§12.5Διὰ τί πάντα μᾶλλον ὄζει κινούμενα;
Why do all things smell more when they are moved?
ἢ ὅτι ἀναπίμπλησι πλείω ἀέρα ἢ ἡσυχάζοντα;
Is it because they fill more air than when they are at rest?
διαπέμπεται οὖν ἡ ὀσμὴ θᾶττον οὕτω πρὸς τὴν αἴσθησιν ἡμῶν.
Therefore, the odor is thus transmitted more quickly to our sensation.
§12.6Διὰ τί τοῦ χειμῶνος ἧττον ὀσφραινόμεθα, καὶ ἐν τοῖς πάγεσιν ἥκιστα;
Why do we smell less in winter, and least of all during frosts?
ἢ ὅτι ὁ ἀὴρ ἀκινητότερός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ ψύχει;
Is it because the air is less mobile in the cold?
οὔκουν ἀφικνεῖται ὁμοίως ἡ κίνησις ἡ ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ τὴν ὀσμὴν ἔχοντος διὰ τὴν δυσκινησίαν τῆς ἀπορροῆς καὶ τοῦ ἀέρος ἐν ᾧ ἐστίν.
Therefore, the movement from the body having the odor does not arrive in the same way, because of the difficulty of movement of the emanation and of the air in which it is.
§12.7Διὰ τί δριμύτερον ὄζει τῶν ἀρωμάτων ἐπὶ τέφρας θυμιωμένων ἢ ἐπὶ τοῦ πυρός, καὶ μᾶλλον καὶ πλείω χρόνον τὴν αὑτῶν ὀσμὴν ἔχει ἐπὶ τῆς τέφρας θυμιώμενα;
Why do spices smell more sharply when burned as incense on ashes than on fire, and keep their odor more and for a longer time when burned on ashes?
ἢ ὅτι ἀπεπτοτέρα ἐστὶν ἡ ὀσμὴ ἐπὶ τῆς τέφρας· διὸ καὶ πλείων.
Is it because the odor is less concocted on the ashes, and therefore also more abundant?
τὸ δὲ πῦρ ταχὺ πέττον αὐτῶν τὴν δύναμιν ἀλλοιοῖ τὴν ὀσμήν· ἡ γὰρ πέψις ἀλλοίωσίς ἐστιν τοῦ πεττομένου.
But the fire, quickly concocting their power, alters the odor; for concoction is an alteration of the thing being concocted.
§12.8Διὰ τί ἥδιον ὄζει τῶν ῥόδων ὧν ὁ ὀμφαλὸς τραχύς ἐστιν ἢ ὧν λεῖος;
Why do those roses of which the center is rough smell sweeter than those of which it is smooth?
ἢ ὅτι μᾶλλον ὄζει ἡδὺ ὅσα τὴν φύσιν ἀπείληφε τὴν αὑτῶν;
Is it because those things which have received their own nature smell sweeter?
ἀκανθῶδες φύσει δὲ τὸ ῥόδον ἐστίν.
And the rose is by nature thorny.
διὸ μᾶλλον ἔχον τὰ κατὰ φύσιν ὄζει ἥδιον.
Therefore, having more of what is according to nature, it smells sweeter.
§12.9Διὰ τί αἱ ὀδμαὶ ἐγγύθεν ἧττον εὐώδεις καὶ θυμιαμάτων καὶ ἀνθῶν;
Why are the odors of both incense and flowers less fragrant from close by?
ἢ ὅτι πλησίον μὲν συναποφέρεται τὸ γεῶδες, ὥστε κεραννύμενον ἀσθενεστέραν ποιεῖ τὴν δύναμιν, εἰς δὲ τὸ πόρρω καταφέρεται ἡ ὀσμή.
Is it because nearby the earthy matter is carried along with them, so that by being mixed it makes the power weaker, whereas to a distance the odor is carried?
διὰ ταῦτα δὲ καὶ τριφθέντα τὰ ἄνθη ἀπολλύουσι τὴν ὀσμήν.
For this reason, flowers also lose their odor when they are rubbed.
§12.10Πότερον αἱ ὀσμαὶ καπνὸς ἢ ἀὴρ ἢ ἀτμίς;
Are odors smoke, air, or vapor?
διαφέρει γάρ, ᾗ τὸ μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρός, τὸ δὲ καὶ ἄνευ τούτου γίνεται.
For they differ in that the former is produced by fire, while the latter is produced also without it.
καὶ πότερον ἀπὸ τῆς αἰσθήσεως τι πρὸς ἐκεῖνα ἢ ἀπ’ ἐκείνων πρὸς τὴν αἴσθησιν ἀφικνεῖται, ἀεὶ κινοῦν τὸν πλησίον ἀέρα;
And does something from the sense reach those things, or does it arrive from those things to the sense, always moving the neighboring air?
καὶ εἰ ἀπ’ ἐκείνων ἀπορρεῖ, ἔδει ἔλαττον γίνεσσθαι· καίτοι τὰ εὐωδέστατα ὁρῶμεν μάλιστα διαμένοντα.
And if it flows off from them, it ought to become less; yet we see the most fragrant things remaining the most.
§12.11Διὰ τί δριμύτερον ὄζει μᾶλλον τῶν ἀρωμάτων ἐπὶ τέφρας θυμιωμένων ἢ ἐπὶ τοῦ πυρός;
Why do spices smell more sharply when burned as incense on ashes than on fire?
ἢ διότι ἀπεπτοτέρα ἡ ὀσμὴ ἐπὶ τῆς τέφρας· διὸ καὶ πλείων;
Is it because the odor is less concocted on the ashes, and therefore also more abundant?
πολὺ οὖν καὶ τοῦ γεώδους συναναθυμιᾶται καὶ γίνεται καπνός· τὸ δὲ πῦρ φθάνει ἐκκάον τὸ γεῶδες αὐτῶν, ὥστε ἡ ὀσμὴ καθαρωτέρα καὶ εἰλικρινὴς ἀφικνεῖται ἄνευ τοῦ καπνοῦ.
Therefore, much of the earthy matter also evaporates together and becomes smoke; but the fire anticipates by burning up their earthy matter, so that the odor arrives purer and unmixed without the smoke.
διὸ καὶ τριβόμενα ἧττον εὐώδη τὰ ἄνθη· τὸ γὰρ γεῶδες καὶ ἡ τρῖψις κινεῖ, καὶ ἡ βραδεῖα θερμότης οὐ φθείρει.
Therefore, flowers are also less fragrant when rubbed; for the rubbing also moves the earthy matter, and the slow heat does not destroy it.
§12.12Διὰ τί τὰ εὐώδη οὐρητικὰ καὶ σπέρματα καὶ φυτά;
Why are fragrant seeds and plants diuretic?
ἢ ὅτι θερμὰ καὶ λεπτά, τὰ δὲ τοιαῦτα οὐρητικά;
Is it because they are hot and subtle, and such things are diuretic?
ταχὺ γὰρ λεπτύνει ἡ ἐνοῦσα θερμότης, καὶ ἡ ὀσμὴ οὐ σωματώδδης, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ μὴ εὐώδη, οἷον σκόροδα, διὰ τὴν θερμότητα οὐρητικά, μᾶλλον μέντοι τηκτικά.
For the heat within quickly thins, and the odor is not bodily. Since even non-fragrant things, such as garlic, are diuretic because of their heat, though they are rather liquefying.
θερμὰ δὲ τὰ εὐώδη σπέρματα, διότι ὅλως ἡ ὀσμὴ διὰ θερμότητα γίνεται.
And fragrant seeds are hot, because in general odor is produced by heat.
ἀλλὰ τὰ δυσώδη ἄπεπτά ἐστιν· δεῖ δὲ μὴ μόνον θερμὰ εἶναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὔπεπτα, εἰ ἔσται οὐρητικά, ὅπως συγκατιόντα λεπτύνῃ τὰ ὑγρά.
But foul-smelling things are unconcocted; and they must be not only hot but also easily concocted, if they are to be diuretic, so that, descending together, they may thin the liquids.
§12.13Διὰ τί ποτε οἱ κεκραμένοι τῶν οἴνων θᾶττον τῶν ἀκράτων ὄζουσιν;
Why do diluted wines smell more quickly than undiluted ones?
ἢ ὅτι ὁ κεκραμένος ἀσθενέστερος τοῦ ἀκράτου ἐστίν;
Is it because diluted wine is weaker than undiluted?
τὸ δὲ ἀσθενέστερον ὑπὸ πάντων ἐξίσταται τοῦ ἰσχυροτέρου.
And what is weaker is displaced from its state by everything more easily than what is stronger.
εἶτα ὁ κεκραμένος ἐστὶν εὐπετέστερος τοῦ ἀκράτου.
Furthermore, diluted wine is more easily affected than undiluted.
εὐπετέστερον δέ ἐστιν ὑπάρξαι ᾡτινιοῦν, καὶ ἐκλαβεῖν τι τῶν μὴ ὑπαρχόντων.
And it is easier for anything to be affected, and to receive something of what is not present.
ὁ μὲν οὖν ἄκρατος ὀσμώδης ἐστίν, ὁ δὲ κεκραμένος ἄνοσμος.
For undiluted wine is odorous, whereas diluted wine is odorless.