Archimedes Texts

22

may be asligned to the Universe, we shall rather find the Sun
placed in it, as by the sequel you shall understand.

Now, like as from the consentaneous conspiration of all the
parts of the Earth to form its whole, doth follow, that they with

equal inclination concurr thither from all parts; and to unite
themselves as much as is possible together, they there sphelically
adapt themselves; why may we not believe that the Sun, Moon,
and other mundane Bodies, be also of a round figure, not by o
ther than a concordant instinct, and natural concourse of all the
parts composing them? Of which, if any, at any time, by any
violence were separated from the whole, is it not reasonable to
think, that they would spontaneously and by natural instinct re
turn? and in this manner to infer, that the right motion agreeth
with all mundane bodies alike.

Natural inclina
tion of the parts of
all the globes of
the World to go to
their centre.

SIMPL. Certainly, if you in this manner deny not onely the
Principles of Sciences, but manifest Experience, and the Senses
themselves, you can never be convinced or removed from any o
pinion which you once conceit, therefore I will choose rather to
be silent (for, contra negantes principia non est disputandum)
than contend with you. And insisting on the things alledged by
you even now (since you question so much as whether grave move
ables have a right motion or no) how can you ever rationally de

ny, that the parts of the Earth; or, if you will, that ponderous
matters descend towards the Centre, with a right motion; when
as, if from a very high Tower, whose walls are vcry upright and
perpendicular, you let them fall, they shall descend gliding and
sliding by the Tower to the Earth, exactly in that very place
where a plummet would fall, being hanged by a line fastned above,
just there, whence the said weights were let fall? is not this a
more than evident argument of the motions being right, and to

wards the Centre? In the second place you call in doubt, whe
ther the parts of the Earth are moved, as Aristotle affirms, to
wards the Centre of the World; as if he had not rationally de
monstrated it by contrary motions, whilst he thus argueth; The
motion of heavie bodies is contrary to that of the light: but the
motion of the light is manifest to be directly upwards, namely,
towards the circumference of the World, therefore the motion of
the heavie is directly towards the Centre of the World: and it

happens per accidens, that it be towards the centre of the Earth,
for that this striveth to be united to that. The seeking in the
next place, what a part of the Globe of the Sun or Moon would
do, were it separated from its whole, is vanity; because that there

by that is sought, which would be the consequence of an impossi
bility; in regard that, as Aristotle also demonstrates, the cœlestial
bodies are impassible, impenetrable, and infrangible; so that such