“Of the penis: which when it is hard is big, long, dense and heavy and when it is soft it is small, short, soft, that is soft and feeble. This makes one judge that here its flesh is not supplemented by wind but by arterial blood. This I have seen in dead men who have this member erect, for many die thus, particularly those hanged. Of these I have seen the anatomy, all of them having great density and hardness, and being full of a great quantity of blood which has made the flesh very red inside, and in other cases outside as well as inside. And if the adversary says that such a large quantity of flesh has grown through wind causing enlargement and hardness as in a ball with which one plays such wind gives neither weight nor density but makes flesh light and rarefied. Besides one observes that the erect penis has a red glans which is a sign of the inflow of blood and when it is not erect this glans has a whitish surface.”
It is always fascinating gaining insight into the thinking of ancient greats such as Leonardo. Would love more like this. Thanks so much.