Bern, Burgerbibliothek, Cod. 402

Theophrastus On Fire.

The nature of fire has certain powers peculiar to itself among the simple bodies, for air, water, and earth only perform natural transformations into one another. It has no power to generate itself. Fire, however, is naturally inclined both to generate and to destroy. It generates the greater from the lesser, and destroys the lesser by the greater. Furthermore, most of its generations occur, as it were, with violence; for instance, the striking of solids like stones, and the rubbing and pressure—just like those fires which arise from destruction, such as from things being burnt or melted. Furthermore, the compressions and pressures of the air in the clouds are violent destructions, through which lightning and thunderbolts are produced, and in many other ways that we have observed. Furthermore, it occurs under the earth, upon the earth, and from the earth, and many of these opinions might suggest they occur with violence. But if this is not the case, it is evident that it has many modes of generation that do not exist for the other elements, nor is the method in general appropriate, but rather, as was said, it is a kind of natural transformation and generation. Thus, the kanon rule/standard does not account for anything in our experience. For we do not dig up all water as if we are creating it, but we bring it into view, having gathered what was partitioned in parts. It appears to be the same, but not in one way; rather, in many. This would seem to be the greatest difference. For some things exist in themselves, and not by any underlying subject, except for what is evident to our senses. Furthermore, one must count or define clearly the subject of the flame and the charcoal. For the former is burning smoke, and the latter is the earthy part, and the same is true of the things in the heavens.

the striking

destructions

rule

gathered