Outlines of Pyrrhonism

OUTLINES OF PYRRHONISM, BOOK I.

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...called psenes original: psenes; likely referring to gall-wasps or insects associated with wild figs, which were thought to generate spontaneously.; others from putrefied animals, such as bees from bulls, and wasps from horses. Of those born from mating, some come from animals of the same kind, as is the case for the majority; others from animals of different kinds, such as mules original: asini; though literally "asses," the context of "disparate kinds" refers to cross-breeding producing mules.. Again, generally, some living beings are brought forth alive, like humans; others come from an egg, like birds; others are generated as unformed flesh, like bears A reference to the ancient belief that bear cubs were born as shapeless lumps and had to be "licked into shape" by their mothers.. There is no doubt, therefore, that the dissimilarities and differences in their origins create great antipathies original: antipathias; here referring to fundamental biological differences or incompatibilities in constitution., so that they receive from this source a diverse temperament, incoherence, and mutual opposition.

But even the difference in the principal parts of the body—and especially those given by nature for judging and sensing—can excite the greatest discord among appearances original: phantasiarum; the mental images or impressions produced by the senses., according to the variety of the animals. For example, those with jaundice original: icterici say that things which seem white to us appear pale; and those who have a suffusion of blood original: hyposphagma; a medical condition where blood leaks under the conjunctiva of the eye, making the vision appear reddish. see things as blood-colored. Since, therefore, some animals have pale eyes, others eyes reflecting the color of blood, others whitish, and others having another color, it is not without cause that they perceive colors in different ways.

Furthermore, if we keep our eyes fixed for a long time on the sun and then lower them to a book, the letters appear golden to us and seem to move in a circle. Since, therefore, some living creatures also have a certain brightness in their eyes, and emit from them a thin and versatile light so that they can see even at night, we may rightly consider that external objects do not fall under their senses in the same way they do for us. Now indeed, even illusionists original: praestigiatores, by smearing lamps with verdigris and cuttlefish ink, make those present appear sometimes to have the color of copper and sometimes to be black, because of a small sprinkling of what has been mixed in. It is certainly much more reasonable that, since different humors original: humores; the bodily fluids believed in ancient medicine to determine a being's physical state and perception. are mixed in the vision of animals, different impressions of the underlying objects are produced for them. Furthermore, when we rub the eye, forms and figures appear elongated and narrow, and the magnitude...