§11.58Διὰ τί ἡ μὲν ὄψις οὐ διέρχεται διὰ τῶν στερεῶν, ἡ δὲ φωνὴ διέρχεται;
Why does sight not pass through solid objects, whereas voice does?
ἢ ὅτι τῆς μὲν ὄψεως μία φορὰ ἡ κατ’ εὐθεῖαν (σημεῖον δὲ αἵ τε τοῦ ἡλίου ἀκτῖνες, καὶ ὅτι ἐξ ἐναντίας μόνον ὁρῶμεν), τῆς δὲ φωνῆς πολλαί;
Is it because the movement of sight is single, namely in a straight line (a sign of which is both the rays of the sun and the fact that we see only from in front), whereas that of voice is manifold?
ἀκούομεν γὰρ πανταχόθεν.
For we hear from all directions.
ὅταν οὖν κωλυθῇ κατ’ εὐθεῖαν ἐκπίπτειν διὰ τὸ μὴ κατ’ ἀλλήλους εἶναι τοὺς πόρους, ἀδυνατεῖ διορᾶν.
Therefore, when it is prevented from proceeding in a straight line because the pores are not aligned with one another, it is impossible to see through.
ὁ δὲ ἀὴρ καὶ ἡ φωνή, ἅτε πανταχοῦ φερομένη, διὰ παντὸς διαπίπτει καὶ ἀκούεται.
But the air and the voice, inasmuch as they are carried everywhere, slip through everything and are heard.
ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὑγροῖς αἱ μὲν ὄψεις διορῶσιν, αἱ δὲ φωναὶ οὐκ ἀκούονται ἢ μόλις, λεπτοτέρου ὄντος τοῦ ὑγροῦ ἢ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι οἱ πόροι μικροὶ καὶ πυκνοὶ καὶ κατ’ ἀλλήλους, ὥστε οὐ κωλύεται ἡ ὄψις εὐθυπορεῖν.
But in liquids, while sights can see through, voices are not heard, or only with difficulty, even though the liquid is more subtle than earth, because the pores are small, dense, and aligned with one another, so that sight is not prevented from travelling in a straight line.
διὰ τοῦτο καὶ διὰ μὲν τῆς ὑέλου διορᾶται πυκνῆς οὔσης, διὰ δὲ τοῦ νάρθηκος ἀραιοῦ ὄντος οὐ διορᾶται.
For this reason, one can see through glass, although it is dense, but not through giant fennel, although it is porous.
ἔτι τῆς μὲν οἱ πόροι κατάλληλοι, τοῦ δὲ παραλλάττοντες· οὐθὲν δ′ ὄφελος εἶναι μεγάλους, ἐὰν μὴ κατ’ εὐθεῖαν ὦσιν.
Furthermore, the pores of the former are aligned, while those of the latter alternate; and there is no benefit in their being large, if they are not in a straight line.
ἡ δὲ φωνὴ οὐκ ἀκούεται, ὅτι ἐλάττω τὰ διάκενα τὰ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι τοῦ ἀέρος, ὥστε οὐ δύναται δέχεσθαι, οὐδὲ διιέναι τὴν φωνήν ἀλλ’ ἢ μόλις [ἢ μετὰ φωνῆς].
On the other hand, the voice is not heard because the intervals in water are smaller than those in air, so that it can neither receive nor let pass the voice, except with difficulty.
ἡ γὰρ φωνὴ ἀήρ τις.
For the voice is a kind of air.
οὐ γὰρ ἅπαν τὸ μανότερον διιτικώτερον, ἂν μὴ καὶ οἱ πόροι ὦσιν ἁρμόττοντες τῷ διιόντι, ὥστ’ οὐδὲ συνιτικώτερον εἰς αὑτό, ἂν μὴ δεκτικοὶ ὦσιν οἱ πόροι τῶν σωμάτων.
For not everything that is more porous is more penetrable, unless the pores are also suited to that which passes through, so that neither is it more compressible into itself, unless the pores are receptive of the bodies.
καίτοι τὸ μανὸν μαλακὸν καὶ δυνάμενον εἰς αὑτὸ συνιέναι.
And yet that which is porous is soft and able to compress into itself.
ἀλλ’ ἔνια κωλύεται διὰ τὴν μικρότητα τῶν πόρων, οἷον ἡ ὕελος· ταύτης γὰρ οὐ συνάγονται, μανοτέρας οὔσης τοῦ νάρθηκος, διὰ τὴν εἰρημένην αἰτίαν.
But some things are prevented because of the smallness of their pores, like glass; for in this case they do not collect together, although it is more porous than giant fennel, for the reason mentioned.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τοιοῦτον· ὥστε καὶ τόδε φανερόν, διότι τοῦ μανοῦ καὶ μαλακοῦ ἢ ταὐτοῦ ὄντος ἢ παραπλησίου τὴν φύσιν, οὐ τὸ μανότερον μᾶλλον συνάγεται εἰς αὑτό· ἡ γὰρ αὐτὴ αἰτία πάντων.
Likewise also water and whatever else is of this kind; so that this also is clear, that where the porous and the soft are either the same or close in nature, the more porous is not more compressed into itself; for the cause of all is the same.
§11.59Διὰ τί γίνεται ἐλάττων μὲν ἡ φωνὴ ἐξαιρουμένων, ὁμοία δὲ τὸν χαρακτῆρα;
Why does the voice become smaller when parts are removed, yet remains similar in character?
ἢ ὅτι ἐμέμικτο αὐτοῖς;
Is it because it was mixed with them?
τὸ δὲ μεμιγμένον οὐ τῇ μέν ἐστι τῇ δὲ οὔ, ἀλλὰ πάντη.
And that which is mixed is not in one part and not in another, but everywhere.
ὁμοίως οὖν πανταχόθεν ἐξαιρουμένων συνέρχεται ὁμοίως, ὥστ’ ἔλαττόν τε ἀνάγκη καὶ ὅμοιον εἶναι.
Therefore, when they are removed similarly from all parts, it comes together similarly, so that of necessity it must be smaller and yet similar.
§11.60Διὰ τί ἰσχνόφωνοι γίνονται;
Why do people become stammerers?
πότερον διὰ θερμότητα προπετέστεροί εἰσιν, ὥστε προσπταίοντες ἐπίσχουσιν, ὥσπερ οἱ ὀργιζόμενοι;
Is it because of warmth that they are more headlong, so that stumbling they check themselves, just like angry people?
καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι πλήρεις ἄσθματος γίνονται.
For these also become full of panting.
πολὺ μὲν οὖν τὸ πνεῦμα συμβαίνει.
Therefore much breath results.
〈ἢ〉 διὰ τὴν ζέσιν τοῦ θερμοῦ ἀσθμαίνουσιν, διὰ τὸ πολὺ εἶναι καὶ μὴ φθάνειν ὑπεξιὸν τῷ τῆς ἀναπνοῆς καιρῷ;
Or do they pant because of the boiling of the warmth, because it is much and does not succeed in escaping in time with the respiration?
ἢ μᾶλλον τοὐναντίον κατάψυξις ἢ θερμότης τοῦ τόπου ᾧ φθέγγονται, ὥσπερ ἀποπληξία τοῦ μέρους τούτου;
Or rather, on the contrary, is it cooling rather than warmth of the region with which they speak, like a paralysis of this part?
διὸ καὶ θερμαινόμενοι ὑπὸ οἴνου καὶ τοῦ λέγειν συνεχῶς ῥᾷον συνείρουσι τὸν λόγον.
Therefore, when they are warmed by wine and by speaking continuously, they connect their words more easily.
§11.61Διὰ τί τοῦ χειμῶνος αἱ φωναὶ βαρύτεραι;
Why are voices deeper in winter?
ἢ ὅτι παχύτερος ὁ ἀήρ, παχυτέρου δὲ ὄντος βραδυτέρα ἡ κίνησις, ὥσθ’ ἡ φωνὴ βαρυτέρα.
Is it because the air is thicker, and when it is thicker, the movement is slower, so that the voice is deeper?
ἢ διότι διὰ τῶν στενῶν βραδύτερον χωρεῖ ὁ ἀήρ, συμφράττεται δὲ τὸ περὶ τὸν φάρυγγα ὑπό τε τοῦ ψυχροῦ καὶ τοῦ ἐπιρρέοντος φλέγματος.
Or because the air travels more slowly through narrow spaces, and the region around the throat is constricted both by the cold and by the flowing in of phlegm?
§11.62Διὰ τί τὰ παιδία καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ οἱ εὐνοῦχοι καὶ οἱ γέροντες φθέγγονται ὀξύ;
Why do children, women, eunuchs, and old men speak in a high voice?
ἢ ὅτι θάττων κίνησίς ἐστιν ἡ ὀξυτέρα;
Is it because the faster movement is the higher-pitched?
ἔστι δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ πλείονος δυσκινητότερον, ὥστε οἱ ἐν ἀκμῇ πλείω συνεπισπῶνται τὸν ἀέρα· οὗτος οὖν βραδύτερον ἰὼν βαρυτέραν παρασκευάζει τὴν φωνήν.
And the same thing, when greater in quantity, is harder to move, so that those in their prime draw in more air; this air, therefore, travelling more slowly, produces a deeper voice.
ἐν δὲ τοῖς παιδίοις καὶ εὐνούχοις διὰ τὸ ἐλάττω ἔχειν ἐναντίως.
But in children and eunuchs, because they have less, the opposite occurs.
τρέμειν δὲ τοὺς πρεσβύτας οὐ δυναμένους κρατεῖν, ὥσπερ τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις καὶ παιδίοις, ὅταν μακρὸν ξύλον λάβωσιν ἀπ’ ἄκρου, τὸ ἕτερον ἄκρον σείεται διὰ τὸ μὴ κρατεῖν. (διὰ τοῦτο καὶ οἱ πρεσβῦται τρέμουσιν διὰ τὸ μηκέτι κρατεῖν).
And old men tremble because they are unable to control it, just as with weak people and children, when they take a long piece of wood by the end, the other end shakes because they cannot control it. (For this reason old men also tremble because they can no longer control it).
τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ ὑποληπτέον καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγωνιώντων καὶ φοβουμένων καὶ ῥιγώντων αἴτιον τοῦ τρόμου τῆς φωνῆς.
And the same cause must be assumed for the trembling of the voice in those who are anxious, afraid, and shivering with cold.
τοῦ γὰρ ἔχοντος τὴν φωνὴν τοιαύτην, τῶν τοιούτων παθῶν εἴσω περιεστηκότος τοῦ πλείστου, λοιπὸν ὀλίγον ὂν οὐ δύναται κρατεῖν τῆς φωνῆς· διὸ καὶ σείεται καὶ τρέμει.
For in one who has such a voice, when most of such affections have withdrawn inward, that which is left, being little, cannot control the voice; therefore it shakes and trembles.
διὸ καὶ οἱ τεχνικοὶ τῶν συνειδότων ὅτι ἀγωνιῶσι μικρὸν διαλέγονται ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἄχρι οὗ ἂν καταστῶσιν· μικρᾶς γὰρ οὔσης τῆς φωνῆς ῥᾷον κρατοῦσιν.
Therefore, those skilled speakers who are conscious that they are anxious speak in a low voice at the beginning, and until they settle down; for when the voice is small they control it more easily.