§1.17Ἐὰν ἱέραξ ἐπὶ δένδρου καθεζόμενος καὶ εἴσω εἰσπετόμενος φθειρίζηται, ὕδωρ σημαίνει.
If a hawk, perched on a tree and flying into the interior, preens itself, it indicates rain.
καὶ θέρους ὅταν πολλοὶ ἀθρόοι φανῶσιν ὄρνιθες οἳ βιοτεύουσιν ἐν νήσῳ, ὕδωρ σημαίνουσιν· ἐὰν δὲ μέτριοι, ἀγαθὸν αἰξὶ καὶ βοτοῖς, ἐὰν δὲ πολλοὶ ὑπερβολῇ, αὐχμὸν ἰσχυρόν.
And when in summer many birds that live on an island appear in a body, they indicate rain; but if they are moderate in number, it is good for goats and cattle, and if they are excessively many, it indicates a severe drought.
ὅλως δὲ ὄρνιθες καὶ ἀλεκτρυόνες φθειριζόμενοι ὑδατικὸν σημεῖον, καὶ ὅταν μιμῶνται ὕδωρ ὡς ὗον.
In general, birds and cocks preening themselves is a sign of rain, and also when they mimic water as though it were raining.
§1.18Καὶ ἡ νῆττα ἥμερος ὑπιοῦσα ὑπὸ τὰ γεῖσα ἀποπτερυγίζηται, ὕδωρ σημαίνει, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ κολοιοὶ καὶ ἀλεκτρυόνες, ἐάν τε ἐπὶ λίμνῃ ἢ θαλάττῃ ἀποπτερυγίζωνται, ὡς νῆττα ὕδωρ σημαίνει.
And if a tame duck, going under the eaves, shakes its wings, it indicates rain; likewise also jackdaws and cocks, and if they shake their wings on a lake or on the sea, they indicate rain in the same way as the duck.
καὶ ἐρωδιὸς ὄρθριον φθεγγόμενος ὕδωρ ἢ πνεῦμα σημαίνει· καὶ ἐὰν ἐπὶ θάλατταν πετόμενος βοᾷ, μᾶλλον ὕδατος σημεῖον ἢ πνεύματος, καὶ ὅλως βοῶν ἀνεμῶδες.
And a heron crying early in the morning indicates rain or wind; and if it cries while flying toward the sea, it is a sign of rain rather than of wind, and in general its crying while flying is a sign of wind.
§1.19Καὶ ὁ σπίνος ἐν οἰκίᾳ οἰκουμένῃ ἐὰν φθέγξηται ἔωθεν, ὕδωρ σημαίνει ἢ χειμῶνα.
And if a finch in an inhabited house sings in the morning, it indicates rain or a storm.
καὶ χύτρα σπινθηρίζουσα πᾶσα περίπλεως ὕδατος σημεῖον.
And a cooking-pot sparking all over is a sign of rain.
καὶ ἴουλοι πολλοὶ πρὸς τοῖχον ἕρποντες ὑδατικόν.
And many millipedes crawling toward a wall is a sign of rain.
δελφὶς παρὰ γῆν κολυμβῶν καὶ ἀναδυόμενος πυκνὰ ὕδωρ ἢ χειμῶνα σημαίνει.
A dolphin diving and rising frequently near the land indicates rain or a storm.
§1.20Ὕμηττος ἐλάττων, ἄνυδρος καλούμενος, ἐὰν τῷ κοίλῳ νεφέλιον ἔχῃ, ὕδατος σημεῖον· καὶ ἐὰν ὁ μέγας Ὕμηττος τοῦ θέρους ἔχῃ νεφέλας ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐκ πλαγίου, ὕδατος σημεῖον.
If the lesser Hymettus, called "waterless," has a small cloud in its hollow, it is a sign of rain; and if the great Hymettus in summer has clouds above and on its side, it is a sign of rain.
καὶ ἐὰν ὁ ἄνυδρος Ὕμηττος λευκὰς ἔχῃ ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐκ πλαγίου.
And likewise if the waterless Hymettus has white clouds above and on its side.
καὶ ἐὰν περὶ ἰσημερίαν λὶψ πνεύσῃ, ὕδωρ σημαίνει.
And if at the equinox the south-west wind blows, it indicates rain.
§1.21Αἱ δὲ βρονταὶ αἱ μὲν χειμεριναὶ καὶ ἑωθιναὶ μᾶλλον ἄνεμον ἢ ὕδωρ σημαίνουσιν· αἱ δὲ θεριναὶ μεσημβρίας καὶ ἑσπεριναὶ βρονταὶ ὑδατικὸν σημεῖον.
Thunder in winter and early morning indicates wind rather than rain; but thunder in summer at noon and in the evening is a sign of rain.
ἀστραπαὶ δὲ ἐάν γε πανταχόθεν γένωνται, ὕδατος ἂν ἢ ἀνέμου σημεῖον, καὶ ἑσπεριναὶ ὡσαύτως.
And if lightning occurs from all sides, it is a sign of rain or of wind, and likewise in the evening.
καὶ ἐὰν ἀκρορίας νότου πνέοντος νοτόθεν ἀστράψῃ, ὕδωρ σημαίνει ἢ ἄνεμον.
And if, while the south wind is blowing, lightning flashes from the south from the mountain peaks, it indicates rain or wind.
καὶ ζέφυρος ἀστράπτων πρὸς βορείου ἢ χειμῶνα ἢ ὕδωρ σημαίνει.
And the west wind flashing lightning toward the north indicates either a storm or rain.
καὶ θέρους αἱ ἑσπέριαι ἀστραπαὶ ὕδωρ αὐτίκα σημαίνουσιν ἢ τριῶν ἡμερῶν.
And in summer evening lightning indicates rain immediately or within three days.
καὶ ὀπώρας βορρᾶθεν ἀστραπαὶ ὑδατικὸν σημεῖον.
And in late autumn lightning from the north is a sign of rain.
§1.22Ἡ Εὔβοια ὅταν διαζωσθῇ μέση, ὕδωρ διὰ ταχέων.
When Euboea is girdled in its middle, there is rain quickly.
καὶ ἐὰν ἐπὶ τὸ Πήλιον νεφέλη προσίζῃ. ὅθεν ἂν προσίζῃ, ἐντεῦθεν ὕδωρ ἢ ἄνεμον σημαίνει.
And if a cloud settles on Mount Pelion, from whichever direction it settles, from there it indicates rain or wind.
ὅταν ἶρις γένηται, ἐπισημαίνει· ἐάν τε πολλαὶ ἴριδες γένωνται, σημαίνει ὕδωρ ἐπὶ πολύ.
When a rainbow occurs, it indicates a change of weather; and if many rainbows occur, it indicates rain for a long time.
ἄλλὰ πολλάκις καὶ οἱ ὀξεῖς ἥλιοι, ὅταν ἐκ νεφέλης.
But often also intense suns, when they appear out of a cloud, indicate the same.
μύρμηκες ἐν κοίλῳ χωρίῳ ἐὰν τὰ ᾠὰ ἐκφέρωσιν ἐκ τῆς μυρμηκιᾶς ἐπὶ τὸ ὑψηλὸν χωρίον, ὕδωρ σημαίνουσιν, ἑὰν δὲ καταφέρωσιν, εὐδίαν.
If ants in a hollow place carry their eggs out of the ant-hill to a high place, they indicate rain, but if they carry them down, fair weather.
ἑὰν παρήλιοι δύο γένωνται καὶ ὁ μὲν νοτόθεν ὁ δὲ βορρᾶθεν, καὶ ἅλως ἅμα ὕδωρ διὰ ταχέων σημαίνουσι.
If two mock-suns occur, one from the south and the other from the north, and a halo at the same time, they indicate rain quickly.
καὶ ἅλως αἱ μέλαιναι ὑδατικὸν καὶ μᾶλλον αἱ δείλης.
And black halos are a sign of rain, and especially those in the evening.
§1.23Ἐν τῷ Καρκίνῳ δύο ἀστέρες εἰσίν, οἱ καλούμενοι Ὄνοι, ὧν τὸ μεταξὺ τὸ νεφέλιον ἡ Φάτνη καλουμένη.
In Cancer there are two stars, those called the Asses, the small cloud between which is called the Manger.
τοῦτο ἐὰν ζοφῶδες γένηται, ὑδατικόν.
If this becomes gloomy, it is a sign of rain.
ἐὰν μὴ ἐπὶ Κυνὶ ὕσῃ ἢ ἐπὶ Ἀρκτούρῳ, ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ πρὸς ἰσημερίαν ὕδωρ ἢ ἄνεμος.
If it does not rain at the rising of the Dog-star or of Arcturus, for the most part there is rain or wind toward the equinox.
καὶ τὸ δημόσιον τὸ περὶ τὰς μυίας λεγόμενον ἀληθές· ὅταν γὰρ δάκνωσι σφόδρα, ὕδατος σημεῖον.
And what is commonly said about flies is true; for when they bite severely, it is a sign of rain.
σπίνος φθεγγόμενος ἕωθεν μὲν ὕδωρ σημαίνει ἢ χειμῶνα, δείλης δὲ ὕδωρ.
A finch singing in the morning indicates rain or a storm, but in the evening, rain.
§1.24Τῆς δὲ νυκτὸς ὅταν τὸν Ὕμηττον κάτωθεν τῶν ἄκρων νεφέλη διαζώσῃ λευκὴ καὶ μακρά, ὕδωρ γίνεται ὡς τὰ πολλὰ μετρίων ἡμερῶν.
And at night, when a white and long cloud girdles Mount Hymettus below its peaks, rain occurs for the most part within a few days.
καὶ ἐὰν ἐν Αἰγίνῃ ἐπὶ τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ Ἑλλανίου νεφέλη καθίζηται, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ ὕδωρ γίνεται.
And if on Aegina a cloud settles on the mountain of Zeus Hellanios, for the most part rain occurs.
ἐὰν ὕδατα πολλὰ γίνηται χειμερινά, τὸ ἔαρ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ γίνεται αὐχμηρόν· ἐὰν δ᾿ αὐχμηρὸς ὁ χειμών, τὸ ἔαρ ὑδατῶδες.
If there is much rain in winter, spring is for the most part dry; but if the winter is dry, the spring is wet.
ὅταν χιόνες πολλαὶ γίνωνται, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ εὐετηρία γίνεται.
When there is much snow, there is for the most part a year of abundance.
§1.25Φασὶ δέ τινες καὶ εἰ ἐν ἄνθραξι λαμπρὰ χάλαζα ἐπιφαίνηται, χάλαζαν προσημαίνειν ὡς τὰ πολλά· ἐὰν δὲ ὥσπερ κέγχροι μικροὶ λαμπροὶ πολλοί, ἀνέμου μὲν ὄντος εὐδίαν, μὴ ἀνέμου δὲ ὕδωρ ἢ ἄνεμον.
And some say that if a bright "hailstone" appears in burning coals, it portends hail for the most part; but if there are many small bright millet-like spots, it indicates fair weather if there is wind, but rain or wind if there is no wind.
ἔστι δ᾿ ἄμεινον πρῶτον γίνεσθαι βόρειον ὕδωρ νοτίου καὶ τοῖς φυομένοις καὶ τοῖς ζῴοις· δεῖ δὲ γλυκὺ εἶναι καὶ μὴ ἁλμυρὸν τοῖς γευομένοις.
And it is better for both plants and animals that northern rain should occur before southern; and it must be sweet and not salty to those who taste it.
καὶ ὅλως ἔτος βέλτιον νοτίου βόρειον καὶ ὑγιεινότερον.
And in general a northern year is better and healthier than a southern one.
καὶ ὅταν πάλιν ὀχεύωνται πρόβατα ἢ αἶγες, χειμῶνος μακροῦ σημεῖον.
And when sheep or goats breed again, it is a sign of a long winter.