on airs, waters, and places-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


indeed；　they　delight　in　being　thus　rewarded　by　men；　and　grant　favors
in　return；　for　it　is　likely　that　the　rich　sacrifice　more　to　the
gods；　and　dedicate　more　votive　offerings；　inasmuch　as　they　have
wealth；　and　worship　the　gods；　whereas　the　poor；　from　want；　do　less
in　this　way；　and；　moreover；　upbraid　the　gods　for　not　giving　them
wealth；　so　that　those　who　have　few　possessions　were　more　likely　to
bear　the　punishments　of　these　offences　than　the　rich。　But；　as　I
formerly　said；　these　affections　are　divine　just　as　much　as　others；　for
each　springs　from　a　natural　cause；　and　this　disease　arises　among　the
Scythians　from　such　a　cause　as　I　have　stated。　But　it　attacks　other　men
in　like　manner；　for　whenever　men　ride　much　and　very　frequently　on
horseback；　then　many　are　affected　with　rheums　in　the　joints；　sciatica；
and　gout；　and　they　are　inept　at　venery。　But　these　complaints　befall
the　Scythians；　and　they　are　the　most　impotent　of　men　for　the　aforesaid
causes；　and　because　they　always　wear　breeches；　and　spend　the　most　of
their　time　on　horseback；　so　as　not　to　touch　their　privy　parts　with　the
hands；　and　from　the　cold　and　fatigue　they　forget　the　sexual　desire；
and　do　not　make　the　attempt　until　after　they　have　lost　their　virility。
Thus　it　is　with　the　race　of　the　Scythians。
　　23。　The　other　races　in　Europe　differ　from　one　another；　both　as　to
stature　and　shape；　owing　to　the　changes　of　the　seasons；　which　are　very
great　and　frequent；　and　because　the　heat　is　strong；　the　winters
severe；　and　there　are　frequent　rains；　and　again　protracted　droughts；
and　winds；　from　which　many　and　diversified　changes　are　induced。
These　changes　are　likely　to　have　an　effect　upon　generation　in　the
coagulation　of　the　semen；　as　this　process　cannot　be　the　same　in　summer
as　in　winter；　nor　in　rainy　as　in　dry　weather；　wherefore；　I　think；　that
the　figures　of　Europeans　differ　more　than　those　of　Asiatics；　and
they　differ　very　much　from　one　another　as　to　stature　in　the　same　city；
for　vitiations　of　the　semen　occur　in　its　coagulation　more　frequently
during　frequent　changes　of　the　seasons；　than　where　they　are　alike
and　equable。　And　the　same　may　be　said　of　their　dispositions；　for　the
wild；　and　unsociable；　and　the　passionate　occur　in　such　a　constitution；
for　frequent　excitement　of　the　mind　induces　wildness；　and　extinguishes
sociableness　and　mildness　of　disposition；　and　therefore　I　think　the
inhabitants　of　Europe　more　courageous　than　those　of　Asia；　for　a
climate　which　is　always　the　same　induces　indolence；　but　a　changeable
climate；　laborious　exertions　both　of　body　and　mind；　and　from　rest
and　indolence　cowardice　is　engendered；　and　from　laborious　exertions
and　pains；　courage。　On　this　account　the　inhabitants　of　Europe　are　than
the　Asiatics；　and　also　owing　to　their　institutions；　because　they　are
not　governed　by　kings　like　the　latter；　for　where　men　are　governed　by
kings　there　they　must　be　very　cowardly；　as　I　have　stated　before；　for
their　souls　are　enslaved；　and　they　will　not　willingly；　or　readily
undergo　dangers　in　order　to　promote　the　power　of　another；　but　those
that　are　free　undertake　dangers　on　their　own　account；　and　not　for
the　sake　of　others；　they　court　hazard　and　go　out　to　meet　it；　for
they　themselves　bear　off　the　rewards　of　victory；　and　thus　their
institutions　contribute　not　a　little　to　their　courage。
　　Such　is　the　general　character　of　Europe　and　Asia。
　　24。　And　there　are　in　Europe　other　tribes；　differing　from　one　another
in　stature；　shape；　and　courage：　the　differences　are　those　I　formerly
mentioned；　and　will　now　explain　more　clearly。　Such　as　inhabit　a
country　which　is　mountainous；　rugged；　elevated；　and　well　watered；
and　where　the　changes　of　the　seasons　are　very　great；　are　likely　to
have　great　variety　of　shapes　among　them；　and　to　be　naturally　of　an
enterprising　and　warlike　disposition；　and　such　persons　are　apt　to　have
no　little　of　the　savage　and　ferocious　in　their　nature；　but　such　as
dwell　in　places　which　are　low…lying；　abounding　in　meadows　and　ill
ventilated；　and　who　have　a　larger　proportion　of　hot　than　of　cold
winds；　and　who　make　use　of　warm　waters…　these　are　not　likely　to　be
of　large　stature　nor　well　proportioned；　but　are　of　a　broad　make；
fleshy；　and　have　black　hair；　and　they　are　rather　of　a　dark　than　of　a
light　complexion；　and　are　less　likely　to　be　phlegmatic　than　bilious；
courage　and　laborious　enterprise　are　not　naturally　in　them；　but　may　be
engendered　in　them　by　means　of　their　institutions。　And　if　there　be
rivers　in　the　country　which　carry　off　the　stagnant　and　rain　water　from
it；　these　may　be　wholesome　and　clear；　but　if　there　be　no　rivers；　but
the　inhabitants　drink　the　waters　of　fountains；　and　such　as　are
stagnant　and　marshy；　they　must　necessarily　have　prominent　bellies
and　enlarged　spleens。　But　such　as　inhabit　a　high　country；　and　one　that
is　level；　windy；　and　well…watered；　will　be　large　of　stature；　and
like　to　one　another；　but　their　minds　will　be　rather　unmanly　and
gentle。　Those　who　live　on　thin；　ill…watered；　and　bare　soils；　and　not
well　attempered　in　the　changes　of　the　seasons；　in　such　a　country
they　are　likely　to　be　in　their　persons　rather　hard　and　well　braced；
rather　of　a　blond　than　a　dark　complexion；　and　in　disposition　and
passions　haughty　and　self…willed。　For；　where　the　changes　of　the
seasons　are　most　frequent；　and　where　they　differ　most　from　one
another；　there　you　will　find　their　forms；　dispositions；　and　nature　the
most　varied。　These　are　the　strongest　of　the　natural　causes　of
difference；　and　next　the　country　in　which　one　lives；　and　the　waters；
for；　in　general；　you　will　find　the　forms　and　dispositions　of　mankind
to　correspond　with　the　nature　of　the　country；　for　where　the　land　is
fertile；　soft；　and　well…watered；　and　supplied　with　waters　from　very
elevated　situations；　so　as　to　be　hot　in　summer　and　cold　in　winter；　and
where　the　seasons　are　fine；　there　the　men　are　fleshy；　have
ill…formed　joints；　and　are　of　a　humid　temperament；　they　are　not
disposed　to　endure　labor；　and；　for　the　most　part；　are　base　in
spirit；　indolence　and　sluggishness　are　visible　in　them；　and　to　the
arts　they　are　dull；　and　not　clever　nor　acute。　When　the　country　is
bare；　not　fenced；　and　rugged；　blasted　by　the　winter　and　scorched　by
the　sun；　there　you　may　see　the　hardy；　hardy；　slender；　with　well…shaped
joints；　well…braced；　and　shaggy；　sharp；　industry　and　vigilance
accompany　such　a　constitution；　in　morals　and　passions　they　are　haughty
and　opinionative；　inclining　rather　to　the　fierce　than　to　the　mild；　and
you　will　find　them　acute　and　ingenious　as　regards　the　arts；　and
excelling　in　military　affairs；　and　likewise　all　the　other
productions　of　the　earth　corresponding　to　the　earth　itself。　Thus　it　is
with　regard　to　the　most　opposite　natures　and　shapes；　drawing
conclusions　from　them；　you　may　judge　of　the　rest　without　any　risk　of
error。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…