Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
What opposition do you mean, said Lucius? Is it the difficulty about
the moon, when one half of her appears enlightened?
The very same, answered Sylla. For there is some reason, seeing that
all reflection is made by equal angles, that when the half-moon is
in the midst of heaven, the light proceeding from her should not be
carried upon the earth, but glance and fall beyond and on one side of
it. For the sun, being placed in the horizon, touches the moon with
its beams; which, being equally reflected, will therefore necessarily
fall on the other bound of the horizon, and not send their light down
hither; or else there will be a great distortion and difference of the
angle, which is impossible.
And yet, by Jupiter, replied Lucius, this has not been forgotten or
overpassed, but already spoken to. And casting his eye, as he was
discoursing, upon the mathematician Menelaus; I am ashamed, said
he, in your presence, dear Menelaus, to attempt the subverting and
overthrowing of a mathematical position, which is supposed as a basis
and foundation to the doctrine of the catoptrics concerning the causes
and reasons of mirrors. And yet of necessity I must. For it neither
appears of itself nor is confessed as true, that all reflections are at
equal angles; but this position is first checked and contradicted in
concave mirrors, when they represent the images of things, appearing
at one point of sight, greater than the things themselves. And it is
also disproved by double mirrors, which being inclined or turned one
towards the other, so that an angle is made within, each of the glasses
or plain superficies yields a double resemblance; so that there are
four images from the same face, two answerable to the object without
on the left side, and two others obscure and not so evident on the
right side in the bottom of the mirror. Of which Plato renders the
efficient cause; for he says, that a mirror being raised on the one
and the other side, the sight varies the reflection, falling from one
side to the other. And therefore, since of the views or visions some
immediately have recourse to us, and others, sliding to opposite parts
of the mirror, do again return upon us from thence, it is not possible
that all reflections should be made at equal angles. Though those who
closely impugn our opinion contend that, by these reflections of light
from the moon upon the earth, the equality of angles is taken away,
thinking this to be much more probable than the other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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