Page:Aratus The Phenomena and Diosemeia.pdf/18

10 not writing a scientific essay on astronomy, but a popular poetical description of the celestial sphere. Quinctilian's observation is correct, and to the point: "Materia Arati motu caret, ut in qua nulla varietas, nullus affectus, nulla persona, nulla cujusquam sit oratio. Quid potuisset in Virginis fabula expressit, in reliquis id quod voluit. Sufficit tamen operi cui se credidit parem."

Aratus was the first to put these subjects, so interesting both to the philosopher and to the vulgar, to the scientific, and to the superficial observer, into verse. Many writers followed in his steps, none of whose productions have reached us: a convincing proof of the superior merits of our poet over his rivals and imitators. The following is the remark of Buhle upon Aratus, and is a just critique upon his works: "Insignis est utique in carminibus Arateis ars, qua formæ cœlestes deinceps descriptæ sunt; delectat harum descriptionum ordo simul et varietas; ornatæ sunt illæ mythis non oneratæ; et quod puritatem, simplicitatem, elegantiam Græci sermonis attinet vix reperias quem Arateo compares."

The two works of Aratus, which have come down to us, are "the Phenomena ," and "the Diosemeia ."

The Phenomena may be divided into three parts. The first, ending at line 450, contains a description of the constellations: the second, from line 451 to 568,