LIBER TERTIUS. I.
Igitur incipiemus a polo boreo protinus dicere, quo utraeque Arcti nixae uehuntur, arctico circulo clausae et ita collocatae, ut alternis unaquaeque earum resupinata caput alterius tegere uideatur, ita tamen, ut caput eius quae superior fuerit, ad caudam inferioris contendat. harum maior in extremo circulo pedes habet fixos. praeterea habet in capite stellas VII omnes obscuras, in utrisque auribus binas, in humero claram I, in pede nouissimo II, in summo interscapilio I, in crure de posterioribus primo I, in pede priore II, in cauda ipsa tres. ita totius sideris stellae sunt omnino XXI. Minor autem habet in stationis unoquoque loco stellas singulas clare lucentes, et supra caudam III, omnino VII. Sed in prioribus caudae stellis una est infima quae polus appellatur, ut Eratosthenes dicit, per quem locum ipse mundus existimatur uersari; reliqui autem duo choreutae dicuntur, quod circum polum uersantur.
Book 3. I. The Two Bears
Let us then begin at once with the north pole, about which both Bears are carried, shut in by the arctic circle and so placed that, each lying on its back in alternation, the one seems to cover the head of the other, yet in such a way that the head of the one that is higher reaches toward the tail of the lower. Of these the greater has its feet fixed on the outermost circle. It has, besides, in the head 7 stars, all dim, in each ear 2, on the shoulder 1 bright one, in the last foot 2, at the top of the shoulder-blades 1, in the first of the hind legs 1, in the fore foot 2, in the tail itself 3. Thus the stars of the whole constellation are 21 in all. The lesser has, at each point of its station, single stars shining brightly, and above the tail 3, 7 in all. But among the front stars of the tail one, the lowest, is called the pole, as Eratosthenes says, about which place the world itself is thought to turn; the other two are called the choreutae (dancers), because they revolve about the pole.
II. DRACO
inter duas Arctos collocatus, uidetur corporis sinu facto Arctum minorem ita concludere, ut paene pedes eius tangere uideatur, cauda autem flexa caput maioris adtingere et suo capite tamquam reducto circulum arcticum tangens, corpus ut in spiram complicare. et si quis diligentius attenderit, uidere poterit caput Draconis ad maioris Ursae regionem caudae collocatum. hic habet in utroque tempore stellas singulas, in oculis singulas, in mento I et toto corpore reliquo passim dispositas X, ita ut omnino sint stellae XV.
II. The Dragon
The Dragon, placed between the two Bears, is seen to enclose the Lesser Bear by the winding of its body so that it seems almost to touch its feet, while its tail, bent, seems to touch the head of the greater, and with its own head, as if drawn back, touching the arctic circle, it folds its body in a coil. And if anyone looks more closely, he will be able to see the head of the Dragon placed toward the region of the tail of the Great Bear. It has on each temple a single star, in the eyes one each, in the chin 1, and on the rest of the body 10 scattered here and there, so that there are 15 stars in all.
III. ARCTOPHYLAX.
Huius manum sinistram circulus arcticus includit ita, ut neque occidere neque exoriri uideatur; ipse autem positus ab arctico circulo ad aestiuum definitur, inclinatus in longitudinem, dextro pede aestiuo circulo nixus. huius humeros et pectus a reliquo corpore diuidit circulus, qui per utrosque polos transiens tangit Arietem et Chelas. hic quod cum Tauro et Geminis orientibus et Cancro et Leone occidit, ideo sero occidere dicitur. qui magis erectus a pedibus peruenit ad terram, at plagius exoriens citius quam Chelae uidetur. habet autem in manu dextra stellas quattuor, quae numquam occidere dicuntur, in capite stellam I, in utroque humero singulas, in utraque mamma singulas, sed clariorem dextram et sub ea alteram obscuram, et in cubito dextro claram I, in zona unam clarius ceteris lucentem (haec stella Arcturus appellatur), in utrisque pedibus singulas. quae omnino sunt XIIII.
III. Arctophylax
The arctic circle includes his left hand, so that he seems neither to set nor to rise; he himself, placed from the arctic circle to the summer circle, is bounded, inclined lengthwise, resting with his right foot on the summer circle. A circle which, passing through both poles, touches the Ram and the Claws (Chelae) divides his shoulders and chest from the rest of the body. Because he sets together with the Bull and the Twins rising, and the Crab and the Lion, he is said to set late. More upright from the feet, he reaches the earth, but rising aslant he is seen sooner than the Claws. He has, however, in the right hand 4 stars, which are said never to set, in the head 1 star, in each shoulder 1, in each breast 1, but the right one brighter, and under it another, dim, and in the right elbow 1 bright, in the belt one shining more brightly than the rest (this star is called Arcturus), in each foot 1. These are 14 in all.
IV.
CORONAM humero sinistro prope contingere Arctophylax uidetur; qui autem Engonasin dicitur, dextri pedis calce coniungitur. haec Cancro et Leone exoriente occidere, cum Scorpione exoriri perspicitur. habet autem stellas VIIII in rotundo dispositas, sed ex his tres clarius ceteris lucentes.
IV. The Crown
Arctophylax is seen almost to touch the Crown with his left shoulder; the one who is called Engonasin is joined to it by the heel of his right foot. It is seen to set when the Crab and the Lion rise, and to rise with the Scorpion. It has 9 stars arranged in a circle, of which three shine more brightly than the rest.
V. ENGONASIN.
Hic positus inter duos circulos, arcticum et aestiuum, utrisque pedibus et dextro genu, quem ante diximus, arcticum circulum finit; ita tamen, ut dextro pede prioribus digitis circulum terminet, sinistro autem toto caput Draconis opprimere conetur. humeris autem uelut sustinens circulum aestiuum et manu dextra porrecta tangens; laeuam autem e regione sinistro genu porrigens aequali interuallo circuli aestiui et genu sinistri. hic occidens capite prius quam reliquo corpore deuenit ad terram. qui cum totus occidit, occidit, ut pendere pedibus ex arctico circulo uideatur, exoriens ante pedibus quam reliquis membris. Habet autem in capite stellam I, in sinistro brachio I, in utroque humero singulas clare lucentes, in manu sinistra I, in dextro cubito alteram; in utroque latere singulas, sed clariorem in sinistro; in dextro femine duas, in genu I, in poplite I, in crure duas; in pede I quae dicitur clara; in sinistra manu quattuor, quas pellem Leonis esse nonnulli dixerunt. sunt omnis XVIIII.
V. Engonasin (the Kneeler)
Placed between the two circles, the arctic and the summer, with both feet and the right knee, as we said before, he bounds the arctic circle; yet so that with the front toes of the right foot he ends the circle, while with the whole of the left he tries to press down the Dragon's head. With his shoulders, as if upholding the summer circle, and with his right hand stretched out, he touches it; stretching out his left hand opposite the left knee at an equal interval from the summer circle and the left knee [?]. Setting head first before the rest of the body, he comes down to earth. When he has set entire, he sets so as to seem to hang by his feet from the arctic circle, rising feet first before his other limbs. He has in the head 1 star, in the left arm 1, in each shoulder 1 brightly shining, in the left hand 1, in the right elbow another; in each side 1, but a brighter one in the left; in the right thigh 2, in the knee 1, in the ham 1, in the shin 2; in the foot 1 which is called bright; in the left hand 4, which some have said are the lion's skin. There are 19 in all.
VI. LYRA.
Haec posita est contra regionem eius loci, qui locus est inter genu et manum sinistram eius qui Engonasin uocatur. cuius ipsa testudo spectat ad arcticum circulum; summum autem cacumen ad polum notium contendere uidetur. haec Uirgine exoriente occidere, cum Sagittario exoriri perspicitur. habet autem in ipsis testudinis lateribus singulas stellas; in summis cacuminibus eorum, quae in testudine ut brachia sunt collocata, singulas; in mediis isdem quos humeros Eratosthenes fingit, singulas; in scapulis ipsius testudinis unam; in imo Lyrae, quae ut basis totius uidetur, unam.
VI. The Lyre
This is placed opposite the region of that place which lies between the knee and the left hand of the one called Engonasin. Its sounding-box (testudo) faces the arctic circle; its top, however, seems to strive toward the southern pole. It is seen to set when the Virgin rises, and to rise with the Archer. It has a single star on each side of the sounding-box; at the tops of those parts which are set on the box like arms, one each; at the middle of the same, which Eratosthenes imagines as shoulders, one each; at the shoulder-blades of the box itself, one; at the foot of the Lyre, which seems like the base of the whole, one.
VII. OLOR.
Huius una ala est ad circumductionem huius circuli qui arcticus uocatur, contingens extremum pedem sinistrum eius qui Engonasin uocatur. sinistram autem alam habet paululum extra circulum aestiuum, paene coniungens pedibus Pegasi. Aestiuus autem circulus rostrum eius a reliquo corpore diuidit. cauda iungitur extrema cum capite Cephei. hic cum Uirgine et Chelis orientibus occidens, prius capite quam reliquis membris deuenit ad terram, exoritur autem cum Capricorno. hic habet in capite stellam clare lucentem I, in collo alteram pari fulgore, in utrisque pennis quinas, supra caudam I. omnino habet stellas XIII.
VII. The Swan
One of its wings is at the circumference of the circle called arctic, touching the extremity of the left foot of the one called Engonasin. Its left wing it has a little outside the summer circle, almost joining the feet of Pegasus. The summer circle, moreover, divides its beak from the rest of the body. Its tail is joined at the extremity to the head of Cepheus. This, setting when the Virgin and the Claws rise, comes down to earth head first before the rest of its limbs, and rises with Capricorn. It has in the head 1 brightly shining star, in the neck another of equal brilliance, in each wing 5, above the tail 1. In all it has 13 stars.
VIII.
CEPHEUS a tergo minoris Arcti constitutus, includitur arctico circulo a pedibus ad pectus, ut praeter humeros et caput eius nihil occidere uideatur; neque longe abest a flexu Draconis, quem capite primum efficere uidetur. Cepheus autem manibus utrisque proiectis figuratus, tanto dissidet interuallo a pedibus Arcti minoris, quantum spatium inter pedes Cephei uidetur. huius caput Scorpione exorto occidere, cum Sagittario exoriri perspicitur. hic autem habet in capite stellas II, in manu dextra I, item in cubito obscuram I, in sinistra manu et humero singulas, in dextro humero I, in zona, quae medium eius diuidit corpus, III stellae clarae uidentur, in latere dextro obscura I, in sinistro genu II, in utrisque pedibus singulae, supra pedes stellae IIII. hic totus omnino stellarum est XVIIII.
VIII. Cepheus
Cepheus, set behind the Lesser Bear, is enclosed by the arctic circle from the feet to the breast, so that, except his shoulders and head, nothing of him seems to set; and he is not far from the bend of the Dragon, which he is seen to make with his head first [?]. Cepheus, moreover, figured with both hands stretched out, stands apart from the feet of the Lesser Bear by as great an interval as the space that is seen between Cepheus's own feet. His head is seen to set when the Scorpion has risen, and to rise with the Archer. He has in the head 2 stars, in the right hand 1, likewise in the elbow 1 dim, in the left hand and shoulder 1 each, in the right shoulder 1, in the belt, which divides his body in the middle, 3 bright stars appear, in the right side 1 dim, in the left knee 2, in each foot 1, above the feet 4 stars. Altogether he has 19 stars.
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