Tuesday, May 13, 2025

17.08.25: topic; the elements [2]; Comenius (1658); the Air

The Air │aër* (āēr)

A cool air breatheth gently. │ Aura spīrat lēniter.

The wind bloweth strongly. │ Ventus flat validē.

A storm throweth down trees. │ Procella sternit arborēs.

A whirl-wind turneth it self in a round compass. │ Turbō agit sē in gȳrum.

A wind under ground causeth an earthquake.** │ Ventus subterrāneus excitat terræ mōtum.

An earthquake causeth gapings of the earth, (and falls of houses.) │Terræ mōtus facit lābēs (& ruīnās.)

*depending on the edition, the word is marked with a diaresis to indicate that the two vowels are pronounced separately e.g. as in the English surname Brontë and Fr: naïf; it is now written as āēr

** “The scientific study of earthquakes is comparatively new. Until the 18th century, few factual descriptions of earthquakes were recorded, and the natural cause of earthquakes was little understood. Those who did look for natural causes often reached conclusions that seem fanciful today; one popular theory was that earthquakes were caused by air rushing out of caverns deep in the Earth's interior.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq1/history.html

[1]

Aura spīrat lēniter.│ A breeze breathes / blows gently.

Ventus flat validē. │ The wind blows strongly.

Links: adverbs in -ē / -ter

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/040924-adverbs-2-e-ter-1.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/040924-adverbs-2-e-ter-2.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/040924-adverbs-23.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/08/070924-adverbs-24-e-ter-4.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/08/070924-adverbs-25-e-ter-5.html

[2]

āēr, āeris [3 m/f]: air, a Greek-type noun which can have alternative case endings

Link: Greek-type nouns

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/07/200824-follow-up-food-and-drink-12.html

[3]

excitō, -āre [1]: rouse; awaken; set in motion

spīrō, -āre [1]: breathe; blow

sternō, -ere, strāvī, strātus [3]: various meanings including [i] stretch / spread out; [ii] (here) knock to the ground; flatten; raze

[4]

aura, -ae [1/f]: [i] air; [ii] breeze

gȳrus, -ī [2/m]: circle; circular motion

procella, -ae [1/f]: storm; gale; gust; squall; tempest; hurricane

tempestās, tempestātis [3/f]: can also refer to storms, gales, bad weather, but also to good weather, season, period of time; context will determine its meaning

turbō, turbinis [3/m]: whirlwind; tornado, but can also have the same meaning as procella and tempestās

ventus, -ī [2/m]: wind

[5]

lābēs, -is [3/f]: fall; collapse; “gapings of the earth” i.e. subsidence

mōtus, -ūs [4/m]: movement; terrae mōtus: a movement of the earth i.e. an earthquake

ruīna, -ae [1/f]: collapse; ruin; destruction








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