Physical science in the time of Nero : $b being a translation of the Quaestiones naturales of SenecaSeneca, Lucius Annaeus
Philosophy
Physical science in the time of Nero : $b being a translation of the Quaestiones naturales of Seneca
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus
Comets; Earthquakes; Meteorology -- Early works to 1800
And we may add Aquilo (north), which has no place in the famous battle
of the winds to which Virgil refers. Some make the number of the winds
twelve. They divide the four quarters of heaven into three parts
each, adding two subsidiary winds to each of the principal ones. On
this principle that diligent author, Varro, classifies them. And 3
there is good ground for it; the other method, which refers them to
seasonal changes, is very unsatisfactory. For instance, the sun does
not always rise or set at the same point. He has one place of rising
at the equinox--indeed, the equinox occurs twice a year--another at
the summer, and still another at the winter, solstice. The wind which
sets in from the direction of sunrise at the equinoxes is with us
called Subsolane (near the sun); the Greeks call it ἀφηλιώτης (from
the sun). From sunrise in winter Eurus comes, named by our countrymen
Vulturnus (_i.e._ from Mt. Vultur in the S.E.). Livy also calls it 4
by this name, in connection with that famous battle of Cannae, which
proved so disastrous to Rome. Hannibal on that occasion managed to
get our army with its face to the rising sun and to the wind; by the
aid of the wind and the glare that dazzled the eyes of the enemy he
snatched the victory. Varro likewise uses the same name. But Eurus is a
name now naturalised, and has a place in our vocabulary that does not
suggest any foreign origin. The wind that is raised by sunrise at the 5
summer solstice was called by the Greeks καικίας;[75] we have no name
for it. Sunset at the equinox sends us Favonius, which even people
who cannot speak Greek will tell you is called the Zephyr. Corus,
which is by some called Argestes [from its clearness], comes from the
sunset at the summer solstice. I do not approve of the identification;
Corus is a vehement wind, rushing in one uniform direction, while
Argestes is, as a rule, a gentle wind, and blows impartially on
travellers coming and going along the same road (_i.e._ is constantly 6
shifting). From sunset in midwinter comes the rushing furious Africus
(African wind), named by the Greeks the Libyan (λίψ). In the northern
quarter the highest (_i.e._ most easterly) is Aquilo, the central
one is Septemtrio, the lowest Thracias,[76] for which there is no
corresponding word in Latin. In the southern region there is Euronotus,
then Notus, or in Latin Auster, then Libonotus, which has no Latin name.
[75] No explanation of this name of the nor’-easter is forthcoming.
[76] _I.e._ the Thracian; Thrace must have been N.W. of the region in
which the name had its origin.
XVII
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account