Archimedes Texts

301
ty, I believe that you wonder at the paucity of those who are fol
lowers of that opinion would be much diminished. But small re

gard in my judgement, ought to be had of such thick sculs, as think
it a most convincing proof to confirm, and steadfastly settle them
in the belief of the earths immobility, to see that if this day they
cannot Dine at Constantinople, nor Sup in Jappan, that then the
Earth as being a most grave body cannot clamber above the Sun,
and then slide headlong down again; Of such as these I say,
whose number is infinite, we need not make any reckoning, nor
need we to record their foolieries, or to strive to gain to our side
as our partakers in subtil and sublime opinions, men in whose de
finition the kind onely is concerned, and the difference is wanting.
Moreover, what ground do you think you could be able to gain,
with all the demonstrations of the World upon brains so stupid,
as are not able of themselves to know their down right follies? But
my admiration, Sagredus, is very different from yours, you won
der that so few are followers of the Pythagorean Opinion; and I
am amazed how there could be any yet left till now that do em
brace and follow it: Nor can I sufficiently admire the eminencie of

those mens wits that have received and held it to be true, and with
the sprightlinesse of their judgements offered such violence to their
own sences, as that they have been able to prefer that which their
reason dictated to them, to that which sensible experiments re
presented most manifestly on the contrary. That the reasons against
the Diurnal virtiginous revolution of the Earth by you already ex
amined, do carry great probability with them, we have already
seen; as also that the Ptolomaicks, and Aristotelicks, with all their
Sectators did receive them for true, is indeed a very great argument
of their efficacie; but those experiments which apertly contradict
the annual motion, are of yet so much more manifestly repugnant,

that (I say it again) I cannot find any bounds for my admiration,
how that reason was able in Aristarchus and Copernicus, to com
mìt such a rape upon their Sences, as in despight thereof, to make
her self mistress of their credulity.

Discourses more
than childish, serve
to keep fools in the
opinion of the
Earths stability.

Reasons and dis
course in Aristar
cus and Coperni
cus prevailed over
manifest sence.

SAGR. Are we then to have still more of these strong oppositi
ons against this annual motion?

SALV. We are, and they be so evident and sensible, that if a
sence more sublime and excellent than those common and vulgar,
did not take part with reason, I much fear, that I also should have
been much more averse to the Copernican Systeem than I have been
since the time that a clearer lamp than ordinary hath enlightned
me.

SAGR. Now therefore Salviatus, let us come to joyn battail
for every word that is spent on any thing else, I take to be cast a
way.