have no names [1]with the masses; for they have appellations with some divine persons.[1] For Lucifer and Hesperus, being the same, have the appellation almost of Venus, and are very well suited to a Syrian name-giver.[2] But the star, which revolves with an equal velocity with the Sun and this (Lucifer), has (the name) almost of Mercury.[3] And further, let us speak of three onward movements (of those stars), that take their course to the right hand, together with the Sun and Moon. But it is requisite to call the eighth orb one, which a person may most correctly[4] call the upper world, which proceeds contrary to all those,[5] and draws the others along with it, as it would appear to persons who know little on these matters; but what we know sufficiently, it is necessary to speak of, [6]and we do speak.[6] For wisdom really existing is somehow in this way apparent to him, who has a share, although a small one, of consciousness[7] correct and divine. Three stars then remain, one of which differs from the rest[8] by the slowness of its motion. Some call it by the name of Phænon [Saturn];[9] but that, which is after this in slowness, it is meet to call Phaethon
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 I have translated, as if the Greek were— πρὸς τῶν πολλῶν ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἐπωνυμίας εἰλήφασιν πρὸς θεἰων ἐνίων— where πρὸς τῶν πολλῶν has been preserved by the best MS. Z, and has thus led me to elicit θεἰων from θεῶν, acknowledged by "deorum" in Ficinus, and found subsequently in five MSS. in lieu of ἐνίων— And thus there is a proper antithesis between πρὸς τῶν πολλῶν, and πρὸς θεἰων ἐνίων—
- ↑ In lieu of νομοθέτῃ Ast happily conjectured ὀνοματοθέτῃ, not, as Stalbaum says, ὀνομαθέτῃ. The words are constantly confounded, as shown perpetually in the Cratylus. With regard to the name of Venus being suited to a Syrian name-giver, Ast correctly explains it by showing that Venus was worshipped in Syria under many names.
- ↑ Such is the reading of the MS. of Ficinus, and of all the others but the best Z, which offers Στίλβων, without σχεδὸν— Now, since so rare a word could hardly be introduced as an explanation, I suspect that the more common Ἐρμοῦ is the explanation of Στίλβωνος—
- ↑ Ficinus has "jure," as if his MS. read, what the sense requires, κάλλιστ’ instead of μάλιστ’— for the two words are constantly confounded.
- ↑ Ast quotes Cicero in Somn. Scip. 4, "Huic (extimo orbi) subjecti sunt septem, qui versantur retro contrario motu atque cœlum."
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The words between the numerals Ficinus and Taylor omit.
- ↑ In lieu of συννοίας, Ficinus found in his MS. ἐννοίας, as shown by his "intelligentiæ—"
- ↑ So Ficinus, whose "ceteris" plainly proves that he found in his MS. τῶν ἅλλων instead of αὐτῶν—
- ↑ As I have rejected just before Ἐρμοῦ, the interpretation of Στίλβωνος, so here Κρόνου, Διὸς, and Ἅρεος are the explanations respectively
