§4.50IV. Εὐδίας δὲ σημεῖα τάδε.
IV. The signs of fair weather are as follows.
ἥλιος μὲν ἀνιὼν λαμπρὸς καὶ μὴ καυματίας καὶ μὴ ἔχων σημεῖον μηδὲν ἐν ἑαυτῷ εὐδίαν σημαίνει.
The sun rising bright, not scorching, and having no sign in itself, indicates fair weather.
ὡς δ᾿ αὕτως σελήνη πανσελήνῳ.
Likewise the moon when it is full.
καὶ δυόμενος ἥλιος χειμῶνος εἰς καθαρὸν εὐδιεινός, ἐὰν μὴ ταῖς προτέραις ἡμέραις εἰς μὴ καθαρὸν δεδυκὼς ἐξ εὐδιῶν· οὕτω δὲ ἄδηλον.
And in winter, the sun setting into a clear sky brings fair weather, unless during the preceding days it has set into an unclear sky after fair weather; in that case, the sign is uncertain.
καὶ ἐὰν χειμάζοντος ἡ δύσις γένηται εἰς καθαρόν, εὐδιεινόν· καὶ ἐὰν δύνων χειμῶνος ὠχρὸς ᾖ, εὐδίαν σημαίνει.
And if, during a storm, the setting is into a clear sky, it brings fair weather; and if the sun is pale as it sets in winter, it indicates fair weather.
§4.51Καὶ ὁ μεὶς ἐὰν τριταῖος ὢν λαμπρὸς ᾖ, εὐδιεινόν.
And if the moon is bright on its third day, it brings fair weather.
καὶ ἡ τοῦ ὄνου Φάτνη ὅτε ἂν καθαρὰ καὶ λαμπρὰ φαίνηται, εὐδιεινόν.
And when the Manger of the Ass appears clear and bright, it brings fair weather.
ἅλως δὲ ἐὰν ὁμαλῶς παγῇ καὶ μαρανθῇ, εὐδίαν σημαίνει.
And if a halo evenly condenses and fades away, it indicates fair weather.
αἱ κηλάδες νεφέλαι χειμῶνος εὐδιειναί.
Dappled clouds in winter bring fair weather.
Ὄλυμπος δὲ καὶ Ἄθως καὶ ὅλως τὰ ὄρη τὰ σημαντικὰ ὅταν τὰς κορυφὰς καθαρὰς ἔχωσιν, εὐδίαν σημαίνει.
And when Olympus and Athos, and in general the mountains which give signs, have their peaks clear, it indicates fair weather.
καὶ ὅταν τὰ νέφη πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν αὐτὴν παραζωννύῃ, εὐδιεινόν.
And when clouds form a belt close to the sea itself, it brings fair weather.
καὶ ὅταν ὕσαντος πρὸς δυσμὰς χαλκῶδες τὰ νέφη χρῶμα ἔχῃ· εὐδία γὰρ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ.
And when, after it has rained, the clouds toward the west have a bronze color; for there is generally fair weather on the following day.
§4.52Ὅταν δὲ ὁμίχλη γένηται, ὕδωρ οὐ γίνεται ἢ ἔλαττον.
And when fog occurs, there is no rain, or very little.
ὅταν γέρανοι πέτωνται καὶ μὴ ἀνακάμπτωσιν, εὐδίαν σημαίνει· οὐ γὰρ πέτονται πρὶν ἢ ἂν πετόμενοι καθαρὰ ἴδωσι.
When cranes fly and do not turn back, it indicates fair weather; for they do not fly until they see a clear sky as they fly.
γλαῦξ ἡσυχαῖον φθεγγομένη ἐν χειμῶνι εὐδίαν προσημαίνει· καὶ νύκτωρ χειμῶνος ἡσυχαῖον ᾄδουσα.
An owlet hooting quietly in winter foretells fair weather; and also when singing quietly at night in winter.
θαλαττία δὲ γλαῦξ ᾄδουσα χειμῶνος μὲν εὐδίαν σημαίνει, εὐδίας δὲ χειμῶνα.
And a sea-owlet singing indicates fair weather in winter, but in fair weather it indicates a storm.
καὶ κόραξ δὲ μόνος μὲν ἡσυχαῖον κράζων, καὶ ἐὰν τρὶς κράξῃ μετὰ τοῦτο πολλάκις κράξῃ, εὐδιεινός.
And a raven croaking quietly by itself, and if it croaks three times and after this croaks many times, brings fair weather.
§4.53Καὶ κορώνη ἕωθεν εὐθὺς ἐὰν κράξῃ τρίς, εὐδίαν σημαίνει, καὶ ἑσπέρας χειμῶνος ἡσυχαῖον ᾄδουσα.
And a crow, if it croaks three times immediately at dawn, indicates fair weather, as also when singing quietly in the evening of winter.
καὶ ὄρχιλος ἐξ ὀπῆς ἐκπετόμενος καὶ ἐξ ἑρκίων καὶ ἐξ οἰκίας ἔξωθεν εὐδίαν σημαίνει.
And a wren flying out from a hole, or from hedges, or from the outside of a house, indicates fair weather.
καὶ ἐὰν χειμῶνος βορεύοντος βορρᾶθεν ὑπόλαμψις γένηται λευκή, νοτόθεν δὲ ἐναντία τεταγμένη ᾖ νεφέλη ὀγκώδης, ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ εἰς εὐδίαν σημαίνει μεταβολήν.
And if, in winter when the north wind is blowing, a white brightness appears from the north, and on the south side opposite to it a swollen cloud is stationed, it generally indicates a change to fair weather.
καὶ ὅταν βορέας νεφέλας πολλὰς κινῇ ἐκπνέων μέγας, εὐδίαν σημαίνει.
And when the north wind, blowing strong, moves many clouds, it indicates fair weather.
§4.54Πρόβατα ὀψὲ ὀχευόμενα εὐδιεινὸν ἀποτελοῦσι τὸ σημεῖον.
Sheep mating late make a sign of fair weather.
καὶ βοῦς ἐπὶ τὸ ἀρίστερον ἰσχίον κατακλινόμενος εὐδίαν σημαίνει· καὶ κύων ὡσαύτως· ἐπὶ δεξιὸν δὲ χειμῶνα.
And an ox lying down on its left flank indicates fair weather, and a dog likewise; but on its right, a storm.
τέττιγες πολλοὶ γινόμενοι νοσῶδες τὸ ἔτος σημαίνουσι.
Many cicadas appearing indicate that the year will be sickly.
λύχνος χειμῶνος καιόμενος ἡσυχαῖος εὐδίαν σημαίνει.
A lamp burning quietly in winter indicates fair weather.
καὶ ἐὰν ἐπ᾿ ἄκρῳ οἷον κέγχρους ἔχῃ λαμπράς· καὶ ἐὰν ἐν κύκλῳ τὴν μύξαν περιγράφῃ λαμπρὰ γραμμή.
And if it has at its tip bright spots like millet seeds, and if a bright line circles the nozzle.
§4.55Ὁ τῆς σχίνου καρπὸς σημαίνει τοὺς ἀρότους· ἔχει δὲ τρία μέρη καὶ ἔστιν ὁ πρῶτος τοῦ πρώτου ἀρότου σημεῖον, ὁ δεύτερος τοῦ δευτέρου, ὁ τρίτος τοῦ τρίτου·
The fruit of the mastic-tree indicates the times for plowing; for it has three parts, and the first is the sign of the first plowing, the second of the second, the third of the third.
καὶ ὡς ἂν τούτων ἐκβαίνῃ κάλλιστα καὶ γένηται ἁδρότατος, οὕτως ἕξει καὶ ὁ κατὰ τοῦτον ἄροτος.
And according as whichever of these turns out best and becomes most full, so too will be the plowing corresponding to it.
§4.56Λέγεται δὲ καὶ τοιάδε σημεῖα ὅλων τε τῶν ἐνιαυτῶν γίνεσθαι καὶ τῶν μορίων.
And signs of such a kind are also said to occur for whole years and for their parts.
ἐὰν ἀρχομένου τοῦ χειμῶνος ζόφος ᾖ καὶ καύματα γίνηται καὶ ταῦτα ἄνευ ὕδατος ὑπ᾿ ἀνέμων διαλυθῇ, πρὸς τὸ ἔαρ σημαίνει χάλαζαν ἐσομένην.
If, at the beginning of winter, there is darkness and heat occurs, and these are dispersed by winds without rain, it indicates that there will be hail toward spring.
καὶ ἐὰν μετὰ τὴν ἐαρινὴν ἰσημερίαν ὀμίχλαι πίπτωσι, πνεύματα καὶ ἀνέμους σημαίνουσιν εἰς ἕβδομον μῆνα ἀμφοτέρων ἀριθμουμένων.
And if fogs fall after the vernal equinox, they indicate breezes and winds toward the seventh month, both being counted.
ὅσαι μὲν ἅμα μηνοειδεῖ τῇ σελήνῃ πίπτουσιν, αὗται μὲν πνεύματα σημαίνουσιν εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον, ὅσαι δ᾿ ἀμφικύρτου οὔσης τῆς σελήνης ὕδατα.
Those which fall when the moon is crescent-shaped indicate winds toward that time, but those when the moon is gibbous indicate rain.
καὶ ὅσῳ ἂν μᾶλλον ἐφ᾿ ἑκατέρῳ τῷ σχήματι ὀμίχλαι πίπτωσι, μᾶλλον τὰ εἰρημένα σημαίνει.
And the more the fogs fall during either shape, the more they indicate the things mentioned.
§4.57Σημαίνει δὲ καὶ τὰ πνεύματα ἅμα ταῖς ὀμίχλαις ἐπιπιπτούσαις γινόμενα· καὶ ἐὰν μὲν ἀπ᾿ ἠοῦς καὶ μεσημβρίας γίνηται τὰ πνεύματα, ὕδατα σημαίνει· ἐὰν δ᾿ ἀφ᾿ ἑσπέρας καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἄρκτου πνεύματα καὶ ψύχη.
The winds that arise at the same time as the fogs fall also indicate things; and if the winds arise from the east and south, they indicate rain; but if from the west and the north, they indicate winds and cold.
οὓς δὲ κομήτας Αἰγύπτιοι λέγουσιν οὐ μόνον τὰ προειρημένα σημαίνουσιν ὅταν φαίνωνται ἀλλὰ καὶ ψύχη·
And what the Egyptians call comets, when they appear, indicate not only the things mentioned before but also cold.
ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς ἄστροις εἴωθεν ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ σημαίνειν καὶ ταῖς ἰσημερίαις καὶ τροπαῖς, οὐκ ἐπ᾿ αὐταῖς ἀλλ᾿ ἢ πρὸ αὐτῶν ἢ ὕστερον μικρῷ.
And they generally tend to give signs at the rising of stars and at the equinoxes and solstices, not on the days themselves, but either before them or a little after.