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of movement in a living creature。 For； if we except the movement of
the universe； things with life are the causes of the movement of all
else； that is of all that are not moved by one another by mutual
impact。 And so all their motions have a term or limit； inasmuch as the
movements of things with life have such。 For all living things both
move and are moved with some object； so that this is the term of all
their movement； the end； that is； in view。 Now we see that the
living creature is moved by intellect； imagination； purpose； wish； and
appetite。 And all these are reducible to mind and desire。 For both
imagination and sensation are on common ground with mind； since all
three are faculties of judgement though differing according to
distinctions stated elsewhere。 Will； however； impulse； and appetite；
are all three forms of desire； while purpose belongs both to intellect
and to desire。 Therefore the object of desire or of intellect first
initiates movement； not； that is； every object of intellect； only
the end in the domain of conduct。 Accordingly among goods that which
moves is a practical end； not the good in its whole extent。 For it
initiates movement only so far as something else is for its sake； or
so far as it is the object of that which is for the sake of
something else。 And we must suppose that a seeming good may take the
room of actual good； and so may the pleasant； which is itself a
seeming good。 From these considerations it is clear that in one regard
that which is eternally moved by the eternal mover is moved in the
same way as every living creature； in another regard differently；
and so while it is moved eternally； the movement of living creatures
has a term。 Now the eternal beautiful； and the truly and primarily
good （which is not at one time good； at another time not good）； is too
divine and precious to be relative to anything else。 The prime mover
then moves； itself being unmoved； whereas desire and its faculty are
moved and so move。 But it is not necessary for the last in the chain
of things moved to move something else； wherefore it is plainly
reasonable that motion in place should be the last of what happens
in the region of things happening； since the living creature is
moved and goes forward by reason of desire or purpose； when some
alteration has been set going on the occasion of sensation or
imagination。
7
But how is it that thought （viz。 sense； imagination； and thought
proper） is sometimes followed by action； sometimes not； sometimes by
movement； sometimes not？ What happens seems parallel to the case of
thinking and inferring about the immovable objects of science。 There
the end is the truth seen （for； when one conceives the two
premisses； one at once conceives and comprehends the conclusion）；
but here the two premisses result in a conclusion which is an
action… for example； one conceives that every man ought to walk； one
is a man oneself： straightway one walks； or that； in this case； no man
should walk； one is a man： straightway one remains at rest。 And one so
acts in the two cases provided that there is nothing in the one case
to compel or in the other to prevent。 Again； I ought to create a good；
a house is good： straightway I make a house。 I need a covering； a coat
is a covering： I need a coat。 What I need I ought to make； I need a
coat： I make a coat。 And the conclusion I must make a coat is an
action。 And the action goes back to the beginning or first step。 If
there is to be a coat； one must first have B； and if B then A； so
one gets A to begin with。 Now that the action is the conclusion is
clear。 But the premisses of action are of two kinds； of the good and
of the possible。
And as in some cases of speculative inquiry we suppress one
premise so here the mind does not stop to consider at all an obvious
minor premise； for example if walking is good for man； one does not
dwell upon the minor 'I am a man'。 And so what we do without
reflection； we do quickly。 For when a man actualizes himself in
relation to his object either by perceiving； or imagining or
conceiving it； what he desires he does at once。 For the actualizing of
desire is a substitute for inquiry or reflection。 I want to drink；
says appetite； this is drink； says sense or imagination or mind：
straightway I drink。 In this way living creatures are impelled to move
and to act； and desire is the last or immediate cause of movement； and
desire arises after perception or after imagination and conception。
And things that desire to act now create and now act under the
influence of appetite or impulse or of desire or wish。
The movements of animals may be compared with those of automatic
puppets； which are set going on the occasion of a tiny movement； the
levers are released； and strike the twisted strings against one
another； or with the toy wagon。 For the child mounts on it and moves
it straight forward； and then again it is moved in a circle owing to
its wheels being of unequal diameter （the smaller acts like a centre
on the same principle as the cylinders）。 Animals have parts of a
similar kind； their organs； the sinewy tendons to wit and the bones；
the bones are like the wooden levers in the automaton； and the iron；
the tendons are like the strings； for when these are tightened or
leased movement begins。 However； in the automata and the toy wagon
there is no change of quality； though if the inner wheels became
smaller and greater by turns there would be the same circular movement
set up。 In an animal the same part has the power of becoming now
larger and now smaller； and changing its form； as the parts increase
by warmth and again contract by cold and change their quality。 This
change of quality is caused by imaginations and sensations and by
ideas。 Sensations are obviously a form of change of quality； and
imagination and conception have the same effect as the objects so
imagined and conceived For in a measure the form conceived be it of
hot or cold or pleasant or fearful is like what the actual objects
would be； and so we shudder and are frightened at a mere idea。 Now all
these affections involve changes of quality； and with those changes
some parts of the body enlarge； others grow smaller。 And it is not
hard to see that a small change occurring at the centre makes great
and numerous changes at the circumference； just as by shifting the
rudder a hair's breadth you get a wide deviation at the prow。 And
further； when by reason of heat or cold or some kindred affection a
change is set up in the region of the heart； even in an
imperceptibly small part of the heart； it produces a vast difference
in the periphery of the body；… blushing； let us say； or turning white；
goose…skin and shivers and their opposites。