Chap. 71.] BISING OP CONSTELLATIONS. 108 



Nortliem Wain is never seen in Troglodytice', nor in Egypt, 

 which borders on it^ ; nor can we, in Italy, see the star (Ja- 

 nopus', or Berenice's Hair* ; nor what, under the Emperor 

 Augustus, was named Caesar's Throne, although they are, 

 there', very brilliant stars. The curved form of the earth is 

 so obvious, rising up like a ridge, that Canopus appears to a 

 spectator at Alexandria to rise above the horizon almost the 

 quarter of a sign ; the same star at Rhodes appears, as it 

 were, to graze aSoug the earth, while in Pontus it is not seen 

 at all; where the Northern Wain appears considerably 

 elevated. This same constellation cannot be seen at Rhodes, 

 and still less at Alexandria. In Arabia, in the month of 

 November, it is concealed during the first watch of the 

 night, but may be seen during the second' ; in Meroe it is 

 seen, for a short time, in the evening, at the solstice, and it 

 is visible at day-brealc, for a few days before the rising of 

 Arcturus'. These facts have been principally ascertained 

 by the expeditions of navigators ; tne sea appearing more 

 elevated or depressed in certain parts* ; the stars suddenly 

 coming into view, and, as it were, emerging from the water, 

 after having been concealed by the bulging out of the globe*. 

 But the heavens do not, as some suppose, rise higher at one 



* The Troglodytice of the ancients may be oonsidered as nearly corre- 

 sponding to the modem Abyssinia and Nubia. 



^ This remark is incorrect, as far as respects nearly the whole of Egypt ; 

 see the remarks of Marcus, in Ajttsson, ii. 245. 



* This is a star of the first magnitude in the southern constellation of 

 Argo ; we have a similar statement in Manihus, i. 216, 217. 



* The commentators suppose that the star or constellation here referred 

 to cannot be the same with what bears this name on the modem celestial 

 atlas ; vide Hardouin in loco, also Marc, in Ajasson, ut supra. The 

 constellation of Berenice's hair forms the subject of Catullus's 67th poem. 



* In Troglodytice and in Egypt. 



^ The first watch of the night was from 6 p.m. to 9 ; the second from 

 9 to midnight. 



7 According to Columella, xi. 2. 369, this was 9 Calend. Mart., cor- 

 responding to the 2l8t of February. 



^ " In alia adverso, in alia prono mari." I have adopted the opinion 

 of Alexandre, who explains the terms " adverso" and " prono," " ascen- 

 denti ad polum," and " ad austrum deveio ;" a similar sense is given to 

 the passage by Poinsinet and Ajasson, in their translations. 



9 " Anfractu pilae." See Manilius, i. 206 et seq. for a similar mode of 

 expression. 



