timaeu-第21章

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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　a