Humanitext Reader

Aristotle · Mechanics §27.1-27.2

Why Longer Timber Is Harder to Carry on the Shoulder

Passage 30 of 38 · Greek

Summary

The text explains that carrying longer wood is more difficult because, in a circular motion centered on the shoulder, a longer radius causes a greater shift of the ends for the same movement, resulting in larger vacillations.

§27.1Διὰ τί, ἐὰν λίαν μακρὸν τὸ αὐτὸ βάρος, χαλεπώτερον φέρειν ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου, κἂν μέσον φέρῃ τις, ἢ ἐὰν ἔλαττον ᾖ;
Why is it more difficult to carry the same weight on the shoulder if it is extremely long, even if one carries it by the middle, than if it were shorter?
Πάλαι ἐλέχθη ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν αἴτιον ἢ σάλευσις· ἀλλ’ ἢ σάλευσις νῦν αἴτιόν ἐστιν.
Previously it was said that vacillation is not the cause; but now, vacillation is indeed the cause.
Ὄταν γὰρ ᾖ μακρότερον, τὰ ἄκρα σαλεύεται, ὥστε εἴη ἂν καὶ τὸν φέροντα χαλεπώτερον φέρειν μᾶλλον.
For when it is longer, the ends vacillate, so that it would be more difficult even for the carrier to carry it all the more.
§27.2Αἴτιον δὲ τοῦ σαλεύεσθαι μᾶλλον, ὅτι τῆς αὐτῆς κινήσεως οὔσης μεθίσταται τὰ ἄκρα, ὅσῳπερ ἂν μακρότερον τὸ ξύλον.
The cause of the greater vacillation is that, when the movement is the same, the ends shift all the more, the longer the wood is.
Ὄ μὲν γὰρ ὦμος κέντρον, ἐφ’ οὖ τὸ Α (μένει γὰρ τοῦτο), αἱ δὲ Α Β καὶ Α Γ αἱ ἐκ τοῦ κέντρου.
For the shoulder is the center, on which is A (for this remains stationary), and AB and AC are the radii from the center.
Ὄσῳ δ’ ἂν ᾖ μεῖζον τὸ ἐκ τοῦ κέντρου ἢ τὸ Α Β ἢ καὶ τὸ Α Γ, πλέον μεθίσταται μέγεθος.
And the greater the radius, either AB or AC, is, the greater is the magnitude that is shifted.
Δέδεικται δὲ τοῦτο πρότερον.
And this has been demonstrated before.

Notes

  1. §27.1ἢ ἐὰν ἔλαττον ᾖ — In this context, ἔλαττον ('smaller') refers to the shorter length (μῆκος) of the wood rather than its weight (βάρος). It is natural to interpret this as a comparison of length, contrasting with the preceding λίαν μακρόν ('extremely long').
  2. §27.1ἢ σάλευσις — Although the manuscript reads ἢ σάλευσις ('or vacillation'), in view of the context and the contrast with the subsequent ἀλλ’ ἡ σάλευσις, it should be read as ἡ σάλευσις with the definite article ('the vacillation'). It refers back to the question raised in the previous chapter (§26.1), 'even if it does not bend at all... is it nevertheless more difficult', meaning 'previously it was said that vacillation is not the cause'.
  3. §27.2τῆς αὐτῆς κινήσεως οὔσης — This is a genitive absolute construction expressing the condition 'even when the same movement (of the shoulder) is given'. It presents a geometrical and physical premise.

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Mechanics §27.1-27.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg023.humanitext-grc1:27.1-27.2

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