The Lantern

The Preparation of the Gospel · BOOK 1546

CCEL

CHAPTER XLVI ---- OF THE ORDER OF THE STARS.

'XENOCRATES thinks that the stars move on one superficies.

'The other Stoics that some are before others in height and depth.

'Democritus puts the fixed stars first, and next to these the planets, after which the Sun, the Day-star, the Moon.

'Plato next to the position of the fixed stars sets first the planet called Phaenon, that is Saturn: second Phaethon, that is Jupiter; third the Fiery, Mars; fourth the Day-star, Venus; fifth Stilbon, Mercury; sixth the Sun; seventh the Moon.

'Of the Mathematicians some agree with Plato, but some put the Sun in the centre of all.

'Anaximander, and Metrodorus of Chios, and Crates think that the Sun is placed highest of all, next to him the Moon, and beneath them the fixed stars and planets.'