THEORY OF THE FIRMAMENT. 3 



of fluctuating motions, and not bearing to be separated but 

 for a small distance from the guardian protection of the 

 sun. Moreover, after we arrive at the region of Venus, 

 the flamy nature begins to gain strength and to wax 

 brighter, and to be collected into a globe of a tolerable 

 size; nevertheless she also is the handmaid of the sun, 

 and shudders with an abhorrence of any greater recession 

 from him. But in the region of the sun, flame is set, as it 

 were, on a throne, the mean being among the flames of 

 the planets, for there it is stronger and more glittering 

 than the flames of the fixed stars, on account of the 

 greater restraining* influence shed all around, and the 

 closest possible union. But flame in the region of Mars is 

 observed to be likewise powerful, denoting by its splendor 

 the sun s vicinity, yet existing of its own proper virtue, 

 and admitting of a separation from the sun to the extent 

 of the whole diameter of the firmament. In the region of 

 Jupiter, however, flame, laying aside, in a gradual man 

 ner, this emulation, appears more serene and clear, not so 

 much from its proper nature, (as the planet Venus, she being 

 more sparkling,) but from being less moved and excited by 

 the nature spread around him;f in which region it is 

 probable that takes place, which Galileo devised, to wit, 

 that the firmament there begins to be studded with stars, 

 although from their minuteness invisible. But again, in 

 the region of Saturn the nature of flame seems to become 

 somewhat languid and faint, as being both farther removed 

 from an alliance with the sun, and exhausted by the neigh 

 bouring constellated firmament. Lastly, a flamy and 

 sidereal nature having overpowered the astherial nature, 

 gives a constellated firmament composed of an setherial 

 and sidereal nature, as the globe of the earth is of con 

 tinent and waters scattered up and down on this side and 

 that side, the setherial substance being however overruled, 

 subdued, and assimilated, so as to thoroughly endure and 

 become subservient to the sidereal. Wherefore, from the 

 earth, to the summit of the firmament are found three 



* Antiperistasin : Trtpi^affig signifies, generally, circumstance : but in 

 Athen. 1. 5. it also denotes circuitus : al e rrjQ Trfpi^afftojc; Svpai rov 

 upiOfiov tiKOffi ovaai, portae, quae in circuitu erant, viginti, &c. ; therefore the 

 illustrious author may mean by antiperistasis the attractive influence of the 

 sun opposed to, and which detains [cohibet] the planets in their orbits. 



t Or, &quot; from the nature spread around him being less,&quot; &c. according as 

 irritata and exasperata are taken in the nominative or ablative case. 



