Diotimos Library · Greek Antiquity Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 400 of 879
Book I Chapter 40 · I.40.1.47–I.40.1.49
Ancient Greek
p. 79647
Πολλάκις δὲ τῶν σελῶν τὰ μὲν ἐπιμένει πλείονα χρόνον, τὰ δὲ παραχρῆμα σβέννυται. Πολλαὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλαι φασμάτων ἰδέαι θεωροῦνται, λαμπάδες τε καλούμεναι καὶ δοκίδες καὶ πωγωνίαι καὶ βόθυνοι, κατὰ τὴν πρὸς ταῦτα ὁμοιότητα ὧδε προσαγορευθεῖσαι. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τούτων ἑσπέρια, τὰ δὲ ἑῷα, τὰ δὲ ἀμφιφανῆ θεωρεῖται· σπανίως δὲ καὶ βόρεια καὶ νότια. Πάντα δὲ ἀβέβαια· οὐδὲ γάρ ποτέ τι τούτων ἀεὶ φανερὸν ἱστόρηται κατεστηριγμένον.
48
Τὰ μὲν τοίνυν ἀέρια τοιαῦτα. Ἐμπεριέχει δὲ καὶ ἡ γῆ πολλὰς ἐν ἑαυτῇ καθάπερ ὕδατος, οὕτως δὲ καὶ πνεύματος καὶ πυρὸς πηγάς· τούτων δὲ αἱ μὲν ὑπὸ γῆν εἰσιν ἀόρατοι, πολλαὶ δὲ ἀναπνοὰς ἔχουσι καὶ ἀναφυσήσεις, ὥσπερ Λιπαρά τε καὶ Αἴτνη καὶ Αἰόλου νῆσος· αἱ δ᾽ ἐκρέουσι πολλάκις ποταμοῦ δίκην καὶ μύδρους ἀναρριπτοῦσι διαπύρους. Ἔνιαι δὲ ὑπὸ γῆν οὖσαι πλησίον πηγαίων ὑδάτων θερμαίνουσι ταῦτα· καὶ τὰ μὲν χλιαρὰ τῶν ναμάτων ἀνιᾶσι, τὰ δὲ ὑπέρζεστα, τὰ δὲ εὖ ἔχοντα κράσεως.
49
Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τῶν πνευμάτων πολλὰ πολλαχοῦ γῆς στόμια ἀνέῳκται. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐνθουσιᾶν ποιεῖ τοὺς ἐμπελάζοντας, … τὰ δὲ χρησμῳδεῖν, ὥσπερ τὰ ἐν Δελφοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐν Λεβαδείᾳ, τὰ δὲ καὶ παντάπασιν ἀναιρεῖ, καθάπερ τὰ ἐν Φρυγίᾳ.
Stobaeus, Volume I: Book I Chapter 40
p. 79747 · Other fiery appearances
Often some flares persist for a longer time, while others are extinguished at once. Many other forms of apparition are also seen, called torches, beams, beards, and pits because of their resemblance to these things. Some appear in the west, some in the east, and some in both; rarely they appear in the north or south as well. All are transient: none has ever been recorded as remaining fixed and perpetually visible.1031
48 · Underground fire and warm springs
Such are the phenomena of the air. The earth also contains many sources within itself, of wind and fire just as of water. Some are invisible beneath the earth; many have vents and upward blasts, as at Lipara, Etna, and the island of Aeolus. Others often flow out like a river and throw up masses of glowing rock. Some underground sources, lying near spring waters, heat them, sending up streams that are lukewarm, exceedingly hot, or well tempered.1032
49 · Vents and oracles
Likewise, many openings for winds stand open in many parts of the earth. Some cause those who approach to enter inspired frenzy, … others to utter oracles, as at Delphi and Lebadea, while others kill them outright, as in Phrygia.1033
Socrates
Reading Stobaeus, Volume I · Book I Chapter 40 · I.40.1.47–I.40.1.49
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Stobaeus gathered Greek philosophy and poetry for his son Septimius. Volume I presents the dedication testimony, On Arithmetic, Book I through chapter 60, and the ancient contents of all four books. This complete bilingual edition includes an introduction and 2,117 explanatory notes.
Historical Text and Translation
The Greek follows Curt Wachsmuth’s 1884 Volume I, checked against the supplied scan. Gaps, lost-chapter headings, and uncertain attributions remain visible. Chapter 2 includes a labeled proposed reconstruction. The appendix outlines Books I–IV; the full texts of Books II–IV are outside this volume. Reader pages preserve the companion PDF’s numbering.
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Diotimos Editions prepared this independent English translation directly from the Greek. Prose and verse retain their distinct forms, with mixed passages preserving their quoted verse. Every passage is paired with its Greek and identified by the edition’s reference number. All 2,117 notes remain linked to their passages, with continuous numbering across the introduction and text.
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