Mathematical and Philosophical Works

...same opinion. original: "Eft enim non ignobilis gradus ftultitiæ, vel fi nefcias quid dicas, tamen velle de rebus propofitis hanc vel illam partem ftabilire." "It is none of the worst kinds of folly to boldly affirm one side or other when a man knows not what to say."

If these men were thus censured, I may justly then expect to be derided by most, and to be believed by few or none, especially since this opinion seems to carry in it so much strangeness and contradiction to the general consent of others. But however, I am resolved that this shall not be any discouragement, since I know that it is not common opinion that can either add to or detract from the truth. For:

1. Other truths have been formerly esteemed altogether as ridiculous as this can be.
2. Gross absurdities have been entertained by general opinion.

I shall give an instance of each, so that I may the better prepare the reader to consider things without a prejudice, when he shall see that the common opposition against this which I affirm cannot in any way detract from its truth.

1. Other truths have been formerly accounted as ridiculous as this. I shall specify that of the Antipodes, which has been denied and laughed at by many wise men and great scholars; such as were Herodotus, Chrysostom, Augustine, Lactantius, the venerable Bede, Lucretius the poet, Procopius, and the voluminous Abulensis, together with all those Fathers or other authors who denied the roundness of the heavens. Herodotus counted it so horrible an absurdity that he could not forbear laughing to think of it. See Joseph Acosta, On the Nature of the New World, book 1, chapter 1. original: "Γελῶ δὲ ὁρῶν γῆς περιόδους γράψαντας, πολλοὺς ἤδη καὶ οὐδένα νόον ἔχοντας ἐξηγησάμενον· οἳ Ὠκεανόν τε ῥέοντα γράφουσι, πέριξ τὴν γῆν ἐοῦσαν κυκλοτερέα ὡς ἀπὸ τόρνου." "I cannot choose but laugh," says he, "to see so many men venture to describe the earth’s compass, relating those things that are without all sense, as that the sea flows about the world, and that the earth itself is round as if drawn by a compass."