110 Oofervathm tit the Zodiac tit t)^rtJefa. 



the fign ; for fo it is Rated to have been by Manilius af tf.e 

 time of the Julian reform, and fiich Was, according to Co- 

 lumella, the adjudraent of the Mctonic cycle, coiDparcd with 

 the tables of Hipparchus. The four ftars, of eight fays each, 

 are the doo-flar, which governed the L'gyptian year, and, 

 being eight months vifiblc m the upper hemifphere, had a 

 month affigned to each rav, as the fun lias twelve ravs to 

 deficiiale the months of his courfc Thele four Itars here 

 fignify a quadrennium, when, in ihe Roman year, an addi- 

 tional, or bifiextile dav, was added to the 365 days, which 

 conftitutcd the Egyptian. Beneath are twelve other units,' 

 as making, in the bilTI.\xtiIe year, the folar to exceed the lunar 

 twelve davs inftead of eleven. The little circle, with wings, 

 on the. bread of liis, marks a new but fubordinate nroceffioii 

 of the fun's couric, after the quadrennium has been com- 

 pleted. The waving lines extending along the figure are the 

 Egyptian hieroglyphic for flowing water; while the line of 

 ftars — each markins;, by its fix rays, as many portions of 

 time, and, with the fquare comprifing them, the fquare of 

 that number — fcverally indicates four times fix hours, or a day. 

 Thefe, amounting, to feventy-nine-, exprefs t\^ o months or luna- 

 tions, and twenty davs over, which correfpond to the t\vo 

 lunar months added by Numa to the Roman year ; and, with 

 the twelve days aIlo(.ved as above, compenfate for the differ- 

 ence between the ordinary lunar year and the folar bifJextilc, 

 while eight days, anfwering to the fun's advancement in the 

 fign, complete the given number. From the bend of the leg 

 downward, five days are fo difpofed as to fliow the five fup- 

 plemcntary days above twelve months, of thirty davs each, 

 that conftitute the Egyptian year. This is evident from the 

 horniefs beetle annexed, which wms, amono; the Egyptians, 

 an eftabliihed hierogly|;hic for a month of thirty days. The 

 three flars on the band furroundino; the legs, with the four 

 on the fliouldcr, fymbolizing conj nully feven years, give 

 feventy-feven days as the ditli'ereiice between lunar and folar 

 time, and thus rcprefent at once the fixty-fevtn days which 

 the year, by the reform of Julius, had gone back, with the 

 ten days between the winter follticc and ihe firft of January, 

 or fix days with which he lengthened the months in one part 

 of the year, and four in the other. 



Having recourfe to the Ifis of the upper divifion, it will be 

 found, that, inllead of eight units on the fhoulder, (he exhi- 

 bits but feven, whereas the lafi; of the four liar-> beneaih them 

 wants two of its rays, and the units which follow are not 

 twelve but eleven. To account for thcie variations, let it be 

 obferved, that, before the Julian reform, tlic Roman year 



being 



