Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/400

393 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. of the like nature in Achilles, when he says he hated lies as much as the gates of hell. But though I was born with this natural disposition, yet contrary to it I seem to have been born to have to do with liars and impostors through the whole course of my life. Jo. But I do not take in what this tends to. Ep. I will tell you in a few words : there are some that fetch their felicity from magical arts, others from the stars. I think there is no surer way of coming at it, than if every one would abstain from that sort of life that he has a natural aversion to, and be- take himself to that he has a natural inclination to, always excluding those things that are dishonest ; and that he would withdraw himself from the conversation of those whose disposition he perceives does not agree with his own, and join himself with such as he finds he has a natural propensity to. Jo. If that were done there would be friend- ship between some few. Ep. Christian charity extends itself to all ; but familiarity is to be contracted with but few : and he that does no hurt to anybody, though he be bad, and would rejoice if he would grow better, in my opinion, loves all as becomes a Christian to do.  

'Cu. I should be glad to learn something of you who are well skilled in many things, if it would not be troublesome to you to inform me. Al. Well, Curio, go on then, propose what questions you have a mind to,' and be in fact what you are in name. Cu. I shall not take it amiss to be called Curio, so you do not put that monosyllable sus'(& sow) to it, that is hateful both to Venus and Minerva, and makes it Curiosus. Al. Speak out then. Cu. I have a mighty mind to know what we call heavy and light. Al. I may as well ask you what hot and cold is too : you should rather put that question to a porter than to me; or rather to an ass, who will tell you when the burden is heavy by hanging his ears. Cu. I expect a solution, not such a one as an ass can give, but such as becomes a philosopher, an Alpheus himself. Al. Heavy is that which naturally tends downwards, and light that which mounts upwards. Cu. How comes it about then that the antipodes, who are under us, do not fall into the sky that is under them ? Al. They may as well wonder why you do not fall into the heaven that is not under you but over you ; for the heaven is above all that are comprehended within it: nor are the antipodes under you any more than you above them. Nay, you might rather wonder why the rocks that the earth of the a'ntipodes sustains do not break and fall into heaven.

Cu. What then is the natural centre of heavy bodies ? and, on the other hand, of light bodies'? Al. All heavy things are by a natural motion carried towards the earth, and light things towards heaven : I do not speak of a violent or animal motion. Gu. Why, is there then a motion that is called an animal one ? Al. Yes, there is. 'Cu. What is it ? Al. It is that which is carried according to the four situations of the body forward, backward, to the right and left, and in a circle ; and in the beginning and end is swifter, and slowest in the middle ; for 