between 1, 3, 9, 27) cutting off yet other portions from the
mixture and placing them in the intervals, so that in each
interval there were two kinds of means, the one exceeding and
exceeded by equal parts of its extremes (as for example 1, 4/3,
2, in which the mean 4/3 is one-third of 1 more than 1, and
one-third of 2 less than 2), the other being that kind of mean
which exceeds and is exceeded by an equal number (e.g.
- over 1, 4/3, 3/2, - over 2, 8/3, 3, - over 4, 16/3, 6, - over 8: and
- over 1, 3/2, 2, - over 3, 9/2, 6, - over 9, 27/2, 18, - over 27.
Where there were intervals of 3/2 and of 4/3 and of 9/8, made by
the connecting terms in the former intervals, he filled up all
the intervals of 4/3 with the interval of 9/8, leaving a fraction
over; and the interval which this fraction expressed was in the
ratio of 256 to 243 (e.g.
243:256::81/64:4/3::243/128:2::81/32:8/3::243/64:4::81/16:16/3::242/32:8.
And thus the whole mixture out of which he cut these portions was
all exhausted by him. This entire compound he divided lengthways
into two parts, which he joined to one another at the centre like
the letter X, and bent them into a circular form, connecting them
with themselves and each other at the point opposite to their
original meeting-point; and, comprehending them in a uniform
revolution upon the same axis, he made the one the outer and the
other the inner circle. Now the motion of the outer circle he
called the motion of the same, and the motion of the inner circle
the motion of the other or diverse. The motion of the same he
carried round by the side (i.e. of the rectangular figure
supposed to be inscribed in the circle of the Same) to the right,
and the motion of the diverse diagonally (i.e. across the
rectangular figure from corner to corner) to the left. And he
gave dominion to the motion of the same and like, for that he
left single and undivided; but the inner motion he divided in six
places and made seven unequal circles having their intervals in
ratios of two and three, three of each, and bade the orbits
proceed in a direction opposite to one another; and three (Sun,
Mercury, Venus) he made to move with equal swiftness, and the
remaining four (Moon, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter) to move with unequal
swiftness to the three and to one another, but in due proportion.