air, it would be very evident that he could compel the smaller
mass more readily than the larger; for when two things are
simultaneously raised by one and the same power, the smaller body
must necessarily yield to the superior power with less reluctance
than the larger; and the larger body is called heavy and said to
tend downwards, and the smaller body is called light and said to
tend upwards. And we may detect ourselves who are upon the earth
doing precisely the same thing. For we often separate earthy
natures, and sometimes earth itself, and draw them into the
uncongenial element of air by force and contrary to nature, both
clinging to their kindred elements. But that which is smaller
yields to the impulse given by us towards the dissimilar element
more easily than the larger; and so we call the former light, and
the place towards which it is impelled we call above, and the
contrary state and place we call heavy and below respectively.
Now the relations of these must necessarily vary, because the
principal masses of the different elements hold opposite
positions; for that which is light, heavy, below or above in one
place will be found to be and become contrary and transverse and
every way diverse in relation to that which is light, heavy,
below or above in an opposite place. And about all of them this
has to be considered:—that the tendency of each towards its
kindred element makes the body which is moved heavy, and the
place towards which the motion tends below, but things which have
an opposite tendency we call by an opposite name. Such are the
causes which we assign to these phenomena. As to the smooth and
the rough, any one who sees them can explain the reason of them
to another. For roughness is hardness mingled with irregularity,
and smoothness is produced by the joint effect of uniformity and
density.