Heat and straightness can be present in every part of a thing, but
it is impossible that the thing should be nothing but hot or white
or straight; for, if that were so, attributes would have an
independent existence. Hence if, in all cases, whenever the active and
the passive exist together, the one acts and the other is acted on, it
is impossible that no change should occur. Further, this is so if a
waste product is an opposite, and waste must always be produced; for
opposition is always the source of change, and refuse is what
remains of the previous opposite. But, after expelling everything of a
nature actually opposed, would an object in this case also be
imperishable? No, it would be destroyed by the environment.
If then that is so, what we have said sufficiently accounts for
the change; but, if not, we must assume that something of actually
opposite character is in the changing object, and refuse is produced.
Hence accidentally a lesser flame is consumed by a greater one,
for the nutriment, to wit the smoke, which the former takes a long
period to expend, is used up by the big flame quickly.
Hence [too] all things are at all times in a state of transition and
are coming into being and passing away. The environment acts on them
either favourably or antagonistically, and, owing to this, things that
change their situation become more or less enduring than their
nature warrants, but never are they eternal when they contain contrary
qualities; for their matter is an immediate source of contrariety,
so that if it involves locality they show change of situation, if
quantity, increase and diminution, while if it involves qualitative
affection we find alteration of character.
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