Dante and the early astronomers . the midday sun, the same idea isconveyed by the meridian. A constellation like Cancerperhaps corresponds better than a circle like themeridian with the expression plaga,* and the ideaof the east makes more perfect the beautiful similewhich the poet has just drawn between the little birdon the spray beside its nest waiting for the sun torise, and Beatrice watching for the advent of Him who 1 So my lady stood, erect and intent, turned towards that placeunder which the sun shows least haste. Par. xxiii. 10-12. 2 See Par. iv. 34-39. ^ Purg. xxix. 12 and 34. ?* Reg
Dante and the early astronomers . the midday sun, the same idea isconveyed by the meridian. A constellation like Cancerperhaps corresponds better than a circle like themeridian with the expression plaga,* and the ideaof the east makes more perfect the beautiful similewhich the poet has just drawn between the little birdon the spray beside its nest waiting for the sun torise, and Beatrice watching for the advent of Him who 1 So my lady stood, erect and intent, turned towards that placeunder which the sun shows least haste. Par. xxiii. 10-12. 2 See Par. iv. 34-39. ^ Purg. xxix. 12 and 34. ?* Region. PARADISE. 395 is likened to a sun among the starry company of Hissaints.^ When this glorious company has at length vanished,she bids him look down once more, this time that hemay realise how he has been revolving with thespheres, the little earth lying immoveable at his looks down, and notes what parts of Earth arelighted by the sun, and what parts are wrapped indarkness, for now he is able to see what he had often. $^ % <? Fig. 48. Dantes first view of Earth from the Stars. Par. xxii. (see p. 397). imagined, the shadow of night sweeping westwardover the globe. The Atlantic Ocean, where Ulyssessailed beyond Gades, is all in daylight, and so is theMediterranean, but the sun is setting over Jerusalem,for he says that its position prevents him from seeingbeyond the coast whence Europa was carried ( or Palestine). It must therefore be middayat Gades, and the sun is on the meridian there; it is a 1 Far. xxiii. 29, 30. 396 PARADTSE. sign and more, or something between 30° and 60°,advanced to the west beyond the meridian over whichDante stands. He does not define his own position more exactlythan this, but we may conjecture that he was 45° (asign and a half) east of the sun, since this would bethe meridian of Rome, and there would be a peculiarfitness in such a position at such a moment, when hehas just received a message of warning and prophecyfrom St.
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