The Book of Mechanics

For Aristotle, in the beginning of his Mechanical Questions, revealed many things, and those the chief, for discerning the causes of the mechanical thing; whom Archimedes followed, and in these books he explained the mechanical principles more clearly and rendered them more plain. Nor for this reason was Aristotle diminished; for he excellently revealed the causes of those problems which were proposed and explained by him. But since it was the scope of Archimedes to explain the rudiments of the mechanical discipline, he therefore wished to descend to explaining more particular things. For Aristotle, by way of example, asking why we move great weights correctly, says the cause is the length of the lever towards the side of the power; and rightly so; since from the principle established by him, it is manifest that those things which are at a longer distance from the center also have greater virtue. But Archimedes wished to progress even further; this having been admitted, namely, that what is at a longer distance has greater force than that which is at a shorter, he wished also to inquire how great is the force of that which is at the longer distance in relation to that which is at the shorter; so that the quality and the determined proportion of them becomes known between these. And therefore he manifested that most excellent mechanical foundation; namely, that weight stands to weight as the distance to the distance from which the weights are suspended stands inversely. Which being unknown, mechanical things seem by no means able to be treated. Since the whole mechanical faculty rests upon this as upon a single and principal foundation. Wherefore Archimedes seems to follow Aristotle; which is clear not only from what has been said, but also if we shall have considered the postulates of Archimedes, in establishing which we shall find that he assumes those things which Aristotle revealed concerning mechanical principles, as will become clear in its proper place in what follows. Moreover, in the reason and mode of considering mechanical things, both seem to proceed joined by the greatest affinity. For Aristotle asserted that mechanical things relish and look to both Mathematical and natural things: which indeed Archimedes also knew best; for those things which are to be considered Mathematically, he demonstrated geometrically, such as distances, proportions, and other things of this kind; but those which are natural, he considered naturally as well; such as those things which pertain to the center of gravity, and those which ought to be moved upwards and downwards; and the rest of this kind.