St. George Stock (modern guide) · 1850–1922
A Guide to Stoicism 5 ¶12 — St. George Stock (modern guide)
From “Physic”
Original English text (1908)
St. George Stock (modern guide), A Guide to Stoicism 5 ¶12
Each of the four elements had its own abode in the universe. Outermost of all was the ethereal 'fire' which was divided into two spheres: first that of the fixed stars and next that of the planets. Below this lay the sphere of 'air', below this again that of 'water', and lowest or in other words, most central of all was the sphere of 'earth', the solid foundation of the whole structure. Water might be said to be above earth because nowhere was there water to be found without earth beneath it, but the surface of water was always equidistant from the centre, whereas earth had prominences which rose above water.
Cite this passage
St. George Stock (modern guide), A Guide to Stoicism 5 ¶12 (1908)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/a-guide-to-stoicism/5.12
St. George Stock, Stoicism (1908), text of the Haldeman-Julius reprint “A Guide to Stoicism”. Text: Project Gutenberg #7514. Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesEach element has its own region in the cosmos, with heavenly fire on the outside, then air, then water, and earth at the solid centre. The surface of water is always equally far from the centre, while land rises above it.
Older wording
- “ethereal”
- — belonging to the upper sky, heavenly
- “equidistant”
- — equally far away
- “prominences”
- — raised parts
Themes and situations
- Nature and the cosmos
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