Galileo Galilei Two New Sciences (1638) Tr. Stillman Drake, Day Four, On the Motion of Projectiles, 268 Author speaking

I mentally conceive of some moveable [sphere] projected on a horizontal plane, all impediments being put aside. Now it is evident... that equable motion on this plane would be perpetual if the plane were of infinite extent, but if we assume it to be ended, and [situated] on high, the movable, driven to the end of this plane and going on further, adds on to its previous equable and indelible motion, that downward tendency which it has from its heaviness. Thus, there emerges a certain motion, compounded...

— Galileo Galilei on Classical mechanics

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "I mentally conceive of some moveable [sphere] projected on a horizontal plane, all impediments being put aside. Now it is evident... that equable motion on this plane would be perpetual if the plane were of infinite extent, but if we assume it to be ended, and [situated] on high, the movable, driven to the end of this plane and going on further, adds on to its previous equable and indelible motion, that downward tendency which it has from its heaviness. Thus, there emerges a certain motion, compounded..." in the context of "Galileo Galilei Two New Sciences (1638) Tr. Stillman Drake, Day Four, On the Motion of Projectiles, 268 Author speaking" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Classical mechanics" (Quotes: Quotes are arranged alphabetically by author, G - L) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Galileo Galilei

About Galileo Galilei

Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, philosopher, and mathematician who played a major role in the scientific revolution during the Renaissance.