A history of Greek mathematics - Wilbourhall.org

TRADITIONS 17
short range, machines for discharging showers of missiles
through holes made in the walls, and others consisting of
long movable poles projecting beyond the walls which either
dropped heavy weights on the enemy's ships, or grappled
their prows by means of an iron hand or a beak like that of
a crane, then lifted them into the air and let them fall again. 1
Marcellus is
said to have derided his own engineers with the
words, 'Shall we not make an end of fighting against this
geometrical Briareus who uses our ships like cups to ladle
water from the sea, drives off our sambuca ignominiously
with cudgel-blows, and by the multitude of missiles that he
hurls at us all at once outdoes the hundred-handed giants of
mythology ? ; but all to no purpose, for the Romans were in
'
such abject terror that, ' if they did but see a piece of rope
or wood projecting above the wall, they would cry " there it
is", declaring that Archimedes was setting some engine in
motion against them, and would turn their backs and run
away '. 2
These things, however, were merely the * diversions
of geometry at play ',3 and Archimedes himself attached no
importance to them.
According to Plutarch,
though these inventions had obtained for him the renown of
'
more than human sagacity, he yet would not even deign to
leave behind him any written work on such subjects, but,
regarding as ignoble and sordid the business of mechanics and
every sort of art which is directed to use and profit, he* placed
his whole ambition in those speculations the beauty and
subtlety of which is untainted by any admixture of the common
needs of life.' 4 (a) Astronomy.
Archimedes did indeed write one mechanical book, On
Sphere-making, which is lost ; this described the construction
of a sphere to imitate the motions of the sun, moon and
planets. 5 Cicero saw this contrivance and gives a description
of it ; he says that it represented the periods of the moon
and the apparent motion of
the sun with such accuracy that
it would even (over a short period) show the eclipses of the
sun and moon. 6 As Pappus speaks of ' those who understand
1
2
Polybius, Hist. viii. 7, 8 ; Livy xxiv. 34 ; Plutarch, Marcellus, cc. 15-17.
3
lb., c. 17.
lb., c. 14. 4 lb., c. 17.
,
5
Carpus in Pappus, viii, p. 1026. 9 Proclus on Eucl. ; I, p. 41. 16.
6
Cicero, Be rep. i. 21, 22, Tusc. i. 63, Be naU deor. ii. 88.
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