Chapter VII: The Atmosphere

Footnote 730:

Those parts of the _Dragmaticon philosophiae_ and of the _De
philosophia mundi_ which deal with meteorology are conveniently
available in Hellmann, _Denkmäler_, 1904, pp. 42–54, 69–75. See also
the extensive discussion in Werner, _Kosm. Wilhelm von Conches_, 1873.

Footnote 731:

_De phil. mundi_, I, 21; III, 1; III, 14. See also Werner, _op. cit._,
p. 318.

Footnote 732:

_De phil. mundi_, I, 21. See also Werner, _op. cit._, pp. 316–317.

Footnote 733:

_De phil. mundi_, I, 17–21. See also Werner, _op. cit._, pp. 313–315.

Footnote 734:

These five regions were: (1) the celestial region, or sphere of the
fixed stars; (2) the region of ether, which reaches from the sphere of
the fixed stars down to that of the moon; (3) the upper air, clear and
lucid; (4) the lower air, turbid and cloudy; and (5) the earth. (_De
phil. mundi_, I, 16–21). See Werner, _loc. cit._, for discussion of
these ideas, of their derivation from Plato’s _Timaeus_ and from later
Platonists, and of the “demons” associated with each of the five
regions.

Footnote 735:

_De phil. mundi_, IV, 5: III, 5, 6.

Footnote 736:

Robert Grosseteste believed that if you take into account the
theoretical principles of the “pyramids” of rays alone (see above, pp.
163–164), mountain heights should be hotter than valleys because the
pyramids striking the crests of mountains are shorter than those
striking the floors of valleys (_De natura locorum_, Baur’s edit., p.
66). In other words, mountain summits theoretically ought to be warmer
because they are nearer the sun. In the _De natura locorum_ Robert
explains that accidental circumstances frequently cause a reversal of
these conditions in such a way that the heights may be dominated by
cold. Among these accidental circumstances are the winds and also the
fact that peaks rise to the “middle space of the air or of the sphere
where there is the greatest cold (medium interstitium aeris vel
sphaerae, ubi est maxima frigiditas).”

Footnote 737:

“... calor non provenit ex corpore solari, sed ex reflexione et
condensatione radiorum” (_De impressionibus elementorum_, Baur’s
edit., p. 88).

Footnote 738:

_ibid._, pp. 87–88.

Footnote 739:

See above, p. 23.

Footnote 740:

“Triplex est universa dimensio, in longum, latum, et altum. Quoniam
igitur omnis corporis sedes in fundamento suo terra vero tocius mundi
fundamentum, multo pocius mundane prolis ex substantia collecte sedem
terram esse necesse est. Eius pars quedam a terra in altum crescit,
alia vero super terram in altum elevatur tocius fomentum hic spiritus
terreni vapores pinguedine crassus, sine quo nulla huius geniture vita
per aliquot horarum spacia possibilis. Hic autem vapor, ut per
altitudinem Olimpi concipit Aristotiles, a terre superficie non plus
quam .xvi. stadiis exaltatur. Hic ergo terminus videtur in altum omnis
nostre habitabilis. Videtur fortasse huius altitudinis mensura sumi
posse vel per arcum yris que secundum Ipparci descriptionem ab ipsis
nubibus usque in superficiem terre perveniat. Sed quoniam nec ipsa
descriptio constans nec ipsius arcus ad semicirculum habitudo,
propterea nos id cuilibet probandum relinquimus” (_Liber de
essentiis_, text from Haskins, _Studies_, 1924, p. 62, where variant
readings from different manuscripts are given). Haskins points out
that Aristotle (_Meteor._, I, 13) omits Olympus from his list of the
highest mountains.

Footnote 741:

See above, p. 169, and below, p. 432, note 16.

Footnote 742:

_Hist. schol._, Gen. 34; copied in Gervase of Tilbury, _Otia imper._,
vol. i, p. 893.

Footnote 743:

The origin of this story has not been traced by the present writer. It
would certainly seem to be based on some actual knowledge of the
physiological effects of lower air pressure at great heights.

According to Benini (_Origine del Monte del Purgatorio_, 1917, p.
1085) Dante (_Purgatorio_, XXVIII, 103–112; see also _Inferno_, IV,
26–28, 149–150) held that the Mount of Purgatory reaches above the
lower levels of the atmosphere, which are corrupted by the earth and
where winds, clouds, rain, hail, and rainbows are to be found, into a
realm of motionless air. The very summit of the mountain where the
Terrestrial Paradise is situated is in a belt of air which moves from
east to west with the motion of the ninth sphere.

Footnote 744:

“Nos vero dicimus quod ille aer non spissatur, sed fumus humidus qui
ex convallibus ascendit, ex frigiditate superiorum in nubes et nives
constringitur” (_De phil. mundi_, IV, 5).

Footnote 745:

_Dialogus_, IX, in: Migne, _Pat. lat._, vol. clvii, col. 631.

Footnote 746:

_De phil. mundi_, III, 4–8.

Footnote 747:

Of the water drawn up by the sun, the lighter or “more liquid”
(liquidius) portions were supposed actually to have been turned into
fire and in this way to have served as a replenishment for the solar
fires. The coarser portions fell back to the earth. A blood rain was
caused by great heat.

Footnote 748:

See E. W. Gudger, _Rains of Fishes_, in: Natural History: The Journal
of the American Museum of Natural History, vol. xxi, 1921, New York,
pp. 607–619.

Footnote 749:

_De sex d. op._, p. 54.

Footnote 750:

William of Conches follows Theodoric in this explanation of snow and
hail (_De phil. mundi_, III, 4, 8, 9). In the epic poem, _Philippis_
(IX, 672–682), of William the Breton there is a remarkable description
of a nocturnal fog lying over the humid and fertile ground near Lille,
so thick that a rider could scarcely discern the ears of his horse in
front of him. William attributed the fog to damp vapors rising from
beneath the muddy surface of the plain rather than to a more probable
cause: the cooling and condensation of water vapor in the lower strata
of the atmosphere as a result of active radiation from the earth’s
surface.

Footnote 751:

_Top. Hiber._, I, 6. On the miraculous production of rain, see above,
pp. 203–204, and below, p. 433, note 31.

Footnote 752:

_De phil. mundi_, III, 7 (cited by Werner, _Kosm. Wilhelm von
Conches_, 1873, p. 375). William discusses opposing views as to the
end of the world, whether it will come by flood or by fire (see above,
pp. 13–14). William himself was inclined to believe that it would be
by fire.

Footnote 753:

See above, p. 184.

Footnote 754:

_Hist. schol._, Gen. 34.

Footnote 755:

_Otia imper._, vol. i, p. 907. See below, p. 446, note 18.

Footnote 756:

The presence of fossils on mountains was cited by early Christian
writers as proof that the Deluge rose higher than the highest
mountains. See references in E. S. McCartney, _Fossil Lore in Greek
and Roman Literature_, in: Proceedings of the Michigan Academy of
Science, Arts, and Letters, vol. iii, New York, 1924, pp. 23–38,
references on p. 35.

Footnote 757:

_Otia imper._, vol. i, pp. 893–894.

Footnote 758:

“‘Non maledicam ultra terram, propter homines. Tempus sementis et
messis, frigus et aestas, nox et dies requiescent.’ Forte nondum ita
plene distincta erant tempora quatuor, quia nec usque ad diluvium
aquae collectae fuerant in nubes” (_loc. cit._).

Footnote 759:

_Liber div. op._, pars III, visio VII, in: Migne, _Pat. lat._, vol.
cxcvii, col. 966. Quotation from Thorndike, _Magic_, 1923, vol. ii, p.
136.

Footnote 760:

On the supernatural production of storms and wind, and on the belief
that they are caused by magic and by evil spirits in the air, see
White, _Warfare_, 1920, vol. i, pp. 336–350; Hoffmann, _Anschauungen_,
1907, PP· 85–91; and, especially, J. G. Frazer, _The Golden Bough_,