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[One kind of] sound [exists] in potentiality and another in actuality; and some things are capable of producing a sound, others not. Now things able to produce a sound are solid and smooth; the sound in potentiality can be found in them when they are activating [a sound],[1] insofar as they can make a sound. For a sound in potentiality is this: the fitness of what is able to make a sound. And when things which are able to make a sound do produce a sound, that is sound in actuality.[2] And sound is an impact of air generated in this way:[3] for sound to be produced, it requires the coincidence of two hard bodies and the sudden reciprocal coincidence of smooth bodies.[4] For the air that is enclosed by these bodies, in being suddenly squeezed out, makes a sound. Neither the soft bodies (such as sponges and wool) produce a sound, nor the bodies which are hard[5] but which are gently struck little by little. For the air partially comes first, in so far as it is broken in pieces. Hence there must be a violent coincidence among the hard bodies in order that a great amount of air is cut off in the midst. And such an air, while being intercepted and suddenly thrust out, produces a sound. For the impact, in coming first, shuts off its way out and suddenly squeezes it out. But the soft bodies do not make a sound, because they are not able to thrust the enclosed air out. For, in being cut up, [the air] comes out through the pores (since soft bodies are loose-textured). The sound must, to a greater extent, come into being for the things that especially strike on smoothness, since the air, in being cut off to a greater extent, is suddenly squeezed out. But in the things that are not smooth, in the many cavities, [the air] is not cut up and it does not come out suddenly. [Aristotle] also says other things about noise, which we have omitted. 'Capable of producing sound' is what is able to preserve one and a continuous air up to the organ of hearing.[6] And [such an organ] is co-natural with and dwells in the cavities of the ears at the actual eardrum.[7]

*yo/fos: o(/ti o( yo/fos o( me\n duna/mei, o( de\ e)nergei/a|: kai\ ta\ me\n du/natai yofei=n, ta\ de\ ou)/. ta\ me\n ou)=n duna/mena yofei=n e)sti ta\ sterea\ kai\ lei=a, e)n oi(=s e)stin o( duna/mei yo/fos, o(/tan e)nergh=|, kaqo/ e)sti yofhtika/: h( ga\r e)pithdeio/ths tou= du/nasqai yofei=n, ou(=to/s e)stin o( duna/mei yo/fos. o(/tan de\ duna/mena poih=|, ou(=to/s e)stin o( e)nergei/a|. e)/sti de\ yo/fos plhgh\ a)e/ros toiw=sde ginome/nh: dei= ga\r ei)s to\ gene/sqai yo/fon du/o sklhrw=n swma/twn sunemptw/sews kai\ lei/wn swma/twn a)qro/an sune/mptwsin pro\s a)/llhla gene/sqai. e)n ga\r tou/tois o( e)napolambano/menos a)h\r a)qro/ws e)kqlibo/menos poiei= to\n yo/fon. ou)/te ga\r ta\ malaka\ tw=n swma/twn yo/fon poiei=, oi(=on spo/ggos, e)/ria, ou)/te ta\ sklhra\ me/n, h)re/ma de\ kai\ kata\ mikro\n proskrouo/mena: fqa/nei ga\r kata\ me/ros oi(=on qrufqh=nai o( a)h/r. dio\ dei= th=s sfodra=s tw=n sklhrw=n swma/twn sunemptw/sews, i(/na polu\s o( a)h\r e)napolhfqh=| metacu/, o(\s e)napolambano/menos kai\ a)qro/ws e)cwqou/menos poiei= to\n yo/fon: fqa/nousa ga\r h( plhgh\ th\n e)/codon au)tou= a)poklei/ei kai\ a)qro/on e)kpurhni/zei. ta\ de\ malaka\ ou) yofei=, dio/ti ou)x oi(=a/ te/ e)stin e)cwqh=sai to\n a)e/ra to\n e)napokleio/menon: dia\ ga\r tw=n po/rwn [mana\ ga/r e)sti ta\ malaka/] katakermatisqei\s e)/ceisi. dei= de\ kai\ leio/thtos toi=s plh/ttousi ma/lista, pro\s to\ plei/ona gene/sqai to\n yo/fon, dio/ti ple/on e)napolambano/menos o( a)h\r e)kqli/betai a)qro/ws. e)n de\ toi=s mh\ lei/ois katakermati/zetai e)n toi=s koilw/masi, plei/osin ou)=si, kai\ ou)k a)qro/os e)/ceisi. le/gei kai\ e(/tera peri\ h)xh=s, a(\ paraleloi/pamen. *yofhtiko\n de/ e)sti to\ duna/menon e(/na kai\ sunexh= to\n a)e/ra thrh=sai me/xri th=s a)koh=s. sumfuh\s de/ e)sti kai\ e)gkatw|kodomhme/nos toi=s koilw/masi tw=n w)tw=n pro\s au)th=| th=| mh/niggi.

Almost the whole of this entry comes from John Philoponus, Commentary on Aristotle's de anima 419b4ff. The first and major section (as far as 'does not come out suddenly') reproduces, with some minor variations, Philoponus 354.21-355.13; and see further below, nn. 6-7.
[1] i.e. when they can make an actual sound (Aristotle, de anima 419b9).
[2] Or 'actual sound'.
[3] See Aristotle, de anima 419b10ff.
[4] i.e. it is impossible for one body only to produce a sound (Aristotle, de anima 419b11). A sound can be produced if and only if there are at least two bodies that are smooth and solid. In fact, if the bodies at issue are bodies such as sponges or wool there is no sound (see what follows in this entry and Aristotle, de anima 419b6-7).
[5] This last clause looks like an unnecessary addition, for, as said a line before, hard bodies can produce a sound.
[6] From Philoponus 363.35-364.1, commenting on Aristotle, de anima 420a3.
[7] From Philoponus 364.11-12.

David Whitehead (added keyword; cosmetics) on 16 January 2003@07:51:39.
David Whitehead (another keyword; further tweaks and cosmetics; raised status) on 6 November 2013@08:35:31.
David Whitehead (coding) on 30 May 2016@08:42:31.
Catharine Roth (removed note number) on 19 August 2023@17:38:51.
Catharine Roth (tweaked translation) on 20 August 2023@01:09:06.
Catharine Roth (tweaked translation) on 20 August 2023@17:53:32.

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