BOOK II. xn. 59-61 



they set and are never more than 11 degrees separate 

 from the sun at dawn when they rise. Afterwards 

 they retire from contact with his rays, and make 

 their morning or ' first ' stations in a triangle 120 

 degrees away, and subsequently their evening 

 risings opposite 180 degrees away, and again ap- 

 proaching from the other side, make their evening 

 or ' second ' stations 120 degrees away, till the sun 

 overtaking them at 12 degrees obscures them — this 

 is called their evening setting. The planet Mars 

 being nearer feels the sun's rays even from its quad- 

 rature, at an angle of 90 degrees, which has given 

 to his motion after each rising the name of ' first ' 

 or ' second ninety-degree.' At the same time 

 Mars remains stationary in the signs of the 

 zodiac for periods of six months (otherwise having a 

 two-month period), whereas Jupiter and Saturn spend 

 less than four months in each station." The two 

 lower planets (Mercuiy and Venus) are similarly 

 obscured at their evening conjunction, and when left 

 by the sun make their morning rising the same 

 number of degrees away, and from the further 

 limits of their distance follow the sun and when they 

 have overtaken him are hidden in their morning 

 setting and pass away. Then they rise in the even- 

 ing at the same distance apart, as far as the limits 

 we have stated. From these they pass backward to 

 the sun, and disappear in their evening setting. The 

 planet Venus actually makes two stations, morning 

 and evening, after each rise, from the furthest 



" Brotier : Martis stella proprio cursu bimestris est, hoo 

 est duobus mensibus signum unum pervagatur, binis ferme 

 annis duodena (cf. 34). Eadem ab una statione ad alteram 

 menses senos insumit : ceterae, Jovis et Saturni, vix quaternos. 



209 



