The concept of ether in the cosmology of Ptolemy

Abstract

In the ancient Greek world, "aether" signified both the physical body and the embodied divinity. It took on diverse meanings for different authors, but its relationship with the sky, namely the higher levels of the sky, was evident in most cases. Aether became a useful tool for describing cosmogonic processes or heavenly movements and was elevated to the fifth element by Aristotle. Ptolemy, who was in agreement with Aristotle on the fifth element, broadened his studies in this field. Ptolemy "astrologized" the Aristotelian concept of "transfer" of etheric motions to earthly components by introducing the concept of celestial bodies influencing terrestrial elements.