Muchinerror，then，aretheywhosaythattheconstructionofmanisnotonlyfaulty，butinferiortothatofallotheranimals；
seeingthatheis，astheypointout，bare-footed，naked，andwithoutweaponofwhichtoavailhimself。Forotheranimalshaveeachbutonemodeofdefence，andthistheycanneverchange；sothattheymustperformalltheofficesoflifeandeven，sotospeak，sleepwithsandalson，neverlayingasidewhateverservesasaprotectiontotheirbodies，norchangingsuchsingleweaponastheymaychancetopossess。Buttomannumerousmodesofdefenceareopen，andthese，moreover，hemaychangeatwill；asalsohemayadoptsuchweaponashepleases，andatsuchtimesassuithim。Forthehandistalon，hoof，andhorn，atwill。Sotooitisspear，andsword，andwhatsoeverotherweaponorinstrumentyouplease；forallthesecanitbefromitspowerofgraspingandholdingthemall。Inharmonywiththisvariedofficeistheformwhichnaturehascontrivedforit。Foritissplitintoseveraldivisions，andthesearecapableofdivergence。Suchcapacityofdivergencedoesnotpreventtheiragainconvergingsoastoformasinglecompactbody，whereashadthehandbeenanundividedmass，divergencewouldhavebeenimpossible。Thedivisionsalsomaybeusedsinglyortwotogetherandinvariouscombinations。Thejoints，moreover，ofthefingersarewellconstructedforprehensionandforpressure。Oneofthesealso，andthisnotlongliketherestbutshortandthick，isplacedlaterally。Forwereitnotsoplacedallprehensionwouldbeasimpossible，asweretherenohandatall。Forthepressureofthisdigitisappliedfrombelowupwards，whiletherestactfromabovedownwards；anarrangementwhichisessential，ifthegraspistobefirmandholdlikeatightclamp。Asfortheshortnessofthisdigit，theobjectistoincreaseitsstrength，sothatitmaybeable，thoughbutone，tocounterbalanceitsmorenumerousopponents。
Moreover，wereitlongitwouldbeofnouse。Thisistheexplanationofitsbeingsometimescalledthegreatdigit，inspiteofitssmallsize；forwithoutitalltherestwouldbepracticallyuseless。Thefingerwhichstandsattheotherendoftherowissmall，whilethecentraloneofallislong，likeacentreoarinaship。
Thisisrightlyso；foritismainlybythecentralpartoftheencirclinggraspthatatoolmustbeheldwhenputtouse。
Nolessskilfullycontrivedarethenails。For，whileinmantheseservesimplyascoveringstoprotectthetipsofthefingers，inotheranimalstheyarealsousedforactivepurposes；andtheirformineachcaseissuitedtotheiroffice。