The Art of Navigation

OF THE WORLD.
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The eleventh Sphere, according to the Theologians, is called the Empyrean heaven.

The Empyrean Heaven is the highest of all the other heavens.

...to assign to each heaven only one movement of its own, and because the eighth heaven has three movements, it follows that two are not its own, and are caused by the two other higher heavens, namely the ninth and tenth. Above these ten moving heavens or spheres, we place the eleventh sphere, which, according to the Theologians, is called the Empyrean heaven Empyrean From the Greek 'empyros,' meaning fiery or brilliant; in medieval cosmology, this was the highest, unmoving heaven composed of pure light., because of its great resplendence, which lasts forever in the same manner without any movement. There are two reasons to persuade us of this, which are as follows. The first is that every thing that moves locally changes its place either in its entirety or in its parts; therefore, that which moves, moves within some place, for otherwise it would not change place. Now, each of the moving heavens changes place either entirely or in its parts; therefore, it is in some place. Furthermore, it is not in an inferior sphere, because the place must contain and environ that which is put in its place; it follows that it is in a superior sphere. Therefore, there must be some stable and larger heaven within which it makes its movement. The second reason is that a difference is placed in the heaven—namely, front, back, right, and left—not only in respect to us, but by the very nature of the thing, as the Philosopher Aristotle, often referred to simply as 'The Philosopher' in Renaissance texts. says in the second book of On the Heavens and the World. This cannot be maintained by the moving spheres, for the part which is now on the right will afterward be on the left, and the part which is now on high will afterward be below, as one sees by experience. It follows then that there is a firm heaven, in which, regarding the nature of the thing, the same distinction remains as was set. This is called the Empyrean heaven, as has been said, which is the highest of all the heavens and has great dignity for its resplendence, its clarity, its position, and its purity. Within it is the celestial court, where the blessed dwell in the enjoyment of God; where, as the Apostle St. Paul (1 Corinthians 2:9). says, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love him.

CHAPTER II.

Difference between the ...?

I have said in the preceding chapter that one finds three different movements in the eighth sphere, and that some Astrologers In this period, 'astrologer' often meant 'astronomer.' have estimated that there are only nine moving spheres, and others ten. And because the ancient and modern authors do not agree on this opinion, I will state the reasons for what has...