§23.6Διὰ τί ἡ θάλαττα λευκοτέρα ἡ ἐν τῷ Πόντῳ ἢ ἡ ἐν τῷ Αἰγαίῳ;
Why is the sea in the Pontus whiter than that in the Aegean?
πότερον διὰ τὴν ἀνάκλασιν τῆς ὄψεως τὴν γινομένην ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάττης εἰς τὸν ἀέρα;
Is it because of the reflection of the sight from the sea to the air?
ὁ μὲν γὰρ περὶ τὸν Πόντον ἀὴρ παχὺς καὶ λευκός, ὥστε καὶ τῆς θαλάττης ἡ ἐπιφάνεια τοιαύτη φαίνεται, ὁ δὲ ἐν τῷ Αἰγαίῳ κυανοῦς διὰ τὸ μέχρι πόρρω εἶναι καθαρός, ὥστε καὶ ἡ θάλαττα ἀνταυγοῦσα τοιαύτη φαίνεται.
For the air around the Pontus is thick and white, so that the surface of the sea also appears to be such, whereas the air in the Aegean is dark blue because of its being clear for a long distance, so that the sea also, reflecting its light, appears to be such.
ἢ ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ λίμναι λευκότεραι τῆς θαλάττης;
Or is it because all lakes are whiter than the sea?
ὁ δὲ Πόντος ἐστὶ λιμνώδης διὰ τὸ πολλοὺς ποταμοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν ῥεῖν.
Now the Pontus is lake-like because many rivers flow into it.
αἱ δὲ λίμναι διαλευκότεραι τῆς θαλάττης καὶ τῶν ποταμῶν· γράφουσι γοῦν οἱ γραφεῖς τοὺς μὲν ποταμοὺς ὠχρούς, τὴν δὲ θάλατταν κυανέαν.
And lakes are distinctly whiter than the sea and the rivers; at any rate, painters paint rivers yellow-brown and the sea dark blue.
ἢ ὅτι διὰ μὲν τοῦ ποτίμου διέρχεται ταχὺ ἡ ὄψις, καὶ οὐκ ἀνακλᾶται πρὸς τὸν ἀέρα, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς θαλάσσης οὔ;
Or is it because the sight passes quickly through fresh water and is not reflected back to the air, but from the sea it is not so?
οὔτ’ ἄνω ἀνακλᾶται διὰ τὸ μὴ λεῖον εἶναι τὸ ὕδωρ· κάτω δὲ ἀποκάμνει βαδίζουσα· διὸ μέλαινα φαίνεται.
In the sea, the sight is not reflected upward because the water is not smooth, and it grows weary as it goes downward; therefore the sea appears dark.
ἐν δὲ τοῖς λιμνώδεσιν ἐπιπολῆς ὄντος τοῦ ποτίμου, κάτω δὲ τοῦ ἁλμυροῦ, οὐ διέρχεται, ἀλλὰ ἀνακλᾶται πρὸς τὴν αὐγήν· διὸ φαίνεται λευκὴ ἡ ἐπιφάνεια αὐτῆς.
But in lake-like waters, since the fresh water is on the surface and the salty water is below, the sight does not pass through, but is reflected toward the light; therefore its surface appears white.
§23.7Διὰ τί ἡ θάλαττα τοῦ ποτίμου ὕδατος ἧττον ψυχρά, καὶ τὰ ἁλυκὰ τῶν γλυκέων;
Why is the sea less cold than fresh water, and salty waters less cold than sweet waters?
πότερον ὅτι πυκνότερον ἡ θάλαττα καὶ μᾶλλον σῶμα;
Is it because the sea is denser and more of a body?
τα δὲ τοιαῦτα ἧττον ψύχεται, ὥσπερ καὶ θερμαίνεται μᾶλλον· σωστικωτέρα γὰρ τοῦ θερμοῦ διὰ τὴν πυκνότητα.
And such things are less cooled, just as they are also more warmed; for the sea is more preservative of heat because of its density.
ἢ ὅτι λιπαρωτέρα ἡ θάλαττα;
Or is it because the sea is more oily?
διὸ καὶ οὐ σβέννυσι τὴν φλόγα.
For this reason also it does not extinguish a flame.
ὁμοίως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων.
Likewise with other oily things.
τὸ δὲ λιπαρώτερον θερμότερον.
And that which is more oily is warmer.
ἢ ὅτι γῆς πολὺ ἔχει, ὥστε ξηρότερον;
Or is it because it contains much earth, so that it is drier?
τὸ δὲ ξηρότερον θερμότερον.
And that which is drier is warmer.
§23.8Διὰ τί θάλαττα εὐδιοπτοτέρα τοῦ ποτίμου, παχυτέρα οὖσα;
Why is the sea more transparent than fresh water, although it is denser?
λεπτότερον γὰρ τὸ πότιμον τοῦ ἁλμυροῦ.
For fresh water is thinner than salty water.
ἢ οὐ τὸ λεπτὸν αἴτιον, ἀλλ’ εὐθυωρίαι τῶν πόρων πλεῖσται καὶ μέγισταί εἰσιν;
Or is the thinness not the cause, but because the straightness of the passages is greatest and largest?
τὸ μὲν οὖν πότιμον πυκνὸν διὰ λεπτομέρειάν ἐστιν, τὸ δὲ ἁλμυρὸν μεγάλα ἔχει τὰ διάκενα.
Fresh water, then, is dense because of the fineness of its parts, whereas salty water has large gaps.
ἢ ὅτι καθαρώτερον ἡ θάλαττα;
Or is it because the sea is cleaner?
γῆ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν, ἡ δὲ ἄμμος βαρεῖα οὖσα ὑφίσταται.
For there is no earth in it, and the sand, being heavy, settles.
τὰ δὲ πότιμα γεώδη.
But fresh waters are earthy.
αὐτὴ δὲ ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ φερομένη ἀναθολοῦται ταχύ.
And the earth itself, being carried in the middle, quickly becomes turbid.
§23.9Διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς βορείοις εὐδιοπτοτέρα ἡ θάλαττα ἢ ἐν τοῖς νοτίοις;
Why is the sea more transparent under northerly winds than under southerly winds?
ἢ ὅτι ἐν τῇ γαλήνῃ χρῶμα ἔχει ἡ θάλαττα;
Is it because in a calm the sea has color?
λιπαρὸν γὰρ ἔνεστιν ἐν τῷ ἁλμυρῷ χυμῷ.
For there is an oily substance in the salty flavor.
σημεῖον δέ· ἐκκρίνεται γὰρ ἔλαιον ἐν ταῖς ἀλέαις.
There is a proof: for oil is separated in hot weather.
εὐδίας οὖν οὔσης καὶ ἀλεεινοτέρας τῆς θαλάττης διὰ κουφότητα, ἐπανθεῖ ἄνω ὁ τοιοῦτος χυμός.
Therefore, when there is a calm and the sea is warmer because of its lightness, such a substance blooms upward.
τοῖς δὲ βορείοις ἧττον διὰ τὸ ψῦχος.
But under northerly winds, this happens less because of the cold.
ἔστιν δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ εὐδιοπτότερον τοῦ ἐλαίου· τὸ γὰρ ἔλαιον χρῶμα ἔχει, τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ ἄχροον παρεμφαινόμενον σαφεστέραν ποιεῖ τὴν ἔμφασιν.
Now water is more transparent than oil; for oil has color, whereas water, being colorless, when appearing alongside makes the image clearer.
§23.10Διὰ τί λουσάμενοι τῇ θαλάττῃ θᾶττον ξηραίνονται, βαρυτέρᾳ οὔσῃ τῶν ποτίμων;
Why do those who have bathed in the sea dry more quickly, although it is heavier than fresh waters?
ἢ ὅτι παχυτέρα καὶ γεώδης ἡ θάλαττα;
Is it because the sea is denser and earthy?
ὀλίγον οὖν ἔχουσα τὸ ὑγρὸν ξηραίνεται θᾶττον.
Since it has little moisture, therefore, it dries more quickly.
§23.11Διὰ τί τὰ κύματα ἀνεμώδη;
Why are waves indicators of wind?
ἢ ὅτι σημεῖά ἐστι πνεύματος ἐσομένου;
Is it because they are signs of a coming wind?
ἔστι γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα σύνωσις ἀέρος.
For wind is a compression of air.
ἢ διὰ τὸ ἀεὶ προωθεῖσθαι γίνεται;
Or does it happen because of being always pushed forward?
προωθεῖ δὲ οὐ συνεχές πω ὂν τὸ πνεῦμα, ἀλλὰ ἀρχόμενον.
The wind, not yet being continuous but beginning, pushes forward.
τὸ μὲν δὴ πρῶτον ὥσπερ προεμαράνθη, ἄλλο δὲ τοῦτο προέωσε καὶ ἄλλην πυκνότητα ἤγαγεν καὶ ἀπεμαράνθη.
The first part, as it were, faded beforehand, and another pushed this forward and brought another density and faded.
ὥστε δῆλον, ὅταν ἤδη τὸ προωθούμενον παρῆ, ὅτι ἥξει καὶ τὸ κινοῦν· ἀρχόμενον γὰρ τοῦτο ποιεῖ.
Consequently, it is clear that when that which is pushed forward is already present, that which moves it will also arrive; for it does this in its beginning.