§26.13Διὰ τί ἐπὶ Ὠρίωνι γίνονται αἰόλοι μάλιστα αἱ ἡμέραι καὶ ἀκαιρίαι τῶν πνευμάτων;
Why, during the period of Orion, are the days especially changeable and the winds irregular?
ἢ ὅτι ἐν μεταβολῇ ἀεὶ πάντα ἀοριστεῖ μάλιστα, ὁ δ’ Ὠρίων ἀνατέλλει μὲν ἐν ἀρχῇ ὀπώρας, δύνει δὲ χειμῶνος, ὥστε διὰ τὸ μήπω καθεστάναι μίαν ὥραν, ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν γίνεσθαι, τὴν δὲ παύεσθαι, διὰ ταῦτα ἀνάγκη καὶ τὰ πνεύματα ἀκατάστατα εἶναι διὰ τὸ ἐπαμφοτερίζειν τὰ ἐξ ἑκατέρας.
Or is it because, during a period of change, all things are always most indefinite, and Orion rises at the beginning of late summer and sets at the beginning of winter, so that, because a single season is not yet established, but one is beginning and the other ending, for these reasons the winds are also necessarily unsettled, because those things which arise from each of the two seasons have a double character?
καὶ χαλεπὸς δὴ λέγεται καὶ δύνων καὶ ἀνατέλλων ὁ Ὠρίων διὰ τὴν ἀοριστίαν τῆς ὥρας· ἀνάγκη γὰρ ταραχώδη εἶναι καὶ ἀνώμαλον.
And indeed, Orion is said to be troublesome both when setting and when rising, because of the indefiniteness of the season; for it must of necessity be turbulent and uneven.
§26.14Διὰ τί ὁ νυκτερινὸς βορέας τριταῖος λήγει;
Why does the nocturnal north wind cease on the third day?
πότερον ὅτι ἀπὸ μικρᾶς καὶ ἀσθενοῦς ἀρχῆς, ἡ τρίτη δὲ κρίσιμος;
Is it because it starts from a small and weak beginning, and the third day is critical?
ἢ ὅτι ἀθρόος ἡ ἔκρυσις, ὥσπερ τῶν ἐκνεφιῶν;
Or is it because the discharge is sudden, just as in the case of squalls?
ταχεῖα οὖν ἡ παῦλα.
Consequently, its cessation is rapid.
§26.15Διὰ τί βορέαι πλεῖστοι πνέουσι τῶν ἀνέμων;
Why do north winds blow most frequently of all winds?
ἢ διὰ τὸ πρὸς τούτῳ τὴν οἰκουμένην τῷ τόπῳ ὑποκεῖσθαι ὄντι ὑψηλῷ καὶ ἔξω τροπῶν καὶ πλήρει χιόνος, ἣ οὐδέποτε ἔνια ὄρη λείπει;
Or is it because the inhabited world lies below this region, which is high, outside the solstices, and full of snow that never leaves some of the mountains?
τὸ πολὺ οὖν ὑγραινομένων τῶν πεπηγότων πολλάκις πνεῦμα γίνεται.
Therefore, when the frozen matter liquefies, a great amount of wind is often produced.
τοῦτο δέ ἐστι βορέας, τὸ ἐκ τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἄρκτου τόπων πνεῦμα.
And this is the north wind, the wind from the regions towards the Bear.
§26.16Διὰ τί οἱ νότοι πνέουσι μὲν χειμῶνος καὶ ἔαρος ἀρχομένου καὶ μετοπώρου λήγοντος, εἰσὶ δὲ κυματοειδεῖς καὶ συνεστραμμένοι, καὶ τοῖς ἐν Λιβύῃ ὁμοίως ψυχροὶ ὡς οἱ βορέαι ἐνταῦθα;
Why do south winds blow in winter, at the beginning of spring, and at the end of autumn, and why are they wavy and violent, and as cold to the inhabitants of Libya as the north winds are here?
ἢ διότι πλησίον τοῦ ἡλίου ὄντος ἀνάγκη κινεῖσθαι τὰ πνεύματα;
Or is it because, when the sun is near, the winds must of necessity be set in motion?
ὁ δὲ ἥλιος τοῦ χειμῶνος πρὸς νότον φέρεται, καὶ τοῦ μὲν ἔαρος ἀρχομένου, τοῦ δὲ μετοπώρου τελευτῶντος ἤδη θερμαίνει, τὸ δὲ θέρος πρὸς βορέαν φέρεται, ἐκείνους δὲ ἀπολείπει τοὺς τόπους.
And the sun in winter is carried towards the south, and at the beginning of spring and the end of autumn it already warms, but in summer it is carried towards the north, and leaves those regions.
θερμὸς δέ ἐστι διὰ τὸ μίγνυσθαι τὸ πνεῦμα τῷ κατὰ Λιβύην ἀέρι θερμῷ ὄντι· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μεγαλοκύμων νοτίζειν ποιεῖ τὸ θέρος, ἐμπίπτων εἰς τὴν θάλατταν.
And it is hot because the wind mixes with the air of Libya, which is hot; and for this reason, falling upon the sea, it produces large waves and brings moisture in summer.
§26.17Διὰ τί ὁ νότος δυσώδης;
Why is the south wind foul-smelling?
ἢ ὅτι ὑγρὰ καὶ θερμὰ ποιεῖ τὰ σώματα, ταῦτα δὲ σήπεται μάλιστα;
Or is it because it makes bodies moist and warm, and these are most subject to decay?
οἱ δὲ ἐκ τῆς θαλάττης νότοι ἀγαθοὶ φυτοῖς· ἐκ θαλάττης γὰρ αὐτοῖς προσπίπτει.
But south winds from the sea are good for plants; for they blow upon them from the sea.
καὶ τῆς Ἀττικῆς τῷ Θριασίῳ πεδίῳ αἴτιον, διότι ἀπεψυγμένος ἀφικνεῖται.
And this is the cause of benefit to the Thriasian plain in Attica, because the wind arrives cooled.
αἱ δ’ ἐρυσίβαι γίνονται ὑπὸ ὑγρότητος θερμῆς μὲν, ἀλλοτρίας δέ.
On the other hand, mildew is caused by moisture that is warm but alien.
§26.18Διὰ τί ἄνεμος γίνεται πρὸ τῶν ἐκλείψεων ὡς τὰ πολλά, ἀκρόνυχον μὲν πρὸ τῶν μεσονυκτίων ἐκλείψεων, μεσονύκτιον δὲ πρὸ τῶν ἑώων;
Why does a wind generally arise before eclipses, at dusk before midnight eclipses, and at midnight before dawn eclipses?
ἢ διότι ἀμαυροῦται τὸ θερμὸν τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς σελήνης διὰ τὸ πλησίον ἤδη φορὰν εἶναι, ἐν ᾧ γενομένῳ ἔσται ἡ ἔκλειψις;
Or is it because the heat from the moon is dimmed because its course is already near where, when it arrives, the eclipse will take place?
ἀνιεμένου οὖν ᾧ κατείχετο ὁ ἀὴρ καὶ ἠρέμει, πάλιν κινεῖται καὶ γίνεται πνεῦμα τῆς ὀψιαίτερον ἐκλείψεως ὀψιαίτερον.
Therefore, when that by which the air was held and kept quiet is relaxed, it is set in motion again, and a wind arises, at a later hour for a later eclipse.
§26.19Διὰ τί ὁ νότος οὐκ ἀρχόμενος, ἀλλὰ λήγων ὑέτιος;
Why is the south wind rainy not when it begins, but when it is ceasing?
πότερον ὅτι πόρρωθεν συνάγει τὸν ἀέρα;
Is it because it collects the air from afar?
γίνεται δὲ συνιστάντος τὸ ὕδωρ, συνίσταται δὲ ὕστερον ἢ ἄρχεται.
And water is produced when the air condenses, but it condenses later than the wind begins.
ἢ ὅτι ἀρχομένου θερμός ἐστιν ὁ ἀὴρ ἔτι διὰ τὸ ἐκ τοιούτου ἐληλυθέναι, ἐπιχρονιζόμενος δὲ ψυχθεὶς συνίσταται μᾶλλον εἰς ὕδωρ.
Or is it because at its beginning the air is still warm because of having come from such a region, but as time passes it is cooled and condenses more into water?
§26.20Διὰ τί ὁ νότος, ὅταν μὲν ἐλάττων ᾖ, αἴθριός ἐστιν, ὅταν δὲ μέγας, νεφώδης καὶ χρονιώτερος;
Why is the south wind, when it is weaker, fair-weathered, but when it is strong, cloudy and more lasting?
πότερον, ὥσπερ τινὲς λέγουσιν, διὰ τὴν ἀρχήν;
Is it, as some say, because of its origin?
ἐὰν μὲν γὰρ ἀπ’ ἐλάττονος, αἴθριος, ἐὰν δὲ ἀπὸ πλείονος ὁρμήσῃ, νεφελώδης.
For if it starts from a smaller origin, it is fair-weathered, but if it rushes forth from a larger one, it is cloudy.
ἢ ὅτι ἐλάττων ἀρχόμενός ἐστιν, ὥστε οὐ πολὺν ἀέρα ὠθεῖ, ἐπὶ τέλει δὲ εἴωθεν γίνεσθαι μέγας.
Or is it because it is weaker when beginning, so that it does not push much air, but near the end it is accustomed to become strong?
διὸ καὶ παροιμιάζονται
ἀρχομένου γε νότου καὶ λήγοντος βορέαο
. §26.21Διὰ τί προΐεται τοῦ χειμῶνος ἀπὸ τῆς ἕω τὰ πνεύματα, τοῦ θέρους δὲ καὶ ἀφ’ ἑσπέρας;
Therefore people also say in proverb: "At the beginning of a south wind, and at the end of a north wind." Why are winds released from the east in winter, but in summer also from the west?
ἢ ὅτι ὅταν μηκέτι κρατῇ ὁ ἥλιος, ἀφιέμενος ὁ ἀὴρ ῥεῖ;
Or is it because, when the sun no longer prevails, the released air flows?
δύνων τε οὖν καταλείπει νέφη, ἀφ’ ὧν οἱ ζέφυροι· καὶ ὅσον ἂν ἐπαγάγῃ ἐκείνοις τοῖς ἐν τῷ κάτω ἡμισφαιρίῳ οἰκοῦσιν, ἑωθινὸν πνεῦμα γίνεται.
Therefore, when setting, it leaves clouds, from which the west winds arise; and whatever wind it brings upon those who dwell in the lower hemisphere becomes a morning wind.
τἀναντία δέ, ὅταν δύνῃ ἐν τῷ κάτω μέρει, ἐκείνοις τε ζεφύρους ποιήσει καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἑωθινὸν πνεῦμα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑπομένου ἀέρος αὐτῷ.
But on the contrary, when it sets in the lower part, it will produce west winds for them and a morning wind here from the air that follows it.
διὰ τοῦτο κἂν καταλάβῃ ἄλλον ἄνεμον, μείζων γίνεται αἰρομένου, ὅτι προσέθηκεν.
Therefore, even if it overtakes another wind, it becomes stronger as the sun rises, because it has added.