Hyginus: DE ASTRONOMIA LIBRI QVATTUOR

I.Quoniam in initio sphaerae circuli V quomodo efficerentur ostendimus, neque eos corpore siderum notavimus, et si duo novissimi nihil ad solis cursum pertinent, hoc est arcticos et antarcticos, de mediis tribus dicemus. Sed quoniam Aratus circulis IIII sphaeram plurimum valere dicit, neque eorum aperte quemquam demonstrat, voluntatem nostram apertius ostendemus et quemadmodum in initio fecimus, a boreo polo dicemus. Igitur aestivum circulum unum de quattuor esse dicimus, qui therinos tropikos vocatur, quo circulo aestatem confieri demonstravimus; etsi non nemo dubitat, quare non utrique circuli, hoc est aestivus et hiemalis, uno nomine appellentur, ideo quod quem nos aestivum diximus, nonnullis hiemalis fiat, et quo circulo hiemem effici diximus, eo circulo aliis aestas sit; qui si voluerint intellegere id ad nostram collocationem mundi esse demonstratum, qui inter aestivum circulum et arcticum sumus constituti, non ad illorum sphaeram, qui ab hiemali circulo antarcticum habitantes, nobis antipodes dicuntur, facilius ad nostram accesserint voluntatem.

I.Since at the beginning we showed how the five circles of the sphere are formed, and we did not mark them by the bodies of the stars, and since the two outermost have nothing to do with the course of the sun, that is the arctic and antarctic, we will speak of the middle three. But since Aratus says that the sphere is mostly made up of four circles, and does not clearly point out any of them, we will make our intention clearer and, as we did at the beginning, will speak from the north pole. Therefore we say that one of the four circles is the summer circle, which is called the tropic of Cancer, by which circle we showed summer to be produced; although some doubt why both circles, that is the summer and the winter, are not called by one name — because that which we call summer becomes winter for some, and by the circle by which we said winter is produced, for others it is summer — those who wish to understand that this has been demonstrated according to our arrangement of the world, who are placed between the summer circle and the arctic, and not to the sphere of those who, dwelling beyond the winter circle in the antarctic, are called by us antipodes, will more easily come to our meaning.

Si quis enim voluerit eorum, quos antipodas diximus, quod inferiore a nobis circulo constituti videntur, sphaeram facere, non inmerito nostrum hiemalem sibi aestivum circulum finxerit; aut si quis scriptor eorum mentionem faciens, obscure voluerit antipodas demonstrare et dixerit, quibus in Capricorno aestas summa, aut in Cancro hiems maxima fiat, non inperita ratione acutissime dixisse videbitur. Quodcumque enim nostris circulis contrarium dixerit, id illis erit rectum. Sed ne longiore sermone praeter consuetudinem utamur, ad inceptum revertamur.

For if anyone should wish to make a sphere of those whom we have called antipodes, who, being set in a circle lower than ours, seem to be beneath us, he will not undeservedly have fashioned for himself our winter circle as a summer one; or if any of those writers, making mention of them, should wish obscurely to demonstrate the antipodes and say that in Capricorn the height of summer occurs, or in Cancer the height of winter, he will seem to have spoken very shrewdly with no unskilled reasoning. For whatever he says contrary to our circles will be right for them. But lest we use speech longer than custom, let us return to our beginning.

II. DE AESTIVO. In aestivo circulo, de quo primum dicere instituimus, haec signa sive partes eorum perspiciuntur: capita Geminorum, Aurigae genu utrumque sinistrumque Persei crus et humerus sinister. Andromeda autem a pectore et manu sinistra dividitur, atque ita evenit, ut caput eius cum toto pectore et manu dextra videatur esse inter aestivum et aequinoctialem circulum, reliquum autem corpus inter aestivum et arcticum finem. Praeterea in eodem aestivo circulo pedes equi Pegasi positi videntur, et caput a reliquo corpore dividitur Oloris et alae sinisterioris ut volantis pars non magna.

2. ON THE SUMMER CIRCLE. In the summer circle, of which we first set out to speak, these signs or parts of them are perceived: the heads of the Gemini, the knee of Auriga — both the left and the right — the leg and left shoulder of Perseus. Andromeda, however, is divided at the chest and left hand, and so it comes about that her head, with the whole chest and right hand, is seen to lie between the summer and the equinoctial circle, the remaining body lying between the summer and the Arctic boundary. Moreover, in that same summer circle the feet of the horse Pegasus are seen placed, and the head is severed from the rest of the body of Oloris and from the more left wing, as a not-large part of the flying creature.

Ophiuchus humeris hunc circulum sustinere videtur ex una parte, id est aequinoctiali, ex altera parte Hercules pari ratione. Virgo prope hunc coniungens capite, inter hunc et aequinoctialem circulum collocata est, ut fulgens ad austrum. Leo a pectore ad lumbos dividitur, ut caput eius et corporis superior a cruribus pars inter hunc et arcticum circulum videatur, inferior autem pars inter aestivum et aequinoctialem.

Ophiuchus seems to support this circle on his shoulders: on one side, that is the equinoctial, and on the other side Hercules in like manner. Virgo, joining near this with her head, is placed between this and the equinoctial circle, so as to gleam toward the south. Leo is divided from breast to loins, so that his head and upper body and the portion from the thighs are seen between this and the arctic circle, the lower part however between the summer and equinoctial circles.

Cancer autem sic dividitur medius, ut inter oculos eius circulus traiectus videatur.

Cancer, however, is divided in the middle, so that a circle is seen to be cut through between its eyes.

In his signis et hoc, ut ante diximus, circulo cum vehitur sol, evenit ut nobis, qui hac inclinatione mundi utimur, sint diei de partibus VIII partes V, noctis autem tres; neque ita tamen ut ex horologiis, sed ex sphaerae ratione. Cum enim sphaeram ita constitueris, ut circulus is, qui arcticus vocatur, semper appareat, antarcticus autem numquam exoriatur, atque ita sphaera constituta, si voles circulum aestivum dividere in partes VIII, ex his invenies partes V in sphaera apparere, tres autem infra tamquam sub terra esse.

In these signs also — and this, as we said before, when the sun is borne by the circle — it happens that for us, who employ this inclination of the world, of the eight parts of the day five parts are (visible), and of the night three; nor however so as by clocks, but by the reason of the sphere. For when you have set the sphere so that that circle which is called the Arctic always appears, and the Antarctic never rises, and the sphere thus constituted, if you wish to divide the summer circle into eight parts, from these you will find five parts to appear upon the sphere, and three beneath as if under the earth.

At aliquis dixerit, cur sphaerae circulos dividamus in partes VIII potius quam VII aut quot libuerit alias partes. Hic non sphaeram, sed se fallere hac ratione invenietur fere. Si enim fecerit ex aestivo circulo partes XII, ex his partes VII et dimidium partis apparere, IIII autem et dimidium sub terra inveniet esse.

But someone will say, why do we divide the sphere’s circles into 8 parts rather than 7 or whatever other number one pleases. He will find not the sphere but himself deceived by this reasoning, almost. For if he were to make from the summer circle 12 parts, of these 7½ parts would appear, and 4½, however, would be found below the earth.

Itaque evenit, ut cum ad VII partes addita dimidia sit, simili ratione ad partes IIII accedat pars dimidia, et fiant supra terram partes VII et dimidium partis, reliquum autem sub terra, quod sunt partes IIII et dimidium. Igitur oportet intellegere, ut non inminutis partibus et dimidiis fiat, sed certis numeris conficiatur, ut evenit in partibus VIII. Praeterea quoniam, sphaera divisa in partes XXX, evenit ut ab aestivo circulo ad hiemalem sint partes VIII, nimirum certe eos circulos dividemus in partes VIII.

And so it happens that when to 7 parts the half is added, by a similar reasoning a half part will approach the 4 parts, and there will be above the earth 7 and a half parts, the remainder under the earth being 4 and a half parts. Therefore it must be understood that this is not to be done with minute parts and halves, but made up of fixed numbers, as happens with 8 parts. Moreover, since the sphere, divided into 30 parts, results in there being 8 parts from the summer circle to the winter circle, certainly we shall divide those circles into 8 parts.

Praeterea quoniam ab aestivo circulo ad aequinoctialem sunt partes IIII de XXX, et ita nihilominus aequinoctialis ipse per se circulus medius dividitur, ut dimidia pars eius sit sub terra, de partibus VIII partes IIII, et totidem supra, et tota ratio ad octavam partem perveniat, non dubium est, quin recte dividatur in partes VIII. Praeterea cum sol per hos circulos currens iter annuum conficere videatur, et ab omnium signorum octava parte, ut posterius dicemus, incipiat exoriri, et ad aliud signum transire, neque ulla alia parte signi utatur, recte ipsi quoque circuli dividuntur in partes VIII. Praeterea cum VII sidera ad eundem statum revertantur, ut quibusdam placuit, et cuiusmodi dies hodiernus fueris in solis aut lunae tempestate, eiusdem modi octavo anno sit futurus, vere sphaera quoque dividitur in partes VIII.

Furthermore, since from the summer circle to the equinoctial are 4 of 30 parts, and thus nevertheless the equinoctial itself as the middle circle is divided so that half of it lies under the earth, of the 8 parts there are 4, and as many above, and the whole ratio comes to the eighth part, there is no doubt that it is rightly divided into 8 parts. Furthermore, since the sun, running through these circles, seems to complete its annual journey, and to begin to rise from the eighth part of all the signs, as we shall say later, and to pass into another sign, using no other part of a sign, rightly those circles themselves are also divided into 8 parts. Furthermore, since 7 stars return to the same state, as some have supposed, and whatever sort of day you are in now in the weather of sun or moon, in the same manner the eighth year will be, truly the sphere too is divided into 8 parts.

Praeterea cum videamus octavo quoque die eiusdem sideris horam primam, aut quamlibet denique esse, et cuius hodie fuerit hora prima, eiusdem octavam quoque futuram, verissimum est ipsam quoque sphaeram mundi, unde horae sumuntur, dividi in partes VIII.

Moreover, since we see that on the eighth day likewise the first hour of the same star, or indeed any given hour, exists, and that whatever today has been its first hour will be its eighth hour as well, it is most true that that very sphere of the world, from which the hours are taken, is divided into parts 8.

Sed ne reliqua praetermittamus in hoc occupati, ad propositum revertamur.

But lest, occupied with this, we pass over the remaining matters, let us return to the proposition.

III.Secundus ab aestivo aequinoctialis est circulus, in quo haec signa et partes eorum perspici possunt. Aries totus omnibus pedibus innixus videtur.

3. The second is the circle from the summer equinox, in which these signs and their parts can be perceived. Aries, wholly leaning on all its feet, is seen.

Hunc autem Aratus omnium siderum celerrimum esse demonstrat, etiam minore arcto, quae brevi spatio vertitur, praestare. Id quid velit esse, sic poterimus vel facillime intelligere. Cum sit enim maximus circulus aequinoctialis in sphaera, inque eo Aries ut adfixus videatur, quomodocumque fuerint figurae corporum collocatae, ut ad eundem circulum perveniant, necesse est semel verti sphaeram.

But Aratus demonstrates that this one is the swiftest of all the stars, even surpassing the smaller Arctic circle, which is turned in a short space. What this may mean we can thus most easily understand. For since the greatest circle in the sphere is the equinoctial, and Aries appears fixed upon it, however the figures of the bodies may be arranged, in order that they come to the same circle it is necessary that the sphere turn once.

Quod cum fiat, et Aries in maximo circulo, et eodem tempore ad locum, quo reliqua sidera, perveniat, necesse est eum celerrimum dici.

When this is done, and Aries is in the greatest circle, and at the same time reaches the place to which the remaining stars arrive, it must be called the most swift.

Sed nos ad circuli definitionem veniemus et reliqua dicemus. In eodem Tauri genua ut fixa perspiciuntur, etsi nonnulli ita finxerunt, ut uno genu, hoc est dextro nixus, sinistro pede contingere videatur, de hoc in medio relinquemus. Sed in eodem circulo zona Orionis, ut ipso circulo praecinctus existimetur; Hydra flexu a capite primo, ut cervicibus erectis Cancrum contingere videatur, et ex inferiore corpore Hydrae Crater cum Corvo velut fixus esse circulo conspicitur.

But we will come to the definition of the circle and say the remaining things. In the same circle the knees of Taurus are seen as fixed, although some have imagined it so that, leaning on one knee — that is, the right — it seems to touch with the left foot; of this we will leave the matter in the middle. But in the same circle the zone (zona) of Orion is reckoned as girded by the circle itself; the Hydra, bending from its first head, with necks uplifted, seems to touch Cancer, and from the lower body of the Hydra the Crater with the Corvus appears as if fixed to the circle.

Item paucae stellae Chelarum eodem adiunguntur. Ophiuchi genua eodem circulo a reliquo corpore dividuntur. Aquila sinisteriore penna paene coniungens figurata est, eodemque circulo caput Pegasi cum cervicibus nititur.

Also a few stars of the Chelarum are joined to the same. The knees of Ophiuchus are divided from the remainder of the body by that same circle. The Aquila is pictured as almost conjoining with its more leftward feather, and in the same circle the head of Pegasi rests with its necks.

His corporibus signorum aequinoctialis circulus finitur. Quo sol cum pervenit, bis uno anno conficit aequinoctium, hoc est in Ariete et Chelis. In hac enim parte sphaerae et ver et autumnus confici existimatur, ita ut ver sit in Ariete, autumnus in priore parte Scorpionis, quod signum nonnulli Libram dixerunt.

Here the equinoctial circle is terminated by the bodies of the signs. When the sun arrives at this, twice in one year it completes an equinox, that is, in Aries and in the Claws (Cancer). For in this part of the sphere spring and autumn are thought to be completed, so that spring is in Aries, autumn in the first part of Scorpius, which sign some have called Libra.

Per hunc circulum transiens sol ab Ariete ad Chelas, efficit sex mensium diem his locis, qui intra arcticum videntur orbem; noctem autem his, qui antarctico circulo sunt clausi; quare magis his locis nemo potest durare. A Chelis usque ad Arietem perveniens, efficit his locis sex mensibus perpetius diem, in quibus ante noctem demonstravimus; e contrario autem noctem his, qui boreo polo sunt proximi. Sed de hoc ante diximus.

Passing through this circle, the sun, from Aries to the Chelae, produces a six‑month day for those places that are seen within the arctic orb; but a night for those who are shut in by the antarctic circle; wherefore no one can endure long in those places. From the Chelae reaching to Aries, he produces for those places a perpetual day of six months, in which we showed the night above; on the contrary, a night for those who are nearest the North Pole. But of this we spoke before.

Neque enim mirum est hac collocatione sphaerae id evenire. Erecto enim boreo polo neque umquam occidente evenit, ut corpora quoque, quae ei proxima sunt circulo, sero occidere videantur. Id ex hoc intellegere licebit: cum in his partibus sphaerae habitetur, quae pars est ab aestivo circulo ad orbem, qui arcticos vocatur, et de arctico circulo, hoc est de duabus Ursis et Dracone, caput Draconis maxime niti ipso circulo videatur, ita ut is qui Engonasin vocatur, inter aestivum et arcticum collocatus, caput Draconis premere intellegatur: quicumque, ut ante diximus, ad ipsum caput Draconis habitant, ita longo die utuntur, ut ne tertia quidem horae pars in unaquaque nocte his obtingat.

Nor indeed is it strange that this should happen from such a collocation of the sphere. For with the Boreal pole erect and never setting, likewise the bodies near that circle seem to set late. This may be understood from this: since in these parts of the sphere is inhabited that portion which is from the summer circle to the orb called the Arctic, and concerning the Arctic circle, that is concerning the two Bears and the Dragon, the head of the Dragon seems most of all to rest upon the very circle, so that he who is called Engonasin, placed between the summer and the Arctic, is understood to press the head of the Dragon; whoever, as we said above, dwell near the Dragon’s head, enjoy such a long day that not even a third part of an hour of night falls to them in any single night.

Itaque Aratus ait:

Therefore Aratus says:

keine pou kephale tei neisetai eichi per akrai
misgontai dysies te kai antolai alleleisi.

Where then shall the head hold night about its extremities?
The minglings of dusks and dawns are mixed one with another.

Idem Cicero dicit:

Cicero likewise says:

quod caput hic paulum sese subitoque recondit,
ortus ubi atque obitus parte admiscentur in una.

where the head here withdraws itself a little and suddenly,
where rise and setting are mingled together in one part.

De hoc Homerus quoque in Odyssea ita brevem noctem dicit esse, ut pastores cum alii exigant, alii reducant pecus, possit alius alium audire, cum unus propter noctem pecus reducat, alter propter lucem exigat. Sed nos ad propositum revertamur.

About this Homer likewise in the Odyssea says the night is so brief that, when some shepherds drive out, others bring back the flock, one man may hear another, since one, on account of the night, brings the flock in, another, on account of the light, drives them out. But let us return to our purpose.

IV.Tertius ab aestivo circulo, qui hiemalis vocatur, his corporibus et eorum partibus finitur. Nam medium Capricornum dividens et pedes Aquarii, per caudam Pistricis ut traiectus videtur. Dividit etiam Leporem fugientem a cruribus et quadam parte corporis, et Canis sequentis pedes et Navis ipsius puppim, Centaurique cervices a reliquo corpore dividit.

4.The third from the summer circle, which is called the winter one, is bounded by these bodies and their parts. For dividing the middle of Capricorn and the feet of Aquarius, it seems to be pierced by the tail of the Pistrix. It also separates the fleeing Hare from the legs and from a certain part of its body, the feet of the following Dog and the stern of the Ship itself, and it severs the necks of the Centaur from the remaining body.

Scorpionis extrema cauda, quod acumen vocatur, eodem circulo coniungitur. Sagittarii arcus eodem orbe deformatur. Huius orbis infra terram sunt de partibus VIII partes V, supra terram autem III.

The scorpion’s extreme tail, which is called the acumen, is joined to the same circle. The archer’s bow is formed in the same orb. Of this orb, below the earth are 5 of the 8 parts, above the earth however 3.

Itaque fit brevior dies nocte, ut ante demonstravimus.

Therefore the day becomes shorter than the night, as we demonstrated above.

V.Quartum circulum zodiacum esse Aratus demonstrat; de quo ante iam diximus et posterius dicemus. Sed Aratus non, ut reliqui astrologi, ab Ariete XII signa demonstrat, hoc est vere incipiente, sed a Cancro, hoc est ipsa aestate. Nos autem, quoniam ab Ariete incipimus, ita protinus dicemus.

5.Aratus demonstrates that the fourth circle is the zodiac; concerning which we have already spoken before and will speak again afterward. But Aratus does not, like the remaining astrologers, set out the 12 signs from Aries, that is from the true beginning, but from Cancer, that is from the very summer. We, however, since we begin from Aries, will therefore speak forthwith.

In hoc enim circulo sic XII signa figurantur: Aries, Taurus, Gemini; in his tribus signis ver demonstratur et aequinoctium vernum. Cancer, Leo, Virgo; in his signis maxime aestas conficitur, sed sol incipit a Virgine iam transire ad aequinoctium autumnale. Chelae, Scorpius, Sagittarius; in his tribus signis autumnus efficitur, et aequinoctium autumnale.

In this circle indeed the twelve signs are thus figured: Aries, Taurus, Gemini; in these three signs spring is demonstrated and the vernal equinox. Cancer, Leo, Virgo; in these signs summer is chiefly completed, but the sun begins already from Virgo to pass toward the autumnal equinox. Chelae, Scorpius, Sagittarius; in these three signs autumn is effected, and the autumnal equinox.

Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces; in his tribus signis sol hiemem transire demonstratur. Etsi non sunt XII signa, sed XI ideo quod Scorpius magnitudine sui corporisduorum locum occupat signorum, e quibus prior pars Chelae, reliqua autem Scorpius vocatur. Priores enim astrologi, cum omnes res ad duodecim partes revocarent, ut menses et horas et latitudinem signorum, itaque et signa, per quae res omnes significantur, XII voluerunt esse.

Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces; in these three signs the sun is shown to pass the winter. Although there are not 12 signs but 11, because Scorpius, by the magnitude of its body, occupies two places among the signs, of which the earlier part is called Chelae, and the remaining part is called Scorpius. For the earlier astrologers, when they reduced all things to twelve parts, as months and hours and the latitude of the signs, and therefore also the signs by which all things are signified, wished the number to be 12.

VI.Sed quoniam VII circulis in prooemio propositis, de quattuor circulis mentionem fecimus, ne septem ex ordine demonstratis, aliquid a nobis obscurius dictum videatur, sed de VII superant III, arcticos, antarcticos et ille qui lacteus vocatur; itaque de his dicere incipiemus.

6.But since, with seven circles proposed in the prooemium, we made mention of four circles, lest, the seven being shown in order, anything we have said seem somewhat more obscure, — and of the seven three surpass: the Arctical, the Antarctical, and that which is called the Milky; therefore we will begin to speak of these.

Arcticon igitur orbem sustinet caput Draconis cum reliqua corporis parte. Cepheus autem pectore suo circulum iungit. Eodem orbe nituntur et pedes maioris Ursae, praeterea sedile Cassiepiae cum pedibus eius nititur ipso circulo, et dextro pede genuque sinistro et pedis prioribus digitis is qui Engonasin vocatur, et manus sinistra Bootis exteriore parte circuli pervenit coniuncta.

Therefore the head of the Dragon, with the remaining part of its body, upholds the Arctic circle. Cepheus, however, joins the circle to his chest. On the same circle are braced the feet of the greater Bear; moreover the seat of Cassiopeia, together with her feet, rests upon the circle itself, and upon the right foot and knee, and the left (and the foremost toes of the foot) is he who is called Engonasin, and the left hand of Bootes reaches and is joined from the outer part of the circle.

Ad antarcticum autem circulum pervenit extrema navis Argo pedesque Centauri posteriores adiunguntur, priores autem paene contingere et Ara videtur prope adfixa et Eridani fluminis extrema significatio.

But to the antarctic circle reaches the stern of the ship Argo, and the hind feet of the Centaur are joined; the fore ones, however, almost touch, and Ara seems fixed close by, and the extremity of the river Eridanus is indicated.

VII.Reliquum est nobis definire quem supra lacteum orbem demonstravimus. Is enim dividit Oloris extremam sinistram pennam, quae extra aestivum pervenit finem.

7.The remainder is for us to define which we above showed as the milky circle. For it divides the swan’s outer left wing, which reaches beyond the summer limit.

Praeterea transit manum dextram Persei, et ab humero sinistro Aurigae perveniens sub manum eius dextram et Geminorum genua et pedes eius signi, quod Procyon vocatur. Hinc dividens aequinoctialem et aestivum circulum, tangit extremum finem mali, qui in Argo navi defixus videtur; deinde rursus revertens, genua Centauri dividit a reliquo corpore et extremam caudam terminat Scorpionis et arcum medium Sagittarii et Aquilae dimidiam partem, per eius transiens pennas.

Moreover it passes the right hand of Perseus, and coming from the left shoulder of the Charioteer it reaches beneath his right hand the knees and feet of the Twins, a constellation which is called Procyon. Thence, dividing the equinoctial and the summer circle, it touches the extreme end of the mast that seems fixed in the ship Argo; then turning back again, it severs the knees of the Centaur from the remaining body and bounds the utmost tail of the Scorpion and the middle of the bow of Sagittarius and half the part of the Eagle, passing through its feathers.

VIII.Quoniam de huiuscemodi rebus exposuimus ordine, mundi rationem, et quemadmodum moveatur, protinus dicemus; et in duodecim signorum exortu quae deinde corpora consequantur, et quae perveniant ad occasum. Convenit nobis mundum ab exortu ad occasum verti, ideo quod videmus stellas ex oriente ad occidentem converti.

CHAPTER 8. Since we have set forth matters of this kind in order, we will straightaway tell the reason of the world, and how it is moved; and concerning the rising of the twelve signs, which bodies follow thereafter, and which come to setting. It is fitting that the world be turned from east to west, because we see the stars turn from the orient to the occident.

Sic enim primum poterimus scire, qui sint exortus et qui occasus. Si enim nostrum aliquis adstiterit contra orientem, necesse est Arctos nobis a sinistris partibus esse. Cum id ita fiat, illud quoque necesse est, ut omnia a dextris partibus exorta in sinistris occidere videantur, de quo et ante diximus.

Thus, then, first we shall be able to know which are risings and which are settings. For if any one of us stands facing the east, it must be that Arctos lies on our left side. When this is so, it is also necessary that all things rising from the right parts appear to set on the left parts, of which we spoke above.

Igitur cum videamus stellas exoriri et occidere, necesse est mundum quoque cum stellis verti. Sed nonnulli aiunt nihilominus id <e>venire posse, ut stante mundo, stellae exoriantur et occidant; quod fieri non potest. Si enim stellae vagae feruntur, neque mundus ipse vertitur, non possunt corpora stellis figurata incolumia aut certa permanere.

Therefore, since we see the stars rise and set, it is necessary that the world also turns with the stars. But some nevertheless say that it <e>can happen that, the world standing still, the stars rise and set; which cannot be. For if the stars are imagined to wander, and the world itself is not turned, the bodies fashioned by the stars cannot remain unharmed or fixed.

Illud enim videmus, in toto mundo stellas erraticas esse V, neque horum cursum quemquam posse definire; Aratum ipsum negare se difficiles earum cursus interpretari posse. Quomodo igitur, cum V stellas nemo possit observare, tot milia quisquam possit pervidere, nisi qui permittit hoc, cursu stellarum posse nihilominus figuras corporum permanere? Quod si non est, tota sphaera ad irritum revocabitur.

For we see that in the whole world there are five wandering (erratic) stars, and that no one can define the course of any of these; Aratus himself admits that he cannot interpret their difficult courses. How then, since no one can observe the five stars, can anyone perceive so many thousands, unless he allows that, notwithstanding the course of the stars, the figures of bodies can remain? If they cannot, the whole sphere will be rendered void.

Quicumque enim sphaeram fecerit, non poterit efficere, ut sphaera stante nihilominus stellae versentur. Illud enim videmus, in extrema cauda Draconis stellam esse, quae in se vertatur et in eodem loco constet. Quod si omnes stellae vagae feruntur, hanc quoque loco moveri necesse est; quod non evenit.

For whoever has made the sphere cannot make it so that, the sphere standing, nevertheless the stars are turned. For we see that in the extreme tail of the Dragon there is a star which revolves in itself and stands in the same place. But if all the stars are borne as wanderers, this one too would necessarily be moved from its place; which does not occur.

Igitur necesse est mundum quoque, non stellas verti.

Therefore it is necessary that the world too be turned, not the stars.

IX. DE DIE ET NOCTE Quoniam ostendimus mundum cum stellis potius quam stellas per se verti, nunc reliqua dicemus. Cum enim traditum sit nobis prius noctem quam diem fieri, noctem dicemus umbram terrae esse, eamque obstare lumini solis. Etsi nonnulli dixerunt id solis cursu evenire, et cum pervenerit ad eum locum, ibi occidere dicatur, ibi montium magnitudine a nobis lumen averti solis, et ita noctem videri; quod si ita sit, nimirum eclipsin solis verius quam noctem dixerimus.

CHAPTER 9. ON DAY AND NIGHT Since we have shown that the world turns with the stars rather than the stars turning of themselves, now we will speak the remaining matters. For since it has been handed down to us that night is made before day, we will say that night is the shadow of the earth, and that it obstructs the light of the sun. Although some have said that this happens by the sun’s course, and when it has come to that place it is said there to set, there by the magnitude of the mountains the sun’s light is turned away from us, and thus night is seen; which, if it were so, surely we would call it an eclipse of the sun rather than night.

Sed aliter esse ex ipsa sphaera intellegere licebit.

But it will be possible to understand that it is otherwise from the sphere itself.

X.Horizon enim dividens ea quae videntur, et quae non apparent, ita definit sphaeram, ut semper VI signa de XII in hemisphaerio videantur supra terram, VI autem signa sint infra sub terra. Igitur cum in uno eorum sol nixus ferri videatur, ab eo circulo, qui horizon vocatur, exoritur, itaque incipit lucere, cum nihilominus ipse mundus vertatur cum reliquis signis. Sed quo facilius intellegatur, ponamus solem esse in Ariete, a quo duodecim signa instituimus numerare.

X.The horizon, dividing those things which are seen and which do not appear, thus defines the sphere, so that always 6 signs of the 12 in the hemisphere are seen above the earth, and 6 signs are below under the earth. Therefore, since in one of these the sun, resting, seems to be carried, it rises from that circle which is called the horizon, and so it begins to shine, although the world itself nevertheless turns with the remaining signs. But that this may be understood more easily, let us place the sun in Aries, from which we begin to number the twelve signs.

Igitur cum sol sit in Ariete exoriente, dies est; qui cum vertente se mundo pervenit ad eum circulum, qui mesembrinos vocatur, efficit diei partem dimidiam. Sed sic etiam facilius intelligitur, et rursus ab eodem Ariete incipiemus. Cum Aries est exortus, praeter eum haec signa sunt in superiore hemisphaerio: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricornus, Sagittarius, Scorpio.

Therefore, when the sun is rising in Aries it is day; and when, the world having turned, it reaches that circle which is called mesembrinos (the meridian), it produces half the portion of the day. But thus it is more easily understood, and again from the same Aries we will begin. When Aries has risen, besides it these signs are in the upper hemisphere: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio.

Horum cum tria signa occiderint, hoc est Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus et exorta sunt III signa quae Arietem sequuntur, hoc est Taurus, Geminis, Cancer, tunc fieri dimidium diem necesse est, et Arietem pervenire ad eum, quem mesembrinum esse circulum supra diximus. Cum autem cum reliquis signis ipse Aries occidit, et exortus est Leo, Virgo, tum Chelae exoriuntur et in superiore hemisphaerio vehuntur. Quae cum occiderint, rursus Aries exortus efficiet lucem.

When three of these signs have set, that is Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, and three signs that follow Aries have risen, that is Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, then it is necessary that half the day be made, and that Aries come to that circle which we above called the mesembrine circle. But when, with the remaining signs, Aries itself sets, and Leo and Virgo have risen, then the Chelae rise and are borne in the upper hemisphere. When these have set, Aries, having risen again, will produce the light.

Sed ne in dubium veniat, cum Ariete occidente dixerimus Chelas exoriri, quid de reliquis signis in sphaera possit intellegi, sic invenietur. In quocumque signo sol fuerit exoriens, quodcumque ab eo signo septimo loco fuerit, id noctu primum exorietur et ita conficiet cursum. Mundus enim ipse semel in die av nocte verti videtur.

But lest there be any doubt, since when Aries sets we said that the Chelae arise, what can be understood about the remaining signs in the sphere will be found thus. In whichever sign the sun is rising, whatever sign stands seventh from that sign will first rise at night and so will complete the course. For the world itself seems to turn once in a day and night.

Itaque evenit, ut ipsa signa XII semel in die ac nocte videri possint. Sed ne solis cursus, de quibus postea sumus dicturi, potius quam quod ante coepimus, enumeremus, ad inceptum revertamur. Diximus enim principium mundi esse noctem, deinde diem.

Therefore it comes about that the signs 12 themselves may be seen once by day and by night. But lest we enumerate the courses of the sun, about which we are to speak later, rather than what we first began, let us return to the beginning. For we said that the beginning of the world is night, and then day.

Inter noctem et diem praeter umbram terrae nihil interesse arbitramur. Sed quoniam signorum supra et corporum exortus instituimus, ad hoc perveniemus.

We judge that between night and day there is nothing to mark off except the shadow of the earth. But since above we have established the risings of the signs and of the bodies, we shall arrive at this.

XI.Igitur vertente se mundo per utrosque polos et axem, quem supra dimensionem sphaerae diximus esse, et ita sphaera collocata, ut unus polus semper sit super terram, alter numquam exoriatur, necesse est Arctos quoque et reliqua corpora, quae sunt in arctico circulo, numquam occidere, reliqua autem omnia exoriri et occidere, quod inferiora sunt ab eo circulo, quem numquam occidere diximus. Id enim posse fieri haec edocet causa. Videmus caput extremum Draconis, quod maxime Arcticon extra circulum prominet, quodam tempore ita occidere, ut exortus cum occasu permisceantur, ut et ante diximus.

11.Therefore, with the world turning about both poles and the axis, which above we said to be the dimension of the sphere, and with the sphere so placed that one pole is always above the earth, the other never rises, it is necessary that the Arctos and the other bodies which are in the Arctic circle never set, and that all the remaining bodies rise and set, because they lie below that circle which we said never sets. For the cause explains that this can be so. We see the outermost head of the Dragon, which projects most beyond the Arctic circle, at a certain time set so that rising and setting are mingled, as we said before.

Si autem pars aliqua occidere de summo circulo videtur, necesse est omnia, quae sunt inferiora, exoriri et occidere. igitur convenit nobis sidera vertente mundo occidere et exoriri.

If, however, any part seems to set from the highest circle, it is necessary that all things which are lower rise and set. igitur it accords with us that, the world turning, the stars set and rise.

Praeterea hac inclinatione caeli, cum unus circulus ita sit erectus, ut numquam occidat, alter ita sit terrae subiectus, ut numquam exoriatur: quicumque circuli fuerint in sphaera, hoc est ab aequinoctiali ad polum, qui boreus appellatur, nullus erit eorum, qui non maiorem partem circumductionis habeat supra terram. Qui autem ab aequinoctiali fuerint circulo ad eum polum, qui notius appellatur, omnes inferiorem partem maiorem habebunt quam superiorem. Et quanto magis ad polum notium accesserint, hoc maiorem partem sub terra habere perspicientur; et quanto magis ad boreum finem venerint, hoc maiorem partem circuli supra terram tenere videbuntur.

Moreover, by this inclination of the heavens, when one circle is so erected that it never sets, and another is so subject to the earth that it never rises: whatever circles there are in the sphere, that is, from the equinoctial to the pole which is called Boreal, none of them will be such that the greater part of their circumduction lies below the earth. But those which lie from the equinoctial circle to that pole which is called Notius will all have their lower part greater than their upper. And the nearer they come to the Notian pole, the more they will show themselves to have the greater part under the earth; and the nearer they come to the Boreal end, the more they will seem to hold the greater part of the circle above the earth.

Quo enim erectior ipse polus fuerit, hoc magis et circuli eius erectiores videbuntur. Quod cum ita sit, si duo sidera simul fuerint orta, unum ab arctico, alterum ab antarctico circulo, serius occidet id sidus, quod ab arctico circulo fuerit exortum; ideo quod maiorem habet circumductionem sphaerae,quam quod a notio polo est ortum. Si autem simul occiderint, serius exorietur id signum, quod ab antarctico fuerit exortum; ideo quod tota illa collocatio mundi maiorem partem habet sub terra, quam illa pars, quae in boreo polo est finita.

For the more upright that very pole is, the more upright will its circles appear. Because this is so, if two stars rise together, one from the arctic circle, the other from the antarctic circle, the star which rose from the arctic circle will set later; for that one has the greater circumduction of the sphere than the one that rose from the notius pole. But if they set together, the sign which rose from the antarctic circle will rise later; for that whole positioning of the world has a greater part below the earth than the part which is bounded at the boreal pole.

Et non modo signa quae sunt ad arcticon finem collocata, praestant iis corporibus, aut serius occidunt et ante exoriuntur, quam ea quae notio polo depinximus; sed ipsa quoque corpora inter se dissentiunt, ut si quod inferius sit signum, et id cum superiore exoriatur, tamen serius occidat. E contrario itaque si qua sunt signa ab aequinoctiali circulo ad notium polum figurata, horum si qua signa pariter exorta fuerint, citius occident quam ea, quae proxime polum accedunt. Evenit etiam, ut non modo quae simul exorta sidera, ex his serius occidant, quae proxime arcticum circulum sunt collocata, sed etiam si qua eorum ante exorta fuerint, quae sunt ad notium polum finita, tamen ante occidant quam ea corpora, quae in boreo polo figurata esse supra demonstravimus, ideo quod maiore circumductione sphaerae utuntur ea corpora, quae ab aequinoctiali circulo ad arcticum finem sunt constituta.

And not only do the signs placed toward the arctic end surpass those bodies, either setting later and rising earlier than those which we have depicted toward the notius pole; but the bodies themselves also differ among one another, so that if a sign be lower and it rises together with an upper one, yet it sets later. Conversely therefore, if signs are figured from the equinoctial circle to the notius pole, those of these signs, if any have risen together, will set sooner than those which approach nearest the pole. It also happens that not only do, among stars that rose together, those set later which are placed near the arctic circle, but even if some of those that are set near the notius pole rose earlier, nevertheless they set before those bodies which we have shown to be figured at the boreal pole; because those bodies which are set from the equinoctial circle toward the arctic end make use of a greater circumference of the sphere.

Igitur ostendimus, qua inclinatione mundi sphaera sit constituta. Nunc ad XII signa revertamur, et quorum quae de reliquis corporibus occidant aut oriantur, commemorabimus et initium ab Ariete faciemus.

Therefore we have shown by what inclination the world's sphere is constituted. Now we will return to the 12 signs, and will recount which of them set or rise in relation to the other bodies, and we will make the beginning from Aries.

XII.Arietis exortu sinistra pars Andromedae provenire, Ara autem occidere videtur. Cum eodem sidere exoritur et Persei

12.At the rising of Aries the left part of Andromeda appears, while Ara seems to set. With the same star Perseus also rises.

[110] caput usque ad umbilicum, ut dubium videatur, zona eius utrum usque extremo Ariete, an Tauro primum exoriente prodeat ad lucem. Tauro autem exorto, quae prius dubia fuerunt, omnia sunt certa. Nam et Ara supra memorata omnino occidit, et Perseus totus est exortus, et Aurigae caput cum reliquo corpore dumtaxat ad sinistrum pedem videtur, et Pistrix a cauda exoriens perspicitur.

[110] the head as far as the navel, so that it seems doubtful, whether its zone extends as far as the extreme of Aries, or whether it first comes forth to the light with the rising of Taurus. But with Taurus risen, all things which were previously doubtful are certain. For also Ara, mentioned above, entirely sets, and Perseus has risen whole, and the head of Auriga with the rest of the body appears only to the left foot, and the Pistrix, rising from the tail, is discerned.

Hoc signo primum occidere Bootes videtur, etsi cum IIII signis occidit. Neque tamen totus ad terram potest pervenire; nam manus eius sinistra, circulo arctico conclusa, neque oritur neque occidit. Geminis exorientibus, tota iam Pistrix et fluminis Eridani prior pars apparet, et Orion exoriri videtur.

By this sign Bootes is seen to set first, although he sets with 4 signs. Yet he cannot wholly reach the earth; for his left hand, enclosed by the Arctic circle, neither rises nor sets. With the Twins rising, the whole Pistrix already appears and the first part of the river Eridanus is visible, and Orion is seen to rise.

Occidit autem Ophiuchus a pedibus genuum fine. Cancer exoriens obscurat dimidiam partem Coronae Pistricisque caudam, et notium piscem, et caput cum reliquo corpore ad umbilicum eius qui Engonasin vocatur; Ophiuchum a genibus ad humeros, et Anguem totum praeter caput et cervicem, quae ex aestivo circulo tendit ad Coronam. Booten prope totum terra tenet tectum.

But Ophiuchus sets from the feet up to the boundary of the knees. Rising Cancer obscures half the part of the Crown and the tail of the Pistrix, and the southern fish, and the head with the remaining body as far as the umbilicus of him who is called Engonasin; Ophiuchus from the knees to the shoulders, and the Serpent whole except for the head and neck, which from the summer circle stretches toward the Crown. Bootes the earth holds nearly all covered.

Exoritur autem et Orionis corpus ad zonam et Eridanus totus apparet. Exortu Leonis reliqua pars occidit Coronae, cum capite et cervicibus Anguis, et Ophiucho. Engonasin autem qui vocatur, eius praeter sinistrum genu et pedem nihil apparet, et Bootes totus obscuratur.

Moreover the body of Orion rises up to the belt, and the whole Eridanus appears. At the rising of Leo the remaining part sets with the Crown, together with the head and necks of the Serpent and Ophiuchus. But of the one called Engonasin nothing appears except his left knee and foot, and Bootes is wholly obscured.

Exoritur autem caput Hydrae cum Lepore toto, et Procyon cum pedibus prioribus Canis maioris, et Aquila tota. Virgo autem exoriens non pauca sidera obscurat. Nam statim Lyra occidit cum Sagitta et Delphino, et Oloris a capite corpus ad caudam prope occidit, et Fluminis prior pars et Equi caput cum cervicibus.

Moreover the head of the Hydra rises with the whole Lepus, and Procyon with the forefeet of Canis Major, and the Eagle whole. But Virgo, as she rises, obscures not a few stars. For straightaway the Lyre sets with the Arrow and the Dolphin, and from the Swan the body from head to tail nearly sets, and the earlier part of the River and the Horse’s head with its necks.

Exoritur autem Hydra fine Crateris, et Canis totus, et navis Argo fine totius veli. Chelis exorientibus, videtur et Bootes exoriens totus, et tota navis apparet Argo, Hydraque praeter acumen extremum caudae, quod est sub terra. Exoritur autem genu et sura eius dextra qui Engonasin vocatur.

Hydra, however, rises at the boundary of Crater, and the whole Dog, and the ship Argo at the extremity of its entire sail. With the chelis rising, Bootes also appears to rise whole, and the entire ship Argo is visible, and the Hydra except for the extreme tip of the tail, which lies under the earth. Moreover its right knee and calf, which is called Engonasin, rise.

Hunc eadem nocte occidere et exoriri licet videre. Reliquum autem corpus cum Scorpionis et Sagittarii provenit parte. Praeterea cum Chelis exoritur cauda Centauri; occidit reliquum corpus Pegasi, et Oloris extrema cauda, et Andromedae caput cum umbilico Pegasi, et Pistrix reliquo corpore ad cervices, ut caput eius solum videatur; et caput Cephei, pendens ad Pistricis occasum, cum manibus et humeris pervenit ad terram.

This one it is possible to see both set and rise in the same night. The remaining body, however, emerges from part of the Scorpion and of Sagittarius. Moreover, when the Claws rise, the tail of Centaurus rises; the rest of Pegasus’s body sets, and the extreme tail of the Swan, and Andromeda’s head with the navel of Pegasus, and the Pistrix with its remaining body to the necks, so that only its head is seen; and the head of Cepheus, hanging toward the setting of the Pistrix, with hands and shoulders reaches down to the earth.

Scorpione exoriente, duae partes Fluminis occidunt, et reliquum corpus Andromedae cum capite Ceti. Occidit etiam Cepheus capite ad humeros, quae pars est extra arcticum circulum constituta; obscuratur etiam Cassiepia, resupina occidens. Exoritur autem Corona, quae ante Centauri pedes iacere existimatur, et reliquum corpus Hydrae, quod caudae reliquum esse supra diximus.

With Scorpius rising, two parts of the River set, and the remaining body of Andromeda with the head of Cetus. Cepheus also sets, his head down to the shoulders, that part of him which is placed outside the Arctic circle; Cassiopeia too is darkened, reclining as she sets. But Corona rises, which is thought to lie before the feet of Centaurus, and the remaining body of Hydra rises, which we above said to be the remainder of the tail.

Provenit etiam et corpus Centauri, quod equina figura videtur, et ipsius hominis caput, et hostia, quam tenere supra diximus; denique et id corpus, qua fine pedes eius sunt priore. Ophiuchi autem dumtaxat caput exoritur, et ipsius Anguis caput, quod est contra Coronam. Sagittarium exorientem Ophiuchus totus exoriens insequitur, et Anguis qui ab eo tenetur; caput eius qui Engonasin vocatur, et sinistra manus eiusdem; deinde Lyra tota cum Cephei capite et humeris exit ad lucem.

Also emerges the body of the Centaur, which appears in a horse-like figure, and the head of the man himself, and the snout which we said he holds above; and finally that part of the body at whose end his feet are foremost. Of Ophiuchus alone the head rises, and the head of the Serpent itself, which lies opposite the Corona. Ophiuchus, rising in full, follows the rising Sagittarius, and the Serpent which is held by him; its head, which is called Engonasin, and his left hand; then the whole Lyra, with the head and shoulders of Cepheus, comes forth into the light.

Occidit autem Canis maior cum Orione toto, et Lepore, et Aurigae superiore parte corporis, praeterea caput et pedes eius. Occidit etiam totus Perseus praeter crus et pedem dextrum. Argo autem puppim solam relinquens, pervenit ad terram.

But Canis Major sets with all of Orion, and the Hare, and the upper part of the Charioteer’s body, moreover its head and feet. Also all of Perseus sets except the right leg and foot. Argo, however, leaving only the stern, comes to land.

Capricornus exoriens haec sidera ad terram premere videtur: reliquam figuram Navis et signum, quod Procyon vocatur. Eodem tempore et reliquum corpus occidit Persei. Exoritur autem Olor cum Aquila et Sagitta Ara, quam proximam esse notio polo diximus.

Capricornus rising seems to press these stars toward the earth: the remaining figure of the Ship and the sign which is called Procyon. At the same time it also sets the remaining body of Perseus. Moreover the Swan rises with the Eagle and the Arrow and the Altar, which, as we said, has its position nearest the pole.

Aquarius exoriens ad dimidiam partem corporis, Equi pedes secum de terra ducit, et caput cum cervice Pegasi. At contra Centaurus a cauda ad humeros virilis corporis occidit cum Hydrae capite et cervicibus. Piscibus exorientibus, occidit reliquum Hydrae corpus, et ipse Centaurus; exoritur autem piscis, qui notius vocatur, et Andromedae dextra pars corporis.

As Aquarius rises to half the height of the body, he draws the horse’s feet from the earth with him, and the head with the neck of Pegasus. But by contrast the Centaur is struck down from tail to shoulders of the manly body together with the head and necks of the Hydra. With the fishes rising, the remaining body of the Hydra is slain, and the Centaur himself; but a fish, which is called Notius, arises, and the right part of Andromeda’s body.

XIII.Sic igitur orientibus XII signis, reliqua corpora occidere et exoriri videntur. Sed ut ante diximus, nunc protinus de solis cursu dicemus.

13.Thus therefore, with the 12 signs rising, the remaining bodies seem to set and to rise. But as we said before, now immediately we will speak of the sun’s course.

Necesse est enim solem aut ipsum per se moveri, aut cum mundo verti uno loco manentem. Quod si maneret, necesse erat eodem loco occidere et exoriri, a quo pridie fuerat exortus, quemadmodum signa eodem loco semper oriuntur et occidunt. Praeterea si ita esset, necesse erat dies et noctes omnes aequales esse; ut quam longus hodiernus fuerit, tam longus semper sit futurus, item nox simili ratione semper aequalis permaneat.

For it is necessary that the sun either move itself, or be carried with the world while remaining in one place. But if it remained, it would be necessary that it set and rise in the very same place from which it had risen the day before, just as the signs always rise and set in the same place. Moreover, if this were so, it would be necessary that all days and nights be equal; that however long today is, so long would it always be, and similarly night would always remain equal by the same reasoning.

Quod quoniam non est, illud quoque necesse est, cum videamus esse dies inaequales, et solem alio loco hodie occasurum, et alio heri occidisse. Si igitur aliis locis occidit et oritur, necesse est eum moveri, non stare.

Since that is not so, the other thing is also necessary, because we see that days are unequal, and that the sun will set in one place today and in another it set yesterday. If therefore it sets and rises in different places, it is necessary that it move, not remain standing.

Solem autem contra mundi motum currere, sic possumus intellegere. Evenit enim, ut duabus in causis sidera non possimus videre. Quarum una est, cum abierint infra terram, nostrum quoque effugere conspectum, ita ut inferius hemisphaerium ostendit.

We can thus understand that the sun runs contrary to the motion of the world. For it happens that, for two causes, we are not able to see the stars. One of these is when they have gone beneath the earth, and so also escape our sight, as the lower hemisphere displays.

Altera autem est ratio, quod propter fulgorem solis et vim maximam luminis sidera obscurentur, sive quod stellis obsistit, ne candor earum ad nostros perveniat adspectus; sive sui magnitudine luminis officit nostris, ne praeter eius ignem aliam rem superiorem perspiciamus; quod magis veri simile videtur. Neque enim solis ignem eiusmodi videmus, cuiusmodi reliquos ignes intellegimus, sed ita lumen avertit nostrum, ut ipse quoque nobis non igneus, sed albus videatur esse; praeterea in unaquaque nocte XI signa necesse est apparere, ideo quod uno signo sol ipse nixus, iter conficere videtur, cuius figuram corporis ipse suo lumine obscurat; cum eo enim signo et occidere et exoriri videtur. Nonnulli dicunt nos XII signa dumtaxat hac ratione perspicere posse, si in eius signi prima novissimave parte consistat.

The other explanation is that, because of the sun’s brightness and the very great force of its light, the stars are obscured — either because it stands before the stars, so that their whiteness does not come to our view; or because by the magnitude of its own light it injures our eyes, so that beyond its fire we perceive no other superior thing — which seems the more probable. For we do not see the sun’s fire of the sort by which we understand other fires, but its light so averts our sight that it itself also appears to us not fiery but white; moreover in each night 11 signs must appear, because with one sign the sun himself, having fixed on it, seems to make his circuit, whose bodily outline he hides with his light; for with that sign he seems both to set and to rise. Some say that we can perceive 12 signs by this manner only if he stands in the first or last part of his sign.

Habent enim XII signa partes eiusmodi, ut unumquodque eorum in longitudine habeat partes XXX, in latitudine autem partes XII. Itaque evenit, ut in longitudine signorum annus, in latitudine autem dies sit. In parte prima signi nihilominus reliquum corpus eius signi videri posse nonnulli dicunt, ut simili ratione et si fuerit in extrema parte signi; quod fieri non potest.

For they have 12 signs with parts of this sort, so that each one of them has 30 parts in length, and in breadth 12 parts. Thus it happens that in longitude there is the year, and in latitude the day. In the first part of a sign, nevertheless, some say that the remaining body of that sign can be seen, and in a similar way if it is in the extreme part of the sign; which cannot be.

Nam cum sol sit in qualibet parte signi et exoriatur, ita magnum videtur habere fulgorem, ut omnia sidera obscuret. Illud tamen potest evenire, ut cum sol sit in prima parte signi et occidat, reliquum corpus eius signi appareat. Sed certius et verius est XI signa quam XII apparere posse.

For since the sun is in any part of a sign and rises, it seems to have so great a fulgor that it obscures all the stars. Yet it can happen that when the sun is in the first part of a sign and sets, the remaining body of that sign becomes visible. But it is more certain and more true that 11 signs rather than 12 can appear.

Praeterea quaeritur, quare sol contra mundi inclinationem currens, videatur cum ipsa sua sphaera occidere et verti. Nam si sol non contra siderum occasum curreret, de Ariete ad Pisces, non ad Taurum transiret. Exoriri etenim Pisces prius quam Aries et occidere perspiciuntur; et ita mundus verti videtur, ut prius Pisces quam Aries occidant.

Furthermore it is asked why the sun, running against the inclination of the world, appears with its own sphere to set and to be turned. For if the sun did not run contrary to the stars’ setting, it would pass from Aries into Pisces, not into Taurus. For Pisces are perceived to rise before Aries and to set; and thus the world seems to be turned, so that Pisces set before Aries.

Igitur diebus XXX sol in Ariete currens et eius corpus obscurans, sic dumtaxat apparet sol, ut ex eo loco, quo Aries ante, exoriri videatur et post dies XXX sol videatur ab eodem loco surgere, ex quo loco Taurus ante oriri videbatur. Igitur apparet solem ab Ariete ad Taurum transire. Quod si ita est, necesse est eum contra mundi inclinationem currere.

Therefore for 30 days the sun, running in Aries and darkening its body, thus only appears, so that from that place, where Aries before, it is seen to rise, and after 30 days the sun is seen to rise from the same place from which Taurus before was seen to rise. Therefore it appears that the sun passes from Aries to Taurus. If this is so, it is necessary that it run against the inclination of the world.

Quare autem evenit, ut ante diximus, +quod videtur cum mundo sol verti, eius similis haec est causa. Ut si quis in naviculae rostro sedens, hinc quaerat ad puppim transire, et nihilominus ipsa navis iter suum conficiat, ille quidem videbitur contra naviculae cursum ire, sed tamen eodem pervenit quo navis. Hoc autem sic etiam facilius intellegitur, si navem diviseris in partes CCCLX, quemadmodum sol diebus CCCLX simul mundum transigit.

Why this happens, as we said above, that the sun seems to turn with the world, the cause is similar to this. For if one, sitting on the prow of a little ship, seeks to go to the stern, and yet the ship itself makes its passage, he indeed will seem to go against the ship’s course, but nevertheless arrives at the same place as the ship. This is understood even more easily if you divide the ship into 360 parts, just as the sun in 360 days together traverses the world.

Eodem modo, ut ante diximus, si navis sit divisa et in una parte de trecentis sexaginta constituatur quilibet eorum (navis autem habet unius diei cursum), ille quidem contra navem ire, sed cum ad locum definitum pervenire intellegetur. Non enim extra navem est, qui a rostro ad puppim transit, sed ipsa navi continetur. Item sol cum per ipsum mundum iter conficiat et eo contineatur, videtur contra mundum ire, sed cum eo pervenit ad occasum.

In the same way, as we said above, if a ship is divided and in one part of the three hundred and sixty (360) any one of them is placed (for the ship has the course of one day), he indeed will seem to go against the ship, but he is understood to arrive at the appointed place. For he is not outside the ship who passes from prow to stern, but is contained by the ship itself. Likewise when the sun completes its course through the whole world and is contained by it, it seems to go against the world, but with it it reaches the setting.

Cum enim mundus trecenties et sexagies se converterit, tunc sol iter annuum conficit.

For when the world has turned itself 360 times, then the sun completes its annual course.

XIV.Quoniam de sole quae visa sunt nobis utilissima esse, litteris mandavimus, nunc de luna dicemus (etis alia conati perscribere, velut natura voluminis ad hoc loci devenimus), ne nonnulli intactam huius rationem relinquentes, aut propter magnum laborem defecisse, aut inscientia superati non valuisse persequi videamur. Nos autem non illorum existimationis timendae causa persequi instituimus, sed consuetudinis nostrae rationem demonstrare, et quod alterius quaeri volumen hoc perlecto noluimus, nec tamdiu rem cogitatam scriptam aliorum ad desiderium adducere.

14.Since the things about the sun which seemed to us most useful we committed to writing, we will now speak about the moon (we also endeavored to transcribe other matters, but the very nature of the volume brought us to this place), lest some, leaving this account untouched, either through great toil have failed, or, overcome by ignorance, seem unable to pursue it. We, however, have not begun to pursue it out of fear of their judgment, but to demonstrate the reason of our custom, and we did not wish this volume, when read, to be sought as another’s work, nor to reduce a matter long pondered to writing merely to satisfy the desire of others.

Praeterea cum reliqua omnia diligentissime persecuti fuerimus, alienum videtur esse nos non eandem persequi causam. Quare, sicut ante diximus, ad inceptum revertamur et ut necessario totidem verbis de luna ac sole dicere videamur, dicemus ita. Luna per alios exortus et occasus necesse est moveri, non stare; idque facilius quam de sole licet intellegere.

Moreover, since we have pursued all the remaining matters very diligently, it seems alien for us not to pursue the same cause. Therefore, as we said before, we shall return to the beginning and, so that we may necessarily appear to say as many words about the Moon as about the Sun, we will speak thus. The Moon must be moved in her risings and settings by other agents, not stand still; and this is easier to understand than anything concerning the Sun.

Neque enim tam magnus ardor eius est, ut officiat oculis nostris; neque ut sol dies XXX unoquoque signo vehitur, ut difficile sit intellectu, quanta particula luminis aut ipsius signi superesse videatur, cum ad aliud transierit signum. Lunam enim cum diebus XXX XII signa percurrat, licet intellegere, II diebus et VI horis in alio signo esse. Hanc autem cum a sole lumen accipiat, et ita nobis lucere videatur, non est veri simile de tam multis causis potius eam stare quam moveri.

Nor indeed is its ardor so great that it offends our eyes; nor, as the sun is borne through each sign in 30 days, is it hard to understand how large a particle of light or of the sign itself appears to remain when it has passed into another sign. For when the moon runs through the 12 signs in 30 days, it may be understood to be in another sign for 2 days and 6 hours. But since this one receives its light from the sun, and so seems to shine for us, it is not credible, on so many grounds, that it should stand still rather than move.

Si enim suo lumine uteretur, illud quoque sequebatur eam semper aequalem esse oportere, nec die tricesimo tam exilem aut omnino nullam videri, cum totum transegerit cursum, sol autem ad aliud transire signum intellegatur. Praeterea si suo lumine uteretur, huius numquam eclipsin fieri oportebat. Sed ne dubium fiat, quare solis eclipsis fieri possit, qui utrisque lumen dare supra sit dictus, lunae autem non facile fiat, cum alieno lumine utatur, eius haec verissima, ut arbitramur, est causa.

For if it made use of its own light, it would follow that it ought always to be equal to that light, nor on the thirtieth day to appear so thin or altogether absent when it has completed its whole course, while the sun is understood to have passed into another sign. Furthermore, if it made use of its own light, an eclipse of it would never need to occur. But, lest there be doubt why a solar eclipse can happen — since the sun was said above to give light to both — while an eclipse of the moon is not easily made, because it borrows another’s light, this, we judge, is the most true cause of it.

Luna enim cum ex toto mundo et omnibus stellis maxime terrae proxima videatur, et ad acies nostras perveniat, et quodam tempore torrens perveniat ad eundem locum signi, quo sol vehitur, obscurare lumen eius a nostro conspectu videtur. Hoc autem maxime evenit die novissimo, cum luna transierit in XII signa, et sol ad aliud signum transire videatur et proxima fiat illi. Quod evenire sic etiam potest intellegi.

For the Moon, since she appears nearest to the earth from the whole world and all the stars, and reaches our sight, and at a certain time swiftly arrives at the same place of the sign in which the Sun is borne, seems to obscure her light from our view. This especially happens on the last day, when the Moon has passed into the 12th sign, and the Sun seems to pass into another sign and to become near it. This may also be understood to occur in this way.

Ut si quis alicui manum planam ad oculos admoverit, quanto magis sic fecerit, hoc minus ille videre poterit; et quanto longius ab eo discesserit, hoc magis illi omnia poterunt apparere. Simili ratione cum luna ad solis locum pervenit, tunc proxima eius videtur esse et radios eius obturare, ut lumen eicere non possit. Cum autem luna ab eo loco discesserit, tunc sol lumen eicit, et ita ad corpora nostra adicit.

For if anyone brings a flat hand up to another’s eyes, how much less will that one be able to see when this is done; and the farther he withdraws from him, the more fully all things will be able to appear to him. By similar reasoning, when the Moon reaches the Sun’s place, she then seems to be near it and to obstruct its rays, so that the light cannot be expelled. But when the Moon has moved away from that place, then the Sun sends forth light, and thus imparts it to our bodies.

Lunae autem eclipsis sic evenit, cum prope dimensione sit luna, cum abierit sol sub terram, dumtaxat hoc modo, ut per mediam terram si quid directum traieceris, contingere possit solem sub terra, lunam autem supra terram; quod cum ita evenit, necesse est solis radios propter magnitudinem terrae ita esse dimissos, ut lumen eius, quo luna lucet, non possit ad eam pervenire, et ita existimatur fieri eclipsis lunae. Quae si suo lumine uteretur, licebat ne apparere quidem umquam solem, ideo quod luna nihilominus luceret. Sic autem accipit lumen, ut luceat, cum sol venerit per terras, sed non ut aliquem locum conclusiorem totumque spatium inpleat lumine.

A lunar eclipse, however, happens thus: when the Moon is near the horizon of dimension, when the Sun has gone beneath the earth, in such a way that if you draw a straight line through the middle of the earth you might touch the Sun beneath the earth and the Moon above the earth; when this is so, it is necessary that the Sun’s rays, on account of the magnitude of the earth, be cast down in such a way that its light, by which the Moon shines, cannot reach it, and thus an eclipse of the Moon is thought to occur. Had the Moon its own light, it would never even be lawful for the Sun not to appear, because the Moon would nevertheless shine. But it receives light so as to shine when the Sun has come around the lands, yet not so as to fill every enclosed place and all space with light.

Si quis nostrum steterit in eo loco, quo sol maxime lucet, reliquis partibus lumen a sole accipiens praebebit. Id in luna fieri invenitur, eam a sole lumine accepto lucere revibratione.

If any one of us should stand in that place where the sun most brightly shines, he will lend light to the remaining parts by receiving light from the sun. This is found to happen in the moon: it shines by revibration after having received light from the sun.

Nonnulli existimant, cum dicitur sol in Ariete aut in quolibet signo esse, eum supra ipsas stellas Arietis iter facere. Qui autem hac ratione utuntur, longe a vera ratione errant. Nam neque sol, neque luna proxime sidera apparent.

Some think that, when it is said the sun is in Ariete or in any sign, it journeys above the very stars of Aries. But those who employ this reasoning wander far from the true account. For neither the sun nor the moon appear close to the stars.

Hac etiam de causa nonnulli VII stellas erraticas finxerunt, adiungentes eodem solem et lunam, quod cum quinque stellis feruntur. Luna enim proxime terram est; itaque diebus XXX totum mundum existimatur transire. Id hac evenit ratione.

For this reason also some have devised seven wandering stars, adding the sun and the moon to them, because they are reported together with five stars. For the moon is nearest the earth; and so it is thought to traverse the whole world in 30 days. This happens for that reason.

Ut si quis intra circulum zodiacum fecerit circulos, et eos hoc intervallo finxerit, ut terra sit in medio, et unam a terra ad lunam mensionem fecerit, quam Graeci tonon appellaverunt (hunc autem, quia non esse certum spatium potuerunt dicere, tonon dixerunt): igitur abest luna a terra tonum unum. Hac igitur re, quod brevissimo circulo devehitur, diebus XXX ad primum pervenit signum. Ab hoc circulo abest circulus tonum dimidium, quo circulo Mercurii stella vehitur; itaque diebus XXX ad alterum signum transiens tardius.

If someone within the circle of the zodiac were to make circles, and mark them off at this interval so that the earth lies in the middle, and measure from the earth to the moon one mensuration which the Greeks called tonon (this, however, because they could not say it a certain space, they called it tonon): therefore the moon is distant from the earth by one tonon. By this fact, since it is borne on a very short circle, it arrives at the first sign in 30 days. From this circle is removed a circle of half a tonon, by which circle the star Mercury is borne; and therefore, in passing to the second sign in 30 days, it proceeds more slowly.

Ab hoc circulo abest alter tonum dimidium; quo loco Veneris stella iter suum dirigit, tardiorem conficiens cursum, quam Mercurii stella. Transit enim ad aliud signum diebus XXX. Supra huius stellam solis est cursus, qui abest ab Hespero stella quae est Veneris, tonum dimidium.

From this circle another tone and a half is distant; at which place the star of Venus directs its journey, making a slower course than the star of Mercury. For it passes into another sign in 30 days. Above this star is the course of the Sun, which is distant from Hesper, the star that is Venus’s, by a half‑tone.

Ita cum inferioribus pariter percolans anno uno XII signa percurrit, tricesimo die ad aliud transiens signum. Supra solem igitur et eius circulum Martis est stella, quae abest a sole tonum dimidium. Itaque dicitur diebus LX ad aliud signum transire.

Thus, gliding together with the lower ones, in one year he traverses 12 signs, passing to another sign on the 30th day. Above the sun and its circle, therefore, is the star of Mars, which is distant from the sun by a half‑tone. Hence it is said to pass to another sign in 60 days.

Supra hunc circulum Iovis est stella, quae abest a Martis tonum dimidium. Itaque anno uno transit ad alterum signum. Novissima stella Saturni, quae maximo vehitur circulo; haec autem abest a Iove tonum.

Above this circle is the star of Jupiter, which is distant from Mars by a half‑tone. Therefore in one year it passes to another sign. The outermost star is Saturn’s, which is borne by the greatest circle; this, however, is distant from Jupiter by a tone.

Itaque annis XXX duodecim signa percurrit. Ab ipsorum tamen siderum corporibus Saturnus abest tonum anum et dimidium.

Thus in 30 years he traverses twelve signs. Yet from the bodies of those very stars Saturn is distant by a tone, a year, and a half.

Hac igitur ratione potes scire neque solem, neque lunam contingere stellas, et nihilominus per zodiacum circulum verti. Hinc etiam possumus intellegere lunam minorem esse sole. Omnia enim quae proxima sunt nobis, maiora necesse est esse, quam quae longo discedente intervallo videmus.

By this reasoning then you can know that neither the sun nor the moon touch the stars, and nevertheless are carried around the zodiacal circle. From this also we can understand that the moon is smaller than the sun. For all things which are near to us necessarily must be larger than those which we see at a long, receding interval.

Igitur lunam videmus proxime nos esse, neque eam maiorem aspectui nostro esse quam solem. Illud quoque necesse est, cum sol non longe absit a lune et a nobis maior videtur, si prope nos accesserit, multo maiorem futurum. Praeterea necesse est, ut ante diximus, aut nullam stellam erraticam esse, aut solem cum luna pariter ut reliquas stellas errare.

Therefore we see that the moon is nearest to us, and that she is not larger to our sight than the sun. That too must be the case: since the sun is not far distant from the moon and appears larger to our sight, if it were to come near us it would be much larger. Moreover, as we said before, it is necessary that either there be no wandering star at all, or that the sun together with the moon wander like the other stars.

Si enim quisquam mihi potest demonstrare V stellarum cursum, et dicere, quod hodie quaeque earum ad aliud transeat signum, quemadmodum de sole et luna fieri videmus, et nihilominus suum efficit cursum, non est erratica. Si autem dubium est, quod hodie transeat et ad aliud signum compari ratione cum luna feratur, et suum cursum dirigat, quemadmodum stellae quae sunt dubiae, necesse est has quoque errare. Sed non evenit ut errent, praesertim cum suo tempore ad cursum revertantur.

For if anyone can demonstrate to me the course of 5 stars, and say that today each of them crosses into another sign, just as we see happen with the sun and moon, and nevertheless accomplishes its own course, it is not erratic. But if it is doubtful that today it crosses and is carried to another sign in comparable fashion with the moon and directs its course, as the stars which are doubtful do, it is necessary that these also wander. Yet they do not wander, especially since at their season they return to their course.

Igitur ne stellae quidem, cum certo tempore ad suum signum revertantur, possunt errare, nisi forte volumus accipere excusationem, quod duo corpora magna facilius possint observari, quam singulae stellae, quae non certos cursus conficientes videntur apparere.

Therefore not even the stars, when at a fixed time they return to their sign, can err, unless perhaps we wish to accept the excuse that two great bodies can be observed more easily than single stars, which seem not to complete definite courses when they appear.

XV.Sed stellas V nonnulli has aiunt esse: Veneris, Mercurii, Iovis, Solis, Martis; e quibus esse maximam colore candido, nomine Hesperum et eam appellari. Haec stella non abest a sole longius duobus signis, infra eius circulum collocata, sicut ante diximus; apparens maxime noctu, sed toto mense non plus undevicies potest videri. Sed totus Hesperus incertos efficit cursus, non eodem tempore ad praeteritum transiens signum.

15.But some say these five stars are: Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, the Sun, Mars; among them the greatest in white colour, by the name Hesperum, and it is called thus. This star is not distant from the sun by more than two signs, placed beneath its circle, as we said before; appearing chiefly by night, yet in a whole month it can be seen no more than nineteen times. But the whole Hesperus makes uncertain courses, not passing into the preceding sign at the same time.

XVI.Secunda stella est Mercurii, nomine Stilbon, totus acuto lumine, sed in aspectu non magnus. Hic autem a sole non longius abest signo uno.

16.The second star is Mercury’s, by the name Stilbon, wholly with a keen light, but in appearance not large. This one, however, is no farther from the sun than one sign.

Qui semper eosdem cursus efficiens, modo nocte prima, modo autem ad solis exortus incipit apparere. Nonnumquam etiam perpetue signis quattuor est cum sole; rediens autem cum sole non amplius est tertiam partem signi.

Which, always accomplishing the same courses, sometimes first appears by night, sometimes however begins to appear at the sun’s rising. Sometimes also it is continually with the sun for four signs; but returning with the sun it is no more than a third part of a sign.

XVII.Iovis autem stella nomine Phaenon, corpore est magno, figura autem similis Lyrae. Hic autem XII signa annis totidem transigere existimatur, et unoquoque anno nusquam apparere dicitur, non minus dies XXX, nec plus XL. Sed tunc maxime obscuratur, cum occidit cum sole; exoriens autem apparet ante quam sol.

CHAPTER 17. The star of Jove, named Phaenon, is great in body, and in figure similar to the Lyre. This one is thought to spend 12 signs in as many years, and in each year is said to be unseen for no less than 30 days, nor more than 40. But it is then most obscured when it sets with the sun; rising, however, it appears before the sun.

XVIII.Solis stella nomine Phaethon, corpore est magno, colore autem igneo; similis eius stellae, quae est in humero dextro Orionis. Hic per XII signa assidue ferri videtur.

18.The Sun’s star, named Phaethon, is of great body, but fiery in color; like that star which is on Orion’s right shoulder. This one is seen to be borne continually through the 12 signs.

Nonnumquam etiam cum solis ipsius sideribus apparet, modo aliis partibus adiectis circuli. Hanc stellam nonnulli Saturni esse dixerunt, redire autem ad signum annis XXX et quotannis non apparere non minus dies XXX, nec amplius XL.

Sometimes it also appears among the very stars of the sun, now with other parts added of the circle. Some have said this star is of Saturn, and that it returns to the sign in 30 years, and each year does not appear for no fewer than 30 days, nor more than 40.

XIX.Reliquum est nobis de Martis stella dicere, quae nomine Pyrois appellatur. Hic autem non magno est corpore, sed figura similis est flammae.

CHAPTER 19. It remains for us to speak of the star of Mars, which is called by the name Pyrois. This one, however, is not of great body, but its figure is like a flame.

Nonnumquam autem cum ipsius solis sideribus concurrens, omnia pervolat signa, secedens a primo signo non longius biennio.

Sometimes, however, when running together with the very stars of the sun, it traverses all the signs, withdrawing from the first sign by no more than two years.

Quod ad quinque stellas pertinet, ad hoc satis arbitramur dictum; nunc autem demonstrabimus, quibus de causis menses intercalentur, quoniam tempus omne metitur die et nocte, mense et anno. De quibus diem nobis definierunt, quamdiu sol ab exortu ad occasum perveniat; noctis autem spatium constituerunt esse, quamdiu sol ab occasu rursum ad exortum revertatur; mensem autem, quamdiu luna zodiacum circulum perducat. Annum voluerunt esse, cum sol ab aestivo circulo redit. * * * *

As to the five stars, we judge that said enough on that point; but now we will demonstrate for what reasons months are intercalated, since all time is measured by day and night, month and year. Of these they defined the day for us to be as long as the sun goes from rising to setting; the span of night they fixed to be as long as the sun from setting returns again to rising; and the month, as long as the moon conducts the zodiacal circle. They wished the year to be when the sun returns from the summer circle. * * * *