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Desires seem to be of two kinds, one common to all men, the other peculiar to special peoples, and adventitious. For instance, the desire for food is natural, since everyone desires solid or liquid nourishment, and sometimes both, when in need of them; and also sexual intercourse, as Homer says,1 when young and lusty. But not everybody desires this or that particular sort of nourishment, any more than everyone desires the same particular portion of food;2 hence a taste for this or that sort of food seems to be an individual peculiarity.

1 A reminiscence of Hom. Il. 24.130.

2 The text should perhaps be amended to run ‘nor desires the same food always.’

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