timaeu-第13章

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shape　of　its　particles；　whereas　the　fusile　kind；　being　formed　of　large

and　uniform　particles；　is　more　stable　than　the　other；　and　is　heavy　and

compact　by　reason　of　its　uniformity。　But　when　fire　gets　in　and

dissolves　the　particles　and　destroys　the　uniformity；　it　has　greater

mobility；　and　becoming　fluid　is　thrust　forth　by　the　neighbouring　air

and　spreads　upon　the　earth；　and　this　dissolution　of　the　solid　masses

is　called　melting；　and　their　spreading　out　upon　the　earth　flowing。

Again；　when　the　fire　goes　out　of　the　fusile　substance；　it　does　not

pass　into　vacuum；　but　into　the　neighbouring　air；　and　the　air　which

is　displaced　forces　together　the　liquid　and　still　moveable　mass　into

the　place　which　was　occupied　by　the　fire；　and　unites　it　with　itself。

Thus　compressed　the　mass　resumes　its　equability；　and　is　again　at　unity

with　itself；　because　the　fire　which　was　the　author　of　the　inequality

has　retreated；　and　this　departure　of　the　fire　is　called　cooling；　and

the　coming　together　which　follows　upon　it　is　termed　congealment。　Of

all　the　kinds　termed　fusile；　that　which　is　the　densest　and　is　formed

out　of　the　finest　and　most　uniform　parts　is　that　most　precious

possession　called　gold；　which　is　hardened　by　filtration　through

rock；　this　is　unique　in　kind；　and　has　both　a　glittering　and　a　yellow

colour。　A　shoot　of　gold；　which　is　so　dense　as　to　be　very　hard；　and

takes　a　black　colour；　is　termed　adamant。　There　is　also　another　kind

which　has　parts　nearly　like　gold；　and　of　which　there　are　several

species；　it　is　denser　than　gold；　and　it　contains　a　small　and　fine

portion　of　earth；　and　is　therefore　harder；　yet　also　lighter　because　of

the　great　interstices　which　it　has　within　itself；　and　this

substance；　which　is　one　of　the　bright　and　denser　kinds　of　water；

when　solidified　is　called　copper。　There　is　an　alloy　of　earth　mingled

with　it；　which；　when　the　two　parts　grow　old　and　are　disunited；　shows

itself　separately　and　is　called　rust。　The　remaining　phenomena　of　the

same　kind　there　will　be　no　difficulty　in　reasoning　out　by　the　method

of　probabilities。　A　man　may　sometimes　set　aside　meditations　about

eternal　things；　and　for　recreation　turn　to　consider　the　truths　of

generation　which　are　probable　only；　he　will　thus　gain　a　pleasure　not

to　be　repented　of；　and　secure　for　himself　while　he　lives　a　wise　and

moderate　pastime。　Let　us　grant　ourselves　this　indulgence；　and　go

through　the　probabilities　relating　to　the　same　subjects　which　follow

next　in　order。

　　Water　which　is　mingled　with　fire；　so　much　as　is　fine　and　liquid

（being　so　called　by　reason　of　its　motion　and　the　way　in　which　it　rolls

along　the　ground）；　and　soft；　because　its　bases　give　way　are　less

stable　than　those　of　earth；　when　separated　from　fire　and　air　and

isolated；　becomes　more　uniform；　and　by　their　retirement　is

compressed　into　itself；　and　if　the　condensation　be　very　great；　the

water　above　the　earth　becomes　hail；　but　on　the　earth；　ice；　and　that

which　is　congealed　in　a　less　degree　and　is　only　half　solid；　when　above

the　earth　is　called　snow；　and　when　upon　the　earth；　and　condensed

from　dew；　hoarfrost。　Then；　again；　there　are　the　numerous　kinds　of

water　which　have　been　mingled　with　one　another；　and　are　distilled

through　plants　which　grow　in　the　earth；　and　this　whole　class　is　called

by　the　name　of　juices　or　saps。　The　unequal　admixture　of　these　fluids

creates　a　variety　of　species；　most　of　them　are　nameless；　but　four

which　are　of　a　fiery　nature　are　clearly　distinguished　and　have

names。　First　there　is　wine；　which　warms　the　soul　as　well　as　the

body：　secondly；　there　is　the　oily　nature；　which　is　smooth　and

divides　the　visual　ray；　and　for　this　reason　is　bright　and　shining

and　of　a　glistening　appearance；　including　pitch；　the　juice　of　the

castor　berry；　oil　itself；　and　other　things　of　a　like　kind：　thirdly；

there　is　the　class　of　substances　which　expand　the　contracted　parts

of　the　mouth；　until　they　return　to　their　natural　state；　and　by

reason　of　this　property　create　sweetness；…these　are　included　under　the

general　name　of　honey：　and；　lastly；　there　is　a　frothy　nature；　which

differs　from　all　juices；　having　a　burning　quality　which　dissolves

the　flesh；　it　is　called　opos　（a　vegetable　acid）。

　　As　to　the　kinds　of　earth；　that　which　is　filtered　through　water

passes　into　stone　in　the　following　manner：…The　water　which　mixes

with　the　earth　and　is　broken　up　in　the　process　changes　into　air；　and

taking　this　form　mounts　into　its　own　place。　But　as　there　is　no

surrounding　vacuum　it　thrusts　away　the　neighbouring　air；　and　this

being　rendered　heavy；　and；　when　it　is　displaced；　having　been　poured

around　the　mass　of　earth；　forcibly　compresses　it　and　drives　it　into

the　vacant　space　whence　the　new　air　had　come　up；　and　the　earth　when

compressed　by　the　air　into　an　indissoluble　union　with　water　becomes

rock。　The　fairer　sort　is　that　which　is　made　up　of　equal　and　similar

parts　and　is　transparent；　that　which　has　the　opposite　qualities　is

inferior。　But　when　all　the　watery　part　is　suddenly　drawn　out　by

fire；　a　more　brittle　substance　is　formed；　to　which　we　give　the　name　of

pottery。　Sometimes　also　moisture　may　remain；　and　the　earth　which　has

been　fused　by　fire　becomes；　when　cool；　a　certain　stone　of　a　black

colour。　A　like　separation　of　the　water　which　had　been　copiously

mingled　with　them　may　occur　in　two　substances　composed　of　finer

particles　of　earth　and　of　a　briny　nature；　out　of　either　of　them　a　half

solid　body　is　then　formed；　soluble　in　water…the　one；　soda；　which　is

used　for　purging　away　oil　and　earth；　and　other；　salt；　which　harmonizes

so　well　in　combinations　pleasing　to　the　palate；　and　is；　as　the　law

testifies；　a　substance　dear　to　the　gods。　The　compounds　of　earth　and

water　are　not　soluble　by　water；　but　by　fire　only；　and　for　this

reason：…Neither　fire　nor　air　melt　masses　of　earth；　for　their

particles；　being　smaller　than　the　interstices　in　its　structure；　have

plenty　of　room　to　move　without　forcing　their　way；　and　so　they　leave

the　earth　unmelted　and　undissolved；　but　particles　of　water；　which

are　larger；　force　a　passage；　and　dissolve　and　melt　the　earth。

Wherefore　earth　when　not　consolidated　by　force　is　dissolved　by　water

only；　when　consolidated；　by　nothing　but　fire；　for　this　is　the　only

body　which　can　find　an　entrance。　The　cohesion　of　water　again；　when

very　strong；　is　dissolved　by　fire　only…when　weaker；　then　either　by　air

or　fire…the　former　entering　the　interstices；　and　the　latter

penetrating　even　the　triangles。　But　nothing　can　dissolve　air；　when

strongly　condensed；　which　does　not　reach　the　elements　or　triangles；　or

if　not　strongly　condensed；　then　only　fire　can　dissolve　it。　As　to

bodies　composed　of　earth　and　water；　while　the　water　occupies　the

vacant　interstices　of　the　earth　in　them　which　are　compressed　by　force；

the　particles　of　water　which　approach　them　from　without；　finding　no

entrance；　flow　around　the　entire　mass　and　leave　it　undissolved；　but

the　particles　of　fire；　entering　into　the　interstices　of　the　water；

do　to　the　water　what　water　does　to　earth　and　fire　to　air；　and　are

the　sole　causes　of　the　compound　body　of　earth　and　water　liquefying　and

becoming　fluid。　Now　these　bodies　are　of　two　kinds；　some　of　them；

such　as　glass　and　the　fusible　sort　of　stones；　have　less　water　than

they　have　earth；　on　the　other　hand；　substances　of　the　nature　of　wax

and　incense　have　more　of　water　entering　into　their　composition。

　　I　have　thus　shown　the　various　classes　of　bodies　as　they　are

diversified　by　their　forms　and　combinations　and　changes　into　one

another；　and　now　I　must　endeavour　to　set　forth　their　affections　and

the　causes　of　them。　In　the　first　place；　the　bodies　which　I　have　been

describing　are　necessarily　objects　of　sense。　But　we　have　not　yet

considered　the　origin　of　flesh；　or　what　belongs　to　flesh；　or　of　that

part　of　the　soul　which　is　mortal。　And　these　things　cannot　be

adequately　explained　without　also　explaining　the　affections　which

are　concerned　with　sensation；　nor　the　latter　without　the　former：　and

yet　to　explain　them　together　is　hardly　possible；　for　which　reason　we

must　assume　first　one　or　the　other　and　afterwards　examine　the　nature

of　our　hypothesis。