Fun with Maimonides

§1. Maimonides (p. 156), has a fun little passage expounding the motion of the fifth element, or celestial sphere, arguing that the sphere is an "intellectual being" inasmuch as its circular motion derives from "some idea" rather than a "natural property" (i.e. gravity). And I quote:

"For it would be absurd to assume that the principle of the circular motion of the spheres was like that of the rectilinear motion of a stone downward."

And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges. Gravity is pretty absurd, really.

§2. Maimonides later quotes Pr xxv.2, which surely has been used as an epigraph for some novel somewhere.

"It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out."(ESV)

 Cf. for kicks and giggles:*

"Gloria Dei est celare verbum et gloria regum investigare sermonem." (Vulgate)
"La gloria di Dio è di celar la cosa; Ma la gloria dei re è d’investigare la cosa." (Giovanni Diodati, 1649)
"E’ gloria di Dio nascondere le cose; ma la gloria dei re sta nell’investigarle." (Riveduta, 1927)

*Phrase copyright me.

§3. Adam & Eve as conjoined twins. Quotes (w/o identifying) commentator who said "Adam and Eve were at first created as one being, having their backs united."Apparently unnamed commentator supported w/ "bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh." Brings another disturbing dimension to the already ripe "cleave unto" which Maimonides also quotes.