978. as it appendeth, ‘as it is fitting,’ lit. ‘as it belongs’: cp. ‘appent,’ Mir. 1535.
979. natheles. This word is frequently used by Gower with no sense of opposition, meaning ‘moreover’ or something similar: cp. i. 21, vii. 3877, &c.
983. It may be observed that (in spite of this reference and that in l. 1043) our author’s statements about the number and arrangement of stars in the constellations of the zodiac do not at all correspond with those in the Almagest.
983 (margin). produxit ad esse, ‘brought forth into existence’: the infinitive is often used as a substantive in Gower’s Latin: e. g. Prol. Lat. Verses, iv. 4, v. 6.
989. hot and drye. According to the astrologers, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius preside over the element of fire, and are hot and dry by nature; Taurus, Virgo, Capricornus over that of earth, being dry and cold; Gemini, Libra, Aquarius preside over air, and are hot and moist; while Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are moist and cold, having dominion over water (Albumasar, cited by Vincent of Beauvais, Spec. Nat. xv. 36).
991 f. Aries and Scorpio are the ‘houses’ or ‘mansions’ of Mars, Taurus and Libra of Venus, Gemini and Virgo of Mercury, Cancer of the Moon, Leo of the Sun, Sagittarius and Pisces of Jupiter, Capricornus and Aquarius of Saturn.
1021. somdiel descordant: the hot and moist Libra is more in accordance with her nature: see 1111 ff.
1036 f. This statement and the others like it below, 1073, 1089, 1127, 1147, 1198, 1222, may be taken to indicate that the division of the signs was very uncertain in our author’s mind. It may be observed that the usual representation of Taurus in star-maps is with his head, not his tail, towards Gemini.
1085. the risinge: that is to say, Virgo is the ‘exaltation’ of Mercury, as well as one of his houses.
1100. For the sense of ‘applied’ cp. v. 913.