Source edition
Aristotle. Aristotelis Opera, Volume 6. Bekker, Immanuel, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1837.
Source data
Open Greek and Latin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This scientific and philosophical treatise investigates from physical and anatomical perspectives how human and animal voices, as well as instrumental sounds, are produced, transmitted, and varied. It begins by explaining the fundamental mechanism of sound generation through the movement and impact of air in relation to bodily organs such as the lungs and trachea. The text then discusses how the moisture, dryness, and shape of these organs affect vocal quality, while also explaining the mechanism of auditory perception and sound propagation. Furthermore, it analyzes the physical effects of material quality and condition on the resonance of musical instruments like horns and the aulos. In the latter half, the treatise examines in detail various vocal characteristics—such as hardness, softness, hoarseness, thickness, and thinness—linking them to breath volume and tracheal conditions. Finally, it concludes by comprehensively elucidating diverse acoustic phenomena, including the causes of stuttering, through physical and physiological conditions.