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We have now to treat of horns; for these also, when present, are appendages
of the head. They exist in none but viviparous animals; though in some
ovipara certain parts are metaphorically spoken of as horns, in virtue of a
certain resemblance. To none of such parts, however, does the proper office of
a horn belong; for they are never used, as are the horns of vivipara, for
purposes which require strength, whether it be in self-protection or in
offensive strife. So also no polydactylous animal is furnished with horns. For
horns are defensive weapons, and these polydactylous animals possess other
means of security. For to some of them nature has given claws, to others teeth
suited for combat, and to the rest some other adequate defensive appliance.
There are horns, however, in most of the cloven-hoofed animals, and in some
of those that have a solid hoof, serving them as an offensive weapon, and in
some cases also as a defensive one. There are horns also in all animals that
have not been provided by nature with some other means of security; such
means, for instance, as speed, which has been given to horses; or great size, as
in camels; for excessive bulk, such as has been given to these animals, and in
a still greater measure to elephants, is sufficient in itself to protect an animal
from being destroyed by others. Other animals again are protected by the
possession of tusks; and among these are the swine, though they have a
cloven hoof.
All animals again, whose horns are but useless appendages, have been
provided by nature with some additional means of security. Thus deer are
endowed with speed; for the large size and great branching of their horns
makes these a source of detriment rather than of profit to their possessors.
Similarly endowed are the Bubalus and gazelle; for though these animals will
stand up against some enemies and defend themselves with their horns, yet
they run away from such as are fierce and pugnacious. The Bonasus again,
whoe horns curve inwards towards each other, is provided with a means of
protection in the discharge of its excrement; and of this it avails itself when
frightened. There are some other animals besides the Bonasus that have a
similar mode of defence. In no case, however, does nature ever give more
than one adequate means of protection to one and the same animal.
Most of the animals that have horns are cloven-hoofed; but the Indian ass,
as they call it, is also reported to be horned, though its hoof is solid.
Again as the body, so far as regards its organs of motion, consists of two
distinct parts, the right and the left, so also and for like reasons the horns of
animals are, in the great majority of cases, two in number. Still there are some
that have but a single horn; the Oryx, for instance, and the so-called Indian
1284
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Buch The Complete Aristotle"
The Complete Aristotle
- Titel
- The Complete Aristotle
- Autor
- Aristotle
- Datum
- ~322 B.C.
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- PD
- Abmessungen
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Seiten
- 2328
- Schlagwörter
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Kategorien
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Part 1; Logic (Organon) 3
- Categories 4
- On Interpretation 34
- Prior Analytics, Book I 56
- Prior Analytics, Book II 113
- Posterior Analytics, Book I 149
- Posterior Analytics, Book II 193
- Topics, Book I 218
- Topics, Book II 221
- Topics, Book III 237
- Topics, Book IV 248
- Topics, Book V 266
- Topics, Book VI 291
- Topics, Book VII 317
- Topics, Book VIII 326
- On Sophistical Refutations 348
- Part 2; Universal Physics 396
- Physics, Book I 397
- Physics, Book II 415
- Physics, Book III 432
- Physics, Book IV 449
- Physics, Book V 481
- Physics, Book VI 496
- Physics, Book VII 519
- Physics, Book VIII 533
- On the Heavens, Book I 570
- On the Heavens, Book II 599
- On the Heavens, Book III 624
- On the Heavens, Book IV 640
- On Generation and Corruption, Book I 651
- On Generation and Corruption, Book II 685
- Meteorology, Book I 707
- Meteorology, Book II 733
- Meteorology, Book III 760
- Meteorology, Book IV 773
- Part 3; Human Physics 795
- On the Soul, Book I 796
- On the Soul, Book II 815
- On the Soul, Book III 840
- On Sense and the Sensible 861
- On Memory and Reminiscence 889
- On Sleep and Sleeplessness 899
- On Dreams 909
- On Prophesying by Dreams 918
- On Longevity and the Shortness of Life 923
- On Youth, Old Age, Life and Death, and Respiration 929
- Part 4; Animal Physics 952
- The History of Animals, Book I 953
- The History of Animals, Book II translated 977
- The History of Animals, Book III 1000
- The History of Animals, Book IV 1029
- The History of Animals, Book V 1056
- The History of Animals, Book VI 1094
- The History of Animals, Book VII 1135
- The History of Animals, Book VIII 1150
- The History of Animals, Book IX 1186
- On the Parts of Animals, Book I 1234
- On the Parts of Animals, Book II 1249
- On the Parts of Animals, Book III 1281
- On the Parts of Animals, Book IV 1311
- On the Motion of Animals 1351
- On the Gait of Animals 1363
- On the Generation of Animals, Book I 1381
- On the Generation of Animals, Book II 1412
- On the Generation of Animals, Book III 1444
- On the Generation of Animals, Book IV 1469
- On the Generation of Animals, Book V 1496
- Part 5; Metaphysics 1516
- Part 6; Ethics and Politics 1748
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book I 1749
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book II 1766
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III 1779
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book IV 1799
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book V 1817
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VI 1836
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII 1851
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII 1872
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book IX 1890
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book X 1907
- Politics, Book I 1925
- Politics, Book II 1943
- Politics, Book III 1970
- Politics, Book IV 1997
- Politics, Book V 2023
- Politics, Book VI 2053
- Politics, Book VII 2065
- Politics, Book VIII 2091
- The Athenian Constitution 2102
- Part 7; Aesthetic Writings 2156