BOOK XI. ciii. 250-cv. 254 



belonging to other parts also, for instance in the 

 right hand : kisses are imprinted on the back of it, 

 and it is stretched out in giving a pledge. It was a 

 custom with the Greeks in early days to touch the 

 chin in entreaty. The memory is seated in the lobe 

 of the ear, the place that we touch in calHng a person 

 to witness ; similai-ly behind the right ear is the seat 

 of Nemesis (a goddess that even on the Capitol has 

 not found a Latin name), and to it we apply the 

 thii'd finger after touching om* mouths, the mouth 

 being the place where Ave locate pardon from the 

 gods for our utterances. 



CIV. Varicose veins in the legs occur only in a Vnricosity. 

 man but rarely in a woraan. Oppius records that 

 Gaius Marius who was seven times consul was the 

 only man who underwent an operation for the removal 

 of varicose veins without lying down. 



CV. All animals start walking with the right ^°^.' "f 

 foot and he down on the left side. Whereas the structweo, 

 other animals walk as they like, only the lion and the {lg[^"^ 

 camel pace with one foot after the other, that is 

 %vith the left foot not passing but following the 

 right foot. Hiunan beings have the largest feet; 

 the females of all species have more slender feet; 

 man alone has calves and legs that are fleshy. We 

 find it stated in the authorities that a certain person 

 in Egypt had no calves. Man alone has an arched 

 sole to the foot (with some exceptions — a deformity 

 that is the origin of the surnames Flatfoot, Broadfoot, 

 Splayfoot, Swellfoot, just as from the legs come the 

 names Knock-knee, Bowleg, Bandyleg, deformities 

 that also occur in animals). Some animals without 

 horns have solid hooves : consequently in place of 

 horns a kick of the hoof is their weapon. And the 



591 



