Cicero's Tusculan Disputations
inasmuch as day is occasioned by the diffusion of his light through the
sky; and when night has obscured the earth, they should contemplate the
heavens bespangled and adorned with stars, the surprising variety of
the moon in her increase and wane, the rising and setting of all the
stars, and the inviolable regularity of their courses; when," says he,
"they should see these things, they would undoubtedly conclude that
there are Gods, and that these are their mighty works."
XXXVIII. Thus far Aristotle. Let us imagine, also, as great darkness as
was formerly occasioned by the irruption of the fires of Mount AEtna,
which are said to have obscured the adjacent countries for two days to
such a degree that no man could recognize his fellow; but on the third,
when the sun appeared, they seemed to be risen from the dead. Now, if
we should be suddenly brought from a state of eternal darkness to see
the light, how beautiful would the heavens seem! But our minds have
become used to it from the daily practice and habituation of our eyes,
nor do we take the trouble to search into the principles of what is
always in view; as if the novelty, rather than the importance, of
things ought to excite us to investigate their causes.
Is he worthy to be called a man who attributes to chance, not to an
intelligent cause, the constant motion of the heavens, the regular
courses of the stars, the agreeable proportion and connection of all
things, conducted with so much reason that our intellect itself is
unable to estimate it rightly? When we see machines move artificially,
as a sphere, a clock, or the like, do we doubt whether they are the
productions of reason? And when we behold the heavens moving with a
prodigious celerity, and causing an annual succession of the different
seasons of the year, which vivify and preserve all things, can we doubt
that this world is directed, I will not say only by reason, but by
reason most excellent and divine? For without troubling ourselves with
too refined a subtlety of discussion, we may use our eyes to
contemplate the beauty of those things which we assert have been
arranged by divine providence.
XXXIX. First, let us examine the earth, whose situation is in the
middle of the universe,[164] solid, round, and conglobular by its
natural tendency; clothed with flowers, herbs, trees, and fruits; the
whole in multitudes incredible, and with a variety suitable to every
taste: let us consider the ever-cool and running springs, the clear
waters of the rivers, the verdure of their banks, the hollow depths of
caves, the cragginess of rocks, the heights of impending mountains, and
the boundless extent of plains, the hidden veins of gold and silver,
and the infinite quarries of marble.
What and how various are the kinds of animals, tame or wild? The
flights and notes of birds? How do the beasts live in the fields and in
the forests? What shall I say of men, who, being appointed, as we may
say, to cultivate the earth, do not suffer its fertility to be choked
with weeds, nor the ferocity of beasts to make it desolate; who, by the
houses and cities which they build, adorn the fields, the isles, and
the shores? If we could view these objects with the naked eye, as we
can by the contemplation of the mind, nobody, at such a sight, would
doubt there was a divine intelligence.
But how beautiful is the sea! How pleasant to see the extent of it!
What a multitude and variety of islands! How delightful are the coasts!
What numbers and what diversity of inhabitants does it contain; some
within the bosom of it, some floating on the surface, and others by
their shells cleaving to the rocks! While the sea itself, approaching
to the land, sports so closely to its shores that those two elements
appear to be but one.
Next above the sea is the air, diversified by day and night: when
rarefied, it possesses the higher region; when condensed, it turns into
clouds, and with the waters which it gathers enriches the earth by the
rain. Its agitation produces the winds. It causes heat and cold
according to the different seasons. It sustains birds in their flight;
and, being inhaled, nourishes and preserves all animated beings.
XL. Add to these, which alone remaineth to be mentioned, the firmament
of heaven, a region the farthest from our abodes, which surrounds and
contains all things. It is likewise called ether, or sky, the extreme
bounds and limits of the universe, in which the stars perform their
appointed courses in a most wonderful manner; among which, the sun,
whose magnitude far surpasses the earth, makes his revolution round it,
and by his rising and setting causes day and night; sometimes coming
near towards the earth, and sometimes going from it, he every year
makes two contrary reversions[165] from the extreme point of its
course. In his retreat the earth seems locked up in sadness; in his
return it appears exhilarated with the heavens. The moon, which, as
mathematicians demonstrate, is bigger than half the earth, makes her
revolutions through the same spaces[166] as the sun; but at one time
approaching, and at another receding from, the sun, she diffuses the
light which she has borrowed from him over the whole earth, and has
herself also many various changes in her appearance. When she is found
under the sun, and opposite to it, the brightness of her rays is lost;
but when the earth directly interposes between the moon and sun, the
moon is totally eclipsed. The other wandering stars have their courses
round the earth in the same spaces,[167] and rise and set in the same
manner; their motions are sometimes quick, sometimes slow, and often
they stand still. There is nothing more wonderful, nothing more
beautiful. There is a vast number of fixed stars, distinguished by the
names of certain figures, to which we find they have some resemblance.
XLI. I will here, says Balbus, looking at me, make use of the verses
which, when you were young, you translated from Aratus,[168] and which,
because they are in Latin, gave me so much delight that I have many of
them still in my memory. As then, we daily see, without any change or
variation,
--the rest[169]
Swiftly pursue the course to which they're bound;
And with the heavens the days and nights go round;
the contemplation of which, to a mind desirous of observing the
constancy of nature, is inexhaustible.
The extreme top of either point is call'd
The pole.[170]
About this the two [Greek: Arktoi] are turned, which never set;
Of these, the Greeks one Cynosura call,
The other Helice.[171]
The brightest stars,[172] indeed, of Helice are discernible all night,
Which are by us Septentriones call'd.
Cynosura moves about the same pole, with a like number of stars, and
ranged in the same order:
This[173] the Phoenicians choose to make their guide
When on the ocean in the night they ride.
Adorned with stars of more refulgent light,
The other[174] shines, and first appears at night.
Though this is small, sailors its use have found;
More inward is its course, and short its round.
XLII. The aspect of those stars is the more admirable, because,
The Dragon grim between them bends his way,
As through the winding banks the currents stray,
And up and down in sinuous bending rolls.[175]
His whole form is excellent; but the shape of his head and the ardor of
his eyes are most remarkable.
Various the stars which deck his glittering head;
His temples are with double glory spread;
From his fierce eyes two fervid lights afar
Flash, and his chin shines with one radiant star;
Bow'd is his head; and his round neck he bends,
And to the tail of Helice[176] extends.
The rest of the Dragon's body we see[177] at every hour in the night.
Here[178] suddenly the head a little hides
Itself, where all its parts, which are in sight,
And those unseen in the same place unite.
Near to this head
Is placed the figure of a man that moves
Weary and sad,
which the Greeks
Engonasis do call, because he's borne[179]
About with bended knee. Near him is placed
The crown with a refulgent lustre graced.
This indeed is at his back; but Anguitenens (the Snake-holder) is near
his head:[180]
The Greeks him Ophiuchus call, renown'd
The name. He strongly grasps the serpent round
With both his hands; himself the serpent folds
Beneath his breast, and round his middle holds;
Yet gravely he, bright shining in the skies,
Moves on, and treads on Nepa's[181] breast and eyes.
The Septentriones[182] are followed by--
Arctophylax,[183] that's said to be the same
Which we Booetes call, who has the name,
Because he drives the Greater Bear along
Yoked to a wain.
Besides, in Booetes,
A star of glittering rays about his waist,
Arcturus called, a name renown'd, is placed.[184]
Beneath which is
The Virgin of illustrious form, whose hand
Holds a bright spike.
XLIII. And truly these signs are so regularly disposed that a divine
wisdom evidently appears in them:
Beneath the Bear's[185] head have the Twins their seat,
Under his chest the Crab, beneath his feet
The mighty Lion darts a trembling flame.[186]
The Charioteer
On the left side of Gemini we see,[187]
And at his head behold fierce Helice;
On his left shoulder the bright Goat appears.
But to proceed--
This is indeed a great and glorious star,
On th' other side the Kids, inferior far,
Yield but a slender light to mortal eyes.
Under his feet
The horned bull,[188] with sturdy limbs, is placed:
his head is spangled with a number of stars;
These by the Greeks are called the Hyades,
from raining; for [Greek: hyein] is to rain: therefore they are
injudiciously called _Suculae_ by our people, as if they had their name
from [Greek: hys], a sow, and not from [Greek: hyo].
Behind the Lesser Bear, Cepheus[189] follows with extended hands,
For close behind the Lesser Bear he comes.
Before him goes
Cassiopea[190] with a faintish light;
But near her moves (fair and illustrious sight!)
Andromeda,[191] who, with an eager pace,
Seems to avoid her parent's mournful face.[192]
With glittering mane the Horse[193] now seems to tread,
So near he comes, on her refulgent head;
With a fair star, that close to him appears,
A double form[194] and but one light he wears;
By which he seems ambitious in the sky
An everlasting knot of stars to tie.
Near him the Ram, with wreathed horns, is placed;
by whom
The Fishes[195] are; of which one seems to haste
Somewhat before the other, to the blast
Of the north wind exposed.
XLIV. Perseus is described as placed at the feet of Andromeda:
And him the sharp blasts of the north wind beat.
Near his left knee, but dim their light, their seat
The small Pleiades[196] maintain. We find,
Not far from them, the Lyre[197] but slightly join'd.
Next is the winged Bird,[198] that seems to fly
Beneath the spacious covering of the sky.
Near the head of the Horse[199] lies the right hand of Aquarius, then
all Aquarius himself.[200]
Then Capricorn, with half the form of beast,
Breathes chill and piercing colds from his strong breast,
And in a spacious circle takes his round;
When him, while in the winter solstice bound,
The sun has visited with constant light,
He turns his course, and shorter makes the night.[201]
Not far from hence is seen
The Scorpion[202] rising lofty from below;
By him the Archer,[203] with his bended bow;
Near him the Bird, with gaudy feathers spread;