§5Ἀλλὰ μὴν πυρός γε δύο ὁρῶμεν φθοράς, μάρανσίν τε καὶ σβέσιν.
Moreover, we see two kinds of destruction of fire, namely exhaustion and quenching.
Καλοῦμεν δὲ τὴν μὲν ὑφ’ αὑτοῦ μάρανσιν, τὴν δ’ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων σβέσιν, τὴν μὲν γήρᾳ, τὴν δὲ βίαιον.
And we call destruction by itself exhaustion, and that by contraries quenching—the former being through old age, the latter violent.
Συμβαίνει δ’ ἀμφοτέρας διὰ ταὐτὸ γίνεσθαι τὰς φθοράς· ὑπολειπούσης γὰρ τῆς τροφῆς, οὐ δυναμένου λαμβάνειν τοῦ θερμοῦ τὴν τροφήν, φθορὰ γίνεται τοῦ πυρός.
But it happens that both destructions occur because of the same cause; for when nourishment fails, and the heat is unable to receive its nourishment, destruction of the fire occurs.
Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐναντίον παῦον τὴν πέψιν κωλύει τρέφεσθαι· ὁτὲ δὲ μαραίνεσθαι συμβαίνει, πλείονος ἀθροιζομένου θερμοῦ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀναπνεῖν μηδὲ καταψύχεσθαι· ταχὺ γὰρ καὶ οὕτω καταναλίσκει τὴν τροφὴν πολὺ συναθροιζόμενον τὸ θερμόν, καὶ φθάνει καταναλίσκον πρὶν ἐπιστῆναι τὴν ἀναθυμίασιν.
For the contrary factor, by stopping digestion, prevents it from being nourished, while at other times exhaustion happens when too much heat accumulates because of not breathing or not being cooled; for even in this way, the heat accumulating in large amounts rapidly consumes its nourishment, and anticipates it by consuming it before the exhalation can arrive.
Διόπερ οὐ μόνον μαραίνεται τὸ ἔλαττον παρὰ τὸ πλεῖον πῦρ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ καθ’ αὑτὴν ἡ τοῦ λύχνου φλὸξ ἐντιθεμένη πλείονι φλογὶ κατακάεται, καθάπερ ὁτιοῦν ἄλλο τῶν καυστῶν.
Therefore, not only does a smaller fire undergo exhaustion beside a larger one, but even the flame of a lamp by itself, when placed in a larger flame, is burnt up, just like any other combustible material.
Αἴτιον δ’ ὅτι τὴν μὲν οὖσαν ἐν τῇ φλογὶ τροφὴν φθάνει λαμβάνουσα ἡ μείζων φλὸξ πρὶν ἐπελθεῖν ἑτέραν, τὸ δὲ πῦρ ἀεὶ διατελεῖ γινόμενον καὶ ῥέον ὥσπερ ποταμός, ἀλλὰ λανθάνει διὰ τὸ τάχος.
And the cause is that the larger flame anticipates in taking the nourishment present in the flame before another portion arrives, and fire always continues to be generated and to flow like a river, though it escapes notice because of its speed.
Δῆλον τοίνυν ὡς εἴπερ δεῖ σώζεσθαι τὸ θερμόν (τοῦτο δ’ ἀναγκαῖον, εἴπερ μέλλει ζῆν), δεῖ γίνεσθαί τινα τοῦ θερμοῦ τοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ κατάψυξιν.
It is clear, then, that if the heat must be preserved (and this is necessary if life is to continue), some cooling of the heat in the principle must take place.
Παράδειγμα δὲ τούτου λαβεῖν ἔστι τὸ συμβαῖνον ἐπὶ τῶν καταπνιγομένων ἀνθράκων· ἂν μὲν γὰρ ὦσι περιπεπωμασμένοι τῷ καλουμένῳ πνιγεῖ συνεχῶς, ἀποσβέννυνται ταχέως· ἂν δὲ παρ’ ἄλληλά τις ποιῇ πυκνὰ τὴν ἀφαίρεσιν καὶ τὴν ἐπίθεσιν, μένουσι πεπυρωμένοι πολὺν χρόνον.
An example of this can be taken from what happens to charcoal when it is smothered; for if they are continually covered with the so-called extinguisher, they are quickly quenched, but if one frequently removes and replaces the cover alternately, they remain glowing for a long time.
Ἡ δ’ ἔγκρυψις σώζει τὸ πῦρ· οὔτε γὰρ ἀποπνεῖν κωλύεται διὰ μανότητα τῆς τέφρας, ἀντιφράττει τε τῷ πέριξ ἀέρι πρὸς τὸ μὴ σβεννύναι τῷ πλήθει τῆς ἐνυπαρχούσης αὐτῷ θερμότητος.
And burying in ashes preserves the fire; for it is not prevented from breathing out owing to the porous nature of the ashes, and it acts as a barrier against the surrounding air so that it is not quenched by the abundance of the heat inherent in it.
Ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τῆς αἰτίας ταύτης, ὅτι τὸ ἐναντίον συμβαίνει τῷ ἐγκρυπτομένῳ καὶ καταπνιγομένῳ πυρί (τὸ μὲν γὰρ μαραίνεται, τὸ δὲ διαμένει πλείω χρόνον), εἴρηται ἐν τοῖς προβλήμασιν.
But concerning this cause, namely that the opposite happens to fire when buried in ashes and when smothered (for the one undergoes exhaustion, while the other remains for a longer time), it has been discussed in the Problems.
§6Ἐπεὶ δὲ πᾶν ζῷον ἔχει ψυχήν, αὐτὸ δ’ οὐκ ἄνευ φυσικῆς ὑπάρχει θερμότητος, ὥσπερ εἴπομεν, τοῖς μὲν φυτοῖς ἡ διὰ τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τοῦ περιέχοντος ἱκανὴ γίνεται βοήθεια πρὸς τὴν τοῦ φυσικοῦ θερμοῦ σωτηρίαν.
And since every living thing has a soul, and this does not exist without natural heat, as we have said, for plants the assistance through nourishment and the surrounding environment is sufficient for the preservation of their natural heat.
Καὶ γὰρ ἡ τροφὴ ποιεῖ κατάψυξιν εἰσιοῦσα, καθάπερ καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸ πρῶτον προσενεγκαμένοις· αἱ δὲ νηστεῖαι θερμαίνουσι καὶ δίψας ποιοῦσιν· ἀκίνητος γὰρ ὢν ὁ ἀὴρ ἀεὶ θερμαίνεται, τῆς δὲ τροφῆς εἰσιούσης καταψύχει κινούμενος, ἕως ἂν λάβῃ τὴν πέψιν.
For the nourishment, when entering, produces cooling, just as it does in humans when they first take food; on the other hand, fasting heats them and produces thirst; for the air, being stagnant, is always heated, but when food enters, it moves and cools it, until digestion is achieved.
Ἐὰν δὲ ἢ τὸ περιέχον ὑπερβάλλῃ ψυχρότητι διὰ τὴν ὥραν, ἰσχυρῶν γινομένων πάγων, ἐξαυαίνεται, αίνεται, ἢ τοῦ θέρους ἰσχυρὰ συμβαίνῃ καύματα καὶ μὴ δύνηται τὸ σπώμενον ἐκ τῆς γῆς ὑγρὸν καταψύχειν, φθείρεται μαραινόμενον τὸ θερμόν, καὶ λέγεται σφακελίζειν καὶ ἀστρόβλητα γίνεσθαι τὰ δένδρα περὶ τοὺς καιροὺς τούτους.
And if either the surrounding environment exceeds in coldness because of the season, when severe frosts occur, it is dried up, [dried up], or if severe heatwaves occur in summer and the moisture drawn from the earth cannot cool it, the heat is destroyed by undergoing exhaustion, and the trees are said to suffer from blight and to become star-struck at these seasons.
Διὸ καὶ γένη τινὰ λίθων ταῖς ῥίζαις ὑποβάλλουσι καὶ ὕδωρ ἐν ἀγγείοις, ὅπως αἱ ῥίζαι ψύχωνται τῶν φυτῶν.
Therefore, people even place certain kinds of stones under the roots and water in vessels, so that the roots of the plants may be cooled.
Τῶν δὲ ζῴων ἐπεὶ τὰ μέν ἐστιν ἔνυδρα τὰ δ’ ἐν τῷ ἀέρι ποιεῖται τὴν δίαιταν, ἐκ τούτων καὶ διὰ τούτων πορίζεται τὴν κατάψυξιν, τὰ μὲν τῷ ὕδατι τὰ δὲ τῷ ἀέρι.
But as for animals, since some are aquatic and others lead their lives in the air, they obtain cooling from these and through these—some by water and others by air.
Τίνα δὲ τρόπον καὶ πῶς, λεκτέον ἐπιστήσασι τὸν λόγον μᾶλλον.
In what manner and how, we must explain after directing our attention more closely to the argument.