OF THE ORDER AND PLACE OF THE STARS.
Xenocrates says that the stars are moved in one and the same
superficies. The other Stoics say that they are moved in various
superficies, some being superior, others inferior. Democritus, that the
fixed stars are in the highest place; after those the planets; after
which the sun, Venus, and the moon, in their order. Plato, that the
first after the fixed stars that makes its appearance is Phaenon, the
star of Saturn; the second Phaëton, the star of Jupiter; the third the
fiery, which is the star of Mars; the fourth the morning star, which is
the star of Venus the fifth the shining star, and that is the star of
Mercury; in the sixth place is the sun, in the seventh the moon. Plato
and some of the mathematicians conspire in the same opinion; others
place the sun as the centre of the planets. Anaximander, Metrodorus of
Chios, and Crates assign to the sun the superior place, after him they
place the moon, after them the fixed stars and planets.