On Generation and corruption   

its figure or 'form'.

That growth has taken place proportionally, is more manifest in

the organic parts-e.g. in the hand. For there the fact that the matter

is distinct from the form is more manifest than in flesh, i.e. than in

the tissues. That is why there is a greater tendency to suppose that a

corpse still possesses flesh and bone than that it still has a hand or

an arm.

Hence in one sense it is true that any and every part of the flesh

has grown; but in another sense it is false. For there has been an

accession to every part of the flesh in respect to its form, but not

in respect to its matter. The whole, however, has become larger. And

this increase is due (a) on the one hand to the accession of

something, which is called 'food' and is said to be 'contrary' to

flesh, but (b) on the other hand to the transformation of this food

into the same form as that of flesh as if, e.g. 'moist' were to accede

to 'dry' and, having acceded, were to be transformed and to become

'dry'. For in one sense 'Like grows by Like', but in another sense

'Unlike grows by Unlike'.

One might discuss what must be the character of that 'whereby' a

thing grows. Clearly it must be potentially that which is

growing-potentially flesh, e.g. if it is flesh that is growing.

Actually, therefore, it must be 'other' than the growing thing. This

'actual other', then, has passed-away and come-to-be flesh. But it has

not been transformed into flesh alone by itself (for that would have

been a coming-to-be, not a growth): on the contrary, it is the growing

thing which has come-to-be flesh (and grown) by the food. In what way,

then, has the food been modified by the growing thing? Perhaps we

should say that it has been 'mixed' with it, as if one were to pour

water into wine and the wine were able to convert the new ingredient

into wine. And as fire lays hold of the inflammable, so the active

principle of growth, dwelling in the growing thing that which is

actually flesh), lays hold of an acceding food which is potentially