Library › Nemesius of Emesa › On the Nature of Man
On the Nature of Man
Nemesius of Emesa, tr. Wither, 1636
I. Of the foure Elements: of their simple and mixt Nature; of their foure qualities,…
Sect. 1
Goe we now on, to the Elemēts, which are consequently to be next handled in this Treatise. An Element of the world, is a most small part in the composition of bodies. They are these foure; Earth, water, ayre, and fire, and if you begin at the lowest, and so passe to the highest body of them, they are placed in such order, as I have named them.
The bodies of these Elements, are the first bodies, and simple bodies, in respect of other bodies: And every Element is of the same kinde, with those things, whose Element it is. For, principles (as matter, forme, and privation) are not of the same kinde with the things which are made of them: But, an Element is necessarily of the same kinde.
Now, it is manifest that these foure, Earth, water, ayre, and fire are the Elements; and it is as evident that the (foure first) qualities (that is to say) Hot, cold, moist, and dry, bee in those Elements, in the highest degree, both potentially and actually also. And, yet, there is not one of these Elements, which we can discerne by our senses, to bee altogether void of temperature, and mixture with some other Element: For indeed, all those which wee are sensible of, are in a sort somewhat counterfeit, and participate each of other, more or lesse; even when in their mixture, their severall natures continue most apparant.
Moreover, every one of these Elements, hath two coupled qualities, which constitute the species, or nature of it. For, EARTH is dry and cold; WATER is cold and moist; AIRE is hot and moist; and FIRE is hot and dry. Yet, these qualities, by themselves, cannot be Elements: For, qualities are void of bodie; and of things incorporeall, things corporeall cannot be made.
Neither is it possible, that other bodies should be actually Elements, wch have not actually each of these qualities in the highest degree: For, if those things which have these qualities, more or lesse, should bee Elements, there would be an infinite number of Elements; and we should never bee able to discerne the Elements of each particular thing: because every thing hath some quality in it, more or lesse.
It followes therefore necessarily, that every Element is a BODIE and a simple-body; and such a one as hath actually in it, in the highest degree, these qualities, HEAT, COLD, MOISTURE, and DRINESSE: because, of all qualities, these onely and no other doe make a whole change in the whole substance. Whitenesse comming neare unto a Body cannot make it white thorow and thorow (as wee say) neither can such a change bee wrought by any other thing; whereas Heat or cold, can warme or coole a body, not onely superficially, but quite throughout the same.
Those Elements are accounted contraries, which are directly contrary to one another, in both their qualities. Thus WATER is contrary to FIRE: For, water is cold and moist; and Fire is hot and dry. In like maner, EARTH is contrary to AIRE: For, Earth is cold and dry; and Aire is hot and moist.
And, forasmuch as things which are so repugnant, could not bee fitly joyned one unto another, without a middle-band ordained to knit them together: The wise Creator hath placed water as a meane between the Earth and the Aire (which are contraries) induing it with her two qualities, cold and moist, that being the medium betweene those, which extreamely differ, they might be united thereby: For, by reason of the cold, it agrees naturally with the earth; and by meanes of moisture, it is fitly joyned unto the aire.
Againe, in the middle betweene the water and the fire, (which are also contraries in themselves) hee hath placed the aire, which by his moist-qualitie doth very well accord with water, and with fire, by the quality of heat.
Thus, God hath linked every one of them each to other (as in a chaine) by placing betweene things contrary, such other things as may both unite the said contraries to themselves, and to such things also, as are bound one to another by them: Yea, (which is an excellent kind of band) hee hath joyned together every one of the Elements, by the one of his qualities to that which went before; and by the other to that which followed after.
For example, the water, being cold and moist, is joyned unto the earth (which if you beginne at the lowest, and ascend, is next beneath it) by his coldnesse; and by his moisture, to the aire which is next above it. The aire likewise by the moistnes of it, is joyned to the water, which is next beneath it; and by heat, to the fire which is above it. The fire also by the heat thereof, is joyned to the aire which is beneath it; and by drynesse to the earth; to which, being the lowest, it declineth it selfe (as it were in a circular motion.) The earth by coldnesse, is united to the water; and by drynesse to the fire, which declineth towards it.
IIFor, that the Elements, should not have onely an inclination to ascend and descend directly upward and downeward; but incline also to a circular motion: God bowed them (as it were) and made the two extreame Elements, fire and earth to turne one toward the other. For, the fire if it lose heat, is no longer fire; but becommeth earth, as is manifestly proved by thunder-bolts, which being thrown downe and cooled, are converted into stones: For, every thunder-bolt consists of stone and brimstone, The stone is (as it were) the brimstone overbaked,) Brimstone is (as it were) fire cooled: and no more actually hot, but, having a neare possibility of heat; and being also, actually dry: For, the Elements only, have the qualities actually; wheras, all other things have them but in possibility, except they come near unto some Elements.
But, to the end, that neither the Elements should faile, nor the Bodies which are to be compounded of those Elements, the Creator did providently devise, that they should be convertible, both one into another; and also, into compound-bodies: and that the compound-bodies should be againe resolved into their Elements. By which meanes, it commeth to passe, that they are continually engendered one of another, and perpetually preserved from being wasted.
For, Earth being first dissolved into a mirie moistnesse, becommeth water. Water being thickned and congealed, becommeth earth. Water also, being heated and resolved into vapours, vanisheth into aire. Aire being collected and condensed, is turned into water. The same aire being dryed changeth into fire. Fire, if it be quenched, and water also if it be evaporated, become aire: For, aire is the quenchings of fire, and the moisture arising from water being heated; even by both of these is the aire generated: For, experience doth shew us, that whensoever fire is quenched, or water heated, aire is encreased thereby: Therefore aire is naturally hot; and cooled by being scituated so neare unto the water, and the earth; which coole the lower parts thereof, as the fire heateth also the upper parts of the same. And this hapneth unto the aire by reason of the softnesse thereof; and the easinesse which it hath to receive impressions, makes it quickly depart from its proper nature, and very apt to be changed.
IIIBut, Aristotle is of opinion that there bee two sorts of aire; one like unto vapours, and generated by the exhalations of waters: The other, smoakie, and bred out of the fire, when it is quenched. The aire which commeth of smoke, he conceiveth to bee hot; and that also which proceedeth from vapours, when it is first bred; but, in continuance of time, that aire (as he saith) cooleth, by little and little; untill it is converted into water.
This supposition of Aristotles, that the aire is of two sorts, was by him devised, that he might escape some absurdities which he knew not otherwise how to avoid; and that things which are somewhat high, and farre distant from the earth, might seeme hot, and that such as are very low might seeme colder.
Sect. 2
I. Of the uniting of the Elements into a naturall body; what maner of composition it is, and why those bodies are againe resolved into Elements. II. Plato’s opinion concerning the Element of earth; as also, concerning the other three Elements. III. Of the division of the Elements according to the Stoicks: The opinion of Aristotle, touching a fifth body, out of which hee thinkes the heavens were made; and of the contrary opinion of Plato.
Now, all Bodies are made by the conjunction of these foure Elements, both the Bodies of Plants, and of living-creatures also: to the composition of which bodies, nature drawes together the purest parts of those Elements. These are called by Aristotle, naturall bodies; being compounded, not by heaping of the Elements one upon another; but by tempering all together (throughout the whole) so much of every Element, as is in the Body, in the uniting therof; and by making of them one certaine BODIE, differing from what they were, before that composition.
For, they are so united, that impossible it is to sever them, or to see Earth by it selfe, or Water alone, or Ayre, or Fire, distinctly from the rest; because, one intire thing, and a thing differing from the Elements, is made by the tempering of all foure of them together; As a medicine, consisting of foure Ingredients, being once made up, is a thing differing from those Ingredients.
But, yet the composition of a naturall body is not in all things like those artificiall composures: For, the Elements do not make the bodies, by the scituation of the thinnest parts, one by another, as it falleth out in a medicine, compounded of foure ingredients; but, it is effected, rather, by altering themselves, and by uniting of all into One.
All Bodies are again resolved, also, into these Elements; by which means it commeth to passe, that all the Elements remaine continually unwasted, and are kept sufficient for the making of all things, in regard they neither are diminished, nor abound. And from hence arises this generall proposition, That, the generation of one thing is the corruption of another; And the corruption of one, the generation of another; not referring (this perpetuity) to the Soul, as is aforesaid, but to the Bodie onely.
IIPlato is of opinion that the three other Elements are changed one into each other, and that the Earth remains altogether without mutation; as may appeare by his comparing of the firmnesse of figures, consisting of streight-lines, with every Element.
To the Earth he compares the figure called a Cube; because of all other figures that is least moveable. The figure Icosaedron, which is hardliest moved of all the rest, (and consisting of twenty bases) he likeneth unto water. The Pyramide, whose motion is easiest of all the rest, he resembleth to fire. And Octaedron, (the figure consisting of eight bases) hee compareth unto the Aire, whose motion is easier then that of the water, and more hard then fire.
By these figures, he endevors to prove demonstratively that the three other Elements are changed one into another, but that no change hapneth to the Earth: For, (saith he) three of these figures, that is to say, the Pyramide, the Octaedron and the Icosaedron, are made of Triangles, whose sides are unequall, whereas the Cubicall figure is made of Triangles, whose sides are equall: now things which are made of Triangles whose sides are unequall, being dissolved and meeting together again, may be changed into another; but, the Cubicall-figure being dissolved cannot be changed into any other; because it is made of equall-sided-Triangles, whereof none of the other three can be made.
In like manner none of the other figures can be changed into a Cube. And, for these reasons it is necessary that the Bodies formed of these species, and the species whereof they are formed, should in respect of one another be such as they were.
And, yet, the Earth remaineth not altogether impassible; but, is divided by bodies, having thinner parts then it selfe; being after a manner altered from Element to Element, and yet not changed into those things which doe divide it: For, when it is recollected againe unto it selfe, it recovereth the state which it formerly had, as appeares by it, in the water.
For, if you cast a little earth into the water, and stir it often up and down, that earth dissolves into water; but, if you leave stirring of the same, the water settles, and the earth sinks to a residence: The like is to be thought of the whole earth: and this is not a changing, but a dissevering of such things as were mingled together.
Plato affirmes that the earth is also severed by the sharpnesse of the fire, and being so dissolved is elevated and carryed away in the fire: So likewise in the masse of the Aire, when Aire dissolves it; and, in the water, when it is dissolved, in the water.
Moreover, Plato mentioneth another division of the Elements, affirming every one of them to have three Qualities. The fire to have sharpnesse, rarenesse, and motion; The Element which is directly in the extreame thereunto, (that is to say) the earth, to have dulnesse, thicknesse, and rest: So, in respect of these Qualities, the earth and the fire, be cleane contrary to each other; whereas, they were not so, by those two qualities, whereof we had formerly spoken.
He holdeth likewise, that, by qualities taken from the two extreames, those Elements were made which are in the middle betweene these two: For (saith he) two qualities (to wit) rarenesse and motion, being taken from the fire; and one (that is to say) dulnesse, being assumed from the Earth, Aire is thereof composed, whose effecting Qualities, are rarenesse, motion, and dulnesse. In like manner, two Qualities are taken from the earth, namely, dulnesse and thicknesse; and one from the fire, (to wit) motion, whereof proceeds water, which getteth also his forme, by thicknesse, dulnesse, and motion.
Therefore, the same that sharpnesse is in respect of dulnesse, the same is fire in respect of aire: such as rarenesse is, in respect of thicknesse, such is aire in respect of water. That which motion is, in respect of rest, that water is, in respect of earth. Look what fire is, in respect of aire, the like is aire in respect of water. And as aire is in respect of water, so is water in respect of earth. For, it is the nature of things having a plaine thin ground, to bee held together by one medium; (that is to say) by a proportion betweene them; whereas, firme and sollid Bodies are not kept fast together, but, by two mediums.
There are, yet other qualities ascribed unto the Elements. Namely, to the earth and water, WEIGHTINESSE, whereby they doe naturally incline downeward; and to aire, and fire, LIGHTNESSE, whereby they are naturally given to mount upward.
IIIThe Stoicks have moreover, another way of dividing the Elements; for, some they affirme to be active, and some passive. By active they meane the more stirring Elements, such as are the fire and the aire: By passive they understand the duller Elements, that is to say, the earth and water.
But Aristotle, besides these Elements, bringeth in a Fifth BODIE, which he tearmes Aethereall; and this bee fancies to bee a BODIE having in it a circular motion; because, it pleaseth him not to say that the heavens are composed of the foure Elements: And he calls the Fifth, a Body moved circularly; because, it is (as he imagines) caried circularly round about the earth.
Plato is of another opinion; and affirmes directly, that the heavens are made of fire, and of earth. His words are these: Every bodily shape which is made, must be visible and subject unto touching; but, nothing can bee visible without some fire in it; not subject unto touching without some firmenesse; nor can any thing be firm, without earth: And therupon in the beginning, God caused the body of the whole world to bee composed of earth and fire. Now it is not possible that two things alone should bee made to unite and agree well together, without a third, which must be as it were a band betweene them, to bring them both together; and of all bands, that is the chief which can most perfectly bring into an unity, both it selfe, and such things as are united by the same. And this, the nature of proportion doth best performe.
By the band here mentioned, hee intends the two middle-Elements, taken according to the proportion, whereof we spake before.
Sect. 3
I. The opinion of the Hebrewes, and of Apollinarius touching the making of the heavens and of the earth. II. Arguments out of Hippocrates against Thales, Anaximenes, and Heraclitus, who say that there is but one onely Element. III. The body being an instrument for the soul, is made fit for the operations thereof.
The Hebrewes, in their opinions concerning the making of the heavens and the earth, differ so much from all others, that but few have conceived thereof as they doe: For they affirme that they were created of no fore existing matter; according to Moses, who said, In the beginning, God made the heaven and the earth.
But, Apollinarius thinks that God made the heaven and the earth, of the depth of waters. For, Moses in his description of the worlds creation, doth not so make mention of the depth of waters, as if it had beene created; but, in Iob these words are to bee found; He made the depth of waters. Therefore, hee affirmed, that all other things were made out of that, as out of a matter common to all.
Hee doth not say that this depth of waters, was never made; but, that it was laid downe by the Creator, as a foundation, before any other bodily-thing was made, that other things might bee made thereof: For, the very name of depth, declares the infinitenesse of the matter.
And indeed, whether it bee this or that way taken, it is not much materiall; For even by this opinion also, God is confessed the sole Creator of all things; and that hee made every thing of nothing.
Now, there bee some IIwho say, that there is but one onely Element; either Fire, or Aire, or Water, (For Thales affirmes that fire only; Anaximenes that aire onely; and Heraclitus, with Hipparchus Metapontinus, that water onely is an Element) against whom it shall be sufficient to alleage what Hippocrates hath said in that behalfe.
After hee had thus declared the impossibility thereof, he supposeth, neverthelesse, the same to be granted; and thereupon thus inferreth. Grant (saith hee) it could suffer griefe, and then it will follow, that there is but one thing onely which can cure the same; but experience hath taught us that there is not one thing only, but many things to cure every disease; and therefore Man cannot be one onely intire thing.
It may be further proved, that there are foure Elements, by the reason wherewith every one of them endeavoureth to confirme his owne opinion (who affirme that there is but one onely Element.)
For when Thales affirmed that water onely was to bee accounted an Element, hee endeavoured to shew that all the other three were made of it; saying that the faeces of it become earth, the thin parts become aire, and that the thinnest parts of that aire are turned into fire.
Anaximenes, holding opinion that aire onely is an Element; goes about to prove likewise, that all the rest of the Elements are made of aire.
Heraclitus and Hipparchus Metapontinus affirming that there is no Element but fire, use likewise the very same demonstration, to make their argument seeme reasonable.
Now, it will become evident by the reasons which these men give to justifie their assertion; that every one of them is an Element: For by some it is demonstrated, that all other Elements are made of the fire; by another, that all the rest are made of water; and by a third that they are all of aire; which make it plaine that all the Elements are changed one into another (by their generall consent, who otherwise disagree.) And if they can all bee changed one into another, it will necessarily follow that they must all be Elements; because which of the foure soever shall bee taken, it will appeare that even that is made of some other.
The Body (which is composed IIIof these Elements) being an instrument for the SOUL, is divided together with the powers of the same: For, it was framed to be convenient and fit for them, in such maner, that no power of the SOUL should be hindered through the Bodies defect. And therefore to every power of the SOUL, there are proper parts of the Body assigned, for his operation; as I will more particularly declare in the following Chapters.
The SOUL exercises the part of an Artificer; the BODIE is as it were his instrument: It is also the matter wherein the actions are conversant; and the effect which is wrought thereby, is the action it selfe. The matter is as the woman, the act is that which is conversant about her; either whoredome, incest, or lawfull copulation.
The powers of the Soul, are divided into these three; phantasie, judgement, and memory.