Fall 1999: Week 11

DE NATURA DEORUM M. TULLI CICERONI
LIBER II. xli-xliv

ON THE NATURE OF GODS BY MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO BOOK 2, CH. 41-44

XLI. Atque hoc loco me intuens: "Utar," inquit, "carminibus Arateis, quae a te admodum adulescentulo conversa ita me delectant quia Latina sunt ut multa ex iis memoria teneam. Ergo, ut oculis adsidue videmus, sine ulla mutatione aut varietate
 

     cetera labuntur celeri caelestia motu
     cum caeloque simul noctesque diesque feruntur,

quorum contemplatione nullius expleri potest animus naturae constantiam videre cupientis;
 

     extremusque adeo duplici de cardine vertex
     dicitur esse polus.

Hunc circum Arctoe duae feruntur numquam occidentes;

     ex his altera apud Graios Cynosura vocatur,
     altera dicitur esse Helice,

cuius quidem clarissimas stellas totis noctibus cernimus,

     quas nostri Septem soliti vocitare Triones;

paribusque stellis similiter distinctis eundem caeli verticem lustrat parva Cynosura:
 

     hac fidunt duce nocturna Phoenices in alto;
     sed prior illa magis stellis distincta refulget
     et late prima confestim a nocte videtur,
     haec vero parva est, sed nautis usus in hac est,
     nam cursu interiore brevi convertitur orbe.

XLI. Here he looked at me and said, "I will make use of the poems of Aratus, as translated by yourself when quite a young man, which because of their Latin dress give me such pleasure that I retain many of them in memory. Well then, as we continually see with our own eyes, without any change or variation

     Swiftly the other heavenly bodies glide,
     All day and night travelling with the sky,

and no one who loves to contemplate the uniformity of nature can ever be tired of gazing at them.

     The furthest tip of either axle-end
     Is called the pole.

Round the pole circle the two Bears, which never set;

     One of these twain the Greeks call Cynosure,
     The other Helice is named;

and the latter’s extremely bright stars, visible to us all night long,

     Our countrymen the Seven Triones call;

and the little Cynosure consists of an equal number of stars similarly grouped, and revolves round the same pole:

     Phoenician sailors place in this their trust
     To guide their course by night; albeit the other
     Shines out before and with more radiant stars
     At earliest night-fall far and wide is seen,
     Yet small though this one is, the mariner
     On this relies, since it revoles upon
     An inner circle and a shorter path.

XLII. Et quo sit earum stellarum admirabilior aspectus,

     has inter, veluti rapido cum gurgite flumen,
     torvus Draco serpit subter superaque revolvens
     sese conficiensque sinus e corpore flexos.

Eius cum totius est praeclara species, <tum> in primis aspicienda est figura capitis atque ardor oculorum:

     huic non una modo caput ornans stella relucet,
     verum tempora sunt duplici fulgore notata
     e trucibusque oculis duo fervida lumina flagrant
     atque uno mentum radianti sidere lucet;
     obstipum caput at tereti cervice reflexum
     obtutum in cauda maioris figere dicas.

Et reliquum quidem corpus Draconis totis noctibus cernimus:

     hoc caput hic paulum sese subito aequore condit,
     ortus ubi atque obitus partem admiscetur in unam.

Id autem caput

     attingens defessa velut maerentis imago
     vertitur,

quam quidem Graeci

     Engonasin vocitant, genibus quia nixa feratur.
     hic illa eximio posita est fulgore Corona.

Atque haec quidem a tergo, propter caput autem Anguitenens,

     quem claro perhibent Ophiuchum nomine Graii.
     hic pressu duplici palmarum continet Anguem,
     atque eius ipse manet religatus corpore torto,
     namque virum medium serpens sub pectora cingit,
     ille tamen nitens graviter vestigia ponit
     atque oculos urguet pedibus pectusque Nepal.

Septentriones autem sequitur

     Arctophylax, vulgo qui dicitur esse Bootes,
     quod quasi temoni adiunctam prae se quatit Arctum.

Dein quae sequuntur: huic enim Booti

     subter praecordia fixa videtur
     Stella micans radiis, Arcturus nomine claro,

cuius <pedibus> subiecta fertur

     Spicum inlustre tenens splendenti corpore Virgo.

XLII. Also the further to enhance the beauty of those constellations,

     Between them, like a river flowing swift,
     The fierce-eyed Serpent winds; in sinuous coils
     Over and under twines his snaky frame.

His whole appearance is very remarkable, but the most striking part of him is the shape of his head and the brillance of his eyes:

     No single shining star his head adorns,
     His brows are by a double radiance marked,
     And from his cruel eyes two lights flash out,
     The while his chin gleams with one flashing star;
     His graceful neck is bent, his head reclined,
     As if at gaze upon the Great Bear’s tail.

And while the rest of the Serpent’s body is visible all night long,

     This head a moment sinks beneath the sea,
     Where meet its setting and its rise in one.

Next to its head however

     The weary figure of a man in sorrow
     Revolves,

which the Greeks

     Engonasin call, as travelling "on his knees."
     Here is the Crown, of supreme radiance.

This is in the rear of the Serpent, while at its head is the Serpent-holder,

     By Greeks called Ophiuchus, famous name!
     Firm between both his hands he "holds the Snake,"
     Himself in bondage by its body held,
     For serpent round the waist engirdles man.
     Yet treads he firm and presses all his weight,
     Trampling upon the Scorpion’s eyes and breast.

After the Septentriones comes

     The Bear-ward, commonly Boötes called,
     Because he drives the Bear yoked to a pole.

And then the following lines: for with this Boötes

     beneath his bosom fixed appears
     A glittering star, Arcturus, famous name,

and below his feet moves

     The Virgin bright, holdering her ear of corn
     Resplendent.

XLIII. Atque ita dimetata signa sunt ut in tantis discriptionibus divina sollertia appareat:

     et natos Geminos invises sub caput Arcti,
     subiectus mediae est Cancer, pedibusque tenetur
     magnus Leo tremulam quatiens e corpore flammam.

Auriga

     sub laeva Geminorum obductus parte feretur:
     adversum caput huic Helicae truculenta tuetur,
     at Capra laevum umerum clara obtinet.

[Tum quae sequuntur:]

     verum haec est magno atque inlustri praedita signo,
     contra Haedi exiguum iaciunt mortalibus ignem.
 

Cuius sub pedibus

     corniger est valido conixus corpore Taurus.

Eius caput stellis conspersum est frequentibus:

     has Graeci stellas Hyadas vocitare suërunt,

a pluendo (huein enim est pluere), nostri imperite Suculas, quasi a subus essent, non ab imbribus nominatae. Minorem autem Septentrionem Cepheus passis palmis a tergo subsequitur:

     namque ipsum ad tergum Cynosurae vertitur Arcti.

Hunc antecedit

     obscura specie stellarum Cassiepia.
     hanc autem inlustri versatur corpore propter
     Andromeda aufugiens aspectum maesta parentis.
     huic Equus ille iubam quatiens fulgore micanti
     summum contingit caput alvo, stellaque iungens
     una tenet duplices communi lumine formas
     aeternum ex astris cupiens conectere nodum.
     exin contortis Aries cum cornibus haeret;

quem propter

     Pisces, quorum alter paulum praelabitur ante
     et magis horriferis Aquilonis tangitur auris.

XLIII. And the constellations are so accurately spaced out that their vast and ordered array clearly displays the skill of a divine creator:

     By the Bear’s head you will descry the Twins,
     Beneath its belly the Crab, and in its claws
     The Lion’s bulk emits a twinkling ray.

The Charioteer

     Hidden beneath the Twins’ left flank will glide;
     Him Helice confronts with aspect fierce;
     At his left shoulder the bright She-goat stands.

[And then the following:]

     A constellation vast and brilliant she,
     Whereas the Kids emit a scanty light
     Upon mankind.

Beneath her feet

     Crouches the hornéd Bull, a mighty frame.

His head is bespangled with a multitude of stars:

     The Greeks were wont to call them Hyades,

from their bringing rain, the Greek for which is hyein, while our nation stupidly names them the Sucking-pigs, as though the name Hyades were derived from the word for ‘pig’ and not from ‘rain.’ Behind the Lesser Septentrio follow Cepheus, with open hands outstretched;

     For close behind the Bear, the Cynosure,
     He wheels.

Before him comes

     Cassiepía with her darkling stars,
     And next to her roams a bright shape, the sad
     Andromeda, shunning her mother’s sight.
     The belly of the Horse touches her head,
     Proudly he tosses high his glittering mane;
     One common star holds their twin shapes conjoint
     And constellations linked indissolubly.
     Close by them stands the Ram with wreathéd horns;

and next to him

     The Fishes gliding, one some space in front
     And nearer to the North Wind’s shuddering breath.

XLIV. Ad pedes Andromedae Perseus describitur,

     quem summa <a> regione aquilonis flamina pulsant;

cuius

     propter laevum genus omni ex parte locatas
     parvas Vergilias tenui cum luce videbis.
     inde Fides posita et leviter convexa videtur.
     inde est ales Avis lato sub tegmine caeli.

Capiti autem Equi proxima est Aquarii dextra totusque deinceps Aquarius.

     tum gelidum valido de pectore frigus anhelans
     corpore semifero magno Capricornus in orbe;
     quem cum perpetuo vestivit lumine Titan,
     Brumali flectens contorquet tempore currum.
 

Hic autem aspicitur

     ut sese ostendens emergit Scorpios alte
     posteriore trahens plexum vi corporis Arcum,
     quem propter nitens pinnis convolvitur Ales,
     at propter se Aquila ardenti cum corpore portat.

Deinde Delphinus,

     exinde Orion obliquo corpore nitens.

Quem subsequens

     Fervidus ille Canis stellarum luce refulget.

Post Lepus subsequitur,

     curriculum numquam defesso corpore sedans;
     at Canis ad caudam serpens prolabitur Argo.
     hanc Aries tegit et squamoso corpore Pisces
     Fluminis inlustri tangentem corpore ripas.

Quem longe serpentem et manantem aspicies,

     proceraque Vincla videbis,
     quae retinent Pisces caudarum a parte locata . . .
     inde Nepae cernes propter fulgentis acumen
     Aram, quam flatu permulcet spiritus Austri.

Propterque Centaurus

     cedit Equi partis properans subiungere Chelis.
     hic dextram porgens, quadrupes qua vasta tenetur,
     tendit et inlustrem truculentus cedit ad Aram;
     hic sese infernis e partibus erigit Hydra,

cuius longe corpus est fusum,

     in medioque sinu fulgens Cratera relucet,
     extremam nitens plumato corpore Corvus
     rostro tundit; et hic Geminis est ille sub ipsis
     Ante-Canem, Prokuvn Graio qui nomine fertur.

Haec omnis discriptio siderum atque hic tantus caeli ornatus ex corporibus huc et illuc casu et temere cursantibus potuisse effici cuiquam sano videri potest? an vero alia quae natura mentis et rationis expers haec efficere potuit? Quae non modo ut fierent ratione eguerunt sed intellegi qualia sint sine summa ratione non possunt.

XLIV. At the feet of Andromeda Perseus is outlined,

     Assailed by all the zenith’s northern blasts;

and by him

     at his left knee placed on every side
     The tiny Pleiads dim you will descry.
     And, slightly sloping, next the Lyre is seen,
     Next the winged Bird ‘neath heaven’s wide canopy.

Close to the Horse’s head is the right hand of Aquarius, and then his whole figure.

     Next in the mighty zone comes Capricorn,
     Half-brute, half-man; his mighty bosom breathes
     An icy chill; and when the Titan sun
     Arrayeth him with never-ceasing light,
     He turns his car to climb the wintry sky.

Here we behold

     How there appears the Scorpion rising high,
     His mighty tail trailing the bending Bow;
     Near which on soaring pinions wheels the Bird
     And near to this the burning Eagle flies.

Then the Dolphin,

     And then Orion slopes his stooping frame.

Following him

     The glowing Dog-star radiantly shines.

After this follows the Hare,

     Who never resteth weary from her race;
     At the Dog’s tail meandering Argo glides.
     Her the Ram covers, and the scaly Fishes,
     And her bright breast touches the River’s banks.

It’s long winding current you will observe,

     And in the zenith you will see the Chains
     That bind the Fishes, hanging at their tails . . .
     Then you’ll descry, near the bright Scorpion’s sting,
     The Altar, fanned by Auster’s gentle breath.

And by it the Centaur

     Proceeds, in haste to hoin the Horse’s parts
     Unto the claws; extending his right hand,
     That grasps the mighty beast, he marches on
     And grimly strides towards the Altar bright.
     Here Hydra rises from the nether realms,

her body widely outstretched;

     And in her midmost coil the Wine-bowl gleams,
     While pressing at her tail the feathered Crow
     Pecks with his beak; and here, hard by the Twins,
     The Hound’s Forerunner, in Greek named Prokyon.

Can any sane person believe that all this array of stars and this vast celestial adornment could have been created out of atoms rushing to and fro fortuitously and at random? Or could any other being devoid of intelligence and reason have created them? Not merely did their creation postulate intelligence, but it is impossible to understand their nature without intelligence of a high order.