§5.11πρότερα καὶ ὕστερα λέγεται ἔνια μέν, ὡς ὄντος τινὸς πρώτου καὶ ἀρχῆς ἐν ἑκάστῳ γένει, τῷ ἐγγύτερον εἶναι ἀρχῆς τινὸς ὡρισμένης ἢ ἁπλῶς καὶ τῇ φύσει ἢ πρός τι ἢ ποὺ ἢ ὑπό τινων, οἷον τὰ μὲν κατὰ τόπον τῷ εἶναι ἐγγύτερον ἢ φύσει τινὸς τόπου ὡρισμένου (οἷον τοῦ μέσου ἢ τοῦ ἐσχάτου) ἢ πρὸς τὸ τυχόν, τὸ δὲ πορρώτερον ὕστερον·
"Prior" and "posterior" are said of some things in one sense because, on the assumption that there is some first thing and beginning in each genus, they are nearer to some determined beginning, either simply and by nature, or relative to something, or somewhere, or by certain people. For example, some things are so in respect of place, because they are nearer either to some place determined by nature (such as the middle or the extreme) or to some chance place, and that which is further is posterior.
τὰ δὲ κατὰ χρόνον (τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῷ πορρώτερον τοῦ νῦν, οἷον ἐπὶ τῶν γενομένων, πρότερον γὰρ τὰ Τρωϊκὰ τῶν Μηδικῶν ὅτι πορρώτερον ἀπέχει τοῦ νῦν· τὰ δὲ τῷ ἐγγύτερον τοῦ νῦν, οἷον ἐπὶ τῶν μελλόντων, πρότερον γὰρ Νέμεα Πυθίων ὅτι ἐγγύτερον τοῦ νῦν τῷ νῦν ὡς ἀρχῇ καὶ πρώτῳ χρησαμένων)·
Others in respect of time (for some are so by being further from the "now", as in the case of past events, for the Trojan war is prior to the Persian because it is further away from the "now"; and others by being nearer to the "now", as in the case of future events, for the Nemean games are prior to the Pythian because they are nearer to the "now", using the "now" as the beginning and first limit).
τὰ δὲ κατὰ κίνησιν (τὸ γὰρ ἐγγύτερον τοῦ πρώτου κινήσαντος πρότερον, οἷον παῖς ἀνδρός· ἀρχὴ δὲ καὶ αὕτη τις ἁπλῶς)·
Others in respect of movement (for that which is nearer to the first mover is prior, as a boy is prior to a man; and this too is a certain beginning simply).
τὰ δὲ κατὰ δύναμιν (τὸ γὰρ ὑπερέχον τῇ δυνάμει πρότερον, καὶ τὸ δυνατώτερον· τοιοῦτον δʼ ἐστὶν οὗ κατὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν ἀνάγκη ἀκολουθεῖν θάτερον καὶ τὸ ὕστερον, ὥστε μὴ κινοῦντός τε ἐκείνου μὴ κινεῖσθαι καὶ κινοῦντος κινεῖσθαι· ἡ δὲ προαίρεσις ἀρχή)·
Others in respect of power (for that which exceeds in power, and is more powerful, is prior; and of this sort is that according whose choice the other, i.e., the posterior, must follow, so that when the former does not move the latter does not move, and when it moves the latter moves; and choice is a beginning).
τὰ δὲ κατὰ τάξιν (ταῦτα δʼ ἐστὶν ὅσα πρός τι ἓν ὡρισμένον διέστηκε κατά τινα λόγον, οἷον παραστάτης τριτοστάτου πρότερον καὶ παρανήτη νήτης· ἔνθα μὲν γὰρ ὁ κορυφαῖος ἔνθα δὲ ἡ μέση ἀρχή)· —ταῦτα μὲν οὖν πρότερα τοῦτον λέγεται τὸν τρόπον, ἄλλον δὲ τρόπον τὸ τῇ γνώσει πρότερον ὡς καὶ ἁπλῶς πρότερον.
Others in respect of order (and these are all those which, with reference to some one determined thing, stand at a distance according to some formula, as the second man in the rank is prior to the third, and the paranete is prior to the nete; for in the one case the leader of the chorus is the beginning, and in the other the middle string). — In these ways, then, are things said to be prior, but in another way that which is prior in knowledge is also called prior simply.
τούτων δὲ ἄλλως τὰ κατὰ τὸν λόγον καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν αἴσθησιν.
Of these, those which are prior in formula and those in sensation are different.
κατὰ μὲν γὰρ τὸν λόγον τὰ καθόλου πρότερα κατὰ δὲ τὴν αἴσθησιν τὰ καθʼ ἕκαστα·
For in formula universals are prior, but in sensation particulars are prior.
καὶ κατὰ τὸν λόγον δὲ τὸ συμβεβηκὸς τοῦ ὅλου πρότερον, οἷον τὸ μουσικὸν τοῦ μουσικοῦ ἀνθρώπου· οὐ γὰρ ἔσται ὁ λόγος ὅλος ἄνευ τοῦ μέρους· καίτοι οὐκ ἐνδέχεται μουσικὸν εἶναι μὴ ὄντος μουσικοῦ τινός.
And in formula also the accident is prior to the whole, as "musical" to "musical man", for the formula cannot be whole without the part; and yet "musical" cannot exist unless there is someone who is musical.
ἔτι πρότερα λέγεται τὰ τῶν προτέρων πάθη, οἷον εὐθύτης λειότητος· τὸ μὲν γὰρ γραμμῆς καθʼ αὑτὴν πάθος τὸ δὲ ἐπιφανείας.
Further, the attributes of prior things are said to be prior, as straightness to smoothness; for the former is an attribute of a line in itself, and the latter of a surface.
τὰ μὲν δὴ οὕτω λέγεται πρότερα καὶ ὕστερα, τὰ δὲ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ οὐσίαν, ὅσα ἐνδέχεται εἶναι ἄνευ ἄλλων, ἐκεῖνα δὲ ἄνευ ἐκείνων μή· ᾗ διαιρέσει ἐχρήσατο Πλάτων. (ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ εἶναι πολλαχῶς, πρῶτον μὲν τὸ ὑποκείμενον πρότερον, διὸ ἡ οὐσία πρότερον, ἔπειτα ἄλλως τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν καὶ κατʼ ἐντελέχειαν·
Some things, then, are called prior and posterior in this way, but others by nature and substance, which are all those that can exist without other things, while the others cannot exist without them; a distinction which Plato used. (And since "to be" is said in many ways, first, the subject is prior, and therefore substance is prior; and secondly, those things which are in capacity and those in actuality are prior in different ways.
τὰ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ δύναμιν πρότερά ἐστι τὰ δὲ κατὰ ἐντελέχειαν, οἷον κατὰ δύναμιν μὲν ἡ ἡμίσεια τῆς ὅλης καὶ τὸ μόριον τοῦ ὅλου καὶ ἡ ὕλη τῆς οὐσίας, κατʼ ἐντελέχειαν δʼ ὕστερον· διαλυθέντος γὰρ κατʼ ἐντελέχειαν ἔσται. ) τρόπον δή τινα πάντα τὰ πρότερον καὶ ὕστερον λεγόμενα κατὰ ταῦτα λέγεται·
For some are prior in capacity and others in actuality; e.g. in capacity the half-line is prior to the whole line, and the part to the whole, and the matter to the substance, but in actuality they are posterior; for it is only when the whole has been dissolved that they will exist in actuality.) In a certain way, then, all things that are called prior and posterior are so called according to these.
τὰ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ γένεσιν ἐνδέχεται ἄνευ τῶν ἑτέρων εἶναι, οἷον τὸ ὅλον τῶν μορίων, τὰ δὲ κατὰ φθοράν, οἷον τὸ μόριον τοῦ ὅλου.
For some can exist without the others in respect of generation (as the whole without the parts), and others in respect of destruction (as the part without the whole).
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τἆλλα.
And similarly with the other cases.