Archimedes Texts

483
sed amongst the unlearned, and according to the appearance of
things, and not according to their true Existence. In like man
ner Genes. 1. in the description of the Creation of all things,
the Light is said to be made first of all, and yet it followeth in
the Text, And the Evening and the Morning made the first day:
and a little after the several Acts of the Creation are distinguished
and assigned to several days, and concerning each of them it is
said in the Text, And the Evening and the Morning made the
second day; and then the third day, the fourth day, &c. Hence
many doubts arise, all which I shall propound according to the
common Systeme, that it may appear even from the Hypothesis
of that Systeme, that the sacred Scripture sometimes, for the a
voyding of emergent difficulties, is to be understood in a vulgar
sense and meaning, and in respect of us, and not according to
the nature of things. Which distinction even Aristotle himself

seemeth to have hinted, when he saith, ^{*} Some things are more
intelligible to us; others by nature, or secundum se.

Alia sunt notio
ra nobis, alia, no
tiora natura, vel
secundum se, A
r st. lib. 1. Phys.

First therefore; If the light were made before heaven, then
it rolled about without heaven to the making of the distinction
of Day and Night. Now this is contrary to the very doctrine
of these men, who affirm that no Cœlestial Body can be moved
unlesse per accidens, and by the motion of Heaven, and as a knot
in a board at the motion of the board. Again, if it be said, that
the Light was created at the same time with Heaven, and began
to be moved with Heaven, another doubt ariseth, that likewise
opposeth the foresaid common Hypothesis: For it being said,
that Day and Night, Morning and Evening were made, that same
is either in respect of the Universe, or onely in respect of the
Earth and us. If so be that the Sun turning round (according to
the Hypothesis of the Common Systeme) doth not cause the
Night and Day, but only to opacous Bodies which are destitute
of all other light, but that of the Sun, whilst in their half part
(which is their Hemisphœre) and no more, (for that the Suns
light passeth over but one half of an opacous Body, unless a ve
ry small matter more in those of lesser bulk) they are illumina
ted by the Suns aspect, the other half remaining dark and tene
brose, by reason of a shadow proceeding from its own Body.
Therefore the distinction of dayes by the light of heaven, ac
cording to the description of them in the sacred Scriptures, must
not be understood absolutely, and secundum se, and Nature her
self; but in respect of the Earth, and of us its inhabitants, and
consequently secundum nos. 'Tis not therefore new, nor unu
sual in sacred Scripture to speak of things secundum nos, and on
ly in respect of us, and secundum apparentiam; but not secundum
se, and reinaturam, or Absolutely and Simply.