“Vapours enkindled saw I ne’er so swiftly At early nightfall cleave the air serene, Nor, at the set of sun, the clouds of August, But upward they returned in briefer time, And on arriving with the others, wheeled Towards us.” Purg. v. 37-41. (Longfellow).
(By “vapours that cleave the clouds of August,” flashes of lightning without thunder are meant. Aristotle believed both these and meteorites to be ignited vapours).
“As through the pure and tranquil evening air There shoots from time to time a sudden fire, Moving the eyes that steadfast were before, And seems to be a star that changeth place, Except that in the place where it is kindled Nothing is missed, and this endureth little.” Par. xv. 13-18. (Longfellow).
[383] “The star.”
[384] As this is the value given by Alfraganus, we must here understand Arabian miles. The distances from Rome to the north and south pole are therefore probably equal to 3500 to 9750 English miles, and both are a little too large, because the half circumference of Earth is too large. The proportion is about right, however, for Rome is nearly three times as far from the south pole as the north, her latitude being 42° N. Alfraganus placed her in the fifth climate, at the northern boundary of which he said the pole was elevated 43½°.
[385] Qu. xix. 36.
[386] Adopting the reading of Dr. Moore: “nella mezza terra, alla mezza terza,” that is, “at the equator at middle-tierce.” See Studies in Dante III. 107, 108.
[387] “For now, after what has already been said, the rest may be understood by whomsoever has a noble mind, to which it is well to leave a little labour.” (Cf. Par. x. 22-25).