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and air； like oil。 Those liquids which are thickened by heat are a
mixture。 （Wine is a liquid which raises a difficulty： for it is both
liable to evaporation and it also thickens； for instance new wine
does。 The reason is that the word 'wine' is ambiguous and different
'wines' behave in different ways。 New wine is more earthy than old；
and for this reason it is more apt to be thickened by heat and less
apt to be congealed by cold。 For it contains much heat and a great
proportion of earth； as in Arcadia； where it is so dried up in its
skins by the smoke that you scrape it to drink。 If all wine has some
sediment in it then it will belong to earth or to water according to
the quantity of the sediment it possesses。） The liquids that are
thickened by cold are of the nature of earth； those that are thickened
either by heat or by cold consist of more than one element； like oil
and honey； and 'sweet wine'。
Of solid bodies those that have been solidified by cold are of
water； e。g。 ice； snow； hail； hoar…frost。 Those solidified by heat
are of earth； e。g。 pottery； cheese； natron； salt。 Some bodies are
solidified by both heat and cold。 Of this kind are those solidified by
refrigeration； that is by the privation both of heat and of the
moisture which departs with the heat。 For salt and the bodies that are
purely of earth solidify by the privation of moisture only； ice by
that of heat only； these bodies by that of both。 So both the active
qualities and both kinds of matter were involved in the process。 Of
these bodies those from which all the moisture has gone are all of
them of earth； like pottery or amber。 （For amber； also； and the bodies
called 'tears' are formed by refrigeration； like myrrh；
frankincense； gum。 Amber； too； appears to belong to this class of
things： the animals enclosed in it show that it is formed by
solidification。 The heat is driven out of it by the cold of the
river and causes the moisture to evaporate with it； as in the case
of honey when it has been heated and is immersed in water。） Some of
these bodies cannot be melted or softened； for instance； amber and
certain stones； e。g。 the stalactites in caves。 （For these stalactites；
too； are formed in the same way： the agent is not fire； but cold which
drives out the heat； which； as it leaves the body； draws out the
moisture with it： in the other class of bodies the agent is external
fire。） In those from which the moisture has not wholly gone earth
still preponderates； but they admit of softening by heat； e。g。 iron
and horn。
Now since we must include among 'meltables' those bodies which are
melted by fire； these contain some water： indeed some of them； like
wax； are common to earth and water alike。 But those that are melted by
water are of earth。 Those that are not melted either by fire or
water are of earth； or of earth and water。
Since； then； all bodies are either liquid or solid； and since the
things that display the affections we have enumerated belong to
these two classes and there is nothing intermediate； it follows that
we have given a complete account of the criteria for distinguishing
whether a body consists of earth or of water or of more elements
than one； and whether fire was the agent in its formation； or cold； or
both。
Gold； then； and silver and copper and tin and lead and glass and
many nameless stone are of water： for they are all melted by heat。
Of water； too； are some wines and urine and vinegar and lye and whey
and serum： for they are all congealed by cold。 In iron； horn； nails；
bones； sinews； wood； hair； leaves； bark； earth preponderates。 So； too；
in amber； myrrh； frankincense； and all the substances called
'tears'； and stalactites； and fruits； such as leguminous plants and
corn。 For things of this kind are； to a greater or less degree； of
earth。 For of all these bodies some admit of softening by heat； the
rest give off fumes and are formed by refrigeration。 So again in
natron； salt； and those kinds of stones that are not formed by
refrigeration and cannot be melted。 Blood； on the other hand； and
semen； are made up of earth and water and air。 If the blood contains
fibres； earth preponderates in it： consequently its solidifies by
refrigeration and is melted by liquids； if not； it is of water and
therefore does not solidify。 Semen solidifies by refrigeration； its
moisture leaving it together with its heat。
11
We must investigate in the light of the results we have arrived at
what solid or liquid bodies are hot and what cold。
Bodies consisting of water are commonly cold； unless （like lye；
urine； wine） they contain foreign heat。 Bodies consisting of earth； on
the other hand； are commonly hot because heat was active in forming
them： for instance lime and ashes。
We must recognize that cold is in a sense the matter of bodies。
For the dry and the moist are matter （being passive） and earth and
water are the elements that primarily embody them； and they are
characterized by cold。 Consequently cold must predominate in every
body that consists of one or other of the elements simply； unless such
a body contains foreign heat as water does when it boils or when it
has been strained through ashes。 This latter； too； has acquired heat
from the ashes； for everything that has been burnt contains more or
less heat。 This explains the generation of animals in putrefying
bodies： the putrefying body contains the heat which destroyed its
proper heat。
Bodies made up of earth and water are hot； for most of them derive
their existence from concoction and heat； though some； like the
waste products of the body； are products of putrefaction。 Thus
blood； semen； marrow； figjuice； and all things of the kinds are hot as
long as they are in their natural state； but when they perish and fall
away from that state they are so no longer。 For what is left of them
is their matter and that is earth and water。 Hence both views are held
about them； some people maintaining them to be cold and others to be
warm； for they are observed to be hot when they are in their natural
state； but to solidify when they have fallen away from it。 That； then；
is the case of mixed bodies。 However； the distinction we laid down
holds good： if its matter is predominantly water a body is cold （water
being the complete opposite of fire）； but if earth or air it tends
to be warm。
It sometimes happens that the coldest bodies can be raised to the
highest temperature by foreign heat； for the most solid and the
hardest bodies are coldest when deprived of heat and most burning
after exposure to fire： thus water is more burning than smoke and
stone than water。
12
Having explained all this we must describe the na