The Constellations between the Tropicks and the South-pole
Down past the tropics to the stars of the south: Orion, the Dog, the Ship, the Whale.
[p. 17] Farewell cold North, thy Ice benums my Muse,I fly from Thee, and warmer Regions chuse;Betwixt the Tropicks of the Traveling Sun,I'll trace the Signs that burn the torrid Zone,Then pass those bounds and view the Stars that rollBetween cold Caper and the lower Pole.
Orion
First next the Twins, see great Orion rise,His Armes extended stretch o'er half the Skies:His stride as large, and with a stately paceHe marches on, and measures a vast space.On each broad Shoulder a bright Star's display'd,And three obliquely grace his hanging Blade.In his vast Head immerst in boundless spheresThree Stars less bright, but yet as great, he bears.But farther off remov'd, their Splendor's lost,Thus grac'd and arm'd He leads the Starry Host.
The Dog-Star
Next barks the Dog, and from his Nature flowThe most afflicting Powers that rule below,Heat burns his Rise, Frost chills his setting Beams,And vex the World with opposite Extremes.He keeps his Course, nor from the Sun retreats,Now bringing Frost, and now encreasing Heats:Those that from Taurus view this rising Star,Guess thence the following state of Peace and War,Health, Plagues, a fruitfull or a barren Year.
He makes shrill Trumpets sound, and frightens Peace,Then calms and binds up Iron War in Ease.As he determines, so the Causes draw,His Aspect is the World's supremest Law.This Power proceeds from the vast Orb He runs,His Brightness equals or exceeds the Sun's,But far remov'd he through the distant spaceDarts feeble splendour from his Azure face.Yet others He excells, no fairer LightAscends the Skies, none sets so clear a bright.
[p. 18] Procyon
The Hare
Next Procyon view, and next the nimble Hare,
Argo
Then Argo sailing through the liquid Air;Advanc'd from all the Dangers of the Tides,Which first she stem'd, she now securely rides.Heaven is her Port, and now she rules the Flouds,A Goddess made for saving of the Gods.
The Serpent
Close by the Serpent spreads; whose winding SpiresWith order'd Stars resemble scaly Fires.
The Crow
The Cup
Next flies the Crow, and next the generous BowlOf Bacchus flows, and chears the thirsty Pole.The Centaur next in double shapes exprest,A Humane Body joyns a Horse's Breast.
The Altar
The World's great Temple next, and Altar liesGrac'd with the Gifts of conquering Deities,When Earth-born Giants did the Skies invade,The lesser Gods implor'd the greater's Aid,His Power Jove doubted when he view'd from farThe threatning force of the unequal War.When He inverted Nature's Frame beheld,That Earth rose upward, and that All rebell'd.That Hills on Hills heap'd, rais'd their threatning Head,And frighted Stars approaching Mountains fled;When impious Armies at a monstrous BirthBroke through the Bowels of the gaping Earth,Of disagreeing Forms, and frightfull Makes,Vast Humane Bodies twisted into Snakes.
E'er this no Danger and no fear was known,And wanton Jove sate idly in his Throne.But lest some greater Power (soft ease betray'dHis Mind to doubt) should yield the Rebels aid,He rais'd this Altar, and the Form appearsWith Incense loaded, and adorn'd with Stars.
[p. 19] The Whale
Next on his Belly floats the mighty WhaleHe twists his Back, and rears his threatning Tail;He spouts the Tide, and cuts the foaming Way,Wide gapes his Mouth, as eager on his Prey;Such on Andromede He rusht, and boreThe troubled Waves beyond their usual shore.
The Southern Fish
Next Swims the Southern Fish, which bears a NameFrom the South-wind, and spreads a feeble Flame.
The Flouds
To him the Flouds in spacious windings turn,One Fountain flows from cold Aquarius Urn;And meets the other where they joyn their StreamsOne Chanel keep, and mix the Starry Beams.
Betwixt th' Eclyptick, and the latent BearsWhose creaking Axis turns the rolling Spheres,Those stranger Skies are painted with these Stars.Which ancient Artists in their wondrous LinesTransmit to Fame, and call the Southern Signs,
The other part lies hid, the vast abodeOf unknown Nations, by our Feet untrod.From the same Sun they take their common Light,But different Shades: in an inverted site,Their Signs o'th' left Hand ¹⁶set, and rise o'th' right.Their Skies as large, their Stars as splendid run,Equal i'th' rest, but are excell'd by One,By Caesar's Star which doth o'er us preside,Earth's present joy, and Heaven's future pride.
The Southern Pole
For that the lower Pole resemblance bearsTo this Above, and shines with equal Stars;With Bears averse, round which the Draco twines,At once divides them, and at once confines,That there as many Constellations move,We must believe from what we find above.For Fancy, which decaying Sense supplies,Not onely feigns a Vertex like to This,But all resembling Beauties of the Skies.
The notes
¹⁶ Manilius is not constant in his Position; most commonly as a Poet he turns his face to the West, and then the North is on his right hand, and the South on the left: sometimes as an Astronomer he turns his face to the South, and this is the position in this place. (Creech’s note, 1697)
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The text is Thomas Creech's 1697 verse translation, checked word by word between three scans of the same type (the 1697 printing, the 1700 printing and a third copy). The long s is printed as s; every other spelling is Creech's. Pages are cited as the 1697 printing numbers them. The portrait is William Marshall’s engraving of Lilly from the front of the 1659 printing (Wellcome Library, public domain).