204 THEORY OF THE EA11TH. 



the heavens, dependent upon the precession of 

 the equinoxes, which causes the colures to make 



woman, with the head directed toward the south, and the 

 feet toward the north, like that of the portico. Some doubt 

 might therefore also be raised regarding the point at which 

 the series of the signs ought to commence. According as 

 one of the perpendiculars or one of the diagonals is taken, 

 or the place where one part of the series passes over the 

 other part, the division will be judged to be at the Lion, or 

 between the Lion and the Crab ; or lastly at the Twins. 



At Esne, the ancient Latopolis, a city placed above 

 Thebes, there are zodiacs on the ceilings of two different 

 temples. That of the great temple, the entrance of which 

 faces the east, is upon two bands, which are contiguous 

 and parallel to one another, along the south side of the 

 ceiling. The female figures which embrace them are not 

 placed in the direction of their length, but in that of their 

 breadth, so that one lies across near the entrance, or to the 

 east, the head and arms toward the north, and the feet to- 

 ward the lateral wall, or toward the south, and the other is 

 in the bottom of the portico, equally across, and looking 

 toward the first. The band nearest the axis of the portico, 

 or the north, presents first, on the side of the entrance, or 

 east, and toward the head of the female figure, the Lion, 

 placed a little behind, and marching toward the bottom, the 

 feet directed toward the lateral wall. Behind the Lion, at 

 the commencement of the band, are two smaller Lions. 

 Before it is the Scarabaeus, and then the Twins marching in 

 the same direction ; then the Bull and the Ram, and the 

 Fishes close to each other, placed across upon the middle of 

 the band, the Bull having its head toward the lateral wall, 

 the ram toward the axis. The Aquarius is more distant, 



