§26.38Διὰ τί οἱ νότοι μικρὰ μὲν πνέοντες οὐ ποιοῦσιν ἐπίνεψιν [ἤτοι συνέφειαν], μεγάλοι δὲ γενόμενοι ἐπινεφοῦσιν;
Why do south winds, when they blow gently, not cause cloudiness [that is, overcast skies], but when they become strong, they do?
ἢ διότι μικροὶ μὲν πνέοντες οὐ δύνανται πολλὰ νέφη ποιεῖν;
Is it because when they blow gently, they cannot make many clouds?
ὀλίγον οὖν τόπον κατίσχουσιν.
They therefore occupy only a small space.
ὅταν δὲ μεγάλοι γένωνται, πολλὰ ἀπωθοῦσι, διὸ καὶ δοκοῦσι μᾶλλον ἐπινεφεῖν.
But when they become strong, they push many clouds along, and therefore they seem to cause cloudiness more.
§26.39Διὰ τί ὁ μὲν βορέας ἀρχόμενος μέγας, λήγων δὲ μικρός, ὁ δὲ νότος ἀρχόμενος μὲν μικρός, λήγων δὲ μέγας;
Why is the north wind strong at its beginning but weak at its end, whereas the south wind is weak at its beginning but strong at its end?
ἢ ὅτι ὁ μὲν βορέας ἐγγὺς ἡμῶν, ὁ δὲ νότος πόρρω;
Is it because the north wind is near us, but the south wind is far away?
ὁ μὲν οὖν ὅταν ἄρξηται, εὐθὺς παρ’ ἡμῖν, τοῦ δὲ ἅτε διὰ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἡ ἀρχὴ διασκεδάννυται, καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς μικρὸν ἐξικνεῖται αὐτῆς τὸ πρῶτον·
Now when the former begins, it is immediately with us, but since the beginning of the latter is dispersed through much time, only a small part of its beginning reaches us.
τῆς δὲ τελευτῆς τοῦ μὲν αἰσθανόμεθα, τοῦ δὲ ὅλως οὐκ αἰσθανόμεθα.
And we feel the end of the former, but we do not feel the end of the latter at all.
ὥστε εἰκότως ὁ μὲν ἀσθενὴς παυόμενος (ἀσθενὴς γὰρ ἡ τελευτὴ πάντων), ὁ δὲ οὔ· τῆς γὰρ τελευτῆς οὐκέτι αἰσθανόμεθα αὐτοῦ.
So naturally the former is weak when it ceases (for the end of all things is weak), but the latter is not; for we no longer feel its end.
§26.40Διὰ τί οὗ μὲν κόλποι εἰσί, τροπαῖαι γίνονται, οὗ δὲ ἀναπεπταμένα πελάγη, οὐ γίνονται;
Why do shifting winds occur where there are gulfs, but not where there are open seas?
ἢ διότι εἰς μὲν τοὺς κόλπους ῥέον οὐ διασπᾶται τὸ πνεῦμα μᾶλλον, ἀλλ’ ἀθρόον ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ φέρεται, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀναπεπταμένοις ἐξ ἀρχῆς τε αἱ ἀπογέαι εὐθύς διασπῶνται μᾶλλον, καὶ ὅταν ῥέωσι, ταὐτὸ πάσχουσι διὰ τὸ πολλαχῇ ἐξεῖναι ὁρμῆσαι·
Is it because the wind flowing into gulfs is not dispersed much, but rather is carried for the most part in a mass, whereas in open seas both the land-breezes are immediately dispersed more from the start, and when they flow they suffer the same thing because they are able to rush in many directions?
ἔστι γὰρ ἡ τροπαία ἀπόγεος ἀνάκλασις.
For the shifting wind is a reflection of the land-breezes.
§26.41Διὰ τί λέγεται
ἀρχομένου τε νότου καὶ λήγοντος βορέαο
;
Why is it said, "At the beginning of a south wind, and at the end of a north wind"?
ἢ διότι ὁ μὲν βορέας, διὰ τὸ ὑποικεῖν ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ καὶ εἶναι τὴν οἴκησιν πρὸς ἄρκτον, εὐθὺς μέγα πνεῖ;
Is it because the north wind, since we live under it and our habitation is towards the north, immediately blows strong?
ἅμα γὰρ ἄρχεται καὶ πάρεστι.
For as soon as it begins, it is present.
διὸ παυόμενος ἡδὺ πνεῖ· τότε γὰρ ἀσθενὴς πνεῖ.
Therefore, when it ceases, it blows pleasantly; for then it blows weak.
ὁ δὲ νότος διὰ τὸ πόρρωθεν ὕστερον μείζων ἀφικνεῖται.
But the south wind, coming from afar, arrives stronger later on.
§26.42Διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς νοτίοις βαρύτερον ἔχουσι καὶ ἀδυνατώτερον οἱ ἄνθρωποι;
Why do people feel heavier and weaker when south winds blow?
ἢ διότι ἐξ ὀλίγου πολὺ ὑγρὸν γίνεται, διατηκόμενον διὰ τὴν ἀλέαν, καὶ ἐκ πνεύματος κούφου ὑγρὸν βαρὺ· εἶτα ἡ δύναμις ἀτονεῖ.
Is it because a great deal of moisture is produced from a small amount, being melted by the warmth, and heavy moisture is produced from light wind; and then their strength fails?
§26.43Διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς βορείοις βρωτικώτεροι ἢ ἐν τοῖς νοτίοις;
Why are people hungrier during north winds than during south winds?
ἢ διότι ψυχρότερα τὰ βόρεια;
Is it because the north winds are colder?
§26.44Διὰ τί ὁ νότος οὐ πνεῖ κατ’ αὐτὴν τὴν Αἴγυπτον τὰ πρὸς θάλατταν, οὐδ’ ὅσον ἡμέρας δρόμον καὶ νυκτός· τὰ δὲ ὑπὲρ Μέμφεως καὶ ἀποσχόντι δρόμον ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς λαμπρός· καὶ πρὸς ἑσπέραν οὐ πνεῖ, ὅσον δύο ἡμερῶν καὶ νυκτῶν δρόμον, τὰ δὲ πρὸς ἕω λίβες πνέουσιν;
Why does the south wind not blow in Egypt itself in the parts near the sea, not even for a distance of a day and night’s journey, while in the regions above Memphis, even at a distance of a day and night’s journey, it blows strongly; and towards the west it does not blow for a distance of two days and nights’ journey, while towards the east southwest winds blow?
ἢ διότι κοίλη τὰ κάτω ἡ Αἴγυπτός ἐστιν· διὸ ὑπερπίπτει αὐτῆς, ἄνω δὲ καὶ πόρρω ὑψηλότεροι οἱ τόποι.
Is it because lower Egypt is hollow, so that the wind blows over it, whereas the regions further up and far away are higher?
§26.45Διὰ τί ὁ νότος ἀρχόμενος μὲν μικρός ἐστι, λήγων δὲ μείζων γίνεται, ὁ δὲ βορέας ἀνάπαλιν, διὸ καὶ ἡ παροιμία λέγεται εὖ πλεῖν
ἀρχομένου τε νότου καὶ λήγοντος βορέαο
, ἢ διότι πρὸς ἄρκτον μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸς μεσημβρίαν οἰκοῦμεν, πνεῖ δὲ ὁ μὲν βορέας ἀπὸ τῆς ἄρκτου, ὁ δὲ νότος ἀπὸ τῆς μεσημβρίας.
Why is the south wind weak at its beginning but becomes stronger at its end, while the north wind is the reverse, wherefore the proverb is also said that one sails well "at the beginning of a south wind, and at the end of a north wind"? Is it because we live more towards the north than towards the south, and the north wind blows from the north, while the south wind blows from the south?
εἰκότως οὖν ὁ μὲν ἀρχόμενος εὐθὺς σφοδρὸς πρόσκειται τοῖς πλησίον τόποις μᾶλλον, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα μεταλλάττει τὸ σφοδρὸν πρὸς ἐκείνους.
Naturally, then, when the former begins, it immediately bears more violently upon the nearby regions, and afterwards transfers its violence to those further away.
ὁ δὲ νότος τοὐναντίον ἀρχόμενος μὲν τοῖς πρὸς μεσημβρίαν οἰκοῦσιν ἔγκειται, ἐπειδὰν δὲ παραλλάξῃ, τοῖς πρὸς ἄρκτον λαμπρὸς καταπνεῖ.
But the south wind, on the contrary, at its beginning bears upon those who live towards the south, and when it has passed beyond, it blows down brightly upon those towards the north.
§26.46Διὰ τί λέγεται
εἰ δ’ ὁ νότος βορέαν προκαλέσσεται, αὐτίκα χειμῶν
;
Why is it said, "If the south wind challenges the north wind, immediately there is a storm"?
ἢ διότι ὁ νότος τοιοῦτός ἐστιν οἷος νεφέλας καὶ ὕδωρ πολὺ συναίρειν;
Is it because the south wind is of such a nature as to gather clouds and much water?
ὅταν οὖν τοιαύτης τῆς καταστάσεως οὔσης ἐπιπνεύσῃ ὁ βορέας, πολλῆς αὐτῷ ὕλης ὑπαρχούσης πήγνυσι καὶ χειμῶνα ποιεῖ.
When, therefore, the north wind blows when such a condition exists, since it has much material available, it freezes it and makes a storm.
διὸ λέγεται
εἰ βορρᾶς πηλὸν καταλήψεται, αὐτίκα χειμών
. ὁ δὲ πηλὸς καὶ ὅλως τὰ ὕδατα ὑπὸ τοῦ νότου ἢ μάλιστα ἢ πλειστάκις γίνεται.
Therefore it is said, "If the north wind catches the mud, immediately there is a storm." And mud and waters in general are produced by the south wind either most of all or most frequently.