The Fourth Book of the Christian Topography of Cosmas
Indicopleustes
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- English Text (with links to the Greek!)
- Notes
- Bibliography
Cosmas, a sixth century native of Alexandria, spent the earlier
years of his life as a seafaring merchant. He traveled extensively during
this time, and his surname would suggest that his travels extended as
far as India. He eventually retired from commercial enterprises and gave
himself over to the monastic life, probably among the Nestorians. During
this phase of his life he composed treatises on geography, cosmography, and
scriptural exegesis. The Christian Topography is the only one of
his works to have survived, and contains treatments of all of these
topics.
Book four, as its subtitle indicates, is Cosmas'
description of the figure of the world, and his refutation of the Pagan
(hoi ekso) doctrine of the sphere. What is fascinating to me about this
short book is the manner in which Cosmas pursues his line of argument.
Despite his wide store of particular geographical information gained in
the course of his travels, Cosmas prefers to present his image of the
world with a highly abstract constructive demonstration, not at all
descriptive. On the one hand, the argument is very much like Greek
geometrical demonstration. It proceeds from postulates upon which the
validity of each step of the contruction is ultimately grounded. On the
other hand, these *postulates* are like no other. They derive entirely
from the Christian bible, and the truth of Cosmas' construction,
therefore, derives from the self-evidence of scripture. Cosmas represents
a strange confluence of Greek scientific and early Christian theological
ideals. The two inhabit the same space at the same time, though
uncomfortably, in this text.
I have used McCrindles translation. The Greek
text is Winstedt's edition. The Line drawings are from
Wolska's edition.
Enjoy!
Book IV
Link to Greek
A summary recapitulation and description of the figures of the world;
also the refutation of the sphere.
It is written: In the beginning God made the heaven and the
earth.(1)
We therefore first depict, along with the earth the heaven
which is vaulted and which has its extremities bound together with the
extremities of the earth.
To the best of our ability we have endeavored to delineate it on its
western side and its eastern; for these two sides are walls, extending
from below to the vault above. There is also the firmament which, in the
middle, is bound together with the first heaven, and which, on its upper
side, has the waters according divine scripture itself. The position and
figure are such as here sketched.
To the extremities on the four sides of the earth the heaven is fastened
at its own four extremities, making the figure a cube, that is to say, a
quadrangular figure, while up above it curves round in the form of an
oblong vault and becomes as it were a vast canopy. And in the middle the
firmament is made fast to it, and thus two places are formed.
From the earth to the firmament is the first place, this world
namely, in which are the angels and men and all the present state of
existence. From the firmament again to the vault above is the second
place -- the kingdom of heaven, into which Christ, first of all entered,
after his ascension, having prepared for us a new and living way. On the
western side and the eastern the outline presented is short, as in the
case of an oblong vault, but on its north and south sides it shows its
length'. Its figure is therefore something such as this.
NOTE
This is the first heaven, shaped like a vaulted chamber, which was
created on the first day along with the earth, and of it, Isaiah speaks
thus: He that hath established the heaven as a vaulted chamber.
(2)
But the heaven, which is bound to the first at the middle, is that
which was created on the second day, to which Isaiah refers when he
says: And having stretched it out as a tent to dwell in.
(3)
David also said concerning it: Stretching out the heaven as a
curtain,
(4)
and indicating it still more clearly he says: Who
layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters
(5).
Now, when
scripture speaks of the extremities of heaven and earth, this can not be
understood as applicable to a sphere. Isaiah again says: Thus saith
the Lord, he that made the heaven and pitched it;
(6)
and the apostle
in like manner says: Of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and
not man.
(7)
They both speak of the heaven as standing on and fixed on
earth, and not as revolving round it. Nay more, the extremities of the
heaven are bound together with the extremities of the earth, and on both
sides, and concerning this it is written in Job: And He inclined heaven
to earth and the earth is poured out as dust, and I have fastened it as a
square block to a stone.
(8)
And with regard to the earth it is again
written in Job: He that hangeth the earth upon nothing;
(9)
meaning, that it had nothing underneath it. And David in harmony with
this, when he could discover nothing on which it was founded says: He
hath founded the earth upon its own stability
(10)
, as if he said, it
hath been founded by thee upon itself, and not upon anything else.
To the best of our ability we have endeavored to depict heaven having the
firmament within it and the mountain peaks in the middle of the earth
which we now inhabit, and the ocean surrounding it, and the four
navigable gulfs which run into it -- the Roman, the Arabian, the Persian,
and the Caspian, or Hyrcanian. The ocean we have depicted again as
surrounded by the land on its farther side, Where also Paradise lies in
the east. Then again we depict the breadth of the earth and of the ocean,
and of the gulfs, and of the earth beyond, and Paradise, leaving out for
the present the peaks, in order that a comprehensive view may be
more readily gained by those who examine the delineation. Now the figure
of the whole earth with respect to this surface and to the breadth, is
such as has been indicated.
TEXT
With that earth which is situated beyond the ocean, the first heaven,
which is like a vaulted chamber, is bound together at its extremities at
all sides, and at its east and at its west side a wall is found rising
straight upward, but at the south and at the north there is a wall that
is found equal at the base until it takes what has evidently the form of
a vaulted chamber, while at the top it rolls itself into a very lofty
arch, like the spacious roof over a bath, with an arena-like floor below,
so that the wall itself forms a vaulted roof. Then, as we have just
stated over and over again, the firmament which is spread out in the
middle is at a certain height bound together with the heaven itself in
order that the two places might be formed -- an upper place and a lower.
Now one of these places, namely the lower, comprising the earth and the
water and the other elements of the heavenly bodies, is this world which
extends from the earth to the firmament, having the earth for its floor,
the walls reaching down from the first heaven for its sides, and the
firmament for its roof. The other place again which extends from the
firmament to the vault of the first heaven is, to wit, the Kingdom of
Heaven into which the Lord Christ, after he had risen from the dead,
ascended, and into which the righteous shall also afterwards ascend, and
has for its floor the firmament or second heaven, and the first heaven
itself for its walls and its vaulted roof. We further again depict the
altitude and figure of this earth which we men dwell in, and which is
encircled by the ocean, and which contains the four navigable gulfs. Its
eastern and southern parts are low and depressed, while its northern and
western are of very great elevation, but slope so gradually that the
inequality is not perceived. The earth has therefore in its northern and
western parts an elevation equivalent to its breadth. We therefore thus
depict its figure according to the best of our ability.
NOTE
The earth taken as a whole is quadrangular according to the
delineation already given. We also have indicated its altitude in its
most central part and the heights in its northern and western parts.
Hence we have delineated it as placed in the center surrounded by the
ocean and also by the earth on the opposite side of the ocean, with the
heavenly bodies circling round it, so that the conical mountain can
project a shadow according to even the pagans, while in accordance to
this figure eclipses can occur, as well as the vicissitudes of night and
day. Divine scripture confirms the truth of this saying: The sun
riseth and the sun goeth down, and draweth to his own place. On his
rising he goeth then to the south and wheeleth his circles, and turneth
round the air upon his circles;
(11)
meaning that in circling through
the air he comes back again to his own place.
TEXT
In this view the inhabited parts of the earth are thus represented.
In accordance therewith the sun rising in the east, and running through
the south in the course of his revolutions, always, when giving light to
the summit of the earth, or even to the earth itself, makes night to the
ocean and the earth beyond it. Then again, when he is in the west and the
north beyond the summit of the earth, he leaves us here in darkness,
until in making his circuit he again appears in the east where the earth
is depressed, and mounting the sky in the south again illuminates all
this side. The eclipses of the moon, therefore, even according to this
delineation, if at any rate what the pagans say is true, can occur when
either the sun or the moon is hidden by the summit of the earth; for they
say that a solar eclipse is not produced by the shadow of the earth, but
because in a perpendicular line the moon is directly below the sun, so
that she is illuminated on that side which the sun sees, but not on that
which he does not see -- yea, rather, she prevents him from being visible
by running under him, at the occurrence at all events of the lunar new
month, when the moon is not enlightened on that side which is visible to
us. The opinion therefore which we hold is in no wise adverse to such
views, except only with respect to the motion and revolution of the
heavens -- a theory subversive alike to all divine scripture of both
the Old and New Testament, and of Christian doctrine. But to inquire
further into these matters we have no leisure; for such knowledge is
unprofitable to us who have access to a more profitable knowledge, which
imparts to our soul a good and beneficent hope which God hath promised he
will give to those who believe in him, while those who act unjustly he
has doomed to perdition. But with God's help we shall delineate the
figure of the earth on the reverse side in its northern portion, that we
may be able again in turn to delineate in turn the circuit of the
heavenly bodies -- and it is thus.
When therefore the setting runs from here by the ministration of the
invisible powers, according to the views of divine scripture, he makes
night in the other part -- That namely which is inhabited; but when he
runs hither he makes darkness there. But we Shall now concisely,
according to our ability, delineate the heaven and the earth, and we do
so thus.
NOTE
This part of the earth situated beyond the north, where the
luminaries pursue their course from the west through the north towards the
east is uninhabited, and this stands upright like a wall, and when the sun
comes to it, he leaves in darkness the other part which is inhabited. The
earth therefore is found to have in this part, from the ocean beneath up
to its summit, an altitude according with the measure of the breadth o
fits inhabited parts. Hence as it intercepts midway the light of the
heavenly bodies, the night and all the rest follow.
As much as they admitted of it, we have described these things in keeping
with the divine scripture. Let us now describe the sphere as the pagans
do, and see if it is able to whirl about as they claim.
NOTE
It is necessary for those who wish to be considered Christians to
inquire into which of these eight or nine heavens Christ has ascended,
and into which they themselves hope to ascend, and what is the use of the
other seven of eight heavens. For, having already delineated the world in
accordance with the scriptural view, we assert that the two places were
created, one adapted to the present state of existence, and the other to
that which is to come, since we have such hope, one that is better than
the life here. And you, if as Christians you hold such hope, will of
necessity be asked what is the use of the seven or eight other heavens.
For the pagans who hold the theory of the sphere, if consistent with
themselves, neither entertain such hope, nor allow that there are waters
above the heaven, nor are found that the heavenly bodies and the world
will come to an end; but expect that the world in the state of corruption
will continue forever. If the sphere which has motion forces the others
to revolve around with it from east to west, whence is produced the
motion, in the contrary direction, of the seven planets? Is it the
spheres that have the contrary motion, or the stars themselves? If the
spheres, how can they at one and the same time move both westward and
eastward? And if the stars, how can do the planets cut their way through
the heavenly bodies? Is it not evident that a heavenly body can not be
cut asunder? For unless it were corruptible, it could not be cut through.
How then do ye make such suppositions?
Since beyond this sphere neither place nor element nor any of
their parts anywhere exists, how do ye say it is moved? Tell us. Begrudge
us not an answer. For, except in some place, or the space at large, it can
not be moved. Show us therefore by what instrument -- naming anyone you
please -- it can be moved without place or body, or element or space. And
do not, because you are adepts in the science of nature, jauntily treat us
to nothing but empty phrases. But since some insist that the sphere
rotates like a lathe by the shaft, or like a waggon or a machine by the
axle, let these show on what support the shaft and axle rest, and then
again on what this support rests, and so on to infinity. How then do you
reason with respect to the natural world? and how does an axis not also
pass through the earth, which is in the middle, and turn it round? and
again tell me, ye who follow these men and yet wish to be Christians, into
to what place of the eight spheres, or of the ninth which is called by
some starless, hath Christ entered, or shall we ourselves enter? Or how
can waters be contained on a rotating sphere? or how when the stars fall
at the final consummation, can such spheres as yours be preserved? or what
can be the use of them? Is it not evident that you argue
against the hope held out by the Christian doctrine? For these views can
not be consistently held except by pagans, who have no hope of another and
better state, and who consequently suppose that the world is eternal, in
order that the rich abundance of the spheres in which the planets will
accomplish their courses may be preserved for them -- while in another
sphere are the fixed stars -- and their error has some show of reason in
its favor. But ye advance arguments altogether incredible, and will have
it that there is a multitude of spheres, and that there is no final
consummation of the world since ye are unable to tell what is the
necessity of these things. And in like manner ye will have it that the
waters above the spheres rotate -- a most ridiculous idea and altogether
idiotic, and ye advance arguments that are self-contradictory and opposed
to the nature of things. And though ye allow that the universe was
created in six days, yet ye find no mention of the making of a third
heaven, and far less of the eight or nine which ye venture to affirm. How
great is your knowledge! how great is your wisdom! how great your
intelligence! how great your inconsistency. No man can serve two
masters,
(12)
as has well been said by the lord, but if one will serve
God, let him serve him, or if Mammon, then Mammon. And again he says
through Paul: Ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of
the table of devils.
(13)
And again: Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with
lawlessness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what
concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with
an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
(14)
and how again was it possible for the earth, which according to you is
placed at the very middle of the universe, to have been submerged by the
deluge in the time of Noah? or haw can it be believed that on the first
or the second day it was covered by waters, and on the third, when the
waters were gathered together, that it made its appearance, as is
recorded in Genesis? But with even greater wisdom ye suppose that there
are men walking the earth over with their feet opposite the feet of other
men. We therefore depict according to your view the earth and the
Antipodes.
And let each one of you who has sound vision and the power of reasoning
justly turn the earth round whatever way he pleases, and let him say
whether the Antipodes can be all standing upright in the same sense of the
expression. But this they will not show even should they speak
unrestrained by shame. Such then is our reply to your fictitious and
false theories and to the conclusions of your reasonings which are
capricious, self-contradictory, inconsistent, doomed to be utterly
confounded, and to be whirled round and round even more than that unstable
and revolving mythical sphere of yours. Wherefore, O Christ-loving Father,
since I have thus brought an end to the fourth book with a delineation of
the Antipodes, I shall begin the fifth book, as I promised at thy pious
desire, and it will contain a description of the tabernacle prepared by
Moses in the wilderness, if God will, who is Saviour of us all.
1. Gen. 1, 1
2. Isai. xl, 22
3. ibid.
4. Psalm civ, 2
5. Psalm civ, 3
6. Isai. xlii, 5
7. Heb. vii, 2
8. Job xxxvii, 38
9. Job xxv, 7
10. Psalm civ, 5
11. Eccl. i, 6, 7
12. Matt. vi, 24
13. I Cor. x, 21
14. II Cor. vi, 14, 16
McCrindle , J.W.. The Christian Topography of Cosmas, an
Egyptian Monk. Burt Franklin: New York, 1887.
Winstedt, E.O.. The Christian Topography of Cosmas
Indicopleustes. The University Press: Cambridge, 1909.
Wolska, Wanda. La Topographie Chretienne de Cosmas
Indicopleustes. Presses Universitaires de France: Paris, 1962.
