Folio 83r - the nature of man, continued.
by ellipsis; it is used in the neuter form.
The occiput, occipicium, is the rear part of the head, as if the word came from contra capitium, 'opposite the covering of the head' or because it is behind the head, capitis retrorsum.
The word for hair, capilli, comes as if from capitis pili, 'hairs of the head'. Hair was created to embellish the head and to protect the brain from cold and to keep the sun off it. The word for hair, pilos, comes from pellis, the skin, from which the hair emerges, as pilum, the pestle, comes from pila, the mortar, in which it pounds colours. A hairstyle is called cesaries, from cedere, to cut; for this reason it only applies to men. For cutting the hair is appropriate for men; it is unfitting for women.
The word coma is strictly speaking, 'uncut hair', and comes from the Greek. For the Greeks call uncut hair kaimos from their word for 'cutting off'; they have also the word kirin [keirein] 'to clip or crop'.
From this comes the word for curls, cirri, which the Greeks call maaonem [mallos], a lock of hair.
The word crinis properly speaking refers to women's hair. The locks are so called because they are parted, discernere, by the bands of a filet.
From this source also comes the word discriminalia, the hairpins by which the parted locks are fastened in place.
The temples, timpora [tempora], lie below the skull, on the left and right. They are so called because they are mobile; with that mobility, they are changed at certain intervals like the seasons, tempora.
The word for face, facies, comes from effigies, likeness. For it portrays the whole nature of a man and reveals each person's character.
The countenance, vultus, is so called because it displays the desires, voluntas, of the soul. For it is changed, as the soul wills, into different movements of the features.
For this reason the face, facies, and the countenance, vultus, differ from each other. For we understand by the face, facies, simply a person's natural appearance; the countenance, vultus, signifies their inner disposition.
The forehead, frons, gets its name from the openings, foramen, in which the eyes are set. It provides a certain representation of the mind and expresses in its own appearance the motion of the intellect, showing when it is either happy or sad.
The eyes, oculus, are so called either because the coverings of the eyelids hide them, occultare, lest they should be harmed by the impact of an injury, or because they have a hidden, occultus, light, that is, one which is secret or is located within. Here
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
Isidore on the head, hair and face.
Comment
Folio mark, * in circle, bottom left.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
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Transcription
delectionem [PL, per defectionem] et neutraliter pronuntiatur. Occipicium\ capitis pars posterior quas [PL, quasi] contra captium [PL, capitium] vel quod sit\ capitis retrorsum. Capilli vocati quasi capitis pili, facti\ ut decorem prestent, et cerebrum adversum frigus muniant,\ atque a sole defendant. Pilos enim dictos [PL, pili autem dicti] a pelle qua prode\unt, sicut et pilum dicitur a pila ubi pigmentum tunditur. Ce\saries a cedendo vocata, ideoque tantum virorum est. Virum\ enim tonsum esse decet, mulierem non decet. Come sunt\ proprie non cesi capilli, et est Grecus sermo. Nam comas Greci\ kaimoc [kaimos], a secando nominant. Unde et kirin tondere.\ Inde et cirri vocantur quod idem Grec maaonem\ vocant. Crines proprie mulierum sunt. Dicti enim crines\ eo quod vittis discernantur. Unde et discriminalia dicun\tur a quibus divisi religantur. Timpora sunt que calva\rie dextra levaque subiacent, que ideo sic nuncupantur\ quia moventur, ipsaque mobilitate quasi tempora a quibus\dam intervallis mutantur. Facies dicta ab effigie. Ibi enim\ est tota figura hominis et uniuscuiusque persone cognitio.\ Vultus vero dictus, eo quod per eum animi voluntas osten\ditur. Secundum voluntatem enim in varios motus mutatur.\ Unde et differunt sibi utroque. Nam facies simpliciter ac\cipitur, de uniuscuiusque naturali aspectu, vultus enim\ animorum qualitatem significat. Frons ab oculorum fo\raminibus nominata est. Hec ymago quedam animi men\tis motum specie sua exprimit, dum vel leta vel tristis est.\ Oculi vocati sive quia eos ciliorum tegminia occultant, ne qua\ incidentis iniurie offensione ledantur, sive quia occultum\ lumen habent id est secretum vel intus positum. Hic\Translation
by ellipsis; it is used in the neuter form. The occiput, occipicium, is the rear part of the head, as if the word came from contra capitium, 'opposite the covering of the head' or because it is behind the head, capitis retrorsum. The word for hair, capilli, comes as if from capitis pili, 'hairs of the head'. Hair was created to embellish the head and to protect the brain from cold and to keep the sun off it. The word for hair, pilos, comes from pellis, the skin, from which the hair emerges, as pilum, the pestle, comes from pila, the mortar, in which it pounds colours. A hairstyle is called cesaries, from cedere, to cut; for this reason it only applies to men. For cutting the hair is appropriate for men; it is unfitting for women. The word coma is strictly speaking, 'uncut hair', and comes from the Greek. For the Greeks call uncut hair kaimos from their word for 'cutting off'; they have also the word kirin [keirein] 'to clip or crop'. From this comes the word for curls, cirri, which the Greeks call maaonem [mallos], a lock of hair. The word crinis properly speaking refers to women's hair. The locks are so called because they are parted, discernere, by the bands of a filet. From this source also comes the word discriminalia, the hairpins by which the parted locks are fastened in place. The temples, timpora [tempora], lie below the skull, on the left and right. They are so called because they are mobile; with that mobility, they are changed at certain intervals like the seasons, tempora. The word for face, facies, comes from effigies, likeness. For it portrays the whole nature of a man and reveals each person's character. The countenance, vultus, is so called because it displays the desires, voluntas, of the soul. For it is changed, as the soul wills, into different movements of the features. For this reason the face, facies, and the countenance, vultus, differ from each other. For we understand by the face, facies, simply a person's natural appearance; the countenance, vultus, signifies their inner disposition. The forehead, frons, gets its name from the openings, foramen, in which the eyes are set. It provides a certain representation of the mind and expresses in its own appearance the motion of the intellect, showing when it is either happy or sad. The eyes, oculus, are so called either because the coverings of the eyelids hide them, occultare, lest they should be harmed by the impact of an injury, or because they have a hidden, occultus, light, that is, one which is secret or is located within. Here
