Loading your reading…

Physical science in the time of Nero : $b being a translation of the Quaestiones naturales of Seneca — John Shaqi

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

Name: Physical science in the time of Nero : $b being a translation of the Quaestiones naturales of Seneca
Author: Seneca, Lucius Annaeus

Seneca, Lucius Annaeus

Comets; Earthquakes; Meteorology -- Early works to 1800

XVII. The philosophy of the looking-glass. The evolution of
      mirrors. Mirrors of full length are now used. They cost a
      fortune greater than the Senate gave Scipio’s daughters.
      A harmless necessary device has become an instrument of
      luxury, the adornment of women, the burden of men, nay, part
      of the kit of the soldier                                       44


                                BOOK II

              [THE NATURE OF AIR. THUNDER AND LIGHTNING]

  [I.-XI. Prefatory to treatment of thunder and lightning,
      descriptive of the nature of the air, in which these
      phenomena occur.]

  I. Divisions of physical science--astronomy, meteorology,
      geography. Cross divisions, _e.g._ earthquakes, belong to
      meteorology, being produced by air; so the earth, as a
      planet, belongs to Astronomy but its properties belong to
      Geography                                                       51

  II. Unity and composition in bodies. The analogy of the seen
      applies to the unseen. The atmosphere is possessed of unity
      (_unitas_)                                                      52

  III. Parts and material of bodies distinguished. In the human
      body blood is both                                              54

  IV. The atmosphere is an integral part of the universe: has
      unity                                                           54

  V. The earth is both part and material of the universe. From it
      nourishment is supplied to the latter                           55

  VI. The atmosphere has unity--is not compact of atoms, otherwise
      it could not exert tension, which is one of its main
      features, with endless manifestations                           55

  VII. There is no vacuum in the air, as the analogy of water
      shows                                                           57

  VIII. The exertion of tension presupposes tensibility, just as
      motion does mobility. Its existence in air proved by the
      effects of air, which tosses about mountains, houses, walls,
      etc. The propagation of sight and sound proves the same         58

  IX. Its tension is seen in raising water, as in the jet in the
      amphitheatre. Proofs from a ship upborne of water, a quoit
      flung from a height, sound heard through a wall                 59

  X. Varieties of density and temperature in the atmosphere: the
      central layer is coldest                                        60

  XI. The lower parts are most subject to change. The cause of
      this is in part the earth, in part the sun, moon, and other
      stars. So much by way of preface to explain the nature of
      that atmosphere in which thunder and lightning occur            61

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Physical science in the time of Nero : $b being a translation of the Quaestiones naturales of Seneca

No reviews yet