Archimedes Texts

163
Earth, like as it carrieth the clouds along with it, so it transporteth
birds and every thing else which is pendent in the same; in so much
that as to the businesse of keeping pace with the Earth, the birds
need take no care thereof, but for that work might sleep perpe
tually.

SAGR. That the Air can carry the clouds along with it, as
being matters easie for their lightnesse to be moved and deprived
of all other contrary inclination, yea more, as being matters that
partake also of the conditions and properties of the Earth; I com
prehend without any difficulty; but that birds, which as having
life, may move with a motion quite contrary to the diurnal, once
having surceased the said motion, the Air should restore them to
it, seems to me a little strange, and the rather for that they are solid
and weighty bodies; and withal, we see; as hath been said, stones
and other grave bodies to lie unmoved against the impetus of the
air; and when they suffer themselves to be overcome thereby,
they never acquire so much velocity as the wind which carrieth
them.

SALV. We ascribe not so little force, Sagredus, to the moved
Air, which is able to move and bear before it ships full fraught,
to tear up trees by the roots, and overthrow Towers when it
moveth swiftly; and yet we cannot say that the motion of the
Air in these violent operations is neer so violent, as that of the
diurnal revolution.

SIMP. You see then that the moved Air may also cotinue the
motion of projects, according to the Doctrine of Aristotle; and
it seemed to me very strange that he should have erred in this
particular.

SALV. It may without doubt, in case it could continue it self,
but lik as when the wind ceasing neither ships go on, nor trees are
blown down, so the motion in the Air not continuing after the
stone is gone out of the hand, and the Air ceasing to move, it
followeth that it must be something else besides the Air that ma
keth the projects to move.

SIMP. But how upon the winds being laid, doth the ship cease
to move? Nay you may see that when the wind is down, and
the sails furl'd, the vessel continueth to run whole miles.

SALV. But this maketh against your self Simplicius, for that
the wind being laid that filling the sails drove on the ship, yet ne
verthelesse doth it without help of the medium continue its
course.

SIMP. It might be said that the water was the medium which
carried forward the ship, and maintain'd it in motion.

SALV. It might indeed be so affirmed, if you would speak
quite contrary to truth; for the truth is, that the water, by rea