§171.1Fr. 171
Τῆς τῶν ἰχθύων ἐν τῶ ξηρῷ διαμονῆς δοκεῖ γὰρ οἷον παρὰ φύσιν τῷ ἀέρι καταψύχεσθαι τὰ μὴ δεχόμενα τὸν ἀέρα καὶ μᾶλλον ὅσα δέχεται τὸ ὑγρὸν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο σώζεται.
On the survival of fish on dry land. For it seems, as it were, contrary to nature that those which do not receive air should be cooled by air, and even more so those which receive moisture and are preserved because of this.
Θαυμασιώτατον δὲ, εἴπερ ἀληθὲς, τὸ τοῦ ἐξωκοίτου καλουμένου· τοῦτον γάρ φασιν ὁσημέραι ποιεῖσθαι τὴν κοίτην ἐν τῇ γῇ, διὸ καὶ τοὔνομα εἰληφέναι.
But the most wonderful, if indeed true, is the case of the so-called exocoetus; for they say that this fish makes its bed daily on land, which is also why it has received its name.
Φαίνεται δʼ οὖν, εἴπερ δύναται δρᾶν, ἐπαμφοτερίζειν, οὐ τῇ τροφῇ καὶ τῇ διαγωγῇ καθάπερ ἡ φώκη καὶ ἐμὺς καὶ ἕτερʼ ἄττα, καὶ τῶν ὀρνίθων δὲ πολλοὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ δέχεσθαι καὶ τὸν ἀέρα καὶ τὴν θάλατταν, οὐχ οὕτως ὥσπερ ὁ δελφὶς καὶ ἕτερʼ ἅττα, φύσει μὲν ὄντα ἀναπνευστικὰ καὶ τὴν θάλατταν δεχόμενα καὶ ἀναφυσῶντα πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἀλλʼ ἀμφότερα πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ζῆν διαμονήν.
It seems then, if it is indeed able to do this, to share in both natures, not only in its food and way of life like the seal, the pond turtle, and certain other animals, and indeed many of the birds, but also in receiving both air and sea water—not indeed in the same manner as the dolphin and certain other animals, which are by nature air-breathing and receive sea water and blow it out for their need, but both for the maintenance of life.
Ἄτοπος δʼ ἂν αὐτοῖς ἡ φύσις καὶ ἡ δύναμις εἴη.
Their nature and power would be strange indeed.
§171.2Τὰ δʼ ἐν Ἐνδοῖς ἰχθύδια τὰ ἐκ τῶν ποταμῶν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐξιόντα καὶ πηδῶντα καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ ἀπιόντα, καθάπερ οἱ βάτραχοι, θαυμαστὰ μὲν οὖν, οὐχ ὁμοίως δὲ τούτοις, ὅσῳ τὸ ὀλίγον χρόνον ἢ πολὺν καὶ τελευταῖον ἧττον θαυμαστόν· ἡ δʼ ὄψις ὁμοία τούτων τοῖς μαζίναις καλουμένοις.
On the other hand, the little fish in India which come out of the rivers onto the land, jumping about and returning again to the water like frogs, are indeed wonderful, but not in the same degree as these, inasmuch as whether for a short or a long time, and in the end, it is less wonderful; and their appearance is similar to those called mazinae.
Εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ περὶ Βαβυλῶνά τινες, οὕς φασι διαμένειν ἐν ταῖς τρώγλαις ταῖς ἐχούσαις ὑγρότητα ξηραινομένου τοῦ ποταμοῦ· τούτους δʼ ἐξιόντας ἐπὶ τὰς ἅλως νέμεσθαι καὶ βαδίζειν ἐπὶ τῶν πτερυγίων καὶ ἄμα κινεῖν τὴν οὐρὰν, καὶ ὅταν διώκωνται φευγεῖν καὶ εἰσδύντας ἀντιπροσώπους ἵστασθαι·
There are also some fish around Babylon, which they say remain in holes containing moisture when the river dries up; and these go out to the threshing floors to feed, walking on their fins and moving their tails at the same time, and when pursued they flee and enter their holes to stand facing their pursuers; for often some people approach and provoke them.
πολλάκις γὰρ προσιέναι τινὰς καὶ ἐρεθίζειν. Ἔχουσι δὲ τὴν μὲν κεφαλὴν ὁμοίαν βατράχῳ θαλαττίῳ τὸ δʼ ἄλλο σῶμα κωβιῷ βράγχια δὲ ὥσπερ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ἰχθύες.
They have a head similar to a sea frog, and the rest of the body is like a goby, and they have gills just like other fish.
Ὅτι δʼ οὐ πόδας ἔχουσιν ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τῶν πτερυγίων βαδίζουσι τεθεώρηται.
That they do not have feet but walk on their fins has been observed.
Ἐλάμβανον γὰρ πολλοὺς οἱ διώκοντες· τὰ δὲ πτερύγια εὐμεγέθη·
For those pursuing them caught many; and their fins are of considerable size.
§171.3τὸ δʼ ἐκ τῆς γῆς τὴν τροφὴν λαμβάνειν οὐκ ἄλογον· ἔνιοι γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ ὑγρῷ ὄντες πηλὸν ἐσθίουσι καὶ φῦκος καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα.
And for them to take food from the land is not unreasonable; for some, even while in the water, eat mud and seaweed and the like.
Καὶ ὅλως δὲ εἴπερ ἐν τῷ ἀέρι διαγίνονται καὶ τὸ τῆς τροφῆς οὐκ ἄλογον· ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ πολύπος ἐξιὼν λαμβάνει καὶ ἡ μύραινα καὶ ἄλλοι δὲ ὥς φασι.
And in general, if they survive in the air, the matter of food is also not unreasonable; since the octopus also comes out and takes food, and the moray eel, and others too, as they say.
Καὶ τὸ ὅλον οὐκ ἄλογον, ὥσπερ τῶν πεζῶν καὶ πτηνῶν ἔνια ταῖς ἐνύδροις χρῆται, καὶ τὰ ἔνυδρα ταῖς ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ τὴν φύσιν ὁμοίως ἀνταποδιδόναι τὸ ἀνάλογον.
And the whole thing is not unreasonable, just as some of the land animals and birds make use of aquatic food, so aquatic animals make use of what is on land, nature likewise rendering the analogue in return.
Φαίνεται δὲ καὶ ὁ ἵππος ὁ ποτάμιος τοιοῦτον.
The hippopotamus also appears to be of this sort.
Ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνο θαυμαστὸν, ὥσπερ εἴπομεν, εἴ τι δύναται τοῖς αὐτοῖς μορίοις ὀργανικοῖς ὁτὲ μὲν ἐπισπᾶσθαι τὸν ἀέρα καὶ ἕλκειν ὁτὲ δὲ τὸ ὑγρὸν δέχεσθαι.
But that is wonderful, as we said, if something is able, with the same organic parts, at one time to draw in and extract air, and at another time to receive moisture.
Τάχα δὲ τούτου μᾶλλον, εἰ ὁτὲ μὲν ὁ ἀὴρ σύμμετρος πρὸς τὴν κατάψυξιν ἢ ὁτιδήποτέ ἐστιν ἐκ τῆς ἀναπνοῆς γινόμενον, ὁτὲ δὲ τὸ ὑγρόν· οὐ γὰρ ἅμα γʼ ἄμφω.
Perhaps even more than this, if at one time air is appropriate for cooling or whatever else comes from breathing, and at another time moisture; for indeed they do not do both at the same time.
§171.4Τὸ δὲ τῶν πολυπόδων ἧττον θαυμαστόν· οὐ γὰρ δέα χονται τὴν θάλατταν· καὶ οἱ κάραβοι καὶ οἱ ἀστακοὶ καὶ οἱ καρκίνοι καὶ τἆλλα τὰ τοιαῦτα, ὥστε μὴ μεγάλης ἄγαν τῆς μεταβολῆς οὔσης ῥᾷον ὑπομένειν.
The case of octopuses is less wonderful; for they do not receive the sea; and the spiny lobsters, lobsters, crabs, and other such things, so that since the change is not too great, they endure it more easily.
Ὃ καὶ περὶ τὰς ἐγχέλυς φαίνεται συμβαίνειν· πολὺν γὰρ χρόνον δύνανται ζῆν ἔξω τοῦ ὑγροῦ διὰ τὸ μικρὰ τὰ βραγχία ἔχειν καὶ ὀλίγον δέχεσθαι τὸ ὑγρόν· καὶ τὴν μύραιναν καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τοιοῦτον, ἢ καὶ τὸ ὅλον ὀφιῶδες, ἥκιστα ἄτοπον.
This is also what appears to happen in the case of eels; for they can live for a long time outside of moisture because they have small gills and receive little moisture; and for the moray eel and any other such thing, or indeed the whole serpentine class, it is least strange.
§171.5Εὔλογον δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι μὴ δύνασθαι διαμένειν ὅσῳ λεπτότερον ὂν τῆς θαλάσσης ἐγγυτέρω τοῦ ἀέρος ἐστὶ, καὶ ὅτι φύσει γε ψυχρόε τερόν ἐστι, διὸ καὶ πολύπους φεύγει.
And it is reasonable that they cannot survive in fresh water, inasmuch as being thinner than the sea, it is closer to the air, and because it is by nature colder, which is why the octopus avoids it.
Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο περὶ Ἑλλήσποντον καὶ τὸν Πόντον οὐκ ἔστιν.
And for this reason, there are no octopuses around the Hellespont and the Pontus.
Οἱ δὲ ἰχθύες τίκτουσιν ἀναπλέοντες εἰς τοὺς ποταμοὺς καὶ τὰς λίμνας ὅτι εὐδία μᾶλλον κυμάτων καὶ πνευμάτων· καὶ τὰ θηρία ἐλάττω καὶ οἱ κατεσθίοντες ὅλως καὶ διαφθείροντες ἰχθῦς.
And fish spawn by swimming up into rivers and lakes because there is more calm from waves and winds, and the wild beasts are fewer, as well as those that eat and utterly destroy fish.