Against the Physicists, Books IX-X of Against the Learned Section 196

ἀρχὴ δὲ γινέσθω πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῶν ἀξιούντων εἶναί τί τινος αἴτιον. Εἴπερ τοίνυν, φασίν (Stoic. fr. II 337 Arn.), ἔστι σπέρμα, ἔστι καὶ αἴτιον, ἐπείπερ τὸ σπέρμα αἴτιόν ἐστι τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ φυομένων τε καὶ γεννωμένων· ἔστι δέ γε σπέρμα, ὧς ἐκ τῶν σπειρομένων καὶ ζωογονουμένων δείκνυται· ἔστιν ἄρα αἴτιον.

Let us begin first with those who maintain that one thing is the cause of another. If, then, they say (Stoic. fr. II 337 Arn.), there is seed, there is also a cause, since seed is the cause of the things that grow and are generated from it. But there is seed, as is shown by things being sown and brought to life. Therefore there is a cause.

Commençons donc par ceux qui soutiennent qu’une chose est cause d’une autre. S’il existe une semence, disent-ils (Stoic. fr. II 337 Arn.), il existe aussi une cause, puisque la semence est cause des choses qui croissent et naissent d’elle. Or il existe une semence, comme le montrent les choses semées et engendrées vivantes. Il existe donc une cause.