The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

kindled, it may be moderated by the fluid of the lungs.
It has two arteries (arteria), of which the left one has
more blood, the right one more air – for this reason we
examine the pulse in the right arm. 119. Thepraecordia
are places close to the heart in which sensation is
perceived; and they are called praecordia because the
origins (principium)ofthe heart (cor, also meaning “the
seat of understanding” – see 127 below) and of deliberating
thought (cogitatio)aretobefound there. 120.The
pulse (pulsus) issocalled because it throbs (palpitare);
from what it indicates we understand whether someone
is ill or in good health. Its motion is two-fold: either
simple or composite. It is simple when it consists of one
beat, composite when it consists of several irregular and
unequal motions. These motions have fixed intervals: a
dactylic rhythm, as long as they are healthy, but they are
asign of death when they are quite fast – as in
(lit., “swift as a gazelle”) – or quite slow – as in
(lit., “weak as ants”).
121. The ‘blood vessels’ (vena) are so called because
they are passageways (via) for the flowing blood and
conduits (rivus) spreading throughout the body, with
which all limbs are supplied with fluid. 122. Blood took
its name from a Greek etymology, because it is animated,
strengthened, and alive (perhaps cf. , “live”). It is
called ‘blood’ as longasitisinthebody,‘gore’when
it is shed. Gore (cruor) issocalled because once it has
been shed it ‘runs away’ (decurrere), or because in running
(currere) itfalls (corruere). Others interpret ‘gore’
as corrupted (corrumpere)blood,whichissecreted. Still
others say that blood (sanguis) issocalled, because it is
sweet (suavis). 123.Blood,however,isuntainted only in
young people, for physiologists say that blood diminishes
with age – hence also old people have a tremor.
Properly speaking, however, blood is possession of a
soul. Hence women will lacerate their cheeks in grief,
and crimson robes and crimson flowers are offered to
the dead.
124.‘Lung’(pulmo)isawordderivedfrom Greek, for
the Greeks call the lung , becauseitisafan
(flabellum) for the heart, in which the , that is,
the breath, resides, through which the lungs are both put
in motion and kept in motion – from this also the lungs
are so named. Now, in Greek means “breathing,”
6 Greek means “mouth,” , “gullet.” Latin stomachus
can mean “gullet,” more commonly, “stomach.”
The Etymologies XI.i.119–i.132 239
which, by blowing and exhaling, sends the air out and
draws it back. The lungs are moved through this, and
they pump, both in opening themselves, so that they
may catch a breath, and in constricting, so that they may
expel it. Thelungsaretheengineofthebody.
125. Theliver (iecur) has this name because there the
fire (ignis) that flies up into the brain (cerebrum) has its
seat. From there this fire is spread to the eyes and to the
other sense organs and limbs, and through its heat the
liver converts the liquid that it has drawn to itself from
food into blood, which it furnishes to individual limbs
for sustenance and growth. Those who debate medical
questions also maintain that the liver is the seat of pleasure
and desire. 126. Thelobes of the liver are its edges,
resembling the edges of chicory leaves, or tongues that
stick out. They are called ‘lobes’ (fibra) because among
the pagans they were carried by the soothsayers in their
sacred rites to the ‘altars of Phoebus’ (Phoebi ara), so that
after the lobes were offered and set on fire the soothsayers
might receive the god’s responses.
127.The spleen (splen)issocalled from filling in (supplementum)
aplace opposite to the liver, so that there
may not exist an empty space. Some are also of the opinion
that it was made for the sake of laughter, for we laugh
thanks to the spleen, are angry thanks to the gall-bladder,
have knowledge thanks to the heart, and love thanks to
the liver. When these four elements come together, the
living creature is complete. 128.The‘gallbladder’ (fel)is
so called because it is a small sack (folliculus)producing
aliquidthat is called bile (bilis). In Greek, the stomach
(stomachus) iscalled ‘mouth,’ because it is the gateway
of the belly, and it receives food and passes it on to the
intestines. 6
129.Theintestines (intestina; cf. intestinus,“inward”)
are so called because they are confined in the interior
(interior) part of the body; they are arranged in long
coils like circles, so that they may digest the food they
take in little by little, and not be obstructed by added
food. 130.The caul (omentum)isamembrane that contains
the greater part of the intestines; the Greeks call it
. Thediaphragm (disseptum, i.e. dissaeptum)
is an inner organ that separates the belly and the other
intestines from the lungs and the heart. 131. Thececum
(caecum,“blind gut”) is an intestine without opening or
outlet; the Greeks call it (“blind gut”).
The jejunum (ieiunum) isathin intestine, whence also
the word ‘fasting’ (ieiunium). 132.Thebelly,the bowels,