. Bulletin - United States National Museum. Science. a Figure 12. -Empress Maria TheresAj to whom Father Borghcsi is stated to have presented his two astronomical clocks. The coin bearing her portrait is in the Museum of History and Technology. upholding the globe of the world, inscribed with the zodiac, over his head. The lower right corner fea- tures the figures of two noblemen apparently examin- ing and discussing an orb upon a table, the significance of which is not clear. THE INSCRIPTIONS Beginning with the uppermost part of the frontis- piece, there are nine inscriptions in Latin on the
. Bulletin - United States National Museum. Science. a Figure 12. -Empress Maria TheresAj to whom Father Borghcsi is stated to have presented his two astronomical clocks. The coin bearing her portrait is in the Museum of History and Technology. upholding the globe of the world, inscribed with the zodiac, over his head. The lower right corner fea- tures the figures of two noblemen apparently examin- ing and discussing an orb upon a table, the significance of which is not clear. THE INSCRIPTIONS Beginning with the uppermost part of the frontis- piece, there are nine inscriptions in Latin on the dial plate. The topmost is Franc/sirs I sit plan. Dominator aeterrws. The phrase has reference to Francis I, who was Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1745- 1765, and husband of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. The phrase may be translated as '"May Francis I be the eternal ruler by favor of the planets" or more simply "Long Live Francis I, ; " Although the dial plate of the Borghesi clock is in- scribed with his name, the records indicate that the i* The abbreviation in the inscription "pLan" is difficult to interpret According to Father F. X. Winters, , it may represent "sit planetis" or "sit ; The use of an abbreviation was nei essary to prevent the addition of another i' ii' i I "i M. which would have disturbed the formation of the chronogram desired. Literally, "sit planetis" moans "May he be eternal ruler by [or through] favor of the planets," while "sit planetarum" is to be translated "May he be eternal ruler of the ; lather Winters considered both versions somewhat overexaggerated and proposed that the best trans- lation might be "Lon« Live Francis I. ;. Figure 13.—Portrait of Francis I, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, to whom Father Borghesi's astronomical clock in the Museum of History and Technology appears to
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