§2.10#110.
10.
Ἔτι δὲ ἐπεὶ ἡ κατὰ τὴν φορὰν κίνησις δέδεικται ὅτι ἀΐδιος, ἀνάγκη τούτων ὄντων καὶ γένεσιν εἶναι συνεχῶς· ἡ γὰρ φορὰ ποιήσει τὴν γένεσιν ἐνδελεχῶς διὰ τὸ προσάγειν καὶ ἀπάγειν τὸ γεννυητικόν.
And further, since motion according to locomotion has been demonstrated to be eternal, it is necessary, these things being so, that generation also exists continuously; for locomotion will produce generation uninterruptedly by bringing near and leading away that which generates.
ἄμα δὲ δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τὰ πρότερον καλῶς εἴρηται, τὸ πρώτην τῶν μεταβολῶν τὴν φορὰν ἀλλὰ μὴ τὴν γένεσιν εἰπεῖν· πολὺ γὰρ εὐλογώτερον τὸ ὂν τῷ μὴ ὄντι γενέσεως αἴτιον εἶναι ἢ τὸ μὴ ὂν τῷ ὄντι τοῦ εἶναι.
And at the same time it is clear that what was said before was also well said, namely to say that locomotion, and not generation, is the first of changes; for it is far more reasonable that that which is should be the cause of generation for that which is not, than that that which is not should be the cause of being for that which is.
τὸ μὲν οὖν φερόμενον ἔστι, τὸ δὲ γινόμενον οὐκ ἔστιν· διὸ καὶ ἡ φορὰ προτέρα τῆς γενέσεως.
Therefore, that which is carried along is, but that which is coming to be is not; wherefore also locomotion is prior to generation.
ἐπεὶ δ᾿ ὑπόκειται καὶ δέδεικται συνεχὴς οὖσα τοῖς πράγμασι καὶ γένεσις καὶ φθορά, φαμὲν δ᾿ αἰτίαν εἶναι τὴν φορὰν τοῦ γίνεσθαι, φανερὸν ὅτι μιᾶς μὲν οὔσης τῆς φορᾶς οὐκ ἐνδέχεται γίνεσθαι ἄμφω διὰ τὸ ἐναντία εἶναι· τὸ γὰρ αὐτὸ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχον ἀεὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πέφυκε ποιεῖν.
And since both generation and destruction have been hypothesized and demonstrated to be continuous for things, and we say that locomotion is the cause of coming to be, it is manifest that, if locomotion is single, it is not possible for both to come to be because they are contraries; for that which is the same and in the same state is always naturally fitted to do the same thing.
ὥστε ἤτοι γένεσις ἀεὶ ἔσται ἢ φθορά.
So that there will be either always generation or destruction.
δεῖ δὲ πλείους εἶναι τὰς κινήσεις καὶ ἐναντίας, ἢ τῇ φορᾷ ἢ τῇ ἀνωμαλίᾳ· τῶν γὰρ ἐναντίων τἀναντία αἴτια.
But there must be more motions than one, and they must be contrary, either by locomotion or by irregularity; for of contraries the causes are contrary.
Διὸ καὶ οὐχ ἡ πρώτη φορὰ αἰτία ἐστὶ γενέσεως καὶ φθορᾶς, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ κατὰ τὸν λοξὸν κύκλον· ἐν ταύτῃ γὰρ καὶ τὸ συνεχές ἐστι καὶ τὸ κινεῖσθαι δύο κινήσεις· ἀνάγκη γάρ, εἴ γε ἀεὶ ἔσται συνεχὴς γένεσις καὶ φθορά, ἀεὶ μέν τι κινεῖσθαι, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιλείπωσιν αὗται αἱ μεταβολαί, δύο δ᾿, ὅπως μὴ θάτερον συμβαίνῃ μόνον.
Wherefore also it is not the primary locomotion that is the cause of generation and destruction, but that along the inclined circle; for in this there is both that which is continuous and that which is moved with two motions; for it is necessary, if indeed there is to be always continuous generation and destruction, that something is always moved, so that these changes may not fail, and that there be two motions, so that not one of them only may happen.
τῆς μὲν οὖν συνεχείας ἡ τοῦ ὅλου φορὰ αἰτία, τοῦ δὲ προσιέναι καὶ ἀπιέναι ἡ ἔγκλισις· συμβαίνει γὰρ ὁτὲ μὲν πόρρω γίνεσθαι ὁτὲ δ᾿ ἐγγύς.
Therefore, of the continuity, the locomotion of the whole is the cause, but of the approaching and withdrawing, the inclination is the cause; for it happens that at one time it is far off, and at another time near.
ἀνίσου δὲ τοῦ διαστήματος ὄντος ἀνώμαλος ἔσται ἡ κίνησις· ὥστ᾿ εἰ τῷ προσιέναι καὶ ἐγγὺς εἶναι γεννᾷ, τῷ ἀπιέναι ταὐτὸν τοῦτο καὶ πόρρω γίνεσθαι φθείρει, καὶ εἰ τῷ πολλάκις προσιέναι γεννᾷ, καὶ τῷ πολλάκις ἀπελθεῖν φθείρει· τῶν γὰρ ἐναντίων τἀναντία αἴτια.
And since the distance is unequal, the motion will be irregular; so that if by approaching and being near it generates, by withdrawing and becoming far off this same thing destroys; and if by approaching many times it generates, by withdrawing many times it also destroys; for of contraries the causes are contrary.
καὶ ἐν ἴσῳ χρόνῳ καὶ ἡ φθορὰ καὶ ἡ γένεσις ἡ κατὰ φύσιν.
And natural destruction and generation also take place in equal time.
διὸ καὶ οἱ χρόνοι καὶ οἱ βίοι ἑκάστων ἀριθμὸν ἔχουσι καὶ τούτῳ διορίζονται· πάντων γάρ ἐστι τάξις, καὶ πᾶς βίος καὶ χρόνος μετρεῖται περιόδῳ, πλὴν οὐ τῇ αὐτῇ πάντες, ἀλλ᾿ οἱ μὲν ἐλάττονι οἱ δὲ πλείονι· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἐνιαυτός, τοῖς δὲ μείζων, τοῖς δὲ ἐλάττων περίοδός¹ ἐστι τὸ μέτρον.
Wherefore also the times and the lives of each have a number and are distinguished by this; for there is an order of all things, and every life and time is measured by a period, except not all by the same period, but some by a smaller and others by a greater; for to some a year, and to others a greater, and to others a smaller period is the measure.
Φαίνεται δὲ καὶ τὰ2 κατὰ τὴν αἴσθησιν ὁμολογούμενα τοῖς παρ᾿ ἡμῶν λόγοις· ὁρῶμεν γὰρ ὅτι προσιόντος μὲν τοῦ ἡλίου γένεσίς ἐστιν, ἀπιόντος δὲ φθίσις, καὶ ἐν ἴσῳ χρόνῳ ἑκάτερον· ἴσος γὰρ ὁ χρόνος τῆς φθορᾶς καὶ τῆς γενέσεως τῆς κατὰ φύσιν.
And the things according to sensation also appear to be in agreement with the arguments on our part; for we see that when the sun approaches there is generation, but when it withdraws there is decay, and each in equal time; for the time of natural destruction and generation is equal.
ἀλλὰ συμβαίνει πολλάκις ἐν ἐλάττονι φθείρεσθαι διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἄλληλα σύγκρασιν· ἀνωμάλου γὰρ οὕσης τῆς ὕλης καὶ οὐ πανταχοῦ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀνάγκη καὶ τὰς γενέσεις ἀνωμάλους εἶναι καὶ τὰς μὲν θάττους τὰς δὲ βραδυτέρας, ὥστε συμβαίνει διὰ τὴν τούτων γένεσιν ἄλλοις γίνεσθαι φθοράν.
But it often happens that things are destroyed in a smaller time on account of their mutual mixture with one another; for since matter is irregular and not everywhere the same, it is necessary that generations also are irregular, and some faster and others slower, so that it happens that through the generation of these, destruction comes to be for others.