--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always read that the world, both…" description: "\"I have always read that the world, both land and water, was spherical, as the authority and researches of Ptolemy and all the others who have written o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/christopher-columbus-9477_authority_i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-l_1103239.jpg" --- # I have always read that the world, both land and water… ![“I have always read that the world, both land and water, was spherical, as the authority and researches of Ptolemy and all the others who have written on this subject demonstrate and prove, as do the eclipses of the moon and other experiments that are made from east to west, and the elevation of…” quote by Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/christopher-columbus-9477_authority_i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-l_1103239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/christopher-columbus-9477_authority_i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-l_1103239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/christopher-columbus-9477_authority_i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-l_1103239.jpg) > “I have always read that the world, both land and water, was spherical, as the authority and researches of Ptolemy and all the others who have written on this subject demonstrate and prove, as do the eclipses of the moon and other experiments that are made from east to west, and the elevation of the North Star from north to south.” [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early observations supported a spherical Earth using eclipses and star positions. **In simple terms:** Eclipses and star movement proved Earth is round. Key Takeaway Recognize evidence over intuition. Themes science observation geography Mood analytical historical Type educational informative When to use this quote - navigation - education - debunking myths - scientific literacy Key Concepts spherical Earth empirical proof astronomy Questions to Reflect On - How did early evidence shape exploration? - What modern evidence confirms Earth’s shape? A Different Perspective Historical context limited by contemporary knowledge and biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Eclipse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eclipse/) [Elevation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elevation/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Land and water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land-and-water/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [North star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-star/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The shape of the heaven is of necessity spherical; for that is the shape most appropriate to its substance and also by nature primary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-shape-of-the-heaven-is-of-necessity-spherical-for-that-is-the/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The reason bubbles are spherical is that a sphere is the smallest, most economical form possible to contain a given volume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-noddy/the-reason-bubbles-are-spherical-is-that-a-sphere-is-the-smallest/) [Tom Noddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-noddy/) > [First of all, we must note that the universe is spherical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/first-of-all-we-must-note-that-the-universe-is-spherical/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [At one time, the earth was supposed to be flat. Well, so it is, even today, from Paris to Asnieres. But that fact doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/at-one-time-the-earth-was-supposed-to-be-flat-well-so-it-is-even/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Using freshman level calculus you can show that the one and only shape that has the smallest surface area for an enclosed volume is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/using-freshman-level-calculus-you-can-show-that-the-one-and-only/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Bubbles are round for the same reason that planets are spherical. The universe itself is like bubbles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-noddy/bubbles-are-round-for-the-same-reason-that-planets-are-spherical-the/) [Tom Noddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-noddy/) > [In first place we must observe that the universe is spherical. This is either because that figure is the most perfect, as not being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/in-first-place-we-must-observe-that-the-universe-is-spherical-this-is/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [The earth also is spherical, since it presses upon its center from every direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/the-earth-also-is-spherical-since-it-presses-upon-its-center-from/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [Karl Pilkington has the roundest head, I think, in the world. It's not technically a deformity, but I've never seen anything quite that spherical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/karl-pilkington-has-the-roundest-head-i-think-in-the-world-it-s-not/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Asking about a time before the beginning of our spherical spacetime is like asking what lies north of the North Pole. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taner-edis/asking-about-a-time-before-the-beginning-of-our-spherical-spacetime/) [Taner Edis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taner-edis/) > [Astronomers are spherical bastards. No matter how you look at them they are just bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-zwicky/astronomers-are-spherical-bastards-no-matter-how-you-look-at-them/) [Fritz Zwicky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-zwicky/) > [Forests are the lungs of our land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/forests-are-the-lungs-of-our-land/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The word was born in the blood, grew in the dark body, beating, and took flight through the lips and the mouth. Farther away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/the-word-was-born-in-the-blood-grew-in-the-dark-body-beating-and-took/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [To the lost man, to the pioneer penetrating a new country, to the naturalist who wishes to see the wild land at its wildest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-way-teale/to-the-lost-man-to-the-pioneer-penetrating-a-new-country-to-the/) [Edwin Way Teale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-way-teale/) > [We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of land is the same to him as the next, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/we-know-that-the-white-man-does-not-understand-our-ways-one-portion/) [Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/) ## More by Christopher Columbus > [For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/for-the-execution-of-the-voyage-to-the-indies-i-did-not-make-use-of/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [The air soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-air-soft-as-that-of-seville-in-april-and-so-fragrant-that-it-was/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [And your Highnesses, as Catholic Christians and Princes, devoted to the holy Christian faith and the propagation thereof - and enemies of the sect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/and-your-highnesses-as-catholic-christians-and-princes-devoted-to-the/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [“The sea will grant each man new hope The sleep brings dreams of home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-sea-will-grant-each-man-new-hope-the-sleep-brings-dreams-of-home/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Your Highnesses have an Other World here, by which our holy faith can be so greatly advanced and from which such great wealth can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/your-highnesses-have-an-other-world-here-by-which-our-holy-faith-can/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Thanks be to God," says the Admiral, "the air is soft as in April in Seville, and it is a pleasure to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/thanks-be-to-god-says-the-admiral-the-air-is-soft-as-in-april-in/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [It is true that after they have been reassured and have lost this fear, they are so artless and so free with all they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/it-is-true-that-after-they-have-been-reassured-and-have-lost-this/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [The Admiral says that he never beheld so fair a thing: trees all along the river, beautiful and green, and different from ours, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-admiral-says-that-he-never-beheld-so-fair-a-thing-trees-all-along/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Of this voyage, I observe," says the Admiral, "that it has miraculously been shown, as may be understood by this writing, by the many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/of-this-voyage-i-observe-says-the-admiral-that-it-has-miraculously/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Sailed this day nineteen leagues, and determined to count less than the true number, that the crew might not be dismayed if the voyage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/sailed-this-day-nineteen-leagues-and-determined-to-count-less-than/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [For this purpose I determined to keep an account of the voyage, and to write down punctually every thing we performed or saw from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/for-this-purpose-i-determined-to-keep-an-account-of-the-voyage-and-to/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [And I say that Your Highnesses ought not to consent that any foreigner does business or sets foot here, except Christian Catholics, since this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/and-i-say-that-your-highnesses-ought-not-to-consent-that-any/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [It is easy to discover what another has discovered before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/it-is-easy-to-discover-what-another-has-discovered-before/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [As soon as I arrived in the Indies, in the first island which I found, I took some of the natives by force, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/as-soon-as-i-arrived-in-the-indies-in-the-first-island-which-i-found/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Tomorrow morning before we depart, I intend to land and see what can be found in the neighborhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/tomorrow-morning-before-we-depart-i-intend-to-land-and-see-what-can/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) [Explore all 72 Christopher Columbus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always read that the world, both land and water, was spherical, as the authority and researches of Ptolemy and all the others who have written on this subject demonstrate and prove, as do the eclipses of the moon and other experiments that are made from east to west, and the elevation of the North Star from north to south.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Columbus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-land-and-water-was-spherical/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-land-and-water-was-spherical/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/christopher-columbus-9477_authority_i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-l_1103239.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/christopher-columbus-9477_authority_i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-l_1103239.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/christopher-columbus-9477_authority_i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-l_1103239.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have always read that the world, both land and water, was spherical, as the authority and researches of…” — Christopher Columbus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Columbus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have always read that the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-land-and-water-was-spherical/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/i-have-always-read-that-the-world-both-land-and-water-was-spherical/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```