§14.1Διὰ τί θηριώδεις τὰ ἔθη καὶ τὰς ὄψεις οἱ ἐν ταῖς ὑπερβολαῖς ὄντες ἢ ψύχους ἢ καύματος;
Why are those who live in extremes of either cold or heat wild in their characters and appearance?
ἢ διὰ τὸ αὐτό;
Is it for the same reason?
ἡ γὰρ ἀρίστη κρᾶσις καὶ τῇ διανοίᾳ συμφέρει, αἱ δὲ ὑπερβολαὶ ἐξιστᾶσιν, καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ σῶμα διαστρέφουσιν, οὕτω καὶ τὴν τῆς διανοίας κρᾶσιν.
For the best temperament is beneficial also to the intellect, but extremes cause distraction, and just as they distort the body, so they distort the temperament of the intellect.
§14.2Διὰ τί ἐν τῷ Πόντῳ ὁ σῖτος ἐαθεὶς ἐν τῷ ψύχει πολλὰ ἔτη γίνεται ἄκοπος;
Why does grain in Pontus, when left in the cold, remain unspoiled for many years?
ἢ ὅτι ἐξικμάζεται τὸ ἀλλότριον ὑγρὸν μετὰ τοῦ θερμοῦ, ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς σταφυλαῖς;
Is it because the alien moisture is evaporated along with the heat, just as in grapes?
ἔνια μὲν γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ ψυχροῦ, ἔνια δὲ ἅμα τῷ θερμῷ.
For some things are affected by the cold, others along with the heat.
§14.3Διὰ τί ἐν τῇ ψυχροτάτῃ ὥρᾳ οἱ καῦσοι μᾶλλον γίνονται;
Why do burning fevers occur more in the coldest season?
ἢ διότι ἀντιπεριίστησι τὸ ψῦχος εἴσω τὴν θερμότητα;
Is it because the cold drives the heat inward by counter-pressure?
ἐν δὲ τῷ θέρει τοὐναντίον συμβαίνει, τὰ εἴσω ψυχρότερα.
In summer, the opposite happens, and the internal parts are cooler.
ὁ δὲ καῦσος πυρετὸς τῶν ἔξω κατεψυγμένων τὰ ἔσω θερμότητι ὑπερβάλλει.
But the burning fever is a fever where, while the outer parts are chilled, the inner parts exceed in heat.
§14.4Διὰ τί οἱ Αἰθίοπες καὶ οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι βλαισοί εἰσιν;
Why are Ethiopians and Egyptians bandy-legged?
ἢ διότι ὑπὸ θερμοῦ, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ ξύλα διαστρέφεται ξηραινόμενα, οὕτω καὶ τὰ τῶν ζῴων σώματα;
Is it because their bodies are distorted by heat when dried, just as wood is?
δηλοῦσι δὲ καὶ αἱ τρίχες· οὐλοτέρας γὰρ ἔχουσιν, ἡ δὲ οὐλότης ἐστὶν ὥσπερ βλαισότης τῶν τριχῶν.
This is also shown by their hair; for they have curly hair, and curliness is like bandy-leggedness of the hair.
§14.5Διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς νοτίοις μᾶλλον θηλυτοκοῦσιν αἱ ὀχεῖαι;
Why is it that under south winds copulation results more in female offspring?
ἢ ὅτι τὸ πλεῖον ὑγρὸν βραδύτερον παχύνεται;
Is it because the excess of moisture is slower to thicken?
ἐν δὲ τοῖς νοτίοις διὰ τὴν ὑγρότητα τῆς κράσεως ὑγρότερον τὸ σπέρμα γίνεται.
Under south winds, because of the moisture of the temperament, the semen becomes more watery.
§14.6Διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς ἑλώδεσι τὰ μὲν ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ ἕλκη ταχὺ ὑγιάζεται, τὰ δὲ ἐν ταῖς κνήμαις μόλις;
Why is it that in marshy places wounds in the head heal quickly, but those on the shins with difficulty?
ἢ ὅτι βαρεῖα ἡ ὑγρότης διὰ τὸ γεώδης εἶναι, τὰ δὲ βαρέα εἰς τὸ κάτω ὑποχωρεῖ;
Is it because moisture, being earthy, is heavy, and heavy things sink downwards?
τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄνω εὔπεπτα διὰ τὸ ὑποκεχωρηκέναι εἰς τὸ κάτω, τὰ δὲ κάτω πολλῆς γέμει τῆς περιττώσεως καὶ εὐσήπτου.
Thus, the upper parts are easily concocted because the moisture has sunk downwards, while the lower parts are full of abundant and easily putrefied residue.
§14.7Διὰ τί οἱ μὲν ἐν τοῖς εὐπνόοις τόποις βραδέως γηράσκουσιν, οἱ δὲ ἐν τοῖς κοίλοις καὶ ἑλώδεσι ταχέως;
Why do people in well-ventilated places age slowly, but those in hollow and marshy places quickly?
ἢ τὸ γῆρας σηπεδών τίς ἐστιν, σήπεται δὲ τὸ ἠρεμοῦν, τὸ δὲ ἐν κινήσει ὂν ἢ ὅλως ἀσαπὲς ἢ ἧττον τοῦτο πάσχει, οἷον τὸ ὕδωρ.
Is it because old age is a kind of putrefaction, and that which is at rest putrefies, whereas that which is in motion, like water, is either entirely free from putrefaction or suffers it less?
ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς διὰ τὴν εὔπνοιαν ὁ ἀὴρ ἐν κινήσει ἐστίν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς κοίλοις μένει.
In high places, therefore, because of the ventilation, the air is in motion, but in hollows it remains still.
ἔτι δὲ ἐκεῖ μὲν διὰ τὴν κίνησιν ἀεὶ καθαρὸς ὁ ἀὴρ καὶ ἕτερος γίνεται, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἑλώδεσι μένει.
Furthermore, there, owing to the motion, the air is always pure and becomes different, but in marshy places it remains.
§14.8Διὰ τί οἱ μὲν ἐν τοῖς θερμοῖς τόποις δειλοί εἰσιν, οἱ δὲ ἐν τοῖς ψυχροῖς ἀνδρεῖοι;
Why are those in hot places cowardly, while those in cold places are brave?
ἢ ὅτι ἐναντίως τοῖς τόποις καὶ ταῖς ὥραις ἡ φύσις ἔχει, διὰ τὸ ὁμοίως ἐχόντων ἀνάγκῃ διακαίεσθαι ταχέως.
Is it because nature is in a state contrary to the localities and seasons, since those in a similar condition must of necessity burn out quickly?
ἀνδρεῖοι δέ εἰσιν οἱ τὴν φύσιν θερμοί, δειλοὶ δὲ οἱ κατεψυγμένοι.
Those who are hot by nature are brave, while those who are chilled are cowardly.
συμβαίνει δὲ τοὺς μὲν ἐν τοῖς θερμοῖς ὄντας κατεψῦχθαι, τοὺς δὲ ἐν τοῖς ψυχροῖς ἐκτεθερμάνθαι τὴν φύσιν.
It happens, then, that those in hot places are chilled, while those in cold places are heated in their nature.
μεγάλοι δὲ ἄμφω εἰσίν, οἱ μὲν ἐν τοῖς ψυχροῖς διὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς σύμφυτον θερμότητα, οἱ δ’ ἐν τοῖς θερμοῖς διὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ· ἐν γὰρ τοῖς θερμοῖς καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ θερμοῦ αὐξάνονται.
Yet both are large; those in cold places because of the innate heat in them, and those in hot places because of the heat in the locality, for in hot places they are increased by the heat.
τὸ δὲ ψῦχος πιλητικόν ἐστιν.
But cold has a compressing effect.
ἅτε οὖν τῶν μὲν ἐν αὑτοῖς ἐχόντων τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς αὐξήσεως σφοδράν, τῶν δὲ οὐ κωλυομένων ὑπὸ τῆς ἔξωθεν ψυχρότητος, εἰκότως ἐπὶ πολὺ τὴν αὔξησιν ἐπιδέχονται.
Since, then, the former have the principle of growth active within themselves, while the latter are not prevented by the cold from without, they naturally admit of great growth.
οἱ δὲ περὶ ἡμᾶς ἧττον διὰ τὸ ἐλάττω τε ἔχειν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐν αὑτοῖς, καὶ διὰ τὸ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ψυχροῖς συμπιλεῖσθαι.
But those around us are less so, both because they have a smaller principle in themselves, and because those in cold places are compressed.