timaeu-第20章

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each　kind　new；　and　may　be　compared　to　the　keel　of　a　vessel　which　is

just　off　the　stocks；　they　are　locked　firmly　together　and　yet　the　whole

mass　is　soft　and　delicate；　being　freshly　formed　of　marrow　and　nurtured

on　milk。　Now　when　the　triangles　out　of　which　meats　and　drinks　are

composed　come　in　from　without；　and　are　comprehended　in　the　body；　being

older　and　weaker　than　the　triangles　already　there；　the　frame　of　the

body　gets　the　better　of　them　and　its　newer　triangles　cut　them　up；

and　so　the　animal　grows　great；　being　nourished　by　a　multitude　of

similar　particles。　But　when　the　roots　of　the　triangles　are　loosened　by

having　undergone　many　conflicts　with　many　things　in　the　course　of

time；　they　are　no　longer　able　to　cut　or　assimilate　the　food　which

enters；　but　are　themselves　easily　divided　by　the　bodies　which　come

in　from　without。　In　this　way　every　animal　is　overcome　and　decays；

and　this　affection　is　called　old　age。　And　at　last；　when　the　bonds　by

which　the　triangles　of　the　marrow　are　united　no　longer　hold；　and　are

parted　by　the　strain　of　existence；　they　in　turn　loosen　the　bonds　of

the　soul；　and　she；　obtaining　a　natural　release；　flies　away　with　joy。

For　that　which　takes　place　according　to　nature　is　pleasant；　but　that

which　is　contrary　to　nature　is　painful。　And　thus　death；　if　caused　by

disease　or　produced　by　wounds；　is　painful　and　violent；　but　that　sort

of　death　which　comes　with　old　age　and　fulfils　the　debt　of　nature　is

the　easiest　of　deaths；　and　is　accompanied　with　pleasure　rather　than

with　pain。

　　Now　every　one　can　see　whence　diseases　arise。　There　are　four

natures　out　of　which　the　body　is　compacted；　earth　and　fire　and　water

and　air；　and　the　unnatural　excess　or　defect　of　these；　or　the　change　of

any　of　them　from　its　own　natural　place　into　another；　or…since　there

are　more　kinds　than　one　of　fire　and　of　the　other　elements…the

assumption　by　any　of　these　of　a　wrong　kind；　or　any　similar

irregularity；　produces　disorders　and　diseases；　for　when　any　of　them　is

produced　or　changed　in　a　manner　contrary　to　nature；　the　parts　which

were　previously　cool　grow　warm；　and　those　which　were　dry　become　moist；

and　the　light　become　heavy；　and　the　heavy　light；　all　sorts　of

changes　occur。　For；　as　we　affirm；　a　thing　can　only　remain　the　same

with　itself；　whole　and　sound；　when　the　same　is　added　to　it；　or

subtracted　from　it；　in　the　same　respect　and　in　the　same　manner　and

in　due　proportion；　and　whatever　comes　or　goes　away　in　violation　of

these　laws　causes　all　manner　of　changes　and　infinite　diseases　and

corruptions。　Now　there　is　a　second　class　of　structures　which　are

also　natural；　and　this　affords　a　second　opportunity　of　observing

diseases　to　him　who　would　understand　them。　For　whereas　marrow　and　bone

and　flesh　and　sinews　are　composed　of　the　four　elements；　and　the　blood；

though　after　another　manner；　is　likewise　formed　out　of　them；　most

diseases　originate　in　the　way　which　I　have　described；　but　the　worst　of

all　owe　their　severity　to　the　fact　that　the　generation　of　these

substances　stances　in　a　wrong　order；　they　are　then　destroyed。　For

the　natural　order　is　that　the　flesh　and　sinews　should　be　made　of

blood；　the　sinews　out　of　the　fibres　to　which　they　are　akin；　and　the

flesh　out　of　the　dots　which　are　formed　when　the　fibres　are

separated。　And　the　glutinous　and　rich　matter　which　comes　away　from　the

sinews　and　the　flesh；　not　only　glues　the　flesh　to　the　bones；　but

nourishes　and　imparts　growth　to　the　bone　which　surrounds　the　marrow；

and　by　reason　of　the　solidity　of　the　bones；　that　which　filters　through

consists　of　the　purest　and　smoothest　and　oiliest　sort　of　triangles；

dropping　like　dew　from　the　bones　and　watering　the　marrow。

　　Now　when　each　process　takes　place　in　this　order；　health　commonly

results；　when　in　the　opposite　order；　disease。　For　when　the　flesh

becomes　decomposed　and　sends　back　the　wasting　substance　into　the

veins；　then　an　over…supply　of　blood　of　diverse　kinds；　mingling　with

air　in　the　veins；　having　variegated　colours　and　bitter　properties；

as　well　as　acid　and　saline　qualities；　contains　all　sorts　of　bile　and

serum　and　phlegm。　For　all　things　go　the　wrong　way；　and　having　become

corrupted；　first　they　taint　the　blood　itself；　and　then　ceasing　to　give

nourishment　the　body　they　are　carried　along　the　veins　in　all

directions；　no　longer　preserving　the　order　of　their　natural　courses；

but　at　war　with　themselves；　because　they　receive　no　good　from　one

another；　and　are　hostile　to　the　abiding　constitution　of　the　body；

which　they　corrupt　and　dissolve。　The　oldest　part　of　the　flesh　which　is

corrupted；　being　hard　to　decompose；　from　long　burning　grows　black；　and

from　being　everywhere　corroded　becomes　bitter；　and　is　injurious　to

every　part　of　the　body　which　is　still　uncorrupted。　Sometimes；　when　the

bitter　element　is　refined　away；　the　black　part　assumes　an　acidity

which　takes　the　place　of　the　bitterness；　at　other　times　the　bitterness

being　tinged　with　blood　has　a　redder　colour；　and　this；　when　mixed　with

black；　takes　the　hue　of　grass；　and　again；　an　auburn　colour　mingles

with　the　bitter　matter　when　new　flesh　is　decomposed　by　the　fire

which　surrounds　the　internal　flame…to　all　which　symptoms　some

physician　perhaps；　or　rather　some　philosopher；　who　had　the　power　of

seeing　in　many　dissimilar　things　one　nature　deserving　of　a　name；　has

assigned　the　common　name　of　bile。　But　the　other　kinds　of　bile　are

variously　distinguished　by　their　colours。　As　for　serum；　that　sort

which　is　the　watery　part　of　blood　is　innocent；　but　that　which　is　a

secretion　of　black　and　acid　bile　is　malignant　when　mingled　by　the

power　of　heat　with　any　salt　substance；　and　is　then　called　acid　phlegm。

　Again；　the　substance　which　is　formed　by　the　liquefaction　of　new　and

tender　flesh　when　air　is　present；　if　inflated　and　encased　in　liquid　so

as　to　form　bubbles；　which　separately　are　invisible　owing　to　their

small　size；　but　when　collected　are　of　a　bulk　which　is　visible；　and

have　a　white　colour　arising　out　of　the　generation　of　foam…all　this

decomposition　of　tender　flesh　when　inter…mingled　with　air　is　termed　by

us　white　phlegm。　And　the　whey　or　sediment　of　newly…formed　phlegm　is

sweat　and　tears；　and　includes　the　various　daily　discharges　by　which

the　body　is　purified。　Now　all　these　become　causes　of　disease　when

the　blood　is　not　replenished　in　a　natural　manner　by　food　and　drink　but

gains　bulk　from　opposite　sources　in　violation　of　the　laws　of　nature。

When　the　several　parts　of　the　flesh　are　separated　by　disease；　if　the

foundation　remains；　the　power　of　the　disorder　is　only　half　as　great；

and　there　is　still　a　prospect　of　an　easy　recovery；　but　when　that　which

binds　the　flesh　to　the　bones　is　diseased；　and　no　longer　being

separated　from　the　muscles　and　sinews；　ceases　to　give　nourishment　to

the　bone　and　to　unite　flesh　and　bone；　and　from　being　oily　and　smooth

and　glutinous　becomes　rough　and　salt　and　dry；　owing　to　bad　regimen；

then　all　the　substance　thus　corrupted　crumbles　away　under　the　flesh

and　the　sinews；　and　separates　from　the　bone；　and　the　fleshy　parts　fall

away　from　their　foundation　and　leave　the　sinews　bare　and　full　of

brine；　and　the　flesh　again　gets　into　the　circulation　of　the　blood

and　makes　the　previously…mentioned　disorders　still　greater。　And　if

these　bodily　affections　be　severe；　still　worse　are　the　prior

disorders；　as　when　the　bone　itself；　by　reason　of　the　density　of　the

flesh；　does　not　obtain　sufficient　air；　but　becomes　mouldy　and　hot

and　gangrened　and　receives　no　nutriment；　and　the　natural　process　is

inverted；　and　the　bone　crumbling　passes　into　the　food；　and　the　food

into　the　flesh；　and　the　flesh　again　falling　into　the　blood　makes　all

maladies　that　may　occur　more　virulent　than　those　already　mentioned。

But　the　worst　case　of　all　is　when　the　marrow　is　diseased；　either

from　excess　or　defect；　and　this　is　the　cause　of　the　very　greatest

and　most　fatal　disorders；　in　which　the　whole　course　of　the　body　is

reversed。

　　There　is　a　third　class　of　diseases　which　may　be　conceived　of　as

arising　in　three　ways；　for　they　are　produced　sometimes　by　wind；　and

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

the　dispens