4 hours ago
"In Greek vocabulary, a precise distinction is established between two forms of air:
● ἀήρ (aḗr): the lower air, breathable and mutable, associated with vapors, clouds, and atmospheric
changes.
● αἰθήρ (aithḗr): the upper air, clear and radiant, linked to the open sky and to the region of the
stars.
The word αἰθήρ also preserves a direct association with fire, through its etymological relation to the verb
αἴθω (“to burn,” “to kindle,” “to shine”). Within this framework, aether is described as an air of a distinct
quality: luminous, subtle, and “ardent” in the sense of clarity and radiance—proper to the upper realm, a
celestial fire not subject to combustion or consumption."
Briefs in ancient cosmology #9 by P Sanchez
https://philarchive.org/archive/SNCTAC
● ἀήρ (aḗr): the lower air, breathable and mutable, associated with vapors, clouds, and atmospheric
changes.
● αἰθήρ (aithḗr): the upper air, clear and radiant, linked to the open sky and to the region of the
stars.
The word αἰθήρ also preserves a direct association with fire, through its etymological relation to the verb
αἴθω (“to burn,” “to kindle,” “to shine”). Within this framework, aether is described as an air of a distinct
quality: luminous, subtle, and “ardent” in the sense of clarity and radiance—proper to the upper realm, a
celestial fire not subject to combustion or consumption."
Briefs in ancient cosmology #9 by P Sanchez
https://philarchive.org/archive/SNCTAC