VISIO SECUNDA, cap. XXXIX
Sixteen Stars Between the Winds
Sixteen principal stars are set between the four winds to strengthen and temper the firmament by their fitting number.
But as you also see, around the circle in which the appearance of bright fire is visible, sixteen principal stars likewise appear, showing that through the circle of the upper fire of the firmament the greatest stars, as was said before, are placed — four between the head of the leopard and the lion, four also between the head of the lion and the wolf, four between the head of the wolf and the bear, and four likewise between the head of the bear and the leopard; that is, four between the east wind and the south wind, four also between the south wind and the west wind, four between the west wind and the north wind, and four likewise between the north wind and the east wind — strengthening those same regions of the firmament by their own power, and tempering those very winds. But if these stars were to overflow in number, they would weigh down the firmament with their excess, or if they were too few, they wouldn't be strong enough to hold the firmament together through the scarcity of their small number, because God has removed from every creature both unmeasured excess and unworthy deficiency. And four stand between each pair of winds, because by a fitting and necessary, not a superfluous, number they hold together the same regions of the firmament where they are placed, by their combined strength, just as nails hold a wall into which they are driven, and they are not moved from their places, but are carried around with the firmament, strengthening it as they go.
Rays Like Veins of the Firmament
Eight middle stars send rays into the thin air like veins in a body, strengthening the whole firmament and balancing the winds.
Of these sixteen, the eight that stand in the middle between each pair of the aforementioned heads — that is, two between each two heads — extend their rays as if toward the sign of the thin air opposite them, because those stars that stand midway among the four principal stars between the aforementioned winds, since they stand four between each pair of winds, as was said, stretch their rays into the thin air, just as the veins descend from a person's head all the way to the feet. And just as those same veins strengthen the whole body of a person, so also these stars strengthen the entire firmament by their own power, and they resist the winds nearest to them, so that those winds don't shake the firmament beyond its proper measure, and they bring the air to a right balance, and they are neighbors to one another on equal terms, so that one may be upheld by the other for the strengthening of the same firmament.
Stars Guarding the Dark Fire
The remaining eight stars direct their rays toward the dark fire to restrain its heat, while other stars in the higher circles heat the firmament and hold the clouds in check.
The remaining eight, however, which appear closest to the aforementioned heads on either side of these middle stars, direct their rays only toward the dark fire, because these stars, holding a position in the middle with wings outstretched and standing near the winds, as was shown above, send forth rays proceeding from themselves toward the dark fire alone, resisting it so that they don't unleash the fury of their heat without restraint. And these stars are placed around the circuit of the firmament, spaced at equal intervals from one another and separated, so that they may uphold the same firmament evenly, each by its own strength. That the distinct number of other stars placed in the two circles — that is, of the pure aether and of the bright white air — heats the firmament and restrains the clouds so that they do not cross their boundaries.
Read the original Latin
Ut autem vides in circuitu quoque circuli, in quo similitudo lucidi ignis videtur, sexdecim etiam principales stellae apparent, ostendentes quod per circulum superioris igni firmamenti, maximae stellae, ut praefatum est, positae sunt, quatuor videlicet inter caput leopardi et leonis, quatuor quoque inter caput leonis et lupi, quatuor inter caput lupi et ursi, quatuor etiam inter caput ursi et leopardi; id est quatuor inter ventum orientalem et australem, quatuor quoque inter ventum australem et occidentalem, quatuor inter ventum occidentalem et septentrionalem, quatuor etiam inter ventum septentrionalem, et orientalem, viribus suis easdem partes firmamenti confirmantes, ipsosque ventos contemperantes. Sed si istae in numerositate superabundarent, superfluitate sua firmamentum aggravarent, vel si in paucitate essent, penuria paucitatis suae firmamentum consolidare non valerent, quia unicuique creaturae Deus et superfluam nimietatem, indignamque penuriam subtraxit. Et quatuor inter duos ventos existunt, quoniam aequo et necessario, et non superfluo numero rectitudinis suae easdem partes firmamenti ubi positae sunt, insimul viribus suis tenent, quemadmodum clavi parietem, cui infixi sunt, nec de locis suis moventur, sed cum firmamento circumvolvuntur, illud solidantes. Quarum octo, quae mediae sibi utrumque astantium stellarum inter capita haec sunt, scilicet duae inter duo capita, quasi radios suos in signum tenuis aeris sibi oppositi extendunt, quia stellae, istae quae mediae quatuor stellarum inter praefatos ventos sunt, quoniam quatuor inter duos ventos consistunt, ut praedictum est, radios suos in tenuem aerem prolongant, quemadmodum venae a capite hominis usque ad pedes descendunt. Et ut eaedem venae totum corpus hominis confortant, ita etiam stellae istae totum firmamentum viribus suis consolidant, et ventis qui ipsis proximi sunt resistunt, ne firmamentum extra modum suum commoveant, aeremque ad rectum temperamentum perducunt, sibique aequali modo vicinae sunt, quatenus altera ab altera ad confortationem ejusdem firmamenti sustentetur. Reliquae autem octo, quae ex utraque parte harum mediarum praefatis capitibus proximae videntur, velut radios suos tantum ad nigrum ignem dirigunt, quia iste in medio sui alas tenentes, ventisque ut supra ostensum est vicinitate assistentes, radios de se procedentes solummodo ad nigrum ignem mittunt illi repugnantes, ne furorem ardoris sui immoderate emittant. Et stellae istae per circuitum firmamenti aequali moderamine a se positae, et separatae sunt, quatenus idem firmamentum aequali modo viribus suis sustineant.
Quod aliarum discreta numerositas stellarum in duobus circulis scilicet puri aetheris et albi lucidi aeris positarum firmamentum calefaciat et nubes ne suos transeant terminos coerceat.
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