Folio 85v - the nature of man, continued.
are like armi, forequarters. They are so called to distinguish men from dumb animals, so that we say men have shoulders, humeri; animals, forequarters, armi. For, strictly speaking, 'forequarters' applies to four-legged animals.
The part at the rear of the highest point of the shoulder we call the shoulder-blade, ola.
The word for arms, brachia, is associated with that for strength. For in Greek barus means 'strong' and 'heavy'. Muscles swell between the shoulder and elbow and in muscles there is remarkable strength.
In the arms there are bulges, tori, which are muscles; they are so called because the inner parts seems to be twisted, tortus.
The elbow, cubitus, is so called because we lean on it, cumbere, to eat.
The ulna, according to some, is an extension of either hand; according to others, of the elbow; the latter seems more likely to be true because the elbow in Greek is ulenos [olene].
The pits under the arms, ale, are so called because the movement of the arms begins there, like that of wings, ale.
Some call the armpits ascelle, because from that point the arms are set in motion, cillere. For this reason they are also called oscilla, because the arms are swung, oscillare, that is they are moved, movere, from the extremity of the body, ora; since movere and cillere mean the same, to move from the extremity becomes ora cillere.
Some call the armpits subhirci, 'undergoats',because in many people they give off the rank smell of goats.
The hand, manus, is so called because it performs a service, munus, for the whole body. For it serves food to the mouth, does everything and disposes of everything; with it, we take and we give.
The word is used incorrectly for labour or workmen, 'hands'. For this reason, we talk about manupretium, 'workman's wage'.
The right hand, dextra, gets its name from dare, to give, for it is given as a pledge of peace. It is used as a proof of faith and in greeting, and is used in this context in Tully: 'By order of the Senate, I have pledged the public faith', that is, the right hand (Cicero, Catiline, 3, 8). And the apostle says: 'They gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship' (Galatians, 2:9).
The left hand, leva, is so called because it is more suited to raising, levare. It is also called sinistra, sine dextera, 'without the right hand', so to speak, or because it permits, sinere, something to be done. For sinistra comes from sinere. The palm, palma, is the hand with the fingers spread; when they are contracted