§3.33 Λοιπὸν δʼ εἰπεῖν τίνων τέ ἐστι γένεσις σωμάτων, καὶ διὰ τί ἐστιν.
3 It remains to say of what bodies there is generation, and why there is.
ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐν ἅποσιν ἡ γνῶσις διὰ τῶν πρώτων, πρῶτα δὲ τῶν ἐνυπαρχόντων τὰ στοιχεῖα, σκεπτέον, εἰ τῶν τοιούτων σωμάτων ἐστὶ στοιχεῖα, καὶ διὰ τί ἐστιν, ἔπειτα μετὰ ταῦτα πόσα τε καὶ ποῖ᾿ ἄττα.
Since, then, in all cases knowledge is obtained through the primary things, and the elements are the primary of the inherent things, we must consider whether there are elements of such bodies, and why there are, and then after these things, how many and of what sort they are.
τοῦτο δʼ ἔσται φανερὸν ὑποθεμένοις τίς ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ στοιχείου φύσις.
This will be clear to us if we assume what the nature of the element is.
ἔστω δὴ στοιχεῖον τῶν σωμάτων, εἰς ὃ τἆλλα σώματα διαιρεῖται, ἐνυπάρχον δυνάμει ἢ ἐνεργείᾳ (τοῦτο γὰρ ποτέρως, ἔτι ἀμφισβητήσιμον), αὐτὸ δʼ ἐστὶν ἀδιαίρετον εἰς ἕτερα τῷ εἴδει· τοιοῦτον γάρ τι τὸ στοιχεῖον ἄπαντες καὶ ἐν ἅπασι βούλονται λέγειν.
Let, then, an element of bodies be that into which the other bodies are divided, being inherent either in potentiality or in actuality (for in which of these two ways is still a matter of dispute), and which is itself indivisible into other things different in form; for this is the kind of thing that everyone in all cases wishes to call an element.
εἰ δὴ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐστὶ στοιχεῖον, ἀνάγκη εἶναι ἄττα τοιαῦτα τῶν σωμάτων.
If, then, what has been said is an element, it is necessary that there should be some such bodies.
ἐν μὲν γὰρ σαρκὶ καὶ ξύλῳ καὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν τοιούτων ἔνεστι δυνάμει πῦρ καὶ γῆ· φανερὰ γὰρ ταῦτα ἐξ ἐκείνων ἐκκρινόμενα.
For in flesh and wood and each of such things, fire and earth are inherent in potentiality; for these are clearly separated out from them.
ἐν δὲ πυρὶ σὰρξ ἢ ξύλον οὐκ ἐνυπάρχουσιν, οὕτε κατὰ δύναμιν οὔτε κατʼ ἐνέργειαν· ἐξεκρίνετο γὰρ ἄν.
But in fire, flesh or wood are not inherent, either in potentiality or in actuality; for they would have been separated out.
ὁμοίως δʼ οὐδʼ εἰ ἕν τι μόνον εἴη τοιοῦτον, οὐδʼ ἐν ἐκείνῳ· οὐ γὰρ εἰ ἔσται σὰρξ ἢ ὀστοῦν ἢ τῶν ἄλλων ὁτιοῦν, οὔπω φατέον ἐνυπάρχειν δυνάμει, ἀλλὰ προσθεωρητέον τίς ὁ τρόπος τῆς γενέσεως.
Likewise, even if there were only some one such body, they would not be inherent in that either; for even if there is to be flesh or bone or any of the other things, we must not yet say that they are inherent in potentiality, but we must further consider what the manner of their generation is.
Ἀναξαγόρας δʼ Ἐμπεδοκλεῖ ἐναντίως λέγει περὶ τῶν στοιχείων.
But Anaxagoras speaks contrarily to Empedocles about the elements.
ὁ μὲν γὰρ πῦρ καὶ γῆν καὶ τὰ σύστοιχα τούτοις στοιχεῖά φησιν εἶναι τῶν σωμάτων καὶ συγκεῖσθαι πάντʼ ἐκ τούτων, Ἀναξαγόρας δὲ τοὐναντίον· τὰ γὰρ ὁμοιομερῆ στοιχεῖα (λέγω δʼ οἷον σάρκα καὶ ὀστοῦν καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἕκασνον), ἀέρα δὲ καὶ πῦρ μίγματα τούτων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων σπερμάτων πάντων· εἶναι γὰρ ἑκάτερον αὐτῶν ἐξ ἀοράτων τῶν ὁμοιομερῶν πάντων ἡθροισμένων.
For the one says that fire and earth and those coordinate with them are the elements of bodies, and that all things are composed of them, but Anaxagoras says the contrary; namely, that the homoeomerous parts are the elements (I mean, for instance, flesh and bone and each of such things), and that air and fire are mixtures of these and of all other seeds; for each of them is composed of all the invisible homoeomerous parts gathered together.
διὸ καὶ γίγνεσθαι πάντʼ ἐκ τούτων· τὸ γὰρ πῦρ καὶ τὸν αἰθέρα προσαγορεύει ταὐτό.
Therefore also all things come to be from these; for he calls fire and ether the same thing.
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐστὶ παντὸς φυσικοῦ σώματος κίνησις οἰκεία, τῶν δὲ κινήσεων αἱ μὲν ἁπλαῖ αἱ δὲ μικταί, καὶ αἱ μὲν μικταὶ τῶν μικτῶν αἱ δὲ ἁπλαῖ τῶν ἁπλῶν εἰσί, φανερὸν ὅτι ἔσται ἄττα σώματα ἀπλᾶ.
And since there is a proper motion for every natural body, and of motions some are simple and others mixed, and the mixed are of mixed bodies while the simple are of simple bodies, it is clear that there will be some simple bodies.
εἰσὶ γὰρ καὶ κινήσεις ἁπλαῖ.
For there are also simple motions.
ὥστε δῆλον καὶ ὅτι ἔστι στοιχεῖα καὶ διὰ τί ἐστιν.
Consequently, it is clear both that there are elements and why there are.