Archimedes Texts

498
Immobility. And the Third shall be the Empyrean Heaven, that
is the Seat of the Blessed. And in this manner we may come to
explain and understand that admirable Secret, and profound My

stery ænigmatically revealed by Plato to Dionysius of Syracuse:

(a) All things are about the King of all things, Second things
about the second, and Third things about the Third: For that
God being the Centre of Spiritual things, the Sun, of Cor
poreal, Christ, of those that are Mixt, or made up of both, things
do doubtlesse depend of that of these three Centres that is most
correspondent and proportionable to them, and the Centre is
ever adjudged to be the nobler and worthier place: and therefore
in Animals the Heart, in Vegitables the Pith or Kernell wherein
the Seed lyeth that conserveth their perpetuity, and virtually in
cludes the whole Plant, are in the Midst, and in the Centre: and
thus much shall suffice to have hinted at, since there may another
occasion offer it self for a larger Explication of these things. By
this Maxim the Authorities and Arguments of the Third Fourth
and Fifth Classes are resolved.

The Earth in
what sense it may
absolutely be said
to be in the lowest
part of the World.

Christ in his
Incarnation tru
ly descended from
Heaven, and in
his Ascension tru
ly ascended into
Heaven.

2 Cor. c. 12. v.
3. Whether in the
body or out of the
body, I cannot tell,
The Sun is King,
Heart and Lamp
of the World him
self being αυταρκης
absolutely indepen
dent.)

(a) Circa omni
um Regem sunt
omnia. & Secun
da circa Secun
dum, et Tertia
circa Tertium:
Vide Theodo. de
Græc. affect. curat.
lib. 2. Steuch. lib.
de Parennj. Phi
loso.

It may be added withall, that even the Sun, Mercury and Ve
nus (that is to say in respect of the Earth) are to be thought
aboue, and not beneath the Earth it self, although in respect of
the Universe, yea and also absolutely, they are below. The rea
son is, because in respect of the Earth they alwayes appear above
its Surface: and although they do not environe it, yet by the
Motion of the said Earth they behold one while one part, another
while another part of its Circumference. Since therefore those
things which in a Sphærical Body are nearer to the Circumfe
rence and more remote from the Cenrre are said to be above, but
those that are next adjoyning to the Centre are said to be below;
it clearly followeth that whilst the Sun, Mercury and Venus are
not only turned towards the Surface and Circumference of the
said Earth, but are at a very great distance without it, successively
turned about it, and every way have a view of it, and are very
far remote from its Centre, they may, in respect of the said Earth,
be said to be above it; as also on the other side, the Earth in
respect of them may be said to be beneath: howbeit on the con
trary, in respect of the Universe, the Earth in reality is much
higher than they. And thus is salved the Authority of Ecclesi-

astes in many places, expressing those things that are, or are done
on the Eeath in these words, Which are done, or which are under

the Sun, And in the same manner those words are reduced to their
true Sense wherein it is said, That we are under the Sun, and un
der the Moon, whereupon Terrene things are expressed by the
name of Sublunary.