The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

(cartilago) because it ‘lacks pain’ (carere dolorem) when
flexed, because of reduced friction.
89. Somebelievethat the ribs (costa) aresocalled
because the interior parts are guarded (custodire) by
them and the whole soft region of the belly, encased
by them, is protected. 90. Theside(latus) issocalled,
because it is hidden (latere) whenwearelyingdown;it
is also the left (laeva) part of the body. The movement
of the right side is more readily controlled, while the
left is stronger and better suited to carrying heavy loads.
Whence the left side is also so called because it is more
apt at lifting(levare) something and at carrying it. This
same left side carries the shield, the sword, the quiver,
and the remaining load, so that the right side may be
unhampered for action. 91. Theback (dorsum) extends
from the neck down to the loins. It is so called because it
is a rather hard (durior)surface of the body, like a stone,
strong both for carrying and for enduring things. 92.
The back (tergum) issocalled because when we lie on
the ground (terra) wearestretchedoutonourbacks–
something that only a human being can do, for dumb
animals all lie down either on their bellies or on their
sides. This is also why we speak incorrectly of the tergum
in animals.
93. The shoulder-blades (scapula) . . . The interscapilium
is so called because it is situated between the
shoulder-blades, whence its name. 94. Thepalae (lit.
“spades,” hence another word for ‘shoulder-blades’) are
the prominent parts on the left and on the right side
of the back, so called, because we pin them down in
wrestling; the Greeks call wrestling . 95.Thespine
(spina, also meaning “thorn”) is the backbone (iunctura
dorsi, “linkage of the back”), so called because it has
sharp spurs; its joints are called vertebrae (spondilium)
on account of the part of the brain (i.e. the spinal cord)
that is carried through them via a long duct to the other
parts of the body. 96. The‘sacredspine’ (spina sacra) is
the lowest part of the spinal column; the Greeks call it
,becauseitisthefirstbone which is formed
when a child is conceived, and for this reason it was the
first part of a sacrificial animal that would be offered
by the pagans to their gods – whence it is called ‘sacred
spine.’
97. Varrosays that the kidneys (renes) aresocalled
because they produce a stream (rivus) offilthy liquid.
Now blood vessels and marrow exude a fine liquid into
the kidneys; this liquid in turn flows down from the
The Etymologies XI.i.89–i.105 237
kidneys, released by the heat of sexual intercourse. 98.
The loins (lumbus) derivetheirname from wantonness
of desire (libido), because in males the cause of
bodily pleasure is located there, just as in women it
is in the navel. Whence it is also said in the beginning
of the speech addressed to Job (38:3): “Gird up
thy loins (lumbus) like a man,” so that there would be
apreparation for resistance in the very loins in which
the occasion for overpowering lust customarily arises.
99. Thenavel(umbilicus) isthecenterof the body, so
called, because it is a protuberance (umbus)ofthebelly.
Whence also the place in the middle of a shield is called
a‘boss’(umbo), from which it hangs, for the infant
hangs from it in the uterus and it is also nourished
from it.
100. Theprivateparts (ilium, i.e. ilia) arereferred to
with a Greek word, because there we cover ourselves
up, for in Greek ilios (i.e. ) means “cover up.”
101.Thebuttocks (clunis)aresocalled, because they are
situated next to the colon (colum), that is, to the large
intestine (longao). The nates (natis)are so called because
we support ourselves (inniti) with them when we are
seated. Hence also the flesh is bunched up in them, so
that the bones may not hurt from the heavy weight of the
body when it presses down. 102. Theparts of the body
called genitals (genitalia)receive their name, as the word
itself shows, from the begetting (gignere,ppl. genitus)of
offspring, because with them one procreates and begets.
They are also known as ‘organs of modesty’ (pudenda)
on account of a feeling of shame (cf. pudor, “shame”),
or else from ‘pubic hair’ (pubis), by which they are also
hidden with a covering. However, they are also called the
‘indecent parts’ (inhonestus), because they do not have
the same kind of comeliness as limbs that are placed in
open view.
103. For the genitals the word veretrum is also used,
either because it is applied to ‘males only’ (vir tantum),
or because from them sperm (virus)issecreted. Properly
speaking, virus is used to refer to the liquid that flows
from the male organs of generation. 104. Theword for
‘testicles’ (testiculus)isadiminutiveformoftestis (“testicle”),
of which there are always at least two. They supply
sperm via a reed-shaped conduit, and both the kidneys
and loins receive sperm from the spinal cord for the sake
of procreation. The scrotum (fiscus, lit. “purse”) is the
skin that contains the testicles. 105.The hind-parts (posteriora)
are certainly so called because they are on the