Archimedes Texts

27
distinct that can be possible; and excuse me Sagredus, if haply
with some tediousness you hear me oft repeat the same things,
and fancie that you see me reassume my argument in the pub
lick circle of Disputations. You say Generation and Corrupti
on are onely made where there are contraries; contraries
are onely amongst simple natural bodies, moveable with contrary
motions; contrary motions are onely those which are made by
a right line between contrary terms; and these are onely two,
that is to say, from the medium, and towards the medium; and
such motions belong to no other natural bodies, but to the Earth,
the Fire, and the other two Elements: therefore Generation
and Corruption is onely amongst the Elements. And because
the third simple motion, namely, the circular about the medium,
hath no contrary, (for that the other two are contraries, and one
onely, hath but onely one contrary) therefore that natural body
with which such motion agreeth, wants a contrary; and having
no contrary is ingenerable and incorruptible, &c. Because where
there is no contrariety, there is no generation or corruption, &c.
But such motion agreeth onely with the Cœlestial bodies; there

fore onely these are ingenerable, incorruptible, &c. And to
begin, I think it a more easie thing, and sooner done to resolve,
whether the Earth (a most vast Body, and for its vicinity to us,
most tractable) moveth with a speedy motion, such as its revo
lution about its own axis in twenty four hours would be, than it
is to understand and resolve, whether Generation and Corruption
ariseth from contrariety, or else whether there be such things as
generation, corruption and contrariety in nature. And if you,
Simplicius, can tell me what method Nature observes in working,
when she in a very short time begets an infinite number of flies
from a little vapour of the Must of wine, and can shew me which
are there the contraries you speak of, what it is that corrupteth,
and how; I should think you would do more than I can; for I
profess I cannot comprehend these things. Besides, I would ve
ry gladly understand how, and why these corruptive contraries are
so favourable to Daws, and so cruel to Doves; so indulgent to
Stags, and so hasty to Horses, that they do grant to them many
more years of life, that is, of incorruptibility, than weeks to these.
Peaches and Olives are planted in the same soil, exposed to the
same heat and cold, to the same wind and rains, and, in a word,
to the same contrarieties; and yet those decay in a short time,
and these live many hundred years. Furthermore, I never was
thorowly satisfied about this substantial transmutation (still keep
ing within pure natural bounds) whereby a matter becometh so
transform'd, that it should be necessarily said to be destroy'd, so
that nothing remaineth of its first being, and that another body