Mathematical Garden

On time and its parts. Chapter 1.

A large decorative initial 'T' contains a woodcut illustration of a landscape with a figure reclining or working in a field.

TIME (according to Aristotle) is the measure of mutable things. Or, Time is the number of the motion of the highest celestial body, which we call the primum mobile the first thing moved. By its motion, the Sun is swept from east to west, and again to the east in a complete circuit, which includes the natural day. The parts of time, according to ecclesiastical writers, are said to be ten: the Year, the Month, the Week, the Day, the Quadrans, the Hour, the Point, the Moment, the Ounce, and the Atom. However, according to astronomers, after the hour follows the minute, after the minute, the second: and so on, as is shown here.

Parts of time.

Divisions of the aforementioned.

Thus, the year contains 12 months, or fifty-two weeks and one day, or 365 days and almost six hours. The month contains four weeks or a little more. The week has seven days. The day is filled by twenty-four hours. The quadrans contains six hours. Each hour is divided into 60 minutes. A minute into 60 seconds. Each second into 60 thirds. And thus it proceeds to infinity through sexagesimal division.

Divisions of time.

On the triple year. Chapter 2.

The year, however, is threefold: namely, Solar, Lunar, and Great. It is called a year (annus) as if it were a ring (annulus), that is, a circle, because it returns into itself. The Solar or Roman year (which is also called the turning year or natural year) is the space of time in which the Sun circles the twelve signs of the Zodiac, or the space of time...

Solar year.