Aristotle's History of Animals: In Ten BooksAristotle
PhilosophyPhilosophy
Aristotle's History of Animals: In Ten Books
Aristotle
Zoology -- Pre-Linnaean works
2. In some, also, the os uteri is closed, either from the period
of birth, or in consequence of disease. Sometimes this is curable,
and sometimes not so. It is not, however, difficult to ascertain
the state of the case, for it is not possible either to receive or
to emit anything in a proper manner. If it appears to have received
and rejected the seminal fluid of the male, it is an evidence of the
presence of the disease. But those who have no impediment in the way of
conception, but are, as it has been said, as they ought to be, unless
the man is impotent, or they are not able to have children together,
being unable to emit their semen at the same time, and differ very
much, such persons will have no children.
CHAPTER V.
In order to understand of sterility in the male, we must take other
symptoms. These will appear very easy, if he copulates with other
women, and impregnates them. When the sexes do not appear to concur
with each other, although all the before-mentioned circumstances are
present, they do not have children together. For it is evident that
this is the only reason of sterility: for if the woman contributes
to the semen and generation, it is evident that both the sexes should
be concurrent: for if the man is quick, and the woman slow, in the
emission of the semen (and many women are comparatively slow), this
will prevent conception; for which cause they do not produce children
by sexual union with each other. They do so, however, when they happen
to be concurrent with each other; for if the woman is desirous, and
prepared for the intercourse, and is inclined for it, but the man is
suffering previous pain, and of a cold disposition, it is then also
necessary that they should be concurrent.
CHAPTER VI.
It is quite plain when animals desire sexual intercourse; for the
female pursues the male, as hens pursue the cock and place themselves
beneath him, if the male is not desirous. Other animals also do the
same. But if all animals appear to have these affections with respect
to sexual intercourse, it is plain that the causes must be the same
throughout. This bird, however, has not only the desire of receiving,
but also of emitting semen. This is a proof of it. If the male is not
present, she will emit the semen into herself, and become pregnant, and
produce barren eggs, as if she desired both to emit semen, and when she
had done so, soon ceased, just as when the male was present. Others
also do the same, for a person has attempted to rear some singing
locusts, which he had taken in a young state. When grown, they became
pregnant spontaneously.
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