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For they are controlled by the Word and are led, turning. And often comets also are formed, certain signs of the deaths of kings, which are not of the stars that came into being from the beginning, but are formed by the divine command at that very time and again are dissolved, since also the star that appeared to the magi at the philanthropic and saving birth of the Lord for us according to the flesh was not of the stars that came into being in the beginning. And it is clear from its course being sometimes from east to west, and sometimes from north to south, and sometimes being hidden, and sometimes appearing; for this is not of the order or nature of stars. But one must know that the moon is illuminated by the sun, not as if God was at a loss to give it its own light, but so that rhythm and order might be instilled in creation, of one ruling and one being ruled, and that we also might be taught to share with one another and to give and to be subordinate, first to the maker and creator God and master, and then also to the rulers appointed by him, and not to question, for what reason does this one rule, and I do not, but to receive all things from God thankfully and with good judgment. Both the sun and the moon are eclipsed, refuting and instructing the folly of those who worship creation rather than the creator, showing that they are changeable and alterable. But everything changeable is not God; for everything changeable is perishable according to its own nature. The sun is eclipsed by the body of the moon becoming like a partition wall, and casting a shadow and not allowing the light to be transmitted to us. Therefore, to the extent that the body of the moon is found to hide the sun, to that extent also the eclipse occurs. But if the body of the moon is smaller, do not be surprised; for the sun is said by some to be many times larger than the earth, but by the fathers equal to the earth; and often a small cloud covers it, or even a small hill or wall. The eclipse of the moon occurs from the shadow of the earth, when the moon is fifteen days old and is found opposite at the extreme center, the sun under the earth, and the moon above the earth; for the earth makes a shadow and the sun's light does not reach to illuminate the moon, and from there it is eclipsed. But one must know that the moon was created perfect by the creator, that is, fifteen days old; for it was fitting for it to have been made complete. But on the fourth day, as we said, the sun was created. It preceded the sun, therefore, by eleven days; for from the fourth day to the fifteenth is eleven. For this reason also in time the twelve months of the moon are short by eleven days from the twelve months of the sun; for those of the sun have 365 and ¼ days. For this reason, the quarter being added over four years makes one day, which is called bissextile. And that year has 366 days. But the years of the moon are 354 days; for the moon, from when it is born, that is, renewed, waxes, until it is fourteen and three-quarter days old, and begins to wane, until twenty-nine and a half days, and becomes completely unlit. And again, joining with the sun, it is reborn and renewed, bringing a reminder of our resurrection. Therefore, each year it renders the eleven days to the sun. Therefore, over three years the intercalary month occurs for the Hebrews, and that year is found to have thirteen months from the addition of the eleven days. But it is clear that the sun and the moon and the stars are composite and are subject to corruption according to their own nature. But we do not know their nature. Some then say that fire, without some matter, is invisible, whence also when extinguished it vanishes. But others say that this, when extinguished, is changed into air. The zodiacal circle moves obliquely, being divided into twelve sections, which are called zodia. And the zōdion has three decans, 30 degrees; and the degree has 60 minutes. Therefore the heaven has 360 degrees, the hemisphere above the earth 180 degrees and the one under the earth 180. Houses of the planets: Aries and Scorpio of Mars, Taurus and Libra of Venus, Gemini and Virgo of Mercury, Cancer of the Moon, Leo of the Sun, Sagittarius and Pisces of Jupiter, Capricorn and Aquarius of Saturn.

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κρατοῦνται γὰρ τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ἄγονται τρεπόμεναι. Συνίστανται δὲ πολλάκις καὶ κομῆται σημεῖά τινα θανάτων βασιλέων, ἅτινα οὔκ εἰσι τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γεγενημένων ἄστρων, ἀλλὰ τῷ θείῳ προστάγματι κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν συνίστανται καὶ πάλιν διαλύονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου δι' ἡμᾶς κατὰ σάρκα φιλάνθρωπον καὶ σωτήριον γέννησιν ὀφθεὶς τοῖς μάγοις ἀστὴρ οὐ τῶν ἐν ἀρχῇ γενομένων ἄστρων ἦν. Καὶ δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ ποτὲ μὲν ἐξ ἀνατολῆς ἐπὶ δύσιν ποιεῖσθαι τὸν δρόμον, ποτὲ δὲ ἐκ βορρᾶ ἐπὶ νότον, καὶ ποτὲ μὲν κρύπτεσθαι, ποτὲ δὲ φαίνεσθαι· τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄστρων τάξεως ἢ φύσεως. Χρὴ δὲ γινώσκειν, ὡς ἐκ τοῦ ἡλίου φωτίζεται ἡ σελήνη οὐχ ὡς ἀπορήσαντος τοῦ θεοῦ δοῦναι αὐτῇ ἴδιον φῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα ῥυθμὸς καὶ τάξις ἐντεθῇ τῇ κτίσει ἄρχοντος καὶ ἀρχομένου καὶ παιδευθῶμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς κοινωνεῖν ἀλλήλοις καὶ μεταδιδόναι καὶ ὑποτάσσεσθαι, πρῶτον μὲν τῷ ποιητῇ καὶ δημιουργῷ θεῷ καὶ δεσπότῃ, ἔπειτα καὶ τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ καθισταμένοις ἄρχουσι, καὶ μὴ ἀνακρίνειν, τίνος ἕνεκεν οὗτος ἄρχει, ἐγὼ δὲ οὔ, δέχεσθαι δὲ πάντα ἐκ θεοῦ εὐχαρίστως καὶ εὐγνωμόνως. Ἐκλείπει δὲ ὅ τε ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη τῶν τὴν κτίσιν προσκυνούντων παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα τὴν ἄνοιαν διελέγχοντα καὶ παιδεύοντα, ὡς τρεπτά εἰσι καὶ ἀλλοιωτά. Πᾶν δὲ τρεπτὸν οὐ θεός· κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν γὰρ φύσιν φθαρτὸν ἅπαν τρεπτόν. Ἐκλείπει δὲ ὁ μὲν ἥλιος τοῦ σώματος τῆς σελήνης ὥσπερ τι μεσότοιχον γινομένου καὶ ἀποσκιάζοντος καὶ μὴ ἐῶντος διαδοθῆναι ἡμῖν τὸ φῶς. Ὅσον οὖν εὑρεθῇ τὸ σῶμα τῆς σελήνης ἀποκρύπτον τὸν ἥλιον, τοσοῦτον καὶ ἡ ἔκλειψις γίνεται. Εἰ δὲ μικρότερόν ἐστι τὸ τῆς σελήνης σῶμα, μὴ θαυμάσῃς· καὶ ὁ ἥλιος γὰρ ὑπό τινων λέγεται πολυπλασίων τῆς γῆς, ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν πατέρων ἴσος τῆς γῆς· καὶ πολλάκις μικρὸν νέφος καλύπτει αὐτὸν ἢ καὶ μικρὸς βουνὸς ἢ τοῖχος. Ἡ δὲ τῆς σελήνης ἔκλειψις ἐκ τοῦ ἀποσκιάσματος τῆς γῆς γίνεται, ὅτε γένηται πεντεκαιδεκαταία ἡ σελήνη καὶ εὑρεθῇ ἐξ ἐναντίας κατὰ τὸ ἄκρον κέντρον, ὁ μὲν ἥλιος ὑπὸ γῆν, ἡ δὲ σελήνη ὑπὲρ γῆν· ἀποσκίασμα γὰρ ποιεῖ ἡ γῆ καὶ οὐ φθάνει τὸ ἡλιακὸν φῶς φωτίσαι τὴν σελήνην, κἀκεῖθεν ἐκλείπει. Χρὴ δὲ γινώσκειν, ὅτι τελεία ἐκτίσθη ἡ σελήνη ὑπὸ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ ἤτοι πεντεκαιδεκαταία· ἔπρεπε γὰρ ἀπηρτισμένην γενέσθαι. Τῇ δὲ τετάρτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ὡς ἔφημεν, ἔκτισται ὁ ἥλιος. Προέλαβεν οὖν τὸν ἥλιον ἕνδεκα ἡμέρας· ἀπὸ γὰρ τετάρτης ἡμέρας ἕως πεντεκαιδεκάτης ἕνδεκά εἰσι. ∆ιὸ καὶ κατὰ χρόνον οἱ δώδεκα μῆνες τῆς σελήνης ἕνδεκα ἡμέρας λείπουσιν ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα μηνῶν τοῦ ἡλίου· οἱ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ ἡλίου τξεʹ δʹʹ ἡμέρας ἔχουσιν. ∆ιὸ τοῦ τετάρτου συντιθεμένου κατὰ τέσσαρα ἔτη μία ἀποτελεῖται ἡμέρα, ἥτις λέγεται βίσεξτον. Καὶ ὁ ἐνιαυτὸς ἐκεῖνος τξϛʹ ἡμέρας ἔχει. Οἱ δὲ τῆς σελήνης ἐνιαυτοὶ τνδʹ εἰσιν ἡμερῶν· ἡ γὰρ σελήνη, ἀφ' οὗ γεννηθῇ ἤγουν ἀνακαινισθῇ, αὔξει, ἕως ἂν γένηται ἡμερῶν ιδʹ ἡμίσεος τετάρτου, καὶ ἄρχεται λήγειν, ἕως ἡμερῶν κθʹ ἡμίσεος, καὶ τελείως γίνεται ἀφώτιστος. Καὶ πάλιν συναπτομένη τῷ ἡλίῳ ἀναγεννᾶται καὶ ἀνακαινίζεται ὑπόμνημα φέρουσα τῆς ἡμῶν ἀναστάσεως. Καθ' ἕκαστον οὖν ἐνιαυτὸν τὰς ἕνδεκα ἡμέρας ἀποδίδωσι τῷ ἡλίῳ. Κατὰ οὖν τρεῖς χρόνους ὁ ἐμβόλιμος μὴν γίνεται τοῖς Ἑβραίοις, καὶ ὁ ἐνιαυτὸς ἐκεῖνος δεκατριῶν μηνῶν εὑρίσκεται ἐκ τῆς προσθήκης τῶν ἕνδεκα ἡμερῶν. ∆ῆλον δὲ ὡς σύνθετός ἐστιν ὅ τε ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη καὶ τὰ ἄστρα καὶ φθορᾷ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν φύσιν ὑπόκεινται. Τὴν δὲ τούτων φύσιν οὐκ ἴσμεν. Τινὲς μὲν οὖν φασι τὸ πῦρ ἐκτός τινος ὕλης ἀφανὲς εἶναι, ὅθεν καὶ σβεννύμενον ἀφανίζεται. Ἕτεροι δὲ τοῦτο σβεννύμενον εἰς ἀέρα φασὶ μεταβάλλεσθαι. Ὁ ζῳδιακὸς κύκλος λοξῶς κινεῖται, διῃρημένος εἰς τμήματα δώδεκα, ἅτινα καλεῖται ζῴδια. Τὸ δὲ ζῴδιον ἔχει δεκανοὺς τρεῖς, μοίρας λʹ· ἡ δὲ μοῖρα ἔχει λεπτὰ ξʹ. Ἔχει οὖν ὁ οὐρανὸς μοίρας τξʹ, τὸ ὑπὲρ γῆν ἡμισφαίριον μοίρας ρπʹ καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ γῆν ρπʹ. Οἶκοι πλανητῶν· Κριὸς καὶ Σκορπίος Ἄρεως, Ταῦρος καὶ Ζυγὸς Ἀφροδίτης, ∆ίδυμοι καὶ Παρθένος Ἑρμοῦ, Καρκῖνος Σελήνης, Λέων Ἡλίου, Τοξότης καὶ Ἰχθύες ∆ιός, Αἰγόκερως καὶ Ὑδριχόος Κρόνου.