THE BOOK OF DELIGHT

Chapter I

Zabara beholdeth in his dream a man exceeding tall, who doth then rouse him out of his slumber, and give him victuals to eat. But first he disputeth with him concerning prayer and food and wine.

There lived a man in the city of Barcelona whose name was Joseph ben Zabara. From his youth up had he dwelt at ease, in amity with his friends and comrades. All that knew him became his friends, and they that were his friends loved him; among them was he respected and esteemed, bound to all by ties of affection. He for his part honored and exalted them, served them and healed them. For those of them that were sick he compounded suitable remedies, in accordance with his knowledge and his skill. In his love and charity he busied himself with his patients whether old or young, and served them, and ministered to them. Everyone, then, loved Joseph and sought his company eagerly; but as Scripture hath it (Psalms 117:5), Joseph was sold for a servant.

Came then a night when I, Joseph, was sleeping upon my bed. My sleep was sweet upon me, for that alone was my portion of all my labor. Things there are which are for the soul a weariness but for the body restful; other things are weariness for the body but restful for the soul. But sleep bright rest at once to body and soul, as all men know well.

Saintly Hippocrates was once asked, "What is sleep?" "In sleep," he replied, "the highest virtues descend into the depths of the being, to provide refreshed vigor for the body." Furthermore, Aristotle hath said, "Natural slumber compriseth a remedy for every malady." And Galen, "Natural slumber increaseth vigor and minisheth the evil humors." And finally hath the wise Jahja ibn Maseweih said, "Sleep in season bright the body to healthfulness."

And it came to pass as I slumbered that I saw an appearance before me in my dream, in the likeness of a man exceeding tall, who did then rouse me as is the wont of a man who arouseth another from his sleep. "Arise, thou son of man," quoth he. "Wherefore slumberest? Awake thee, and look upon the wine as it floweth red. Arise, and recline at my side and eat whereof I have brought thee, as my means did avail."

So I arose in haste, just as dawn brake, and I beheld wine and bread and viands before me, and a lamp burning in the man's hand, whereof the light shone into every corner. Then I spake and said, "What may these be, good sir?" "My wine," he replied, "and my bread and my viands. Sit thee down, and eat and drink with me, for I love thee as thou wert of my mother's sons."

But after that I had thanked him for the kindness of the honor he did me, for his love and for the generosity of his and, I said, "Sir, I may neither eat nor drink until that I have prayed to Him that discerneth my way and maketh my footsteps firm and vouchsafeth unto me all my needs. For indeed the choicest of the prophets and the chief of them that were called, our teacher Moses, may he rest in peace, hath said (Leviticus 19:26) : 'Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment nor observe times.' Thereby did he admonish the children of Israel that they should not eat until that they had prayed for their souls, for in truth the blood signifieth the soul. And so hath Saul said (I Samuel 14:34) : 'Slay them here and eat; and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood.' Furthermore he that doth eat before he hath offered prayer and supplication is called fellow to the Destroyer and a worker of divination.

"Aristotle too was asked whether prayer or victuals should have first place. 'Prayer,' he replied, 'for prayer is the life of the spirit and victuals are but the life of the body.' Furthermore, prayer and study are not possible for a creature that is sated and a paunch that is stuffed. 'Which is better,' a philosopher was asked, 'victuals or prayer?' 'Abundance of prayer is helpful,' he replied, 'abundance-of victuals harmful.' And a certain wise man hath said, 'Prayer doth result in victuals.' Lastly a certain sage of the Sages hath said, 'Prayer is like as the spirit which goeth upward, whereas victuals are like as the flesh which descendeth downward, even into the earth.' "

Then said the stranger, "Pray, if such be thy desire; do as is good in thy sight." So I bathed my hands and face, and prayed before the Lord. Then I ate of all that was before me, for his soul was become dear in my sight. In the midst of the food I would drink of the water of the fountain, but he rebuked, me and said, "Drink of the wine, for compared to it even pearls are nothing worth, and it is indeed a delight to the eyes." "But," I said, "I take no delight in it nor do I desire to drink it, for indeed I fear it." And he said to me, "Wherefore doss the hate it in thins heart? Surely it maketh glad and rejoiceth the heart of man."

And I replied and said, "I cannot drink it; for he that drinketh of it doth become drunken until that he is stranger to his own brethren. Wine blindeth the eyes, darkeneth the whiteness of teeth, causeth forgetfulness, and rendereth the wise soul foolish. It maketh the faithful speechless and robbeth the elders of their wisdom. It weakeneth the powers of the body and paralyzeth the members in their functions,' for it doth disturb the sinews which control them. It occasioneth many maladies, such as paralysis and stuttering and apoplexy, which doth corrupt all the members of the body and their functions. It revealeth the secrets of bosom friends and causeth dissension between brothers. Yea, wine is treacherous and doth strip a man's garments upon a cold day. And so hath the poet sung for any man that lusteth after wine:

Friend, let not thine heart incline

To the sweet seductive savor

Of smoothly flowing ruddy wine,

For bitter is its flavor.

You may cherish it now above fine gold,

It is but a treacherous friend;

It will desert and forsake you in shivering cold,

Your coat from your back will it rend.

Again:

Guard thee well, beloved friend,

Lest to Bacchus thy neck thou bend ;

Else thy competitor will drive thy trade

While yet thou slumberest in noonday shade.

And also:

Of pomegranate juice mayst thou sip;

It is sweet and gentle and mild.

But keep red wine far from thy lip;

It is raging and fiery and wild.

"Further, our master Moses, may he rest in peace, forbade the Nazarites all wine and strong drink, in order that they might not become unclean and desecrate the vows by which they were hallowed all the days of their separation. Furthermore the priests were forbidden to drink wine when they came into the sanctuary to minister."

Then did the man's wrath kindle, and he said, "Wherefore and why dost thou reproach wine and revile it and slander it, not slightly but with vehemence, and recall its defects and deny its virtues? Dost thou not know, hast thou not heard, that wine begetteth gladness and banisheth sorrow and sighing? If any one he afflicted in soul, he may drink and forget his misery. Wine assisteth, furthermore, in the digestion of food, and availeth to assuage pain better than cloth rest, it causeth diseases of the nose to depart, and is salutary for maladies of the intestines. It causeth the urine to flow, if it be restrained, it maketh a weak heart firm, and riddeth the kidneys and the veins of humors. It is excellent for arousing appetites, and awakeneth generosity in the heart of a niggard. It prolongeth a man's prime and deferreth his old age; it sharpeneth the wits, maketh the face to shine, and brighteneth the senses. And furthermore our sages-may their memory be for a blessing -have said, 'Wine and spices make a man open-minded.' And because of the sin which he sinned against his own soul in vowing abstinence from wine, Scripture commanded the Nazarite to offer two turtles or two young pigeons to expiate for his sin in afflicting his own person. Yea, and the poet hath sung:

Two fires there be of foaming liquids holden,

Of warfare grim the one, the other in chalice golden.

This one compounded of blood and tears,

A hero's glory, a mother's fears.

The other a sweet essence with genial flame Kindled by friendship and love's great name.

And again:

As rise in heaven the shining planets

So in our hands rise shining goblets;

But setting stars to westward descend

While descending cups in our bellies end..

And also:

They shall miserably moan and grievously sigh

For despising the fruit of the vine;

The abstaining Rechabites shall wretchedly die

Of diseases fell and malign.

Like profitless water shall they be neglected

This gloomy folk, dour, severe ;

In disdain, yea blasphemy, have they rejected

What God and man doth cheer.

Then said I unto him, "Seeing thou hast freely proffered thyme kindness, let not thy wrath be kindled. The ancient physicians, who were wise and prudent, prescribed that water be drunk at the time of eating for that it is heavier than wine, and by its weight causeth the food to descend to the uttermost parts of the stomach, whereby digestion is improved-by reason of the proximity of the heat of the liver, which lieth underneath and lendeth its aid. But an hour or two after eating they prescribed that a little wine unmixed with water be drunk, to augment the natural heat and assist the digestive powers." ,

"Truly hast thou spoken," said he, "and I too adhere to thy

discourse, for in truth little availeth little and much harmeth

little."

CHAPTER II

The stranger declareth his name to be Enan Hanatas, the son of Arnan Hadesh, and seeketh to persuade Zabara to forsake his own country and accompany him to a place where his wisdom will be properly recognized. Zabara feareth to follow after him and relateth many parables to show the cause of his fear. Finally, however, he is convinced and will go.

And it came to pass after that I had eaten and drunk with him that I asked concerning his place and his name, saying, "Prithee, good sir, now that thou hast honored me and given me to eat of thy bread and victuals and mine heart hath drunk of thy dear love, tell me pray, what is thy purpose and whence comest thou, what is thy country and of what people art thou?" And he answered and said to me, "I come from a distant land, from pleasant and fruitful hills; my wisdom is as thy wisdom, my people as thy people and my laws as thy laws. My name is Enan Hanatas, son of Arnan Hadesh," I said to myself, "Surely this is a wonderful and awful name. Never before have I heard its like."

He said to me, "Thou mayst not know the secret of my name until that thou hast become my guest and comrade. Come with me from this land and I will tell thee all my secret lore; leave this spot, for here they appreciate neither thy worth nor thy skillful wisdom. I will take thee to another place, in which thou wilt find great delight; a place choice and good, like a fruitful garden, and they that people it are lovable and pleasant and exceeding wise."

And I said to him, "But, good sir, how may I forsake my house and abandon my heritage and depart from my native land wherein my abode is fixed, where dwell gentle folk, noble and princely, and wise sages who possess understanding of all matters? The greater among them graciously do me honor, and the lesser attend me for their own honor. As long as I shall live they will bear me on the pinions of their love and when I am dead their physicians will embalm me. And the sage hate said, 'If thou dwellest in a place in peace and security, if the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, yield not thy place.' The spirit of the ruler is the evil inclination of man, which doth beguile him, and turn him whithersoever it will. Furthermore the Arab hath said, 'He that changeth his place, his fortune too is changed.' "

But he mocked and said, "The sage hath said, 'He that doth lean on his own knowledge and wisdom will stumble by his speech and perish by his counsel.' What will it profit thee after thy death whether they embalm thee skillfully or tear thee in pieces? Why dost thou speak without counsel and without wisdom, being a man of understanding and discernment? Surely thou knowest that thy beginning is of the earth and thy end vermin and corruption. What will myrrh and cinnamon profit thee when thou hast departed to the night of desolation? Thou wilt not ascend to Arcturus but in Sheol thou wilt wither of rot as a garment which hath been eaten of moths. Cease from words of vanity, for neither by withes nor by chains are thy feet bound. Rouse thyself to words of spirit, come with me to security and tranquillity. If thou hast found honor in thine own place and art favored of the many among thine own people, wherefore shouldst thou withhold from coming with me, to show thy pleasantness and to cause thy name to be remembered? They say that the man who dwelleth in his own city, even if it should please the king to do him honor, he will not perceive his glory nor recall his name or fame until that he have removed to another land, and there become honorable and glorious, above the exalted ones of the city. For that man who goeth not forth to journey among his fellow men, his blood is on his own head. Can the flower grow without water (Job 8: 11) ? But that one is as spilt water which cannot be gathered up again (II Samuel 14:14). In the course of time worthy men remove to waters more pleasant. Furthermore the Arab hath said, 'Every journey and every change doth cause blessing and salvation.' "

Even as he was speaking to me I sighed deeply and my head was downcast to the earth; neither peace nor calm was mine. Said he to me, "Wherefore dost sigh and why doth not sorrow depart from thy heart? Reveal unto me thy heart's secret and that which is buried in thy bosom; perhaps I can banish the sorrow from within thee. For the Arab hath said, 'He that revealeth his secret sorrow to a comrade dear to his heart banisheth a part thereof, ofttimes the greater part.' " But I replied to him, "That which is in my heart and inmost thoughts I cannot utter with my lips, for I am abashed and ashamed, and therefore am I become silent and speechless for revealing to thee that which is hidden and which weighs upon my heart and my thoughts."

He then said to me, "Lo, I adjure thee by thine own and thy fathers' souls, tell me all thy thoughts."

And I said to him, "After that thou hast adjured me, and satisfied me with the honey of thy speech, I will reveal my secret before thee; let it but not provoke thy wrath." And he said to me, "Speak thy wish to the full, for in my sight thy lips drop myrrh."

I then replied and said, "Wise Plato hath said in his book on Physiognomy, that he whose countenance is ruddy as flame hastes and is prone to prevarication. He whose eyes are sunken and quick to behold and perceive, that man is cunning and wily and of many devices. He whose eyebrows are abundant and shaggy, his speech is heavy and he is a man of grief and sorrow. And if his nose is in part thin, but his nostrils are full and large, he is a contentious man, full of dissension and quarrelsome. He whose forehead is curved and inclines to the sides of his face, that man is tempestuous in word and deed. If his lips be large and thick he is dull, evil by nature, and contentious. He whose ears are large is simple and full of folly. He whose neck is short is a deceiver, every man's adversary and enemy. He whose abdomen is large and whose ribs are well covered with flesh, his folly will neither depart nor minish. A thin shoulder is a sign of an empty spirit. A short palm is a sign of defective knowledge. Every tall man is a fool, sinful in speech, blind and a follower of lustfulness; for being over tall his heart cannot be wide but must needs be strait, and since of the two chambers of the heart one is too strait to contain the blood which is his aliment and the marrow of the brain is sustained only by the remainder, both organs are weakened: the discernment of the heart and the understanding of the brain are both diminished. Furthermore, there being a more distant expanse between the brain and the heart, discernment and understanding cannot be quickly conjoined and therefore the tall man's knowledge is ever waning."

When he heard this matter, that the knowledge of tall men is short, he uttered a great and bitter cry, saying, "Now I know that thou art seeking a pretext against me and art simulating in all thy speech."

I said, "I have also not forgotten and indeed know very well the characteristics of short men. For since their members are slight and short and the traits of the soul follow after the nature of the body and the limbs, short men display this same divergence. Nay, I am well aware of it. But I perceive that it behooves me to speak only of tall men seeing that thou art such. And of the indications I have mentioned, I recognize all in thy face. Therefore do I tremble and fear to go with thee and to follow in thy footsteps, lest there befall me what befell a certain leopard with a fox."

"What pray," said he to me, "was this happening you speak of?"

I replied: "A leopard once lived in content and plenty: ever he found easy sustenance for his wife and children. 'Hard by there dwelt his neighbor and friend, the fox. The fox felt in his heart that his life was safe only so long as the leopard could catch other prey. 'If other prey should be wanting for a single day he will seize me in his might and slay me in the strength of his wrath, for he is in truth but shameless and he will apportion me unto himself and his sons as viands.

CHAPTER IX

Enan proveth Zabara's knowledge of medicine and nature by two and thirty questions.

Then said Enan to me, "Thou hast declared that thou art wise, expert in the healing art: Do thou then answer to what I shall ask of thee, that I may gauge thine understanding and discernment." Said I, "Food doth withhold me from answering; for my bowels are become warm from having been afflicted. Leave me until that I have satisfied my longing; then will I answer thine every query."

But he said, "After that thou art full and surfeited, thou wilt naught declare nor wilt thou avail to show thine opinion." "The hungry man doth pant after food," said I, "and understandeth no saying, even if he be such a one as Heman or Chalcol." "But," quoth he, "how long wilt thou eat? Woe to thy belly, for it will never have rest."

But when I had eaten and was satisfied, and had nigh perished of abundance of food, I spake to him, "Good sir, sleep seizeth upon mine eyelids. By thy leave I will go up to my couch, and I will lay me down, and my sleep will be sweet unto me." But he said, "How wilt thou not he sleepy, seeing thou hast left no morsel uneaten? Nay, as my soul liveth, thou shalt not ascend thy couch until that I have questioned thee, and proved thy wisdom, and have perceived whether all these victuals have entered the paunch of a wise man or of a fool."

Then said I to him, *"Be thy questions deep as the pit or lofty and exalted, I will make answer to each. Yet make not thy discourse overlong; for Night bath spread her wings and Dawn rubbeth her eyelids."

1. He asked, "Knowest thou wherefore the two veins of the eyes differ from all other veins of the body, in that they are open?" I replied: "Because of the power of vision which is transmitted from the brain to the eyes by means of them."

2. "Dost know of the disorder of the eyes which is called Ahwal in Arabic? Wherefore are two images of single objects seen by those who suffer from this disorder?" Said I, "Because that the veins are not equal, and do not go to the eyes by a parallel route, but one goeth down while the other goeth up; therefore doth the one eye behold an object from above while the second eye beholdeth it from beneath. The proof is, if one eye be covered the patient will perceive but one object only."

3. Said he, "Dost know the cause of sneezing?" I replied, "A humor or current of air which is of a nature harmful to the brain is therefore pressed thence to the bone which is perforated like a colander; from which perforations the humors of the head issue forth through the nostrils; and because the perforations in that bone are small in compass nature requireth to expel them with great violence, wherefore is the sound of sneezing audible."

4. "Wherefore are there three molar teeth in the upper jaw and but two in the lower?" Said I, "Because that the upper teeth are dependent and therefore require reinforcement whereas the lower teeth are firmly set, and therefore require no reinforcement."

5. "Knowest wherefore it is, that when a man openeth his mouth, the breath that cometh forth is warm, whereas if he shut his lips and expel his breath, it is cool?" Said I, "The breath that cometh forth from the mouth of man is ever warm; for it is warmed by the heat of the heart; but when he compresseth his lips to breathe it forth, he doth expel it and thus stir the atmosphere and set it in motion, and whatsoever stirreth the atmosphere and setteth it in motion doth cool it. Therefore doth it come about that it is cool."

6. "The same wind which is warm elsewhere is cool in the bathhouse: wherefore?" "Because the atmosphere of the bathhouse is even warmer than the wind, wherefore it doth seem cool by comparison."

7. "Wherefore is it, that when a man doth meditate on a matter which he knoweth not he doth incline his head for. ward, whereas if he think of a matter which he hath known and forgot he raiseth his head?" I replied, "When a man meditateth upon a thing which he knoweth not, he requircth to bring his reasoning power, which resideth in the middle sac of the brain, in conjunction with the imaginative power, which resideth in the first sac, in the place of the forehead. But when a man doth meditate on a matter which he hath known but forgot, he requireth to bring his reasoning power in conjunction with his recalling power, which resideth in the hindmost sac, situated near the back of the neck; and when the reasoning and recalling powers are conjoined, he doth recall the matter. This secret is unknown to many physicians who are wise in their own eyes and understanding in their own sight."

8. "How many are the canals of the bowels?" he asked. "Three, I replied; one lengthwise to receive the food, and one diagonal to retain it until it be digested, and the third crosswise to force the food on and expel it when it hath been digested."

9. "What is the number of the intestines?" "Six: three above being fine and three below gross."

to. "Wherefore is only one convoluted?" Said I: "The convoluted one is neat the liver and from it the liver doth draw the essence of the aliment; if it were straight, as are the others, the aliment would go through so hastily that the liver would have no time to withdraw the essence of the aliment."

II. "How may the essence of the aliment reach to the liver, seeing the intestines have no perforation whence it may issue, nor hath the liver a perforation through which it may enter?" Said I, "By that hidden force which the Arabs call energy. No man may know it, for it hath no natural explanation; just as the lodestone which draweth iron with no natural force whatever but with the force called energy. Similarly the stone called diamond may not be broken by iron, but it is broken and shattered by lead."

12. "Wherefore is the urine restrained from being voided when the bladder is completely filled, so that the person cometh into danger?" Said I, "Because the mouth of the bladder is a complex of fibers; and when the volume is filled, the fibers draw together from all sides, so that the mouth of the bladder is stopped and the urine may not be voided."

13. "When a man doth dream that he lieth with a woman, he dischargeth his semen involuntarily; but when he doth dream that he covereth his feet, nothing doth come forth. Yet urine is more abundant than semen, and sharper, and its going out is nigher?" Said I, "This matter is very deep and only a chosen few among all physicians understand it, for it is a great secret; yet will I reveal it to thee, so that thou mayst know thy food hath been eaten of a wise man and not of a fool. Know then that the nature of a man doth govern his body, both when he is awake and when he is asleep; when he is asleep nature doth keep guard over the entire body, that nothing issue forth from his private parts without his will. But if a man dream that he lie with a woman, despite all, his semen issueth forth; for all the members desire it to issue forth for their own pleasure, as doth his nature also, for desire doth draw it together from all the members, and gather it, and bring it to the private parts, where it is transformed, just as blood is transformed in the breast of a woman until it become milk; and of the members none doth restrain the semen.. But in the case of urine, it is only the one member which desireth it to issue forth and but the portion of nature which that member containeth; all the other members and their portions of nature do refrain it and restrain its issuing forth; therefore may it not issue forth until the man awake. Not so infants, whose nature and members are both weak. And this is the true cause, which is hidden from the wise men."

Then said he, "I will ask you yet other things, graver and more difficult." "Ask as thou choosest," said I, "for I will answer and not delay."

14. "Said he, "Dost know wherefore the spleen is called the laughing organ?" I replied, "The sages have given two reasons. First, it is the source of the black bile, which doth beget folly; laughter is folly, wherefore thou perceivest that the fool doth ever laugh; and so hath Solomon said, (Ecclesiaster 2:2) 'I said of laughter, It is mad.' The second reason is` that the spleen doth assemble all the black bile which is in the body, such as sorrow and sighing, so that the remainder of the body becometh free of it and thereupon man desireth to laugh and rejoice."

I5. "Wherefore doth a little lad cat more than a grown man?" "Because the lad requireth his food for two purposes, to carry on life and for growth, whereas the man requireth his food only to carry on life."

t6. "Wherefore is it, when a man ascendeth to a high place he becometh faint and weary and his ascent is difficult; whereas when he goeth down, he becometh not weary and his descent is easy?" I replied, "Because it is the nature of man to walk upright, and when he goeth up he must needs incline forward and his height is reduced, which is not in accordance with his wont and nature; therefore doth he grow faint and weary. But when he goeth down he standeth upright, and he groweth not wearied, for that he walketh as is his wont."

17. "How may a physician know whether a plague cometh as the result of corruption and alteration of the atmosphere or from corruption and alteration of food stuffs?" I replied: "If the plague cometh from corruption and change in the atmosphere, then will all the sick die of a single malady, for the atmosphere is the same for all. But if the cause be corruption and change in food stuffs, they will die of diverse diseases; for they have not all eaten of a single victual, and according as is the diversity of victuals and their changes will be the diversity of their diseases."

18. "Wherefore is the neck between the head and the breast?" Said I "If the head were very near the breast, and there were naught to intervene between them, then were the mist from the heart and its smoke very hot. But the length of the neck doth separate them, and the heat is diluted by the intervening space and is cooled. Similarly is the thick vapor of the blood clarified and weakened by the space. An analogy is the smoke which issueth from fire: When it is near the fire it is very thick, but as it goeth farther upward it becometh clearer, and simpler, and weaker. The neck also hath a function in issuing forth the voice, for without it the voice were inaudible."

19. "Wherefore are teeth not formed when the embryo is created?" "Because they would injure the mother in nursing, and there is no need of them then to cut food and grind it."

20. "Whereof are the teeth formed?" "Teeth are formed from the remains of thick and hard foods, and the heat of the nursing milk causeth them to sprout and grow forth. Therefore many children grow them much more quickly than others, who tarry. Those who nurse of hot milk grow their teeth more speedily, and they who nurse of cold milk tarry in their growing of teeth."

21. "Wherefore are the wide cutting teeth formed before the dog teeth and the molars?" I replied, "The thing thou speakest of happens for two reasons. First, the infant at the beginning is of a soft and moist nature and its nourishment is moist food, and it is unable to produce anything strong and thick and hard from its excess nourishment until that it is -nourished with dry food. Of such food the excess is thick and hard, and is the substance whence the molar teeth are formed; but the thin and sharp teeth are formed of a thin and weak substance. Secondly, man at first doth cut his food and grind it afterwards; but the young infant is not able to grind but only to cut, and therefore is he sustained by food moist and well cooked or chewed in his mother's mouth. Therefore hath he no need of grinding teeth, for nature maketh naught in vain. Another reason is as follows: at first the heat of the infant is scant and feeble, and heat that is feeble may only cause feeble things to grow; thereafter when his heat has increased the child produceth what is larger and firmer."

22. "Why do the teeth of children fall out after a certain period, after which others grow in their places?" I replied: "The original teeth are formed from a tenuous substance; being feeble, as we have mentioned above, they cannot then be strong, and therefore do they fall out. Regarding the growth of the second teeth this is the cause. When a child's food becomes thicker and harder, firmer teeth grow and increase, for his nature is then firmer. Furthermore the strong and hard substance doth expel the slight and feeble substance and cast it forth; and therefore do the weak teeth fall out, because the strong and hard substance doth oppress them, as happeneth also to the hairs in early infancy. In old age the teeth fall out by reason of dryness, just as the hair also falleth out by reason of the dryness which doth prevail over the elderly. This befalleth plants also, as for instance boraje, in time of drouth."

23. "Wherefore," he asked, "are tears of sorrow salt?" "Because the liver and heart which have grown hot by reason of the sorrow do heat the tears excessively until that they become salt. But tears which spring from a. heart joyous and glad are sweet. So hath the philosopher written."

t24. "Wherefore is salt water heavier than fresh water?" I said, "Because it is thick and impure, whereas fresh water is thin and pure. The proof is as follows: Take salt and powder it, and mingle it with fresh water until it is well mixed, and then cast eggs into that water^; the eggs will float on salt water, for it is thick and impure; they settle on the water as

it were clay, and cannot sink for the thickness of the water. In fresh water eggs sink. Another greater proof: The Philistine Sea is very bitter and salt; if a man or beast be bound hand and foot and` cast into this sea he will float, being light in comparison to the salt water. No fish are found therein for that it is exceeding salt."

25. "Is salt water cold or hot?" Said I, "Very hot; not because of the vapor which doth envelop it, but the force of the earth whence it issueth doth cause it to form a skim. Furthermore, rivers and fountains possess different qualities in taste and appearance; the cause for this is the variety of natural heat in the respective places, which doth affect them. For the earth is like a thing which is burned by the heat of fire; its qualities change as doth the burning; it groweth hard and, as it were, congealeth, as into ashes or alum or the like."

26. "Why is the snowlike foam formed?" "Because particles of pure water are sundered and air entereth into the interstices, wherefore it groweth white."

27. "Wherefore doth hail occur in the hot seasons, usually in the summer solstice, and but rarely in the cold season, when the genesis of hail is by reason of cold, when the water above the clouds doth congeal, which would be like to happen in cold seasons: wherefore are the seasons then reversed?"

I replied: "In the hot season the coolth of the atmosphere entereth into a cloud, for heat, which is its contrary and enemy, doth prevail over it and pursue it, whereupon the coolth fleeth and entereth into a cloud; there it doth congeal all that is therein, and render it hail. But in the cold season coolth is spread abroad everywhere, and not in the cloud only, and there is no heat from which it should take refuge within the cloud. The proof is, when water that is hot is put in a cool place, it cooleth more rapidly, for the coolth which confronteth the heat showeth forth ever-waxing power. Hence, when the atmosphere is hot, the water congealeth into hail rapidly."

Then he tried me further and said, "Art knowing in the wisdom of the Talmud?" "A little of it have I learned," said I, "but to my sorrow, not as much as I should like." Then said he, "Wilt thou ask of me, or shall I ask and thou answer?" "Ask as thy heart desireth," said I, "and I shall answer as I find words."

28. "Wherefore do the sages say, 'Bastards are for the most part clever?' " "Thou hast made thy questioning so difficult all the night," said I, "that I have come nigh to wishing for the grave." "Meseemeth," said he, "thine accuracy is wanting in this wisdom, and the strides of thy science are straitened; thy fountains have ceased, and therefore art thou vexed." "I have not lost mine understanding," said I to him, "nor am I vexed; yet hath lust of sleep dimmed knowledge and discernment out of my heart. Nevertheless will I answer thy questioning, and refute thy foolish imaginings.

"Know then that a bastard springeth only from an adulterer and an adulteress, and adultery springeth only from the love each for the other, and love springeth only from lust, and lust only from the heat of the heart; from the heat of the heart are all the blood and all the members warmed, and according as their lust is great so is their heat. Then are the two seeds warmed, that of the man and that of the woman, whence springeth the foetus. Therefore is the bastard clever because cleverness ariseth from the heat of the heart and the keenness of the reasoning which is in the brain. Similarly the bastard is tall, for by heat do all things wax tall and great. This is the cause wherefore the bastard is tall and clever."

29. "I will ask you another," said he, "even harder than this. Wherefore have the sages said, 'If the woman cast her seed first she will bear a male child, but if the man cast his seed first, she will bear a female child?'

I replied: "If the seed of the woman issue from her eggs, which are the horns o f the womb, and fall into the womb first, the womb closeth not over it until the male seed have entered in; by which time it is cooled a little and its natural vigor is become somewhat enfeebled. When the male seed entereth in and becometh commingled therewith, it prevaileth over it and rendereth it like unto its own nature by reason of its greater vigor and heat; and after the womb hath closed over both, a male child it conceived, for the seed of the man hath prevailed over the seed of the woman. Exactly the same reason applieth, that a female child be born when the man cast his seed first.

"Afterwards the power of change doth take hold of the seed, and formeth a skin about them exceeding fine, and congealeth them somewhat, that they be not spilled hither and thither. Thereafter doth the divine power of the Creator enter in, and form His likeness. But if the seed cleave not well to the womb, which is then closed after it, the woman will never at all conceive of that seed. Therefore have our sages - their memory be for a blessing - said, 'Seed which is not cast as an arrow is shot is no seed'; which signifieth, the woman will never at all conceive of it. Therein is the womb like as the stomach, for unless the food enter the very extremities of the stomach and be there retained, it will never at all be digested. Therefore, then, doth a man beget daughters, when, by the feebleness of his nature and his members, he availeth not to make the seed abide, but doth cast it forthwith. And thus the sages interpreted the verse (Psalms 127:3) : 'Lo, male children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward' : they are rewarded with male children for that they linger in the womb of the woman. Therefore also were the offspring of Lot's daughters males, for their father, being drunk, lingered much in the casting of seed, as is the wont of one that is drunk; and they, by reason of their great lust, did cast their seed first."

30. "Wherefore have the sages of blessed memory said regarding the citron, radish and egg, 'Were it not for their outer jacket they would never issue from the intestines?' What relation is there between an egg on the one hand, and a citron and radish on the other? For of the citron and radish the jacket is the best portion, and were it not that the blood were aroused by the heat occasioned by the jackets, the stomach could not digest them and they would issue from the intestines only after a very long time; whereas of the egg the shell is the worst portion?"

I replied, "The yellow of an egg is excellent aliment for the body and would be wholly rendered into blood, for that it is of the same nature. Were it not for its outer jacket (the white) which is hard to digest, and delayeth to issue from the stomach, the yellow would never at all come forth from the intestines, for it were wholly rendered into blood."

31. "Dost know," he asked, "wherefore the sages have said, 'Let blood the second day after eating fish?' For surely fish is very cool and doth cool the body; how then do they bid the eater to let blood, which is hot and the contrary of fish in all its effects?"

I answered : "Fish is a thick food and begetteth phlegmatic blood, wherewith the body and all its veins are filled; therefore did they command that blood be let on the second day, that that blood be diminished before it prevail over the whole body and work it harm. They advised letting the blood on the second day after eating the fish, because bloodletting doth weaken the entire body, and cleanse it, and warm it, and remove the blood from the veins, but the blood begot of the fish doth cool the body and fill the veins. This was said only of fish not overnoxious, such as the red fish and the like."

32. "Dost know the difference between the dumbness called apoplexy, and the slumber called sleep, and the disease called epilepsy?" I replied, "I know that sleep and epilepsy are contained in the sacs of the brain, and dumbness by the quivering of the intervening portions."

*The last paragraph is quite unintelligible, owing to the faulty transmission of the many technical words employed, chiefly from the Arabic.

CHAPTER X

Zabara trieth Enan with questions of diverse sciences, of which Enan availeth not to answer even one.

I looked at Enan, and lo, slumber was lurking in his eye points and the lids were straining to caress the eyeballs; so I said in my heart, "I will prolong my discourse with the churl, and will not permit him to sleep: I will question him even as he hath questioned me, and prevent his slumbers even as he hath prevented mine." So I said to him, "Good master, will it please thee that I try thee as thou hast tried me and that I prove thee as thou hast proved me?" "Truly hast thou spoken," said he, "when thou didst declare that slumber withholdeth all knowledge and understanding. Yet ask me and try me; an thou wilt prove me, thou wilt discover me gold."

"In what science shall I question thee?" I asked. "In whatsoever thou wilt," he replied, "for I know the half of all wisdom." "Shall I ask thee of astronomy?" I asked. "As thou wilt," he replied, "ask."

1. "Wherefore may an eclipse of the sun occur only on the twenty-eighth day of the month, and an eclipse of the moon only the night of the fourteenth?" Said he, "I do not know."

2. "Wherefore doth the light of the moon wax night by night until mid-month, when it be all bright, and wane from mid-month onward until it be all darkened?" Said he, "I know

not."

Said I, "Shall I ask thee of the science of geometry?" "Ask," said he.

3. "Knowest thou of that line which a man reckoneth in his heart but may not form with his hand, upon which line the entire science of geometry is based?" Said he, "I do not

know."

4. "If a cylinder be two cubits in length and its diameter a span, what is its circumference? What its shadow?" "I know not," said he.

"Shall I question thee in the science of sounds?" I asked. "Do," said he.

5. "Canst assort and classify the letters according to the organs of speech (as palatals, linguals, etc.) ?" "No," said he.

6. "Dost know the sound which issueth from the gullet, but is represented by none of the letters?" "I do not," he said.

"I shall question thee in the science of logic; hast studied it?" "Aye," said he.

7. "Drippings which drop upon a stone do leave a mark thereon and dig a furrow therein: did the very first dripping leave a mark or not?" "I do not know."

"Of what science then shall I question thee?" "Of reckoning," said he, "for therein am I wise and understanding."

S. "Dost know the sum of a third, and two-sixths and three-ninths?" "No," said he.

"Shall I ask thee of the knowledge of lunar intercalation," said I, "wherein we be more skilled than all peoples, even if it be not accounted among the sciences?" "Ask," said he.

9. "Wherefore have the sages said-their memory be a blessing: 'If the new moon be observed before midnight, the first of the month is fixed for that day; if it be observed after midnight, for the following day; except if the first new moon of the year be observed on a Monday, fifteen hours and five hundred eighty-nine seconds after nightfall, or more if the preceding year had been a leap year, when the New Year is postponed': Wherefore? Further, if New Year fall upon a Saturday or Monday, the year will be regular; if on a Tuesday, neither wanting nor full; if on a Thursday, the normal year cannot he wanting, but the leap year cannot be regular:[1] Wherefore?"

"How should I know thy questions," said Enan, "seeing I do not even understand thy language? Nay, methinks thy words are of no human speech at all; thou hast merely imagined them in thy heart." "Fool," said I, "they are the mnemonic signs which our sages have set for the intercalation of months." Then I continued, "But how hast thou declared thou knowest the half of all sciences, seeing thou knowest not a single thing?" "Aristotle bath said," he replied, "'He that with_ "I know not" hath spoken the half of wisdom.'^"

"Woe betide thee!" said I ; "and was it this thou didst mean when thou didst declare thyself knowing the half of knowledge?" "Aye," said he.

"I adjure thee," said I, "as thy soul liveth and the soul of thy neighbor, speak only truth to me. Yet because the sages have said, 'An oath may not take effect over another,' I know that thou wilt fulfill thy first oath only." "And what may the oath be I swore first?" he asked. "Thou hast sworn," said I, "that no true word would ever issue from thy lips, and methinks thou dost ever keep that oath."

"Truly have the sages said," quoth he, "that a sage is better than a prophet. As my soul liveth, I have been bound by that oath these fifty years, and, the Lord be praised, I have kept it. Yet now will I tell thee the truth. Know that of all the sciences, I have learned only the science of medicine: that is my portion and my lot and therein am I expert. Of philosophy I have learned but two things and no more." "And what may they be?" I asked. "The one," he answered, "is: 'Naught have I found of better service to the body than silence'; and the other, 'Whoso is profuse of words causeth sin.'" "Would thou didst but fulfill that which thou has learned," said I; "but thou art such an one as the sages spoke of: 'Some discuss well but practice ill.' "

Said I, "Wilt thou then, that I question thee in the science of medicine, which thou declarest to be thy labor, thine honor and pride?" "Ask on," said he.

10. Said I, "Is childbirth, being a combination of three diseases which are not natural, yet itself a natural malady?" Said Evans, "I know not."*

11. “Is great thirst caused by parching of the stomach or of the liver?" Said he, "I know not."

12. "Dost know what veins they are which it behooveth to bleed and what others it behooveth to feed and fatten?" Said he, "I know not."

13. "Is it an indication that the patient is healed when the white and smooth portion of the urine which usually sinketh to the bottom of the vessel, floateth on the surface, or is it not? Is it a bad sign when the dark portion which is wont to sink floateth, or is it not?" Said he, "I know not."

14. "Dost know wherefore in old age teeth do fall from the mortar of the jaw?" "No," said he.

15. "Wherefore are some veins bled longitudinally and others diagonally?" "I know not," said he.

16. "What stone is it, which, if a man look upon it, appeareth white, and if he look upon it further it appeareth ruddy, and if he look upon it still further it appeareth green, and if he look upon it very long it cloth appear dusky and black?" Said he, "I do not know."

17. "Knowest thou the drug, which if it be put underneath a moist tongue, a man will perceive four diverse tastes, - sweet, and bitter, and salt, and sour?" "I do not know," he said.

18. "How many are the members of the eye, and what are its diseases?" "I do not know," he said.

19.. "Wherefore is a fetus of seven months viable, whereas one of eight months, nigh onto nine, which is the natural period, is not viable?" Said he, "I do not know."

20. "Wherefore doth the creative force, which is divine, at times form twins in a mother's womb, and at times triplets and quadruplets? Galen reports that in his time a certain woman in Rome bore twenty children in five years, four at each birth, of which two were male and two female: how doth it come about?" "I do not know."

21. "Of how many sorts is the beat of the veins which do beat in the forearm of a man?" Said he, "I do not know."

Then said I, "He that knoweth none of these things withereth his days away in vanity and consumeth his years in emptiness. Didst thou not declare thyself a wise man, skillful to heal each disease or malady, to assuage pangs, and to relieve agony? But I perceive thou hast wisdom to speak guile and deceit, to multiply thy sayings and thy discourses with a false and lying tongue, to frame utterances in language of vanity and emptiness; to gaze upon men and inquire of their maladies, to display to to them decoctionian and drugs, and species of herbs and spices; to blind their eyes and take their substance by saying unto them : 'This decoction availeth for a pain of the head, this drug removeth dimness of the eyes, this herb relieveth heaviness of the ears, this spice improveth bad breath, this is a balm for aching teeth, this will strengthen weakness of the lips, this will prevent pains in the hands and feet, this will restrain the disease of the bowels, this will heal fever, this will cause hair to grow on a bald pate, this will make a faint spirit robust, this will relieve a heart distressed with labor.'

"So do Quack and Cureall who come to the patient with their lies and their boldness, with their cunning speech and shameless falsehood, and gaze into his countenance, and open his eyelids and remove his finger nails to cause him to fear and tremble, and to hasten the day of his doom.