That of which all things that are consist, the first from which they come to be, the last into which they are resolved (the substance remaining, but changing in its modifications), this they say is the element and this the principle of things, and therefore they think nothing is either generated or destroyed, since this sort of entity is always conserved, as we say Socrates neither comes to be absolutely when he comes to be beautiful or musical, nor ceases to be when loses these characteristics, because the substratum, Socrates himself remains.
diren guztien osagai den hori, haien sorburu lehena eta azkenean ustelduraren amaiera dena-substantziak iraunez bere ezaugarrietan aldatu arren-, hori, 10) direnen osagai eta printzipioa da haien ustez;