Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · On Weather Signs §3.44-3.49

Signs of Winter from Seasons, Mountain Clouds, and Animals

Passage 7 of 8 · Greek

Summary

Discusses the signs of winter storms and seasonal changes based on the transition of seasons, clouds on mountain peaks, and the behavior of animals and insects such as bees, wolves, woodcocks, and mice.

§3.44Ἐὰν τὸ μετόπωρον εὐδιεινὸν παρὰ τὸ εἰκὸς γένηται τὸ ἔαρ γίνεται ψυχρὸν ὡς τὰ πολλά.
If autumn becomes exceptionally mild, spring generally becomes cold.
Ἐὰν πρωῒ χειμάζειν ἄρξηται πρωῒ παύεται καὶ ἔαρ καλὸν, ἐὰν δὲ τοὐναντίον καὶ ἔαρ ὄψιον ἔσται.
If it begins to storm early, it ceases early and there is a fine spring; but if the contrary, the spring also will be late.
Ἐὰν χειμὼν ὑέτιος τὸ ἔαρ αὐχμηρὸν, ἐὰν δʼ αὐχμηρὸς ὁ χειμὼν τὸ ἔαρ καλόν.
If the winter is rainy, the spring is dry; and if the winter is dry, the spring is fine.
Ἐὰν ἡ ὄπωρα γίνηται ἐπιεικὴς τὰ πολλὰ γίνεται τοῖς προβάτοις λιμός.
If the late summer is mild, there is generally famine for the sheep.
Ἐὰν τὸ ἔαρ καὶ τὸ θέρος ψυχρὰ γίνηται ἥ τε ὄπωρα γίνεται καὶ τὸ μετόπωρον πνιγηρὸν καὶ οὐκ ἀνεμῶδες.
If spring and summer become cold, both late summer and autumn become sultry and windless.
§3.45Οἱ πρῖνοι ἐὰν εὐκαρπῶσι χειμῶνες πολλοὶ σφόδρα γίνονται.
If holm-oaks bear much fruit, very severe winters occur.
Ἐὰν ἐπὶ κορυφῆς ὄρους νέφος ὀρθὸν στῇ χειμῶνα σημαίνει, ὅθεν καὶ Ἀρχίλοχος ἐποίησε "Γλαῦχʼ ὅρα·
If a cloud stands upright on the peak of a mountain, it indicates winter; whence Archilochus also wrote: "Look, Glaucus!
βαθὺς γὰρ ἤδη κύμασι ταράσσεται Πόντος ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄκρα γυροῦν ὀρθὸν ἵσταται νέφος Σῆμα χειμῶνος. "Ἐὰν δʼ ὁμόχρων ᾖ ὑμένι λευκῷ χειμέριον.
For already the deep sea is troubled with waves, and about the peaks a cloud stands upright, curved at the top, a sign of storm." And if it is of the same color as a white membrane, it indicates stormy weather.
Ὅταν ἑστώτων νεφῶν ἕτερα ἐπιφέρηται τὰ δʼ ἠρεμῇ χειμέρια.
When, while some clouds remain stationary, others are borne along, and the former remain still, it indicates stormy weather.
§3.46̔Ὁ ἥλιος ἐὰν χειμῶνος διαλάμψας πάλιν ἀποκρυφθῇ καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσῃ δὶς ἢ τρὶς ἡμέρα χειμέριος δίεισιν.
If the sun shines through in winter and is hidden again, and does this twice or thrice, the day will pass stormily.
Ὁ τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ ἀστὴρ χειμῶνος μὲν φαινόμενος ψύχη σημαίνει θέρους δὲ καῦμα.
The star of Hermes appearing in winter indicates cold, but in summer heat.
Ὅταν μέλιτται μὴ ἀποπέτωνται μακρὰν ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ εὐδίᾳ πέτωνται χειμῶνα ἐσόμενον σημαίνει.
When bees do not fly far, but fly there in fair weather, it indicates an approaching storm.
Λύκος ὠρυόμενος χειμῶνα σημαίνει διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν.
A wolf howling indicates a storm within three days.
Λύκος ὅταν πρὸς τὰ ἔργα ὁρμᾷ ἢ εἴσω χειμώνος ὥρᾳ χειμῶνα σημαίνει εὐθύς.
When a wolf rushes towards cultivated lands or inside in winter time, it indicates an immediate storm.
§3.47Ἔστι δὲ σημεῖον χειμώνων μεγάλων καὶ ὄμβρων καὶ ὅταν γένωνται ἐν τῷ μετοπώρῳ πολλοὶ σφῆκες καὶ ὅταν ὄρνιθες λευκοὶ πρὸς τὰ ἐργάσιμα πλησιάζωσι καὶ ὅλως τὰ ἄγρια θηρία ἐὰν πρὸς τὰ ἐργάσιμα βόρειον καὶ χειμῶνος μέγεθος σημαίνει.
It is also a sign of severe winters and rains when many wasps appear in autumn, and when white birds approach cultivated lands; and in general, if wild beasts approach cultivated lands, it indicates the north wind and the severity of winter.
Τῆς Πάρνηθος ἐὰν τὰ πρὸς ζέφυρον ἄνεμον καὶ τὰ πρὸς Φύλης φράττηται νέφεσι βορείων ὄντων χειμέριον τὸ σημεῖον.
If the parts of Parnes towards the west wind and those towards Phyle are blocked by clouds when north winds blow, the sign is stormy.
§3.48Ὅταν πνίγη γίνηται ἰσχυρὰ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ ἀνταποδίδωσι καὶ γίνεται χειμὼν ἰσχυρός.
When there is severe sultry heat, for the most part it pays back and a severe winter follows.
Ἐὰν ὕδατα ἐαρινὰ πολλὰ γένηται, καύματα ἰσχυρὰ ἐν τοῖς πεδινοῖς καὶ κοίλοις γίνεται.
If there are many spring rains, there will be severe heat in plains and hollows.
Δεῖ οὖν τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁρᾷν.
One must therefore watch the beginning.
Ἐὰν τὸ μετόπωρον εὐδιεινὸν γίνηται σφόδρα τὸ ἔαρ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ γίνεται ψυχρόν· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἔαρ ὄψιον γένηται καὶ ψυχρὸν ἡ ὄπωρα ὀψία γίνεται καὶ τὸ μετόπωρον ὡς τὰ πολλὰ πνιγηρόν.
If autumn is exceptionally mild, spring generally becomes cold; but if spring is late and cold, late summer is late, and autumn is for the most part sultry.
§3.49Οἱ πρῖνοι ὅταν εὐκαρπῶσι σφόδρα, ὡς μὲν τὰ πολλὰ χειμῶνα ἰσχυρὸν σημαίνουσιν, ἐνίοτε δὲ καὶ αὐχμούς φασι γίνεσθαι.
When holm-oaks bear much fruit, for the most part they indicate a severe winter, but sometimes they say droughts also occur.
Καὶ ἐάν τις σκολόπακα λαβὼν ὑποπάσας ἄργιλον εἰς πιθάκνην θῇ σημαίνει ταῖς φωναῖς αἷς ἀφίησιν ἄνεμον καὶ εὐδίαν.
And if someone takes a woodcock, sprinkles clay under it, and puts it in a small jar, it indicates wind and fair weather by the cries it utters.
Καὶ τὸ πανταχοῦ δὲ λεγόμενον σημεῖον δημόσιον χειμέριον ὅταν μῦες περὶ φορυτοῦ μάχωνται καὶ φέρωσιν.
And the common sign spoken of everywhere is stormy, when mice fight for bedding and carry it.

Notes

  1. §3.45γυροῦν — Present participle neuter singular nominative (or accusative) of the verb γυρόω ('to round' or 'to curve'). It is generally taken intransitively to modify νέφος directly ('a cloud standing upright, curved at the top'), though some interpret it adverbially as 'circling around.'
  2. §3.47βόρειον — Neuter singular accusative of the adjective βόρειος ('northern'). Here it functions substantively to mean 'north wind' in the accusative (as part of the object). In this context, the wild beasts, which are the subject of the verb σημαίνει ('indicates'), are understood to indicate 'the north wind and the severity of winter' (a double object construction).
  3. §3.48τὴν ἀρχὴν — The noun ἀρχή ('beginning') with the accusative article. While it can function adverbially to mean 'at first' or 'generally,' the seasonal context (where the start of one season determines the next) makes it more natural to interpret it as the direct object of the verb ὁρᾶν ('one must observe the beginning [of seasons]').

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, On Weather Signs §3.44-3.49. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x03.humanitext-grc1:3.44-3.49

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.