92 ANATOMY AND MORniOLOGY 



there will be no implication of scnsa- be found in plants before the mixing 



tion in the absorption of food. took place, which ought to be both 



Let us now inquire into a question cause and effect at the same time in 



which has occurred before in our argu- the process of generation; but male and 



nient, about desire, movement and in- female are not found combined in any 



dividual soul in plants, and whether plant. If this were the case the plant 



anvthing is given ofT from plants, for would be a more perfect creature than 



instance in breathing. Anaxagoras the animal. The seed of the plant cor- 



maintaincd that plants do breathe, but responds to the impregnation of the 



how can this be, seeing that we find animal, which is due to a mingling of 



many animals that have no breath, and male and female. And just as in the egg, 



again we find plants that neither sleep when a young bird is born, there is food 



nor wake? For awakening means noth- enough within it to last until the season 



ing apart from the condition of scnsa- of its fulfilment, and its natural exit 



tion, and sleeping means nothing but from the egg, and then in a short space 



the weakening of this; and neither of of time the female produces the young 



these conditions is found in a thing bird, so also with the seed of the young 



which receives its food at all times re- plant. From it arises a food which nour- 



maining in one condition, but which ishes the root at its beginning. We 



in its own proper nature has no sensa- must conclude in the mixing of the 



tion. male and female in plants, as in the 



But what particularly and specially case of animals, that the mixing of the 

 requires investigation in this branch of plants is in accordance with their own 

 inquin' is Empedocles' question, 1 constitution. But if nature has pro- 

 mean whether two sexes, male and fe- duced a union of male and female, she 

 male, are found in plants, or whether has produced on sound lines, because 

 the plant shows some kind of mixture we do not find any activity exhibited in 

 of the two types. Now we lay it down plants beyond the creation of fruits, 

 that when the male begets, it begets in There are some who regard plants 

 another, and that the two sexes are as perfect tvpes because of their life, 

 differentiated from each other. So when and owing to the two capacities which 

 it is found that plants ha\e a male they possess; because they contain the 

 and female sex, and that invariably the nutrient necessar}' to feed them; and 

 male is rougher, harder and more stiff, because of the length of their duration 

 while the female is weaker and more and of the time in which their life 

 inclined to bear fruit, we must investi- grows up and bears fruit; their youth 

 gate again further whether these two returns to them and there is no waste 

 sexes are found mixed together in product in plants. The plant does not 

 plants. Personally I do not believe that require sleep for many reasons; because 

 the facts are so. For things mixed must it lives in the earth, is bound by it, has 

 first of all have a simple existence in no movement within itself, has no di- 

 themselvcs, and the male and female vision between its parts, has neither 

 must first have an independent ex- sensation nor \oluntary movement, nor 

 istence and then be mixed. But such a a complete soul. In fact the plant was 

 mixture will not occur except by their only created for the sake of the animal, 

 own proper generation. But on Em- but the animal was not created for the 

 pedocles' supposition a mixture would sake of the plant. 



