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corresponding natural destruction； and this becoming and this
destruction are found in plants and animals and their parts。 True
natural becoming is a change introduced by these powers into the
matter underlying a given thing when they are in a certain ratio to
that matter； which is the passive qualities we have mentioned。 When
the hot and the cold are masters of the matter they generate a
thing： if they are not； and the failure is partial； the object is
imperfectly boiled or otherwise unconcocted。 But the strictest general
opposite of true becoming is putrefaction。 All natural destruction
is on the way to it； as are； for instance； growing old or growing dry。
Putrescence is the end of all these things； that is of all natural
objects； except such as are destroyed by violence： you can burn； for
instance； flesh； bone； or anything else； but the natural course of
their destruction ends in putrefaction。 Hence things that putrefy
begin by being moist and end by being dry。 For the moist and the dry
were their matter； and the operation of the active qualities caused
the dry to be determined by the moist。
Destruction supervenes when the determined gets the better of the
determining by the help of the environment （though in a special
sense the word putrefaction is applied to partial destruction； when
a thing's nature is perverted）。 Hence everything； except fire； is
liable to putrefy； for earth； water； and air putrefy； being all of
them matter relatively to fire。 The definition of putrefaction is： the
destruction of the peculiar and natural heat in any moist subject by
external heat； that is； by the heat of the environment。 So since
lack of heat is the ground of this affection and everything in as
far as it lacks heat is cold； both heat and cold will be the causes of
putrefaction； which will be due indifferently to cold in the
putrefying subject or to heat in the environment。
This explains why everything that putrefies grows drier and ends
by becoming earth or dung。 The subject's own heat departs and causes
the natural moisture to evaporate with it； and then there is nothing
left to draw in moisture； for it is a thing's peculiar heat that
attracts moisture and draws it in。 Again； putrefaction takes place
less in cold that in hot seasons； for in winter the surrounding air
and water contain but little heat and it has no power； but in summer
there is more。 Again； what is frozen does not putrefy； for its cold is
greater that the heat of the air and so is not mastered； whereas
what affects a thing does master it。 Nor does that which is boiling or
hot putrefy； for the heat in the air being less than that in the
object does not prevail over it or set up any change。 So too
anything that is flowing or in motion is less apt to putrefy than a
thing at rest； for the motion set up by the heat in the air is
weaker than that pre…existing in the object； and so it causes no
change。 For the same reason a great quantity of a thing putrefies less
readily than a little； for the greater quantity contains too much
proper fire and cold for the corresponding qualities in the
environment to get the better of。 Hence； the sea putrefies quickly
when broken up into parts； but not as a whole； and all other waters
likewise。 Animals too are generated in putrefying bodies； because
the heat that has been secreted； being natural； organizes the
particles secreted with it。
So much for the nature of becoming and of destruction。
2
We must now describe the next kinds of processes which the qualities
already mentioned set up in actually existing natural objects as
matter。
Of these concoction is due to heat； its species are ripening；
boiling； broiling。 Inconcoction is due to cold and its species are
rawness； imperfect boiling； imperfect broiling。 （We must recognize
that the things are not properly denoted by these words： the various
classes of similar objects have no names universally applicable to
them； consequently we must think of the species enumerated as being
not what those words denote but something like it。） Let us say what
each of them is。 Concoction is a process in which the natural and
proper heat of an object perfects the corresponding passive qualities；
which are the proper matter of any given object。 For when concoction
has taken place we say that a thing has been perfected and has come to
be itself。 It is the proper heat of a thing that sets up this
perfecting； though external influences may contribute in some
degrees to its fulfilment。 Baths； for instance； and other things of
the kind contribute to the digestion of food； but the primary cause is
the proper heat of the body。 In some cases of concoction the end of
the process is the nature of the thing…nature； that is； in the sense
of the formal cause and essence。 In other cases it leads to some
presupposed state which is attained when the moisture has acquired
certain properties or a certain magnitude in the process of being
broiled or boiled or of putrefying； or however else it is being
heated。 This state is the end； for when it has been reached the
thing has some use and we say that concoction has taken place。 Must is
an instance of this； and the matter in boils when it becomes purulent；
and tears when they become rheum； and so with the rest。
Concoction ensues whenever the matter； the moisture； is
mastered。 For the matter is what is determined by the heat
connatural to the object； and as long as the ratio between them exists
in it a thing maintains its nature。 Hence things like the liquid and
solid excreta and ejecta in general are signs of health； and
concoction is said to have taken place in them； for they show that the
proper heat has got the better of the indeterminate matter。
Things that undergo a process of concoction necessarily become
thicker and hotter； for the action of heat is to make things more
compact； thicker； and drier。
This then is the nature of concoction： but inconcoction is an
imperfect state due to lack of proper heat； that is； to cold。 That
of which the imperfect state is； is the corresponding passive
qualities which are the natural matter of anything。
So much for the definition of concoction and inconcoction。
3
Ripening is a sort of concoction； for we call it ripening when there
is a concoction of the nutriment in fruit。 And since concoction is a
sort of perfecting； the process of ripening is perfect when the
seeds in fruit are able to reproduce the fruit in which they are
found； for in all other cases as well this is what we mean by
'perfect'。 This is what 'ripening' means when the word is applied to
fruit。 However； many other things that have undergone concoction are
said