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CHAP. V.]
THE CATEGORIES.
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one of such other things as are substances: hence substance is not capable of receiving the greater and the less.
24. Individually it can receive contraries, in which it differs from those which are not substances. It appears however, to be especially the peculiarity of substance, that being one and the same in number, it can receive contraries, which no one can affirm of the rest which are not substances, as that being one in number, they are capable of contraries.[1] Thus "colour," which is one and the same in number, is not "white" and "black," neither the same action, also one in number, both bad and good; in like manner of other things as many as are not substances. But substance being one, and the same in number, can receive contraries, as "a certain man" being one and the same, is at one time, white, and at another, black, and warm and cold, and bad and good. In respect of none of the rest does such a thing appear, except some one should object, by saying, that a sentence and opinion are capable of receiving contraries, for the same sentence appears to be true and false; 25. Reply to objection by a reference to the mode. thus if the statement be true that "some one sits," when he stands up, this very same statement will be false. And in a similar manner in the matter of opinion, for if any one should truly opine that a certain person sits, when he rises up he will opine falsely, if he still holds the same opinion about him. Still, if any one, should even admit this, yet there is a difference in the mode. 26. Inherents in substances are, when changed, capable of contrariety. For some things in substances, being themselves changed, are capable of contraries, since cold, being made so, from hot, has changed, for it is changed in quality, and black from white, and good from bad: in like manner as to other things, each one of them receiving change is capable of contraries. The sentence indeed and the opinion remain themselves altogether immovable, but the thing being moved, a contrary is produced about them; the sentence indeed remains the same, that "some one sits," but the thing being moved, it becomes at one time, true, and at another, false. Likewise as to opinion,- ↑ He does not mean that contraries exist in substance at one and the same time, as may be perceived from the examples he adduces. Archytas, according to Simplicius, admits the capability of contraries to be the peculiarity of substance; "thus vigilance is contrary to sleep, slowness to swiftness, disease to health, of all which, one and the same man, is capable." Simp. in Arist. Cat. Compare also Waitz, Organ. p. 291, Comment.
