The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

i. The earth (De terra) 1. Theearth is placed in the
central region of the world, standing fast in the center
equidistant from all other parts of the sky. In the singular
the word ‘earth’ (terra) signifies the whole globe, but
in the plural, distinct parts. Logic supplies the earth’s
diverse names, for the word terra is derived from the
upper surface that is worn away (terere); soil (humus)
from the lower, or moist (humidus) earth, like that under
the sea; ground (tellus), because we carry away (tollere)
what it produces; as such it is also called Ops (i.e. the
earth-goddess of plenty) because it produces wealth
(ops)from its crops; and also ‘arable land’ (arvum), from
plowing (arare) andcultivating. 2. However,todistinguish
it properly from water, earth is called ‘dry land’
(aridum), as Scripture says (cf. Genesis 1:10): “God called
the dry land (aridus)Earth.” The earth’s natural attribute
is that of dryness, for if it is moist, that comes from a
union with water. Of its motion some say that it is the
wind in its hollows that, itself moved, moves the earth.
Sallust (Histories 2.28): “A number of mountains and
hills subsided, sundered by the wind rushing through
the hollows of the earth.” 3. Others maintain that lifegiving
water moves in the earth and simultaneously
shakes it, like a vessel, as for instance Lucretius (see On
the Nature of Things 6.555). Yet others are of the opinion
that the earth is (“spongy”), and that
its mostly hidden, collapsing interior shakes everything
placed upon it. Also, an opening in the earth is created
through the movement of water in the lower regions, or
through repeated thunder, or through winds that erupt
from cavities of the earth.
ii. The globe (De orbe) 1. Theglobe(orbis) derives its
name from the roundness of the circle, because it resembles
a wheel; hence a small wheel is called a ‘small disk’
(orbiculus). 1 Indeed, the Ocean that flows around it on
all sides encompasses its furthest reaches in a circle. It
1 Throughout Book XIV we translate orbis as “globe.” The term
refers to the ‘circle’ of lands around the Mediterranean, and hence
to the total known extent of land.
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Book XIV
The earth and its parts
(De terra et partibus)
is divided into three parts, one of which is called Asia,
the second Europe, the third Africa. 2.Theancients did
not divide the three parts of the globe equally, for Asia
extends from south to north in the east, but Europe from
the north to the west, Africa from the west to the south.
3.Whence it is clear that two of them, Europe and Africa,
occupy half of the globe, Asia the other half by itself. But
the former pair are divided into two regions, because
from the Ocean the Mediterranean enters in between
them and separates them. Wherefore, if you divide the
globe into two parts, the east and the west, Asia will be
in one, Europe and Africa in the other.
iii. Asia (De Asia) 1.Asia(Asia)isnamed after a certain
woman who, according to the ancients, had an empire in
the east. It lies in a third sector of the globe, bounded in
the east by the rising sun, in the south by the Ocean, in the
west by the Mediterranean, in the north by Lake Moeotis
(i.e. the Sea of Azov) and the river Tanais (i.e. the Don).
It has many provinces and regions, whose names and
locations I will briefly explain, beginning with Paradise.
2.Paradise is located in the east. Its name, translated from
Greek into Latin, means “garden.” In Hebrew in turn it
is called Eden, which in our language means “delights.”
The combination of both names gives us the expression
“garden of delights,” for every kind of fruit-tree and
non-fruit bearing tree is found in this place, including
the tree of life. It does not grow cold or hot there, but the
air is always temperate. 3.Aspringwhichbursts forth in
the center irrigates the whole grove and it is divided into
the headwaters of four rivers. Access to this location was
blocked off after the fall of humankind, for it is fenced in
on all sides by a flaming sword, that is, encircled by a wall
of fire, so that the flames almost reach the sky. 4. Also
the Cherubim, that is, a garrison of angels, have been
drawn up above the flaming sword to prevent evil spirits
from approaching, so that the flames drive off human
beings, and angels drive off the wicked angels, in order
that access to Paradise may not lie open either to flesh
or to spirits that have transgressed.