40 
pliny's kattjeal history. 
[Book II. 
CHAP. 11. (14.) — OP THE MOTION OP THE MOOH". 
It is certain that tlie moon, having her horns always turned 
from the sun, when she is waxing, looks towards the east ; 
when she is waning, towards the west. Also, that, from the 
second day after the change, she adds 47|- minutes^ each day, 
until she is full, and again decreases at the same rate, and 
that she always becomes invisible when she is within 14 de- 
grees of the sun. This is an argument of the greater size of 
the planets than of the moon, since these emerge when they 
are at the distance of 7 degrees only^. But their altitude 
causes them to appear much smaller, as we observe that, 
during the day, the brightness of the sun prevents those 
bodies from being seen which are fixed in the firmament, 
although they shine then as well as in the night : that this 
is the case is proved by eclipses, and by descending into very 
deep wells. 
CHAP. 12. (15.) — OP THE MOTIOI^S OP THE PLACETS XND 
THE OENEEAL LAWS OP THEIH ASPECTS^. 
The three planets, which, as we have said, are situated 
above the sun"^, are visible when they come into conjunction 
mth him. They rise visibly^ in the morning, when they are 
not more than 11 degrees from the sun^ ; they are afterwards 
directed by the contact of his rays*^, and when they attain 
the trine aspect, at the distance of 120 degrees, they take 
their morning stationary positions^, which are termed pri- 
1 In a subsequent part of the work, xviii. 75, the author gives a dif- 
ferent rate of increase, viz. 51^ minutes ; neither of these numbers is 
correct ; the mean rate of increase being, according to Alexandre, about 
54j' or 55' ; Lemaire, ii. 261, 262. See also Marcus in Ajasson, ii. 311-14. 
2 It is scarcely necessary to remark, that the effect, as here stated, has 
no connexion with the supposed cause. 
3 "lummum canonica." ^ Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. 
5 They are then said, in astronomical language, to rise hehacaUy. 
^ In the last chapter this distance was stated to be 7 degrees ; see the 
remarks of Alexandre, in Lemaire, ii. 263. 
7 "radiorum ejus contactu reguntur." The doctrine of the ancient 
astronomers was, that the motions of the planets are always governed by 
the rays of the sun, according to its position, attracting or repelling them. 
8 A planet appears to be stationary, i. e. to be referred to the same 
point of the zodiac, when it is so situated with respect to the earth, that 
