BOOK THREE

 [p. 227]

PART 2

Since, however, it is not our habit to employ this kind of demonstration

The deductive.

alone, but to add thereto cogent and compelling proofs drawn from obvious facts, we will also proceed to the latter kind in the present instance: we will demonstrate that in certain parts of the body the retentive faculty is so obvious that its operation can be actually recognised by the senses, whilst in other parts it is less obvious to the senses, but is capable even here of being detected by the argument.

The logos is the argument or "theory" arrived at by the process of λογικὴ θεωρία or "theorizing"; cf. p. 151, note 3; p. 205, note 1.

Let us begin our exposition, then, by first dealing systematically for a while with certain definite parts of the body, in reference to which we may accurately test and enquire what sort of thing the retentive faculty is.

Now, could one begin the enquiry in any better way than with the largest and hollowest organs? Personally I do not think one could. It is to be expected that in these, owing to their size, the activities will show quite clearly, whereas with respect to the small organs, even if they possess a strong faculty of this kind, its activation will not at once be recognisable to sense.

Now those parts of the animal which are especially hollow and large are the stomach and the organ which is called the womb or uterus.

The Greek words for the uterus (metrae and hysterae) probably owe their plural form to the belief that the organ was bicornuate in the human, as it is in some of the lower species.

What prevents us, then, from taking up these first and considering their activities, conducting the enquiry on our own