BOOK XI. cxvii. 282-cxix. 284 



difficult completely to digest all the components 

 contained in articles of food, all that is shai-p or rough 

 or unusual or varied, or excessive in quantity and 

 swallowed greedily ; and it is more difficult in summer 

 than in winter, and in old age than in youth. The 

 emetics that have been devised for digestive troubles 

 have a chilling effect on the body, and are extremely 

 bad for the eyes and the teeth. 



To digest one's food while asleep is more con- DigesUon. 

 ducive to corpulence than to strength, and conse- and^^"'" 

 quently it is thought preferable for men in training moderation. 

 to assist their digestion by taking a walk ; at all 

 events food is most thoroughly assimilated while 

 keeping awake. CXVIII. Sweet and fat foods and 

 drinking add bulk, whereas dry and lean and cold 

 foods and thirst reduce it. Some animals and also 

 domestic cattle in Africa only drink once in three " 

 days. Starvation is not fatal to a human being 

 after even five days ; it is certain that a good many 

 people have actually endured it more than ten days. 

 Man is the only animal Uable to the disease of a 

 continuously insatiable appetite. 



CXIX. Again some things tasted in a very small 

 quantity allay hunger and thirst and conserve the 

 strength, for instance butter, mare's milk cheese, 

 Hquorice root. But anything in excess is exceedingly 

 detrimental, even in all departments of Ufe, but pai*- 

 ticularly to the body, and it pays better to reduce 

 the quantity of what is in any manner burdensome. 



But let us pass on to the remaining branches of 

 Natural Science. 



611 



