IV.
Tertius ab aestiuo circulo, qui hiemalis uocatur, his corporibus et eorum partibus finitur. nam medium Capricornum diuidens et pedes Aquarii, per caudam Pistricis ut traiectus uidetur. diuidit etiam Leporem fugientem a cruribus et quadam parte corporis, et Canis sequentis pedes et Nauis ipsius puppim, Centaurique ceruices a reliquo corpore diuidit. Scorpionis extrema cauda, quod acumen uocatur, eodem circulo coniungitur. Sagittarii arcus eodem orbe deformatur. huius orbis infra terram sunt de partibus VIII partes V, supra terram autem III. itaque fit breuior dies nocte, ut ante demonstrauimus.
IV. On the winter circle
The third circle from the summer one, which is called the winter circle, is bounded by these bodies and their parts. For, dividing the middle of Capricorn and the feet of Aquarius, it is seen as if drawn through the tail of the Whale (Pistrix). It divides also the fleeing Hare from the legs and a certain part of the body, and the feet of the following Dog, and the stern of the ship itself, and divides the neck of the Centaur from the rest of his body. The extreme tail of the Scorpion, which is called its sting, is joined to the same circle. The bow of the Archer is shaped on the same orb. Of this orb, of its 8 parts, 5 are under the earth, 3 above. And so the day is shorter than the night, as we showed before.
V.
Quartum circulum zodiacum esse Aratus demonstrat; de quo ante iam diximus et posterius dicemus. sed Aratus non, ut reliqui astrologi, ab Ariete XII signa demonstrat, hoc est uere incipiente, sed a Cancro, hoc est ipsa aestate. nos autem, quoniam ab Ariete incipimus, ita protinus dicemus. in hoc enim circulo sic XII signa figurantur: Aries, Taurus, Gemini; in his tribus signis uer demonstratur et aequinoctium uernum. Cancer, Leo, Uirgo; in his signis maxime aestas conficitur, sed sol incipit a Uirgine iam transire ad aequinoctium autumnale. Chelae, Scorpius, Sagittarius; in his tribus signis autumnus efficitur et aequinoctium autumnale. Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces; in his tribus signis sol hiemem transigere demonstratur. etsi non sunt XII signa, sed XI ideo quod Scorpius magnitudine sui corporis duorum locum occupat signorum, e quibus prior pars Chelae, reliqua autem Scorpius uocatur. priores enim astrologi, cum omnes res ad duodecim partes reuocarent, ut menses et horas et latitudinem signorum, itaque et signa, per quae res omnes significantur, XII uoluerunt esse.
V. On the zodiac
Aratus shows that the fourth circle is the zodiac; of which we have already spoken before, and shall speak later. But Aratus does not, like the other astronomers, set out the 12 signs from the Ram, that is from the beginning of spring, but from the Crab, that is from summer itself. We, however, since we begin from the Ram, shall proceed accordingly. On this circle the 12 signs are formed as follows: the Ram, the Bull, the Twins; in these three signs spring and the spring equinox are shown. The Crab, the Lion, the Virgin; in these signs summer is chiefly made, but the sun begins from the Virgin already to pass toward the autumn equinox. The Claws, the Scorpion, the Archer; in these three signs autumn and the autumn equinox are produced. Capricorn, Aquarius, the Fishes; in these three signs the sun is shown to spend the winter. Although there are not 12 signs but 11, because the Scorpion, by the size of its body, occupies the place of two signs, of which the first part is called the Claws, the rest the Scorpion. For the earlier astronomers, since they brought everything back to twelve parts, as the months and the hours and the breadth of the signs, wished the signs also, by which all things are signified, to be twelve.
VI.
Sed quoniam VII circulis in prooemio propositis, de quattuor circulis mentionem fecimus, ne septem ex ordine demonstratis, aliquid a nobis obscurius dictum uideatur, sed de VII superant III, arcticos, antarcticos et ille qui lacteus uocatur: itaque de his dicere incipiemus. Arcticon igitur orbem sustinet caput Draconis cum reliqua corporis parte. Cepheus autem pectore suo circulum iungit. eodem orbe nituntur et pedes maioris Ursae, praeterea sedile Cassiepiae cum pedibus eius nititur ipso circulo, et dextro pede genuque sinistro et pedis prioribus digitis is qui Engonasin uocatur, et manus sinistra Bootis exteriore parte circuli peruenit coniuncta. Ad antarcticum autem circulum peruenit extrema nauis Argo pedesque Centauri posteriores adiunguntur, priores autem paene contingere et Ara uidetur prope adfixa et Eridani fluminis extrema significatio.
VI. The arctic and antarctic circles
But since, seven circles having been proposed in the preface, we have made mention of four circles, lest, the seven not having been shown in order, something seem to have been said by us rather obscurely, of the seven there remain three: the arctic, the antarctic and that which is called the Milky. So we shall begin to speak of these. The arctic orb, then, is supported by the head of the Dragon with the rest of its body. Cepheus joins the circle with his breast. On the same orb rest the feet of the Great Bear; besides, the seat of Cassiepia with her feet rests on the circle itself, and the one called Engonasin with his right foot and left knee and the front toes of his foot, and the left hand of Bootes reaches, joined, the outer part of the circle. To the antarctic circle reach the end of the ship Argo, and the hind feet of the Centaur are joined, while the front feet seem almost to touch it, and the Altar seems nearly fixed to it, and the extreme indication of the river Eridanus.
VII.
Reliquum est nobis definire quem supra lacteum orbem demonstrauimus. is enim diuidit Oloris extremam sinistram pennam, quae extra aestiuum peruenit finem. praeterea transit manum dextram Persei, et ab humero sinistro Aurigae perueniens sub manum eius dextram et Geminorum genua et pedes eius signi, quod Procyon uocatur. hinc diuidens aequinoctialem et aestiuum circulum, tangit extremum finem mali, qui in Argo naui defixus uidetur; deinde rursus reuertens, genua Centauri diuidit a reliquo corpore et extremam caudam terminat Scorpionis et arcum medium Sagittarii et Aquilae dimidiam partem, per eius transiens pennas.
VII. The Milky Way
It remains for us to define the circle which above we showed to be the Milky orb. It divides the extreme left wing of the Swan, which extends beyond the summer boundary. Besides, it crosses the right hand of Perseus, and, going from the left shoulder of the Charioteer, passes under his right hand and the knees of the Twins and the feet of that sign which is called Procyon. From here, dividing the equinoctial and the summer circle, it touches the extreme end of the mast which is seen fixed in the ship Argo; then, turning back again, it divides the knees of the Centaur from the rest of his body, and bounds the extreme tail of the Scorpion and the middle of the bow of the Archer and half of the Eagle, passing through its wings.
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