Corpus Hermeticum with Pneumatica and Ocellus Lucanus

8

It is necessary to take a vessel of modest size—as has indeed been observed—and if it is placed into water in the vessel? at the opening of the vessel, and if we hold it with the opening facing upward, and the water falls into it, the air will depart from the vessel, being forced out by the mass of the water. Again, it is mixed and reshaped so that it becomes water. In this same way, as none of the air's substances are dispersed? but are instead thinned by fire and escape through the pores original: "ἀραιωμάτων" (araiomaton). This refers to the microscopic gaps or "interstices" between the particles of a solid material, such as the metal of a kettle. of the cauldron [lebētos], the space within becomes empty—this applies to all surrounding matter, whatever kind may be employed. When it departs? from its own place, the air rushes into that easily-moved space, for matter seeks to fill any displacement.

One must therefore say that while a universal vacuum kenon original: "κενὸν" (kenon). Hero is navigating the ancient debate between the "Plenists" (who believed nature is full) and the "Atomists" (who believed in a void). is indeed a void, it acts as an obstacle to the discovery of many things. Such a concept does not seem persuasive to reason when no divine proof for it is present. If, however, some phenomenon falling under our sensory perception aisthēsin original: "αἴσθησιν" (aisthēsin). Hero emphasizes empirical evidence—what we can see and feel—over purely abstract philosophy. can be shown—namely, that a vacuum exists in a collected state, whether occurring contrary to nature or according to nature, and that it is either fine-grained or compressed—it is also true that it fills the greatest part of the surrounding...