Archimedes Texts

49
Sun; which were it not so, it could not do. Thirdly, I hold its

matter to be most dense and solid as the Earth is, which I clearly
argue from the unevenness of its superficies in most places, by means
of the many eminencies and cavities discovered therein by help of
the selescope: of which eminencies there are many all over it, di
rectly resembling our most sharp and craggy mountains, of which
you shall there perceive some extend and run in ledges of an hun
dred miles long; others are contracted into rounder forms; and
there are also many craggy, solitary, steep and cliffy rocks. But
that of which there are frequentest appearances, are certain Banks
(I use this word, because I cannot thing of another that better ex
presseth them) pretty high raised, which environ and inclose fields
of several bignesses, and form sundry figures, but for the most part
circular; many of which have in the midst a mount raised pretty
high, and some few are replenished with a matter somewhat ob
scure, to wit, like to the great spots discerned by the bare eye, and
these are of the greatest magnitude; the number moreover of those
that are lesser and lesser is very great, and yet almost all circular.

Fourthly, like as the surface of our Globe is distinguished into two
principal parts, namely, into the Terrestrial and Aquatick: so in
the Lunar surface we discern a great distinction of some great fields
more resplendant, and some less: whose aspect makes me believe,
that that of the Earth would seem very like it, beheld by any one
from the Moon, or any other the like distance, to be illuminated

by the Sun: and the surface of the sea would appear more ob
scure, and that of the Earth more bright. Fifthly, like as we from
the Earth behold the Moon, one while all illuminated, another

while half; sometimes more, sometimes less; sometimes horned,
sometimes wholly invisibly; namely, when its just under the Sun
beams; so that the parts which look towards the Earth are dark:
Thus in every respect, one standing in the Moon would see the
illumination of the Earths surface by the Sun, with the same
periods to an hair, and under the same changes of figures.
Sixtly, -----

The First resem
blance between the
Moon and Earth;
which is that of
figure; is proved by
the manner of be
ing illuminated by
the Sun.

Fourthly, The
Moon is distin
guished into two
different parts for
clarity and obscu
rity, as the Terre
strial Globe into
Sea and Land.

The surface of the
Sea would shew at
a distance more ob
soure than that of
the Earth.

Fiftly, Muta
tion of sigures in
the Earth, like to
those of the Moon,
and made with the
same periods.

SAGR. Stay a little, Salviatus; That the illumination of
the Earth, as to the several figures, would represent it self to a person
placed in the Moon, like in all things to that which we discover in
the Moon, I understand very well, but yet I cannot conceive how
it shall appear to be done in the same period; seeing that that
which the Suns illumination doth in the Lunar superficies in a
month, it doth in the Terrestrial in twenty four hours.

SALV. Its true, the effect of the Sun about the illuminating
these two bodies, and replenishing with its splendor their whole
surfaces, is dispatch'd in the Earth in a Natural day, and in the
Moon in a Month; but the variation of the figures in which the