342、现在必须质疑的是，这些生物究竟是来自借助空气、雨水或从土壤渗上来的水被传送到这些地方的卵，还是来自那里的液体和恶臭本身。有人认为，上述有毒微生物和昆虫是从被传送到这些地方，或自创造时就在地里处处潜藏的卵孵化出来的，但所有观察都不支持这种观点。因为我们在微小的种子、坚果的果仁、木头、石头中也会发现幼虫，它们甚至从叶子中冒出来；我们在植物上面和里头同样会发现与它们相适应的螨虫和蛴螬。对苍蝇的观察也不支持这一观点，因为一到夏天，苍蝇从无卵状的物质中大量出现在房屋、田野和森林中。那些破坏草地和牧场，在一些炎热地区充斥并滋生于空气的害虫，同样不支持这个观点，更别说那些浮游或飞舞在污水、变酸的葡萄酒和瘟疫空气中的不可见害虫。这些观察结果却支持了另外一些人的观点，他们声称，植物、土壤和死水塘所散发的气味、恶臭和蒸发物才是滋生这类生物的源头。这些生物形成之后，就会通过卵生或胎生进行繁殖，这一事实不会剥夺它们的直接起源，因为一切活物，连同自己的细小内脏，都会获得生殖器官和繁殖方法(参看347节)。迄今未知的事实，即地狱中也有类似事物，则支持这个结论。
342. I need now to deal with the question of whether creatures like this come from eggs brought through the air or in rain or by the devious paths of water, or whether they come from the actual fluids and odors. Experience overall does not support the notion that the vicious little creatures and insects I have been talking about come out of eggs, either borne to their site or hidden in the ground since creation. That is, worms turn up in tiny seeds, in nuts, in pieces of wood, and in stones; they come from leaves; lice and maggots turn up on plants and in plants that are congenial to them. Then there are the flies that show up in houses, fields, and forests in summer where there is no corresponding supply of egglike matter. There are the ones that destroy meadows and lawns, and that fill and infest the air in warm climates, besides the invisible ones that swim and fly in stagnant water, sour wine, and disease-laden air. These experiences support the people who say that the odors, stenches, and vapors themselves, coming from the plants, soil, and ponds, also provide the beginnings of such creatures.
The fact that they multiply by eggs or by a discharge once they have begun does not rule out their spontaneous generation, since every little creature gets organs of generation and propagation along with its other viscera, as discussed below in 347.
There is further support in a previously unknown experience, namely that things like this occur in the hells as well.
342. It must now be questioned whether these creatures come from eggs conveyed to such places by the air or by rain or by water percolating up through the soil, or whether they come from the fluids and foul odors themselves there.
The notion that such noxious vermin and insects as those we have mentioned above are hatched from eggs conveyed to these places, or from eggs buried in the ground from the beginning of creation, is one all experience does not support, since larvae are found in tiny seeds, in the kernels of nuts, in pieces of wood, in stones, even emerging from leaves; and on plants and in them we find mites and grubs that accord with them. The notion is also not supported by our observation of flies, which in summer appear to arise in such great abundance in houses, fields and forests from no egg-like substance. It is likewise not supported by those pests which destroy meadows and pastures, and which in some warm areas fill and infest the air, not to mention those which invisibly swim or fly in fetid waters, in wines gone sour, and in pestilential air.
These observations of experience support those people who say that the odors, stenches and exhalations emitted from plants, soils, and stagnant waters are themselves what give to such creatures also their beginnings.
The fact that after these creatures have come into being they are reproduced either by eggs or by live births does not take away their immediate origins, since every animal receives with its little organs also reproductive organs and the means of procreating (a subject we take up below in no. 347).
In support of this conclusion is an observation of experience previously unknown, that the same phenomena exist also in the hells.
342. It now becomes a matter of enquiry whether such things spring from eggs conveyed hither by means of air, or rain or water oozing through the soil, or whether they come forth from the damp and the stenches there. That these noxious animalcules and insects mentioned above are hatched from eggs which have been carried to the spot or which have lain hidden everywhere in the ground since creation, is opposed to all observable facts. For worms come forth in minute seeds, the kernels of nuts, in wood, in stones and even out of leaves, and upon plants and in them there are lice and grubs which correspond to them. Flying insects, too, such as appear in houses, fields and woods arise in like manner in summer without having oviform matters sufficient to account for them, also there are vermin that devour meadows and lawns, and in some hot localities fill and infest the air, besides those that swim and fly unseen in filthy waters, sour wines and pestilential air. These observable facts support those who declare that the odours, effluvia, and exhalations emitted from plants, earth and ponds, are what give the initial rise to such things. That when they have come forth, they are afterwards propagated either by eggs or offshoots, does not disprove their immediate generation, since every living creature, along with its minute viscera, receives organs of generation and means of propagation, about which see below, (347). In agreement with these facts is the observation hitherto unknown that there are similar things also in the hells.
342. It now becomes a matter of inquiry whether such things spring from eggs conveyed to the spot by means of air, or rain, or water oozing through the soil, or whether they spring from the damp and stenches themselves. That these noxious animalcules and insects mentioned above are hatched from eggs which have been carried to the spot, or which have lain hidden everywhere in the ground since creation, is opposed to all observation. For worms spring forth in minute seeds, in the kernels of nuts, in wood, in stones, and even from leaves, and upon plants and in plants there are lice and grubs which are accordant with them. Of flying insects, too, there are such as appear in houses, fields, and woods, which arise in like manner in summer, with no oviform matters sufficient to account for them; also such as devour meadows and lawns, and in some hot localities fill and infest the air; besides those that swim and fly unseen in filthy waters, wines becoming sour, and pestilential air. These facts of observation support those who say that the odors, effluvia, and exhalations emitted from plants, earths, and ponds, are what give the initiative to such things. That when they have come forth, they are afterwards propagated either by eggs or offshoots, does not disprove their immediate generation; since every living creature, along with its minute viscera, receives organs of generation and means of propagation (see below, n. 347). In agreement with these phenomena is the fact heretofore unknown that there are like things also in the hells.
342. Num talia existant ex ovis illuc translatis vel per aerem, vel per pluvias, vel per meatus cum aquis, vel num existant ex ipsis humoribus et putoribus ibi, erit nunc quaestionis: quod talia noxia animalcula et insecta, quae supra memorata sunt, ex ovis illuc advectis, vel usque a creatione in terra ubivis reconditis, excludantur, non suffragatur omnis experientia, quoniam vermes existunt in seminulis, in nucleis, in lignis, in saxis, imo ex foliis; tum super herbis et in illis pediculi et tineae, quae cum illis concordant; tum ex muscis quae in domibus, campis et sylvis aestate ex nulla materia oviformi in tanta copia exorta apparent; similiter 1 illa quae corrodunt prata et vireta, ac in quibusdam locis calidis implent aerem ac infestant, praeter quae in aquis foetidis, vinis acetosis, et in aere pestifero, invisibiliter natant et volant: hae experientiae suffragantur illis, qui dicunt quod ipsi odores, nidores et halitus ex herbis, terris et stagnis exspirati dent quoque initiamenta talibus. Quod postea cum exorta sunt, propagentur vel per ova vel per egestiones, non tollit exortus eorum immediatos, 2 quoniam omne animal cum suis viscerulis etiam generationis organa et propagationis media recipit, de qua re infra 347. His adstipulatur experientia non prius nota, quod similia etiam in Infernis sint.
Footnotes:
1. apparent; similiter ubi in prima editione apparent similiter;
2. Prima editio: immediatos;