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we pour something into the vessel, we perceive the air within it exiting, and especially, when it has a narrow mouth. And furthermore, we can imagine the world itself moved from the place which it now happens to occupy. By this very transition, we will simultaneously imagine the abandoned place to be void, and that into which it moved to be occupied and held by it, and this would be the void filled. And if the whole essence is dissolved into fire, as seems to the most pleasing of the Physicists, it is necessary for it to occupy a place more than ten thousand times greater. Just as also those solid bodies which are exhaled into vapor. Therefore, the place which will be occupied in the conflagration by the poured-out essence, is now empty, since no body has filled it. If anyone should say that there will be no conflagration, such a statement opposes nothing regarding the non-existence of the void. For even if we only imagine the essence being poured out, and extended further, with nothing being able to prevent it from such an extension, this very thing, into which it would go in the imagination according to the extension, would be the void. Just as, indeed, that which is now occupied by it is the void filled. Hence those who say there is nothing outside the world are talking nonsense. For this very thing, which they call nothing, [is] not in the least [the essence] diffusing itself
you pour something into the vessel,
we perceive the breath in it exiting, and especially,
when it has a narrow mouth. Furthermore,
we can imagine the world itself, moved from the place,
which it now happens to occupy.
And by this very transition,
we shall conceive the abandoned place as being void, and that into which
it moved as being occupied and held by it, and this would be
the void filled. But if the whole essence is dissolved into fire, as
seems to the most elegant of the Physicists,
it is necessary for it to occupy a place ten thousand times greater.
Just as also the solid bodies which are evaporated
into vapor. Therefore, the
place occupied in the conflagration by the essence being poured out,
is now empty, for no body has filled it.
If anyone should say that no conflagration occurs,
such a thing does not oppose the non-existence of the void.
For even if we only imagine the essence being poured,
and extended further, with nothing being able to
become an obstacle to it for such an extension,
this very thing, into which it would move in the imagination
according to the extension, would be the void. As
naturally the place now occupied
by it is the void filled.
Hence those who say that there is nothing outside the world,
are talking nonsense. For this very thing, which they call nothing, not even in the least [is] the essence diffusing itself.