§2.3.9Ἔτι κοινῶς οὐχ εὑρίσκομεν φυτὸν ἐν χιόνι, πλὴν βλέπομέν ποτε φυτὸν φαινόμενον ἐν αὐτῇ, καί τινα ζῷα, καὶ ἐξαιρέτως ἕλμινθας.
Furthermore, generally we do not find any plant in snow, except that sometimes we see a plant appearing in it, and some animals, and especially worms.
Οὗτοι γὰρ γεννῶνται ἐν τῇ χιόνι, καὶ φλόμος, καὶ πᾶσαι βοτάναι πικραί.
For these are generated in the snow, as well as mullein, and all bitter herbs.
Ἀλλ’ ἡ χιὼν οὐ ζητεῖ προχωρεῖν ἐπὶ τούτῳ, ἂν μὴ καὶ συζευχθείη τις αἰτία ἐν αὐτῇ.
But the snow does not seek to proceed toward this, unless some cause is also joined within it.
§2.3.10Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ὅτι ἡ χιὼν κατέρχεταί ποτε ὁμοία καπνῷ, συμπήγνυσί τε ταύτην ἄνεμος καὶ συσφίγγει ἀήρ.
And this cause is that the snow sometimes falls down like smoke, and the wind condenses it and the air tightens it.
Πλῆν γίνεται καὶ ἀραιότης τις ἐν τοῖς μέρεσιν αὐτῆς· κατέχεται γὰρ ἐν τούτοις θερμόν τι μέρος ἀέρος, μένει τε ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὕδωρ σεσημμένον.
However, there is also a certain rarity in its parts; for a certain warm part of air is contained in these, and from this, putrefied water also remains.
§2.3.11Ὅταν γοῦν ὁ ἀὴρ ὁ ἐγκεκλεισμένος πλείονος γένηται πλατύνσεως καὶ ὁ ἥλιος παρουσιάσηται, ἀπορρήγνυται ὁ ἀὴρ ὁ συμπιληθεὶς ἐν τῇ χιόνι, καὶ φαίνεται ἡ ὑγρότης ἡ σεσημμένη, ἥτις καὶ συμπήγνυται μετὰ τῆς θερμότητος τοῦ ἡλίου· καὶ οὕτω φύονταί τινες βοτάναι,
Therefore, when the enclosed air becomes of greater expansion and the sun is present, the air compressed in the snow breaks out, and the putrefied moisture appears, which also condenses with the heat of the sun; and thus certain herbs grow.
§2.3.12Ἐὰν δὲ ᾖ ὁ τόπος περικεκαλυμμένος, οὐ γίνονται ἐν αὐτῷ βοτάναι ἀλλ’ ἢ ἄνευ φύλλων·
But if the place is covered, plants do not grow in it except without leaves; for the good temperature of the earth, which is of the same kind as it, has departed from it.
ἀπεχώρησε γὰρ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ἡ εὐκρασία τῆς γῆς, ἡ ὁμογενὴς αὐτῇ, Ὄθεν ἄνθη καὶ φύλλα ἐν βοτάναις μικραῖς μεμιγμένα εὑρίσκονται ἐν τόποις κεκραμένοις καθαρῶς δι’ ἀέρος καὶ ὕδατος· ἐν ἑτέροις δὲ μὴ τοιούτοις σπάνιά εἰσι τὰ ἄνθη καὶ τὰ φύλλα τῶν φυτῶν τῶν συμβαινόντων ἐν τῇ χιόνι.
Whence flowers and leaves mixed in small herbs are found in places purely tempered by air and water; but in other places that are not of this kind, the flowers and leaves of the plants that happen to be in the snow are rare.
§2.3.13Ὁμοίως καὶ ἐν τόποις πολλοῖς ἁλμυροῖς καὶ ξηροῖς ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον οὐ φαίνεται φυτόν.
Likewise, also in many salty and dry places, for the most part, no plant appears.
Οὖτοι γὰρ οἱ τόποι πόρρω εἰσὶν εὐκρασίας· ἐλαττονεῖται γὰρ ἡ γῆ, ἐξ ἦς μακράν εἰσιν ὑγρότης καὶ θερμότης, ἅπερ εἰσὶ διὰ γλυκέος ὕδατος.
For these places are far from a good temperature; for the earth is diminished, from which moisture and heat are far away, which are through sweet water.
Τίνεται δέ ποτε ἡ γλυκερὰ γῆ νεκρά, καὶ τότε οὐ γεννῶνται ὀξέως ἐν αὐτῇ βοτάναι.
And sometimes the sweet earth becomes dead, and then herbs are not generated quickly in it.
§2.3.14Ἐν τόποις δὲ θερμοῖς, ὅπου ἔστιν ὕδωρ γλυκὺ καὶ θερμότης πολλή, προφθάνει πέψις ἐκ τῶν δύο μερῶν, ἐκ τῆς διαθέσεως τοῦ τόπου μετὰ καὶ τοῦ ἀέρος τοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ὑπάρχοντος.
But in warm places, where there is sweet water and much heat, concoction is accelerated from two parts, from the disposition of the place along with the air existing in it.
Ἡ δὲ πέψις τοῦ ἀέρος ἐκ τῆς θερμότητός ἐστι τοῦ ἡλίου τῆς ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ τόπῳ.
And the concoction of the air is from the heat of the sun in that place.
Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ τὰ ὄρη ἐφέλκονται ὑγρότητα, βοηθεῖ τε αὐτοῖς καὶ ἡ θερμότης τοῦ ἀέρος.
From this, the mountains also draw moisture, and the heat of the air also helps them.
§2.3.15Ἐπισπεύδει δὲ καὶ ἡ πέψις· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὰ φυτὰ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι φύονται.
And concoction also hastens; and for this reason plants for the most part grow in the mountains.
Ἐν δὲ τοῖς ψάμμοις νικᾷ, ὡς προέφημεν, ἡ ἀλμυρότης, καὶ ἀπομένουσιν ἐν τοῖς μέρεσι τῆς ψάμμου ἀραιότητες ὅμοιαι πρὸς ἀλλήλας.
But in sands, as we said before, saltness prevails, and there remain in the parts of the sand rarities similar to one another.
§2.3.16Ὁ τοίνυν ἥλιος οὐκ ἔχει δύναμιν ἵνα ἐν αὐταῖς ἀπαρτίσῃ καὶ βεβαιώσῃ συνέχειαν οὐσίας.
Therefore, the sun has no power to complete and establish a continuity of substance in them.
Τῷ τοι καὶ φυτὰ ἐν αὐταῖς ὡς τὰ πολλὰ οὐ γίνονται· εἰ δὲ καὶ γίνονται, οὐ κατὰ εἴδη ἴδια καὶ διάφορα, ἀλλὰ κατὰ εἴδη ὅμοια πρὸς ἄλληλα.
For this reason also, plants for the most part do not grow in them; and even if they do, not according to their own distinct and diverse species, but according to species similar to one another.