§22.8Διὰ τί ἐπὶ τῇ ἀπολαύσει τῆς ὀπώρας, οἷον σύκων καὶ τῶν τοιούτων, ἢ οἶνον ἄκρατον δεῖ ἐπιπίνειν ἢ ὕδωρ;
Why is it that, after the enjoyment of fruit, such as figs and the like, one must drink either unmixed wine or water?
ταῦτα δὲ ἐναντία.
Yet these are opposites.
ἢ ὅτι ἡ ὀπώρα καὶ θερμή ἐστι καὶ ὑγρὰ διὰ τὴν γένεσιν;
Or is it because fruit is both warm and moist by its origin?
ἔχει γὰρ πολὺ πῦρ καὶ ὑγρότητα, ὥστε διὰ μὲν τὸ πῦρ οἷον ζέσιν ποιεῖ ὁ χυμὸς εἴσω, ὅπερ ἔξω τὸ γλεῦκος ποιεῖ.
For it contains much fire and moisture, so that because of the fire the juice produces a sort of boiling within, which the must does outside.
ἧττον δὲ ἔχει δύναμιν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ ἀκρόδρυα.
And the other tree-fruits have less power.
τὸ δὲ τῆς ὑγρότητος πλῆθος ἀπεψίαν ποιεῖ.
But the abundance of moisture causes indigestion.
τὸ μὲν οὖν ὕδωρ διὰ τὴν ψυχρότητα σβεννύει τὴν ζέσιν, ὁ δὲ οἶνος διὰ τὴν θερμότητα ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ· ὥσπερ γὰρ πῦρ ἐνίοτε πυρός, ἐὰν ᾖ ἔλαττον, ἀφαιρεῖται τὴν ἰσχύν.
Now water, because of its coldness, extinguishes the boiling, while wine does so for the most part because of its warmth; for just as fire is sometimes deprived of its strength by another fire, if it is smaller.
μᾶλλον δὲ τῇ θερμότητι πεπτικός ἐστι τῆς ὑγρότητος, καὶ διὰ βάρος κατακρατεῖ τῶν τῆς ζέσεως ἐπιπολασμῶν.
Or rather, by its warmth, it is digestive of the moisture, and by its weight it suppresses the risings of the boiling.
§22.9Διὰ τί τῶν ἰσχάδων γλυκύταται αἱ δίχα ἐσχισμέναι, οὔτε δὲ αἱ πολυσχιδεῖς οὔτε αἱ ἀσχιδεῖς;
Why is it that, among dried figs, those split in two are the sweetest, and neither those split into many parts nor those not split at all are so?
ἢ διότι ἐκ μὲν τῶν πολυσχιδῶν διαπέπνευκεν καὶ ἐξίκμακεν μετὰ τοῦ ὑγροῦ τὸ πλεῖστον τοῦ γλυκέος, ἐν δὲ ταῖς μεμυκυίαις πλεῖον τὸ ὑδατῶδές ἐστι διὰ τὸ μὴ ἠτμικέναι.
Or is it because, from those split into many parts, most of the sweetness has evaporated and escaped along with the moisture, whereas in those that are closed there is more watery substance because they have not evaporated?
αἱ δὲ ἐσχισμέναι μέν, μὴ εἰς πολλὰ δέ, ἀμφοτέρων τούτων ἐκτός εἰσι τῶν παθημάτων.
But those that are split, but not into many parts, are free from both of these conditions.
§22.10Διὰ τί ταῖς καμίνοις ψυχόμενα τὰ σῦκα σκληρότερα γίνεται, ἐὰν ψυχθῇ ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ, ἢ ἂν ἐξαιρεθέντα.
Why is it that figs, when cooled in kilns, become harder if they are cooled in the kiln than if they are cooled after being taken out?
ψυχθῇ; ἢ ὅτι ἐν μὲν τῇ καμίνῳ ἐξατμίζει πᾶν τὸ ὑγρὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ θερμοῦ, ἔξω δὲ περιεστηκὼς ὁ ἀὴρ ψύχων κωλύει τὸ ὑγρὸν ἐξιέναι καὶ συνίστασθαι;
Or is it because in the kiln all the moisture evaporates under the heat, but outside the surrounding air, by cooling them, prevents the moisture from escaping and solidifying?
μᾶλλον γὰρ ἐξατμίζει.
For it evaporates more [in the kiln].
ἔστι δὲ τὰ μὲν ξηρὰ σκληρά, τὰ δὲ ὑγρὰ μαλακά.
And dry things are hard, while moist things are soft.
§22.11Διὰ τί παρὰ τὰ στρυφνὰ ὁ οἶνος καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ φαίνεται γλυκύτερα, οἷον ἐάν τις βαλάνους ἢ μύρτα ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων διατράγῃ;
Why is it that wine and water appear sweeter after astringent things, as when someone chews acorns or myrtle-berries or some such thing?
ἢ εἰκότως, καθάπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων;
Or is it natural, just as in other cases?
πᾶν γὰρ τὸ αὐτὸ παρὰ τὸ ἐναντίον μᾶλλον φαίνεται, οἱ δὲ τῶν ἐναντίων χυμοὶ ἀντικείμενοί πώς εἰσιν.
For everything appears more so when placed next to its opposite, and the juices of opposites are in a way opposed to each other.
ἢ ὅτι, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν βαπτομένων, ὑπὸ τῶν στρυφνῶν ἡ γλῶττα προδιεργάζεται καὶ τοὺς πόρους ἀνοίγεται, ὥστε μᾶλλον διιέναι τὸ γλυκύ;
Or is it because, just as in the case of things being dyed, the tongue is pre-treated by the astringent things and its pores are opened, so that the sweetness penetrates more?
καὶ γὰρ τὰ βαπτόμενα τούτου ἕνεκεν προβρέχουσιν ἐν τοῖς στρυφνοῖς, τῷ διεργασθὲν μᾶλλον δέχεσθαι τὴν βαφήν.
Indeed, they pre-soak things to be dyed in astringent liquids for this reason, so that by being pre-treated they may receive the dye better.
§22.12Διὰ τί τὰ γλυκέα ἧττον δοκεῖ γλυκέα εἶναι θερμὰ ὄντα ἢ ὅταν ψυχθῇ;
Why is it that sweet things seem less sweet when they are warm than when they are cooled?
πότερον ὅτι ἅμα δύο αἰσθήσεις γίνονται ἀμφοῖν, ὥστε ἡ τοῦ θερμοῦ ἐκκρούει τὴν ἑτέραν;
Is it because two sensations occur at the same time for both, so that the sensation of warmth drives out the other?
ἢ ὅτι καὶ τὸ γλεῦκος θερμόν· ὥσπερ οὖν πῦρ γίνεται ἐπὶ πῦρ.
Or is it because the must is also warm; so it is like fire added to fire.
κωλύει οὖν ἡ θερμότης.
Therefore, the warmth prevents [the sweetness from being felt].
ἢ ὅτι τὸ πῦρ ἀφαιρεῖται τὰς δυνάμεις ἁπάντων διὰ τὸ κινητικὸν εἶναι.
Or is it because fire deprives all things of their powers because it is active?
ἐγγυτέρω οὖν τοῦ μεταβάλλειν ἐστὶ θερμὰ ὄντα, ἀποψυχθέντα δὲ ἕστηκεν.
Therefore, when they are warm, they are closer to changing, but when cooled, they are stable.
§22.13Διὰ τί ποτε τὰ ἄχυρα τὰ μὲν σκληρὰ πέττει, τὰ δὲ πεπεμμένα οὐ σήπει;
Why is it that chaff ripens hard things, but does not rot those already ripened?
ἢ ὅτι τὰ ἄχυρα θερμόν τε καὶ ὁλκόν ἐστιν;
Is it because chaff is both warm and drawing?
τῇ μὲν οὖν θερμότητι πέττει, τῷ δὲ ὁλκὸν εἶναι τὸν ἰχῶρα τὸν σηπόμενον δέχεται· διὸ οὐ σήπει.
Therefore, by its warmth it ripens, and by being drawing it receives the rotting serum; therefore it does not rot them.
§22.14Διὰ τί τὰ σῦκα μαλακὰ καὶ γλυκέα ὄντα λυμαίνεται τοὺς ὀδόντας;
Why is it that figs, although they are soft and sweet, ruin the teeth?
ἢ διὰ τὴν γλισχρότητα προσέρχεται τοῖς οὔλοις, καὶ παρεμπίπτει διὰ τῶν ὀδόντων εἰς τὰ διὰ μέσου διὰ τὸ μαλακὰ εἶναι, καὶ σῆψιν ποιεῖ ταχέως ἅτε θερμὰ ὄντα;
Is it because, owing to their stickiness, they cling to the gums, and being soft they fall in between the teeth into the gaps, and quickly produce decay, since they are warm?
τάχα δὲ ἴσως καὶ διὰ τὴν σκληρότητα τῶν κεγχρα· μίδων ἐν τῇ τούτων κατεργασίᾳ πονοῦσι ταχέως οἱ ὀδόντες.
Or perhaps indeed because of the hardness of the seeds, in the chewing of them, the teeth quickly ache.