BOOK IX

Summary

Concerning the course of the heavenly bodies.

The circle of the twelve months is the uppermost, that of the sun is lower, and that of the moon is lower still. Divine scripture signifies this by the structure of the candlestick, whereby the circular branches spring out from its shaft three on the one side and three on the other in such wise that one branch precedes another branch, and each day the circle of the twelve months outruns the sun one degree, so that the sun is found in thirty days running through one month, and thus in twelve months completing the year, falling short, as has been said, one degree each day. The circle again of the sun outruns the circle of the moon twelve degrees each day, so that it is found that the moon in thirty days falls short of accomplishing the whole of the circle, that is, one month. But if any should choose to consider the matter in the reverse way, then the circle of the moon falls short of that of the sun every day twelve degrees and some minutes, and the circle of the sun falls short of the uppermost circle of all, that is, of the twelve months, every day one degree.