§2.7#2οὐ πάντα δὲ ὁρατὰ ἐν φωτί ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ μόνον ἑκάστου τὸ οἰκεῖον χρῶμα· ἔνια γὰρ ἐν μὲν τῷ φωτὶ οὐχ ὁρᾶται, ἐν δὲ τῷ σκότει ποιεῖ αἴσθησιν, οἷον τὰ πυρώδη φαινόμενα καὶ λάμποντα (ἀνώνυμα δʼ ἐστὶ ταῦτα ἑνὶ ὀνόματι), οἷον μύκης, κέρας, κεφαλαὶ ἰχθύων καὶ λεπίδες καὶ ὀφθαλμοί· ἀλλʼ οὐδενὸς ὁρᾶται τούτων τὸ οἰκεῖον χρῶμα.
But not all things are visible in light, but only the proper color of each; for some things are not seen in the light, but produce sensation in the dark, such as those that appear fiery and shining (these are nameless by a single name), for example, mushroom, horn, heads and scales and eyes of fish; but of none of these is the proper color seen.
διʼ ἣν μὲν οὖν αἰτίαν ταῦτα ὁρᾶται, ἄλλος λόγος· νῦν δʼ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον φανερόν ἐστιν, ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἐν φωτὶ ὁρώμενον χρῶμα.
For what cause, then, these are seen is another discussion; but for the present this much is clear, that what is seen in light is color.
διὸ καὶ οὐχ ὁρᾶται ἄνευ φωτός· τοῦτο γὰρ ἧν αὐτῷ τὸ χρώματι εἶναι, τὸ κινητικῷ εἶναι τοῦ κατʼ ἐνέργειαν διαφανοῦς· ἡ δʼ ἐντελέχεια τοῦ διαφανοῦς φῶς ἐστιν.
Wherefore also it is not seen without light; for this was for it the being for color, namely, to be capable of setting in motion that which is actually transparent; and the actuality of the transparent is light.
σημεῖον δὲ τούτου φανερόν· ἐὰν γάρ τις θῇ τὸ ἔχον χρῶμα ἐπʼ αὐτὴν τὴν ὄψιν, οὐκ ὄψεται· ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν χρῶμα κινεῖ τὸ διαφανές, οἷον τὸν ἀέρα, ὑπό τούτου δὲ συνεχοῦς ὄντος κινεῖται τὸ αἰσθητήριον.
And there is a clear sign of this; for if one places that which has color upon the sight itself, he will not see it; but color sets in motion the transparent, such as air, and by this, being continuous, the sensory organ is set in motion.
οὐ γὰρ καλῶς τοῦτο λέγει Δημόκριτος, οἰόμενος, εἰ γένοιτο κενόν τὸ μεταξύ, ὁρᾶσθαι ἄν ἀκριβῶς καὶ εἰ μύρμηξ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ εἴη· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν.
For Democritus does not state this well, thinking that, if the intermediate space were to become void, one would see accurately even if an ant were in the sky; for this is impossible.
πάσχοντος γάρ τι τοῦ αἰσθητικοῦ γίνεται τὸ ὁρᾶν· ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ μὲν οὖν τοῦ ὁρωμένου χρώματος ἀδύνατον· λείπεται δὴ ὑπὸ τοῦ μεταξύ, ὥστʼ ἀναγκαῖόν τι εἶναι μεταξύ· κενοῦ δὲ γενομένου οὐχ ὅτι ἀκριβῶς, ἀλλʼ ὅλως οὐθὲν ὀφθήσεται.
For seeing comes about by the sensitive subject undergoing some affection; now by the seen color itself it is impossible; it remains then [to be affected] by the intermediate, so that it is necessary that there be something intermediate; and if it becomes void, not only not accurately, but nothing at all will be seen.
διʼ ἣν μὲν οὖν αἰτίαν τὸ χρῶμα ἀναγκαῖον ἐν φωτὶ ὁρᾶσθαι, εἴρηται.
For what cause, then, it is necessary that color be seen in light, has been said.
πῦρ δὲ ἐν ἀμφοῖν ὁρᾶται, καὶ ἐν σκότει καὶ ἐν φωτί, καὶ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀνάγκης· τὸ γὰρ διαφανὲς ὑπὸ τούτου γίνεται διαφανές.
But fire is seen in both, both in darkness and in light, and this of necessity; for the transparent becomes transparent by this.
ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς λόγος καὶ περὶ ψόφου καὶ ὀσμῆς ἐστιν· οὐθὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἁπτόμενον τοῦ αἰσθητηρίου ποιεῖ τὴν αἴσθησιν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ μὲν ὀσμῆς καὶ ψόφου τὸ μεταξὺ κινεῖται, ὑπὸ δὲ τούτου τῶν αἰσθητηρίων ἑκάτερον· ὅταν δʼ ἐπ᾿ αὐτό τις ἐπιθῇ τὸ αἰσθητήριον τὸ ψοφοῦν ἢ τὸ ὄζον, οὐδεμίαν αἴσθησιν ποιήσει.
And the same account holds also of sound and smell; for none of them produces sensation by touching the sensory organ, but by smell and sound the intermediate is set in motion, and by this each of the sensory organs [is set in motion]; and whenever one places that which makes a sound or has an odor upon the sensory organ itself, it will produce no sensation.
περὶ δὲ ἁφῆς καὶ γεύσεως ἔχει μὲν ὁμοίως, οὐ φαίνεται δέ· διʼ ἣν δʼ αἰτίαν, ὕστερον ἔσται δῆλον.
And concerning touch and taste, it is indeed similar, but it does not appear so; for what cause, will be clear later.
τὸ δὲ μεταξὺ ψόφων μὲν ἀήρ, ὀσμῆς δʼ ἀνώνυμον· κοινὸν γάρ τι πάθος ἐπʼ ἀέρος καὶ ὕδατος ἔστιν, ὥσπερ τὸ διαφανὲς χρώματι, οὕτω τῷ ἔχοντι ὀσμὴν ὃ ἐν ἀμφοτέροις ὑπάρχει τούτοις· φαίνεται γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἔνυδρα τῶν ζῴων ἔχειν αἴσθησιν ὀσμῆς.
And the intermediate for sounds is air, but for smell it is nameless; for there is a certain common affection in air and water, just as the transparent is for color, so for that which has smell [there is] that which is inherent in both of these; for water animals also appear to have a sensation of smell.
ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τῶν πεζῶν ὅσα ἀναπνεῖ, ἀδυνατεῖ ὀσμᾶσθαι μὴ ἀναπνέοντα.
But man, and those of the land animals that breathe, cannot smell without breathing.
ἡ δʼ αἰτία καὶ περὶ τούτων ὕστερον λεχθήσεται.
The cause concerning these also will be discussed later.