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timaeu-第17部分

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sometimes by phlegm; and sometimes by bile。 When the lung; which is

the dispenser of the air to the body; is obstructed by rheums and

its passages are not free; some of them not acting; while through

others too much air enters; then the parts which are unrefreshed by

air corrode; while in other parts the excess of air forcing its way

through the veins distorts them and decomposing the body is enclosed

in the midst of it and occupies the midriff thus numberless painful

diseases are produced; accompanied by copious sweats。 And oftentimes

when the flesh is dissolved in the body; wind; generated within and

unable to escape; is the source of quite as much pain as the air

coming in from without; but the greatest pain is felt when the wind

gets about the sinews and the veins of the shoulders; and swells

them up; so twists back the great tendons and the sinews which are

connected with them。 These disorders are called tetanus and

opisthotonus; by reason of the tension which accompanies them。 The

cure of them is difficult; relief is in most cases given by fever

supervening。 The white phlegm; though dangerous when detained within

by reason of the air…bubbles; yet if it can communicate with the

outside air; is less severe; and only discolours the body;

generating leprous eruptions and similar diseases。 When it is

mingled with black bile and dispersed about the courses of the head;

which are the divinest part of us; the attack if coming on in sleep;

is not so severe; but when assailing those who are awake it is hard to

be got rid of; and being an affection of a sacred part; is most justly

called sacred。 An acid and salt phlegm; again; is the source of all

those diseases which take the form of catarrh; but they have many

names because the places into which they flow are manifold。

  Inflammations of the body come from burnings and inflamings; and all

of them originate in bile。 When bile finds a means of discharge; it

boils up and sends forth all sorts of tumours; but when imprisoned

within; it generates many inflammatory diseases; above all when

mingled with pure blood; since it then displaces the fibres which

are scattered about in the blood and are designed to maintain the

balance of rare and dense; in order that the blood may not be so

liquefied by heat as to exude from the pores of the body; nor again

become too dense and thus find a difficulty in circulating through the

veins。 The fibres are so constituted as to maintain this balance;

and if any one brings them all together when the blood is dead and

in process of cooling; then the blood which remains becomes fluid; but

if they are left alone; they soon congeal by reason of the surrounding

cold。 The fibres having this power over the blood; bile; which is only

stale blood; and which from being flesh is dissolved again into blood;

at the first influx coming in little by little; hot and liquid; is

congealed by the power of the fibres; and so congealing and made to

cool; it produces internal cold and shuddering。 When it enters with

more of a flood and overcomes the fibres by its heat; and boiling up

throws them into disorder; if it have power enough to maintain its

supremacy; it penetrates the marrow and burns up what may be termed

the cables of the soul; and sets her free; but when there is not so

much of it; and the body though wasted still holds out; the bile is

itself mastered; and is either utterly banished; or is thrust

through the veins into the lower or upper…belly; and is driven out

of the body like an exile from a state in which there has been civil

war; whence arise diarrhoeas and dysenteries; and all such

disorders。 When the constitution is disordered by excess of fire;

continuous heat and fever are the result; when excess of air is the

cause; then the fever is quotidian; when of water; which is a more

sluggish element than either fire or air; then the fever is a tertian;

when of earth; which is the most sluggish of the four; and is only

purged away in a four…fold period; the result is a quartan fever;

which can with difficulty be shaken off。

  Such is the manner in which diseases of the body arise; the

disorders of the soul; which depend upon the body; originate as

follows。 We must acknowledge disease of the mind to be a want of

intelligence; and of this there are two kinds; to wit; madness and

ignorance。 In whatever state a man experiences either of them; that

state may be called disease; and excessive pains and pleasures are

justly to be regarded as the greatest diseases to which the soul is

liable。 For a man who is in great joy or in great pain; in his

unseasonable eagerness to attain the one and to avoid the other; is

not able to see or to hear anything rightly; but he is mad; and is

at the time utterly incapable of any participation in reason。 He who

has the seed about the spinal marrow too plentiful and overflowing;

like a tree overladen with fruit; has many throes; and also obtains

many pleasures in his desires and their offspring; and is for the most

part of his life deranged; because his pleasures and pains are so very

great; his soul is rendered foolish and disordered by his body; yet he

is regarded not as one diseased; but as one who is voluntarily bad;

which is a mistake。 The truth is that the intemperance of love is a

disease of the soul due chiefly to the moisture and fluidity which

is produced in one of the elements by the loose consistency of the

bones。 And in general; all that which is termed the incontinence of

pleasure and is deemed a reproach under the idea that the wicked

voluntarily do wrong is not justly a matter for reproach。 For no man

is voluntarily bad; but the bad become bad by reason of an ill

disposition of the body and bad education; things which are hateful to

every man and happen to him against his will。 And in the case of

pain too in like manner the soul suffers much evil from the body。

For where the acid and briny phlegm and other bitter and bilious

humours wander about in the body; and find no exit or escape; but

are pent up within and mingle their own vapours with the motions of

the soul; and are blended; with them; they produce all sorts of

diseases; more or fewer; and in every degree of intensity; and being

carried to the three places of the soul; whichever they may

severally assail; they create infinite varieties of ill…temper and

melancholy; of rashness and cowardice; and also of forgetfulness and

stupidity。 Further; when to this evil constitution of body evil

forms of government are added and evil discourses are uttered in

private as well as in public; and no sort of instruction is given in

youth to cure these evils; then all of us who are bad become bad

from two causes which are entirely beyond our control。 In such cases

the planters are to blame rather than the plants; the educators rather

than the educated。 But however that may be; we should endeavour as far

as we can by education; and studies; and learning; to avoid vice and

attain virtue; this; however; is part of another subject。

  There is a corresponding enquiry concerning the mode of treatment by

which the mind and the body are to be preserved; about which it is

meet and right that I should say a word in turn; for it is more our

duty to speak of the good than of the evil。 Everything that is good is

fair; and the animal fair is not without proportion; and the animal

which is to be fair must have due proportion。 Now we perceive lesser

symmetries or proportions and reason about them; but of the highest

and greatest we take no heed; for there is no proportion or

disproportion more productive of health and disease; and virtue and

vice; than that between soul and body。 This however we do not

perceive; nor do we reflect that when a weak or small frame is the

vehicle of a great and mighty soul; or conversely; when a little

soul is encased in a large body; then the whole animal is not fair;

for it lacks the most important of all symmetries; but the due

proportion of mind and body is the fairest and loveliest of all sights

to him who has the seeing eye。 Just as a body which has a leg too

long; or which is unsymmetrical in some other respect; is an

unpleasant sight; and also; when doing its share of work; is much

distressed and makes convulsive efforts; and often stumbles through

awkwardness; and is the cause of infinite evil to its own self…in like

manner we should conceive of the double nature which we call the

living being; and when in this compound there is an impassioned soul

more powerful than the body; that soul; I say; convulses and fills

with disorders the whole inner nature of man; and when eager in the

pursuit of some sort of learning or study; causes wasting; or again;

when teaching or disputing in private or in public; and strifes and

controversies arise; inflames and dissolves the composite frame of man

and introduces rheums; and the nature of this phenomenon is not

understood by most professors of medicine; who ascribe it to the

opposite of the real cause。 And once more; when body large and too

strong for the soul is united to a small and weak intelligence; then

inasmuch as there are two desires natural to man;…one of food for

the sake of the body; and one of wisdom for the sake of the diviner

part of us…then; I say; the motions of the stronger; getting the

better and increasing their own power; but making the soul dull; and

stupid; and forgetful; engender ignorance; which is the greatest of

diseases。 There is one protection against both kinds of

disproportion:…that we should not move the body without the soul or

the soul without the body; and thus they will be on their guard

against each other; and be healthy and well balanced。 And therefore

the mathematician or any one else whose thoughts are much absorbed

in some intellectual pursuit; must allow his body also to have due

exercise; and practise gymnastic; and he who is careful to fashion the

body; should in turn impart to the soul its proper motions; and should

cultivate music and all philosophy; if he would deserve to be called

truly fair and
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