Archimedes Texts

In the dayes of yore, before that the admirable Art of Wea
ving was in use, there was found in Persia a vastand unvaluable
Treasure, which consisted in an huge multitude of pieces of Er
mesin, or Damask, I know not whether; which, as I take it,
amounted to near two thousand pieces; which were of such a
nature, that though their Breadth and Thickness were finite and
determinate, as they use to be at this day; yet nevertheless, their
Length was in a certain sense infinite, for that those two thousand
pieces, day and night without ceasing, issued out with their ends
at such a rate, that of each piece there issued 100. Ells a day, from
a deep and dark Cave, consecrated by the Superstition of those
people, to the fabulous Arachne. In those innocent and early
times (I take it to have been, in that so much applauded and
desired Golden age) it was left to the liberty of any one, to cut
off of those pieces what quantity they pleased without any diffi
culty: But that felicity decaying and degenerating, which was
altogether ignorant of Meum and Tuum; terms certainly most
pernicious, the Original of all evils, and cause of all discords;
there were by those people strong and vigilant Guards placed
upon the Cave, who resolved to make merchandize of the Stuffes;
and in this manner they began to set a price upon that inestima
ble Treasure, selling the propriety in those pieces to divers Mer
chants; to some they sold a right in one, to some in two, and to
some in more. But that which was the worst of all, There was
found out by the insatiable avarice of these men crafty inventions
to deceive the Merchants also; who came to buy the aforesaid
commodity, and to make themselves Masters, some of one
some of two, and some of more ends of those pieces of stuff;
and in particular, there were certain ingenuous Machines placed
in the more secret places of the Cave, with which at the pleasure
of the Guards, they did retard the velocity of those Stuffs, in
their issuing out of the Cave; insomuch, that he who ought to have
had 100. Ells of Stuff in a day, had not above 50, and he who
should have had 400, enjoyed the benefit of 50. onely; and so all
the rest were defrauded of their Rights, the surplusage being sold,
appropriated, and shared at the will of the corrupt Officers: So
that the business was without all order or justice, insomuch that
the Goddess Arachne being displeased at those people, deprived
every one of their benefit, and with a dreadful Earthquake for
ever closing the mouth of the Cave, in punishment of so much
impiety and malice: Nor did it avail them to excuse themselves,
by saying that they allowed the Buyer the Breadth and Thick
ness bargained for; and that of the Length, which was infinite,