\n\tToday, these scientists professionals who also study the space are highly valued. Who is not awed by the imaginative theories, impossible to understand for those who are laymen on these issues, the big bang<\/em>, or by the beautiful received images with waves originated from thousands of light years?<\/p>\n \n\tBut gradually the science was more independent from myth and religion. In the case of astronomy it was becoming mathematics and physical astronomy and geometry astronomy, able to understand and anticipate the movements of the stars. Thus scientists freed or tried to liberate men from fear of the gods, caused by natural phenomena.<\/p>\n \n\tTo free people from fear, that are instilled by natural phenomena which they did not know, was the essential objective of the Epicureans<\/em>, who already since antiquity were present unjust and selfishly as "hedonistic<\/em>" greedy pleasures, when the only thing they were eager was "reason<\/em>” and "common<\/em> sense".<\/p>\n \n\tLucretius <\/em>says in his grand treatise on "science" in verse "De Rerum Natura<\/em>", "On the Nature of Things",<\/em> praising the great figure of the master Epicurus <\/em>at the beginning of his work:<\/p>\n \n\tLucretius, De Rerum Natura, I, 62-79:<\/em><\/p>\n \n\tWhilst human kind \n\t(Translated by William Ellery Leonard, 1916)<\/p>\n \n\tHumana ante oculos foede cum vita iaceret \n\t………… \n\tThis terror, then, this darkness of the mind, \n\thunc igitur terrorem animi tenebrasque necessest \n\tA good example of this long road towards science is the astronomer Geminus <\/em>and his "Introduction to the phenomena<\/em>".We know very few things about him, such as he lived between the first (I) centuries before and after Christ. Astronomy for centuries was a branch of philosophy. Geminus <\/em>talks of physics because everyone who deals with nature (physis<\/em>) is phisyc<\/em>, but in I century B.C., astronomy is becoming more specialized and emancipating as "mathematical astronomy<\/em>", based on mathematics and geometry and moving towards a positive science. Geminus <\/em>is a professional astronomer seeking demonstrative rigor of mathematics and therefore he despises making weather forecasts based on the rising and setting of the stars.<\/p>\n \n\tAnother high exponent is Ptolemy<\/em>, author, among other works, of the "Almagest<\/em>", word which is simply the Arabic transliteration of the Greek title Megisté Sýntxis (The great coordination)<\/em>, based on the understanding of the movements and orbits of the stars.<\/p>\n \tWell, another great scientist who could be called "general<\/em>" and "communicator<\/em>", Pliny the Elder<\/em>, who wrote a great encyclopedia, a compendium of scientific knowledge of his time, which read with attention, is not without truly scientific critical thinking, emits a beautiful view on the scientific value of the astronomers in his Natural History, II, 12 (54):<\/em><\/p>\n \n\tThese were indeed great men, superior to ordinary mortals, who having discovered the laws of these divine bodies, relieved the miserable mind of man from the fear which he had of eclipses, as foretelling some dreadful events or the destruction of the stars. This alarm is freely acknowledged in the sublime strains of Stesichorus and Pindar, as being produced by an eclipse of the sun. And with respect to the eclipse of the moon, mortals impute it to witchcraft, and therefore endeavour to aid her by producing discordant sounds. In consequence of this kind of terror it was that Nicias, the general of the Athenians, being ignorant of the cause, was afraid to lead out the fleet, and brought great distress on his troops . <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n\tHail to your genius, ye interpreters of heaven! ye who comprehend the nature of things, and who have discovered a mode of reasoning by which ye have conquered both gods and men!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n\tFor who is there, in observing these things and seeing the labours which the stars are compelled to undergo (since we have chosen to apply this term to them), that would not cheerfully submit to his fate, as one born to die?<\/strong><\/em> (The Natural History. Pliny the Elder. John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S. H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A. London. Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1855.)<\/p>\n \n\tviri ingentes supraque mortalia, tantorum numinum lege deprehensa et misera hominum mente iam soluta, in defectibus scelera aut mortem aliquam siderum pavente — quo in metu fuisse Stesichori et Pindari vatum sublimia ora palam est deliquio solis — aut in luna veneficia arguente mortalitate et ob id crepitu dissono auxiliante — quo pavore ignarus causae Nicias Atheniensium imperator veritus classem portu educere opes eorum adflixit —: macte ingenio este, caeli interpretes rerumque naturae capaces, argumenti repertores, quo deos hominesque vicistis! quis enim haec cernens et statos siderum (quoniam ita appellare placuit) labores non suae necessitati mortales genitos ignoscat? <\/em><\/p>\n \n\tOvid <\/em>also appreciates the extraordinary courage of those who studied the stars, in Fasti, I, 295 et seq .<\/em>:<\/p>\n \n\tWhat is to stop me if I should tell also of the stars, their risings and their settings? That was part of my promise. Ah happy souls, who first took thought to know these things and scale the heavenly mansions! Well may we believe they lifted up their heads alike above the frailties and the homes of men. Their lofty natures neither love nor wine did breaks, nor civil business nor the toils of war; no low ambition tempted them, nor glory’s tinsel sheen, nor lust of hoarded pelf. The distant stars they brought within our ken, and heaven itself made subject to their wit. So man may reach the sky: no need that Ossa on Olympus should be piled, and that Pelion’s peak should touch the topmost stars. Under these leaders we, too, will plum the sky and give their own days to the wandering signs.<\/em> (Translated by Frazer, James George. Loeb Classical Library)<\/p>\n \n\tQuis vetat et stellas, ut quaeque oriturque caditque, \n\tAttempts to explain the stars and their movements, theoretical and practices speculations that incorporate and develop knowledge of mathematics and geometry, indeed pose a real scientific effort at the start of the path that led to the great current knowledge, that yet so much still unknown, but they want to know..<\/p>\n \n\tOn the background photo obtained by the Hubble <\/em> which Stephen Hawking<\/em> has on the cover of his Facebook page, we will conclude with Manilius<\/em>:<\/p>\n \n\t \n\tPhoto credit: ESA\/Hubble Rosette nebula<\/em><\/p>\n \n\t...there will always be a matter of debate for the intelligence of men and there will always remain the dark about what is hidden and far above man and God.<\/strong> <\/em> (Manilius, Astrologia, I, 145…)<\/p>\n \n\tsemper erit genus in pugna, dubiumque manebit Astronomers, along with medical doctors, were certainly the best scientists valued in antiquity. Largely they are confused with \u00abastrologers\u00bb and \u00abhealers\u00bb, two activities connected with religion and the life of the temples.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,13,14,10,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture","category-history","category-language-literature","category-philosophy","category-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4858\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\tThroughout the lands lay miserably crushed
\n\tBefore all eyes beneath Religion- who
\n\tWould show her head along the region skies,
\n\tGlowering on mortals with her hideous face-
\n\tA Greek it was who first opposing dared
\n\tRaise mortal eyes that terror to withstand,
\n\tWhom nor the fame of Gods nor lightning's stroke
\n\tNor threatening thunder of the ominous sky
\n\tAbashed; but rather chafed to angry zest
\n\tHis dauntless heart to be the first to rend
\n\tThe crossbars at the gates of Nature old.
\n\tAnd thus his will and hardy wisdom won;
\n\tAnd forward thus he fared afar, beyond
\n\tThe flaming ramparts of the world, until
\n\tHe wandered the unmeasurable All.
\n\tWhence he to us, a conqueror, reports
\n\tWhat things can rise to being, what cannot,
\n\tAnd by what law to each its scope prescribed,
\n\tIts boundary stone that clings so deep in Time.
\n\tWherefore Religion now is under foot,
\n\tAnd us his victory now exalts to heaven.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tin terris oppressa gravi sub religione,
\n\tquae caput a caeli regionibus ostendebat
\n\thorribili super aspectu mortalibus instans,
\n\tprimum Graius homo mortalis tollere contra
\n\test oculos ausus primusque obsistere contra;
\n\tquem neque fama deum nec fulmina nec minitanti
\n\tmurmure compressit caelum, sed eo magis acrem
\n\tnritat animi virtutem, effringere ut arta
\n\tnaturae primus portarum claustra cupiret.
\n\tergo vivida vis animi pervicit et extra
\n\tprocessit longe flammantia moenia mundi
\n\tatque omne immensum peragravit mente animoque,
\n\tunde refert nobis victor quid possit oriri,
\n\tquid nequeat, finita potestas denique cuique
\n\tqua nam sit ratione atque alte terminus haerens.
\n\tquare religio pedibus subiecta vicissim
\n\topteritur, nos exaequat victoria caelo.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tY poco después, afirmando con rotundidad que la ciencia es la salvación, idea que por lo demás repite en numerosas ocasiones, en los versos: 146-148<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tNot sunrise with its flaring spokes of light,
\n\tNor glittering arrows of morning can disperse,
\n\tBut only Nature's aspect and her law,<\/strong><\/em>
\n\t(Translated by William Ellery Leonard, 1916)<\/p>\n
\n\tnon radii solis neque lucida tela diei
\n\tdiscutiant, sed naturae species ratioque.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tdicere? promissi pars fuit ista mei.
\n\tfelices animae, quibus haec cognoscere primis
\n\tinque domus superas scandere cura fuit!
\n\tcredibile est illos pariter vitiisque locisque
\n\taltius humanis exeruisse caput.
\n\tnon Venus et vinum sublimia pectora fregit
\n\tofficiumque fori militiaeve labor;
\n\tnec levis ambitio perfusaque gloria fuco
\n\tmagnarumque fames sollicitavit opum.
\n\tadmovere oculis distantia sidera nostris
\n\taetheraque ingenio supposuere suo.
\n\tsic petitur caelum: non ut ferat Ossan Olympus,
\n\tsummaque Peliacus sidera tangat apex.
\n\tnos quoque sub ducibus caelum metabimur illis
\n\tponemusque suos ad vaga signa dies.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.antiquitatem.com\/imgs\/arts\/hubble_hawkingsrecortada.jpg\")
<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\tquod latet et tantum supra est hominemque deumque;<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"