The creation of bones and flesh was on this wise. The foundation
of these is the marrow which binds together body and soul, and
the marrow is made out of such of the primary triangles as are
adapted by their perfection to produce all the four elements.
These God took and mingled them in due proportion, making as many
kinds of marrow as there were hereafter to be kinds of souls. The
receptacle of the divine soul he made round, and called that
portion of the marrow brain, intending that the vessel containing
this substance should be the head. The remaining part he divided
into long and round figures, and to these as to anchors,
fastening the mortal soul, he proceeded to make the rest of the
body, first forming for both parts a covering of bone. The bone
was formed by sifting pure smooth earth and wetting it with
marrow. It was then thrust alternately into fire and water, and
thus rendered insoluble by either. Of bone he made a globe which
he placed around the brain, leaving a narrow opening, and around
the marrow of the neck and spine he formed the vertebrae, like
hinges, which extended from the head through the whole of the
trunk. And as the bone was brittle and liable to mortify and
destroy the marrow by too great rigidity and susceptibility to
heat and cold, he contrived sinews and flesh—the first to give
flexibility, the second to guard against heat and cold, and to be
a protection against falls, containing a warm moisture, which in
summer exudes and cools the body, and in winter is a defence
against cold. Having this in view, the Creator mingled earth with
fire and water and mixed with them a ferment of acid and salt, so
as to form pulpy flesh. But the sinews he made of a mixture of
bone and unfermented flesh, giving them a mean nature between the
two, and a yellow colour. Hence they were more glutinous than
flesh, but softer than bone. The bones which have most of the
living soul within them he covered with the thinnest film of
flesh, those which have least of it, he lodged deeper. At the
joints he diminished the flesh in order not to impede the flexure
of the limbs, and also to avoid clogging the perceptions of the
mind. About the thighs and arms, which have no sense because
there is little soul in the marrow, and about the inner bones, he
laid the flesh thicker. For where the flesh is thicker there is
less feeling, except in certain parts which the Creator has made
solely of flesh, as for example, the tongue. Had the combination
of solid bone and thick flesh been consistent with acute
perceptions, the Creator would have given man a sinewy and fleshy
head, and then he would have lived twice as long. But our
creators were of opinion that a shorter life which was better was