῖται δὲ θατέρου μόνου τοῦ ἔξωθεν ἐνεργοῦντος, οὐδενὸς ἕλκοντος εἰς τὸ στόμα. οὐ γὰρ δὴ ὥσπερ ἡ τῆς γαστρὸς ὄρεξις προηγεῖτο τοῦ καταπίνειν τὰ σιτία, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον κἀν τοῖς ἐμέτοις ἐπιθυμεῖ τι τῶν κατὰ τὸ στόμα μορίων τοῦ γιγνομένου παθήματος, ἀλλʼ ἄμφω τῆς γαστρὸς αὐτῆς εἰσιν ἐναντίαι διαθέσεις, ὀρεγομένης μὲν καὶ προσιεμένης τὰ χρήσιμά τε καὶ οἰκεῖα, δυσχεραινούσης δὲ καὶ ἀποτριβομένης τὰ ἀλλότρια. διὸ καὶ τὸ καταπίνειν αὐτὸ τοῖς μὲν ἱκανῶς ὀρεγομένοις τῶν οἰκείων ἐδεσμάτων τῇ γαστρὶ τάχιστα γίγνεται, σαφῶς ἑλκούσης αὐτὰ καὶ κατασπώσης πρὶν ἢ μασηθῆναι, τοῖς δʼ ἤτοι φάρμακόν τι κατʼ k.v.2.p.173 ἀνάγκην πίνουσιν ἢ σιτίον ἐν χώρᾳ φαρμάκου προσφερομένοις ἀνιαρὰ καὶ μόγις ἡ κατάποσις αὐτῶν ἐπιτελεῖται.

δῆλος οὖν ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων ὁ μὲν ἔνδον χιτὼν τῆς γαστρὸς ὁ τὰς εὐθείας ἔχων ἶνας τῆς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος εἰς αὐτὴν ὁλκῆς ἕνεκα γεγονὼς καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐν ταῖς καταπόσεσι μόναις ἐνεργῶν, ὁ δʼ ἔξωθεν ὁ τὰς ἐγκαρσίας ἔχων ἕνεκα μὲν τοῦ περιστέλλεσθαι τοῖς ἐνυπάρχουσι καὶ προωθεῖν αὐτὰ τοιοῦτος ἀποτελεσθείς, ἐνεργῶν δʼ οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐν τοῖς ἐμέτοις ἢ ταῖς καταπόσεσιν. ἐναργέστατα δὲ μαρτυρεῖ τῷ λεγομένῳ καὶ τὸ κατὰ τὰς χάννας τε καὶ τοὺς συνόδοντας γιγνόμενον· εὑρίσκεται γὰρ ἐνίοτε τούτων ἡ γαστὴρ ἐν τῷ στόματι καθάπερ καὶ ὁ Ἀριστοτέλης ἐν ταῖς περὶ ζῴων ἔγραψεν ἱστορίαις καὶ προστίθησί γε τὴν αἰτίαν ὑπὸ λαιμαργίας αὐτοῖς τοῦτο συμβαίνειν φάσκων.

ἔχει γὰρ ὧδε· κατὰ τὰς σφοδροτέρας ὀρέξεις ἄνω προστρέχει πᾶσι τοῖς ζῴοις ἡ γαστήρ, ὥστε τινὲς τοῦ πάθους αἴσθησιν ἐναργῆ σχόντες ἐξέρπειν αὑτοῖς φασι τὴν κοιλίαν, ἐνίων δὲ k.v.2.p.174 μασωμένων ἔτι καὶ μήπω καλῶς ἐν τῷ στόματι τὰ σιτία κατεργασαμένων ἐξαρπάζει φανερῶς ἀκόντων. ἐφʼ ὧν οὖν ζῴων φύσει λαιμάργων ὑπαρχόντων ἥ τʼ εὐρυχωρία τοῦ στόματός ἐστι δαψιλὴς ἥ τε τῆς γαστρὸς θέσις ἐγγύς, ὡς ἐπὶ συνόδοντός τε καὶ χάννης, οὐδὲν θαυμαστόν, ὅταν ἱκανῶς πεινάσαντα διώκῃ τι τῶν μικροτέρων ζῴων, εἶτʼ ἤδη πλησίον ᾖ τοῦ συλλαβεῖν, ἀνατρέχειν ἐπειγούσης τῆς ἐπιθυμίας εἰς τὸ στόμα τὴν γαστέρα. γενέσθαι δʼ ἄλλως ἀμήχανον τοῦτο μὴ οὐχ ὥσπερ διὰ χειρὸς τοῦ στομάχου τῆς γαστρὸς ἐπισπωμένης εἰς ἑαυτὴν τὰ σιτία. καθάπερ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ προθυμίας ἐνίοτε τῇ χειρὶ συνεπεκτείνομεν ὅλους ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἕνεκα τοῦ θᾶττον ἐπιδράξασθαι τοῦ προκειμένου σώματος, οὕτω καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ οἷον χειρὶ τῷ στομάχῳ συνεπεκτείνεται. καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐφʼ ὧν ζῴων ἅμα τὰ τρία ταυτὶ συνέπεσεν, ἔφεσίς τε σφοδρὰ τῆς τροφῆς ὅ τε στόμαχος μικρὸς ἥ τʼ εὐρυχωρία τοῦ στόματος δαψιλής, ἐπὶ τούτων ὀλίγη Ῥοπὴ τῆς ἐπεκτάσεως εἰς τὸ στόμα τὴν κοιλίαν ὅλην ἀναφέρει.

ἤρκει μὲν οὖν ἴσως ἀνδρὶ φυσικῷ παρʼ αὐτῆς k.v.2.p.175 μόνης τῆς κατασκευῆς τῶν ὀργάνων τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἐνεργείας λαμβάνειν. οὐ γὰρ δὴ μάτην γʼ ἂν ἡ φύσις ἐκ δυοῖν χιτώνων ἐναντίως ἀλλήλοις ἐχόντων ἀπειργάσατο τὸν οἰσοφάγον, εἰ μὴ καὶ διαφόρως ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν ἐνεργεῖν ἔμελλεν. ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἔργα διαγιγνώσκειν οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἐρασίστρατόν εἰσιν ἱκανοί, φέρε κἀκ τῆς τῶν ζῴων ἀνατομῆς ἐπιδείξωμεν αὐτοῖς, ὡς ἑκάτερος τῶν χιτώνων ἐνεργεῖ τὴν εἰρημένην ἐνέργειαν. εἰ δή τι λαβὼν ζῷον, εἶτα γυμνώσας αὐτοῦ τὰ περικείμενα τῷ στομάχῳ σώματα χωρὶς τοῦ διατεμεῖν τινα τῶν νεύρων ἢ τῶν ἀρτηριῶν ἢ τῶν φλεβῶν τῶν αὐτόθι τεταγμένων ἐθέλοις ἀπὸ τῆς γένυος ἕως τοῦ θώρακος εὐθείαις τομαῖς διελεῖν τὸν ἔξω χιτῶνα τὸν τὰς ἐγκαρσίας ἶνας ἔχοντα κἄπειτα τῷ ζῴῳ τροφὴν προσενέγκοις, ὄψει καταπῖνον αὐτὸ καίτοι τῆς περισταλτικῆς ἐνεργείας ἀπολωλυίας. εἰ δʼ αὖ πάλιν ἐφʼ ἑτέρου ζῴου διατέμοις ἀμφοτέρους τοὺς χιτῶνας τομαῖς ἐγκαρσίαις, θεάσῃ καὶ τοῦτο καταπῖνον οὐκέτʼ ἐνεργοῦντος τοῦ ἐντός. ᾧ δῆλον, ὅτι καὶ διὰ θατέρου μὲν αὐτῶν καταπίνειν οἷόν k.v.2.p.176 τʼ ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ χεῖρον ἢ διʼ ἀμφοτέρων. πρὸς γὰρ αὖ τοῖς ἄλλοις καὶ τοῦτʼ ἔστι θεάσασθαι σαφῶς ἐπὶ τῆς εἰρημένης ἀνατομῆς, ὡς ἐν τῷ καταπίνειν ὑποπίμπλαται πνεύματος ὁ στόμαχος τοῦ συγκαταπινομένου τοῖς σιτίοις, ὃ περιστελλομένου μὲν τοῦ ἔξωθεν χιτῶνος ὠθεῖται Ῥαδίως εἰς τὴν γαστέρα σὺν τοῖς ἐδέσμασι, μόνου δὲ τοῦ ἔνδον ὑπάρχοντος ἐμποδὼν ἵσταται τῇ φορᾷ τῶν σιτίων διατεῖνόν τʼ αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν ἐνέργειαν ἐμποδίζον.

ἀλλʼ οὔτε τούτων οὐδὲν Ἐρασίστρατος εἶπεν οὔθʼ ὡς ἡ σκολιὰ θέσις τοῦ στομάχου διαβάλλει σαφῶς τὸ δόγμα τῶν νομιζόντων ὑπὸ τῆς ἄνωθεν βολῆς μόνης ποδηγούμενα μέχρι τῆς γαστρὸς ἰέναι τὰ καταπινόμενα. μόνον δʼ ὅτι πολλὰ τῶν μακροτραχήλων ζῴων ἐπικεκυφότα καταπίνει, καλῶς εἶπεν. ᾧ δῆλον, ὅτι τὸ φαινόμενον οὐ τὸ πῶς καταπίνομεν ἀποδείκνυσιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πῶς οὐ καταπίνομεν· ὅτι γὰρ μὴ διὰ μόνης τῆς ἄνωθεν βολῆς, ἐκ τούτου δῆλον· οὐ μὴν εἴθʼ ἑλκούσης τῆς κοιλίας εἴτε παράγοντος αὐτὰ τοῦ στομάχου, k.v.2.p.177 δῆλον ἤδη πω. ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς γε πάντας τοὺς λογισμοὺς εἰπόντες τούς τʼ ἐκ τῆς κατασκευῆς τῶν ὀργάνων ὁρμωμένους καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων συμπτωμάτων τῶν τε πρὸ τοῦ γυμνωθῆναι τὸν στόμαχον καὶ γυμνωθέντος, ὡς ὀλίγῳ πρόσθεν ἐλέγομεν, ἱκανῶς ἐνεδειξάμεθα τοῦ μὲν ἕλκειν ἕνεκα τὸν ἐντὸς χιτῶνα, τοῦ δʼ ἀπωθεῖν τὸν ἐκτὸς γεγονέναι.

προὐθέμεθα μὲν οὖν ἀποδεῖξαι τὴν καθεκτικὴν δύναμιν ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὀργάνων οὖσαν, ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ πρόσθεν λόγῳ τὴν ἑλκτικήν τε καὶ προσέτι τὴν ἀλλοιωτικήν. ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἀκολουθίας τοῦ λόγου τὰς τέτταρας ἀπεδείξαμεν ὑπαρχούσας τῇ γαστρί, τὴν ἑλκτικὴν μὲν ἐν τῷ καταπίνειν, τὴν καθεκτικὴν δʼ ἐν τῷ πέττειν, τὴν ἀπωστικὴν δʼ ἐν τοῖς ἐμέτοις καὶ ταῖς τῶν πεπεμμένων σιτίων εἰς τὸ λεπτὸν ἔντερον ὑποχωρήσεσιν, αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν πέψιν ἀλλοίωσιν ὑπάρχειν.

[9] οὔκουν ἔτʼ ἀπορήσομεν οὐδὲ περὶ τοῦ σπληνός, εἰ ἕλκει μὲν τὸ οἰκεῖον, ἀποκρίνει δὲ τὸ ἀλλότριον, ἀλλοιοῦν δὲ καὶ κατέχειν, ὅσον ἂν ἐπισπάσηται, πέφυκεν, οὐδὲ περὶ ἥπατος ἢ φλεβὸς ἢ ἀρτηρίας k.v.2.p.178 ἢ καρδίας ἢ τῶν ἄλλων τινός· ἀναγκαῖαι γὰρ ἐδείχθησαν αἱ τέτταρες αὗται δυνάμεις ἅπαντι μορίῳ τῷ μέλλοντι θρέψεσθαι καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ αὐτὰς ὑπηρέτιδας εἶναι θρέψεως ἔφαμεν· ὡς γὰρ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀποπάτημα τοῖς κυσὶν ἥδιστον, οὕτω καὶ τὰ τοῦ ἥπατος περιττώματα τὸ μὲν τῷ σπληνί, τὸ δὲ τῇ χοληδόχῳ κύστει, τὸ δὲ τοῖς νεφροῖς οἰκεῖον.

[10] καὶ λέγειν ἔτι περὶ τῆς τούτων γενέσεως οὐκ ἂν ἐθέλοιμι μεθʼ Ἱπποκράτην καὶ Πλάτωνα καὶ Ἀριστοτέλην καὶ Διοκλέα καὶ Πραξαγόραν καὶ Φιλότιμον· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ περὶ τῶν δυνάμεων εἶπον ἄν, εἴ τις τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἀκριβῶς ἐξειργάσατο τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν λόγον.

ἐπεὶ δʼ οἱ μὲν παλαιοὶ καλῶς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποφηνάμενοι παρέλιπον ἀγωνίσασθαι τῷ λόγῳ, μηδʼ ὑπονοήσαντες ἔσεσθαί τινας εἰς τοσοῦτον ἀναισχύντους σοφιστάς, ὡς ἀντιλέγειν ἐπιχειρῆσαι τοῖς ἐναργέσιν, οἱ νεώτεροι δὲ τὸ μέν τι νικηθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν σοφισμάτων ἐπείσθησαν αὐτοῖς, τὸ δέ τι καὶ ἀντιλέγειν ἐπιχειρήσαντες ἀποδεῖν μοι πολὺ τῆς τῶν παλαιῶν ἔδοξαν k.v.2.p.179 δυνάμεως, διὰ τοῦθʼ, ὡς ἂν ἐκείνων αὐτῶν, εἴπερ ἔτʼ ἦν τις, ἀγωνίσασθαί μοι δοκεῖ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνατρέποντας τῆς τέχνης τὰ κάλλιστα, καὶ αὐτὸς οὕτως ἐπειράθην συνθεῖναι τοὺς λόγους.

ὅτι δʼ ἢ οὐδὲν ἢ παντάπασιν ἀνύσω τι σμικρόν, οὐκ ἀγνοῶ· πάμπολλα γὰρ εὑρίσκω τελέως μὲν ἀποδεδειγμένα τοῖς παλαιοῖς, οὔτε δὲ συνετὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς τῶν νῦν διʼ ἀμαθίαν ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐπιχειρούμενα γιγνώσκεσθαι διὰ Ῥᾳθυμίαν, οὔτʼ, εἰ καὶ γνωσθείη τινί, δικαίως ἐξεταζόμενα.

χρὴ γὰρ τὸν μέλλοντα γνώσεσθαί τι τῶν πολλῶν ἄμεινον εὐθὺς μὲν καὶ τῇ φύσει καὶ τῇ πρώτῃ διδασκαλίᾳ πολὺ τῶν ἄλλων διενεγκεῖν· ἐπειδὰν δὲ γένηται μειράκιον, ἀληθείας τινὰ σχεῖν ἐρωτικὴν μανίαν, ὥσπερ ἐνθουσιῶντα καὶ μήθʼ ἡμέρας μήτε νυκτὸς διαλείπειν σπεύδοντά τε καὶ συντεταμένον ἐκμαθεῖν, ὅσα τοῖς ἐνδοξοτάτοις εἴρηται τῶν παλαιῶν· ἐπειδὰν δʼ ἐκμάθῃ, κρίνειν αὐτὰ καὶ βασανίζειν χρόνῳ παμπόλλῳ καὶ σκοπεῖν, πόσα μὲν ὁμολογεῖ τοῖς ἐναργῶς φαινομένοις, k.v.2.p.180 πόσα δὲ διαφέρεται, καὶ οὕτω τὰ μὲν αἱρεῖσθαι, τὰ δʼ ἀποστρέφεσθαι. τῷ μὲν δὴ τοιούτῳ πάνυ σφόδρα χρησίμους ἤλπικα τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἔσεσθαι λόγους· εἶεν δʼ ἂν ὀλίγοι παντάπασιν οὗτοι· τοῖς δʼ ἄλλοις οὕτω γενήσεται τὸ γράμμα περιττόν, ὡς εἰ καὶ μῦθον ὄνῳ τις λέγοι.

[11] Συμπεραντέον οὖν ἡμῖν τὸν λόγον ἕνεκα τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐφιεμένων ὅσα λείπει κατʼ αὐτὸν ἔτι προσθεῖσιν. ὡς γὰρ ἡ γαστὴρ ἕλκει μὲν ἐναργῶς καὶ κατασπᾷ τὰ σιτία τοῖς σφόδρα πεινώδεσι, πρὶν ἀκριβῶς ἐν τῷ στόματι λειωθῆναι, δυσχεραίνει δὲ καὶ ἀπωθεῖται τοῖς ἀποσίτοις τε καὶ πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἐσθίουσιν, οὕτω καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὀργάνων ἕκαστον ἀμφοτέρας ἔχει τὰς δυνάμεις, τήν τε τῶν οἰκείων ἑλκτικὴν καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἀποκριτικήν. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, κἂν ἐξ ἑνὸς ᾖ χιτῶνος ὄργανόν τι συνεστώς, ὥσπερ καὶ αἱ κύστεις ἀμφότεραι καὶ αἱ μῆτραι καὶ αἱ φλέβες, ἀμφότερα τῶν ἰνῶν ἔχει τὰ γένη, τῶν εὐθειῶν τε καὶ τῶν ἐγκαρσίων.

k.v.2.p.181 Καὶ μέν γε καὶ τρίτον τι γένος ἰνῶν ἐστι τῶν λοξῶν, ἔλαττον πολὺ τῷ πλήθει τῶν προειρημένων δύο γενῶν. εὑρίσκεται δʼ ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἐκ δυοῖν χιτώνων συνεστηκόσιν ὀργάνοις ἐν θατέρῳ μόνῳ ταῖς εὐθείαις ἰσὶν ἀναμεμιγμένον, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἐξ ἑνὸς ἅμα τοῖς ἄλλοις δύο γένεσι. συνεπιλαμβάνουσι δʼ αὗται μέγιστον τῇ τῆς καθεκτικῆς ὀνομασθείσης δυνάμεως ἐνεργείᾳ· δεῖται γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ πανταχόθεν ἐσφίγχθαι καὶ περιτετάσθαι τοῖς ἐνυπάρχουσι τὸ μόριον, ἡ μὲν γαστὴρ ἐν τῷ τῆς πέψεως, αἱ μῆτραι δʼ ἐν τῷ τῆς κυήσεως χρόνῳ παντί.

ταῦτʼ ἄρα καὶ ὁ τῆς φλεβὸς χιτὼν εἷς ὢν ἐκ πολυειδῶν ἰνῶν ἐγένετο καὶ τῶν τῆς ἀρτηρίας ὁ μὲν ἔξωθεν ἐκ τῶν στρογγύλων, ὁ δʼ ἔσωθεν ἐκ μὲν τῶν εὐθειῶν πλείστων, ὀλίγων δέ τινων σὺν αὐταῖς καὶ τῶν λοξῶν, ὥστε τὰς μὲν φλέβας ταῖς μήτραις καὶ ταῖς κύστεσιν ἐοικέναι κατά γε τὴν τῶν ἰνῶν σύνθεσιν, εἰ καὶ τῷ πάχει λείπονται, τὰς δʼ ἀρτηρίας τῇ γαστρί. μόνα δὲ πάντων ὀργάνων ἐκ δυοῖν θʼ ἅμα καὶ ἀμφοτέρων ἐγκαρσίας ἐχόντων τὰς ἶνας ἐγένετο τὰ ἔντερα. τὸ δʼ ὅτι k.v.2.p.182 βέλτιον ἦν τῶν τʼ ἄλλων ἑκάστῳ τοιούτῳ τὴν φύσιν ὑπάρχειν, οἷόνπερ καὶ νῦν ἐστι, τοῖς τʼ ἐντέροις ἐκ δυοῖν ὁμοίων χιτώνων συγκεῖσθαι, τῆς περὶ χρείας μορίων πραγματείας ἐστίν. οὔκουν νῦν χρὴ ποθεῖν ἀκούειν περὶ τῶν τοιούτων, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ διὰ τί περὶ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν χιτώνων ἑκάστου τῶν ὀργάνων διαπεφώνηται τοῖς ἀνατομικοῖς ἀνδράσιν. ὑπὲρ μὲν γὰρ τούτων αὐτάρκως ἐν τοῖς περὶ τῆς ἀνατομικῆς διαφωνίας εἴρηται· περὶ δὲ τοῦ διότι τοιοῦτον ἕκαστον ἐγένετο τῶν ὀργάνων, ἐν τοῖς περὶ χρείας μορίων εἰρήσεται.

[12] νυνὶ δʼ οὐδέτερον τούτων πρόκειται λέγειν, ἀλλὰ τὰς φυσικὰς δυνάμεις μόνας ἀποδεικνύειν ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὀργάνων τέτταρας ὑπαρχούσας. ἐπὶ τοῦτʼ οὖν πάλιν ἐπανελθόντες ἀναμνήσωμέν τε τῶν ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένων ἐπιθῶμέν τε κεφαλὴν ἤδη τῷ λόγῳ παντὶ τὸ λεῖπον ἔτι προσθέντες. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἕκαστον τῶν ἐν τῷ ζῴῳ μορίων ἕλκειν εἰς ἑαυτὸ τὸν οἰκεῖον χυμὸν ἀποδέδεικται καὶ πρώτη σχεδὸν αὕτη τῶν φυσικῶν ἐστι δυνάμεων, k.v.2.p.183 ἐφεξῆς ἐκείνῳ γνωστέον, ὡς οὐ πρότερον ἀποτρίβεται τὴν ἑλχθεῖσαν τροφὴν ἤτοι σύμπασαν ἢ καί τι περίττωμα αὐτῆς, πρὶν ἂν εἰς ἐναντίαν μεταπέσῃ διάθεσιν ἢ αὐτὸ τὸ ὄργανον ἢ καὶ τῶν περιεχομένων ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πλεῖστα. ἡ μὲν οὖν γαστήρ, ἐπειδὰν μὲν ἱκανῶς ἐμπλησθῇ τῶν σιτίων καὶ τὸ χρηστότατον αὐτῶν εἰς τοὺς ἑαυτῆς χιτῶνας ἐναπόθηται βδάλλουσα, τηνικαῦτʼ ἤδη τὸ λοιπὸν ἀποτρίβεται καθάπερ ἄχθος ἀλλότριον· αἱ κύστεις δʼ, ἐπειδὰν ἕκαστον τῶν ἑλχθέντων ἢ τῷ πλήθει διατεῖνον ἢ τῇ ποιότητι δάκνον ἀνιαρὸν γένηται.

τῷ δʼ αὐτῷ τρόπῳ καὶ αἱ μῆτραι· ἤτοι γάρ, ἐπειδὰν μηκέτι φέρωσι διατεινόμεναι, τὸ λυποῦν ἀποθέσθαι σπεύδουσιν ἢ τῇ ποιότητι δακνόμεναι τῶν ἐκχυθέντων εἰς αὐτὰς ὑγρῶν. ἑκάτερον δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων γίγνεται μὲν καὶ βιαίως ἔστιν ὅτε καὶ ἀμβλώσκουσι τηνικαῦτα, γίγνεται δʼ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ καὶ προσηκόντως, ὅπερ οὐκ ἀμβλώσκειν ἀλλʼ ἀποκυΐσκειν τε καὶ τίκτειν ὀνομάζεται. τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἀμβλωθριδίοις φαρμάκοις ἤ τισιν ἄλλοις k.v.2.p.184 παθήμασι διαφθείρουσι τὸ ἔμβρυον ἤ τινας τῶν ὑμένων αὐτοῦ Ῥηγνύουσιν αἱ ἀμβλώσεις ἕπονται, οὕτω δὲ κἀπειδὰν ἀνιαθῶσί ποθʼ αἱ μῆτραι κακῶς ἔχουσαι τῇ διατάσει, ταῖς δὲ τῶν ἐμβρύων αὐτῶν κινήσεσι ταῖς σφοδροτάταις οἱ τόκοι, καθάπερ καὶ τοῦθʼ Ἱπποκράτει καλῶς εἴρηται. κοινὸν δʼ ἁπασῶν τῶν διαθέσεων ἡ ἀνία καὶ ταύτης αἴτιον τριττὸν ἢ ὄγκος περιττὸς ἤ τι βάρος ἢ δῆξις· ὄγκος μέν, ἐπειδὰν μηκέτι φέρωσι διατεινόμεναι, βάρος δʼ, ἐπειδὰν ὑπὲρ τὴν Ῥώμην αὐτῶν ᾖ τὸ περιεχόμενον, δῆξις δʼ, ἐπειδὰν ἤτοι τὰ πρότερον ἐν τοῖς ὑμέσιν ὑγρὰ στεγόμενα Ῥαγέντων αὐτῶν εἰς αὐτὰς ἐκχυθῇ τὰς μήτρας ἢ καὶ σύμπαν ἀποφθαρὲν τὸ κύημα σηπόμενόν τε καὶ διαλυόμενον εἰς μοχθηροὺς ἰχῶρας οὕτως ἐρεθίζῃ τε καὶ δάκνῃ τὸν χιτῶνα τῶν ὑστερῶν.

ἀνάλογον οὖν ἐν ἅπασι τοῖς ὀργάνοις ἕκαστα τῶν τʼ ἔργων αὐτῶν τῶν φυσικῶν καὶ μέντοι τῶν παθημάτων τε καὶ νοσημάτων φαίνεται γιγνόμενα, τὰ μὲν ἐναργῶς καὶ σαφῶς οὕτως, ὡς ἀποδείξεως δεῖσθαι μηδέν, τὰ δʼ ἧττον μὲν k.v.2.p.185 ἐναργῶς, οὐ μὴν ἄγνωστά γε παντάπασι τοῖς ἐθέλουσι προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν.

ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς γαστρὸς αἵ τε δήξεις ἐναργεῖς, διότι πλείστης αἰσθήσεως μετέχει, τά τʼ ἄλλα παθήματα τά τε ναυτίαν ἐμποιοῦντα καὶ οἱ καλούμενοι καρδιωγμοὶ σαφῶς ἐνδείκνυνται τὴν ἀποκριτικήν τε καὶ ἀπωστικὴν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων δύναμιν, οὕτω δὲ κἀπὶ τῶν ὑστερῶν τε καὶ τῆς κύστεως τῆς τὸ οὖρον ὑποδεχομένης· ἐναργῶς γὰρ οὖν καὶ αὕτη φαίνεται μέχρι τοσούτου τὸ ὑγρὸν ὑποδεχομένη τε καὶ ἀθροίζουσα, ἄχρις ἂν ἤτοι πρὸς τοῦ πλήθους αὐτοῦ διατεινομένη μηκέτι φέρῃ τὴν ἀνίαν ἢ πρὸς τῆς ποιότητος δακνομένη· χρονίζον γὰρ ἕκαστον τῶν περιττωμάτων ἐν τῷ σώματι σήπεται δηλονότι, τὸ μὲν ἐλάττονι, τὸ δὲ πλείονι χρόνῳ, καὶ οὕτω δακνῶδές τε καὶ δριμὺ καὶ ἀνιαρὸν τοῖς περιέχουσι γίγνεται. οὐ μὴν ἐπί γε τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι κύστεως ὁμοίως. ἔχει· ᾧ δῆλον, ὅτι νεύρων ἥκιστα μετέχει. χρὴ δὲ κἀνταῦθα τόν γε φυσικὸν ἄνδρα τὸ ἀνάλογον ἐξευρίσκειν. εἰ γὰρ ἕλκειν τε τὸν οἰκεῖον ἀπεδείχθη χυμόν, ὡς φαίνεσθαι πολλάκις μεστήν, k.v.2.p.186 ἀποκρίνειν τε τὸν αὐτὸν τοῦτον οὐκ εἰς μακράν, ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν αὐτὴν ἢ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος βαρυνομένην ἢ τῆς ποιότητος μεταβαλλούσης ἐπὶ τὸ δακνῶδές τε καὶ δριμὺ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως ἐφίεσθαι. οὐ γὰρ δὴ τὰ μὲν σιτία τὴν ἀρχαίαν ὑπαλλάττει ποιότητα ταχέως οὕτως, ὥστʼ, ἐπειδὰν ἐμπέσῃ τοῖς λεπτοῖς ἐντέροις, εὐθὺς εἶναι κόπρον, ἡ χολὴ δʼ οὐ πολὺ μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ οὖρον, ἐπειδὰν ἅπαξ ἐκπέσῃ τῶν φλεβῶν, ἐξαλλάττει τὴν ποιότητα, τάχιστα μεταβάλλοντα καὶ σηπόμενα. καὶ μὴν εἴπερ ἐπί τε τῶν κατὰ τὰς ὑστέρας καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν καὶ τὰ ἔντερα καὶ προσέτι τὴν τὸ οὖρον ὑποδεχομένην κύστιν ἐναργῶς φαίνεται διάτασίς τις ἢ δῆξις ἢ ἄχθος ἐπεγεῖρον ἕκαστον τῶν ὀργάνων εἰς ἀπόκρισιν, οὐδὲν χαλεπὸν κἀπὶ τῆς χοληδόχου κύστεως ταὐτὸ τοῦτʼ ἐννοεῖν ἐπί τε τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ὀργάνων, ἐξ ὧν δηλονότι καὶ αἱ ἀρτηρίαι καὶ αἱ φλέβες εἰσίν.

[13] οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὸ διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πόρου τήν θʼ ὁλκὴν γίγνεσθαι καὶ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν ἐν k.v.2.p.187 διαφέρουσι χρόνοις οὐδὲν ἔτι χαλεπὸν ἐξευρεῖν, εἴ γε καὶ τῆς γαστρὸς ὁ στόμαχος οὐ μόνον ἐδέσματα καὶ πόματα παράγων εἰς αὐτήν, ἀλλὰ κἀν ταῖς ναυτίαις τὴν ἐναντίαν ὑπηρεσίαν ὑπηρετῶν ἐναργῶς φαίνεται, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι κύστεως ὁ αὐχὴν εἷς ὢν ἅμα μὲν πληροῖ διʼ αὑτοῦ τὴν κύστιν, ἅμα δʼ ἐκκενοῖ, καὶ τῶν μητρῶν ὁ στόμαχος ὡσαύτως ὁδός ἐστιν εἴσω μὲν τοῦ σπέρματος, ἔξω δὲ τοῦ κυήματος.

ἀλλὰ κἀνταῦθα πάλιν ἡ μὲν ἐκκριτικὴ δύναμις ἐναργής, οὐ μὴν ὁμοίως γʼ αὐτῇ σαφὴς τοῖς πολλοῖς ἡ ἑλκτική· ἀλλʼ Ἱπποκράτης μὲν ἀρρώστου μήτρας αἰτιώμενος αὐχένα φησί· "Οὐ γὰρ δύναται αὐτέης ὁ στόμαχος εἰρύσαι τὴν γονήν."

Ἐρασίστρατος δὲ καὶ Ἀσκληπιάδης εἰς τοσοῦτον ἥκουσι σοφίας, ὥστʼ οὐ μόνον τὴν κοιλίαν καὶ τὰς μήτρας ἀποστεροῦσι τῆς τοιαύτης δυνάμεως ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ ἥπατι κύστιν ἅμα τοῖς νεφροῖς. καίτοι γʼ ὅτι μηδʼ εἰπεῖν δυνατὸν ἕτερον αἴτιον ἢ οὔρων ἢ χολῆς διακρίσεως, ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ δέδεικται λόγῳ.

καὶ μήτραν οὖν καὶ γαστέρα καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ k.v.2.p.188 τῷ ἥπατι κύστιν διʼ ἑνὸς καὶ ταὐτοῦ στομάχου τήν θʼ ὁλκὴν καὶ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν εὑρίσκοντες ποιουμένας μηκέτι θαυμάζωμεν, εἰ καὶ διὰ τῶν φλεβῶν ἡ φύσις ἐκκρίνει πολλάκις εἰς τὴν γαστέρα περιττώματα. τούτου δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον οὐ χρὴ θαυμάζειν, εἰ, διʼ ὧν εἰς ἧπαρ ἀνεδόθη φλεβῶν ἐκ γαστρός, αὖθις εἰς αὐτὴν ἐξ ἥπατος ἐν ταῖς μακροτέραις ἀσιτίαις ἕλκεσθαί τις δύναται τροφή. τὸ γὰρ τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀπιστεῖν ὅμοιόν ἐστι δήπου τῷ μηκέτι πιστεύειν μηδʼ ὅτι τὰ καθαίροντα φάρμακα διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν στομάτων ἐξ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος εἰς τὴν γαστέρα τοὺς οἰκείους ἐπισπᾶται χυμούς, διʼ ὧν ἔμπροσθεν ἡ ἀνάδοσις ἐγένετο, ἀλλʼ ἕτερα μὲν ζητεῖν ἀναδόσεως, ἕτερα δὲ καθάρσεως στόματα. καὶ μὴν εἴπερ ἓν καὶ ταὐτὸ στόμα διτταῖς ὑπηρετεῖ δυνάμεσιν, ἐν διαφόροις χρόνοις εἰς τἀναντία τὴν ὁλκὴν ποιουμέναις, ἔμπροσθεν μὲν τῇ κατὰ τὸ ἧπαρ, ἐν δὲ τῷ τῆς καθάρσεως καιρῷ τῇ τοῦ φαρμάκου, τί θαυμαστόν ἐστι διττὴν ὑπηρεσίαν τε καὶ χρείαν εἶναι ταῖς φλεψὶ ταῖς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τεταγμέναις ἥπατός τε καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν, ὥσθʼ, ὁπότε μὲν ἐν τούτοις ἄφθονος εἴη περιεχομένη τροφή, διὰ τῶν k.v.2.p.189 εἰρημένων εἰς ἧπαρ ἀναφέρεσθαι φλεβῶν, ὁπότε δʼ εἴη κενὰ καὶ δεόμενα τρέφεσθαι, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν αὖθις ἐξ ἥπατος ἕλκεσθαι;

πᾶν γὰρ ἐκ παντὸς ἕλκειν φαίνεται καὶ παντὶ μεταδιδόναι καὶ μία τις εἶναι σύρροια καὶ σύμπνοια πάντων, καθάπερ καὶ τοῦθʼ ὁ θειότατος Ἱπποκράτης εἶπεν. ἕλκει μὲν οὖν τὸ ἰσχυρότερον, ἐκκενοῦται δὲ τὸ ἀσθενέστερον.

ἰσχυρότερον δὲ καὶ ἀσθενέστερον ἕτερον ἑτέρου μόριον ἢ ἁπλῶς καὶ φύσει καὶ κοινῇ πᾶσίν ἐστιν ἢ ἰδίως τῷδέ τινι γίγνεται. φύσει μὲν καὶ κοινῇ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις θʼ ἅμα καὶ ζώοις ἡ μὲν καρδία τοῦ ἥπατος, τὸ δʼ ἧπαρ τῶν ἐντέρων τε καὶ τῆς γαστρός, αἱ δʼ ἀρτηρίαι τῶν φλεβῶν ἑλκύσαι τε τὸ χρήσιμον ἑαυταῖς ἀποκρῖναί τε τὸ μὴ τοιοῦτον ἰσχυρότεραι. καθʼ ἕκαστον δʼ ἡμῶν ἰδίως ἐν μὲν τῷδε τῷ καιρῷ τὸ ἧπαρ ἰσχυρότερον ἕλκειν, ἡ γαστὴρ δʼ ἐν τῷδε. πολλῆς μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ περιεχομένης τροφῆς καὶ σφοδρῶς ὀρεγομένου τε καὶ χρῄζοντος τοῦ ἥπατος, πάντως ἰσχυρότερον ἕλκει τὸ σπλάγχνον· ἔμπαλιν δὲ τοῦ μὲν ἥπατος k.v.2.p.190 ἐμπεπλησμένου τε καὶ διατεταμένου, τῆς γαστρὸς δʼ ὀρεγομένης καὶ κενῆς ὑπαρχούσης ἡ τῆς ὁλκῆς ἰσχὺς εἰς ἐκείνην μεθίσταται.

ὡς γάρ, εἰ κἂν ταῖς χερσί τινα σιτία κατέχοντες ἀλλήλων ἁρπάζοιμεν, εἰ μὲν ὁμοίως εἴημεν δεόμενοι, περιγίγνεσθαι τὸν ἰσχυρότερον εἰκός, εἰ δʼ οὗτος μὲν ἐμπεπλησμένος εἴη καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἀμελῶς κατέχων τὰ περιττὰ ἢ καί τινι μεταδοῦναι ποθῶν, ὁ δʼ ἀσθενέστερος ὀρέγοιτο δεινῶς, οὐδὲν ἂν εἴη κώλυμα τοῦ μὴ πάντα λαβεῖν αὐτόν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ ἐκ τοῦ ἥπατος ἐπισπᾶται Ῥᾳδίως, ὅταν αὐτὴ μὲν ἱκανῶς ὀρέγηται τροφῆς, ἐμπεπλησμένον δʼ ᾖ τὸ σπλάγχνον. καὶ τοῦ γε μὴ πεινῆν ἐνίοτε τὸ ζῷον ἡ περιουσία τῆς ἐν ἥπατι τροφῆς αἰτία· κρείττονα γὰρ ἔχουσα καὶ ἑτοιμοτέραν ἡ γαστὴρ τροφὴν οὐδὲν δεῖται τῆς ἔξωθεν· εἰ δέ γέ ποτε δέοιτο μέν, ἀποροίη δέ, πληροῦται περιττωμάτων. ἰχῶρες δέ τινές εἰσι ταῦτα χολώδεις τε καὶ φλεγματώδεις καὶ ὀρρώδεις, οὓς μόνους ἑλκούσῃ μεθίησιν αὐτῇ τὸ ἧπαρ, ὅταν ποτὲ καὶ αὐτὴ δέηται τροφῆς.

ὥσπερ οὖν ἐξ ἀλλήλων ἕλκει τὰ μόρια k.v.2.p.191 τροφήν, οὕτω καὶ ἀποτίθεταί ποτʼ εἰς ἄλληλα τὸ περιττὸν καὶ ὥσπερ ἑλκόντων ἐπλεονέκτει τὸ ἰσχυρότερον, οὕτω καὶ ἀποτιθεμένων καὶ τῶν γε καλουμένων Ῥευμάτων ἥδε ἡ πρόφασις. ἕκαστον γὰρ τῶν μορίων ἔχει τινὰ τόνον σύμφυτον, ᾧ διωθεῖται τὸ περιττόν. ὅταν οὖν ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀρρωστότερον γένηται κατὰ δή τινα διάθεσιν, ἐξ ἁπάντων εἰς ἐκεῖνο συρρεῖν ἀνάγκη τὰ περιττώματα. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἰσχυρότατον ἐναποτίθεται τοῖς πλησίον ἅπασιν, ἐκείνων δʼ αὖ πάλιν ἕκαστον εἰς ἕτερʼ ἄττα τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων, εἶτʼ αὖθις ἐκείνων ἕκαστον εἰς ἄλλα καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον γίγνεται, μέχρι περ ἂν ἐξ ἁπάντων ἐλαυνόμενον τὸ περίττωμα καθʼ ἕν τι μείνῃ τῶν ἀσθενεστάτων· ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ οὐκέτʼ εἰς ἄλλο δύναται μεταρρεῖν, ὡς· ἂν μήτε δεχομένου τινὸς αὐτὸ τῶν ἰσχυροτέρων μήτʼ ἀπώσασθαι δυναμένου τοῦ πεπονθότος.

ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τῶν παθῶν τῆς γενέσεως καὶ τῆς ἰάσεως αὖθις ἡμῶν ἐπιδεικνύντων ἱκανὰ κἀξ ἐκείνων ἔσται λαβεῖν μαρτύρια τῶν ἐν τῷδε τῷ k.v.2.p.192 λόγῳ παντὶ δεδειγμένων ὀρθῶς. ὃ δʼ ἐν τῷ παρόντι δεῖξαι προὔκειτο, πάλιν ἀναλάβωμεν, ὡς οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν ἐξ ἥπατος ἥκειν τινὰ τροφὴν ἐντέροις τε καὶ γαστρὶ διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν φλεβῶν, διʼ ὧν ἔμπροσθεν ἐξ ἐκείνων εἰς ἧπαρ ἀνεδίδοτο. καὶ πολλοῖς ἀθρόως τε καὶ τελέως ἀποστᾶσιν ἰσχυρῶν γυμνασίων ἤ τι κῶλον ἀποκοπεῖσιν αἵματος διὰ τῶν ἐντέρων γίγνεται κένωσις ἔκ τινων περιόδων, ὥς που καὶ Ἱπποκράτης ἔλεγεν, οὐδὲν μὲν ἄλλο λυποῦσα, καθαίρουσα δʼ ὀξέως τὸ πᾶν σῶμα καὶ τὰς πλησμονὰς ἐκκενοῦσα, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν δήπου φλεβῶν τῆς φορᾶς τῶν περιττῶν ἐπιτελουμένης, διʼ ὧν ἔμπροσθεν ἡ ἀνάδοσις ἐγίγνετο.

πολλάκις δʼ ἐν νόσοις ἡ φύσις διὰ μὲν τῶν αὐτῶν δήπου φλεβῶν τὸ πᾶν ἐκκαθαίρει ζῷον, οὐ μὴν αἱματώδης γʼ ἡ κένωσις αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν λυποῦντα γίγνεται χυμόν. οὕτω δὲ κἀν ταῖς χολέραις ἐκκενοῦται τὸ πᾶν σῶμα διὰ τῶν εἰς ἔντερά τε καὶ γαστέρα καθηκουσῶν φλεβῶν.

τὸ δʼ οἴεσθαι μίαν εἶναι ταῖς ὕλαις φορὰν k.v.2.p.193 τελέως ἀγνοοῦντός ἐστι τὰς φυσικὰς δυνάμεις τάς τʼ ἄλλας καὶ τὴν ἐκκριτικὴν ἐναντίαν οὖσαν τῇ ἑλκτικῇ· ταῖς γὰρ ἐναντίαις δυνάμεσιν ἐναντίας κινήσεις τε καὶ φορὰς τῶν ὑλῶν ἀναγκαῖον ἀκολουθεῖν. ἕκαστον γὰρ τῶν μορίων, ὅταν ἑλκύσῃ τὸν οἰκεῖον χυμόν, ἔπειτα κατάσχῃ καὶ ἀπολαύσῃ, τὸ περιττὸν ἅπαν ἀποθέσθαι σπεύδει, καθότι μάλιστα δύναται τάχιστά θʼ ἅμα καὶ κάλλιστα, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ περιττοῦ Ῥοπήν.

ὅθεν ἡ γαστὴρ τὰ μὲν ἐπιπολάζοντα τῶν περιττωμάτων ἐμέτοις ἐκκαθαίρει, τὰ δʼ ὑφιστάμενα διαρροίαις. καὶ τό γε ναυτιῶδες γίγνεσθαι τὸ ζῷον τοῦτʼ ἔστιν ὁρμῆσαι τὴν γαστέρα κενωθῆναι διʼ ἐμέτου. οὕτω δὲ δή τι βίαιον καὶ σφοδρὸν ἡ ἐκκριτικὴ δύναμις ἔχει, ὥστʼ ἐν τοῖς εἰλεοῖς, ὅταν ἀποκλεισθῇ τελέως ἡ κάτω διέξοδος, ἐμεῖται κόπρος. καίτοι πρὶν διελθεῖν τό τε λεπτὸν ἔντερον ἅπαν καὶ τὴν νῆστιν καὶ τὸν πυλωρὸν καὶ τὴν γαστέρα καὶ τὸν οἰσοφάγον οὐχ οἷόν τε. διὰ τοῦ στόματος ἐκπεσεῖν οὐδενὶ τοιούτῳ περιττώματι. τί δὴ θαυμαστόν, εἰ κἀκ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας τῆς κατὰ τὸ δέρμα μέχρι τῶν ἐντέρων k.v.2.p.194 τε καὶ τῆς γαστρὸς ἀφικνοῖτό τι μεταλαμβανόμενον, ὡς καὶ τοῦθʼ Ἱπποκράτης ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν, οὐ πνεῦμα μόνον ἢ περίττωμα φάσκων ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν τροφὴν αὐτὴν ἐκ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας αὖθις ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχήν, ὅθεν ἀνηνέχθη, καταφέρεσθαι. ἐλάχισται γὰρ Ῥοπαὶ κινήσεων τὴν ἐκκριτικὴν ταύτην οἰακίζουσι δύναμιν, ὡς ἂν διὰ τῶν ἐγκαρσίων μὲν ἰνῶν γιγνομένην, ὠκύτατα δὲ διαδιδομένην ἀπὸ τῆς κινησάσης ἀρχῆς ἐπὶ τὰ καταντικρὺ πέρατα. οὔκουν ἀπεικὸς οὐδʼ ἀδύνατον ἀήθει ποτὲ ψύξει τὸ πρὸς τῷ δέρματι μόριον ἐξαίφνης πιληθὲν ἅμα μὲν ἀρρωστότερον αὐτὸ γενόμενον, ἅμα δʼ οἷον ἄχθος τι μᾶλλον ἢ παρασκευὴν θρέψεως ἔχον τὴν ἔμπροσθεν ἀλύπως αὐτῷ παρεσπαρμένην ὑγρότητα καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἀπωθεῖσθαι σπεῦδον, ἅμα δὲ τῆς ἔξω φορᾶς ἀποκεκλεισμένης τῇ πυκνώσει, πρὸς τὴν λοιπὴν ἐπιστραφῆναι καὶ οὕτω βιασάμενον εἰς τὸ παρακείμενον αὐτῷ μόριον ἀθρόως ἀπώσασθαι τὸ περιττόν, ἐκεῖνο δʼ αὖ πάλιν εἰς τὸ μετʼ αὐτό, k.v.2.p.195 καὶ τοῦτο μὴ παύσασθαι γιγνόμενον, ἄχρις ἂν ἡ μετάληψις ἐπὶ τὰ ἐντὸς πέρατα τῶν φλεβῶν τελευτήσῃ.

αἱ μὲν δὴ τοιαῦται κινήσεις θᾶττον ἀποπαύονται, αἱ δʼ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔνδοθεν διερεθιζόντων, ὡς ἔν τε τοῖς καθαίρουσι φαρμάκοις καὶ ταῖς χολέραις ἰσχυρότεραί τε πολὺ καὶ μονιμώτεραι γίγνονται καὶ διαμένουσιν, ἔστʼ ἂν καὶ ἡ περὶ τοῖς στόμασι τῶν ἀγγείων διάθεσις, ἡ τὸ πλησίον ἕλκουσα, παραμένῃ. αὕτη μὲν γὰρ τὸ συνεχὲς ἐκκενοῖ μόριον, ἐκεῖνο δʼ αὖ τὸ μετʼ αὐτὸ καὶ τοῦτʼ οὐ παύεται μέχρι τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας, ὥστε διαδιδόντων τῶν ἐφεξῆς ἀεὶ μορίων ἑτέρων ἑτέροις τὸ πρῶτον πάθος ὠκύτατα διικνεῖσθαι μέχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων. οὕτως οὖν ἔχει κἀπὶ τῶν εἰλεῶν. αὐτὸ μὲν γὰρ τὸ φλεγμαῖνον ἔντερον οὔτε τοῦ βάρους οὔτε τῆς δριμύτητος ἀνέχεται τῶν περιττωμάτων καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐκκρίνειν αὐτὰ σπεύδει καὶ ἀπωθεῖσθαι πορρωτάτω. κωλυόμενον δὲ κάτω ποιεῖσθαι τὴν δίωσιν, ὅταν ἐνταυθοῖ ποτε τὸ σφοδρότατον ᾖ τῆς φλεγμονῆς, εἰς τὰ πλησιάζοντα τῶν ὑπερκειμένων ἐντέρων ἀπωθεῖται. καὶ οὕτως ἤδη k.v.2.p.196 κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς τὴν Ῥοπὴν τῆς ἐκκριτικῆς δυνάμεως ἄνω ποιησαμένης ἄχρι τοῦ στόματος ἐπανέρχεται τὰ περιττώματα.

ταῦτα μὲν οὖν δὴ κἀν τοῖς τῶν νοσημάτων λογισμοῖς ἐπὶ πλέον εἰρήσεται. τὸ δʼ ἐκ παντὸς εἰς πᾶν φέρεσθαί τι καὶ μεταλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ μίαν ἁπάντων εἶναι σύμπνοιάν τε καὶ σύρροιαν, ὡς Ἱπποκράτης ἔλεγεν, ἤδη μοι δοκῶ δεδεῖχθαι σαφῶς καὶ μηκέτʼ ἄν τινα, μηδʼ εἰ βραδὺς αὐτῷ νοῦς ἐνείη, περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀπορῆσαι μηδενός, οἷον ὅπως ἡ γαστὴρ ἢ τὰ ἔντερα τρέφεται καὶ τίνα τρόπον ἐκ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας εἴσω τι διικνεῖται. πάντων γὰρ τῶν μορίων ἕλκειν μὲν τὸ προσῆκόν τε καὶ φίλιον, ἀποκρίνειν δὲ τὸ βαρῦνον ἢ δάκνον ἐχόντων δύναμιν οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν ἐναντίας συνεχῶς γίγνεσθαι κινήσεις ἐν αὐτοῖς, ὥσπερ ἐπί τε τῆς καρδίας ὁρᾶται σαφῶς καὶ τῶν ἀρτηριῶν ἁπασῶν καὶ τοῦ θώρακος καὶ τοῦ πνεύμονος. ἐπὶ μέν γε τούτων ἁπάντων μόνον οὐ καθʼ ἑκάστην καιροῦ Ῥοπὴν τὰς ἐναντίας κινήσεις θʼ ἅμα τῶν ὀργάνων καὶ φορὰς τῶν k.v.2.p.197 ὑλῶν ἐναργῶς ἔστιν ἰδεῖν γιγνομένας. εἶτʼ ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς τραχείας ἀρτηρίας οὐκ ἀπορεῖς ἐναλλὰξ ποτὲ μὲν εἴσω παραγούσης εἰς τὸν πνεύμονα τὸ πνεῦμα, ποτὲ δʼ ἔξω, καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὰς Ῥῖνας πόρων καὶ ὅλου τοῦ στόματος ὡσαύτως οὐδʼ εἶναί σοι δοκεῖ θαυμαστὸν οὐδὲ παράδοξον, εἰ, διʼ οὗ μικρῷ πρόσθεν εἴσω παρεκομίζετο τὸ πνεῦμα, διὰ τούτου νῦν ἐκπέμπεται, περὶ δὲ τῶν ἐξ ἥπατος εἰς ἔντερά τε καὶ γαστέρα καθηκουσῶν φλεβῶν ἀπορεῖς καί σοι θαυμαστὸν εἶναι φαίνεται, διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀναδίδοσθαί θʼ ἅμα τὴν τροφὴν εἰς ἧπαρ ἕλκεσθαί τʼ ἐξ ἐκείνου πάλιν εἰς γαστέρα; διόρισαι δὴ τὸ ἅμα τοῦτο ποτέρως λέγεις. εἰ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον, οὐδʼ ἡμεῖς τοῦτό γέ φαμεν. ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰσπνέομεν ἐν ἑτέρῳ χρόνῳ καὶ αὖθις πάλιν ἐν ἑτέρῳ ἀντεκπνέομεν, οὕτω καὶ τροφὴν ἐν ἑτέρῳ μὲν χρόνῳ τὸ ἧπαρ ἐκ τῆς γαστρός, ἐν ἑτέρῳ δʼ ἡ γαστὴρ ἐκ τοῦ ἥπατος ἐπισπᾶται. εἰ δʼ ὅτι καθʼ ἓν καὶ ταὐτὸ ζῷον ἓν ὄργανον ἐναντίαις φοραῖς ὑλῶν ὑπηρετεῖ, τοῦτό σοι βούλεται δηλοῦν τὸ ἅμα καὶ τοῦτό σε k.v.2.p.198 ταράττει, τήν τʼ εἰσπνοὴν ἰδὲ καὶ τὴν ἐκπνοήν. πάντως που καὶ αὗται διὰ μὲν τῶν αὐτῶν ὀργάνων γίγνονται, τρόπῳ δὲ κινήσεώς τε καὶ φορᾶς τῶν ὑλῶν διαφέρουσιν.

ὁ πνεύμων μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ θώραξ καὶ ἀρτηρίαι αἱ τραχεῖαι καὶ αἱ λεῖαι καὶ καρδία καὶ στόμα καὶ Ῥῖνες ἐν ἐλαχίσταις χρόνου Ῥοπαῖς εἰς ἐναντίας κινήσεις αὐτά τε μεταβάλλει καὶ τὰς ὕλας μεθίστησιν. αἱ δʼ ἐξ ἥπατος εἰς ἔντερα καὶ γαστέρα καθήκουσαι φλέβες οὐκ ἐν οὕτω βραχέσι χρόνου μορίοις ἀλλʼ ἐν πολλαῖς ἡμέραις ἅπαξ ἐνίοτε τὴν ἐναντίαν κινοῦνται κίνησιν.

ἔχει γὰρ ὧδε τὸ σύμπαν. ἕκαστον τῶν ὀργάνων εἰς ἑαυτὸ τὴν πλησιάζουσαν ἐπισπᾶται τροφὴν ἐκβοσκόμενον αὐτῆς ἅπασαν τὴν χρηστὴν νοτίδα, μέχρις ἂν ἱκανῶς κορεσθῇ, καὶ ταύτην, ὡς καὶ πρόσθεν ἐδείκνυμεν, ἐναποτίθεται ἑαυτῷ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα προσφύει τε καὶ ὁμοιοῖ, τουτέστι τρέφεται. διώρισται γὰρ ἱκανῶς ἔμπροσθεν ἕτερόν τι τῆς θρέψεως ἐξ ἀνάγκης αὐτῆς προηγούμενον ἡ πρόσφυσις ὑπάρχειν, ἐκείνης δʼ k.v.2.p.199 ἔτι πρότερον ἡ πρόσθεσις. ὥσπερ οὖν τοῖς ζῴοις αὐτοῖς ὅρος ἐστὶ τῆς ἐδωδῆς τὸ πληρῶσαι τὴν γαστέρα, κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἑκάστῳ τῶν μορίων ὅρος ἐστὶ τῆς προσθέσεως ἡ πλήρωσις τῆς οἰκείας ὑγρότητος. ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἅπαν μόριον τῇ γαστρὶ ὁμοίως ὀρέγεται τρέφεσθαι, καὶ περιπτύσσεται τῇ τροφῇ καὶ οὕτω σφίγγει πανταχόθεν αὐτὴν ὡς ἡ γαστήρ. ἕπεται δʼ ἐξ ἀνάγκης τούτῳ, καθάπερ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐρρηθη, τὸ πέττεσθαι τοῖς σιτίοις, τῆς γαστρὸς οὐ διὰ τοῦτο περιστελλομένης αὐτοῖς, ἵνʼ ἐπιτήδεια τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐργάσηται μορίοις· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν οὐκέτι φυσικὸν ὄργανον ἀλλὰ ζῷόν τι γίγνοιτο λογισμόν τε καὶ νοῦν ἔχον, ὡς αἱρεῖσθαι τὸ βέλτιον.

ἀλλʼ αὕτη μὲν μὲν περιστέλλεται τῷ τὸ πᾶν σῶμα δύναμιν ἑλκτικήν τινα καὶ ἀπολαυστικὴν κεκτῆσθαι τῶν οἰκείων ποιοτήτων, ὡς ἔμπροσθεν ἐδείκνυτο· συμβαίνει δʼ ἐν τούτῳ τοῖς σιτίοις ἀλλοιοῦσθαι. καὶ μέντοι καὶ πληρωθεῖσα τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὑγρότητος καὶ κορεσθεῖσα βάρος ἡγεῖται τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτά. τὸ περιττὸν οὖν εὐθὺς k.v.2.p.200 ἀποτρίβεταί τε καὶ ὠθεῖ κάτω πρὸς ἕτερον ἔργον αὐτὴ τρεπομένη, τὴν πρόσφυσιν. ἐν δὲ τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ διερχομένη τὸ ἔντερον ἅπαν ἡ τροφὴ διὰ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸ καθηκόντων ἀγγείων ἀναρπάζεται, πλείστη μὲν εἰς τὰς φλέβας, ὀλίγη δέ τις εἰς τὰς ἀρτηρίας, ὡς μικρὸν ὕστερον ἀποδείξομεν. ἐν τούτῳ δʼ αὖ τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ τοῖς τῶν ἐντέρων χιτῶσι προστίθεται.

καί μοι τεμὼν ἤδη τῷ λογισμῷ τὴν τῆς τροφῆς οἰκονομίαν ἅπασαν εἰς τρεῖς μοίρας χρόνων, ἐν μὲν τῇ πρώτῃ νόει μένουσάν θʼ ἅμα κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν αὐτὴν καὶ πεττομένην καὶ προστιθεμένην εἰς κόρον τῇ γαστρὶ καί τι καὶ τῷ ἥπατι παρʼ αὐτῆς ἀναφερόμενον.

ἐν δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ διερχομένην τά τʼ ἔντερα καὶ προστιθεμένην εἰς κόρον αὐτοῖς τε τούτοις καὶ τῷ ἥπατι καί τι βραχὺ μέρος αὐτῆς πάντη τοῦ σώματος φερόμενον· ἐν δὲ δὴ τούτῳ τῷ καιρῷ τὸ προστεθὲν ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ χρόνῳ προσφύεσθαι νόει τῇ γαστρί.

κατὰ δὲ τὴν τρίτην μοῖραν τοῦ χρόνου τρέφεσθαι μὲν ἤδη τὴν κοιλίαν ὁμοιώσασαν ἑαυτῇ τελέως τὰ προσφύντα, πρόσφυσιν δὲ τοῖς ἐντέροις καὶ τῷ ἥπατι γίγνεσθαι τῶν προστεθέντων, k.v.2.p.201 ἀνάδοσιν δὲ πάντη τοῦ σώματος καὶ πρόσθεσιν. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τούτοις εὐθέως τὸ ζῷον λαμβάνοι τροφήν, ἐν ᾧ πάλιν ἡ γαστὴρ χρόνῳ πέττει τε ταύτην καὶ ἀπολαύει προστιθεῖσα πᾶν ἐξ αὐτῆς τὸ χρηστὸν τοῖς ἑαυτῆς χιτῶσι, τὰ μὲν ἔντερα τελέως ὁμοιώσει τὸν προσφύντα χυμόν, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὸ ἧπαρ. ἐν ὅλῳ δὲ τῷ σώματι πρόσφυσις τῶν προστεθέντων τῆς τροφῆς ἔσται μορίων. εἰ δʼ ἄσιτος ἀναγκάζοιτο μένειν ἡ γαστὴρ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ, παρὰ τῶν ἐν μεσεντερίῳ τε καὶ ἥπατι φλεβῶν ἕλξει τὴν τροφήν· οὐ γὰρ ἐξ αὐτοῦ γε τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ἥπατος. λέγω δὲ σῶμα τοῦ ἥπατος αὐτήν τε τὴν ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ σάρκα πρώτην καὶ μάλιστα, μετὰ δὲ τήνδε καὶ τῶν ἀγγείων ἕκαστον τῶν κατʼ αὐτό. τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν μορίων ἤδη περιεχόμενον χυμὸν οὐκέτʼ εὔλογον ἀντισπᾶν ἑτέρῳ μορίῳ καὶ μάλισθʼ ὅταν ἤδη πρόσφυσις ἢ ἐξομοίωσις αὐτοῦ γίγνηται. τὸν δʼ ἐν ταῖς εὐρυχωρίαις τῶν φλεβῶν τὸ μᾶλλον ἰσχύον θʼ ἅμα καὶ δεόμενον ἀντισπᾷ μόριον.

k.v.2.p.202 Οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ ἐν ᾧ χρόνῳ δεῖται μὲν αὐτὴ τροφῆς, ἐσθίει δʼ οὐδέπω τὸ ζῷον, ἐν τούτῳ τῶν κατὰ τὸ ἧπαρ ἐξαρπάζει φλεβῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τὸν σπλῆνα διὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἐδείκνυμεν ὅσον ἐν ἥπατι παχύτερον ἕλκοντα κατεργάζεσθαί τε καὶ μεταβάλλειν ἐπὶ τὸ χρηστότερον, οὐδὲν οὐδʼ ἐνταῦθα θαυμαστὸν ἕλκεσθαί τι κἀκ τοῦ σπληνὸς εἰς ἕκαστον τῶν κοινωνούντων αὐτῷ κατὰ τὰς φλέβας ὀργάνων, οἷον εἰς ἐπίπλοον καὶ μεσεντέριον καὶ λεπτὸν ἔντερον καὶ κῶλον καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν γαστέρα· κατὰ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἐξερεύγεσθαι μὲν εἰς τὴν γαστέρα τὸ περίττωμα καθʼ ἕτερον χρόνον, αὐτὸν δʼ αὖθις ἐκ τῆς γαστρὸς ἕλκειν τι τῆς οἰκείας τροφῆς ἐν ἑτέρῳ καιρῷ.

καθόλου δʼ εἰπεῖν, ὃ καὶ πρόσθεν ἤδη λέλεκται, πᾶν ἐκ παντὸς ἕλκειν τε καὶ πέμπειν ἐγχωρεῖ κατὰ διαφέροντας χρόνους, ὁμοιοτάτου γιγνομένου τοῦ συμβαίνοντος, ὡς εἰ καὶ ζῷα νοήσαις πολλὰ τροφὴν ἄφθονον ἐν κοινῷ κατακειμένην, εἰς ὅσον βούλεται, προσφερόμενα. καθʼ ὃν γὰρ ἤδη πέπαυται χρόνον ἕτερα, κατὰ τοῦτον εἰκὸς ἐσθίειν k.v.2.p.203 ἕτερα, καὶ μέλλειν γε τὰ μὲν παύεσθαι, τὰ δʼ ἄρχεσθαι, καί τινα μὲν συνεσθίοντα, τὰ δʼ ἀνὰ μέρος ἐσθίοντα καὶ ναὶ μὰ Δία γε τὸ ἕτερον ἁρπάζειν θατέρου πολλάκις, εἰ τὸ μὲν ἕτερον ἐπιδέοιτο, τῷ δʼ ἀφθόνως παρακέοιτο. καὶ οὕτως οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν οὔτʼ ἐκ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐπιφανείας εἴσω τι πάλιν ὑποστρέφειν οὔτε διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀγγείων ἐξ ἥπατός τε καὶ σπληνὸς εἰς κοιλίαν ἀνενεχθῆναί τι, διʼ ὧν ἐκ ταύτης εἰς ἐκεῖνα πρότερον ἀνηνέχθη.

κατὰ μὲν γὰρ τὰς ἀρτηρίας ἱκανῶς ἐναργὲς τὸ τοιοῦτον, ὥσπερ καὶ κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν τε καὶ τὸν θώρακα καὶ τὸν πνεύμονα. τούτων γὰρ ἁπάντων διαστελλομένων τε καὶ συστελλομένων ἐναλλὰξ ἀναγκαῖον, ἐξ ὧν εἱλκύσθη τι πρότερον, εἰς ταῦθʼ ὕστερον ἐκπέμπεσθαι. καὶ ταύτην ἄρα τὴν ἀνάγκην ἡ φύσις προγιγνώσκουσα τοῖς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ στόμασι τῶν ἀγγείων ὑμένας ἐπέφυσε κωλύσοντας εἰς τοὐπίσω φέρεσθαι τὰς ὕλας. ἀλλʼ ὅπως μὲν τοῦτο γίγνεται καὶ καθʼ ὅντινα τρόπον, ἐν τοῖς περὶ χρείας μορίων εἰρήσεται δεικνύντων ἡμῶν τά τʼ ἄλλα καὶ ὡς ἀδύνατον οὕτως ἀκριβῶς k.v.2.p.204 κλείεσθαι τὰ στόματα τῶν ἀγγείων, ὡς μηδὲν παλινδρομεῖν. εἰς μὲν γὰρ τὴν ἀρτηρίαν τὴν φλεβώδη, καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐν ἐκείνοις δειχθήσεται, πολὺ πλέον ἢ διὰ τῶν ἄλλων στομάτων εἰς τοὐπίσω πάλιν ἀναγκαῖον ἐπανέρχεσθαι. τὸ δʼ εἰς τὰ παρόντα χρήσιμον, ὡς οὐκ ἐνδέχεταί τι τῶν αἰσθητὴν καὶ μεγάλην ἐχόντων εὐρύτητα μὴ οὐκ ἤτοι διαστελλόμενον ἕλκειν ἐξ ἁπάντων τῶν πλησίον ἢ ἐκθλίβειν αὖθις εἰς ταῦτα συστελλόμενον ἔκ τε τῶν ἤδη προειρημένων ἐν τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ σαφὲς ἂν εἴη κἀξ ὧν Ἐρασίστρατός τε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἑτέρωθι περὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίας ἐδείξαμεν.

[14] ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ὡς ἐν ἑκάστῃ τῶν ἀρτηριῶν ἐστί τις δύναμις ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἐπιρρέουσα, καθʼ ἣν διαστέλλονταί τε καὶ συστέλλονται, δέδεικται διʼ ἑτέρων.

εἴπερ οὖν συνθείης ἄμφω τό τε ταύτην εἶναι τὴν κίνησιν αὐταῖς τό τε πᾶν τὸ διαστελλόμενον ἕλκειν ἐκ τῶν πλησίον εἰς ἑαυτό, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν σοι φανεῖται τὰς ἀρτηρίας, ὅσαι μὲν εἰς τὸ δέρμα περαίνουσιν αὐτῶν, ἐπισπᾶσθαι τὸν ἔξωθεν ἀέρα διαστελλομένας, ὅσαι δὲ κατά τι πρὸς τὰς k.v.2.p.205 φλέβας ἀνεστόμωνται, τὸ λεπτότατον ἐν αὐταῖς καὶ ἀτμωδέστατον ἐπισπᾶσθαι τοῦ αἵματος, ὅσαι δʼ ἐγγὺς τῆς καρδίας εἰσίν, ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐκείνης ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ὁλκήν. ἐν γὰρ τῇ πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίᾳ τὸ κουφότατόν τε καὶ λεπτότατον ἕπεται πρῶτον τοῦ βαρυτέρου τε καὶ παχυτέρου· κουφότατον δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ λεπτότατον ἁπάντων τῶν κατὰ τὸ σῶμα πρῶτον μὲν τὸ πνεῦμα, δεύτερον δʼ ὁ ἀτμός, ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὲ τρίτον, ὅσον ἂν ἀκριβῶς ᾖ κατειργασμένον τε καὶ λελεπτυσμένον αἷμα.

ταῦτʼ οὖν εἰς ἑαυτὰς ἕλκουσιν αἱ ἀρτηρίαι πανταχόθεν, αἱ μὲν εἰς τὸ δέρμα καθήκουσαι τὸν ἔξωθεν ἀέρα· πλησίον τε γὰρ αὐταῖς οὗτός ἐστι καὶ κουφότατος ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα· τῶν δʼ ἄλλων ἡ μὲν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἀνιοῦσα καὶ ἡ κατὰ Ῥάχιν, ἤδη δὲ καὶ ὅσαι τούτων ἐγγὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς μάλιστα τῆς καρδίας· ὅσαι δὲ καὶ τῆς καρδίας πορρωτέρω καὶ τοῦ δέρματος, ἕλκειν ταύταις ἀναγκαῖον ἐκ τῶν φλεβῶν τὸ κουφότατον τοῦ αἵματος· ὥστε καὶ τῶν εἰς τὴν γαστέρα τε καὶ τὰ ἔντερα καθηκουσῶν ἀρτηριῶν τὴν ὁλκὴν ἐν τῷ διαστέλλεσθαι γίγνεσθαι παρά τε k.v.2.p.206 τῆς καρδίας αὐτῆς καὶ τῶν παρακειμένων αὐτῇ φλεβῶν παμπόλλων οὐσῶν. οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἔκ γε τῶν ἐντέρων καὶ τῆς κοιλίας τροφὴν οὕτω παχεῖάν τε καὶ βαρεῖαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἐχόντων δύνανταί τι μεταλαμβάνειν, ὅ τι καὶ ἄξιον λόγου, φθάνουσαι πληροῦσθαι τοῖς κουφοτέροις. οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰ καθεὶς αὐλίσκον εἰς ἀγγεῖον ὕδατός τε καὶ ψάμμου πλῆρες ἐπισπάσαιο τῷ στόματι τὸν ἐκ τοῦ αὐλίσκου ἀέρα, δύναιτʼ ἂν ἀκολουθῆσαί σοι πρὸ τοῦ ὕδατος ἡ ψάμμος· ἀεὶ γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίᾳ τὸ κουφότερον ἕπεται πρότερον.

[15] οὔκουν χρὴ θαυμάζειν, εἰ παντελῶς ὀλίγον ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας, ὅσον ἂν ἀκριβῶς ᾖ κατειργασμένον, εἰς τὰς ἀρτηρίας παραγίγνεται φθανούσας πληροῦσθαι τῶν κουφοτέρων, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνο γιγνώσκειν, ὡς δύʼ ἐστὸν ὁλκῆς εἴδη, τὸ μὲν τῇ πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίᾳ, τὸ δʼ οἰκειότητι ποιότητος γιγνόμενον· ἑτέρως μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὰς φύσας ὁ ἀήρ, ἑτέρως δʼ ὁ σίδηρος ὑπὸ τῆς ἡρακλείας ἐπισπᾶται λίθου· καὶ ὡς ἡ μὲν πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον k.v.2.p.207 ἀκολουθία τὸ κουφότερον ἕλκει πρότερον, ἡ δὲ κατὰ τὴν τῆς ποιότητος οἰκειότητα πολλάκις, εἰ οὕτως ἔτυχε, τὸ βαρύτερον, ἂν τῇ φύσει συγγενέστερον ὑπάρχῃ. καὶ τοίνυν καὶ ταῖς ἀρτηρίαις τε καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὡς μὲν κοίλοις τε καὶ διαστέλλεσθαι δυναμένοις ὀργάνοις, ἀεὶ τὸ κουφότερον ἀκολουθεῖ πρότερον, ὡς δὲ τρέφεσθαι δεομένοις, εἰς αὐτοὺς τοὺς χιτῶνας, οἳ δὴ τὰ σώματα τῶν ὀργάνων εἰσίν, ἕλκεται τὸ οἰκεῖον. ὅσον ἂν οὖν εἰς τὴν κοιλότητα διαστελλομένων αὐτῶν αἵματος μεταληφθῇ, τούτου τὸ οἰκειότατόν τε καὶ μάλιστα τρέφειν δυνάμενον οἱ χιτῶνες αὐτοὶ τῶν ἀγγείων ἐπισπῶνται.

τοῦ δʼ ἐκ τῶν φλεβῶν εἰς τὰς ἀρτηρίας μεταλαμβάνεσθαί τι πρὸς τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἱκανὸν καὶ τοῦτό γε τεκμήριον. εἰ πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας ἀρτηρίας διατεμὼν ἀποκτεῖναι τὸ ζῷον βουληθείης, εὑρήσεις αὐτοῦ τὰς φλέβας ὁμοίως ταῖς ἀρτηρίαις ἐκκενουμένας, οὐκ ἂν τούτου ποτὲ γενομένου χωρὶς τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλας αὐταῖς ἀναστομώσεων. ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ κατʼ αὐτὴν τὴν καρδίαν ἐκ τῆς δεξιᾶς κοιλίας εἰς τὴν ἀριστερὰν k.v.2.p.208 ἕλκεται τὸ λεπτότατον ἔχοντός τινα τρήματα τοῦ μέσου διαφράγματος αὐτῶν, ἃ μέχρι μὲν πλείστου δυνατόν ἐστιν ἰδεῖν, οἷον βοθύνους τινὰς ἐξ εὐρυτέρου στόματος ἀεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον εἰς στενότερον προϊόντας. οὐ μὴν αὐτά γε τὰ ἔσχατα πέρατα δυνατὸν ἔτι θεάσασθαι διά τε σμικρότητα καὶ ὅτι τεθνεῶτος ἤδη τοῦ ζῴου κατέψυκταί τε καὶ πεπύκνωται πάντα. ἀλλʼ ὁ λόγος κἀνταῦθα πρῶτον μὲν ἐκ τοῦ μηδὲν ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως γίγνεσθαι μάτην ὁρμώμενος ἐξευρίσκει τὰς ἀναστομώσεις ταύτας τῶν κοιλιῶν τῆς καρδίας· οὐ γὰρ δὴ εἰκῇ γε καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν οἱ ἐς στενὸν οὕτω τελευτῶντες ἐγένοντο βόθυνοι.

δεύτερον δὲ κἀκ τοῦ δυοῖν ὄντοιν στομάτοιν ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ τῆς καρδίας κοιλίᾳ τοῦ μὲν εἰσάγοντος τὸ αἷμα, τοῦ δʼ ἐξάγοντος πολὺ μεῖζον εἶναι τὸ εἰσάγον. ὡς γὰρ οὐ παντὸς τοῦ αἵματος, ὅσον ἡ κοίλη φλὲψ δίδωσι τῇ καρδίᾳ, πάλιν ἐξ ἐκείνης ἐκπεμπομένου τῷ πνεύμονι, μείζων ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς κοίλης εἰς αὐτὴν ἔμφυσις τῆς ἐμφυομένης εἰς k.v.2.p.209 τὸν πνεύμονα φλεβός. οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτʼ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ὡς ἐδαπανήθη τι τοῦ αἵματος εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ σώματος τῆς καρδίας θρέψιν. ἑτέρα γάρ ἐστι φλὲψ ἡ εἰς ἐκεῖνο κατασχιζομένη μήτε τὴν γένεσιν ἐκ τῆς καρδίας αὐτῆς μήτε τὴν τοῦ αἵματος ἔχουσα μετάληψιν. εἰ δὲ καὶ δαπανᾶταί τι, ἀλλʼ οὐ τοσοῦτόν γε μείων ἐστὶν ἡ εἰς τὸν πνεύμονα φλὲψ ἄγουσα τῆς εἰς τὴν καρδίαν ἐμφυομένης, ὅσον εἰκὸς εἰς τὴν τροφὴν ἀνηλῶσθαι τῆς καρδίας, ἀλλὰ πλέον πολλῷ. δῆλον οὖν, ὡς εἰς τὴν ἀριστεράν τι μεταλαμβάνεται κοιλίαν.

καὶ γὰρ οὖν καὶ τῶν κατʼ ἐκείνην ἀγγείων δυοῖν ὄντων ἔλαττόν ἐστι πολλῷ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πνεύμονος εἰς αὐτὴν εἰσάγον τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἐκφυομένης ἀρτηρίας τῆς μεγάλης, ἀφʼ ἧς αἱ κατὰ τὸ σῶμα σύμπασαι πεφύκασιν, ὡς ἂν μὴ μόνον ἐκ τοῦ πνεύμονος πνεῦμα μεταλαμβανούσης αὐτῆς, ἀλλὰ κἀκ τῆς δεξιᾶς κοιλίας αἷμα διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων ἀναστομώσεων.

ὅτι δʼ ἄμεινον ἦν τοῖς τοῦ σώματος μορίοις τοῖς μὲν ὑπὸ καθαροῦ καὶ λεπτοῦ καὶ ἀτμώδους αἵματος τρέφεσθαι, τοῖς δʼ ὑπὸ παχέος καὶ θολεροῦ καὶ ὡς οὐδʼ ἐνταῦθά τι παρεώραται τῇ k.v.2.p.210 φύσει, τῆς περὶ χρείας μορίων πραγματείας ἐστίν, ὥστʼ οὐ χρὴ νῦν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἔτι λέγειν, ἀλλʼ ὑπομνήσαντας, ὡς δύο ἐστὸν ὁλκῆς εἴδη, τῶν μὲν εὐρείαις ὁδοῖς ἐν τῷ διαστέλλεσθαι τῇ πρὸς τὸ κενούμενον ἀκολουθίᾳ τὴν ἕλξιν ποιουμένων, τῶν δʼ οἰκειότητι ποιότητος, ἐφεξῆς λέγειν, ὡς τὰ μὲν πρότερα καὶ πόρρωθεν ἕλκειν τι δύναται, τὰ δὲ δεύτερα ἐκ τῶν ἐγγυτάτω μόνων. αὐλίσκον μὲν γὰρ ὅτι μήκιστον εἰς ὕδωρ ἔνεστι καθέντα Ῥᾳδίως ἀνασπᾶν εἰς τὸ στόμα διʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ ὑγρόν· οὐ μὴν εἴ γʼ ἐπὶ πλέον ἀπαγάγοις τῆς ἡρακλείας λίθου τὸν σίδηρον ἢ τοὺς πυροὺς τοῦ κεραμίου-καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοιοῦτόν τι πρόσθεν ἐλέγετο παράδειγμα--δύναιτʼ ἂν ἔτι γενέσθαι τις ὁλκή.

σαφέστατα δʼ ἂν αὐτὸ μάθοις ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς κήποις ὀχετῶν· ἐκ τούτων γὰρ εἰς μὲν τὰ παρακείμενα καὶ πλησίον ἅπαντα διαδίδοταί τις ἰκμάς, εἰς δὲ τὰ πορρωτέρω προσελθεῖν οὐκέτι δύναται, καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἀναγκάζονται πολλοῖς ὀχετοῖς μικροῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ μεγάλου τετμημένοις εἰς ἕκαστον μέρος τοῦ κήπου τὴν ἐπίρρυσιν τοῦ ὕδατος k.v.2.p.211 ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι· καὶ τηλικαῦτά γε τὰ μεταξὺ διαστήματα τούτων τῶν μικρῶν ὀχετῶν ποιοῦσιν, ἡλίκα μάλιστα νομίζουσιν ἀρκεῖν εἰς τὸ ἱκανῶς ἀπολαύειν ἕλκοντα τῆς ἑκατέρωθεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιρρεούσης ὑγρότητος. οὕτως οὖν ἔχει κἀν τοῖς τῶν ζῴων σώμασιν. ὀχετοὶ πολλοὶ κατὰ πάντα τὰ μέλη διεσπαρμένοι παράγουσιν αὐτοῖς αἷμα καθάπερ ἐν κήποις ὑδρείαν τινά. καὶ τούτων τῶν ὀχετῶν τὰ μεταξὺ διαστήματα θαυμαστῶς ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως εὐθὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς διατέτακται πρὸς τὸ μήτʼ ἐνδεῶς χορηγεῖσθαι τοῖς μεταξὺ μορίοις ἕλκουσιν εἰς ἑαυτὰ τὸ αἷμα μήτε κατακλύζεσθαί ποτʼ αὐτὰ πλήθει περιττῆς ὑγρότητος ἀκαίρως ἐπιρρεούσης.

ὁ γὰρ δὴ τρόπος τῆς θρέψεως αὐτῶν τοιόσδε τίς ἐστι. τοῦ συνεχοῦς ἑαυτῷ σώματος, οἷόνπερ τὸ ἁπλοῦν ἀγγεῖον Ἐρασίστρατος ὑποτίθεται, τὰ μὲν ἐπιπολῆς μέρη πρῶτα τῆς ὁμιλούσης ἀπολαύει τροφῆς· ἐκ δὲ τούτων αὖ μεταλαμβάνει κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ἕλκοντα τὰ τούτων ἑξῆς, εἶτʼ ἐξ ἐκείνων αὖθις ἕτερα καὶ τοῦτʼ οὐ παύεται γιγνόμενον, ἄχρις ἂν εἰς ἅπαντʼ αὐτοῦ διαδοθῇ τὰ μόρια τῆς τρεφούσης οὐσίας ἡ ποιότης. ὅσα δὲ k.v.2.p.212 τῶν μορίων ἐπὶ πλέον ἀλλοιουμένου δεῖται τοῦ μέλλοντος αὐτὰ θρέψειν χυμοῦ, τούτοις ὥσπερ τι ταμιεῖον ἡ φύσις παρεσκεύασεν ἤτοι κοιλίας ἢ σήραγγας ἤ τι ταῖς σήραγξιν ἀνάλογον. αἱ μὲν γὰρ σάρκες αἵ τε τῶν σπλάγχνων ἁπάντων αἵ τε τῶν μυῶν ἐξ αἵματος αὐτοῦ τρέφονται βραχεῖαν ἀλλοίωσιν δεξαμένου. τὰ δʼ ὀστᾶ παμπόλλης ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ δεῖται τῆς μεταβολῆς, ἵνα τραφῇ, καὶ ἔστιν οἷόνπερ τὸ αἷμα ταῖς σαρξί, τοιοῦτος ὁ μυελὸς τοῖς ὀστοῖς ἐν μὲν τοῖς μικροῖς τε καὶ ἀκοιλίοις κατὰ τὰς σήραγγας αὐτῶν διεσπαρμένος, ἐν δὲ τοῖς μείζοσί τε καὶ κοιλίας ἔχουσιν ἐν ἐκείναις ἠθροισμένος.

ὡς γὰρ καὶ διὰ τοῦ πρώτου γράμματος ἐδείκνυτο, τοῖς μὲν ὁμοίαν ἔχουσι τὴν οὐσίαν εἰς ἄλληλα μεταβάλλειν ἐγχωρεῖ, τοῖς δὲ πάμπολυ διεστῶσιν ἀμήχανον ἀλλήλοις ὁμοιωθῆναι χωρὶς τῶν ἐν μέσῳ μεταβολῶν. τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ τοῖς χόνδροις ἐστὶ τὸ περικεχυμένον μυξῶδες καὶ τοῖς συνδέσμοις καὶ τοῖς ὑμέσι καὶ τοῖς νεύροις τὸ παρεσπαρμένον ἐν αὐτοῖς ὑγρὸν γλίσχρον· k.v.2.p.213 ἕκαστον γὰρ τούτων ἐξ ἰνῶν σύγκειται πολλῶν, αἵπερ ὁμοιομερεῖς τʼ εἰσὶ καὶ ὄντως αἰσθητὰ στοιχεῖα. κατὰ δὲ τὰς μεταξὺ χώρας αὐτῶν ὁ οἰκειότατος εἰς θρέψιν παρέσπαρται χυμός, ὃν εἵλκυσαν μὲν ἐκ τῶν φλεβῶν τοῦ αἵματος, ὅσον οἷόν τʼ ἦν ἐκλεξάμεναι τὸν ἐπιτηδειότατον, ἐξομοιοῦσι δὲ κατὰ βραχὺ καὶ μεταβάλλουσιν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν οὐσίαν.

ἅπαντʼ οὖν ταῦτα καὶ ἀλλήλοις ὁμολογεῖ καὶ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἀποδεδειγμένοις ἱκανῶς μαρτυρεῖ καὶ οὐ χρὴ μηκύνειν ἔτι τὸν λόγον· ἐκ γὰρ τῶν εἰρημένων ἔνεστιν ἑκάστῳ τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἅπαντα καθʼ ὅντινα γίγνεται τρόπον ἐξευρίσκειν ἑτοίμως, ὥσπερ καὶ διὰ τί πολλοῖς κωθωνιζομένοις πάμπολυ τάχιστα μὲν ἀναδίδοται τὸ ποθέν, οὐρεῖται δʼ ὀλίγου δεῖν ἅπαν ἐντὸς οὐ πολλοῦ χρόνου. καὶ γὰρ κἀνταῦθα τῇ τε τῆς ποιότητος οἰκειότητι καὶ τῇ τῆς ὑγρότητος λεπτότητι καὶ τῇ τῶν ἀγγείων τε καὶ τῶν κατʼ αὐτὰ στομάτων εὐρύτητι καὶ τῇ τῆς ἑλκτικῆς δυνάμεως εὐρωστίᾳ τὸ τάχος συντελεῖται τῆς ἀναδόσεως, τῶν μὲν πλησίον τῆς κοιλίας τεταγμένων μορίων οἰκειότητι k.v.2.p.214 ποιότητος ἑαυτῶν ἕνεκα ἑλκόντων τὸ πόμα, τῶν δʼ ἑξῆς τούτοις ἐξαρπαζόντων καὶ αὐτῶν εἰς ἑαυτὰ κἄπειτα τῶν ἐφεξῆς πάλιν ἐκ τούτων μεταλαμβανόντων, ἄχρις ἂν εἰς τὴν κοίλην ἀφίκηται φλέβα, τοὐντεῦθεν δʼ ἤδη τῶν νεφρῶν τὸ οἰκεῖον ἐπισπωμένων. ὥστʼ οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν οἶνον μὲν ὕδατος ἀναλαμβάνεσθαι θᾶττον οἰκειότητι ποιότητος, αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν οἶνον τὸν μὲν λευκὸν καὶ καθαρὸν ἑτοίμως ἀναδίδοσθαι διὰ λεπτότητα, τὸν δʼ αὖ μέλανα καὶ θολερὸν ἴσχεσθαί τε κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ βραδύνειν ὑπὸ πάχους.

εἴη δʼ ἂν ταῦτα καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀρτηριῶν ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένων οὐ σμικρὰ μαρτύρια. πανταχοῦ γὰρ ὅσον οἰκεῖόν τε καὶ λεπτὸν αἷμα τοῦ μὴ τοιούτου Ῥᾷον ἕπεται τοῖς ἕλκουσιν. ἀτμὸν οὖν ἕλκουσαι καὶ πνεῦμα καὶ λεπτὸν αἷμα κατὰ τὰς διαστάσεις αἱ ἀρτηρίαι τῶν κατὰ τὴν κοιλίαν καὶ τὰ ἔντερα περιεχομένων χυμῶν ἢ οὐδʼ ὅλως ἢ παντάπασιν ἐπισπῶνται βραχύ.

Notes on the current edition

On the Natural Faculties.

1. Of food to feed, i.e.. of the environment to the organism. cf. p. 39, chap. xi.

2. Drawing; cf. p. 116, note 2.

3. For these terms ( prosthesis and prosphysis in Greek) cf. p. 39, notes 5 and 6.

4. Lit. through the energizing (or functioning ) of the attractive faculty; the faculty ( δύναμις) in operation is an activity ( ἐvέργεια). cf. p. 3, note 2.

5. This chapter is an excellent example of Galen's method of reasoning a priori. The complementary inductive method, however, is employed in the enxt chapter. cf. p. 209, note 1.

6. The deductive.

7. The logos is the argument or theory arrived at by the process of λογικὴ θεωρία or theorizing; cf. p. 151, note 3; p. 205, note 1.

8. The Greek words for the uterus ( metrae and hysterae) probably owe their plural form to the belief that the organ was bicornuate in the human, as it is in some of the lower species.

9. Note this expression. For Galen's views on the origin of species, cf. Introduction, p. xxxi., footnote.

10. Herophilus of Chalcedon ( crica 300 B.C.) was, like Erasistratus, a representative of the anatomical school of Alexandria. His book on Midwifery was known for centuries. cf. Introduction, p. xii.

11. Relaxation of utero-sacral ligaments as an important pre-disposing cause of prolapsus uteri.

12. That is, at the end of the first stage of labour.

13. The pylorus.

14. Chylosis, chylification. cf. p. 240, note 1.

15. Lit. barley-chyle, i.e.. barley-water.

16. i.e.. not the mere mechanical breaking down of food, but a distinctively vital action of alteration.

17. Pepsis.

18. Book I., chaps. x., xi.

19. cf. p. 222, note 1.

20. Choledochous.

21. More exactly peristole; cf. p. 97, note 1.

22. Neuburger says of Erasistratus that dissection had taught him to think in terms of anatomy. It was chiefly the gross movements or structure of organs with which he conerned himself. Wehre an organ had no obvious function, he dubbed it useles; e.g. the spleen ( cf. p. 143).

23. i.e.. contracting and dilating; no longitudinal movements involved; cf. p. 263, note 2.

24. cf. p. 282, note 1.

25. Book II., chaps. ii. and viii.

26. Note use of psychological terms in biology. cf. also p. 133, note 3.

27. In everything. cf. p. 66, note 3.

28. Galen confuses the nutrition of organs with that of the ultimate living elements or cells; the stomach does not, of course, feed itself in the way a cell does. cf. Introduction, p. xxxii.

29. cf. Asclepiades's theory regarding the urine, p. 1.

30. The process of application or prosthesis. cf. p. 223, note 3.

31. Mutual influence of organism and environment.

32. Qualitative change. cf. Book I., chap. ii.

33. Apparently skin-diseases in which a superficial crust (resembling the lichen on a tree-trunk) forms— e.g. psoriasis.

34. Note especially pneuma and innate heat, which practically stand for oxygen and the heat generated in oxidation. cf. p. 41, note 3.

35. Book I., chap. x.

36. That is to say, faeces ar obviously altered food. This alteration cannot have taken place entirely in the small intestine: therefore alteration of food must take place in the stomach.

37. cf. p. 39.

38. Asclepiades held that there was no such thing as real qualitative change; the food was merely broken up into its consituent molecules, and absorbed unaltered. cf. p. 49, note 5.

39. i.e.. denial of forethought in the Physis.

40. v. p. 9, et passim.

41. cf. p. 97.

42. It appears to me, from comparison between this and other passages in Galen's writings (notably Use of Parts, iv., 8), that he means by the two coats simply the mucous and the muscular coats. In this case the straight or longitudinal fibres of the inner coat would be the rugae; the circular fibres of the inner intestinal coat would be the valvulae conniventes.

43. The term here rendered peristalis is peristoé in greek; it is applied on ly to the intermittent movements of muscles placed circularly round a lumen or cavity, and comprehends systolé or contraction and diastolé or dilation. In its modern significance, peristalsis, hoever, also includes the movements of longitudinal fibres. cf. p. 97, note 1.

44. i.e..those containing non-striped or involuntary muscle fibres; organs governed by the natural pneuma; cf. p. 186, note 3.

45. The term here rendered peristalis is peristoé in greek; it is applied on ly to the intermittent movements of muscles placed circularly round a lumen or cavity, and comprehends systolé or contraction and diastolé or dilation. In its modern significance, peristalsis, hoever, also includes the movements of longitudinal fibres. cf. p. 97, note 1.

46. By this term is meant only what we should call the voluntary muscles.

47. cf. p. 97.

48. For symptom, cf. p. 13, and p. 12, note 3. Transitum namque materiae per angustum corpus id accidens consequitur (Linacre). Less a result or consequence than an accompaniment.

49. i.e.. this is a purely mechanical process.

50. i.e.. this pneomenon is a proof neither of peristolé nor of attraction. cf. p. 97, note 2.

51. Contraction and dilatation of course being reversed.

52. The channa is a kind of sea-perch; a species of Serranus, either S. scriba or S. cabrilla (D'Arcy W. Thompson). cf. Aristotle's Nat. Hist. (D'Arcy Thompson's edition, Oxford, 1910), IV., xi., 538 A, 20. The syndont is not to be identified with certainty, but is supposed to be Dentex vulgaris, that is, an edible Mediterranean perch. It is not the stomach, adds Prof. Thompson, but the air-bladder that gets everted and hangs out of the mouth in fishes, espceially when they are hauled in from a considerable depth. cf. H.A., VIII., ii., 591 B, 5.

53. Under the term neura, tendons were often included as well as nerves. Similarly in modern Dutch the word zenuw ( sinew) means both a tendon and a nerve; zenuachtig = nervous.

54. Rather than the alternative reading, τὸν ἔσωθεν χιτῶνα. Galen apparently supposes that the outer coat will not be damaged, as the cuts will pass between its fibres. These cuts would be, presumably, shor ones, at various levels, no single one of them involving the whole circumference of the gullet.

55. cf. p. 205.

56. Thus Galen elsewhere caalls the spleen a mere emunctory ( ἐκμαγεῖον) of the liver. cf. p. 214, note 1.

57. cf. p.l 269

58. The urinary bladders of pigs (such as Galen dissected) are thin, and appear to have only one coat.

59. cf. p. 243.

60. My suggestion is that Galen refers to (1) the mucous coat, with it s valvulae conniventes, the muscular coat, of which the chief later is made up of circular fibres. cf p. 262, note 1.

61. Or utility.

62. Relationship between physiology and pathology again emphasized. cf. p. 188, note 2.

63. Or physicist-the investigator of the Physis or Nature. cf. p. 196, note 2. Note here the use of analogical reasoning. cf. p. 113, note 2.

64. cf. p. 95.

65. I. xiii.; II. ii.

66. Galen's idea is that if reversal of the direction of flow can occur in the primae viae (in vomiting), it may also be expected to occur in the secundae viae or absorptive channels.

67. For this delivery, up-yield, or anadosis, v. p. 13, note 5.

68. The mesenteric veins.

69. Linacre renders: Una omnium confluxio ac conspiratio; and he adds the marginal note Totum corpus nostrum est conspirabile et confluxile per meatus communes. cf. p. 48.

70. the alimentary canal, as not being edible, is not considered a splanchnon or viscus.

71. Lit. rheums; hence our term rheumatism.

72. Here Galen apparently indicates that vital functions are at least partly explicable in terms of mechanical law. cf. Introduction, p. xxviii.

73. cf. pp. 211, 247.

74. See p. 298, note 1.

75. THE ENDS OF THE VEINS IN THE ALIMENTARY CANAL FROM WHICH ABSORPTION OR anadosis had originally taken place.

76. Diathesis.

77. Diathesis.

78. Pathos.

79. He means, not only under the stress of special circumstances, but also normally.

80. Lit. rough artery. The air-passages as well as the arteries proper were supposed by the greeks to carry air (pneuma); diastole of arteries was, like expansion of the chest, a movement for drawing in air. cf. p. 317, note 1.

81. cf. p. 39, chap. xi.

82. Lit. orexis.

83. Lit. a physical organ; that is, a mere instrument or organon of the Physis, — not one of the Psyche or conscious personality. cf. semen, p. 132, note 1.

84. cf. p. 317, note 2; p. 319, chap. xv.

85. Note that absorption takes place form the stomach as well as the intestines. cf. p. 118, note 1.

86. Note that absorption takes place form the stomach as well as the intestines. cf. p. 118, note 1.

87. that is, among the ultimate tissues or cells.

88. Pp. 205-209.

89. By this term, of course, the air-passages are also meant; cf. p. 305.

90. cf. p. 34, note 1.

91. cf. p. 121, note 4.

92. Pulmonary vein, or rather, left auricle. Galen means a reflux through the mitral orifice; the left auricle was looked on rather as the termination of the pulmonary veins than as a part of the heart. cf. p. 323, note 4. He speaks here of a kind of physiological mitral incompetence.

93. Horror vacui.

94. cf. p. 305, note 2.

95. cf. p. 308, note 1.

96. The mechanical principle of horror vacui contrasted with the physical or semi-physiological principle of specific attraction. Appropriateness here might almost be rendered affinity or kinship. cf. note 2, infra.

97. Related, akin. cf. p. 36, note 2

98. The coats exercise the vital traction, the cavities the merely mechanical. cf. p. 165, note 2.

99. chap. xiv.

100. these fossae were probably the recesses between the columnae carneae.

101. On logos cf. p. 226, note 2.

102. He means the tricuspid orifice. cf. p. 121, note 4.

103. The right auricle was looked on less as a part of the heart than as an expansion or insertion of the vena cava.

104. This vein (really the pulmonary artery) was supposed to be the channel by which the lungs received nutriment from the right heart. cf. p. 121, note 3.

105. the coronary vein.

106. Galen's conclusion, of course, is, so far, correct, but he has substituted an imaginary direct communication between the ventricles for the actual and more roundabout pulmonary circulation, of whose existence he apparently had no idea. His views were eventually corrected by the Renascence anatomists. cf. Introduction, pp. xxii.-xxiii.

107. He means the left auricle, considered as the termination of the pulmonary arteries; cf. p. 314, note 3.

108. The aorta, its orifice being circular, appears bigger than the slit-like mitral orifice.

109. p. 87.

110. Or we may render it corpuscle; Galen practically means the cell. cf. p. 153, note 2.

111. cf. the term cavernous tissue.

112. I. x.

113. Lit. homoeomerous, i.e. the same all through, of similar structure throughout, the elements of living matter. cf. p. 20, note 3, and cf. also the cell of Erasistratus, p. 153.

114. Delivered, Dispersed; cf. p. 13, note 5.

Galen De naturalibus facultatibus 3

Arthur John Brock (Translator)

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ΓΑΛΗΝΟΥ ΠΕΡΙ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΩΝ ΦΥΣΙΚΩΝ
ΒΙΒΛΙΟΝ ΤΡΙΤΟΝ.

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

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BOOK THREE

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5

PART 6

PART 7

PART 8

PART 9

PART 10

PART 11

PART 12

PART 13

PART 14

PART 15

Current edition Perseus

ΓΑΛΗΝΟΥ ΠΕΡΙ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΩΝ ΦΥΣΙΚΩΝ ΒΙΒΛΙΟΝ ΤΡΙΤΟΝ.

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Notes on the current edition

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ΓΑΛΗΝΟΥ ΠΕΡΙ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΩΝ ΦΥΣΙΚΩΝ
ΒΙΒΛΙΟΝ ΤΡΙΤΟΝ.