ON THE FACTS OF EARTHQUAKE PHANOMENA. 85 
certain tremor is produced through the body, when a quantity of wind is necessarily 
transferred in a mass fiom without inwards), so also it happens with the earth. 
** Such strength has the wind that we need not look for it only in the effects which 
it produces in the atmosphere (for there, on account of its great magnitude, any one 
would presuppose that it could do such great things), but also in the bodies of ani- 
mals. For spasms and convulsions are some of the other motions produced by wind, 
and such strength have they, that many people, at ance trying to restrain the move- 
ments of the person afflicted, are unable to do so.- 
“80 also we must suppose it happens in the earth, to compare a great thing with 
a small. 
“Several signs of it also have taken place under our own observation. For in 
several places, when an earthquake has taken place, it has not stopped until the 
wind which caused it burst forth like a storm upon the part of the earth above. This 
happened in the earthquake which tock place lately about Heracleia in Pontus, and 
formerly in the island Hiera, which is one of those called the AXolian Isles. For 
in this island a part of the earth swelled, and rose like a hill, the motion being ac- 
companied by noise, until at length rending, much wind came forth, and threw up 
cinders and fine ashes, which burnt the whole city of the Liparei, which was not 
far off, and reached even to some of the cities of Italy; and where the swelling took 
place is visible to the present day. or this is to be supposed to be the cause of this 
fire produced in the earth, that when cut off it burned, the air being first divided into 
small particles (ἢ Greek). 
“ But an infallible sign that winds flow beneath the earth, is afforded by that 
which takes place with respect to these islands. For when the south wind is about 
to blow, it is known beforehand by particular signs, for noises are heard at those 
places from which the eruptions take place ; because the sea being forced forwards 
already from a distance is again repelled from the land where it happens to come 
upon it, by the eruptive force. But it produces a sound without a shock on account 
of the great size of the place (for the sea is poured into an immense space without), 
and also the small quantity of the repelling air. 
“‘ Besides these signs, the sun becoming dull and obscure though without clouds, 
and calms and great cold before earthquakes happening in the morning, are signs of 
the cause we have been speaking of. For it is a necessary consequence of the wind 
(which dissolves and separates the air) beginning to return into the earth, that the 
sun should be obscured and gloomy, and that in the morning, towards dawn, there 
should be much cold and calmness. For it is necessary that the calmness should 
for the most part happen when the wind returns inwards, as we have said before, 
and more so before the greater earthquakes, for then that which is within and that 
which is without are not separated, but the whole being borne along, it necessarily 
produces great effects. 
« But the cold happens, because the exhalation, which is in itself of a warm na- 
ture, now goes inwards. But the winds do not seem to be warm, because they move 
the air which is full of cold vapour, in the same way as the air which is breathed 
through our mouths. For that which is near is warm, as when we exhale, but on 
account of its small quantity it is not equally manifest ; but that which is at a di- 
stance is cold, for the same reason as the winds. Such force therefore being wanting 
in the earth, the vaporous emanations coming together, on account of the moisture, 
produce cold in the places which are thus affected. 
“ΤῊ same is the reason of a phenomenon which generally occurs before an 
earthquake, namely, that either during the day or a little after sunset, the weather 
being quite serene, a little cloud appears, narrow and stretched out to a great length, 
and quite straight, the wind being weak on account of its change of place. For the 
_ same takes place in the sea round the coast; for when rising in large waves it is 
flung in upon the shore, deep and irregular ripple-marks are produced, but when 
‘it is calm, less effects are produced, and these are small and straight. What then 
} _ the sea does on the coast, the wind does on the cloud which is in the air, so that 
when there is a calm the cloud is left altogether straight and narrow, being as it 
__-were a ripple-mark in the air. 
“ For the same reason also earthquakes often happen about the time of eclipses 
_ Of the moon. For when now the interposition is near, and the light and heat derived 
