Chapter VII.—Concerning light, fire, the luminaries, sun, moon and stars.

Fire is one of the four elements, light and with a greater tendency to ascend than the others. It has the power of burning and also of giving light, and it was made by the Creator on the first day. For the divine Scripture says, And God said, Let there be light, and there was light307    Gen. i. 3.. Fire is not a different thing from what light is, as some maintain. Others again hold that this fire of the universe is above the air308    Text, ὑπερ. Variant, ὑπο, but this does not agree with the view of the author or the ancients. and call it ether. In the beginning, then, that is to say on the first day, God created light, the ornament and glory of the whole visible creation. For take away light and all things remain in undistinguishable darkness, incapable of displaying their native beauty. And God called the light day, but the darkness He called night309    Gen. i. 5.. Further, darkness is not any essence, but an accident: for it is simply absence of light. The air, indeed, has not light in its essence310    Basil, Hom. 2, in Hexaëmeron.. It was, then, this very absence of light from the air that God called darkness: and it is not the essence of air that is darkness, but the absence of light which clearly is rather an accident than an essence. And, indeed, it was not night, but day, that was first named, so that day is first and after that comes night. Night, therefore, follows day. And from the beginning of day till the next day is one complete period of day and night. For the Scripture says, And the evening and the morning were one day311    Gen. i. 5..

When, therefore, in the first three days the light was poured forth and reduced at the divine command, both day and night came to pass312    Basil, Hom. 2, in Hexaëmeron.. But on the fourth day God created the great luminary, that is, the sun, to have rule and authority313    Text, ἐξουσίαν: variant. ἐξουσίας. over the day: for it is by it that day is made: for it is day when the sun is above the earth, and the duration of a day is the course of the sun over the earth from its rising till its setting. And He also created the lesser luminaries, that is, the moon and the stars, to have rule and authority314    Variant here also, ἐξουσίας. over the night, and to give light by night. For it is night when the sun is under the earth, and the duration of night is the course of the sun under the earth from its rising till its setting. The moon, then, and the stars were set to lighten the night: not that they are in the daytime under the earth, for even by day stars are in the heaven over the earth but the sun conceals both the stars and the moon by the greater brilliance of its light and prevents them from being seen.

On these luminaries the Creator bestowed the first-created light: not because He was in need of other light, but that that light might not remain idle. For a luminary is not merely light, but a vessel for containing light315    Basil, Hom. 6, in Hexaëmeron..

There are, we are told, seven planets amongst these luminaries, and these move in a direction opposite to that of the heaven: hence the name planets. For, while they say that the heaven moves from east to west, the planets move from west to east; but the heaven bears the seven planets along with it by its swifter motion. Now these are the names of the seven planets: Luna, Mercury, Venus, Sol, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and in each zone of heaven is, we are told, one of these seven planets:

In the first and highest Saturn

In the second Jupiter

In the third Mars

In the fourth Sol

In the fifth Venus

In the sixth Mercury

In the seventh and lowest Luna.

The course which the Creator316    Text, ὁ Δημιουργός. Variant, ὁ δημιουργήσας. appointed for them to run is unceasing and remaineth fixed as He established them. For the divine David says, The moon and the stars which Thou establishedst317    Ps. viii. 3., and by the word ‘establishedst,’ he referred to the fixity and unchangeableness of the order and series granted to them by God. For He appointed them for seasons, and signs, and days and years. It is through the Sun that the four seasons are brought about. And the first of these is spring: for in it God created all things318    Basil, Hom. 6, in Hexaëmeron., and even down to the present time its presence is evidenced by the bursting of the flowers into bud, and this is the equinoctial period, since day and night each consist of twelve hours. It is caused by the sun rising in the middle, and is mild and increases the blood, and is warm and moist, and holds a position midway between winter and summer, being warmer and drier than winter, but colder and moister than summer. This season lasts from March 21st till June 24th. Next, when the rising of the sun moves towards more northerly parts, the season of summer succeeds, which has a place midway between spring and autumn, combining the warmth of spring with the dryness of autumn: for it is dry and warm, and increases the yellow bile. In it falls the longest day, which has fifteen hours, and the shortest night of all, having only nine hours. This season lasts from June 24th till September 25th. Then when the sun again returns to the middle, autumn takes the place of summer. It has a medium amount of cold and heat, dryness and moisture, and holds a place midway between summer and winter, combining the dryness of summer with the cold of winter. For it is cold and dry, and increases the black bile. This season, again, is equinoctial, both day and night consisting of twelve hours, and it lasts from September 25th till December 25th. And when the rising of the sun sinks to its smallest and lowest point, i.e. the south, winter is reached, with its cold and moisture. It occupies a place midway between autumn and spring, combining the cold of autumn and the moisture of spring. In it falls the shortest day, which has only nine hours, and the longest night, which has fifteen: and it lasts from December 25th till March 21st. For the Creator made this wise provision that we should not pass from the extreme of cold, or heat, or dryness, or moisture, to the opposite extreme, and thus incur grievous maladies. For reason itself teaches us the danger of sudden changes.

So, then, it is the sun that makes the seasons, and through them the year: it likewise makes the days and nights, the days when it rises and is above the earth, and the nights when it sets below the earth: and it bestows on the other luminaries, both moon and stars, their power of giving forth light.

Further, they say that there are in the heaven twelve signs made by the stars, and that these move in an opposite direction to the sun and moon, and the other five planets, and that the seven planets pass across these twelve signs. Further, the sun makes a complete month in each sign and traverses the twelve signs in the same number of months. These, then, are the names of the twelve signs and their respective months:—

The Ram, which receives the sun on the 21st of March.

The Bull, on the 23rd of April.

The Twins, on the 24th of May.

The Crab, on the 24th of June.

The Virgin, on the 25th of July.

The Scales, on the 25th of September.

The Scorpion, on the 25th of October.

The Archer, on the 25th of November.

Capricorn, on the 25th of December.

Aquarius, on the 25th of January.

The Fish, on the 24th of February.

But the moon traverses the twelve signs each month, since it occupies a lower position and travels through the signs at a quicker rate. For if you draw one circle within another, the inner one will be found to be the lesser: and so it is that owing to the moon occupying a lower position its course is shorter and is sooner completed.

Now the Greeks declare that all our affairs are controlled by the rising and setting and collision319    Text, συγκρούσεως. Variants, συγκράσεως and συγκρίσεως. of these stars, viz., the sun and moon: for it is with these matters that astrology has to do. But we hold that we get from them signs of rain and drought, cold and heat, moisture and dryness, and of the various winds, and so forth320    Basil, Hom. 6, in Hexaëmeron., but no sign whatever as to our actions. For we have been created with free wills by our Creator and are masters over our own actions. Indeed, if all our actions depend on the courses of the stars, all we do is done of necessity321    Nemes., de Nat. Hom., ch. 34.: and necessity precludes either virtue or vice. But if we possess neither virtue nor vice, we do not deserve praise or punishment, and God, too, will turn out to be unjust, since He gives good things to some and afflicts others. Nay, He will no longer continue to guide or provide for His own creatures, if all things are carried and swept along in the grip of necessity. And the faculty of reason will be superfluous to us: for if we are not masters of any of our actions, deliberation is quite superfluous. Reason, indeed, is granted to us solely that we might take counsel, and hence all reason implies freedom of will.

And, therefore, we hold that the stars are not the causes of the things that occur, nor of the origin of things that come to pass, nor of the destruction of those things that perish. They are rather signs of showers and changes of air. But, perhaps, some one may say that though they are not the causes of wars, yet they are signs of them. And, in truth, the quality of the air which is produced322    Text, ποιουμένη. Variant, ποιούμενον. by sun, and moon, and stars, produces in various ways different temperaments, and habits, and dispositions323    Basil, Hom. 6, in Hexaëmeron.. But the habits are amongst the things that we have in our own hands, for it is reason that rules, and directs, and changes them.

It often happens, also, that comets arise. These are signs of the death of kings324    Text, θάνατον δηλοῦντα βασίλεων. Variant, θανάτων βασίλεων: also θάνατον, ἢ ἀνάδειξιν σημαίνουσι βασίλεων., and they are not any of the stars that were made in the beginning, but are formed at the same time by divine command and again dissolved325    Basil, Christi Nativit.. And so not even that star which the Magi saw at the birth of the Friend and Saviour of man, our Lord, Who became flesh for our sake, is of the number of those that were made in the beginning. And this is evidently the case because sometimes its course was from east to west, and sometimes from north to south; at one moment it was hidden, and at the next it was revealed: which is quite out of harmony with the order and nature of the stars.

It must be understood, then, that the moon derives its light from the sun; not that God was unable to grant it light of its own, but in order that rhythm and order may be unimpressed upon nature, one part ruling, the other being ruled, and that we might thus be taught to live in community and to share our possessions with one another, and to be under subjection, first to our Maker and Creator, our God and Master, and then also to the rulers set in authority over us by Him: and not to question why this man is ruler and not I myself, but to welcome all that comes from God in a gracious and reasonable spirit.

The sun and the moon, moreover, suffer eclipse, and this demonstrates the folly of those who worship the creature in place of the Creator326    Rom. i. 25., and teaches us how changeable and alterable all things are. For all things are changeable save God, and whatever is changeable is liable to corruption in accordance with the laws of its own nature.

Now the cause of the eclipse of the sun is that the body of the moon is interposed like a partition-wall and casts a shadow, and prevents the light from being shed down on us327    Text, διαναδοθῆναι: variants, διαδοθῆναι and δοθῆναι.: and the extent of the eclipse is proportional to the size of the moon’s body that is found to conceal the sun. But do not marvel that the moon’s body is the smaller. For many declare that the sun is many times larger even than the earth, and the holy Fathers say that it is equal to the earth: yet often a small cloud, or even a small hill or a wall quite conceals it.

The eclipse of the moon, on the other hand, is due to the shadow the earth casts on it when it is a fifteen days’ moon and the sun and moon happen to be at the opposite poles of the highest circle, the sun being under the earth and the moon above the earth. For the earth casts a shadow and the sun’s light is prevented from illuminating the moon, and therefore it is then eclipsed.

It should be understood that the moon was made full by the Creator, that is, a fifteen days’ moon: for it was fitting that it should be made complete328    Sever. Gabal., De opif. mundi, III.. But on the fourth day, as we said, the sun was created. Therefore the moon was eleven days in advance of the sun, because from the fourth to the fifteenth day there are eleven days. Hence it happens that in each year the twelve months of the moon contain eleven days fewer than the twelve months of the sun. For the twelve months of the sun contain three hundred and sixty-five and a quarter days, and so because the quarter becomes a whole, in four years an extra day is completed, which is called bis-sextile. And that year has three hundred and sixty-six days. The years of the moon, on the other hand, have three hundred and fifty-four days. For the moon wanes from the time of its origin, or renewal, till it is fourteen and three-quarter days’ old, and proceeds to wane till the twenty-ninth and a half day, when it is completely void of light. And then when it is once more connected with the sun it is reproduced and renewed, a memorial of our resurrection. Thus in each year the moon gives away eleven days to the sun, and so in three years the intercalary month of the Hebrews arises, and that year comes to consist of thirteen months, owing to the addition of these eleven days329    Ibid. De opif. mundi, III..

It is evident that both sun and moon and stars are compound and liable to corruption according to the laws of their various natures. But of their nature we are ignorant. Some, indeed, say that fire when deprived of matter is invisible, and thus, that when it is quenched it vanishes altogether. Others, again, say that when it is quenched it is transformed into air330    Nemes., ch. 5..

The circle of the zodiac has an oblique motion and is divided into twelve sections called zodia, or signs: each sign has three divisions of ten each, i.e. thirty divisions, and each division has sixty very minute subdivisions. The heaven, therefore, has three hundred and sixty-five degrees: the hemisphere above the earth and that below the earth each having one hundred and eighty degrees.

The abodes of the planets.

The Ram and the Scorpion are the abode of Mars: the Bull and the Scales, of Venus331    VidePorph., de antro Nymph.: the Twins and the Virgin, of Mercury: the Crab, of the Moon: the Lion, of the Sun: the Archer and the Fish, of Jupiter: Capricorn and Aquarius, of Saturn.

Their altitudes.

The Ram has the altitude of the Sun: the Bull, of the Moon: the Crab, of Jupiter: the Virgin, of Mars: the Scales, of Saturn: Capricorn, of Mercury: the Fish, of Venus.

The phases of the moon.

It is in conjunction whenever it is in the same degree as the sun: it is born when it is fifteen degrees distant from the sun: it rises when it is crescent-shaped, and this occurs twice332    Text, δίς. R. 4 has δεύτερον., at which times it is sixty degrees distant from the sun: it is half-full twice, when it is ninety degrees from the sun: twice it is gibbous, when it is one hundred and twenty degrees from the sun: it is twice a full moon, giving full light, when it is a hundred and fifty degrees from the sun: it is a complete moon when it is a hundred and eighty degrees distant from the sun. We say twice, because these phases occur both when the moon waxes and when it wanes. In two and a half days the moon traverses each sign.

Περὶ φωτός, πυρός, φωστήρων ἡλίου τε καὶ σελήνης καὶ ἄστρων

Τὸ πῦρ ἓν τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων ἐστί, κοῦφόν τε καὶ ἀνωφερέστερον τῶν λοιπῶν καυστικόν τε καὶ φωτιστικόν, τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ὑπὸ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ κτισθέν: φησὶ γὰρ ἡ θεία γραφή: «Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός: Γενηθήτω φῶς, καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς». Οὐχ ἕτερον γάρ ἐστι τὸ πῦρ εἰ μὴ τὸ φῶς, ὥς τινές φασιν. Ἕτεροι δὲ τὸ κοσμικὸν πῦρ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἀέρα φασίν, ὃ καλοῦσιν αἰθέρα. Ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν οὖν ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ φῶς, ἤτοι τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καλλωπισμὸν καὶ κόσμον πάσης τῆς ὁρατῆς κτίσεως: ἄφελε γὰρ τὸ φῶς, καὶ πάντα ἐν τῷ σκότει ἀδιάγνωστα μένουσι τὴν οἰκείαν μὴ δυνάμενα εὐπρέπειαν ἐπιδείξασθαι. «Ἐκάλεσε δὲ ὁ θεὸς τὸ μὲν φῶς ἡμέραν, τὸ δὲ σκότος ἐκάλεσε νύκτα». Σκότος δέ ἐστιν οὐκ οὐσία τις, ἀλλὰ συμβεβηκός: φωτὸς γάρ ἐστι στέρησις. Ὁ γὰρ ἀὴρ οὐκ ἐν τῇ οὐσίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἔχει τὸ φῶς. Αὐτὸ οὖν τὸ ἐστερῆσθαι τὸν ἀέρα φωτὸς σκότος ἐκάλεσεν ὁ θεός. Καὶ οὐχὶ ἡ οὐσία τοῦ ἀέρος ἐστὶ σκότος, ἀλλ' ἡ τοῦ φωτὸς στέρησις, ὅπερ συμβεβηκὸς μᾶλλον δηλοῖ ἤπερ οὐσίαν. Οὐκ ἐκλήθη δὲ πρώτη ἡ νύξ, ἀλλ' ἡ ἡμέρα: ὥστε πρώτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἡμέρα καὶ ἐσχάτη ἡ νύξ. Ἀκολουθεῖ οὖν ἡ νὺξ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς τῆς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς ἄλλης ἡμέρας ἓν νυχθήμερόν ἐστιν: ἔφη γὰρ ἡ γραφή: «Καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα καὶ ἐγένετο πρωί, ἡμέρα μία».

Ἐν μὲν οὖν ταῖς τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἀναχεομένου καὶ συστελλομένου τοῦ φωτὸς τῷ θείῳ προστάγματι ἥ τε ἡμέρα καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐγίνετο. Τῇ δὲ τετάρτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν μέγαν ἤτοι τὸν ἥλιον εἰς ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐξουσίας τῆς ἡμέρας (δι' αὐτοῦ γὰρ ἡ ἡμέρα συνίσταται: ἡμέρα γάρ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ τὸν ἥλιον ὑπὲρ γῆν εἶναι, καὶ διάστημα ἡμέρας ἐστὶν ὁ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς μέχρι δύσεως ὑπὲρ γῆν τοῦ ἡλίου δρόμος) καὶ τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν ἐλάσσω ἤτοι τὴν σελήνην καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας εἰς ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐξουσίας τῆς νυκτὸς τοῦ φωτίζειν αὐτήν. Νὺξ δέ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ τὸν ἥλιον ὑπὸ γῆν εἶναι, καὶ διάστημα νυκτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀπὸ δύσεως μέχρις ἀνατολῆς ὑπὸ γῆν τοῦ ἡλίου δρόμος. Ἡ σελήνη τοίνυν καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες ἐτάχθησαν τὴν νύκτα φωτίζειν, οὐχ ὡς τῇ ἡμέρᾳ πάντοτε ὑπὸ γῆν ὄντες (εἰσὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀστέρες ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὑπὲρ γῆν), ἀλλ' ὁ ἥλιος τούτους ἅμα καὶ τὴν σελήνην τῇ σφοδροτέρᾳ αἴγλῃ ἀποκρύπτων οὐκ ἐᾷ φαίνεσθαι.

Τοῖς φωστῆρσι τούτοις τὸ πρωτόκτιστον φῶς ὁ δημιουργὸς ἐναπέθετο οὐχ ὡς ἀπορῶν ἄλλου φωτός, ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ ἀργὸν ἐκεῖνο μείνῃ τὸ φῶς: φωστὴρ γάρ ἐστιν οὐκ αὐτὸ τὸ φῶς, ἀλλὰ φωτὸς δοχεῖον.

Ἐκ τούτων τῶν φωστήρων ἑπτὰ πλανήτας φασί. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐναντίαν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κινεῖσθαι κίνησιν, διὸ καὶ πλανήτας αὐτοὺς ἐκάλεσαν: τὸν μὲν γὰρ οὐρανόν φασιν ἐξ ἀνατολῶν ἐπὶ δυσμὰς κινεῖσθαι, τοὺς δὲ πλανήτας ἐκ δυσμῶν ἐπὶ ἀνατολάς: συμπεριφέρειν δὲ τὸν οὐρανὸν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κινήσει ὡς ὀξυτέρᾳ τοὺς ἑπτὰ πλανήτας. Τῶν δὲ ἑπτὰ πλανητῶν τὰ ὀνόματά ἐστι ταῦτα: Ἥλιος ☉, Σελήνη ☾, Ζεύς ♃, Ἑρμῆς ☿, Ἄρης ♂, Ἀφροδίτη ♀, Κρόνος ♄. Εἶναι δὲ καθ' ἑκάστης ζώνην τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἕνα τῶν ἑπτὰ πλανητῶν: ἐν μὲν τῇ πρώτῃ ἤτοι ἀνωτέρᾳ τὸν Κρόνον ♄, ἐν δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ τὸν Δία ♃, ἐν δὲ τῇ τρίτῃ τὸν Ἄρεα ♂, ἐν δὲ τῇ τετάρτῃ τὸν Ἥλιον ☉, ἐν δὲ τῇ πέμπτῃ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην ♀, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὸν Ἑρμῆν ☿, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ κατωτέρᾳ τὴν Σελήνην ☾.

Τρέχουσι δὲ δρόμον ἄληκτον, ὃν ὁ δημιουργὸς ἔταξεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ καθὼς ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτά, ὥς φησιν ὁ θεῖος Δαυίδ: «Σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας, ἃ σὺ ἐθεμελίωσας»: διὰ γὰρ τοῦ εἰπεῖν «ἐθεμελίωσας» ἐσήμανε τὸ πάγιον καὶ ἀμετάβλητον τῆς ὑπὸ θεοῦ δοθείσης αὐτοῖς τάξεώς τε καὶ εἱρμοῦ. Ἔταξε γὰρ αὐτοὺς εἰς καιροὺς καὶ εἰς ἡμέρας καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτούς.

Διὰ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ ἡλίου αἱ τέσσαρες τροπαὶ συνίστανται. Καὶ πρώτη μὲν ἡ ἐαρινή: ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ σύμπαντα καὶ δηλοῖ τὸ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ἐν αὐτῇ τῶν ἀνθῶν τὴν βλάστησιν γίνεσθαι. Ἥτις ἰσημερινὴ τροπή ἐστιν: δώδεκα γὰρ ὡρῶν τήν τε ἡμέραν καὶ τὴν νύκτα καθίστησιν. Αὕτη ἐκ τῆς μέσης ἀνατολῆς τοῦ ἡλίου συνίσταται, εὐκραὴς οὖσα, αἵματος αὐξητική, θερμὴ καὶ ὑγρὰ ὑπάρχουσα καὶ δι' ἑαυτῆς μεσιτεύουσα τῷ χειμῶνί τε καὶ τῷ θέρει, τοῦ μὲν χειμῶνος θερμοτέρα καὶ ξηροτέρα, τοῦ δὲ θέρους ψυχροτέρα καὶ ὑγροτέρα. Διατείνει δὲ αὕτη ἡ ὥρα ἀπὸ Μαρτίου καʹ μέχρις Ἰουνίου κδʹ. Εἶτα ὑψουμένης τῆς τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατολῆς ἐπὶ τὰ βορειότερα μέρη ἡ θερινὴ τροπὴ διαδέχεται, μεσιτεύουσα τῷ τε ἔαρι καὶ τῷ μετοπώρῳ, ἐκ μὲν τοῦ ἔαρος τὸ θερμὸν ἔχουσα, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ μετοπώρου τὸ ξηρόν: θερμὴ γάρ ἐστι καὶ ξηρὰ καὶ τὴν ξανθὴν αὔξει χολήν. Αὕτη δὲ μεγίστην μὲν τὴν ἡμέραν ἔχει ὡρῶν πεντεκαίδεκα, τὴν δὲ νύκτα πάνυ σμικροτάτην ὡρῶν ἐννέα διάστημα ἔχουσαν. Καὶ αὕτη δὲ διατείνει ἀπὸ Ἰουνίου κδʹ μέχρι μηνὸς Σεπτεμβρίου κεʹ. Εἶτα πάλιν εἰς τὴν μέσην ἀνατολὴν τοῦ ἡλίου ἐπανιόντος ἡ μετοπωρινὴ τροπὴ τὴν θερινὴν τροπὴν ἀμείβει μέση πως ἔχουσα ψύξεώς τε καὶ θέρμης ξηρότητός τε καὶ ὑγρότητος καὶ μεσιτεύουσα τῇ τε θερινῇ καὶ τῇ χειμερινῇ τροπῇ, ἐκ μὲν τῆς θερινῆς τὸ ξηρόν, ἐκ δὲ τῆς χειμερινῆς τὸ ψυχρὸν ἔχουσα: ψυχρὰ γάρ ἐστι καὶ ξηρὰ χολῆς τε μελαίνης αὐξητικὴ πέφυκεν. Αὕτη πάλιν ἰσημερινὴ τροπὴ ὑπάρχει δώδεκα ὡρῶν τήν τε ἡμέραν καὶ τὴν νύκτα ἔχουσα. Διατείνει δὲ αὕτη ἀπὸ Σεπτεμβρίου κεʹ μέχρι Δεκεμβρίου κεʹ. Τοῦ δὲ ἡλίου ἐπὶ τὴν μικροτέραν καὶ χθαμαλωτέραν ἤτοι μεσημβρινὴν ἀνατολὴν κατιόντος ἡ χειμερινὴ ἐπιλαμβάνεται τροπή, ψυχρά τε καὶ ὑγρὰ τυγχάνουσα καὶ μεσιτεύουσα τῇ τε μετοπωρινῇ καὶ τῇ ἐαρινῇ, ἐκ μὲν τῆς μετοπωρινῆς τὸ ψυχρὸν ἔχουσα, ἐκ δὲ τῆς ἐαρινῆς τὸ ὑγρὸν κεκτημένη. Αὕτη δὲ σμικροτάτην μὲν τὴν ἡμέραν ἔχει ἐννέα ὡρῶν ὑπάρχουσαν, τὴν δὲ νύκτα μεγίστην ὡρῶν ὑπάρχουσαν πεντεκαίδεκα, φλέγματος δὲ αὕτη ὑπάρχει αὐξητική. Διατείνει δὲ ἀπὸ κεʹ Δεκεμβρίου μέχρις καʹ Μαρτίου. Σοφῶς γὰρ ὁ δημιουργὸς προενοήσατο, ὡς ἂν μὴ ἐξ ἄκρας ψυχρότητος ἢ θερμότητος ἢ ὑγρότητος ἢ ξηρότητος ἐπὶ τὴν ἄκραν ἐναντίαν ἐρχόμενοι ποιότητα χαλεποῖς περιπέσωμεν ἀρρωστήμασι: σφαλερὰς γὰρ τὰς αἰφνιδίους μεταβολὰς οἶδεν ὁ λόγος.

Οὕτω μὲν οὖν ὁ ἥλιος τὰς τροπὰς καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ἀπεργάζεται, καὶ τὰς ἡμέρας δὲ καὶ νύκτας, τὰς μὲν ἀνατέλλων καὶ ὑπὲρ γῆν γινόμενος, τὰς δὲ ὑπὸ γῆν δύνων καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις φωστῆρσι, σελήνῃ τε καὶ ἄστρασι, τὴν φαῦσιν παραχωρῶν συνίστησι.

Φασὶ δὲ καὶ δώδεκα ζῴδια ἐξ ἀστέρων εἶναι ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ἐναντίαν κίνησιν ἔχοντα τῷ τε ἡλίῳ καὶ τῇ σελήνῃ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις πέντε πλανήταις, καὶ διὰ τῶν δώδεκα ζῳδίων παρέρχεσθαι τοὺς ἑπτά. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἥλιος καθ' ἕκαστον ζῴδιον ἀποτελεῖ μῆνα ἕνα καὶ διὰ τῶν δώδεκα μηνῶν τὰ δώδεκα ζῴδια διέρχεται. Τῶν δὲ δώδεκα ζῳδίων τὰ ὀνόματά ἐστι ταῦτα καὶ οἱ τούτων μῆνες. Κριὸς ♈ μηνὶ Μαρτίῳ καʹ δέχεται τὸν ἥλιον, Ταῦρος ♉ Ἀπριλλίῳ κγʹ, Δίδυμοι ♊ Μαΐῳ κγʹ, Καρκῖνος ♋ Ἰουνίῳ κδʹ, Λέων ♌ Ἰουλίῳ κεʹ, Παρθένος ♍ Αὐγούστῳ κεʹ, Ζυγὸς ♎ Σεπτεμβρίῳ κεʹ, Σκορπίος ♏ Ὀκτωβρίῳ κεʹ, Τοξότης ♐ Νοεμβρίῳ κεʹ, Αἰγόκερως ♑ Δεκεμβρίῳ κεʹ, Ὑδροχόος ♒ Ἰανουαρίῳ κʹ, Ἰχθύες ♓ Φεβρουαρίῳ κʹ.

Ἡ δὲ σελήνη καθ' ἕκαστον μῆνα τὰ δώδεκα ζῴδια διέρχεται κατωτέρα οὖσα καὶ ταχύτερον ταῦτα διοδεύουσα: ὡς γάρ, ἐὰν ποιήσῃς πόλον ἔνδον ἄλλου πόλου, ὁ ἔνδον πόλος μικρότερος εὑρεθήσεται, οὕτως καὶ ὁ δρόμος τῆς σελήνης κατωτέρας οὔσης ὀλιγώτερός ἐστι καὶ ἀνύεται τάχιον.

Οἱ μὲν οὖν Ἕλληνες διὰ τῆς τῶν ἄστρων τούτων ἡλίου τε καὶ σελήνης ἀνατολῆς καὶ δύσεως καὶ συγκρούσεώς φασι πάντα διοικεῖσθαι τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς: περὶ ταῦτα γὰρ ἡ ἀστρολογία καταγίνεται. Ἡμεῖς δέ φαμεν, ὅτι σημεῖα μὲν ἐξ αὐτῶν γίνονται, ὄμβρου καὶ ἀνομβρίας, ψύξεώς τε καὶ θέρμης, ὑγρότητος καὶ ξηρότητος καὶ ἀνέμων καὶ τῶν τοιούτων, τῶν δὲ ἡμετέρων πράξεων οὐδαμῶς: ἡμεῖς γὰρ αὐτεξούσιοι ὑπὸ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ γενόμενοι κύριοι τῶν ἡμετέρων ὑπάρχομεν πράξεων. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἄστρων φορᾶς πάντα πράττομεν, κατ' ἀνάγκην πράττομεν, ἃ πράττομεν: τὸ δὲ κατ' ἀνάγκην γινόμενον οὔτε ἀρετὴ οὔτε κακία ἐστίν. Εἰ δὲ μήτε ἀρετὴν μήτε κακίαν κεκτήμεθα, οὔτε ἐπαίνων καὶ στεφάνων, οὔτε ψόγων ἢ κολάσεων ὑπάρχομεν ἄξιοι: εὑρεθήσεται δὲ καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἄδικος τοῖς μὲν ἀγαθά, τοῖς δὲ θλίψεις διδούς. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ κυβέρνησιν οὐδὲ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ κτισμάτων ὁ θεὸς ποιήσεται πρόνοιαν, εἰ κατ' ἀνάγκην ἄγονται τὰ πάντα καὶ φέρονται. Καὶ τὸ λογικὸν δὲ περιττὸν ἐν ἡμῖν ἔσται: μηδεμιᾶς γὰρ ὄντες πράξεως κύριοι περιττῶς βουλευόμεθα. Τὸ δὲ λογικὸν πάντως τῆς βουλῆς ἡμῖν ἕνεκεν δέδοται: ὅθεν πᾶν λογικὸν καὶ αὐτεξούσιον.

Ἡμεῖς δέ φαμεν, ὅτι οὐκ αὐτὰ αἴτιά τινός εἰσι τῶν γινομένων οὔτε γενέσεως τῶν γινομένων οὔτε τῶν φθειρομένων φθορᾶς, σημεῖα δὲ μᾶλλον ὄμβρων τε καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀέρος μεταβολῆς. Ἴσως δ' ἄν τις εἴποι, ὅτι καὶ πολέμων οὐκ αἴτια, ἀλλὰ σημεῖα, καὶ ἡ ποιότης δὲ τοῦ ἀέρος ποιουμένου ὑπὸ ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης καὶ τῶν ἀστέρων ἄλλως καὶ ἄλλως διαφόρους κράσεις καὶ ἕξεις καὶ διαθέσεις συνίστησιν. Αἱ δὲ ἕξεις τῶν ἐφ' ἡμῖν: 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. Διὸ 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. Διὸ 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.

Δῆλον 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, Δίδυμοι καὶ Παρθένος Ἑρμοῦ, Καρκῖνος Σελήνης, Λέων Ἡλίου, Τοξότης καὶ Ἰχθύες Διός, Αἰγόκερως καὶ Ὑδριχόος Κρόνου.

Ὑψώματα: Κριὸς Ἡλίου, Ταῦρος Σελήνης, Καρκῖνος Διός, Παρθένος Ἑρμοῦ, Ζυγὸς Κρόνου, Αἰγόκερως Ἄρεως, Ἰχθύες Ἀφροδίτης.

Τὰ σχήματα τῆς σελήνης. Σύνοδος, ὅτε γένηται ἐν τῇ μοίρᾳ, ἐν ᾗ ἐστιν ὁ ἥλιος: †γέννα, ὅταν ἀποστῇ τοῦ ἡλίου μοίρας ιεʹ: ἀνατολή, ὅτε φανῇ:† μηνοειδεῖς δύο, ὅταν ἀπέχῃ μοίρας ξʹ: διχοτόμοι δύο, ὅταν ἀπέχῃ μοίρας Ϙʹ: ἀμφίκυρτοι δύο, ὅταν ἀπέχῃ μοίρας ρκʹ: πλησισέληνοι, αἳ καὶ πλησιφαεῖς, δύο, ὅταν ἀπέχῃ μοίρας ρνʹ: πανσέληνος, ὅταν ἀπέχῃ μοίρας ρπʹ. Δύο δὲ εἴπομεν, μίαν αὐξούσης καὶ μίαν ληγούσης. Διὰ δύο ἥμισυ ἡμερῶν παρέρχεται ἡ σελήνη ἕκαστον ζῴδιον.