The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

CHAP. LXX. [unspec I]

¶ Of the vnequall rising of the stars: of the Eclipse, both where and how it commeth.

NOw three circles there be infolded within the Zones afore named, which distinguish the inequalities of the dayes: namely the Sommer Solstitiall Tropicke, from the highest part of the Zodiacke in regard of vs, toward the North Clyme. And against it another called the Winter Tropicke toward the other Southern Pole: and in like maner the Equino∣ctial, which goes in the mids of the Zodiacke circle. The cause of the rest, which wee wonder [unspec K] at, is in the figure of the very earth, which together with the water is by the same arguments knowne to be like a globe: for so doubtlesse it commeth to passe, that with vs the stars about the North pole neuer go downe; and those contrariwise about the Meridian neuer rise. And againe, these here be not seene of them, by reason that the globe of the earth swelleth vp in the mids between. Again, Trogloditine and Egypt confining next vpon it, neuer set eye vpon the North pole stars, neither hath Italy a sight of Canopus, named also Berenices haire. Likewise another, which vnder the Empire of Augustus men sirnamed Caesaris Thronon: yet be they stars there of speciall marke. And so euidently bendeth the top of the earth in the rising, that Ca∣nopus at Alexandria seemeth to the beholders eleuate aboue the earth almost one fourth part of a signe: but if a man looke from Rhodes, the same appeareth after a sort to touch the verie [unspec L] horizon: and in Pontus, where the eleuation of the North pole is highest, not seene at all: yea, and this same pole at Rhodes is hidden, but most in Alexandria. In Arabia all hid it is at the first watch of the night in Nouember, but at the second it sheweth. In Meroe, at Midsommer in the euening it appeareth for a while; but some few daies before the rising of Arcturus seene it is with the very dawning of the day. Sailers by their voiages finde out and know these stars most of any other, by reason that some seas are opposite vnto some stars; but other lie flat and incline forward to other: for that also those pole stars appeare suddenly, and rising out of the sea, which lay hidden before vnder the winding compasse as it were of a ball. For the heauen riseth not aloft in this higher pole, as some men haue giuen out; else should these stars be seen [unspec M] in euery place: both those that vnto the next Sailers are supposed to be higher, the same seeme to them afarre off drowned in the sea. And like as this North pole seemeth to be aloft vnto those that are scituate directly vnder it; so to them that be gone so far as the other deuexitie or fall of the earth, those aboue said starres rise vp aloft there, whiles they decline downeward which here were mounted on high. Which thing could not possibly fall out but in the figure

of a ball. And hereupon it is that the inhabitants of the East perceiue not the eclipses of Sun [unspec A] or Moone in the euening, no more than those that dwell West in the morning: but those that be at noone in the South they see very oft. At what time Alexander the great won that famous victorie at Arbela, the Moone by report was eclipsed at the second houre of the night; but at the very same time in Sicily she arose. The eclipse of the Sun, which chanced before the Ca∣lends of May, when as Vipsanus and Fonteius were Consuls (being not many yeares past) was seene in Campania, betweene the 7 and 8 houres of the day: but Corbulo, a General Comman∣der then in Armenia, made report, that it was seene there betweene the tenth and 11 houres of the same day; by reason that the compasse of the globe discouereth and hides some things to some, and other to others. But if the earth were plaine and leuell, all things should appeare at once to all men; for neither should one night be longer than another, ne yet should the day of [unspec B] 12 houres appeare euen and equall to any, but to those that are seated in the mids of the earth, which now in all parts agree and accord together alike.