The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher: Containing his Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; his Experienced Midwife, his Book of Problems and his Remarks on Physiognomy
Aristotle · en
Q. May a man procure a dream by an external cause? A. It may be done. If
a man speak softly in another man's ear and awake him not, then of his
stirring of the spirits there are thunderings and buzzings in the head,
which cause dreamings.
Q. How many humours are there in a man's body? A. Four, whereof every
one hath its proper place. The first is choler, called by physicians
_flava bilis_, which is placed in the liver. The second is melancholy,
called _atra bilis_, whose seat is in the spleen. The third is phlegm,
whose place is in the head. The fourth is blood, whose place is in the
heart.
Q. What condition and quality hath a man of a sanguine complexion? A. It
is fair and beautiful; hath his hair for the most part smooth; is bold;
retaineth that which he hath conceived; is shame-faced, given to music,
a lover of sciences, liberal, courteous, and not desirous of revenge.
Q. What properties do follow those of a phlegmatic complexion? A. They
are dull of wit, their hair never curls, they are seldom very thirsty,
much given to sleep, dream of things belonging to water, are fearful,
covetous, given to heap up riches, and are weak in the act of venery.
Q. What are the properties of a choleric man? A. He is brown in
complexion, unquiet, his veins hidden, eateth little and digesteth less,
dreameth of dark and confused things, is sad, fearful, exceedingly
covetous, and incontinent.
Q. What dreams do follow these complexions? A. Pleasant, merry dreams do
follow the sanguine; fearful dreams, the melancholic; the choleric dream
of children fighting and fire; the phlegmatic dream of water. This is
the reason why a man's complexion is said to be known by his dreams.
Q. What is the reason that if you cover an egg over with salt, and let
it lie in it a few days, all the meat within is consumed? A. A great
dryness of the salt consumes the substance of the egg.
Q. Why is the melancholic complexion the worst? A. Because it proceeds
from the dregs of the blood, is an enemy to mirth and bringeth on aged
appearance and death, being cold and dry.
Q. What is the cause that some men die joyful, and some in extreme
grief? A. Over-great joy doth overmuch heat the internal parts of the
body; and overmuch grief doth drown and suffocate the heart, which
failing, a man dieth.
Q. Why hath a man so much hair on his head? A. The hair on his head
proceeds from the vapours which arise from the stomach, and ascend to
the head, and also of the superfluities which are in the brain; and
those two passing through the pores of the head are converted into hair,
by reason of the heat and dryness of the head. And because man's body is
full of humours, and he hath more brains than any other living
creatures.
Q. How many ways is the brain purged and other hidden places of the
body? A. Four; the watery and gross humours are purged by the eyes,
melancholy by the ears, choler by the nose, and phlegm by the hair.