The water that is destined to be the vital humour of the arid earth moves through the branching veins by that same cause; it pours into it and works within it as blood does in human bodies. The same cause moves the water through its branching veins as moves the blood in the human species; and as through the broken veins at the top height of man the low blood rises, similarly through the broken veins at the summits of the mountains the low water is poured forth.

The water that has issued from the earthly veins is abandoned by the moving cause that led it there.

The water falling from the high peaks observes in its motion the desire of all other heavy things.

And as through the broken veins of the head the low blood rises upward, and through the high cuts of the vine, when it is pruned, the low sap pours out, so does the water at the summit of the mountains.

Thus the low water raises itself on high and pours out at the high summits of the mountains, where its veins are cut.

And that water which, to the utmost wonder of those who contemplate it, raises itself from the lowest depth of the sea to the highest summits of the mountains, and pouring out through the broken veins returns to the low sea, and again with speed climbs up and returns to a like descent — so that in time its whole element passes through — thus from high to low, thus between inside and outside, now with natural and now with accidental motion it proceeds together and conjoined; thus with continuous revolution it goes turning round, in the likeness of the sap of the vine, which, pouring out through its cut branches and falling back upon its roots, again rises up through the channels and, falling back, returns to a like revolution.

The water that through the broken veins of the high mountain peaks sees the air is at once abandoned by the power that led it there; when the water leaves the forces that raise it on high, it freely resumes its natural course.

In the likeness of that sap which rises from the low roots of the vine to its high summit and, falling through the cut branches upon the first roots, rises again to the place whence it fell.

The blood that succours the cut place from which the other blood departed.