timaeu-第15部分

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underneath　the　skin；　where　it　took　root。　Thus　the　hair　sprang　up　in

the　skin；　being　akin　to　it　because　it　is　like　threads　of　leather；

but　rendered　harder　and　closer　through　the　pressure　of　the　cold；　by

which　each　hair；　while　in　process　of　separation　from　the　skin；　is

compressed　and　cooled。　Wherefore　the　creator　formed　the　head　hairy；

making　use　of　the　causes　which　I　have　mentioned；　and　reflecting　also

that　instead　of　flesh　the　brain　needed　the　hair　to　be　a　light　covering

or　guard；　which　would　give　shade　in　summer　and　shelter　in　winter；

and　at　the　same　time　would　not　impede　our　quickness　of　perception。

From　the　combination　of　sinew；　skin；　and　bone；　in　the　structure　of　the

finger；　there　arises　a　triple　compound；　which；　when　dried　up；　takes

the　form　of　one　hard　skin　partaking　of　all　three　natures；　and　was

fabricated　by　these　second　causes；　but　designed　by　mind　which　is　the

principal　cause　with　an　eye　to　the　future。　For　our　creators　well

knew　that　women　and　other　animals　would　some　day　be　framed　out　of　men；

and　they　further　knew　that　many　animals　would　require　the　use　of　nails

for　many　purposes；　wherefore　they　fashioned　in　men　at　their　first

creation　the　rudiments　of　nails。　For　this　purpose　and　for　these

reasons　they　caused　skin；　hair；　and　nails　to　grow　at　the　extremities

of　the　limbs。　And　now　that　all　the　parts　and　members　of　the　mortal

animal　had　come　together；　since　its　life　of　necessity　consisted　of

fire　and　breath；　and　it　therefore　wasted　away　by　dissolution　and

depletion；　the　gods　contrived　the　following　remedy：　They　mingled　a

nature　akin　to　that　of　man　with　other　forms　and　perceptions；　and

thus　created　another　kind　of　animal。　These　are　the　trees　and　plants

and　seeds　which　have　been　improved　by　cultivation　and　are　now

domesticated　among　us；　anciently　there　were　only　the　will　kinds；　which

are　older　than　the　cultivated。　For　everything　that　partakes　of　life

may　be　truly　called　a　living　being；　and　the　animal　of　which　we　are　now

speaking　partakes　of　the　third　kind　of　soul；　which　is　said　to　be

seated　between　the　midriff　and　the　navel；　having　no　part　in　opinion　or

reason　or　mind；　but　only　in　feelings　of　pleasure　and　pain　and　the

desires　which　accompany　them。　For　this　nature　is　always　in　a　passive

state；　revolving　in　and　about　itself；　repelling　the　motion　from

without　and　using　its　own；　and　accordingly　is　not　endowed　by　nature

with　the　power　of　observing　or　reflecting　on　its　own　concerns。

Wherefore　it　lives　and　does　not　differ　from　a　living　being；　but　is

fixed　and　rooted　in　the　same　spot；　having　no　power　of　self…motion。

　　Now　after　the　superior　powers　had　created　all　these　natures　to　be

food　for　us　who　are　of　the　inferior　nature；　they　cut　various

channels　through　the　body　as　through　a　garden；　that　it　might　be

watered　as　from　a　running　stream。　In　the　first　place；　they　cut　two

hidden　channels　or　veins　down　the　back　where　the　skin　and　the　flesh

join；　which　answered　severally　to　the　right　and　left　side　of　the　body。

These　they　let　down　along　the　backbone；　so　as　to　have　the　marrow　of

generation　between　them；　where　it　was　most　likely　to　flourish；　and

in　order　that　the　stream　coming　down　from　above　might　flow　freely　to

the　other　parts；　and　equalise　the　irrigation。　In　the　next　place；

they　divided　the　veins　about　the　head；　and　interlacing　them；　they　sent

them　in　opposite　directions；　those　coming　from　the　right　side　they

sent　to　the　left　of　the　body；　and　those　from　the　left　they　diverted

towards　the　right；　so　that　they　and　the　skin　might　together　form　a

bond　which　should　fasten　the　head　to　the　body；　since　the　crown　of

the　head　was　not　encircled　by　sinews；　and　also　in　order　that　the

sensations　from　both　sides　might　be　distributed　over　the　whole　body。

And　next；　they　ordered　the　water…courses　of　the　body　in　a　manner　which

I　will　describe；　and　which　will　be　more　easily　understood　if　we

begin　by　admitting　that　all　things　which　have　lesser　parts　retain

the　greater；　but　the　greater　cannot　retain　the　lesser。　Now　of　all

natures　fire　has　the　smallest　parts；　and　therefore　penetrates

through　earth　and　water　and　air　and　their　compounds；　nor　can

anything　hold　it。　And　a　similar　principle　applies　to　the　human

belly；　for　when　meats　and　drinks　enter　it；　it　holds　them；　but　it

cannot　hold　air　and　fire；　because　the　particles　of　which　they

consist　are　smaller　than　its　own　structure。

　　These　elements；　therefore；　God　employed　for　the　sake　of　distributing

moisture　from　the　belly　into　the　veins；　weaving　together　network　of

fire　and　air　like　a　weel；　having　at　the　entrance　two　lesser　weels；

further　he　constructed　one　of　these　with　two　openings；　and　from　the

lesser　weels　he　extended　cords　reaching　all　round　to　the　extremities

of　the　network。　All　the　interior　of　the　net　he　made　of　fire；　but　the

lesser　weels　and　their　cavity；　of　air。　The　network　he　took　and

spread　over　the　newly…formed　animal　in　the　following　manner：…He　let

the　lesser　weels　pass　into　the　mouth；　there　were　two　of　them；　and

one　he　let　down　by　the　air…pipes　into　the　lungs；　the　other　by　the　side

of　the　air…pipes　into　the　belly。　The　former　he　divided　into　two

branches；　both　of　which　he　made　to　meet　at　the　channels　of　the　nose；

so　that　when　the　way　through　the　mouth　did　not　act；　the　streams　of　the

mouth　as　well　were　replenished　through　the　nose。　With　the　other　cavity

（i。e。　of　the　greater　weel）　he　enveloped　the　hollow　parts　of　the

body；　and　at　one　time　he　made　all　this　to　flow　into　the　lesser

weels；　quite　gently；　for　they　are　composed　of　air；　and　at　another　time

he　caused　the　lesser　weels　to　flow　back　again；　and　the　net　he　made

to　find　a　way　in　and　out　through　the　pores　of　the　body；　and　the　rays

of　fire　which　are　bound　fast　within　followed　the　passage　of　the　air

either　way；　never　at　any　time　ceasing　so　long　as　the　mortal　being

holds　together。　This　process；　as　we　affirm；　the　name…giver　named

inspiration　and　expiration。　And　all　this　movement；　active　as　well　as

passive；　takes　place　in　order　that　the　body；　being　watered　and　cooled；

may　receive　nourishment　and　life；　for　when　the　respiration　is　going　in

and　out；　and　the　fire；　which　is　fast　bound　within；　follows　it；　and

ever　and　anon　moving　to　and　fro；　enters　through　the　belly　and

reaches　the　meat　and　drink；　it　dissolves　them；　and　dividing　them

into　small　portions　and　guiding　them　through　the　passages　where　it

goes；　pumps　them　as　from　a　fountain　into　the　channels　of　the　veins；

and　makes　the　stream　of　the　veins　flow　through　the　body　as　through　a

conduit。

　　Let　us　once　more　consider　the　phenomena　of　respiration；　and

enquire　into　the　causes　which　have　made　it　what　it　is。　They　are　as

follows：…Seeing　that　there　is　no　such　thing　as　a　vacuum　into　which　any

of　those　things　which　are　moved　can　enter；　and　the　breath　is　carried

from　us　into　the　external　air；　the　next　point　is；　as　will　be　dear　to

every　one；　that　it　does　not　go　into　a　vacant　space；　but　pushes　its

neighbour　out　of　its　place；　and　that　which　is　thrust　out　in　turn

drives　out　its　neighbour；　and　in　this　everything　of　necessity　at

last　comes　round　to　that　place　from　whence　the　breath　came　forth；

and　enters　in　there；　and　following　the　breath；　fills　up　the　vacant

space；　and　this　goes　on　like　the　rotation　of　a　wheel；　because　there

can　be　no　such　thing　as　a　vacuum。　Wherefore　also　the　breast　and　the

lungs；　when　they　emit　the　breath；　are　replenished　by　the　air　which

surrounds　the　body　and　which　enters　in　through　the　pores　of　the

flesh　and　is　driven　round　in　a　circle；　and　again；　the　air　which　is

sent　away　and　passes　out　through　the　body　forces　the　breath　inwards

through　the　passage　of　the　mouth　and　the　nostrils。　Now　the　origin　of

this　movement　may　be　supposed　to　be　as　follows。　In　the　interior　of

every　animal　the　hottest　part　is　that　which　is　around　the　blood　and

veins；　it　is　in　a　manner　on　internal　fountain　of　fire；　which　we

compare　to　the　network　of　a　creel；　being　woven　all　of　fire　and

extended　through　the　centre　of　the　body；　while　the…outer　parts　are

composed　of　air。　Now　we　must　admit　that　heat　naturally　proceeds

outward　to　its　own　place　and　to　its　kindred　element；　and　as　there

are　two　exits　for　the　heat；　the　out　through　the　body；　and　the　other

through　the　mouth　and　nostrils；　when　it　moves　towards　the　one；　it

drives　round　the　air　at　the　other；　and　that　which　is　driven　round

falls　into　the　fire　and　becomes　warm；　and　that　which　goes　forth　is

cooled。　But　when　the　heat　changes　its　place；　and　the　particles　at

the　other　exit　grow　warmer；　the　hotter　air　inclining　in　that　direction

and　carried　towards　its　native　element；　fire；　pushes　round　the　air

at　the　other；　and　this　being　affected　in　the　same　way　and

communicating　the　same　impulse；　a　circular　motion　swaying　to　and

from　is　produced　by　the　double　process；　which　we　call　inspiration

and　expiration。

　　The　phenomena　of　medical　cupping…glasses　and　of　the　swallowing　of

drink　and　of　the　projection　of　bodies；　whether　discharged　in　the　air

or　bowled　along　the　ground；　are　to　be　investigated　on　a　similar

principle；　and　swift　and　slow　sounds；　which　appear　to　be　high　and　low；

and　are　sometimes　discordant　on　account　of　their　inequality；　and

then　again　harmonical　on　account　of　the　equality　of　the　motion　which

they　excite　in　us。　For　when　the　motions　of　the　antecedent　swifter

sounds　begin　to　pause　and　the　two　are　equalised；　the　slower　sounds

overtake　the　swifter　and　then　propel　them。　When　they　overtake　them

they　do　not　intrude　a　new　and　discordant　motion；　but　introduce　the

beginnings　of　a　slower；　which　answers　to　the　swifter　as　it　dies

away；　thus　producing　a　single　mixed　expression　out　of　high　and　low；

whence　arises　a　pleasure　which　even　the　unwise　feel；　and　which　to

the　wise　becomes　a　higher　sort　of　delight；　being　an　imitation　of

divine　harmony　in　mortal　motions。　Moreover；　as　to　the　flowing　of

water；　the　fall　of　the　thunderbolt；　and　the　marvels　that　are

observed　about　the　attraction　of　amber　and　the　Heraclean　stones；…in

none　of　these　cases　is　there　any　attraction；　but　he　who　investigates

rightly；　will　find　that　such　wonderful　phenomena　are　attributable　to

the　combination　of　certain　conditions…the　non…existence　of　a　vacu