The workes of Lucius Annæus Seneca, both morrall and naturall Containing, 1. His bookes of benefites. 2. His epistles. 3. His booke of prouidence. 4. Three bookes of anger. 5. Two bookes of clemencie. 6. His booke of a blessed life. 7. His booke of the tranquilitie of the minde. 8. His booke of the constancie of a wiseman. 9. His booke of the shortnesse of life. 10. Two bookes of consolation to Martia. 11. Three bookes of consolation to Heluia. 12. His booke of consolation to Polibius. 13. His seuen bookes of naturall questions. Translated by Tho. Lodge, D. in Physicke.

CHAP. VI.

* 1.1IT hath not beene maintayned by one, nor after one manner, that the water is the cause of earthquakes. Th••les Milesi••s is of the o∣pinion, that all the earth floateth, and is carried aboue the water, whether it be that we call it the greater Ocean, or the great Sea, or any simple water of another nature, or a moist element. By this water, saith he, the earth is sustained as a great ship, which waigheth very much vpon the waters that bear it vp. It were a superfluous matter to set downe the reasons why he thinketh that the most waightiest part of the world cannot be sustained by the aire which is subtill and light: For the question is not now about the situation thereof,* 1.2 but of the trembling of the same. He alleageth for one of his reasons, that the waters are the cause of the quaking thereof, because that in all extraordinarie motions, there issue almost ordinarily some new foun∣taines: as it hapneth almost ordinarily by some ships, which if they be inclining to one side; and shew their keele aside-long••, gather water, which (if it happen that the burthen they beare be ouer-waightie) either spreadeth it selfe aboue, raiseth it selfe more higher towards the right, or towards the left. Wee neede no long answere to shew that this opinion is false. For if the water sustayned the earth, sometimes the whole earth should bee shaken, and haue continuall motion, neither should we wonder that it is agitated, but that it stayeth setled. Shee should not tremble in a part, but wholly: for neuer is a ship shaken to the halfes. But the earthquake is not of the whole, but a part only. How then can it be•• that all that which is carried is not wholly agitated? if that which is not carried is agitated? But why appeare new waters? First of all the earth hath of∣tentimes trembled, and yet no new source hath euer discouered it selfe. Againe,

if for this cause the water brake forth, it would spreade it selfe on both sides of the earth, as we see it hapneth in Riuers, and in the Sea, that when the ships lie at roade, the increase of the waters appeareth, especially about the sides of the Vessell. Finally, there should not be so small an eruption made as he speaketh, and the pump should not yeeld water as it were by cleft, but a great del••ge should be made as from an infinite water that beareth the earth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Whether waters be the cause of ••a••hquakes.
• * 1.2

  The reasons alle∣ged by Thales to p••oue this, w••th Senecaes ans••e••es.