Hi All. Just thought you would like to know some of the reasons believed to cause earthquakes and some of the methods in predicting them in the time of Aristotle. Take Care…Don in creepy town.

Arostotle thinks that Earthquakes are caused by both a dry and a humid exhalation from the center of the earth. We can embrace all three theories: The first one of Anassagora Claziomenio, who claims that Earthquakes are caused by air contained within the earth; the second, of Democrito, thinking that earthquakes are caused by water inside the earth; and the third, of Anassimene, thinking that they are caused by the thirst of the earth.

Some premonition of an Earthquake is given when the waters become cloudy and odorous without reason. This symptom occurs when under pressure, sulphurous gas vents by way of a fissure in the earth. In observing this while taking water from a well, Feracide, teacher of Pitagora, could predict the coming of an earthquake. It was noticed before the important Earthquake of Ferrara in 1570, that the river Po was swollen and cloudy. When the sea became stormy without wind and when the air became still and there was a soft line or a thin cloud against the sun, as recorded in Aristotle’s lib.2.Metheor cap.7 and Plin.Bistor lib.2.cap 81.

The previously mentioned Aristotle observed the appearance of a comet during the earthquake of Acaia. When the river floods its banks and continuous rain prevents exhalations from the earth. When it is particularly cold in summer because the concentrated warmth of gases inside the Earth’s caverns are struggling unsuccessfully to come out. If the sun is weak and hazy, without clouds. When a total eclipse of the sun occurs in the Tail of the Dragon, because it is colder than the head; as related by Alberto Magno in 3 Metheor.tract.1.cap.14. The trembling flight of the birds, hisses and whispers in the air caused by winds or spirits that are trying to escape from the bowels of the earth. A spout of fire rising into the air, or fire erupting in other forms caused by the exhalation of vapor: These are all the usual indications of earthquakes.