§12.1Διὰ τί τῶν θυμιαμάτων ἧττον αἰσθάνονται πλησίον ὄντες;
Why do people perceive incense less when they are near it?
πότερον ὅτι ἀκρατεστέρα κερασθεῖσα ἡ ἀπόρροια τῷ ἀέρι ἡδίων, ὥσπερ ἡ σμύρνη τῶν ἰατρῶν;
Is it because the emanation, when mixed with the air, becomes more diluted and thus more pleasant, like the myrrh of the physicians?
ἢ καὶ τοὐναντίον εἴη ἄν, ὥστε ἀφαιρεῖσθαι τὸ πῦρ τὴν ὀσμὴν διὰ τὸ καίειν;
Or could the opposite be the case, so that the fire deprives them of the odor because of the burning?
ἡ γὰρ ὀσμὴ θυμιωμένων.
For the odor belongs to the things being burned as incense.
διὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθράκων οὐκ ὄζει, πορρώτερον δὲ καθαρώτερον φαίνεται καὶ λεπτότατον τοῦτο.
For this reason, it does not smell right on the embers, but further away this appears purer and very subtle.
§12.2Διὰ τί αἱ ὀσμαὶ ἧττον εὐώδεις τῶν θυμιαμάτων καὶ τῶν ἀνθῶν ἐκ τοῦ ἐγγύς;
Why are the odors of incense and flowers less fragrant from close by?
πότερον ὅτι συναπέρχεται τῇ ὀσμῇ καὶ γῆς μόρια, ἅ προκαταφέρεται διὰ βάρος, ὥστε καθαρὰ πορρώτερον γένεται ἡ ὀσμή;
Is it because particles of earth also go along with the odor, which are carried down beforehand because of their weight, so that the odor becomes pure further away?
ἢ οὔτε ἐγγὺς οὔσης τῆς ἀρχῆς πλεῖστον γίνεται τὸ ῥέον, οὔτε λίαν πόρρω;
Or is it that the flowing stream is greatest neither when the source is near, nor when it is too far away?
τὸ μὲν γὰρ οὔπω πολύ, τὸ δὲ διασπᾶται.
For in the former case it is not yet much, while in the latter it is dispersed.
§12.3Λέγεται γὰρ ὡς εὐώδη γίνεται τὰ δένδρα εἰς ἅπερ ἂν ἡ ἶρις κατασκήψῃ.
For it is said that the trees upon which the rainbow settles become fragrant.
πότερον οὖν ἀληθές ἐστιν ἢ ψεῦδος;
Is this then true or false?
καὶ εἰ ἀληθές, διὰ τίν’ αἰτίαν εἴη τὸ συμβαῖνον;
And if true, what would be the cause of what happens?
ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὔτε πάντα οὔτε ἀεί, δῆλον· πολλάκις γὰρ ἡ ἶρις μὲν γέγονε, τὰ δὲ δένδρα οὐθὲν ἐπίδηλα φαίνεται.
That it does not happen to all trees nor always, is clear; for often a rainbow has appeared, but the trees show no noticeable change.
ὅταν τε γέννηται τοῦτο, οὐκ ἐν πάσῃ γίνεται ὕλῃ, ἐπεὶ συμβαίνει γέ ποτε· διὸ καὶ λέγεται.
And when this does occur, it does not happen in every kind of wood, though it does happen sometimes; which is why it is said.
τὸ δ’ αἴτιον κατὰ συμβεβηκὸς τῇ ἴριδι ἀποδοτέον, ἄλλως τε καὶ εἰ μή ἐστί τις φύσις ἡ ἶρις. ἀλλὰ τῆς ὄψεως πάθος ἀνακλωμένης.
But the cause must be attributed to the rainbow by accident, especially since the rainbow is not some physical substance, but an affection of the sight being reflected.
γίνεται δέ, ὥσπερ ἐλέχθη, οὐχ ὁπωσοῦν ἐχούσης τῆς ὕλης τὸ πάθος· οὔτε γὰρ ἐν τοῖς χλωροῖς δένδροις οὔτε ἐν τοῖς αὔοις, ἀλλ’ ἐν τῇ ἐμπεπρησμένῃ ὕλῃ φασὶν οἱ νομεῖς μετὰ τὰ ἐπὶ τῇ ἴριδι ὕδατα γίνεσθαι ἐπίδηλον τὴν εὐωδίαν, καὶ μάλιστα οὗ ἂν ἀσπάλαθος ᾖ καὶ ῥάμνος καὶ ὧν τὰ ἄνθη εὐώδη ἐστίν.
And it happens, as was said, not when the wood is in just any condition; for the shepherds say that the fragrance becomes noticeable after the rains accompanying the rainbow, neither in green trees nor in dry ones, but in scorched wood, and especially where there is wild broom and buckthorn and those plants whose flowers are fragrant.
αἴτιον δὲ τῆς εὐωδίας ἐστίν, ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· διαθέρμου γὰρ καὶ διακεκαυμένης οὔσης, ὅ ἂν ἐκφύσῃ, τὸ πρῶτον εὐῶδες ὄζει.
And the cause of the fragrance is the same as in the case of the earth; for when it is thoroughly warmed and parched, whatever sprouts from it smells sweet at first.
τὰ γὰρ πυρούμενά πως τῶν ὑγρότητα ἐχόντων ὀλίγην εὐώδη γίνεται· πέττει γὰρ τὸ θερμὸν ταύτην.
For things containing a little moisture, when heated in some way, become fragrant; for the heat concocts this moisture.
διὸ καὶ τῆς ὅλης γῆς τὰ πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον εὐωδέστερα τῶν πρὸς ἄρκτον ἐστίν.
For this reason, of the whole earth, the regions toward the sun are more fragrant than those toward the north.
τούτων δὲ τὰ πρὸς ἕω τῶν πρὸς μεσημβρίαν, ὅτι γεώδης μᾶλλον ὁ τόπος ὁ περὶ τὴν Συρίαν καὶ Ἀραβίαν ἐστίν, ἡ δὲ Λιβύη ἀμμώδης καὶ ἄνικμος.
And of these, those toward the east are more so than those toward the south, because the place around Syria and Arabia is more earthy, while Libya is sandy and without moisture.
δεῖ γὰρ μήτε πολλὴν εἶναι τὴν ἰκμάδα, ἄπεπτος γάρ ἐστιν ἡ πολλή, μήτε ἄνικμον, οὐ γὰρ γίνεται ἀτμίς.
For the moisture must neither be much, since a large amount is unconcocted, nor must it be absent, for then no vapor is produced.
ὃ συμβαίνει καὶ περὶ τὴν νεόκαυτον ὕλην καὶ τὸ γένος τοιαύτην ὥστε ἔχειν εὐωδίαν σὺν αὑτῇ.
This also happens in the case of newly-burnt wood and wood of such a kind as to have fragrance in itself.
δηλοῖ δὲ τοῖς ἄνθεσιν· ἀφίησι γὰρ ἐν τούτοις τὴν ὀσμήν.
It is shown by the flowers; for it releases the odor in these.
δοκεῖ δὲ ἐν οἷς ἂν ἐνσκήψῃ ἡ ἶρις γίνεσθαι, ὅτι οὐδὲν ἄνευ ὕδατος οἷόν τε γίνεσθαι· βραχεῖσά τε γὰρ ἡ ὕλη καὶ τῷ ἐνόντι θερμῷ πέψασα τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ γινομένην ἀτμίδα ἀφίησιν.
And it seems to happen where the rainbow settles, because nothing can happen without water; for the wood, having been moistened and having concocted with the heat within it the vapor generated in itself, releases it.
οὔτε πολὺ τὸ ὕδωρ δεῖ εἶναι· ἐκκλύζει γὰρ τὸ πολὺ λίαν, καὶ σβέννυσιν τὴν θερμότητα τὴν ἐνυπάρχουσαν ἀπὸ τῆς πυρώσεως, τὰ δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἶριν ὕδατα οὐ πολλὰ γίνεται, ἀλλὰ μέτρια ὡς εἰπεῖν.
Nor must the water be much; for too much water washes it away, and extinguishes the heat remaining from the burning, whereas the rains after the rainbow are not much, but moderate, so to speak.
καὶ ἐὰν πολλαὶ γίνωνται ἴριδες, οὐ πολὺ γίνεται, ἀλλὰ πολλάκις μέν, ὀλίγον δέ.
And even if many rainbows appear, the water is not much, but occurs many times and in small amounts.
διὸ εἰκότως τούτου γινομένου, οὐθὲν ἄλλο ὁρῶντες διάφορον πλὴν τὴν ἶριν, ταύτῃ τὴν αἰτίαν προσέθεσαν τῆς εὐωδίας.
Therefore, naturally, when this happens, as they see nothing else different except the rainbow, they attributed the cause of the fragrance to it.
§12.4Διὰ τί τὰ ἄνθη καὶ τὰ θυμιώμενα πόρρωθεν μᾶλλον ἥδιον ὄζει, ἐγγύθεν δὲ τὰ μὲν ποωδέστερον, τὰ δὲ καπνωδέστερον;
Why do flowers and incense smell sweeter from a distance, but from nearby the former smell more grassy and the latter more smoky?
ἢ ὅτι ἡ ὀσμὴ θερμότης τίς ἐστιν καὶ τὰ εὐώδη θερμά, τὸ δὲ θερμὸν κοῦφον, ὥστε διὰ μὲν τοῦτο πορρωτέρω διιόντων ἀμιγεστέρα γίνεται ἡ ὀσμὴ τῶν συμπαρεπομένων ὀσμῶν ἀπὸ τῶν φύλλων καὶ τοῦ καπνοῦ, ὄντος ὑδατώδους ἀτμοῦ, πλησίον δὲ ὄντων τὰ μεμιγμένα αὐτοῖς συνόζει ἐν οἷς ἐστίν.
Is it because odor is a kind of heat and fragrant things are hot, and what is hot is light, so that because of this, as they travel further, the odor becomes less mixed with the accompanying odors from the leaves and the smoke, which is watery vapor, whereas when people are near, the things mixed with them in which the odor is present smell together?