Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §31.1

Movement of Planetary Spheres and Starless Spheres

Passage 21 of 196 · Greek

Summary

A reference to the movement of the planetary spheres in Aristotle's cosmology and their relation to the counteracting spheres, which Theophrastus terms "starless spheres."

§31.1Fr. 31 Αριστοτέλης λέγει οὖν ὅτι ἡ σφαῖρα ἡ τὸ ἐν ἄστρον ἔχουσα τὸ πλανᾶσθαι λεγόμενον ἐν πολλαῖς σφαίραις ταῖς ἀνελιττούσαις καλουμέναις, ἢ ὥς ὁ Θ. αὐτὰς καλεῖ, ταῖς ἀνάστροις, ἐνδεδεμένη φέρεται.
Aristotle says, therefore, that the sphere containing the single star which is said to wander is carried bound within many spheres, those called "unrolling," or, as Theophrastus calls them, "starless."

Notes

  1. §31.1τὸ πλανᾶσθαι λεγόμενον — An adjectival expression with the articular infinitive πλανᾶσθαι ('to wander'), referring to a 'planet' (literally, a 'wandering star'). It modifies ἄστρον.
  2. §31.1ταῖς ἀνελιττούσαις — Substantivized present participle referring to the 'counteracting' or 'unrolling' spheres introduced by Aristotle (e.g., in Metaphysics Lambda) to counteract the motion of outer spheres. Theophrastus called them 'starless' (ἀνάστροις) because no stars were fixed on them.

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §31.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:31.1

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