The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. II. A memorable eclipse of the Sunne in the East parts. A discourse according to Naturalists, as touching the motions of Sunne and Moone, and their eclipses.

AT the same time, in the east parts, the aire was to mens sight over cast with a darke mist, and from the dawning of the day untill noone tide, starres were seene continually to shine. And to increase this fearefull accident, it fell out so, that when the heavenly daylight was * 1.1 hidden by reason that there was a totall darknesse over the face of the earth like unto the night, men were afraid, and supposed verily, that the Sunne was extraordinarily * 1.2 eclipsed, see∣ing him first diminished to the shape of the Moone, horned, or in the new; then, in∣creased to the forme of an halfe Moone, and afterward restored full and whole a∣gaine. A thing that happeneth not at other times so evidently, unlesse it be when the Moone, after unequall and oblique courses, and certaine spaces betweene, in her change returneth to the same points or beginning; that is, when in the house of the same signe the whole body of the Moone is found by most direct lines quite oppo∣site under the Sunne, and stayeth a while in these minutes, which in the art of Geo∣metrie are tearmed Parts. But, albeit the conversions and motions of both planets, as the searchers * 1.3 of intelligible causes have observed, after the course of the moone

fulfilled, by a perpetuall distinction meet in one and the same end: yet is not the Sunne in those daies alwayes hidden and covered, but when the Moone by a just plumbe-line, as it were, is opposite in the middest, and interposed betweene the fie∣rie globe of the Sunne and our sight. In briefe, then is the Sunne hidden, and his shining light suppressed, when himselfe and the roundle of the Moone (the lowest of all the starres) accompanying together, keeping their owne proper Sphęres, and placed joyntly (saving the regard of height) as Ptolomaee both skilfully and elegant∣ly sheweth, are come to those dimensions which they usually tearme in the Greeke tongue 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say, eclipticke or defective conjunctions ascending and descending. And if they touch the places joyning close unto the said * 1.4 joynts, the eclipse will be the smaller: but if they abide in the very points and joynts, which bind more streight together the said ascents and des∣cents, then is the skie overcast with grosser darkenesse, as if the aire were thickened; so that we are not able to see so much as the things that stand just before our eyes. Moreover, wee thinke that wee behold two Sunnes in this wise: in case a cloud mounted higher than ordinarie, and shining againe by reason of the neerenesse of those eternall * 1.5 lights, represent the brightnesse of another circle by the reflection, as it were, from a pure glasse. Now, come we to the Moone. Thus onely and not otherwise suffereth the Moone a plaine and evident eclipse, when beeing in her full light round, and opposit unto the Sunne, she is from his Orbe distant one hun∣dred and eightie parts, that is to say, in the seventh signe. And albeit this distance and opposition happeneth alway in every full Moone, yet for all that shee is not al∣wayes then eclipsed. But because she being placed about the mobilitie of the earth and the utmost of that universall beautie, and most remote from heaven, putteth her selfe under the Sunne, that otherwhiles striketh upon her, by interposition of the limit of the night that endeth in a pointed cone, she lieth hidden for a while, and is enwrapped or covered within the blacke globes of shadow, in case the Sunne, compassed about with the bent of the inward Sphęre, by reason of the masse of earth lying in the way, is not able to enlighten her with his beames, for that she hath no proper light of her owne, according as divers opinions have collected. Againe, when by equall parts she meeteth with the Sunne at one and the same signe, darke∣ned she is (as hath beene said) totally, and her white and bright hue is wholly ob∣scured, what time she is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. in her conjunction or change. Now, she is thought to arise new againe, when by a small declining, as it were, from a plumbe-line, she carrieth the Sunne erected just over her. And this arising of hers as yet but small, is first seene of men, when leaving the companie of the Sunne, she proceedeth to the second signe. After she is gone therefore further still, and is now good and lightsome, and shaped, as one would say, with hornes, she commeth to be tearmed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. carrying the forme of a Moone: but what time shee beginneth to be removed a great way and distance from the Sunne, so that she is proceeded as farre as to the fifth signe, for that his beames are turned upon her, shee conceiveth greater light, and is named in the Greeke tongue 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which forme representeth a * 1.6 semicircle. Then passing on still, and having now caught the most remote signe, she sheweth the figure 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, bearing and bunching out on both sides: but when she is sited just against and directly by line opposite, she will shine out at the full, as keeping the house of the seventh signe, yea, and whiles shee converseth or abideth yet in the same, and beeing a little gone further, diminisheth; which habite or state of hers we tearme 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. full, or whole Moone; and the same formes as before,

she taketh againe in her wane as she waxeth old. And out of the learning of many writers that agree in one mind, we are taught, that the Moone was never seene u∣niversally eclipsed or darkened altogether, but in the time of her change. Moreo∣ver, whereas we have said before, that the Sunne hath his course one while above in the skie, and another while in the world below, yee are to know, That the bodies of planets and starres, in regard of the universall frame of the world, neyther set norrise; but seeme so to our sight (who are here beneath upon the earth) as eleva∣ted and held aloft by the motion of some inward spirit, and in comparison of the great fabricke of the world, are set under it no bigger than a small pricke: and one while wee behold above us the starres fixed in the skie, whose order is perpetuall; and sometimes againe, because mans sight doth faile, we suppose they are depar∣ted and gone out of their places. But now let us returne to our purposed hy∣storie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  operiretur.
• * 1.2

  Like as the moone in her con∣junction with the Sunne, which we call the Chaunge, hath an universall defect.
• * 1.3

  Astronomers.
• * 1.4

  Caput & cauda Draconis.
• * 1.5

  from the Sunne.
• * 1.6

  halfe a circle.