A44 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1754. 



to, and the slow motion of the tixed stars about the poles of the ecliptic un- 

 known, and indeed unsuspected, or disregarded afterwards, when it became sus- 

 pected. But though we should grant the place of observation to have been at, 

 or near Ascra, yet there will still remain a difficulty with respect to the time. 

 In the computation before given, it has been supposed, that Arcturus rose there 

 achronically on the 6oth day from the solstice, exclusive of the solstitial day it- 

 self; but as the particle jaitx is sometimes taken inclusively, we may reckon the 

 day of the solstice itself one of the number, which, consequently, will bring us 

 only to Feb. 26. Besides, what has been said, has been built on the suppo- 

 sition that the day of the solstice was then precisely known ; a thing however 

 not hastily to be granted. The inaccuracy of observations, and the want of 

 proper instruments, in times much later than this we are here speaking of, would 

 incline us not to attribute too much to them, in a case of so much nicety. 

 Since then we find the solstice fell out so early in the morning ; either Decem- 

 ber the 28th or 2gth might have been taken for the solstitial day ; and accord- 

 ingly 60 days after will be either February the 26th or 27th. But as the sun's 

 change of declination, at that season of the year, is very slow ; an error of a day 

 or two, or more, either forward or backward, (a thing by no means impossible) 

 will bring us to February 25 or 28, which is a difference of no less than 4 days. 



But if such mistakes could be committed at this time, how little must we sup- 

 pose the true time of the solstice known, so early as the year before Christ 880. 

 Not however to assume too much, let us suppose a mistake of 2 days only, in 

 the rising of Arcturus. By calculating as before, we shall find that a. c. 168Q, 

 the point of the ecliptic rising along with Arcturus, in the latitude of Athens, was 

 :Ch 10° 35' 55", the point opposite to which is y 10° 35' 55". But this point 

 the sun entered that year March 20, when consequently Arcturus rose there 

 achronically : but in the year before Christ 880, as before observed, Arcturus 

 might be said to rise achronically there March 2 : this gives a difference of 18 

 days in 2569 years ; whence a difference of 2 days will give 285 years, which 

 subtracted from the year before Christ 880, will give the year before Christ 595, 

 for the time of Hesiod, and consequently of Homer too, if contemporary with 

 him, for any thing that can be gathered to the contrary from the achronical 

 rising of Arcturus. 



Having now shown, in this manner, what little precision there is in this ar- 

 gument, I might, as I at first intended, take my leave of the subject, and refer 

 the settling the age of these two poets to authorities of another nature. But as 

 the favourers of their high antiquity may be startled to hear that their age may 

 be brought down so low as the year before Christ 595, I shall add something in 

 confirmation of this date to show that it is not so unreasonable as at first sight it 

 may appear. . ' 



