Archimedes Texts

401
even, to wit, the surfaces of very vast Seas, which being also far
remote from the continuate ledges of Mountains which environ
it, seem to have no faculty of carrying the super-ambient Air
along therewith: and not carrying it about, we may perceive what
will of consequence ensue in those places.

SIMP. I was about to propose the very same difficulty, which
I think is of great validity.

SALV. You say very well Simplicius, for from the not finding
in the Air that which of consequence would follow, did this our
Globe move round; you argue its immoveablenesse. But in case
that this which you think ought of necessary consequence to be
found, be indeed by experience proved to be so; will you accept
it for a sufficient testimony and an argument for the mobility of
the said Globe?

SIMP. In this case it is not requisite to argue with me alone,
for if it should so fall out, and that I could not comprehend the
cause thereof, yet haply it might be known by others.

SALV. So that by playing with you, a man shall never get, but
be alwayes on the losing hand; and therefore it would be better
to give over: Nevertheless, that we may not cheat our third man
we will play on. We said even now, and with some addition we
reitterate it, that the Ayr as if it were a thin and fluid body, and
not solidly conjoyned with the Earth, seem'd not to be necessi
tated to obey its motion; unlesse so far as the cragginess of the
terrestrial superficies, transports and carries with it a part there
of contigious thereunto; which doth not by any great space ex
ceed the greatest altitude of Mountains: the which portion of Air
ought to be so much less repugnant to the terrestrial conversion,

by how much it is repleat with vapours, fumes, and exhalations,
matters all participating of terrene qualities, and consequently
apt of their own nature to the same motions. But where there are
wanting the causes of motion, that is, where the surface of the
Globe hath great levels, and where there is less mixture of the
terrene vapours, there the cause whereby the ambient Air is con
strained to give entire obedience to the terrestrial conversion will
cease in part; so that in such places, whilst the Earth revolveth to
wards the East, there will be continually a wind perceived which
will beat upon us, blowing from the East towards the West:
and such gales will be the more sensible, where the revolution of
the Globe is most swift; which will be in places more remote from
the Poles, and approaching to the greatest Circle of the diurnal
conversion. But now de facto experience much confi meth this
Phylosophical argumentation; for in the spatious Seas, and in their
parts most remote from Land, and situate under the Torrid Zone,
that is bounded by the Tropicks, where there are none of those