Across the sky
About the sky ( ancient Greek Περὶ οὐρανοῦ Peri uranú , Latin de caelo ) is Aristotle 's main work on the structure of the cosmos . The four books, based on three lectures, deal with astronomical theories as well as aspects of the earth, such as B. the emergence of the elements . The work is not to be confused with the pseudo-Aristotelian script De mundo ("About the World").
According to Aristotle, the heavenly bodies are the most perfect realities, whose movements are based on different principles than those of earthly bodies. The latter consist of one or more of the four classical elements (earth, water, air, fire) and are perishable, while the heavenly bodies are immortal and immutable.
In Book II, Chapter 4 (II, 4), Aristotle dealt with the spherical shape of the universe and the earth and expressed the assumption that the region of the pillars of Hercules was opposite India . That both coasts of the ocean must once have been united is proven by the fact that elephants were to be found on both continents (both Africa and India) . This thesis apparently also inspired Columbus on his journey of discovery.
Translations
- Over the sky: 12 / III , commented by Alberto Jori , Akademie Verlag, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3050043036 .
- Olof Gigon : From Heaven, From Soul, From Poetry. Artemis-Verlag, Zurich 1950.
Web link
- Carl Prantl : Aristotle's Four Books on the Building of Heaven and Two Books on Origin and Decay (1857)
Single receipts
- ↑ Carl Prantl (ed.): Aristoteles' works: four books about the building of heaven and two books about the emergence and decay. Leipzig 1857, p. 181.
- ↑ Umberto Eco : The History of the Legendary Countries and Cities. Munich 2013, ISBN 978-3-446-24382-8 , p. 187.