Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth

Use in the book

The dialogue presents its eightfold scheme more than once, and the sequences should not be collapsed. At 986a–b2 it first names three powers: the sun's, the moon's, and that of the stars mentioned earlier. Five remain. At 986e the “fourth” and “fifth” motions are the two broadly equal in speed to the sun, subsequently identified through Aphrodite and Hermes. The three still to be described are the slower planets. At 987b, however, the contrary motion is called the “eighth.” This is a reorganization of the same ensemble, not a warrant to identify the initially third-mentioned power as a new ninth body.

The natural reconstruction is seven distinct celestial circuits plus the contrary circuit of the stellar whole. The edition's identification of the unnamed stars at 986b as fixed stars is explicitly tentative, especially because Burnet removes the transmitted adjective “wandering.” Its note at 990a is firmer about the seven: moon, sun, and the five planets. The dialogue does not give a single uninterrupted table with every position numbered and every apparent motion resolved.

Within the planetary group, the explicit order of slowness is Cronus, then Zeus, then Ares (987c). At 990b the learning sequence instead begins with the moon, whose own circuit is traversed most quickly; the sun is second, together with its companions. “First” and “second” there concern the instructional presentation, while the moon's speed is stated relative to its own circuit. They must not be combined uncritically with the order of mention at 986b or the slowest-first sequence at 987c.

The seven motions are said to travel to the right; the eighth travels contrary to them (987b). The Greek here gives a directional contrast without a diagram, an observational viewpoint, numerical periods, or a complete explanation of the combined appearances. The further statement that the eighth is “not leading” the others depends upon Burnet's added negation. Thus a confident mechanical reconstruction, or the assertion that the manuscripts all deny the eighth's leadership, would go beyond this edition's evidence.

The significance for wisdom is the difficulty of understanding the distinct courses together. At 990a the true astronomer studies seven of the eight because their own circuits require special preparation. The whole eightfold family remains divine; a curricular focus on seven is not the exclusion of the eighth from honor.

Places to read

1. 986bμία μὲν ἡλίου, μία δὲ σελήνης — Sun and moon head the initial enumeration
2. 986cτὸν αὑτοῦ πόλον — Each is assigned the time of its own orbit
3. 986eἡ τετάρτη δὲ φορὰ; καὶ πέμπτη — The two solar companions occupy the next stated positions
4. 987bἐπὶ δεξιὰ πορευομένων — The sevenfold group's directional description
5. 987bἕνα δὲ τὸν ὄγδοον; ἐναντίος ἐκείνοις σύμπασιν — The eighth is one and travels contrary to all those
6. 990aτὰς ἑπτὰ περιόδους; τὸν αὑτῶν κύκλον — Seven circuits, each traversing its own cycle
7. 990bΣελήνη μὲν περίοδον τὴν αὑτῆς τάχιστα διέξεισιν — The moon's own circuit is the quickest
8. 990bδεύτερον δὲ κατανοεῖν δεῖ τὸν ἥλιον — The sun comes second in the resumed instruction

Translation in this edition

The different motion words receive distinct English equivalents. At 986b the bracketed πλανητῶν is not translated and is not an accepted-text attestation for a “wandering stars” lemma. At 987b ⟨οὐκ⟩ is visibly supplied by Burnet. The edition's ordinary “cosmos” for the eighth preserves the description's breadth rather than silently introducing a technical “sphere of fixed stars.”

Eightfold claim — διισχυρίζεσθαι (diischyrizesthai)

διισχυρίζεσθαι (diischyrizesthai)

Eightfold claim. The Athenian firmly affirms the number of celestial powers before completing their identification. Attested: διισχυρίζομαι (986e). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Differentiated celestial traversal — περίοδος (periodos)

περίοδος (periodos)

Differentiated celestial traversal. The true astronomer studies seven circuits of the eight, each with its own cycle; the contrary eighth retains divine status. Attested: περιόδων; περιόδους (990a). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Opposed celestial travel — ἐναντίος (enantios)

ἐναντίος (enantios)

Opposed celestial travel. The eighth travels contrary to all the previously grouped courses; the respect is direction, not inferior divinity. Attested: ἐναντίος (987b). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Name for the contrary eighth — κόσμος (kosmos)

κόσμος (kosmos)

Name for the contrary eighth. The single contrary course can especially be called cosmos; identifying it mechanically as the fixed-star sphere is an explanatory reconstruction. Attested: κόσμον (987b). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Celestial traversal — διέξοδος (diexodos)

διέξοδος (diexodos)

Celestial traversal. The term accompanies motion in describing the sun's companions and their approximate common speed. Attested: διέξοδος (986e). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Course proper to each — κύκλος (kyklos)

κύκλος (kyklos)

Course proper to each. Each of the seven circuits goes through its own cycle; the distinct term is not replaced by periodos in this edition. Attested: κύκλον (990a). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Contrary collective course — ὄγδοος (ogdoos)

ὄγδοος (ogdoos)

Contrary collective course. The single eighth course is contrary to the seven and may especially be called cosmos; it reorganizes the initial enumeration. Attested: ὄγδοον (987b). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Moon's circuit — ταχύς (tachys)

ταχύς (tachys)

Moon's circuit. The moon goes through its own circuit most quickly; this belongs to the seven differentiated circuits, not an unqualified comparison with the contrary eighth. Attested: τάχιστα (990b). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Second solar companion in enumeration — πέμπτος (pemptos)

πέμπτος (pemptos)

Second solar companion in enumeration. The fifth motion is introduced together with the fourth as a broadly equal-speed companion of the sun. Attested: πέμπτη (986e). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

First solar companion in enumeration — τέταρτος (tetartos)

τέταρτος (tetartos)

First solar companion in enumeration. The fourth motion in the initial order is one of two roughly equal in speed to the sun; numbering is not an uninterrupted slowest-to-fastest table. Attested: τετάρτη (986e). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Celestial movement — φορά (phora)

φορά (phora)

Celestial movement. The fourth and fifth motions are described by their approximately equal speed to the sun, distinct from a claim of identical position. Attested: φορὰ (986e). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Naming the eighth cosmos — προσαγορεύειν (prosagoreuein)

προσαγορεύειν (prosagoreuein)

Naming the eighth cosmos. The potential naming formula is printed with Burnet's an; it is not the manuscript reading meaning above. Attested: προσαγορεύοι (987b). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Individual heavenly course — πόλος (polos)

πόλος (polos)

Individual heavenly course. The course each celestial being traverses in its allotted time; the text does not furnish a modern orbital-element specification. Attested: πόλον (986c). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Direction of seven motions — δεξιός (dexios)

δεξιός (dexios)

Direction of seven motions. The phrase toward the right describes the seven motions opposed to the eighth, without supplying the observational diagram needed for a complete mechanical reconstruction. Attested: δεξιὰ (987b). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Solar companions in instruction — σύνδρομος (syndromos)

σύνδρομος (syndromos)

Solar companions in instruction. The bodies running with the sun are included when it comes second in the resumed educational sequence. Attested: συνδρόμους (990b). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Relative pace — βραδύς (bradys)

βραδύς (bradys)

Relative pace. The solar companions are said to be neither slower nor faster on the whole; the comparison carries express qualifications. Attested: βραδυτέρα (986e). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Qualified common pace — τάχος (tachos)

τάχος (tachos)

Qualified common pace. The fourth and fifth motions are nearly equal to the sun in speed, on the whole; exact equality at every moment is not asserted. Attested: τάχει (986e). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Leadership construal — ἡγεῖσθαι (hēgeisthai)

ἡγεῖσθαι (hēgeisthai)

Leadership construal. The edition takes the infinitive with the genitive of the three equal-speed motions as lead; an alternative construal as think is noted, not silently settled. Attested: ἡγεῖσθαι (986e). Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Nearly equal in speed (contextual phrase)

τάχει μὲν ἡλίῳ σχεδὸν ἴση (986e)

The solar companions are described as nearly equal to the sun in speed. The qualification prevents rewriting the sentence as exact equality of all apparent motions at every moment, and says nothing about occupying identical positions. Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

On the whole (contextual phrase)

τό γ’ ἐπίπαν (986e)

This limits the comparison that the fourth and fifth motions are neither slower nor faster than the sun. It belongs to the astronomical description and should not be dropped when the surrounding claim is compressed. Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

A difficult leadership clause (contextual phrase)

δεῖ τούτων τριῶν ὄντων τὸν νοῦν ἱκανὸν ἔχοντα ἡγεῖσθαι (986e)

The edition reads this as requiring the one with adequate sense to lead the three. It notes that taking the genitive differently permits a construal involving thinking instead. The printed δεῖ is Burnet's correction. The sentence cannot securely supply an otherwise unstated named leader of the three bodies. Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Contrary to all those (contextual phrase)

ἐναντίος ἐκείνοις σύμπασιν πορεύεται (987b)

The eighth travels opposite to the seven-course group. The phrase establishes directional opposition while withholding a complete diagram, viewpoint, or account of combined apparent motions. It does not make the eighth less divine. Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

The added negation in not leading (contextual phrase)

⟨οὐκ⟩ ἄγων τοὺς ἄλλους (987b)

The negative is Burnet's visibly marked addition. The transmitted words lack it, so the leadership claim changes with the editorial choice. A reader may quote the supplied reading, but must not present the negation as unanimously transmitted or remove its brackets in an exact attestation. Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

As it would appear to the little informed (contextual phrase)

ὥς γε ἀνθρώποις φαίνοιτ’ ἂν ὀλίγα τούτων εἰδόσιν (987b)

The reference to what appears to men knowing little qualifies the surrounding leadership discussion. It marks an epistemic limit within the astronomical account, rather than authorizing a confident reconstruction of every aspect of the eighth motion. Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.

Seven circuits within eight (contextual phrase)

τῶν ὀκτὼ περιόδων τὰς ἑπτὰ περιόδους (990a)

The genitive full set and accusative studied set distinguish the whole celestial order from the seven difficult differentiated circuits. Curricular focus on seven does not exclude the eighth from divine kinship or due honor. Circuits their ordering and the contrary eighth.