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Concept

Octahedron

air · ἀήρ

Timaeusairgeometryelement

The eight-faced solid Plato assigns to air.

The octahedron — eight triangular faces — is assigned to air in the Timaeus: intermediate in size and mobility between sharp fire and heavy water. Built from the same half-equilateral triangle as fire and water, air can transform into them as the elements continually change into one another. See the Platonic solids.

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