§32Ἀνάγκη γὰρ μαλακώτερα καὶ χαυνότερα γίγνεσθαι τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν κεράτων, ὥστε τοὺς ἤχους διασπᾶσθαι καὶ μὴ συνεχεῖς ἐκπίπτειν δι' αὐτῶν μηδὲ γεγωνεῖν ὁμοίως διὰ τὴν μαλακότητα καὶ τὴν ἀραιότητα τῶν πόρων.
For it is necessary that such horns become softer and looser, so that the sounds are split up and do not emerge continuously through them, nor ring out similarly because of the softness and the sparseness of the pores.
§33Μηδὲ πάλιν εἶναι δυσαυξῆ τὴν φύσιν, μηδὲ τὴν σύμφυσιν ἔχειν πυκνὴν καὶ σκληρὰν καὶ δύσφορον· καθʼ ὅ τι γὰρ ἄν προσκόψῃ φερόμενος ὁ ἦχος, αὐτοῦ λαμβάνει τὴν κατάπαυσιν καὶ οὐκέτι περαιοῦται πρὸς τὸν ἔξω τόπον, ὥστε κωφοὺς καὶ ἀνωμάλους ἐκπίπτειν τοὺς ἤχους ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων κεράτων.
Nor, again, should its nature be difficult to grow, nor should its growth-structure be dense, hard, and non-yielding; for wherever the traveling sound strikes, it reaches its end right there, and no longer passes through to the outside space, so that the sounds emerge dull and uneven from such horns.
§34Ὄτι δὲ ἡ φορὰ γίγνεται κατὰ τὴν εὐθυπορίαν, φανερόν ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῶν ἱστῶν καὶ ὅλως ἐπὶ τῶν ξύλων τῶν μεγάλων, ὅταν αὐτὰ βασανίζωσιν.
That the travel of sound takes place along a straight path is manifest in the case of ship's masts, and in general of large timbers when they test them.
Ὅταν γὰρ κρούσωσιν ἐκ τοῦ ἑτέρου ἄκρου, κατὰ τὸ ἕτερον ὁ ἦχος φέρεται συνεχής, ἐὰν μή τι ἔχῃ σύντριμμα τὸ ξύλον· εἰ δὲ μή, μέχρι τούτου προελρὰθὼν αὐτοῦ καταπαύεται διασπασθείς.
For when they strike them at one end, the sound travels continuously at the other end, unless the timber has some crack; but if it does, the sound, having proceeded up to this point, is split up and ceases right there.
§35Περικάμπτει δὲ καὶ τοὺς ὄζους, καὶ οὐ δυνατὸς διʼ αὐτῶν εὐθυπορεῖν.
And it curves around the knots, and is unable to travel straight through them.
Κατάδηλον δὲ τοῦτό ἐστι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χαλκείων, ὅταν ῥινῶσι τὰς ἀπηρτημένας στολίδας τῶν ἀνδριάντων ἢ τὰ πτερύγια, τῷ συμμύειν· διὸ ῥοῖζον καὶ πολύν ἦχον ἀφιᾶσι καὶ ψόφον.
This is also completely clear in the case of bronze statues, when they file the hanging folds of the garments or the wings, because of their touching each other; wherefore they emit a whirring, a great ring, and a noise.
§36Ἂν δέ τις αὐτὰ ταινίᾳ διαδήσῃ, παύεσθαι συμβαίνει τὸν ἦχον· ἕως γὰρ τούτου προελθών ὁ τρόμος, ὅταν προσκόψῃ πρὸς τὸ μαλακόν, αὐτοῦ ποιεῖται τὴν κατάπαυσιν.
But if someone binds them with a band, it happens that the sound ceases; for the vibration, having proceeded up to this point, when it strikes against the soft material, reaches its end right there.
Πολὺ δὲ καὶ ἡ ὄπτησις ἡ τῶν κεράτων συμβάλλεται καὶ πρὸς εὐφωνίαν.
And the baking of the horns also contributes greatly toward a good sound.
§37Μᾶλλον μὲν γὰρ κατοπτηθέντα παραπλήσιον τὸν ἦχον ἔχουσι τῷ κεράμῳ διὰ τὴν σκληρότητα καὶ τὴν σύγκαυσιν· ἐὰν δέ τις αὐτὰ καταδεέστερον ὀπτήσῃ, ἁπαλώτερον μὲν ἀφίησι διὰ τὴν μαλακότητα τὸν ἦχον, οὐ δύναται δὲ γεγωνεῖν ὁμοίως.
For when they are baked more, they have a sound similar to earthenware because of their hardness and being thoroughly burnt; but if someone bakes them less sufficiently, the horn yields a softer sound because of its softness, but is unable to ring out similarly.
§38Διὸ καὶ τὰς ἡλικίας ἐκλέγονται· τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν γερόντων ἐστὶ ξηρὰ καὶ πεπωρωμένα καὶ χαῦνα, τὰ δὲ τῶν νέων ἁπαλὰ παντελῶς καὶ πολλὴν ἔχοντα ἐν αὑτοῖς ὑγρασίαν.
Therefore they also select them by age; for those of old animals are dry, calloused, and loose, while those of young ones are completely tender and contain much moisture within themselves.
Δεῖ δὲ εἶναι, καθάπερ εἴρηται, τὸ κέρας ξηρὸν καὶ πυκνὸν ὁμαλῶς καὶ εὐθύπορον καὶ λεῖον.
But the horn must be, as has been said, dry, evenly dense, straight-pathed, and smooth.
§39Οὕτω γὰρ ἂν μάλιστα συμβαίνοι καὶ τοὺς ἤχους πυκνοὺς καὶ λείους καὶ ὁμαλοὺς φέρεσθαι διʼ αὐτῶν, καὶ τοῦ ἔξωθεν ἀέρος τὰς πληγὰς γίγνεσθαι τοιαύτας, ἐπεὶ καὶ τῶν χορδῶν εἰσὶν αἱ λειόταται βέλτισται καὶ τοῖς πᾶσιν ὁμαλώταται, καὶ τὴν κατεργασίαν ἔχουσι πάντοθεν ὁμοίαν, καὶ τὰς συμβολὰς ἀδήλους τὰς τῶν νεύρων· οὕτω γὰρ συμβαίνει καὶ ταύτας ποιεῖσθαι τὰς τοῦ ἀέρος πληγὰς ὁμοιοτάτας.
For in this way it would especially happen that the sounds travel through them dense, smooth, and even, and that the blows upon the external air become of such a kind, since among strings too, those that are smoothest and most even in all parts are the best, and have their processing uniform on all sides, and the joints of the sinews unapparent; for in this way it happens that these also make their blows upon the air most uniform.
§40Δεῖ δὲ καὶ τῶν αὐλῶν εἶναι τὰς γλώττας πυκνὰς καὶ λείας καὶ ὁμαλάς, ὅπως ἂν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα διαπορεύηται δι' αὐτῶν λεῖον καὶ ὁμαλὸν καὶ μὴ διεσπασμένον.
It is necessary also that the reeds of the auloi be dense, smooth, and even, so that the breath may pass through them smooth, even, and not split up.
Διὸ καὶ τὰ βεβρεγμένα τῶν ζευγῶν καὶ τὰ πεπωκότα τὸ σίαλον εὐφωνότερα γίγνεται, τὰ δὲ ξηρὰ κακόφωνα, Ὁ γὰρ ἀὴρ διὰ ὑγροῦ καὶ λείου φέρεται μαλακὸς καὶ ὁμαλός.
Therefore, those of the pairs of reeds that have been moistened and those that have absorbed saliva yield a better sound, while the dry ones are harsh-sounding. For the air, when carried through a wet and smooth medium, becomes soft and even.
§41Δῆλον δέ· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα, ὅταν ἔχῃ νοτίδα, πολύ ἧττον προσκόπτει πρὸς τὰ ζεύγη καὶ διασπᾶται· τὸ δὲ ξηρὸν μᾶλλον ἀντιλαμβάνεται καὶ τὴν πληγὴν ποιεῖται σκληροτέραν διὰ τὴν βίαν.
And this is clear; for the breath itself, when it has moisture, strikes against the reeds and is split up much less; but the dry breath catches more, and makes the blow harder because of its force.
Αἱ μὲν οὖν διαφοραὶ τῶν ἤχων γίγνονται διὰ τὰς εἰρημένας αἰτίας.
Thus, the differences of sounds are produced for the reasons mentioned.
§42Σκληραὶ δʼ εἰσὶ τῶν φωνῶν ὅσαι βιαίως πρὸς τὴν ἀκοὴν προσπίπτουσι· διὸ καὶ μάλιστα παρέχουσι τὸν τόνον.
And those of voices are hard which strike against the hearing violently; wherefore they especially afford tension.
Τοιαῦται δʼ εἰσὶν αἱ δυσκινητότεραι καὶ μετὰ πλείστης φερόμεναι βίας· τὸ γὰρ ὑπεῖκον ταχέως οὐ δύναται τὴν πληγὴν ὑπομένειν, ἀλλʼ ἀποπηδᾷ πρότερον.
And such are those that are more difficult to move and are carried with the greatest force; for that which yields quickly is unable to endure the blow, but leaps away before it.