§25.1Διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς ἀσκοῖς τοῖς πεφυσημένοις ἐναπολαμβανόμενα τὰ μέλη πόνον παρέχει;
Why do limbs enclosed in inflated skins cause pain?
πότερον διὰ τὴν πίεσιν τοῦ ἀέρος;
Is it because of the pressure of the air?
ὥσπερ γὰρ οὐδὲ τοῖς ἔξωθεν πιέζουσι τὸν ἀσκὸν ἐνδίδωσιν ὁ ἀήρ, ἀλλ’ ἀπωθεῖ, οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἐντὸς ἐναπολαμβανόμενα θλίβει ὁ ἀήρ.
For just as the air does not yield to those pressing the skin from the outside, but pushes back, so also the air compresses what is enclosed within.
ἢ διότι βίᾳ κατέχεται καὶ πεπίληται;
Or because it is held by force and compressed?
ἔξω οὖν πάντῃ ὁρμῶν κατὰ φύσιν προσαπερείδεται πρὸς τὸ ἐντὸς ἀπειλημμένον σῶμα.
Striving, therefore, in every direction outwards according to its nature, it presses in addition against the body enclosed within.
§25.2Διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς ἕλεσι τοῖς παρὰ τοὺς ποταμοὺς γίνονται οἱ καλούμενοι βούμυκοι, οὓς μυθολογοῦσιν ταύρους ἱεροὺς εἶναι τοῦ θεοῦ;
Why is it that in the marshes near rivers there occur the so-called "boumykoi", which people mythologically say are sacred bulls of the god?
ἔστι δὲ τὸ γινόμενον ψόφος ὅμοιος φωνῇ ταύρου, ὥστε αἱ βόες οὕτω διατίθενται ἀκούουσαι ὥσπερ ταύρου μυκωμένου.
Now what happens is a sound resembling the voice of a bull, so that cows when they hear it are affected in the same way as if a bull were bellowing.
ἢ ὅτι ὅσοι ποταμοὶ λιμνάζουσιν εἰς ἕλη, ἢ ὅσα ἕλη λιμνάζονται, ἢ ὑπὸ θαλάττης ἀντικρούονται, ἢ τὸ πνεῦμα ἀφιᾶσιν ἀθροώτερον, ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις γίνεται τοῦτο;
Or is it because in all such places where rivers stagnate into marshes, or where marshes are formed, or where they are driven back by the sea, or where they emit wind in a mass, this occurs?
αἴτιον δὲ ὅτι αἱ κοιλίαι τῆς γῆς γίνονται.
And the cause is that cavities in the earth are formed.
οὕτως οὖν κλυζόμενον τὸ ὕδωρ, διὰ τὸ ἐνεῖναι ῥεῦμα ἐν τῇ τοιαύτῃ λιμνασίᾳ, ἀπωθεῖται τὸν ἀέρα διὰ στενοῦ εἰς εὐρυτέραν κοιλίαν, οἷον εἴ τις εἰς ἀμφορέα κενὸν κατὰ τὸ στόμιον ποιοῖ ψόφον, μυκήματι ὅμοιον γίνεται·
Thus the water being washed about, because there is a current in such a stagnation, pushes the air through a narrow opening into a wider cavity, just as if one were to make a noise at the mouth of an empty amphora, it becomes like a bellowing.
καὶ γὰρ ἡ μύκησις διὰ τοῦτο γίνεται τὸ σχῆμα τοῖς βουσίν.
For bellowing also occurs in bulls because of this shape.
πολλὰς δὲ καὶ ἀτόπους φωνὰς ποιοῦσι τὰ σχήματα τῶν κοιλιῶν ἀνώμαλα ὄντα, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἀμφορέως τὸν πύνδακα ἐάν τις ἀφελὼν διὰ τοῦ πυθμένος τρίβῃ ἕλκων ἔσω καὶ ἔξω, εἰ τρίψει διὰ τοῦ καταδήματος, ψόφον ποιεῖ, ὥστε φεύγειν τὰ θηρία, ὅταν οἱ ὀπωροφύλακες κατασκευάσωσιν αὐτό.
The shapes of the cavities, being irregular, also produce many strange sounds, since even if one removes the bottom of an amphora and rubs through the bottom, pulling in and out, and if one rubs through the binding, it makes a noise such that wild beasts flee when the fruit-guards construct it.
§25.3Διὰ τί ὁ ἀὴρ οὐχ ὑγρός, ἁπτόμενος τοῦ ὕδατος;
Why is the air not wet, although it touches the water?
τῶν γὰρ ἄλλων οὐθὲν ὅ τι οὐχ ὑγρόν, ἂν ἅψηται.
For there is nothing else which does not become wet if it touches it.
ἢ διότι τὸ ἔσχατον αὐτῶν ἅμα, τὸ δὲ ἐπίπεδον ἑκατέρου οὐχ ἕτερον;
Or is it because their extremity is together, and the surface of each is not other than the other?
τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλα βαρύτερα, ὁ δὲ ἀὴρ οὐ ῥέπει κατωτέρω τοῦ ἐσχάτου.
Now other things are heavier, but air does not incline lower than the extremity.
ἅπτεται μὲν οὖν, ὅτι οὐθὲν μεταξύ, οὐ βρέχεται δέ, ὅτι ἀεὶ ἄνωθεν τοῦ ὕδατος.
It touches, therefore, because there is nothing between, but it does not get wet because it is always above the water.
§25.4Διὰ τί μέσων νυκτῶν καὶ μεσημβρίας μάλιστα εὐδία γίνεται;
Why is it that at midnight and midday there is the greatest calm?
ἢ διότι ἡ νηνεμία ἐστὶν ἀέρος στάσις, ἕστηκε δὲ μάλιστα ὅταν κρατῇ ἢ κρατῆται, μαχόμενος δὲ κινεῖται.
Or is it because calm is a standstill of the air, and it stands still most of all when it conquers or is conquered, but when it struggles, it is in motion?
κρατεῖ μὲν οὖν μάλιστα μέσων νυκτῶν, κρατεῖται δὲ μεσημβρίας· τοτὲ μὲν γὰρ ὁ ἥλιος πορρωτάτω, τοτὲ δὲ ἐγγυτάτω γίνεται.
Now it conquers most of all at midnight, and is conquered at midday; for at the one time the sun is furthest away, and at the other closest.
ἔτι ἄρχεται τὰ πνεύματα ἢ περὶ ἕω ἢ περὶ δυσμάς, λήγει δὲ τὸ μὲν ἕωθεν, ὅταν κρατηθῇ, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ δυσμῶν, ὅταν παύσηται κρατῶν.
Furthermore, winds begin either about dawn or about sunset, and the morning wind ceases when it is conquered, while the evening wind ceases when it stops conquering.
συμβαίνει οὖν τὰ μὲν μεσημβρίας παύεσθαι, τὰ δὲ μέσων νυκτῶν.
It happens, therefore, that some cease at midday, and others at midnight.
§25.5Διὰ τί ὑποφαυσκούσης ἕω καὶ ἤδη πρωΐ μᾶλλόν ἐστι ψῦχος ἢ τῆς νυκτός, ἐγγυτέρω ὄντος τοῦ ἡλίου ἡμῶν;
Why is it that at dawn, when it is already morning, it is colder than during the night, although the sun is closer to us?
ἢ ὅτι πρὸς ἡμέραν δρόσος καὶ πάχνη πίπτει, ταῦτα δέ ἐστι ψυχρά·
Is it because towards daybreak dew and hoarfrost fall, and these are cold?
ὥσπερ οὖν ῥανθέντος τοῦ παντὸς τόπου ὑγρῷ ψυχρῷ γίνεται κατάψυξις.
Therefore, just as when the whole place is sprinkled with cold moisture, cooling occurs.
§25.6Διὰ τί ἐν τῷ Πόντῳ καὶ ψύχη μάλιστα καὶ πνίγη;
Why is it that in the Pontus there are both extreme colds and stifling heats?
ἢ διὰ τὴν παχύτητα τοῦ ἀέρος;
Is it due to the density of the air?
τοῦ μὲν γὰρ χειμῶνος οὐ δύναται διαθερμαίνεσθαι, τοῦ θέρους δὲ, ὅταν θερμανθῇ, κάει διὰ τὴν παχύτητα.
For in winter it cannot be warmed through, but in summer, when it is warmed, it burns because of its density.
ἡ δὲ αὐτὴ αἰτία καὶ διότι τὰ ἑλώδη τοῦ μὲν χειμῶνος ψυχρά, τοῦ δὲ θέρους θερμά.
And the same cause explains why marshy places are cold in winter, but hot in summer.
ἢ διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἡλίου φοράν;
Or is it because of the motion of the sun?
τοῦ μὲν γὰρ χειμῶνος πόρρω γίνεται, τοῦ δὲ θέρους ἐγγύς.
For in winter it is far away, but in summer near.
§25.7Διὰ τί τῆς νυκτὸς αἰθρία μᾶλλον ἢ μεθ’ ἡμέραν;
Why is there a clearer sky at night than during the day?
ἢ καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ τῆς ταραχῆς ὁ ἥλιος αἴτιος;
Or is the sun the cause of both wind and disturbance?
ταῦτα γὰρ κινήσεώς τινος γενομένης συμβαίνει γίνεσθαι. αἴτιον τοίνυν τὸ θερμόν.
For these happen to occur when some motion arises; the cause, then, is heat.
ὅταν οὖν τοῦτο μὴ παρῇ, ἠρεμεῖ τὸ πᾶν, καὶ αἰρομένου τοῦ ἡλίου μᾶλλον ἢ τοὐναντίον·
When, therefore, this is not present, the whole is at rest, and more so when the sun is set than the contrary.
καὶ τὸ
μήποτ’ ἀπ’ ἠπείρου
τοῦτ’ ἐστίν, ὅτι οὗ πλείστη κίνησις, ἐκεῖ ἥκιστα ἄν τι μένοι καὶ συσταίη, μὴ ὁμαλοῦ ὄντος καὶ κρατοῦντος τοῦ συνισταμένου.
And the saying "never from the mainland" means this: that where there is the most motion, there anything would least remain and condense, unless that which is condensing is uniform and prevailing.
τοῦ μὲν δὴ χειμῶνος ἡ θάλαττα τοιοῦτον, τοῦ δὲ θέρους ἡ γῆ.
In winter, indeed, the sea is of this nature, and in summer the land.