Chapter 7

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After the four simple elements, next in order follow, composed out of them, the four kinds of perfected things: which are stones, metals, plants, and animals. And although all the elements come together in composition for the generation of each, still each kind follows and imitates one principal element: for all stones are earthy, since by nature they are heavy and sink downward, and are so concreted by dryness that they cannot be melted. Metals, however, are watery and fusible, and — as the natural philosophers admit and the alchemists find by experience — are generated from viscous water, or from watery quicksilver. Plants agree with air in this way, that unless under the open sky they do not sprout, nor grow together. So too with all animals,

(verse, summarized — see flag) "Fiery is their vigor, and heavenly their origin" — Virgil describes the life-force of souls as fire-born and of heavenly descent (Aeneid VI).

— so kindred to them is fire, that once it is extinguished, the whole of life soon fails. Again, each of these kinds is in itself distinguished by degrees of the elements. For among stones, those are called chiefly earthy which are opaque and heavier: watery, however, are those that are transparent: and those concreted from water, such as crystal, beryl, and pearls in shells: and there are airy ones, which float upon water and are spongy, such as pumice-stone, sponges, pumex, and tufa: there are fiery ones too, from which fire is extracted, and into which it is sometimes resolved again, or which are begotten from fire itself: such as the thunderstone, and the firestone [pyrites], and asbestos. Likewise among metals, lead and silver are earthy: quicksilver is watery: copper and tin are airy: gold and iron, however, are fiery. In plants too, the roots imitate earth, on account of their density: the leaves, however, imitate water, on account of their sap: the flowers, air, on account of their fineness: the seeds, fire, on account of the generative spirit.

Moreover some are called hot, others cold, others moist, others dry, borrowing the names of the elements from their own qualities. Among animals too, some are earthy above the rest, and inhabit the bowels of the earth, such as worms, and earthworms, and moles, and many reptiles: others are watery, such as fish: others airy, which cannot live outside the air: and there are fiery ones too, dwelling in fire, such as salamanders, and certain cicadas which they call pyraustae, and creatures that burn with a certain fiery heat: such as doves, ostriches, lions, and the creatures the Wise Man calls beasts that breathe fiery vapor. Moreover in animals the bones correspond to earth, the flesh to air, the vital spirit to fire, and the humors to water. And these too are divided among the elements, for red bile answers to fire, blood to air, phlegm to water, black bile to earth.

In the soul itself, finally, on Augustine's testimony, the intellect answers to fire, reason to air, imagination to water, and sense to earth. And these too are among themselves divided by the elements, for sight is fiery — for it does not perceive without fire and light: hearing is airy, for sound is produced by air struck: smell, however, and taste are referred to water, without whose moisture there is neither flavor nor odor: touch, finally, is wholly earthy, and takes to itself the coarser bodies. The acts and operations of a man too are governed by the elements: for slow and heavy movement is marked by earth: fearfulness, and sluggishness, and a more remiss activity, water marks: liveliness, and amiable manners, by air [†uncertain word]; a sharp and irascible temper, by fire. The elements, then, are first of all things, and all things arise from them and according to them, and they themselves are in all things, and diffuse their powers through all things.

Modern rendering

After the four simple elements come the four kinds of things composed out of them: stones, metals, plants, and animals. All the elements go into making each of these, but each kind still follows and takes after one element in particular. Stones are earthy: by nature they're heavy and sink, and dryness has hardened them so they can't be melted. Metals, on the other hand, are watery and can be melted — natural philosophers agree, and alchemists confirm by experience, that metals form from viscous water, or from watery quicksilver. Plants take after air: they won't sprout or grow together except in the open air.

The same goes for all animals —

(verse, summarized — see flag) "Fiery is their vigor, and heavenly their origin" — Virgil describes the life-force within living things as fire-born, of heavenly descent (Aeneid VI).

— fire is so closely tied to them that once it goes out, life itself soon fails. Each of these four kinds also breaks down internally by degrees of the elements. Among stones, the ones called mainly earthy are the opaque, heavier ones; the watery ones are the transparent ones; those formed from water include crystal, beryl, and pearls in their shells; the airy ones float on water and are spongy — pumice, sponges, and tufa; and there are fiery stones too, ones fire can be drawn from, or that sometimes turn back into fire, or that are born from fire itself — the thunderstone, pyrites, and asbestos. The same holds for metals: lead and silver are earthy; quicksilver is watery; copper and tin are airy; gold and iron are fiery. In plants, the roots take after earth because of their density, the leaves take after water because of their sap, the flowers take after air because they're so delicate, and the seeds take after fire because of the generative spirit in them.

Beyond that, some things are called hot, others cold, some moist, some dry — the elements lend their names to whatever shares their qualities. Among animals too, some are more earthy than the rest and live inside the earth — worms, earthworms, moles, and many reptiles. Others are watery, like fish. Others are airy, unable to live outside the air. And some are fiery, living in fire — salamanders, certain cicadas called pyraustae, and creatures that burn with a kind of fiery heat, like doves, ostriches, lions, and what the Wise Man calls beasts that breathe fiery vapor. In animals generally, bone corresponds to earth, flesh to air, the vital spirit to fire, and the bodily fluids to water. Those fluids are likewise split among the elements: yellow bile goes with fire, blood with air, phlegm with water, black bile with earth.

In the soul itself, according to Augustine, intellect corresponds to fire, reason to air, imagination to water, and sense-perception to earth. And even these break down further by element: sight is fiery, since it can't perceive anything without fire and light; hearing is airy, since sound comes from air being struck; smell and taste both belong to water, since without moisture there's neither flavor nor odor; and touch is entirely earthy, latching onto the coarser, heavier bodies. A person's actions and behavior are likewise shaped by the elements: slow, heavy movement marks out earth; fearfulness, sluggishness, and halfhearted effort mark out water; liveliness and a friendly disposition come from air [uncertain word in the source]; a sharp, quick temper comes from fire. The elements, then, come before everything else — everything is made from them and follows their pattern, and they themselves are present in everything, spreading their powers through all things.