think it improper to venerate the celestial bodies with outward worship (duliæ cultu) and to implore their favour and assistance. And Thomas Aquinas says, that he has no other objection to this than that it might be the occasion of idolatry. Hence, though it may seem ridiculous to most of the present time, that divine souls should be placed in the stars, and preside over regions and cities, tribes and people, nations and tongues, yet it did not appear so to the more intelligent Christians of former times.
I had almost forgotten however the wisest of the ancient Christians, but as he was the best of them, I have done well in reserving him to the last; and this is no other than the Platonic bishop Synesius. This father of the church therefore, in his third hymn, sings as follows:
Σε, πατεϱ κοσμων,
πατεϱ αιωνων,
αυτουϱγε θεων,
ευαγες αινειν.
σε μεν οι νοεϱοι
μελπουσιν, αναξ,
σε δε κοσμαγοι,
ομματολαμπεις,
νοες αστεϱιοι,
υμνουσι μακαϱ,
ους πεϱι κλεινον
σωμα χοϱευει.
πασα σε μελπει
γενεα μακαϱων.
οι πεϱι κοσμον,
οι κατα κοσμον,
οι ζωναιοι,
οι τ’ αζωνοι
κοσμου μοιϱας
εφεπουσι, σοφοι
αμφιβατηϱες,
οι παϱα κλεινους
οιηκοφοϱους.
ους αγγελικα
