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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　vacuum；

the　fact　that　objects　push　one　another　round；　and　that　they　change

places；　passing　severally　into　their　proper　positions　as　they　are

divided　or　combined

　　Such　as　we　have　seen；　is　the　nature　and　such　are　the　causes　of

respiration…the　subject　in　which　this　discussion　originated。　For　the

fire　cuts　the　food　and　following　the　breath　surges　up　within；　fire　and

breath　rising　together　and　filling　the　veins　by　drawing　up　out　of

the　belly　and　pouring　into　them　the　cut　portions　of　the　food；　and　so

the　streams　of　food　are　kept　flowing　through　the　whole　body　in　all

animals。　And　fresh　cuttings　from　kindred　substances；　whether　the

fruits　of　the　earth　or　herb　of　the　field；　which　God　planted　to　be

our　daily　food；　acquire　all　sorts　of　colours　by　their　inter…mixture；

but　red　is　the　most　pervading　of　them；　being　created　by　the　cutting

action　of　fire　and　by　the　impression　which　it　makes　on　a　moist

substance；　and　hence　the　liquid　which　circulates　in　the　body　has　a

colour　such　as　we　have　described。　The　liquid　itself　we　call　blood；

which　nourishes　the　flesh　and　the　whole　body；　whence　all　parts　are

watered　and　empty　places　filled。

　　Now　the　process　of　repletion　and　evacuation　is　effected　after　the

manner　of　the　universal　motion　by　which　all　kindred　substances　are

drawn　towards　one　another。　For　the　external　elements　which　surround　us

are　always　causing　us　to　consume　away；　and　distributing　and　sending

off　like　to　like；　the　particles　of　blood；　too；　which　are　divided　and

contained　within　the　frame　of　the　animal　as　in　a　sort　of　heaven；　are

compelled　to　imitate　the　motion　of　the　universe。　Each；　therefore；　of

the　divided　parts　within　us；　being　carried　to　its　kindred　nature；

replenishes　the　void。　When　more　is　taken　away　than　flows　in；　then　we

decay；　and　when　less；　we　grow　and　increase。

　　The　frame　of　the　entire　creature　when　young　has　the　triangles　of

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；　obtaini