§26.47Διὰ τί ἐπὶ μὲν τῷ νότῳ ταχὺς ὁ βορέας, ἐπὶ δὲ τούτῳ ὁ νότος οὐ ταχὺς ἐπιπίπτει;
Why does the north wind fall upon us quickly after the south wind, but after the former, the south wind does not fall upon us quickly?
ἢ ὅτι τῷ μὲν ἐγγύθεν, τῷ δὲ πόρρωθεν ἡ ἄφιξις;
Is it because the arrival of the former is from nearby, but of the latter from afar?
ἡ γὰρ οἴκησις πρὸς βορέαν ἡμῶν.
For our habitation is towards the north.
§26.48Διὰ τί τὰ πνεύματα ψυχρά ἐστιν, ὄντα ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ θερμοῦ συγκινήσεως;
Why are winds cold, since they arise from the movement caused by heat?
ἢ οὐ πάντως ἡ ὑπὸ τοῦ θερμοῦ κίνησις θερμὴ γίνεται, ἐὰν μὴ τρόπον τινὰ γίνηται;
Is it because the movement caused by heat does not in every case become hot, unless it occurs in a certain way?
ἀλλ’ ἐὰν μὲν ἀθρόως ἐμπίπτῃ, καίει αὐτὸ τὸ ἀφιὲν θέρμῃ.
Rather, if it falls upon us in a mass, that which emits it burns by its heat.
ἐὰν δὲ διὰ στενοῦ καὶ κατὰ μικρόν, αὐτὴ μὲν θερμή, ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ τούτου κινούμενος ἀήρ, οἷος ἄν ποτε τυγχάνῃ προϋπάρχων, τοιαύτην καὶ τὴν κίνησιν ἀπετέλεσεν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος.
But if it is through a narrow space and little by little, the movement itself is hot, but the air moved by this, of whatever sort it may happen to be beforehand, produces a movement of that same sort, just as is the case also with the body.
φασὶ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ θερμὸν καὶ ψυχρὸν ἡμᾶς πνεῖν, τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἀληθές, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν ἐξιὸν θερμὸν ἀεί.
For they say that we blow hot and cold from the same mouth, but this is not true; rather, the air coming out is always hot.
σημεῖον δὲ τὸ ἐγγὺς προσαγαγόντι τοιοῦτον φαίνεσθαι.
A proof of this is that it appears so to one who brings his hand near.
διαφέρει δὲ ἡ ἔκπτωσις αὐτοῦ.
But its emission differs.
ἐὰν μὲν γὰρ διὰ πολλοῦ ἀφίωμεν χανόντες, θερμὸν φαίνεται διὰ τὸ αὐτοῦ αἰσθάνεσθαι, ἐὰν δὲ διὰ στενοῦ, σφοδρότερον γινόμενον ὠθεῖ τὸν πλησίον ἀέρα, κἀκεῖνος τὸν ἐχόμενον.
For if we emit it with our mouths wide open, it appears hot because we feel the breath itself; but if we emit it through a narrow opening, becoming more violent, it pushes the nearby air, and that air pushes the next.
ψυχροῦ δὲ ὄντος τοῦ ἀέρος καὶ ἡ κίνησις αὐτοῦ ψυχρὰ γίνεται.
Since the air is cold, its movement also becomes cold.
μήποτε δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πνευμάτων τὸ αὐτὸ συμβαίνει, καὶ διὰ στενοῦ ἡ πρώτη κίνησις· εἶτ’ ἐκεῖνον μὲν διήνεγκεν, ἕτερος δὲ ἀὴρ ἐπιρρεῖ.
And perhaps the same thing happens also in the case of winds, and the first movement is through a narrow space; then, while it has carried away that air, other air flows in.
διὸ καὶ τοῦ μὲν θέρους θερμά, τοῦ δὲ χειμῶνος ψυχρὰ τὰ πνεύματα, ὅτι ἐν ἑκατέρῳ τοιοῦτος ὁ ἀὴρ ὁ προϋπάρχων·
Therefore winds are hot in summer and cold in winter, because in each season the pre-existing air is of such a character.
ἐπεὶ ὅτι γε οὕτε αὐτὸς ὑφ’ ἑαυτοῦ κινούμενος ὁ ἀὴρ οὔτε ὑπὸ τοῦ θερμοῦ κρατούμενος φέρεται ταύτην τὴν φοράν, δῆλον οὐ μόνον τούτῳ ὅτι θερμαίνει τὰ πνεύματα πλείονος τοῦ θερμοῦ ἐνόντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνω ἐφέρετο.
For that the air is neither moved of itself, nor carried in this direction because it is mastered by heat, is clear not only from the fact that it warms the winds when more heat is present in it, but also because otherwise it would be carried upwards.
τὸ γὰρ πῦρ τοιοῦτον, τὸ δὲ ψυχρὸν κάτω πέφυκεν φέρεσθαι.
For fire is of such a nature, while cold naturally is carried downwards.
τὰ δὲ πνεύματα πλάγια εἰκότως· ἐπεὶ γὰρ τὸ μὲν ἄνω, τὸ δὲ κάτω βιάζεται, καὶ οὐδέτερον κρατεῖ, μένειν δὲ οὐχ οἷόν τε, λοξὴν τὴν φορὰν εἰκότως γίνεσθαι.
But winds naturally move sideways; for since the one forces upwards and the other downwards, and neither masters the other, and it is impossible to remain still, the movement naturally becomes oblique.
§26.49Διὰ τί οἱ νότοι ἐν τῇ Λιβύῃ ψυχροί, ὥσπερ παρ’ ἡμῖν οἱ βορέαι;
Why are south winds cold in Libya, just as north winds are with us?
ἢ πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τὸ ἐγγυτέρω εἶναι ἡμῖν τε κἀκείνοις τὰς ἀρχὰς τῶν πνευμάτων.
Is it, first of all, because the origins of the winds are nearer to both us and them?
εἰ γάρ, ὥσπερ εἴπομεν, διὰ στενοῦ γίνεται τὰ πνεύματα, τοῖς ἐγγυτέρω ψυχρότερα ἔσται διὰ τὴν σφοδρότητα τῆς κινήσεως· εἰς γὰρ τὸ πόρρω προϊούσης διαχεῖται.
For if, as we said, winds arise through a narrow space, they will be colder for those who are nearer because of the violence of the movement; for as it proceeds to a distance, it is dispersed.
διὸ καὶ παρ’ ἡμῖν οἱ βορέαι ψυχροί, ὅτι ἐγγυτέρω καὶ παντελῶς πρὸς τῇ ἄρκτῳ οἰκοῦμεν.
Therefore with us too the north winds are cold, because we live nearer to them and completely towards the north.
§26.50Διὰ τί οἱ νότοι οἱ ξηροὶ καὶ μὴ ὑδατώδεις πυρετώδεις.
Why are dry south winds that do not bring rain fever-inducing?
ἢ ὅτι ὑγρότητα θερμὴν ἀλλοτρίαν ἐμποιοῦσι τοῖς σώμασιν;
Is it because they produce an alien, warm moisture in our bodies?
εἰσὶ γὰρ ὑγροὶ καὶ θερμοὶ φύσει, τοῦτο δ’ ἐστὶ πυρετῶδες;
For they are by nature moist and warm, and this is characteristic of fever.
ὁ γὰρ πυρετὸς ὑπ’ ἀμφοτέρων τούτων ἐστὶν ὑπερβολῆς.
For fever is caused by an excess of both of these.
ὅταν μὲν οὖν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου ἄνευ ὕδατος πνέωσιν, ταύτην τὴν τάξιν, ὅταν δὲ ἅμα τῷ ὕδατι, τὸ ὕδωρ καταψύχει.
When, therefore, they blow by the heat of the sun without rain, they have this condition; but when they blow together with rain, the water cools them.
§26.51Διὰ τί οἱ ἐτησίαι ταὐτὴν δὴ τὴν ὥραν ἀεὶ καὶ τοσοῦτοι πνέουσιν;
Why do the Etesian winds always blow at the very same season, and in such numbers?
καὶ διὰ τί ληγούσης τῆς ἡμέρας λήγουσι καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς οὐ πνέουσιν;
And why do they cease when the day ends, and not blow at night?
ἢ τοῦτο μὲν διὰ τὸ τὴν χιόνα τηκομένην παύεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου πρὸς ἑσπέραν καὶ τὴν νύκτα;
Is the latter because the melting of the snow by the sun ceases towards evening and during the night?
ὅλως δὲ πνέουσιν, ὅταν ὁ ἥλιος κρατεῖν καὶ λύειν ἄρξηται τὸν πρὸς βορέαν πάγον.
And in general, they blow when the sun begins to master and melt the frost towards the north.
ἀρχομένου μὲν οὖν οἱ πρόδρομοι, ἤδη δὲ λυομένου οἱ ἐτησίαι.
Therefore, when it begins to melt, the Precursors blow; but when it is already melting, the Etesian winds blow.