That Virgil Query.
The ancients did have "some idea of the roundness of the earth." In fact, they possessed much knowledge of it. The great Aristotle, who lived about three centuries before Virgil, advanced substantially the same theories to prove the rotundity of our planet that are commonly taught to-day. But they were not considered conclusive, which, in truth, they are not. Going even further back than the time of Aristotle it is found that the ancient Pythagoreans believed the earth to be round. It was one of their philosophers who discovered this fact.
Simon Theodore Stern.
New York City.
I think Virgil's line, intonnere poli, has reference to the north pole of the heavens, which was part of the system of astronomy invented by Hipparchus. Instead of saying, "the poles thunder," I would use the derived meaning of poli, heavens. I would like to ask some Knight or Lady interested in astronomy why planets do not twinkle as the stars do.
C. F. Hunter, R.T.F.
Mellenville, N. Y.