| But Copernicus kept the old astronomy by retaining the system of spheres and epicycles. |
| Waves come in like epicycles rippling through the larger cycles of tides, and the moon's revolution around the Earth, and the Earth's revolution around the sun. |
| This is not strictly true since the theory of epicycles certainly predates Apollonius. |
| For example, each planet was said to move in its own small curve called an epicycle, while all the epicycles moved around the earth in larger circles called deferents. |
| The historically older concept of epicycles has not found use in the geological literature. |
| Other threads appeared out of nowhere, forming, with epicycles and Celtic knotting, a mesh bag that pulled him irresistibly toward the bleak globe that was the Inquisitor. |
