may hunt with them after…., and then follow helpless beasts, which in time of great snows come near to your houses asking alms as from their master….
On spirits (1211—1213).
1211.
O mathematicians shed light on this error.
The spirit has no voice, because where there is a voice there is a body, and where there is a body space is occupied, and this prevents the eye from seeing what is placed behind that space; hence the surrounding air is filled by the body, that is by its image.
1212.
There can be no voice where there is no motion or percussion of the air; there can be no percussion of the air where there is no instrument, there can be no instrument without a body; and this being so, a spirit can have neither voice, nor form, nor