§1.55 φαίνεται δέ ποτε συνιστάμενα νύκτωρ αἰθρίας οὔσης πολλὰ φάσματα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, οἷον χάσματά τε καὶ βόθυνοι καὶ αἱματώδη χρώματα.
5 Sometimes, when the night is clear, many apparitions are seen forming in the sky, such as chasms, trenches, and blood-red colors.
αἴτιον δὲ ἐπὶ τούτων τὸ αὐτὸ·
The cause of these is the same.
ἐπεὶ γὰρ φανερός ἐστι συνιστάμενος ὁ ἄνω ἀὴρ ὥστʼ ἐκπυροῦσθαι, καὶ τὴν ἐκπύρωσιν ὁτὲ μὲν τοιαύτην γίγνεσθαι ὥστε φλόγα δοκεῖν καίεσθαι, ὁτὲ δὲ οἷον δαλοὺς φέρεσθαι καὶ ἀστέρας, οὐδὲν ἄτοπον εἰ χρωματίζεται ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος ἀὴρ συνιστάμενος παντοδαπὰς χρόας·
For since it is clear that the upper air condenses so as to ignite, and that this ignition is sometimes of such a kind that a flame seems to burn, and sometimes as though torches and stars were being carried along, it is not at all strange if this same air, when condensing, is colored with all kinds of hues.
διά τε γὰρ πυκνοτέρου διαφαινόμενον ἔλαττον φῶς καὶ ἀνάκλασιν δεχόμενος ὁ ἀὴρ παντοδαπὰ χρώματα ποιήσει, μάλιστα δὲ φοινικοῦν ἢ πορφυροῦν, διὰ τὸ ταῦτα μάλιστα ἐκ τοῦ πυρώδους καὶ λευκοῦ φαίνεσθαι μειγνυμένων κατὰ τὰς ἐπιπροσθήσεις, οἷον ἀνίσχοντα τὰ ἄστρα καὶ δυόμενα, ἐὰν ᾖ καῦμα, καὶ διὰ καπνοῦ φοινικᾶ φαίνεται.
For a weaker light shining through a denser medium, and the air receiving reflection, will produce all kinds of colors, especially crimson or purple, because these colors are most likely to appear from the mixture of the fiery and white when they overlap, just as the stars when rising and setting, if there is heat, and through smoke, appear crimson.
καὶ τῇ ἀνακλάσει δὲ ποιήσει, ὅταν τὸ ἕνοπτρον ᾖ τοιοῦτον ὥστε μὴ τὸ σχῆμα ἀλλὰ τὸ χρῶμα δέχεσθαι.
And it will also produce them by reflection, when the mirror is of such a kind as to receive not the shape but only the color.
τοῦ δὲ μὴ πολὺν χρόνον μένειν ταῦτα ἡ σύστασις αἰτία ταχεῖα οὖσα.
The cause of these not remaining for a long time is that their formation is rapid.
τὰ δὲ χάσματα ἀναρρηγνυμένου τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκ κυανοῦ καὶ μέλανος ποιεῖ τι βάθος ἔχειν δοκεῖν.
And the chasms, when the light breaks through dark blue or black, make it seem to have some depth.
πολλάκις δʼ ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων καὶ δαλοὶ ἐκπίπτουσιν, ὅταν συγκριθῇ μᾶλλον· συνιὸν δʼ ἔτι χάσμα δοκεῖ.
And often torches fall out of such things when they condense further; but while it is still coming together, it seems to be a chasm.
ὅλως δʼ ἐν τῷ μέλανι τὸ λευκὸν πολλὰς ποιεῖ ποικιλίας, οἷον ἡ φλὸξ ἐν τῷ καπνῷ.
In general, white in black produces many varieties of colors, like flame in smoke.
ἡμέρας μὲν οὖν ὁ ἤλιος κωλύει, νυκτὸς δʼ ἔξω τοῦ φοινικοῦ τὰ ἄλλα διʼ ὁμόχροιαν οὐ φαίνεται.
So by day the sun prevents them, and by night, except for crimson, the others are not seen because they are of the same color.
περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν διαθεόντων ἀστέρων καὶ τῶν ἐκπυρουμένων, ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν τοιούτων φασμάτων ὅσα ταχείας ποιεῖται τὰς φαντασίας, ταύτας ὑπολαβεῖν δεῖ τὰς αἰτίας.
As for the shooting stars and the ignited bodies, and also the other such apparitions which make rapid appearances, we must assume these to be the causes.