BOOK II. iii. 9-iv. 12 



structure, the circle called the Zodiac being marked 

 out into the likenesses of twelve animals ; and also 

 by the uniform regularity in so many centuries of 

 the sun's progress through these signs. 



IV. As regards the elements also I observe that fout 

 they are accepted as being four in number : topmost (^^mem». 

 the element of fire, source of yonder eyes of all those 

 blazing stars ; next the vapour which the Greeks and 

 our own nation call by the same name, air — this is 

 the principle of Ufe, and penetrates all the universe 

 and is intertwined with the whole ; suspended by its 

 force in the centre of space is poised the earth, 

 and with it the fourth element, that of the waters. 

 Thus the mutual embrace of the unUke results in an 

 interlacing, the Ught substances being prevented 

 by the heavy ones from flying up, while on the 

 contrary the heavy substances are held from crashing 

 down by the upward tendency of the Ught ones. In 

 this way owing to an equal urge in opposite directions 

 the elements remain stationary, each in its own place, 

 bound together by the unresting revolution of the 

 world itself ; and with this ahvays running back to 

 its starting-point, the earth is the lowest and central 

 object in the whole, and stays suspended at the pivot 

 of the universe and also balancing the bodies to 

 which its suspension is due ; thus being alone motion- 

 less with the universe revolving round her she both 

 hangs attached to them aU and at the same time is 

 that on which they aU rest. Upheld by the same The pianeta 

 vapour between earth and heaven, at definite spaces 

 apart, hang the seven stars which owing to their 

 motion we caU ' planets,'" although no stars wander 

 less than they do. In the midst of these moves the Thesun. 

 sun, whose magnitude and power are the greatest, 



177 



