timaeu-第18章

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the　bones　he　enclosed　in　the　thinnest　film　of　flesh；　and　those　which

had　the　least　life　within　them　in　the　thickest　and　most　solid　flesh。

So　again　on　the　joints　of　the　bones；　where　reason　indicated　that　no

more　was　required；　he　placed　only　a　thin　covering　of　flesh；　that　it

might　not　interfere　with　the　flexion　of　our　bodies　and　make　them

unwieldy　because　difficult　to　move；　and　also　that　it　might　not；　by

being　crowded　and　pressed　and　matted　together；　destroy　sensation　by

reason　of　its　hardness；　and　impair　the　memory　and　dull　the　edge　of

intelligence。　Wherefore　also　the　thighs　and　the　shanks　and　the　hips；

and　the　bones　of　the　arms　and　the　forearms；　and　other　parts　which　have

no　joints；　and　the　inner　bones；　which　on　account　of　the　rarity　of

the　soul　in　the　marrow　are　destitute　of　reason…all　these　are

abundantly　provided　with　flesh；　but　such　as　have　mind　in　them　are　in

general　less　fleshy；　except　where　the　creator　has　made　some　part

solely　of　flesh　in　order　to　give　sensation…as；　for　example；　the

tongue。　But　commonly　this　is　not　the　case。　For　the　nature　which

comes　into　being　and　grows　up　in　us　by　a　law　of　necessity；　does　not

admit　of　the　combination　of　solid　bone　and　much　flesh　with　acute

perceptions。　More　than　any　other　part　the　framework　of　the　head

would　have　had　them；　if　they　could　have　co…existed；　and　the　human

race；　having　a　strong　and　fleshy　and　sinewy　head；　would　have　had　a

life　twice　or　many　times　as　long　as　it　now　has；　and　also　more

healthy　and　free　from　pain。

　　But　our　creators；　considering　whether　they　should　make　a

longer…lived　race　which　was　worse；　or　a　shorter…lived　race　which　was

better；　came　to　the　conclusion　that　every　one　ought　to　prefer　a

shorter　span　of　life；　which　was　better；　to　a　longer　one；　which　was

worse；　and　therefore　they　covered　the　head　with　thin　bone；　but　not

with　flesh　and　sinews；　since　it　had　no　joints；　and　thus　the　head　was

added；　having　more　wisdom　and　sensation　than　the　rest　of　the　body；　but

also　being　in　every　man　far　weaker。　For　these　reasons　and　after　this

manner　God　placed　the　sinews　at　the　extremity　of　the　head；　in　a　circle

round　the　neck；　and　glued　them　together　by　the　principle　of　likeness

and　fastened　the　extremities　of　the　jawbones　to　them　below　the　face；

and　the　other　sinews　he　dispersed　throughout　the　body；　fastening

limb　to　limb。　The　framers　of　us　framed　the　mouth；　as　now　arranged；

having　teeth　and　tongue　and　lips；　with　a　view　to　the　necessary　and　the

good；　contriving　the　way　in　for　necessary　purposes；　the　way　out　for

the　best　purposes；　for　that　is　necessary　which　enters　in　and　gives

food　to　the　body；　but　the　river　of　speech；　which　flows　out　of　a　man

and　ministers　to　the　intelligence；　is　the　fairest　and　noblest　of　all

streams。　Still　the　head　could　neither　be　left　a　bare　frame　of　bones；

on　account　of　the　extremes　of　heat　and　cold　in　the　different

seasons；　nor　yet　be　allowed　to　be　wholly　covered；　and　so　become　dull

and　senseless　by　reason　of　an　overgrowth　of　flesh。　The　fleshy　nature

was　not　therefore　wholly　dried　up；　but　a　large　sort　of　peel　was　parted

off　and　remained　over；　which　is　now　called　the　skin。　This　met　and　grew

by　the　help　of　the　cerebral　moisture；　and　became　the　circular

envelopment　of　the　head。　And　the　moisture；　rising　up　under　the

sutures；　watered　and　closed　in　the　skin　upon　the　crown；　forming　a　sort

of　knot。　The　diversity　of　the　sutures　was　caused　by　the　power　of　the

courses　of　the　soul　and　of　the　food；　and　the　more　these　struggled

against　one　another　the　more　numerous　they　became；　and　fewer　if　the

struggle　were　less　violent。　This　skin　the　divine　power　pierced　all

round　with　fire；　and　out　of　the　punctures　which　were　thus　made　the

moisture　issued　forth；　and　the　liquid　and　heat　which　was　pure　came

away；　and　a　mixed　part　which　was　composed　of　the　same　material　as

the　skin；　and　had　a　fineness　equal　to　the　punctures；　was　borne　up　by

its　own　impulse　and　extended　far　outside　the　head；　but　being　too

slow　to　escape；　was　thrust　back　by　the　external　air；　and　rolled　up

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