§1.1Σημεῖα ὑδάτων καὶ πνευμάτων καὶ χειμώνων καὶ εὐδιῶν ὧδε ἐγράψαμεν καθʼ ὅσον ἦν ἐφικτὸν, ἃ μὲν αὐτοὶ προσκοπήσαντες ἃ δὲ παρʼ ἑτέρων οὐκ ἀδοκίμων λαβόντες.
Signs of rain, winds, storms, and fair weather we have written down here as far as was possible, some from our own observation, and others from trustworthy sources.
Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἄστροις δυομένοις καὶ ἀνατέλλουσιν ἐκ τῶν ἀστρονομικῶν δεῖ λαμβάνειν.
Now, those signs that depend on the setting and rising of stars must be taken from astronomical treatises.
§1.2Εἰσὶ δὲ δύσεις διτταί· οἵ τε γὰρ ἀφαυ νισμοὶ δύσεις εἰσί· τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν ὅταν ἅμα συνδύνῃ τῷ ἡλίῳ τὸ ἄστρον, καὶ ὅταν ἀνατέλλοντος δύνῃ.
Settings are of two kinds: for both disappearances are settings—which happens when the star sets at the same time as the sun—and when it sets as the sun is rising.
Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἀνατολαὶ διτταὶ, αἱ μὲν ἑῷοι ὅταν προανατέλλῃ τοῦ ἡλίου τὸ ἄστρον, αἱ δʼ ἀκρόνυχοι ὅταν ἅμα δυομένῳ ἀνατέλλῃ.
Likewise, risings are also of two kinds: the morning risings when the star rises before the sun, and the evening risings when it rises at the same time as the sun is setting.
Αἱ μὲν οὖν τοῦ ἀρκτούρου λεγόμεναι ἀνατολαὶ ἀμφοτέρως συμβαίνουσιν· ἡ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ χειμῶνος ἀκρόνυχός ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ μετωπορινὴ ἑῴα.
Now the so-called risings of Arcturus occur in both ways: for that of winter is at evening, and that of autumn is at morning.
Τῶν δʼ ἄλλων αἱ πλεῖσται τῶν ὀνομαζομένων ἑῷαι οἷον Πλειάδος καὶ Ὠρίωνος καὶ κυνός.
Of the others, most of those named are morning risings, such as those of the Pleiades, Orion, and the Dog-star.
§1.3Τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν σημείων ἔνια μὲν ἴδια κατὰ πάσας χώρας ἐστὶν ἐν ὅσαις ὄρη ὑψηλὰ καὶ αὐλῶνές εἰσι, μάλιστα δὲ ὅσα πρὸς θάλασσαν καθήκει τῶν ὑψηλῶν· τῶν τε γὰρ πνευμάτων ἀρχομένων τὰ νέφη προσπίπτει πρὸς τοὺς τοιούτους τόπους καὶ μεθισταμένων εἰς τοὐναντίον ἀντιμεθίστανται καὶ ὑγρότερα γινόμενα διὰ βάρος εἰς τὰ κοῖλα συγκαθίζει.
Of the remaining signs, some are peculiar to all regions where there are high mountains and valleys, and especially where high lands descend to the sea; for when winds begin to blow, the clouds dash against such places, and when the winds shift to the opposite quarter, the clouds also shift in response, and, becoming heavier with moisture, settle into the hollows.
Διὸ δεῖ προσέχειν οὗ ἄν τις ἱδρυμένος ᾖ.
Therefore, one must pay attention to the place where one is situated.
Ἔστι γὰρ ἀεί τινα λαβεῖν τοιοῦτον γνώμονα καὶ ἔστι σαφέστατα σημεῖα τὰ ἀπὸ τούτων.
For it is always possible to find some such indicator, and the signs derived from them are the clearest.
§1.4Διὸ καὶ ἀγαθοὶ γεγένηνται κατὰ τόπους τινὰς ἀστρονόμοι ἔνιοι οἷον Ματρικέτας ἐν Μηθύμνῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ Λεπετύμνου, καὶ Κλεόστρατος ἐν Τενέδῳ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἴδης, καὶ Φαεινὸς Ἀθήνῃσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ Λυκαβηττοῦ τὰ περὶ τὰς τροπὰς συνεῖδε, παρʼ οὗ Μέτων ἀκούσας τὸν τοῦ ἑνὸς δέοντα εἴκοσιν ἐνιαυτὸν συνέταξεν.
Hence also some excellent astronomers have arisen in certain localities: as Matricetas in Methymna from Mount Lepetymnus, and Cleostratus in Tenedos from Mount Ida, and Phaeinus at Athens observed the phenomena of the solstices from Mount Lycabettus, from whom Meton, having heard of them, compiled the cycle of nineteen years.
Ἦν δὲ ὁ μὲν Φαεινὸς μέτοικος Ἀθήνησιν ὁ δὲ Μέτων Ἀθηεναῖος.
Now Phaeinus was a resident alien at Athens, while Meton was an Athenian.
Καὶ ἄλλοι δὲ τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον ἠστρολόγησαν.
And others also studied astronomy in this manner.
§1.5Ἄλλα δέ ἐστι σημεῖα ἃ λαμβάνεται ἀπό τε ζώων τῶν κατʼ οἰκίαν καὶ ἑτέρων τινῶν τόπων καὶ παθημάτων, μάλιστα δὲ κυριώτατα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ τῆς σελήνης·
There are other signs which are taken from domestic animals, and from certain other localities and conditions, but the most authoritative of all are from the sun and the moon.
ἡ γὰρ σελήνη νυκτὸς οἷον ἥλιός ἐστι· διὸ καὶ αἱ σύνοδοι τῶν μηνῶν χειμέριοί εἰσιν ὅτι ἀπολείπει τὸ φῶς τῆς σελήνης ἀπὸ τετράδος φθίνοντος μέχρι τετράδος ἱσταγͅ μένου.
For the moon is, as it were, a sun of the night; hence also the conjunctions of the months are stormy, because the light of the moon fails from the fourth day of the waning moon to the fourth day of the waxing moon.
Ὥσπερ οὖν ἡλίου ἀπόλειψις γίνεται κατὰ τὸν ὅμοιον τρόπον καὶ τῆς σελήνης ἔκλειψις.
Just as, then, the failure of the sun occurs, in the same manner also does the eclipse of the moon.
§1.6Δεῖ οὖν προσέχειν μάλιστα ταῖς ἀνατολαῖς ταῖς τούτων καὶ ταῖς δύσεσιν ὁποίας ἂν ποιῶνται τὸν βουλόμενον προγινώσκειν.
Therefore, one who wishes to foreknow must pay the greatest attention to their risings and settings, of what character they may be.
Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ληπτέον ὅτι αἱ διχοτομίαι διορίζουσι τὰς ὥρας ὥστε ἐπὶ τούτων δεῖ ἀθρεῖν καὶ ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ μῆνα καὶ ἡμέραν.
First of all, then, it must be understood that the divisions into two equal parts define the seasons, so that we must observe the year, the month, and the day by these.
Διχοτομεῖ δὲ τὸν μὲν ἐνιαυτὸν Πλείας τε δυομένη καὶ ἀνατέλλουσα· ἀπὸ γὰρ δύσεως μέχρι ἀνατολῆς τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐστίν.
Now, the setting and rising of the Pleiades divide the year into two; for from setting to rising is half of the year.
Ὥστε δίχα τέμνεται ὁ πᾶς χρόνος.
Thus the whole period of time is cut in two.
§1.7Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ αἱ τροπαὶ καὶ ἰσημερίαι ποιοῦσιν.
In like manner also the solstices and equinoxes do.
Οἵα τις ἂν οὖν ᾖ κατάστασις τοῦ ἀέρος Πλειάδος δυομένης οὕτω ἔχει ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ μέχρι τροπῶν, κἂν μεταβάλλῃ, μετὰ κἀκεῖθεν ὡσαύτως μέχρι Πλειάδος, καὶ ἀπὸ ταύτης μέχρι τροπῶν θερινῶν, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν μέχρι ἰσημερίας, καὶ ἀπὸ ἰσημερίας μέχρι Πλειάδας δύσεως.
Whatever, then, the condition of the air may be when the Pleiades set, it remains so for the most part until the solstice; and even if it changes, it remains likewise after that until the rising of the Pleiades, and from this until the summer solstice, and thence until the equinox, and from the equinox until the setting of the Pleiades.
§1.8Ὡς δʼ αὕτως ἔχει καὶ περὶ τὸν μῆνα ἕκαστον· διχοτομοῦσι γὰρ αἵ τε πανσέληνοι καὶ αἱ ὀγδόαι καὶ αἱ τετράδες, ὥστε ἀπὸ νουμηνίας ὡς ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς δεῖ σκοπεῖν.
And it is the same way also with regard to each month; for the full moons, the eighth days, and the fourth days divide it, so that we must observe from the new moon as from a starting point.
Πταβάλλει γὰρ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ ἐν τῇ τετράδι, ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἐν τῇ ὀγδόη, εἰ δὲ μὴ πανσελήνῳ· ἀπὸ δὲ πανσελήνου εἰς ὀγδόην φθίνοντος, καὶ ἀπὸ ταύτης εἰς τετράδα, ἀπὸ δὲ τετράδος εἰς τὴν νουμηνίαν.
For the weather changes, for the most part, on the fourth day, or if not then, on the eighth, or if not then, at the full moon; and from the full moon to the eighth day of the waning moon, and from this to the fourth day, and from the fourth day to the new moon.