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| (34) [XVI]. Sed contra ea que sunt determinata, sic arguitur: Gravissimum corpus equaliter undique ac potissime petit centrum: terra est gravissimum corpus; ergo equaliter undique ac potissime petit centrum. Et ex hac conclusione sequitur, ut declarabo, quod terra equaliter in omni parte sue circumferentie distet a centro, per hoc quod dicitur 'equaliter'; et quod sit substans omnibus corporibus, per hoc quod dicitur 'potissime'; unde sequeretur, si aqua esset concentrica, ut dicitur, quod terra undique esset circumfusa et latens; cuius contrarium videmus. | (34) But against the things now established it is argued thus: The heaviest body seeks the centre equally from every direction and with the greatest force. Earth is the heaviest body. Therefore it seeks the centre equally from every direction and with the greatest force. And from this conclusion follows, as I shall show, that the earth is equally distant from the centre at every point of its circumference (as is involved in the meaning of the word 'equally'), and that it is lower down than any other body (as is involved in the meaning of 'with the greatest force'); whence it would follow (if water were concentric, as declared) that the land would be submerged on every side, and would not appear; the contrary of which we see. |