, but dim their light, their seat
The small Pleiades[196] maintain. We find,
Not far from them, the Lyre[197] but slightly join'd.
Next is the winged Bird,[198] that seems to fly
Beneath the spacious covering of the sky.

Near the head of the Horse[199] lies the right hand of Aquarius, then
all Aquarius himself.[200]

Then Capricorn, with half the form of beast,
Breathes chill and piercing colds from his strong breast,
And in a spacious circle takes his round;
When him, while in the winter solstice bound,
The sun has visited with constant light,
He turns his course, and shorter makes the night.[201]

Not far from hence is seen

The Scorpion[202] rising lofty from below;
By him the Archer,[203] with his bended bow;
Near him the Bird, with gaudy feathers spread;
And the fierce Eagle[204] hovers o'er his head.

Next comes the Dolphin;[205]

Then bright Orion,[206] who obliquely moves;

he is followed by

The fervent Dog,[207] bright with refulgent stars:

next the Hare follows[208]

Unwearied in his course. At the Dog's tail
Argo[209] moves on, and moving seems to sail;
O'er her the Ram and Fishes have their place;[210]
The illustrious vessel touches, in her pace,
The river's banks;[211]

which you may see winding and extending itself to a great length.

The Fetters[212] at the Fishes' tails are hung.
By Nepa's[213] head behold the Altar stand,[214]
Which by the breath of southern winds is fann'd;

near which the Centaur[215]

Hastens his mingled parts to join beneath
The Serpent,[216] there extending his right hand,
To where you see the monstrous Scorpion stand,
Which he at the bright Altar fiercely slays.
Here on her lower parts see Hydra[217] raise
Herself;

whose bulk is very far extended.

Amid the winding of her body's placed
The shining Goblet;[218] and the glossy Crow[219]
Plunges his beak into her parts below.
Antecanis beneath the Twins is seen,
Call'd Procyon by the Greeks.[220]

Can any one in his senses imagine that this disposition of the stars,
and this heaven so beautifully adorned, could ever have been formed by
a fortuitous concourse of atoms? Or what other nature, being destitute
of intellect and reason, could possibly have produced these effects,
which not only required reason to bring them about, but the very
character of which could n