Water is that which is dedicated to be the vital moisture of this arid earth.

And that cause which moves it through the veins, against the natural course (desire) of heavy things, is like that which moves the humours in all the species of animate bodies; and if ...

And as from the lower part of the vine the water is driven up to its cut branches and then falls back upon its roots, penetrates them and rises anew, so from the lowest depth of the sea the water is raised to the summits of the mountains and, through the broken veins, falls low and returns to the sea, and again rises; thus between down and up, thus between within and without, without rest, now with accidental and now with natural motion, now in its freedom and now in the power of its mover it goes turning about, and returned into the power of its mover it rises again and then again falls; thus when one part rises, the other descends.

So from the lowest depth of the sea the water rises to the summits of the mountains and, through the broken veins, falls low, and in that time another water surges up; thus the whole element turns about and many times has run through the royal rivers.

So, within and without joined together in continuous revolution, it keeps varying, taking the likeness of the places through which it passes. And now with accidental motion it rises, and now with natural motion it freely descends.

Sometimes it transforms into the highest clouds and then shuts itself within the low caverns of the earth.

It has nothing of its own, but moves and takes everything, as is clearly shown by distillations.

Thus here and there, up and down it runs; no rest ever reposes it; it always comes to aid wherever the moisture is lacking.

Now it takes away the ground and now it gives it; to one it unloads timber, to another stones; to one it offers sand, to another mud; never firm in its bed or in its banks; now with ruinous course it runs, now with tranquil motion it descends, now it shows itself with turbulent face, now it is seen to be clear and serene; now in thin mist it mingles with the air, and now with ruinous rain it falls low; now it turns to snow or to tempestuous hail, now with fine rain it wets the air; thus now icy and now hot; never does any firmness accompany it; now it rises high in rarefied mist, where, closing again, it presses the air and among the other air moves it, in the likeness of the sponge that, squeezed under water, drives out the water enclosed within the other water.