Chapter XLVII.—Opinions of the Heretics Borrowed from Aratus.

Aratus says that there are in the sky revolving, that is, gyrating stars, because from east to west, and west to east, they journey perpetually, (and) in an orbicular figure. And he says that there revolves towards273    Ibid., v. 45, 46. “The Bears” themselves, like some stream of a river, an enormous and prodigious monster, (the) Serpent; and that this is what the devil says in the book of Job to the Deity, when (Satan) uses these words: “I have traversed earth under heaven, and have gone around (it),”274    This refers to Job i. 7, but is at once recognised as not a correct quotation. that is, that I have been turned around, and thereby have been able to survey the worlds. For they suppose that towards the North Pole is situated the Dragon, the Serpent, from the highest pole looking upon all (the objects), and gazing on all the works of creation, in order that nothing of the things that are being made may escape his notice. For though all the stars in the firmament set, the pole of this (luminary) alone never sets, but, careering high above the horizon, surveys and beholds all things, and none of the works of creation, he says, can escape his notice.

“Where chiefly

Settings mingle and risings one with other.”275    Arat., Phænom., v. 61.

(Here Aratus) says that the head of this (constellation) is placed. For towards the west and east of the two hemispheres is situated the head of the Dragon, in order, he says, that nothing may escape his notice throughout the same quarter, either of objects in the west or those in the east, but that the Beast may know all things at the same time. And near the head itself of the Dragon is the appearance of a man, conspicuous by means of the stars, which Aratus styles a wearied image, and like one oppressed with labour, and he is denominated “Engonasis.” Aratus276    Arat., Phænom., v. 63 et seq. then affirms that he does not know what this toil is, and what this prodigy is that revolves in heaven.  The heretics, however, wishing by means of this account of the stars to establish their own doctrines, (and) with more than ordinary earnestness devoting their attention to these (astronomic systems), assert that Engonasis is Adam, according to the commandment of God as Moses declared, guarding the head of the Dragon, and the Dragon (guarding) his heel. For so Aratus expresses himself:—

“The right-foot’s track of the Dragon fierce possessing.”277    Arat., Phænom., v. 70.

[47] Πολέας φησὶν εἶναι τοὺς κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀστέρας_τουτέστι στρεπτούς_διὰ τὸ περιέρχεσθαι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς εἰς δύσιν καὶ δύσεως εἰς ἀνατολὴν ἀπαύστως, σφαιροειδεῖ σχήματι. εἱλεῖσθαι δὲ κατὰ τὰς ἄρκτους αὐτὰς λέγει, οἷόν τι ποταμοῦ ῥεῦμα, μέγα θαῦμα Δράκοντος πελώρου. καὶ τοῦτ' εἶναί φησιν ὃ ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ πρὸς τὸν [θεὸν ὁ] διάβολος ἔφη: «ἐμπερι(π)ατήσας τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανὸν καὶ περιελθών», τουτέστι περιστραφεὶς (κ)αὶ περισκοπήσας τὰ γινόμενα. τετάχθαι γὰρ νομίζουσι κατὰ τὸν ἀρκτικὸν πόλον τὸν Δράκοντα, τὸν ὄφιν, ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑψηλοτάτου πόλου πάντα ἐπιβλέποντα καὶ πάντα ἐφορῶντα, ἵνα μηδὲν τῶν πραττομένων αὐτὸν λάθῃ. πάντων γὰρ δυνόντων τῶν κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀστέρων μόνος οὗτος ὁ πόλος οὐδέποτε δύνει, ἀλλ' ἄνω ὑπὲρ τὸν ὁρίζοντα ἐρχόμενος πάντα περισκοπεῖ καὶ ἐπιβλέπει, καὶ λαθεῖν αὐτὸν τῶν πραττομένων, φησί, δύναται οὐδέν. ἧχι μάλιστα μίσγονται δύσιές τε καὶ ἀντολαὶ ἀλλήλῃσι, [τῇδε] τετάχθαι δή φησιν αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφαλήν. κατὰ γὰρ τὴν δύσιν καὶ ἀνατολὴν τῶν δύο ἡμισφαιρίων κεῖται τὸ κεφάλαιον τοῦ Δράκοντος, ἵνα, φησί, μηδὲν αὐτὸν λάθῃ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ μήτε τῶν ἐν τῇ δύσει μήτε τῶν ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, ἀλλὰ πάντα γινώσκῃ τὸ θηρίον ὁμοῦ. ἔστι δὲ κατ' αὐτῆς τῆς κεφαλῆς τοῦ Δράκοντος ἰδέ[α] ἀνθρώπου δι' ἄστρων θεωρουμένη: ὃ καλεῖ «κεκμηκὸς εἴδωλον» ὁ Ἄρατος καὶ «μογέοντι ἐοικός», καλεῖται δὲ ὁ Ἐν γόνασιν. ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἄρατος οὐκ εἰδέναι φησίν, οὗτος τίς ἐστιν ὁ πόνος καὶ τὸ θαῦμα τοῦτο στρεφόμενον ἐν οὐρανῷ: οἱ δὲ αἱρετικοί, διὰ τῆς τῶν ἄστρων ἱστορίας θέλοντες τὰ ἑαυτῶν δόγματα συνιστᾶν, περιεργότερον τούτοις ἐπισχόντες τὸν Ἐν γόνασί φασιν εἶναι τὸν Ἀδάμ, κατὰ πρόσταγμα, φησί, τοῦ θεοῦ, καθὼς εἶπε Μωσῆς, φυλάσσοντα τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ Δράκοντος, καὶ τὸν Δράκοντα τὴν πτέρναν αὐτοῦ: οὕτως γάρ φησιν ὁ Ἄρατος: δεξιτεροῦ ποδὸς ἴχνος ἔχων σκολιοῖο Δράκοντος.