The body as a part of man

General

"If you like, after your contemplation of the soul be attentive also to the structure of the body and marvel at how appropriate a dwelling for the rational soul the sovereign Fashioner has created. He has made the human being alone of the animals upright, that from your very form you may see that your life is akin to that on high; for all the quadropeds are bent down towards their stomachs, while the human being is prepared to look up towards heaven, so as not to be devoted to the stomach or to the passions below the stomach but to direct his whole desire toward the journey on high" -- St. Basil the Great

" ... and so when you have traversed all things with suitable reflection on each, and have observed carefully how air is drawn in through breath, how warmth is kept around the heart, and the organs of digestion, and the channels of blood, from all these you will perceive the unsearchable wisdom of the Creator[Rom 11.33] -- St. Basil the Great

"Then God placed the head at the top, locating in it the most valuable of the senses. There sight, and hearing, and taste, and smell have been established, all near each other. And although confined in a small space, none of them impedes the activity of its neighbour."

"The eyes have laid hold of the highest lookout point so that nothing blocks their view of the body's parts, but placed under the small projection of the eyebrows, they reach out from the prominence above in a direct line."

"Again, the hearing is not directed straight, but by a spiral-shaped pathway it takes hold of the noises in the air. This indeed exhibits the highest wisdom, enabling sound to pass through unhindered, or rather be led in, bending around the twists, while nothing from outside that accidentally falls in can be hindrance to the auditory perception."

"Examine closely the nature of the tongue, how it is tender and nimble and is sufficient by its varied movememtn for every need of speech."

"Teeth, also organs of speech, provide strong resistance to the tongue and at the same time also take care of food, some cutting it, and others grinding it."