maius circulus

English translation: levari pondus maior circulus

15:28 Oct 22, 2007
Latin to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Engineering (general) / Aristotelian mechanics
Latin term or phrase: maius circulus
This appears in an encyclopedia article on the Aristotelian tradition in the Natural Science of Mechanics. The quote actually originates in Frederick II's 'de arte venandi', and is in a section on the Medieval (non) tradition of Aristotelian physics.

quod dicit Aristoteles in libro de ingeniis levandi pondera dicens quod magis facit levari pondus *maius circulus*.

Which Aristotles said in the Book of Genius, saying about lifting weights, that the weight being lifted makes rather *a larger circle*.

This goes back to the dynamic theory of the lever, in which both the lever arm and the weight lifted inscribe circular arcs in their movement (as opposed to straight lines), and the arcs can be measured, etc.

The problem is the cases of the various nouns, pondus and circulus in particular. circulus is masc,nom, and pondus is neut, nom/acc; however, the weight makes the circle, the circle doesn't make the weight.

Could Fred II simply have been really bad at Latin, such that he made a real error? Could the manuscript abbreviations have been incorrectly expanded?
I know the dynamics involved, so I know what the translation has to be, but the Latin is not supporting the author's argument.

any help would be greatly appreciated.
Rebecca Garber
Local time: 11:58
English translation:levari pondus maior circulus
Explanation:
I guess maior is the only mistake there is, as far as I know, but I have no access to Jstor, maybe you do.

Lifts weight in a greater circle.

JSTOR: The Liber de motu of Gerard of Brussels and the Origins of ...- [ Traduzca esta página ]... sublevari aut impelli et deportari, quod dicit Aristoteles in libro de ingeniis levandi pondera dicens quod magis facit levari pondus maior circulus. ...
links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0369-7827(1956)1%3A12%3C73%3ATLDMOG%3E2.0.CO%3B2-7 - Páginas similares


pondero -are [to weigh , consider, ponder].

ponderosus -a -um [heavy , weighty; significant].

pondo (abl.) [in weight]; as indecl. subst. [a pound , pounds].

pondus -eris n. [weight; a weight , burden, mass; balance; authority, influence].




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a *us 1 masc sing nom
n *us : masc. acc. pl. 4
n *us : masc. nom. sing. 2
n *us : neut. acc. sing. 3
n *us : masc. nom. pl. 4
n *us : neut. nom. sing. 3
n *us : masc. nom. sing. 4
n *us : neut. gen. sing. 4
n *us : masc. gen. sing. 4



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Stem (or dictionary form): Ending (optional):



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Selected response from:

Beatriz Galiano (X)
Argentina
Local time: 12:58
Grading comment
Thanks for the reference and confirmation of the translation.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3greater circle
Joseph Brazauskas
3levari pondus maior circulus
Beatriz Galiano (X)


  

Answers


19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
greater circle


Explanation:
Unless 'maius' is to be taken with 'pondus', which does not seem likely, it is probably a typographical error for 'maior'. In any case, Aristotle wrote no such work; Frederick is most probably referring to a work by Archimedes or Aristarchus.

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 11:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
levari pondus maior circulus


Explanation:
I guess maior is the only mistake there is, as far as I know, but I have no access to Jstor, maybe you do.

Lifts weight in a greater circle.

JSTOR: The Liber de motu of Gerard of Brussels and the Origins of ...- [ Traduzca esta página ]... sublevari aut impelli et deportari, quod dicit Aristoteles in libro de ingeniis levandi pondera dicens quod magis facit levari pondus maior circulus. ...
links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0369-7827(1956)1%3A12%3C73%3ATLDMOG%3E2.0.CO%3B2-7 - Páginas similares


pondero -are [to weigh , consider, ponder].

ponderosus -a -um [heavy , weighty; significant].

pondo (abl.) [in weight]; as indecl. subst. [a pound , pounds].

pondus -eris n. [weight; a weight , burden, mass; balance; authority, influence].




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


a *us 1 masc sing nom
n *us : masc. acc. pl. 4
n *us : masc. nom. sing. 2
n *us : neut. acc. sing. 3
n *us : masc. nom. pl. 4
n *us : neut. nom. sing. 3
n *us : masc. nom. sing. 4
n *us : neut. gen. sing. 4
n *us : masc. gen. sing. 4



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Stem (or dictionary form): Ending (optional):



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Beatriz Galiano (X)
Argentina
Local time: 12:58
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks for the reference and confirmation of the translation.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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