Chap. 6.] 
ACCOUNT OE THE WOELD. 
27 
Afterwards Cleostratus made the signs in it, first marking 
those of Aries and Sagittarius ; Atlas had formed the sphere 
long before this time^ But now, leaving the further con- 
sideration of this subject, we must treat of the bodies that 
are situated between the earth and the heavens^. 
It is certain that the star called Saturn is the highest, and 
therefore appears the smallest, that he passes through the 
largest circuit, and that he is at least thirty years in com- 
pleting it^. The course of all the planets, and among others 
of the Sun, and the Moon, is in the contrary direction to 
that of the heavens^, that is towards the left, while the hea- 
the same work by Scott of Aberdeen. I may remark, that these two 
accomits do not quite agree in their estimate of his merits ; the latter 
author considers his opinions more correct. We have also an account of 
Anaximander in Stanley, pt. 2. p. 1 et seq.^ and in Enfield, i. 154 et seq. 
1 In the translation of Ajasson, ii. 261-7, we have some valuable ob- 
servations by Marcus, respecting the origin and progress of astronomy 
among the Greeks, and the share which the individuals mentioned in the 
text respectively had in its advancement ; also some interesting remarks 
on the history of Atlas. Diodorvis Siculus says, that " he was the first 
that discovered the knowledge of the sphere ; whence arose the common 
opinion, that he carried the world upon his shoulders." Booth's trans, 
p. 115. 
2 " nunc rehcto mundi ipsius corpore, rehqua inter coelum terrasque 
tractentur." I have already had occasion to remark upon the various 
modes in which the author uses the word mundus ; by coeUim, in this 
passage, he means the body or region beyond the planets, wliich is con- 
ceived to contain the fixed stars. SpJicBra^ in the preceding sentence, 
may be supposed to mean the celestial globe. 
3 " ac trigesimo anno ad brevissima sedis suae principia regredij" I 
confess myself imable to offer any hteral explanation of this passage ; nor 
do the remarks of the commentators appear to me satisfactory ; see Har- 
douin and Alexandre in Lemaire, ii. 241, 2. It is translated by Ajasson 
" en trente ans il reviens a I'espace minime d'ou il est parti." The pe- 
riod of the sidereal revolutions of the planets, as stated by Mrs. Somer- 
ville, in her " Mechanism of the Heavens," and by Sir J. Herschei, in 
his " Treatise on Astronomy," are respectively as follows : — 
days. days. 
Mercury 87*9705 87*9692580 
Yenus 224*7 224*7007869 
Earth 365*2564 365*2563612 
Mars 686*99 686*9796458 
Jupiter 4332-65 4332*5848212 
Saturn 10759*4 10759*2198174 
Somerville, p. 358, Herschel, p. 416. 
^ "*mundo;' hoc est, coelo inerrantium steUarum." Hardouin, in 
Lemaire, ii. 242. 
