Chap. 6.] 
ACCOUNT OF THE WOELD. 
29 
Below the Sun^ revolves the great star called Venus, wan- 
dering with an alternate motion^, and, even in its surnames, 
rivalling the Sun and the Moon. Tor when it precedes the 
day and rises in the morning, it receives the name of Lucifer, 
as if it were another sun, hastening on the day. On the 
contrary, when it shines in the west, it is named Vesper, as 
prolonging the light, and performing the office of the moon. 
Pythagoras, the Samian, was the first who discovered its 
nature^, about the 62nd olympiad, in the 222nd year of the 
City"^. It excels all the other stars in size, and its brilliancy 
is so considerable, that it is the only star which produces a 
shadow by its rays. There has, consequently, been great 
interest made for its name ; some have called it the star of 
among the ancients, where, in speaking of the period of a revolution, both 
the time preceding and that following the interval are included. 
1 The division of the planets into superior and inferior was not known 
to Aristotle, De Mundo, cap. ii. p. 602, to Plato, Timseus, p. 318, 319, or 
the older Grreek astronomers. It was first made by the Egyptians, and 
was transferred from them to the E^omans. It is one of the points in 
which our author differs from Aristotle. See the remarks of Marcus in 
Ajasson, ii. 242 et seq. Marcus notices the various points which prove 
the deficiency of Phny's knowledge of astronomy ; he particularizes the 
four following : — ^his ignorance of the true situation of the constellations ; 
his erroneous opinion respecting the cause of the seasons ; his account of 
the phases of the moon, and of the position of the cardinal points. He 
appears not to have been aware, that certain astronomical phsenomena 
undergo a regular progression, but supposed that they remained, at the 
time when he wrote, in the same state as m the age of Hipparchus or 
the original observers. Columella, when treating on these subjects, de- 
scribes the'phgenomena according to the ancient calculation, but he informs 
us, that he adopts it, because it was the one in popular use, and better 
known by the farmers (De He Kust. ix. 14), while Pliny appears not to 
have been aware of the inaccuracy. 
2 " Modo solem antegrediens, modo subsequens." Hardouin in Le- 
maire, ii. 243. 
3 It was not known to the earher writers that Lucifer and Yesper were 
the same star, differently situated with respect to the Sun. Playfair re- 
marks, that Yenus is the only planet mentioned in the sacred writings, 
and in the most ancient poets, such as Hesiod and Homer ; Outhiies, 
ii. 156. 
* There has been much discussion among the commentators respecting 
the correctness of the figures in the text ; according to the sera of the 
olympiads, the date referred to will be between the years 750 and 754 B.C. ; 
the foundation of Rome is commonly referred to the year 753 B.C. See 
the remarks of Marcus m Ajasson, ii. 278, 9. 
