DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8#0041
f 40 )
found to be: 125 of these passus are therefore, the Roman
stadium = 625 feet, and of the pyramid standard.
This being premised and settled ; I shall now
instance an example, from Pliny, Book 2nd. Chap. 1Q8.
of dimensions stated by Hipparchus, [well known to
the learned for his extraordinary abilities, both as an
astronomer and as a proficient in other branches of ma-
thematics,) as the correct measure of the earth's circum-
ference, viz, to the erroneous measure of 252000 stadia
by Eratosthenes, he added 25000 stadia, and thus made
the circumference 277000 stadia, which multiplied by
625, the feet in a stadium, (waving here alt discussion
of what kind,) produce 173 125 OOOfeet, if Pliny has re-
corded accurately.
Now by the late calculation of a meridional degree
taken in the latitude of 45°.. 43> it was found to be
366576.4 English feet, which multiplied by 360^ produce
131 607 504 for the circumference in question. If, then,
173 125 000 are to be reputed of the vaine of our feet
fand the Cossutian is nearly the same,) then the peat
and learned Hipparchus is argued to have erred in his
calculation by an excess of more than forty-one millions
five hundred thousand feet English, which, ih 131607504
is, indeed, an unaccountable blunder; but by no means
to be imputed to Bipparchus, but to those, who mis-
conceived the value of the foot he calculated by, which
was no doubt that of the pyramid-standard: and by this
foot, his dimensions are even 8 758 000 too little; which
may be in part accounted for, although an excess of near
42 000 000, admits of neither rectification nor apology.
But for the deficiency of 8 000 OOOof feet, we may partly
account from the difficulty he must have found in bring-
ing
found to be: 125 of these passus are therefore, the Roman
stadium = 625 feet, and of the pyramid standard.
This being premised and settled ; I shall now
instance an example, from Pliny, Book 2nd. Chap. 1Q8.
of dimensions stated by Hipparchus, [well known to
the learned for his extraordinary abilities, both as an
astronomer and as a proficient in other branches of ma-
thematics,) as the correct measure of the earth's circum-
ference, viz, to the erroneous measure of 252000 stadia
by Eratosthenes, he added 25000 stadia, and thus made
the circumference 277000 stadia, which multiplied by
625, the feet in a stadium, (waving here alt discussion
of what kind,) produce 173 125 OOOfeet, if Pliny has re-
corded accurately.
Now by the late calculation of a meridional degree
taken in the latitude of 45°.. 43> it was found to be
366576.4 English feet, which multiplied by 360^ produce
131 607 504 for the circumference in question. If, then,
173 125 000 are to be reputed of the vaine of our feet
fand the Cossutian is nearly the same,) then the peat
and learned Hipparchus is argued to have erred in his
calculation by an excess of more than forty-one millions
five hundred thousand feet English, which, ih 131607504
is, indeed, an unaccountable blunder; but by no means
to be imputed to Bipparchus, but to those, who mis-
conceived the value of the foot he calculated by, which
was no doubt that of the pyramid-standard: and by this
foot, his dimensions are even 8 758 000 too little; which
may be in part accounted for, although an excess of near
42 000 000, admits of neither rectification nor apology.
But for the deficiency of 8 000 OOOof feet, we may partly
account from the difficulty he must have found in bring-
ing