Vid Salmatium ad Solinum p. he is call'd Mamilius Pliny doth not say one word of his skill in Astronomy he only 4 Vid Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 10. cap. 2. affirms That he was the first of all the Romans who wrote concerning the Phoenix that never any Man saw it feed that in Arabia it is Sacred to the Sun that it lives 660 Years and that with the Life of this Bird is consummated the Conversion of the Great Year in which the Stars return again to their first points and give significations of the same Seasons as at the beginning And all this any one may write who is in an entire Ignorance of the Courses and Influence of the Stars But when Mr. Tristan farther observes that Pliny insinuates besides a particular respect a kind of Intimacy and Acquaintance between this Manilius and himself he gives us a very convincing Argument against his own conjecture for there is good reason to believe this Manilius the Poet dy'd before Augustus and therefore could not be intimate with Pliny To set this whole matter in its due light I shall as the learned and ingenious Sr. Edward Shirburn hath already done in his Preface to the Sphere of Manilius take a view of those who have been by the name of Manilius deliver'd down to Posterity as Men of Letters and then consider which of all those or whether any one of them was this Manilius the Poet. Of that Manilius whom Pliny mentions in the second Chapter of his tenth Book I have already said enough and about that Manilius whom Varro 5 De Ling. Lat. lib. 4. et 6. cites I shall not be concern'd there being no ground to think he was the Author of this Poem 6 Sir Edward Shirburn's pref Pliny lib. 35. cap. 17. tells us of one Manilius surnam'd Antiochus who with Publius Syrus and Staberius Eros were brought to Rome all three of Servile Condition but persons of good Literature His words are these Pedes Venalium trans mare advectorum Creta denotare instituerunt Majores Talemque Publium Syrum mimicae Scenae conditorem et Astrologiae consobrinum ejus Manilium Antiochum item Grammaticae Staberium Erotem eadem navi advectos videre Proavi Our Ancestors us'd to mark with Chalk the Feet of those Slaves who were brought over from beyond Sea to be sold And such an one was Publius Syrus the Founder of the Mimick Scene and his Cousin German Manilius Antiochus of Astrology and Staberius Eros of Grammar whom our great Grandfathers saw in that manner brought over in one and the same Ship This Manilius Laurentius Bonincontrius who near two ages agoe commented on our Author conceives the same with Manilius who wrote this Astronomical Poem to confirm which opinion he produces the evidence of a Silver Medal in his possession whereon was the figure of a Man in an Exotick Habit with a Sphere plac'd near his Head and this Inscription MANILI The same is affirm'd says Lilius Gyraldus by Stephanus Dulcinus and the said Gyraldus farther assures us that a familiar Friend of his one Nicolaus Trapolinus had another Medal of the like Stamp and Inscription But against this opinion of Bonincontrius and Gyraldus Scaliger opposes a double Argument one drawn from the seeming inveracity of that suppos'd Evidence no such Medal being at this day to be found in the Cabinets of any no not the most curious Antiquaries the other from the reason of Time for Manilius Antiochus being brought to Rome in the beginning of Sylla's days for he was brought in the same Ship with Staberius Eros who open'd his Grammar School in Rome whilst Sylla was alive must needs if he were the Author of this Poem have been 120 Years old when he began to write this piece being written in the latter years of Augustus Besides the Author in the Proem of this work wishes for long life to compleat his intended Poem and therefore certainly he was not of that Age it being ridiculous for a Man to wish for long life when he is at the Extream already The same Pliny lib. 36. cap. 10. speaks of one Manilius a Mathematician who when the Obelisk which Augustus erected in the Campus Martius for finding out the Hours of the day by the Shadow of the Sun with the Increase or Decrease of the Days and Nights plac'd a guilded Ball Cujus Vertice Umbra colligeretur in semetipsam alia atque alia incrementa jaculantem Apice ratione ut ferunt à capite hominis intellecta says Pliny who commends the design To this Person Scaliger conceives this work may with fairer probability be ascrib'd than to the former which Opinion is by divers other judicious Men embrac'd The excellently learn'd Isaac Vossius conceives yet that the Manilius Antiochus and the Manilius Mathematicus before mention'd are not two distinct Persons but one and the same under different Titles and Appellations and the very Author of the Poem we now publish whose particular Sentiments upon this Subject and Arguments confirming the same he was pleas'd not long since to impart to me by his most obliging Letter in answer to some Queries by me propounded in one of mine to him upon occasion of my intended publication of this piece which for the Readers satisfaction I shall here make publick tho' not in his own words yet as near as may be in his own Sense And first in answer to Scaliger's Argument drawn from Reason to Time against Manilius Antiochus upon the supposition of Staberius Eros one of the Three before mention'd set open his Grammar School in the time of Sylla ninety five years before the death of Augustus and that therefore Manilius could not probably be according to Scaliger's Computation less than 120 Years old at the time when this Poem was written he urges by way of reply that Suetonius from whom Scaliger takes the ground of his Argument doth not say that Staberius Eros open'd his School in Sylla's time but that he taught gratis the Children of those who in Sylla's time were proscrib'd The Words of Suetonius are these Sunt qui tradunt tanta eum Staberium honestate praeditum ut temporibus Syllanis Proscriptorum liberos gratis et sine mercede ulla in Disciplina receperit How long that was after the times of Proscription will be needless here to declare and that Manilius was not so old as Scaliger conceives when this piece was written may be made out from this that he was the Cousin German of Publius Syrus who that he was brought a young Boy to his Patron Macrobius affirms from whom likewise and from the Verses of Laberius it may be collected that he was but a Youth when he came upon the Stage against Laberius which was but a little before the death of Julius Caesar and Laberius also to whom he succeeded on the Mimick Stage in the second year of 184 Olympiad that is in the Year of Rome 711 as Eusebius testifies And therefore seeing
and now on the other so that some of them should be always up in the Air And this feat of Activity Manilius Describes 19. The Story of Meleager runs thus At his Birth his Mother heard one of the Destinies say the Child should live till the stick that then lay in the Fire was burnt The Mother snatch'd the stick out of the Fire and perserv'd it When Meleager was grown a Man he with a great many others went to hunt a Wild Bore at the same time Atalante a Nymph of extraordinary Beauty came into the Field and had the good Fortune to wound the Bore first Meleager fell in Love with Atalante and having kill'd the Bore presented the Head to her His two Uncles who were present at the Hunting thought themselves injur'd and would not suffer a Woman to carry off their Spoil Meleager in defence of Atalante kills his two Uncles Meleager's Mother to revenge the Death of her two Brothers puts the stick into the Fire as that burnt Meleager wasted 20. Formidine Mortis Huetius Reads Formidine Pennae For when they Hunted they us'd to see stakes in the ground to which they ty'd Feathers which frighted the Deer and made them keep within that compass or take that way the Hunters thought most convenient for their sport 21. Philoctetes was Servant to Hercules and when Hercules burnt himself he left his Bow and Arrows to Philoctetes Without these Arrows Troy could not be taken Now it happened that Philoctetes either by a contrivance of Vlysses or because being wounded by one of the Poisoned Arrows he became offensive to the Grecian Camp was sent away to Lemnos But the Siege going on slowly he was fetcht back again With his Arrows he killed the chiefest of the Remaining Commanders and so Troy was taken 22. Teucer was Brother to Ajax and he with his Bow beat back Hector when he came to burn the Grecian Navy 23. The following Verses relate to Alcon the Cretan who shot a Snake that lay twisted round the Head of his Son and did not touch the Boy 24. This Goat or Hoedus Scaliger could not find but Huetius says the Single Hoedus is put by Manilius for those two Haedi that are in the left hand of Heniochus or the Driver Thus Horace Archeri cadentis Impetus aut orientis Hoedi and Propertius Purus Orion purus Hoedus erit 25. The Poets fancy'd Orpheus went down to Hell charm'd Pluto and the Destinies and brought back his Wife Eurydice 26. Alluding to the Fable which says Jupiter Courted Leda in the shape of a Swan 27. Several Feats of Activity amongst the Romans in which they equall'd if not excell'd all the following Ages 28. The common Subjects upon which Sophocles Euripides and other Tragaedians amongst the Ancients wrote their Plays 29. A fam'd Comedian who flourish'd in the hundred and fourteenth Olympiad 30. Pompey having conquered Mithridates brought to Rome more valuable Jewels than ever had been seen there And from that time as Pliny in the first Chapter of his 37th Book complains the Romans began to value and admire Jewels 31. The Romans did not only put Notorious Malefactors in Chains but likewise chained them to their Keepers and this Custom the Poet hints at 32. Vossius out of his Ancient Manuscript reads Et Coeli meditatus iter vestigia perdet Et Perna pendens populum suspendet ab ipsa 33. These were the several Orders in the Roman Common-Wealth FINIS INDEX A. AStronomy its rise and progress part 1. p. 3. Axis of the World part 1. p. 13. Plague of Athens part 1. p. 34. Aspects part 1. p. 60. Aspects friendly and unfriendly part 1. p. 74. Aries's Influence part 2. p. 9. et 24. Aquarius's Influence part 2. p. 15. et 27. Astronomy to be studied part 2. p. 39. Aries's Influence when join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 56. Aquarius's Influence when joyn'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 72. The Fable of Andromeda part 2. p. 76. C. Northern Constellations part 1. p. 14. Southern Constellations part 1. p. 17. Figures of the Constellations not real part 1. p. 20. Northern Polar Circle part 1. p. 24. Tropical Circle of Cancer part 1. p. 24. Equinoctial Circle part 1. p. 24. Tropick of Capricorn part 1. p. 24. Southern Polar Circle part 1. p. 25. The Colures part 1. p. 25. Comets presage part 1. p. 34. Chaldeans refuted part 1. p. 106. and 110. Cancer's Influence part 2. p. 11 et 25. Capricorn's Influence part 2. p. 14. et 27. Countries govern'd by particular Signs part 2. p. 36. The Influence of Cancer join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 61. Capricorn's Influence when join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 70. D Dodecatemorion part 1. p. 76. Dodecatemoria of the Planets part 1. p. 77. Day Births part 1. p. 104. Bad and good Degrees of Signs part 2. p. 21. E. Earth the Center of the Vniverse part 1. p. 9. Earth round part 1. p. 10. Geographical description of the Earth part 2. p. 28. Eccliptick Signs part 2. p. 38. F. Friendship part 1. p. 72. Fortune's Lot part 1. p. 103. Fate part 2. p. 4. G. Guardians of the Signs part 1. p. 66. Gemini's Influence part 2. p. 10. et 25. The Influence of Gemini when join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 60. H. Horizon part 1. p. 26. Influence of the Heavens part 1. p. 51. Signs hear and see love and hate each other part 1. p. 67. The Celestial Houses part 1. p. 80. Horoscope part 1. p. 105. Hours various part 1. p. 106. L. Twelve Lots of the twelve Signs part 1. p. 99. Leo's Influence part 2. p. 11. et 26. Libra's Influence part 2. p. 13. et 26. Leo's Influence when join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 63. Libra's Influence when join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 66. M. Meridian part 1. p. 26. Milky way part 1. p. 27. Various Opinions about the milky way part 1. pag. 29. Meteors part 1. p. 32. The several Magnitudes of the Stars p. 2. p. 82. N. Night Births part 1. p. 104. P. Southern Pole like the Northern part 1. pag. 19. Providence asserted against Epicurus part 1. pag. 21. Planets part 1. pag. 32. Pisces's Influence part 2. p. 15. 27. Pisces Influence joyn'd with other Constellations part 2. pag. 76. Q. Quadrates part 1. pag. 61. S. Soul of the World part 1. p. 12. 51. The several kinds or sorts of Signs part 1. p. 55. Sextiles part 1. p. 63. Stadia part 1. p. 108 The several positions of the Sphere part 1. p. 110. Scorpio's Influence part 2. p. 13. et 26. Sagittarius Influence part 2. p. 14. et 27. Sagittarius Influence when join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 69. Scorpio's Influence when join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 68. T. Trines part 1. p. 60. Taurus's Influence part 2. p 10. et 25. Tenths or Lords of the Signs part 2. p. 16. The Influence of Taurus join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 60. V. Virgo's Influence part 2. p. 12. et 26. Virgo's Influence when join'd with other Constellations part 2. p. 65. W. Different Opinions about the Beginning of the World part 1. p. 7. The order of the World part 1. p. 8. The bigness of the World part 1. p. 23. The World animate part 1. p. 51. Winds cardinal and collateral part 2. p. 28. Z. Signs of the Zodiack part 1. p. 13. Zodiack part 1. p. 27. ERRATA Part I. PAg. 5. lin 7. read lookt pag. 12. l. 2. r. feet p. 15. l. 27. r. stretch p. 16. l. 33. r. the Tempests p. 19. l. 15. r. their starry p. 24 l. 15. r. Light l. 18. r. Summer's Solstice l. 22. r. sees p. 46. l. 19. r. Fayus p. 47. last line r. World p. 49. l. 6. r. preside p. 51. l. 22. r. Purle p. 53. l. 2. r. draws p. 59. l. 13. r. Cretan p. 65. l. 31. r. Times p. 66. l. 17. r. to more p. 70. l. 16. r. then p. 75. l. 26. r. which and marks p. 76. l. 21. r. which p. 77. l. 10. r. Twelfth p. 82. l. 32. r. point p. 83. l. 6. r. Influence p. 84. l. 6. read Typhoeus l. 16. r. t is p. 86. l. 17. r. the. p. 97. l. 9. r. sells p. 100. l. 27. r. speeds p. 104. l. 4. r. unfold p. 107. l. 23. r. Carr. p. 109. l. 8. r. do equal p. 110. l. 26. r. site p. 114. in the margin blot out the Trine l. 24. r. regularly p. 116. l. 13. r. longest p. 119. l. 15. r. she p. 121. l. 28. r. fails p. 124. l. 8. r. is Part II. PAg. 4. lin 24. read Marius p. 8. l. 10. r. enlarge l. 19. r. Successes p. 10. l. 18. r. wasts p. 16. l. 28. r. o're-spread p. 17. l. 2. r. in a Disguise p. 26. l. 3. r. averse p. 31. l. 2. r. stood p. 32. l. 7. r. which p. 33. l. 21. r. manly l. 28. r. flats p. 39. l. 7. r. Pairs p. 55. l. 9. r. Carr. l. 30. r. Carrs p. 59. l. 6. r. makes p. 67. l. 18. r. growing p. 70. l. 18. r. kiss p. 72. l. 33. r. who p. 83. l. 22. r. nor
Poem Doth he say he wrote Books of Astronomy knew the Depths of Astrology and was admitted into the Councils of the Stars Here was a large Field for that luxuriant Wit to have wanton'd in and it cannot be thought he would have conceal'd the deserts of his Patron when he study'd to commend him But instead of this he praises his Justice Integrity Clemency and Honor he extols his Eloquence and prefers the sweetness of it before all the delicate Charms of Poetry and Musick 3 De Mallii Theod. Consul v. 251. Ut quis non sitiens Sermonis Mella politi Deserat Orpheos blanda Testudine cantus And tho' all the Muses are concern'd for him and busie in his Service yet he is devoted to none of them but Uraâ—ie who assisted him in his Astronomical Diversions 4 ibid. 274. Uranie redimita comas quâ saepe Magistra Mallius igniferos radio descripserat Axes Gevartius very well observes that this Consul Mallius was an Astronomer 5 ibid. v. 126. Invenit aetherios signantem pulvere cursus Quos pia sollicito deprendit pollice Memphis Quae moveant momenta polum quam certus in Astris Error Quis tenebras Soli causisque meantem Defectum indicat numerus Quae linea Phoeben Damne et excluso pallentem fratre relinquat That he publish'd some admir'd Books 6 ibid. v. 332. Consul per populos idemque gravissimus Author Eloquij duplici vita subnixus in aevuâ— Procedat libris pariter fastisque legendus But how doth it appear that Astronomy was his Subject when Claudian himself tells us it was the Origine and Constitution of the World He represents him as well vers'd in all the several Hypotheses of the Natural and Moral Philosophers acquainted both with the Physicks and Ethicks of the Greeks and able to discourse of their Opinions very properly and very elegantly in Latin 7 ibid v. 84. Graiorum obscuras Romanis floribus Artes Irradias But when he speaks of his Writings he says he describ'd the Origine and Disposition of the World Ibid. v. 65. and gave very convincing proofs of his own Wit Capacity and Judgment by his exact account of the beautiful Order and regular Contrivance of that wonderful Machine 8 Ibid. v. 253. Qualem te legimus teneri Primordia Mundi Scribentem aut Partes Animae per Singula Talem Cernimus et similes agnoscit Pagina mores From these Verses and other passages in Claudian as 9 ibid. v. 101. Quae vis animaverit Astra Impuleritque Choros quo vivat Machina motu it may be inferr'd that this Consul Mallius was as to Natural Philosophy a Stoick and built his World according to the Hypothesis of that Sect and therefore wrote something very like what we find at large in the first Book and hinted at in several passages of the other Books of Manilius But this being the least part of our Author and subservient to his greater and general design it must not be suppos'd that Claudian should enlarge only upon this and leave his whole Astrology untoucht unless we think Claudian as ridiculous as that Painter would be who being to fill his Canvas with a noble Family should draw a single Servant or paint only a Finger or a Nail when he had a large beautiful Body to represent I have been the more particular in this matter because Gevartius pretends to demonstration tho' to confute his conjecture it had been sufficient only to observe that it is the most ridiculous thing in the World to imagine that Mallius a Man well known both for his personal Endowments and publick Employments who had been Governour of several Provinces and at last Consul should publish a Treatise under his own Name and yet in almost every Page of the Book endeavour to perswade his Readers it was written four hundred years before For it must be granted that the Prince whom he 1 Lib. 1. v. 7. invokes in the beginning of his Poem who is stiled Patriae Princepsque Paterque who is deify'd whilst 2 lib. 1. v. 9. et 924. alive and not to repeat the other particulars I have already reckon'd up whose 3 lib. 2. v. 509. Horoscope was Capricorn was the first Great Augustus and therefore there is no need of calling in the Authorities of 4 Car. lib. 1. Od. 2. Hic ames dici Pater atque Princeps Horace 5 Virg. Ec. 1. et Georg. 1. and 6 〈…〉 Aug. cap. 94. Suetonius to prove it This last Character puts me in mind of another Objection that may be drawn from F. Harduin's 7 de Num. Herod p. 9. Observation for he says that Suetonius was himself deceiv'd and hath deceiv'd all those who have thought Capricorn was concern'd in the Nativity of Augustus For if this be true all the Pretences of Manilius are ruin'd but since that Writer doth not back his Assertion with any Reasons I shall not submit to his bare Authority nor wast my time in guessing what Arguments he may rely on being not bold enough to conjecture what the daring Author may produce Having thus fixt the Age of this Author and prov'd him to have liv'd in the time of Augustus Caesar I shall venture farther to affirm that he was born under the Reign of that Emperour not only a Roman but of illustrious Extraction being a branch of that noble Family the Manilij who so often fill'd the Consul's Chair and supply'd the best and greatest Offices in the Roman Commonwealth And here I must oppose many of the Criticks and be unassisted by the rest For 8 Proleg in Manil. p. 2. Scaliger confesses that from his own Writings it cannot be known what Countryman he was and no other Authors give us any Information Bonincontrius and Gyraldus endeavour to prove from the Medal already mention'd that he was no Roman the Learned 9 Vid. Sir Edward Shirburn's Preface to the Sphere of Manilius Isaac Vossius thinks he was a Syrian and all who look upon him to be the same with that Manilius mention'd by Pliny Nat. Hist lib. 35. cap. 17. say he was a Slave Only Petrus Crinitus 1 De Poet. Lat. affirms he was Nobly Born and Mr. Tristan will 2 Hist Com. Tom. 1. have him to be that Manilius of whom Pliny gives a very Honourable Character in the Tenth Book and Second Chapter of his Natural History where he says He was of Senatorian Dignity an excellent Scholar and If we believe Mr. Tristan a very good Astronomer But since Crinitus doth not prove what he says and Mr. Tristan but conjectures at best and upon Examination will be found to be very much mistaken in his Conjectures therefore I cannot expect any assistance from either of these Authors Now it is not certain that the Gentleman whom Pliny speaks of in the Second Chapter of his Tenth Book was Nam'd Manilius Copies differ and in the M. SS of Salmasius 3
The Five BOOKS OF M. MANILIUS Containing a SYSTEM OF THE Ancient Astronomy AND ASTROLOGY Together with The Philosophy of the STOICKS Done into English Verse with Notes By Mr. THO. CREECH Nunc autem quid est sine his cur vivere volimus Mihi vero cum his ipsis vix His autem detractis ne vix quidem Cicero ad Var. LONDON Printed and Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster 1700. AN ACCOUNT OF MANILIUS SIR THE Campaign being over and Councils not yet begun the World is very much at quiet nor can I find News enough to fill a Letter But to keep up our usual Correspondence I send you an Account of an old Latin Poet very little known tho' as worthy your Acquaintance as many of those who are in Credit He lay buried in the German Libraries not heard of in the World till Poggius Publish'd him from some old Manuscripts found there and tho' 1 Vid. Not. ad Lucianum Burde Cotzus thinks Lucian consulted this Poet when he wrote his little Treatise of Astrologie tho' Julius Firmizus is 2 By Scaliger and Huetius accus'd as an ungrateful Plagiary for not acknowledging from whom he Transcrib'd the chiefest parts of his Books yet there is no good Evidence that any one Writer mention'd this Author before Poggius Pliny is suppos'd to speak of him as a 3 Nat. Hist lib. 36. cap. 10. Mathematician and Gerbertus as an 4 Gerbertus Rhemensis Bishop of Ravenna and afterward Pope of Rome Epist 130. Age verò Te solo conscio ex tuis sumptibus fac mihi scribantur Marcus Manilius de Astrologia Victorinus de Rhetorica c. Astrologer but concerning the Poet there is as dead a silence as if he had never been nor can his greatest Admirers find any Character of him in old Writers Yet it must be own'd that he is an Author of some considerable Age for the Manuscripts which Poggius Bonincontrius Scaliger and Franciscus Junius us'd were ancient Tanaquil Faber Spanhemius and the severest Criticks allow him to be as old as Theodosius the Great and pretend to find some particular Phrases in him which are certain Characters of that Time Others who believe they have very good Reasons to place him higher find it very difficult to account for this universal silence What they offer is either bare May-be and Shift and scarce ever amounts to a tolerable Reason 'T is true they say he is not mention'd by Ovid in his 5 De Ponto lib. 4. Ep. 16. Catalogue of Poets and no wonder since he did not begin to write before the 6 This Huetius affirms but is undoubtedly mistaken Banishment of Ovid and Published nothing before his Death Perhaps he was one of those Young Men 7 Ovid. ibid. Quorum quod inedita cura est Appellandorum nil mihi juris adest or his Fame did not reach so far as Pontus Otherwise they are confident there are too many Graces in his Poem to be neglected at least the singularity of his Subject would have deserved to be taken notice of as well as that of 8 Aptaque venanti Gratius arma dedit Ovid. ibid. Gratius But why Quintilian doth not propose him to his Orator tho' he encourages him to 9 Instit lib. 10. Cap. 1. read Macer and Lucretius and 1 Instit lib. 1. cap. 10. affirms that a competent skill in Astronomy is necessary to make him perfect in his Profession Why the following Philologers never use his Authority tho' it might very often have been pertinently cited by Gellius and Macrobius Why the Grammarians and Mythologists seem to be altogether unacquainted with his Writings They confess these are Questions not easie to be answer'd Of this Poet who is acknowledged by all Parties to have lain very long unknown and about whom since he first appear'd in the World so many Controversies have risen I am now to give you an account His Name is commonly said to be Marcus Manilius which in some Copies of his Poem is shortned into Manlius in others softned into Mallius This variation is inconsiderable and the common fault of unaccurate Transcribers but 2 Praef. Bonincontrius affirms that the Title of his very Ancient Copies was C. Manilii Poetae illustris Astronomicon and that he had seen a Medal in which was the Figure of a Man but in a Foreign Habit with a Sphere plac'd near his Head and this Inscription C. MANILI 3 Lib. de Poet. Hist dial 4. Lilius Gyraldus mentions another of the same stamp But that these Medals belong'd to this Poet may be as easily deny'd as 't is affirm'd or rather as 't is conjectured However all Parties agree that the most Ancient Copies constantly bear the Title of Manilius but whether the Books of Poggius and Bonincontrius which call him Caius or those of Scaliger and others in which we find Marcus written are to be follow'd is submitted to every Man's Discretion the Matter is not of any Consequence nor a fit Subject for Dispute because impossible to be determin'd Tho' if Conjecture may be admitted I should fancy that it is more probable a Transcriber may err when he puts M. before Manilius than when he writes a C. because in the former case the Sound of the following Word which is the most considerable in the Title and consequently the chiefest in his Thoughts may pervert him but in the latter He hath no temptation to mistake This M. or C. Manilius was born a Roman and liv'd in Rome when Rome was in her Glory commanding the biggest part of the known World and full of the greatest Men that ever any time produc'd For the same Age that saw Manilius enjoy'd Varro Lucretius Cicero Caesar Virgil Varius Horace and to close the Catalogue Augustus In the beginning of this Astronomical Poem that Emperour is 4 Lib. 1. v. 7. invok'd that very Emperour who was the 5 Lib. 1. v. 10. adopted Son of Julius Caesar who 6 Lib. 1. v. 906. beat Brutus and Cassius at Philippi 7 Lib. 1. v. 918. overthrew Pompey the Great 's Son 8 Lib. 4. v. 763. who sent Tiberius to Rhodes 9 Lib. 1. v. 896. who lost three Legions in Germany under the Command of Varus who 1 Lib. 1. v. 912. routed Anthony and Cleopatra at Actium and sav'd the Roman Empire by turning that overgrown dissolute Republick into a well regulated Monarchy Here are so many Characters that the Person cannot be mistaken not one of them agreeing to any but the first Great Augustus So that this Author liv'd in that Age to which He pretends by so many very particular Circumstances or else He is a most notorious Cheat and one of the greatest Impostors in the World It seems 2 Not. in Lib. 6. Lucretij Tanaquil Faber thought him to be so since without giving any Reason He brings him down as low as the time of Theodosius 3 De
as Passions are impetuous that pleases them most which is most daring finding they have strength they use it to the utmost and when at last they sink they seem rather worn out than tired I cannot compare the Spirit of Poetry possessing a Youth of a strong generous Imagination and vigorous Constitution to any thing better than to a Flame seizing on the Body of a Meteor the whole Mass blazes and mounts upon a sudden but its motion is all the way uneven and it quickly falls in a despicable Gelly He that looks on the Latin of Manilius will see that I do him no Injury when I compare him to this Meteor for even when he is oblig'd to give rules and is ty'd almost to a certain form of words he struggles against those necessary Fetters he reaches after the strongest Metaphors uses the boldest Catachresis and against all the rules of Decency labours after an obscure Sublime when he should endeavour to be plain intelligible and easy But as soon as he hath room to get loose how wildly doth he rove he is not free but licentious and strives to err greatly 'T is needless to produce particulars since they are so visible in the Prefaces Fables and Descriptions thro' his Books And upon the whole it may be affirm'd there are so many boldnesses scatter'd thro' his Poem and so much of Toysomness just by them that a Man may read his Youth in his writings as well as his Contemporaries could do it in his Face I would mention and enlarge upon his conspicuous Vanity and from thence endeavour to support the Judgment I have already pass'd but that I consider that fault when it hath once possess'd a Man is not to be cool'd by all the Frost and Snow of Age Yet from the Vanity of Manilius I think a particular Argument may be drawn to prove him to be young for he had a design to rival or perfect the inimitable Virgil. This is evident from the Preface to his third Book 7 Lib. 3. v. 22. Romanae Gentis Origo Totque Duces Orbis tot bella tot otia et omnis In Populi unius leges ut cesserit Orbis Differtur For here it is plain he had this mighty project in his head and after he had prepar'd himself by this Astronomical Poem rais'd his Fancy and got a good turn of Verse was resolv'd to prosecute it with his utmost vigour he saw the vastness of the design 8 Lib. 3. v. 21. Spatio majore canenda Quam si tacta loquor Yet he hop'd to live to finish it though in the beginning of this Poem he wishes for old Age that he might compleat the Work he then had in hand yet having gone through the most difficult part of it sooner and with more ease than at first he thought he should have done he sets up for new Schemes and thinks he shall have years enough before him prudently to begin and Strength succesfully to carry on so great an Undertaking In this very Preface he reckons up a great many other Subjects fit to employ a Poet but in express terms lays them all aside Colchida nec referam c. Non annosa canam c. But the Roman History is in his Thoughts tho' he will not begin to write till his greater leisure gives him opportunity to do it These two Observations perswade me that Manilius was Young when he began this Poem and that he dy'd Young and did not live to finish his design or accurately Revise what he had written will I think be very evident from what follows It cannot be deny'd that this Poet had advanc'd very far in his Work whilst Tiberius was at Rhodes for in his fourth Book he gives this Character of that Island 9 Lib. 4. v. 761. Virgine sub casta felix Terraque Marique Et Rhodos Hospitium recturi Principis Orbem Tuque domus verè solis cui tota sacrata es Cum caperes lumen magni sub Caesare Mundi Now 1 Dion Cassius p. 634. Tiberius retired to Rhodes when C. Antistius and L. Balbus were Consuls he continu'd there Seven 2 Vell. Paterculus lib. 2. cap. 99. Years and return'd in the Consulship of P. Vinicius and P. Alfinius Varus and yet in the first Book we meet with the 3 lib. 1. v. 894. Description of the Prodigies that appeared before the defeat of Varus in Germany which hapned when Poppaeus Sabinus and Q. Sulpicius Camerinus were Consuls about eight years after the Return of Tiberius from Rhodes What shall we say then was the fourth Book written and publish'd before the first or would the Poet have strain'd for that Complement to Rhodes after the Varian Defeat with what Propriety could that Island be call'd Hospitium recturi Principis Orbem or with what Truth could it be said to contain the most glorious Luminary next to Caesar when that imagin'd Star had not for many years been in that Horizon and now shone in other quarters of the World No this had been Banter and inexplicable Riddle But if we suppose Manilius to have had this Work under his hand several years to have revis'd it and added what he thought would adorn his Poem then we can easily give an account why his fourth Book should appear to be eight years younger than his first A little before Tiberius's return from Rhodes he wrote his fourth Book after that he composs'd his fifth and sixth which is now lost then at several times revising his Work and about the time of the Varian Defeat being upon the end of his first Book he added to his discourse of Comets a short Account of those prodigious Meteors that then appeared and which Historians 4 Dion Cassius lib. 56. tell us were the most amazing that were ever seen Soon after this he dy'd before he had corrected the fourth Book as appears from the Character which in that Book he gives the Island Rhodes and which his last and finishing hand could not have left there These Observations will help us to give some tolerable account of the other difficulties relating to this Author for to any one who enquires why the first Book is more correct than the rest why the Impurities of Stile the Criticks charge upon him are for the most part pickt out of the four last Books I would answer we have only the first and rude Draughts of them and that as Poets and Painters are said to be very near ally'd so they agree in nothing more than they do in this that though in their Scetches we see the Master yet we may find something that the Finisher would correct To him who asks why there is no mention of this Poet in any of the Antients I would reply That Manilius having left an unfinisht Piece his Family was studious both of his Credit and their own they carefully preserv'd the Orphan but would not expose it In that Age when Poetry was rais'd to its greatest highth
His upward Course and that in which he ends There plac'd as Umpire in the midst o th' way Contracted Night he well adjusts to Day And as thro' him the Sun goes on to climb The Heavenly steep He makes a change in time For Day that shorten'd in the Winter Bend The Ram first lengthens and the next extend 'Till rais'd in Cancer to the utmost height Of Summer's pitch He wheels the longest Light Then Seas lie husht Then Earth grows bold to bear And trusts young Flowers to the serener Air Then Beasts in Fields and Birds in every Grove Press on with Fury to consummate Love With joyful Songs the vocal Forests Ring And various Leaves adorn the gawdy Spring With such brisk Powers are Nature's parts possest When wak'd she rouses from her Winter's Rest Oppos'd to Aries Libra's Stars appear With the like power to sway the rouling Year Libra She equals Day and Night But soon the Scale O'repois'd by Darkness le ts the Night prevail And Day that lengthned in the Summer's height Shortens 'till Winter and is lost in Night Then from the burthen'd Elms the generous Vine Descends and Presses over-flow with Wine Then Wheat is sown whilst Autumn's heats remain To loose the Clods and mollifie the Grain These have their Powers and as these Signs create A turn in Seasons so they doe in Fate From Tropick Signs for by their name we guess Their turning Natures who can hope for less But wide in their mistake who think to see These Powers spread equally in each Degree Not every Portion of the Tropick Signs Turns Seasons What Degrees in the Tropick Signs are to be considered and the Planets force confines But one Day only in the blooming Prime Of Spring in Autumn One adjusts the Time One Day in Aries doth to Time restore Equality and Libra boasts no more One Longest Day in Cancer's Sign is born One Night of equal length in Capricorn The other Days roul on with different Light Now gaining from now losing time to Night Thus One Degree in Tropick Signs creates A change in Heaven and turns the Rules of Fates No fixt Decree's secure their boundless sway Extends to all and makes the Stars obey But which that is that governs Fate 's Decree There Authors differ nor can Art agree For some the Eighth and some the Tenth assign The First Degree is only Thine Thine but the Muse with scorn forbears the Name Unworthy mention and too mean for Fame The End of the Third Book NOTES 1. This and the seven following Verses relate to the several particulars of Medea's story 2. I use this Interpretation rather than that of Scaliger and others because I think Manilius speaks only of that famous Siege of Thebes when the seven Generals attackt it and as the Story says Capaneus had almost ruin'd the Town before he was struck with Thunder 3. Oedipus Married his own Mother Jocasta and had Children by her so that each Son was Brother to the Father and Grand-Child to the Mother 4. This respects the Story of Atreus and Thyestes 5. Xerxes is said to have dug a Channel round Mount Athos and to have made a Bridge over the Hellespont 6. Thus for instance in whatever Sign the Lot of Fortune is plac'd the next that belongs to the next Sign is the Lot of Warfare Civil Employments must be given to the third c. 7. For the Lot of Fortune being in all Nativities that belong to Day to be accounted for from the Sun and in all Nativities that belong to Night from the Moon and those two Planets not always possessing the same place in every Nativity and the other Lots following the disposition of that of Fortune it is very evident that the same Lot is not to be always applyed to the same Sign 8. The Poet never finisht this part or it is now lost 9. For instance let the Sun be in the 20th Degree of Aries the Moon in the 10th Degree of Libra from the 20th Degree of Aries counting thro' the following Signs Taurus Gemini c to the 10th Degree of Libra are 170 Degrees Let the Horoscope be the 10th Degree of Cancer from that 10th Degree of Cancer count thro' the following Signs viz. Leo Virgo c. and you will find the Number 170 to end in the 10th Degree of Capricorn Therefore in the 10th Degree of Capricorn place the Lot of Fortune This I take to be the meaning of Manilius 10. Suppose the Sun to be in the 21 49 ' ' ' ' ' of Leo the Moon in the 26 31 ' ' ' ' ' of Virgo the Horoscope in the 1 0 ' ' ' ' ' of Leo The Moon is distant from the Sun 325 18 ' ' ' ' ' which number being distributed amongst the Antecedent Signs viz. Cancer Gemini Taurus c. ends in the 5 42 ' ' ' ' ' of Virgo that there is the place of the Lot of Fortune 11. To explain this Method which the Chaldeans us'd to find the Horoscope Scaliger gives this instance Let the Sun's place be the 13 25 ' of Libra let the Birth be at the end of the Seventh Hour of the Day Now because every Sign hath thirty Degrees and fifteen Degrees make one Hour these Seven Hours are three Signs and an half or one Hundred and five Degrees Now reckon those Degrees thro' the following Signs viz. Scorpius Centaurus c. The Number ends in the 28125 ' ' ' ' ' of Capricorn and therefore that is the Horoscope 12. Sic media extremis c. The middle Signs here are Aries and Libra and these are said to be opposite to the Extremes Cancer and Capricorn because in them the Days are equal but in the others unequal to the Nights This I take to be the meaning of the Poet rather than what Scaliger and other Interpreters pretend 13. Thus in Cancer the Days are longest in Capricorn which is a Sign adverse to Cancer the Nights are of the same length that the Days were of in Cancer The like holds in Leo and Aquarius and so in the rest 14. The Italians divided all the time betwixt the Rising and Setting of the Sun into Twelve Hours and all the time between the Setting and Rising of the Sun into Twelve Hours And therefore those times being various and unequal the Hours must likewise be unequal 15. According to the Opinion of some Ancient Astronomers who plac'd the Winter Solstice in the Eighth Degree of Capricorn the Summer Solstice in the Eighth Degree of Cancer and the Equinox in the Eighth Degrees of Aries and Libra Thus in the End of this Book Has quidam vires octava in parte reponunt 16. Eudoxus wrote of the Sphere at the 36th Degree Elevation of the Pole and Manilius follows him 17. A Stadium in Manilius is half of a Degree and therefore in the whole Zodiack there are 720 Stadia In the Zodiack are 360 Degrees to every Hour we reckon 15 Degrees therefore