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constitution; for they understood that it is not possible for it to be carried in a circle, having its substance from these things. But again, being blind in this very matter, they are caught, thinking that those who see sharply do not see. For since different and various colors are clearly seen in it, from which the inherent power of heating and cooling is revealed to them, they say that everyone's sight is deceived because of the excessive distance. 1.6 Let him who wishes then come forward and say: How is it that the stars, which according to you are set in the fixed sphere, although they are plainly at unequal distances from our sight—since the power of sight is projected from the earth as its center—appear different in both their colors and their sizes? And how is it that to the one called Mars by you, which has a lower position, many of the fixed stars are equal and similar, and likewise we see not a few that are very much like that of Jupiter? 1.7 But we do not even observe the heaven itself to be of a uniform color; for the cloud-like clusters in it, to which you have given the name "galaxy"—assigning them this name from nowhere else than from their different color—whence could we suppose that they appear thus, since the surface which the ray of our sight strikes is one? I think, indeed, that when I say these things are proofs of different compositions and mixtures, no one would dare to speak against it, even if he were a lover of falsehood, let alone one of those who always place truth in the seat of honor. 1.8 But if it was not created from one thing having its own circular motion, but from the mixture of the four, it does not revolve properly. For it has been said that it will either be moved downwards if the heavy element in it predominates, or it will be raised in an upward motion if the opposite prevails, or it will stand still, if nothing in it should have the advantage; and this is clear to everyone. For no one would ever confess to have seen it being carried either upwards or downwards. It remains to say that it is stationary. 1.9 But let them say, whence in a simple and qualityless element are there different motions? If indeed they say that those whom they name planets, not being mistaken, move in a contrary direction to the universe; likewise if, at certain times which the Creator ordained, they are seen making their course from east to west so clearly that not even they themselves can deny it. Then again, being dizzy and at a loss—which is wont to befall those who flee the truth—and finding no way out, they say that the stars make retrogressions and stations. 1.10 But, O you who are clever in all things of weaving and unweaving, if it is natural for them to move, whence the station? For there is no opposite to them which would check them from their natural impulse. And what necessity compels them to pursue the contrary course? But let no one tell me it is a deception of sight; for the distance they run forward is not small; for they are often seen moving from a succeeding sign of the zodiac to a preceding one. 1.11 And what need is there to speak, when they themselves, having turned to the activities of the stars themselves, in which they run aground on the height of absurdity, do not understand that when they are stationary or retrograde they are inactive and worthless? And the one formerly in Aries, but now seen in Pisces, one would say is not in the house of Mars, but in that of Jupiter, and that it produces not what they are accustomed to babble about when it is in Aries, but such things as they grant to it when it is passing through Pisces. 1.12 But if they do not agree with the apparent retrogression, whence then or for what reason is their motion in both directions? Perhaps they will again blame for this the unseen epicycles, which they have supposed as vehicles for them, and they strongly affirm that they are carried upon these; but nothing will be gained from this device; for we shall demand of them for what reason they needed vehicles. Was it because they were unable to move? And how then could you say they are ensouled and with more divine souls? But was it because they were able? I think it is ridiculous even to think it. And why did the moon and the sun not get epicycles? Was it because they were not worthy on account of their inferiority? But that is not the reasoning of sober men. But was it from a lack of suitable material that the Creator was not able to fashion vehicles for these? May the blasphemy turn upon your own heads. 1.13

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σύστασιν· συνεῖδον γὰρ ὡς οὐ δυνατὸν κύκλῳ φέρεσθαι αὐτὸν ἐκ τούτων ἔχοντα τὴν οὐσίαν. Ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἐν αὐτῷ τυφλώττοντες ἁλίσκονται καὶ τοὺς ὀξὺ βλέποντας οὐχ ὁρᾶν οἰόμενοι. ∆ιαφόρων γὰρ καὶ ποικίλων ἐναργῶς ἐν αὐτῷ χρωμάτων ὁρωμένων, ἐξ ὧν ἡ τοῦ θερμαίνειν τε καὶ ψύχειν ἐνυπάρχουσα δύναμις αὐτοῖς ἀναφαίνεται, τὴν ὄψιν ἁπάντων ἠπατῆσθαί φασι διὰ τὴν ἄγαν ἀπόστασιν. 1.6 Εἰπάτω τοίνυν παρελθὼν εἰς μέσον ὁ βουλόμενος· Οἱ τῇ ἀπλανεῖ καθ' ὑμᾶς ἐγκείμενοι σφαίρᾳ ἀστέρες δηλονότι, πῶς οὐκ ἀνίσῳ διαστήματι τῆς ὄψεως ἡμῶν ἀπέχοντες, ὡς ἀπὸ κέντρου τῆς γῆς ἀφιεμένης τῆς ὀπτικῆς ἐνεργείας, ἀλλοῖοι ταῖς χροιαῖς τε καὶ τοῖς μεγέθεσι φαίνονται; Πῶς δὲ τῷ καλουμένῳ πρὸς ὑμῶν Ἄρεϊ κατωτέρω τάξιν ἔχοντι πολλοὶ τῶν ἀπλανῶν ὑπάρχουσιν ἴσοι τε καὶ ὅμοιοι, καὶ τῷ τοῦ ∆ιὸς ὡσαύτως παραπλησίους ὁρῶμεν οὐκ ὀλίγους; 1.7 Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ὁμόχρουν ἑαυτῷ θεώμεθα· τὰς γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ νεφελοειδεῖς συστροφάς, αἷς ὄνομα τεθείκατε γαλαξίανοὐκ ἄλλοθεν ἢ ἐκ τοῦ διαφόρου χρώματος ἐπιθέμενοι τὴν κλῆσιν αὐταῖςπόθεν ἂν ὑποτοπήσαιμεν οὕτω φαίνεσθαι μιᾶς οὔσης τῆς ἐπιφανείας, ᾗ προσβάλλει τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ὄψεως; Οἶμαί γε φάσκοντί μοι ταῦτα τεκμήρια διαφόρων εἶναι συγκρίσεώς τε καὶ μίξεως οὐδένα τολμᾶν ἀντιφθέγγεσθαι, κἂν εἴη τοῦ ψεύδους ἐραστής, μήτοι γε τῶν ἐν προεδρίᾳ ταττόντων ἀεὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. 1.8 Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐξ ἑνὸς ἰδίαν ἔχοντος κίνησιν τὴν κυκλοφορουμένην, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς τῶν τεσσάρων ἐδημιουργήθη μίξεως, οὐ περιφέρεται καλῶς. Εἴρηται γὰρ ὡς ἢ κάτω κινηθήσεται πλεονάζοντος ἐν αὐτῷ τοῦ βαρέως, ἢ τὴν ἄνω φορὰν ἀρθήσεται τοῦ ἐναντίου κατακρατοῦντος, ἢ στήσεται, εἰ μηδὲν ἐν αὐτῷ πλεονεκτοίη· τοῦτο δὴ καὶ παντὶ φανερόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνω φερόμενον, οὐδὲ κάτω τις ὁμολογήσειεν ἑωρακέναι πώποτε. Λείπεται φάσκειν αὐτὸν ἐρηρεισμένον εἶναι. 1.9 Λεγόντων δὲ πόθεν ἐν ἁπλῷ καὶ ἀποίῳ στοιχείῳ διάφοροι κινήσεις; Εἴ γέ φασι τὴν ἐναντίαν ἑλίττεσθαι τῷ παντὶ τοὺς οὓς πλανήτας ὀνομάζουσιν, οὐ ψευσθέντες· ὡσαύτως εἴ γε κατά τινας, οὓς ὁ δημιουργὸς ὥρισε χρόνους, ἐμφανῶς ὡς μηδ' αὐτοὺς ἀρνεῖσθαι τὴν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἐπὶ δύσιν ὁρῶνται ποιούμενοι πορείαν. Εἶτα πάλιν ἰλιγγιῶντες ἀπορούμενοι, ὅπερ εἴωθε παρέπεσθαι τοῖς τ' ἀληθὲς ἀποφυγγάνουσι, καὶ μηδεμίαν διέξοδον εὑρίσκοντες ἀναποδισμοὺς καὶ στηριγμοὺς ποιεῖσθαί φασι τοὺς ἀστέρας. 1.10 Ἀλλ', ὦ τὰ πάντα δεινοὶ τοῦ πλέκειν τε καὶ λύειν, εἰ κατὰ φύσιν αὐτοῖς τὸ κινεῖσθαι, πόθεν ἡ στάσις; Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν αὐτοῖς ἐναντίον, ὃ τῆς φυσικῆς αὐτοὺς ὁρμῆς ἐφέξει. Τίς δὲ τούτους ἐπὶ τὸν ἐναντίον δρόμον ἀνάγκη βιάζεται μετιέναι; Μή μοι δέ τις ἀπάτην εἶναι λεγέτω τῆς ὄψεως· οὐ γάρ ἐστι μικρὸν ὃ προτρέχουσι μῆκος· ἐξ ἑπομένου δὲ ζωδίου πολλάκις ὁρῶνται μεθιστάμενοι εἰς προηγούμενον. 1.11 Τί δὲ δεῖ λέγειν, ὅπου γε αὐτοὶ μεταβάντες ἐπὶ τὰς αὐτῶν τῶν ἀστέρων ἐνεργείας, ἐν οἷς εἰς ἄκρον ὀκέλλοντες ἀτοπίας, οὐ συνίασι στηρίζοντας ἤτοι ἀναποδίζοντας αὐτοὺς ἀδρανεῖς τε καὶ φαύλους εἶναι; Καὶ τὸν ἐν Κριῷ πρώην, ἐν Ἰχθύσι δὲ νῦν ὁρώμενον, οὐκ ἐν οἴκῳ τις Ἄρεως, ἀλλ' ἐν ∆ιὸς ἂν εἴποι, καὶ ποιεῖν αὐτόν, οὐχ ἅσπερ εἰώθασι ληρωδεῖν ἐνυπάρχοντος αὐτοῦ τῷ Κριῷ, ἀλλ' ὅσας αὐτῷ χαρίζονται διατρέχοντι τοὺς Ἰχθύας. 1.12 Εἰ δ' οὐ συνᾴδουσι τῇ φαινομένῃ κατὰ τὸ ἔμπαλιν ἀναδρομῇ, πόθεν οὖν ἢ τίνος ἕνεκεν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐπ' ἀμφότερα πορεία; Τάχα δὲ πάλιν αἰτιάσονται τούτου τοὺς οὐχ ὁρωμένους ἐπικύκλους, οὓς ὑπέθηκαν αὐτοῖς ὀχήματα, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων αὐτοὺς φέρεσθαι διισχυρίζονται· ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἔσται περισσὸν ἔκ γε τούτου τοῦ μηχανήματος· ἀπαιτήσομεν γὰρ αὐτούς, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ὀχημάτων ἐδέησεν αὐτοῖς. Ὡς μὴ δυναμένοις ἆρα κινεῖσθαι; Καὶ πῶς ἐψυχωμένους ἂν εἴποιτε καὶ θειοτέραις ψυχαῖς; Ἀλλ' ὡς δυναμένοις; Καταγέλαστον οἶμαί γε καὶ τὸ ἐννοεῖν. ∆ιατί δὲ ἡ σελήνη καὶ ὁ ἥλιος ἐπικύκλων οὐκ ἔτυχον; Ὡς οὐκ ἄξιοι διὰ τὴν ὕφεσιν; Ἀλλ' οὐ νηφόντων ὁ λόγος. Ἀλλὰ σπάνει τῆς ἐπιτηδείας ὕλης οὐκ ἠδυνήθη τούτοις ὁ δημιουργὸς ὀχήματα πλάσαι; Εἰς κεφαλὴν ὑμῶν ἡ δυσφημία τράποιτο. 1.13