Agricola, Georgius, De re metallica, 1912/1950

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1II are northern directions lying toward the east, IV and V are eastern
directions lying toward the north, and III is assigned, half to the north and
half to the east.
One who wishes to know the direction of the veins underground, places
over the vein the instrument just described; and the needle, as soon as it
becomes quiet, will indicate the course of the vein.
That is, if the vein
proceeds from VI to VI, it either runs from east to west, or from west to
east; but whether it be the former or the latter, is clearly shown by the
seams in the rocks.
If the vein proceeds along the line which is between V
and VI toward the opposite direction, it runs from between the fifth and
sixth divisions of east to the west, or from between the fifth and sixth
divisions of west to the east; and again, whether it is the one or the other
is clearly shown by the seams in the rocks.
In a similar manner we
determine the other directions.
Now miners reckon as many points as the sailors do in reckoning up
the number of the winds.
Not only is this done to-day in this country, but
it was also done by the Romans who in olden times gave the winds partly
Latin names and partly names borrowed from the Greeks.
Any miner who
pleases may therefore call the directions of the veins by the names of the
winds.
There are four principal winds, as there are four cardinal points:
the Subsolanus, which blows from the east; and its opposite the Favoníus,
which blows from the west; the latter is called by the Greeks Ζέφυρος, and
the former Ἀπηλιώτης. There is the Auster, which blows from the south;
and opposed to it is the Septentrío, from the north; the former the Greeks
called Νότος, and the latter Ἀπαρκτίας. There are also subordinate winds,
to the number of twenty, as there are directions, for between each two
principal winds there are always five subordinate ones.
Between the
Subsolanus (east wind) and the Auster (south wind) there is the Orníthíae
or the Bird wind, which has the first place next to the Subsolanus; then
comes Caecías; then Eurus, which lies in the midway of these five; next
comes Vulturnus; and lastly, Euronotus, nearest the Auster (south wind).
The Greeks have given these names to all of these, with the exception of
Vulturnus, but those who do not distinguish the winds in so precise a manner
say this is the same as the Greeks called Εὐ̄ρος. Between the Auster (south
wind) and the Favonius (west wind) is first Altanus, to the right of the
Auster (south wind); then Líbonotus; then Afrícus, which is the middle
one of these five; after that comes Subvesperus; next Argestes, to the left
of Favoníus (west wind). All these, with the exception of Líbonotus and
Argestes, have Latin names; but Afrícus also is called by the Greeks Αίψ.
In a similar manner, between Favoníus (west wind) and Septentrio (north
wind), first to the right of Favoníus (west wind), is the Etesíae; then
Círcíus; then Caurus, which is in the middle of these five; then Corus;
and lastly Thrascias to the left of Septentrio (north wind). To all of
these, except that of Caurus, the Greeks gave the names, and those
who do not distinguish the winds by so exact a plan, assert that the wind
which the Greeks called Κόρος and the Latins Caurus is one and the same.

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