Galilei, Galileo Dialogues on two world systems 1661, tr. Salusbury, Thomas
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244
tures themselves, which yet move naturally, and from an intern
principle, do grow weary, and have need of rest to relax and re­
fresh their members --------

An explanation
of the true sense of
Kepler and his de­
fence.

The greatnesse
and smalnesse of
the body make a
difference in moti­
on and not in rest.

The order of na­
ture is to make the
lesser Orbs to cir­
culate in shorter
times, and the big­
ger in longer times.

SAGR. Methinks I hear Kepler answer him to that, that
there are some kinde of animals which refresh themselves after
wearinesse, by rowling on the Earth; and that therefore there

is no need to fear that the Terrestrial Globe should tire, nay it
may be reasonably affirmed, that it enjoyeth a perpetual & most
tranquil repose, keeping it self in an eternal rowling.

The feigned an­
swer of Kepler co­
vered with an ar­
tificial Irony.

SALV. You are too tart and Satyrical, Sagredus: but let us
lay aside jests, whilst we are treating of serious things.

SAGR. Excuse me, Salviatus, this that I say is not so abso­
lutely besides the business, as you perhaps make it; for a motion
that serveth instead of rest, and removeth weariness from a body
tired with travail, may much more easily serve to prevent the co­

ming of that weariness, like as preventive remedies are more easie
than curative. And I hold for certain, that if the motion of ani­
mals should proceed in the same manner as this that is ascribed to
the Earth, they would never grow weary; Seeing that the weari­
ness of the living creature, deriveth it self, in my opinion, from

the imployment of but one part alone in the moving of its self,
and all the rest of the body; as v. g. in walking, the thighs and
the legs onely are imployed for carrying themselves and all the
rest: on the contrary, you see the motion of the heart to be as it
were indefatigable, because it moveth it self alone. Besides, I

know not how true it may be, that the motion of the animal is na­
tural, and not rather violent: nay, I believe that one may truly
say, that the soul naturally moveth the members of an animal with
a motion preternatural, for if the motion upwards is preternatu­
ral to grave bodies, the lifting up of the legs, and the thighs,
which are grave bodies, in walking, cannot be done without vio­
lence, and therefore not without labour to the mover. The
climbing upwards by a ladder carrieth the grave body contrary to
its natural inclination upwards, from whence followeth weariness,
by reason of the bodies natural aversness to that motion: but in
moving a moveable with a motion, to which it hath no aversion,

what lassitude, what diminution of vertue and strength need we
fear in the mover? and how should the forces waste, where they
are not at all imployed?

Animals would
not grow weary of
their motion, pro­
ceeding as that
which is assigned
to the terrestrial
Globe.

The cause of the
wearinesse of ani­
mals.

The motion of
an animal is rather
to be called violent
than natural.

The strength di­
minisheth not,
where it is not im­
ployed.

SIMP. They are the contrary motions wherewith the Earth is
pretended to move, against which the Authour produceth his ar­
gument.

SAGR. It hath been said already, that they are no wise con­
traries, and that herein the Authour is extteamly deceived, so
that the whole strength of the argument recoileth upon the Op­