ON MARVELLOUS THINGS HEARD

PROBLEMS: BOOK XXXVIII 261
BOOK XXXVIII
PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE COLORATION
OF THE FLESH
§ 1 · Why is it that the sun bleaches wax and olive oil, but darkens the flesh? Is it 966b24-1525
because it bleaches the former by extracting the water from them (for that which
is moist is naturally black owing to the admixture of the earthy element), whereas
it scorches the flesh?
§ 2 · Why have fishermen reddish hair, and divers for murex, and in short all 966b33-1526
who work on the sea? Is it because the sea is hot and full of dryness because it
is salty? Now that which is of this nature, like lye and orpiment, makes the hair
reddish. Or is it because they are warmer in their outer parts, but their inner parts
are chilled, because, owing to their getting wet, the surrounding parts are always
being dried by the sun? And as they undergo this process, the hair being dried
becomes fine and reddish. Furthermore all those who live towards the north have
fine, reddish hair.
§ 3 · Why is it that running in clothing and anointing the body under the cloth- 967a7-1526
ing with oil makes men pale skinned, whereas running naked makes them ruddy?
Is it because ventilation produces a ruddy colour, while suffocation has the opposite
effect and causes pallor, because the moisture on the surface is heated up
and does not cool? Now perspiring in clothes and anointing the body under the
clothing both have the same effect, namely, that the heat is enclosed. But running
naked makes the flesh ruddy for the opposite reason, because the air cools the excrements
which form and ventilates the body. Further, the oil, which is moist and
thin, being smeared over the body under the clothing and blocking up the pores,
does not allow either the moisture and breath from the body to escape or the external
air to penetrate inwards. Therefore the moist excrements being choked in
the body decay and produce pallor.
§ 4 · Why is it that the ventilation of the flesh makes it ruddy? Is it because 967a12-1526
pallor is as it were a corruption of the flesh? When, therefore, the surface is moist