Aristotle · Mechanics §34.1-34.2

Why Extremely Large or Small Objects Cannot Be Thrown Far

Passage 37 of 38 · Greek

Summary

The passage discusses why extremely large and extremely small objects cannot be thrown far, examining two physical factors: the presence of resistance to the pushing force, and the capacity to set the surrounding air in motion.

§34.1Διὰ τί οὔτε τὰ ἐλάττονα οὔτε τὰ μεγάλα πόρρω φέρεται ῥιπτούμενα, ἀλλὰ δεῖ συμμετρίαν τινὰ ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν ῥιπτοῦντα;

Why are neither smaller nor larger things thrown far, but they must have a certain proportion to the thrower?

Πότερον ὅτι ἀνάγκη τὸ ῥιπτούμενον καὶ ὠθούμενον ἀντερείδειν ὅθεν ὠθεῖται;

Or is it because the thing thrown and pushed must resist the point from which it is pushed?

Τὸ δὲ μηθὲν ὑπεῖκον διὰ μέγεθος ἢ μηδὲν ἀντερεῖσαν δι’ ἀσθένειαν οὐ ποιεῖ ῥῖψιν οὐδὲ ὦσιν.

But that which yields nothing because of its size, or resists nothing because of its weakness, does not produce a throw or a push.

§34.2Τὸ μὲν οὖν πολὺ ὑπερβάλλον τῆς ἰσχύος τῆς ὠθούσης οὐθὲν ὑπείκει, τὸ δὲ πολὺ ἀσθενέστερον οὐδὲν ἀντερείδει, Ἣ ὅτι τοσοῦτον φέρεται τὸ φερόμενον, ὅσον ἂν ἀέρα κινήσῃ εἰς βάθος;

Therefore, that which greatly exceeds the pushing force yields nothing, while that which is much weaker resists nothing. Or is it because the thing moved travels as far as it sets the air in motion in depth?

Τὸ δὲ μηδὲν κινούμενον οὐδ’ ἂν κινήσειεν οὐδέν.

And that which is not moved at all could not move anything either.

Συμβαίνει δὴ ἀμφότερα τούτοις ἔχειν.

Indeed, both happen to apply to these things.

Τό τε γὰρ σφόδρα μέγα καὶ τὸ σφόδρα μικρὸν ὥσπερ οὐθὲν κινούμενά ἐστι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸ καθ’ ἓν κινεῖ, τὸ δ’ οὐθὲν κινεῖται.

For both the extremely large and the extremely small are, as it were, not moved at all; for the one moves itself only as a single unit, while the other is not moved at all.

Notes

34.1ὅθεν ὠθεῖται — The relative adverb ὅθεν (from where) contains its antecedent, and here, combined with the passive verb ὠθεῖται (is pushed), refers to the point or source from which the pushing force is applied.
34.1τὸ δὲ μηθὲν ὑπεῖκον διὰ μέγεθος ἢ μηδὲν ἀντερεῖσαν δι’ ἀσθένειαν — Two contrasting participial clauses are coordinated by the conjunction ἢ (or). The present active participle ὑπεῖκον (neuter singular) and the aorist active participle ἀντερεῖσαν (neuter singular) are both substantivized by the single article τὸ, parallelly describing the physical traits of the overly large and overly small objects.
34.2τὸ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸ καθ’ ἓν κινεῖ — A passage with textual and interpretative difficulties. τὸ μὲν refers to the extremely large object. If keeping the active verb κινεῖ (moves), αὐτὸ καθ' ἓν can be interpreted as 'itself as a single unit' or 'only in one part', showing the difficulty of propulsion since the whole must be moved as one. Some scholars emend κινεῖ to the middle/passive κινεῖται (is moved), meaning 'for the one is moved only as a single whole'.

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Mechanics §34.1-34.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg023.humanitext-grc1:34.1-34.2

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