Magia Naturalis, oder Hauß-, Kunst- und Wunder-Buch

...tes and Anaximenes held the air; but Thales Milesius held the water to be so: which were thus given out by them as the first seminal generation of nature.

3. The elements, however, are entirely simple bodies (and we have here below not the true, but quite false and ungenuine matters of this name, which partly more, partly less, mingle into other things and transform among one another): from which, as from a matter, the natural mixed bodies arise. And these are always alternately transformed one into another: they are also so disposed within one another inside the great heavenly vault that they fill this entire world situated beneath the moon. For fire, as the most luminous and purest essence, such that it cannot even be perceived by any eye, occupies the highest place within, and is called Æther, that is, a heavenly matter. This is followed by the element of air, which is somewhat heavier than fire; and it flows about in a great expanse, and permeates all things, and imparts to us that quality which it itself possesses: but down here it becomes thick, and turns to clouds as well as to mist, and afterwards dissolves again. Upon this comes the water: and finally that which is, as it were, rubbed off from the purest elements and afterwards clumps together, which is called earth; this sinks below all the others, is quite thick, firm,

and does not allow itself to be so easily penetrated; nor is there anything dense to be touched that is without earth, just as there is nothing empty without air. The entire body of the earth, however, is located in the center of this place, as if in equilibrium, being surrounded by all the others; and it alone stands immovable, while the others swarm about in a constant vortex.

4. But Hippon and Critias have alleged that the vapors steaming out of the elements were the true beginnings of bodies.

5. Parmenides, on the contrary, called these general natural causes Qualitates, or conditions and properties: and taught that all things consisted of heat and cold.

6. The physicians, however, posit that all things consist of the four properties: heat, cold, moisture, and dryness: and, when these come together, of that which prevails among them. For (in their opinion) it is nothing other than the named properties whereby the elements standing close to one another embrace each other, as it were; since they are otherwise opposed to one another: and wise nature has built this edifice according to a constant measure in such a way that each thing might accommodate itself to the other. And because each element has two peculiar conditions, whereby they can partly unite with each other, but partly [oppose] each other entirely...