《on dreams》

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on dreams- 第2部分


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independently; one might devote close consideration and inquiry。 At



the same time it becomes plain from them that as the eye 'in seeing'



is affected 'by the object seen'; so also it produces a certain effect



upon it。 If a woman chances during her menstrual period to look into a



highly polished mirror; the surface of it will grow cloudy with a



blood…coloured haze。 It is very hard to remove this stain from a new



mirror; but easier to remove from an older mirror。 As we have said



before; the cause of this lies in the fact that in the act of sight



there occurs not only a passion in the sense organ acted on by the



polished surface; but the organ; as an agent; also produces an action;



as is proper to a brilliant object。 For sight is the property of an



organ possessing brilliance and colour。 The eyes; therefore; have



their proper action as have other parts of the body。 Because it is



natural to the eye to be filled with blood…vessels; a woman's eyes;



during the period of menstrual flux and inflammation; will undergo a



change; although her husband will not note this since his seed is of



the same nature as that of his wife。 The surrounding atmosphere;



through which operates the action of sight; and which surrounds the



mirror also; will undergo a change of the same sort that occurred



shortly before in the woman's eyes; and hence the surface of the



mirror is likewise affected。 And as in the case of a garment; the



cleaner it is the more quickly it is soiled; so the same holds true in



the case of the mirror。 For anything that is clean will show quite



clearly a stain that it chances to receive; and the cleanest object



shows up even the slightest stain。 A bronze mirror; because of its



shininess; is especially sensitive to any sort of contact (the



movement of the surrounding air acts upon it like a rubbing or



pressing or wiping); on that account; therefore; what is clean will



show up clearly the slightest touch on its surface。 It is hard to



cleanse smudges off new mirrors because the stain penetrates deeply



and is suffused to all parts; it penetrates deeply because the



mirror is not a dense medium; and is suffused widely because of the



smoothness of the object。 On the other hand; in the case of old



mirrors; stains do not remain because they do not penetrate deeply;



but only smudge the surface。



  From this therefore it is plain that stimulatory motion is set up



even by slight differences; and that sense…perception is quick to



respond to it; and further that the organ which perceives colour is



not only affected by its object; but also reacts upon it。 Further



evidence to the same point is afforded by what takes place in wines;



and in the manufacture of unguents。 For both oil; when prepared; and



wine become rapidly infected by the odours of the things near them;



they not only acquire the odours of the things thrown into or mixed



with them; but also those of the things which are placed; or which



grow; near the vessels containing them。



  In order to answer our original question; let us now; therefore;



assume one proposition; which is clear from what precedes; viz。 that



even when the external object of perception has departed; the



impressions it has made persist; and are themselves objects of



perception: and 'let us assume'; besides; that we are easily



deceived respecting the operations of sense…perception when we are



excited by emotions; and different persons according to their



different emotions; for example; the coward when excited by fear;



the amorous person by amorous desire; so that; with but little



resemblance to go upon; the former thinks he sees his foes



approaching; the latter; that he sees the object of his desire; and



the more deeply one is under the influence of the emotion; the less



similarity is required to give rise to these illusory impressions。



Thus too; both in fits of anger; and also in all states of appetite;



all men become easily deceived; and more so the more their emotions



are excited。 This is the reason too why persons in the delirium of



fever sometimes think they see animals on their chamber walls; an



illusion arising from the faint resemblance to animals of the markings



thereon when put together in patterns; and this sometimes



corresponds with the emotional states of the sufferers; in such a



way that; if the latter be not very ill; they know well enough that it



is an illusion; but if the illness is more severe they actually move



according to the appearances。 The cause of these occurrences is that



the faculty in virtue of which the controlling sense judges is not



identical with that in virtue of which presentations come before the



mind。 A proof of this is; that the sun presents itself as only a



foot in diameter; though often something else gainsays the



presentation。 Again; when the fingers are crossed; the one object



'placed between them' is felt 'by the touch' as two; but yet we deny



that it is two; for sight is more authoritative than touch。 Yet; if



touch stood alone; we should actually have pronounced the one object



to be two。 The ground of such false judgements is that any appearances



whatever present themselves; not only when its object stimulates a



sense; but also when the sense by itself alone is stimulated; provided



only it be stimulated in the same manner as it is by the object。 For



example; to persons sailing past the land seems to move; when it is



really the eye that is being moved by something else 'the moving ship。'



                                 3







  From this it is manifest that the stimulatory movements based upon



sensory impressions; whether the latter are derived from external



objects or from causes within the body; present themselves not only



when persons are awake; but also then; when this affection which is



called sleep has come upon them; with even greater impressiveness。 For



by day; while the senses and the intellect are working together;



they (i。e。 such movements) are extruded from consciousness or



obscured; just as a smaller is beside a larger fire; or as small



beside great pains or pleasures; though; as soon as the latter have



ceased; even those which are trifling emerge into notice。 But by night



'i。e。 in sleep' owing to the inaction of the particular senses; and



their powerlessness to realize themselves; which arises from the



reflux of the hot from the exterior parts to the interior; they



'i。e。 the above 'movements'' are borne in to the head quarters of



sense…perception; and there display themselves as the disturbance



(of waking life) subsides。 We must suppose that; like the little



eddies which are being ever formed in rivers; so the sensory movements



are each a continuous process; often remaining like what they were



when first started; but often; too; broken into other forms by



collisions with obstacles。 This 'last mentioned point'; moreover;



gives the reason why no dreams occur in sleep immediately after meals;



or to sleepers who are extremely young; e。g。 to infants。 The



internal movement in such cases is excessive; owing to the heat



generated from the food。 Hence; just as in a liquid; if one vehemently



disturbs it; sometimes no reflected image appears; while at other



times one appears; indeed; but utterly distorted; so as to seem



quite unlike its original; while; when once the motion has ceased; the



reflected images are clear and plain; in the same manner during



sleep the phantasms; or residuary movements; which are based upon



the sensory impressions; become sometimes quite obliterated by the



above described motion when too violent; while at other times the



sights are indeed seen; but confused and weird; and the dreams



'which then appear' are unhealthy; like those of persons who are



atrabilious; or feverish; or intoxicated with wine。 For all such



affections; being spirituous; cause much commotion and disturbance。 In



sanguineous animals; in proportion as the blood becomes calm; and as



its purer are separated from its less pure elements; the fact that the



movement; based on impressions derived from each of the organs of



sense; is preserved in its integrity; renders the dreams healthy;



causes a 'clear' image to present itself; and makes the dreamer think;



owing to the effects borne in from the organ of sight; that he



actually sees; and owing to those which come from the organ of



hearing; that he really hears; and so on with those also which proceed



from the other sensory organs。 For it is owing to the fact that the



movement which reaches the primary organ of sense comes from them;



that one even when awake believes himself to see; or hear; or



otherwise perceive; just as it is from a belief that the organ of



sight is being stimulated; though in reality not so stimul
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