THE PLANETS. 113 



mensions of the seven colors of the spectrum to the diatonic 

 scale.* 



The hypothesis of yet unknown members of the planetary 

 series calls to mind the opinion of Hellenic antiquity, that 

 there were far more than five planets ; these were, indeed, 

 all that had been observed, but many others might remain 

 unseen, on account of the feebleness of their light and their 

 position. Such a doctrine was especially attributed to Arte- 

 midorus of Ephesus.f Another old Hellenic, and perhaps 

 even Egyptian belief, appears to have been, that " the celes- 

 tial bodies which we now see were not all visible in earlier 

 times." Connected with such a physical, or, much rather, 

 historical myth, is the remarkable form of the praise of a 

 high antiquity which some races ascribed to themselves. 



Thus the pre-Helleriic Pelasgian inhabitants of Arcadia 

 called themselves Proselenes, because they boasted that they 

 came into the country before the Moon accompanied the 

 Earth. Pre-Hellenic and pre-lunarian were synonymous. 

 The appearance of a star was represented as a celestial event, 

 as the Deucalionic flood was a terrestrial event. Apuleius 

 (Apologia, vol. ii., p. 494, ed. Oudendorp ; Cosmos, vol. ii., 

 p. 189, note) extends the flood as far as the Gatulean mount- 

 ains of Northern Africa. Apollonius Rhodius, who, accord- 

 ing to Alexandrian custom, was fond of imitating old models, 

 speaks of the early colonization of the Egyptians in the val- 



* Newtoni Opuscula Mathematica, Philosophica et Philologica, 1744, 

 torn, ii., Opusc. xviii., p. 246: "Chordam musice divisam potius adhi- 

 bui, non tantum quod cum phsenomiuis (lucis) optime couvenit, sed 

 quod fortasse, aliquid circa colorum harmonias (quarum pictores non 

 penitus ignari sunt). sonorum coricordautiis fortasse analogas, involvat. 

 Quemadmodum verisimilius videbitur animadvertenti affinitatem, qute 

 est inter extimam Purpurara (Violarura colorem) ac Rubedinem, colo- 

 rum extremitates, qualis inter octavae terminos (qui pro unisonis quo- 

 dammodo haberi possunt) reperitur." " I preferred employing the di- 

 visions of the musical chord, not only because they harmonize best with 

 the phenomena [of light], but because it is possible there may be some 

 latent analogy between the harmonies of colors (with which painters 

 are not altogether unacquainted) and the concords of sounds. This 

 will appear more probable to any one who shall notice the similarity 

 of relations between violet and red, the extreme colors [on the spec- 

 trum], and the highest and lowest notes of the octave, which someh?Hv 

 may be considered as in unison." Compare also Prevost, in the M6m. 

 de VAcad. de Berlin for 1802, p. 77 and 93. 



t Seneca, Nat. Qu&st. VIL, 13 : " Non has tantum stellas quinque 

 discurrere, sed solas observatas esse : ceterum innumerabiles ferri per 

 occultum." " Not that these five stars only moved, but that they only 

 had been observed, for a countless number are borne along beyond the 

 reach of vision." 



