首先，既然大地和水的身体，空气的轻呼吸，和炽热的呼气(这四种事物被看作是紧密相连的)，所以所有的东西都有诞生和易逝的框架，因此，世界本身的整个本质也必须被认为是易逝的。因为，的确，我们看到的那些事物的部分和组成部分，在时间中诞生，在易逝的形态中，我们也指出，同样的东西，总是在时间中诞生，在死亡中诞生。因此，当我看到这个世界上最强大的成员和部分被毁灭又重生时，我就知道，天上地下的天空也从亘古开始，也终将走向灾难。唯恐你认为我在这些事情上玩弄了这一点，是为了满足我自己的反复无常——因为我认为土与火确实是会死的东西，而没有怀疑过水与空气也会毁灭，并断言它们会再次产生，变得更大——请仔细听我的论证:首先，你看，地球上的某些地方，被不间断的太阳烤得焦灼，被一大群人的脚践踏，呼出一种粉状的薄雾和飞扬的尘土，大风把它们吹散在整个空气中。此外，她的一部分草皮和土壤被雨水所淹没;河流侵蚀着河岸。此外，任何事物在培育和增加事物方面都有其自身的作用……被渲染回来;既然大地，万物之母，无疑也被看作是万物的共同坟墓，所以你看到她的丰盈减少，然后又以新的生长而增加。 And for the rest, that sea, and streams, and springs Forever with new waters overflow And that perennially the fluids well. Needeth no words- the mighty flux itself Of multitudinous waters round about Declareth this. But whatso water first Streams up is ever straightway carried off, And thus it comes to pass that all in all There is no overflow; in part because The burly winds (that over-sweep amain) And skiey sun (that with his rays dissolves) Do minish the level seas; in part because The water is diffused underground Through all the lands. The brine is filtered off, And then the liquid stuff seeps back again And all re-gathers at the river-heads, Whence in fresh-water currents on it flows Over the lands, adown the channels which Were cleft erstwhile and erstwhile bore along The liquid-footed floods. Now, then, of air I'll speak, which hour by hour in all its body Is changed innumerably. For whatso'er Streams up in dust or vapour off of things, The same is all and always borne along Into the mighty ocean of the air; And did not air in turn restore to things Bodies, and thus recruit them as they stream, All things by this time had resolved been And changed into air. Therefore it never Ceases to be engendered off of things And to return to things, since verily In constant flux do all things stream. Likewise, The abounding well-spring of the liquid light, The ethereal sun, doth flood the heaven o'er With constant flux of radiance ever new, And with fresh light supplies the place of light, Upon the instant. For whatever effulgence Hath first streamed off, no matter where it falls, Is lost unto the sun. And this 'tis thine To know from these examples: soon as clouds Have first begun to under-pass the sun, And, as it were, to rend the days of light In twain, at once the lower part of them Is lost entire, and earth is overcast Where'er the thunderheads are rolled along- So know thou mayst that things forever need A fresh replenishment of gleam and glow, And each effulgence, foremost flashed forth, Perisheth one by one. Nor otherwise Can things be seen in sunlight, lest alway The fountain-head of light supply new light. Indeed your earthly beacons of the night, The hanging lampions and the torches, bright With darting gleams and dense with livid soot, Do hurry in like manner to supply With ministering heat new light amain; Are all alive to quiver with their fires,- Are so alive, that thus the light ne'er leaves The spots it shines on, as if rent in twain: So speedily is its destruction veiled By the swift birth of flame from all the fires. Thus, then, we must suppose that sun and moon And stars dart forth their light from under-births Ever and ever new, and whatso flames First rise do perish always one by one- Lest, haply, thou shouldst think they each endure Inviolable. Again, perceivest not How stones are also conquered by Time?- Not how the lofty towers ruin down, And bo