CHAPTER 2

FIRST MUSIC IN THE PLANETS

The names of sounds, in all probability, were derived from the seven stars, which move circularly in the heavens and compass the earth.591 (The circular motion of these bodies must of necessity cause a sound, for air being struck from the intervention of the blow sends forth a noise. Nature herself constraining that the violent collision of two bodies should end in sound.⁵⁹²)

Now (say the Pythagoreans) all bodies which are carried round with noise—one yielding and gently receding to the other—must necessarily cause sounds different from each other, in the magnitude and swiftness of voice and in place. These, according to the reason of their proper sounds, or their swiftness, or the orbs of repressions, in which the impetuous transportation of each is performed—are either more fluctuating, or on the contrary, more reluctant. But these three differences of magnitude, celerity, and local distance, are manifestly existent in the planets. These planets are constantly with sound circling around through the aetherial diffusion, whence every one is called [star], as void of station; and , always in course; whence God and Aether are called and .⁵⁹³

Moreover the sound which is made by striking the air induces into the ear something sweet and musical, or harsh and discordant. For if a certain observation of numbers moderates the blow, it effects a harmony consonant to itself; but if it be haphazard and not governed by measures, there proceeds a troubled unpleasant noise which offends the ear.⁵⁹⁴ Now in heaven nothing is produced casually or randomly; but all things there proceed according to divine rules and settled proportions. Whence it may be irrefutably inferred that the sounds which proceed from the conversion of the Celestial Spheres are musical. For sound necessarily proceeds from motion—and the proportion, which is in all divine things causes the harmony of this sound. This Pythagoras, first of all the Greeks, conceived in his mind. He understood that the Spheres sounded something concordant because of the necessity of proportion which never forsakes celestial beings.

From the motion of Saturn, which is the highest and furthest from us, the gravest sound in the diapason concord is called Hypate, because signifys highest. From the Lunary, which is the lowest and nearest the earth, neate, for signifys lowest.595 From those which are next these, viz. from the motion of Jupiter who is under Saturn, parypate; and of Venus, who is above the Moon, paraneate. Again, from the middle, which is the Sun's motion, the fourth from each part, mese, which is distant by a diatessaron in the Heptachord from both extremes according to the ancient way; as the Sun is the fourth from each extreme of the seven planets, being in the middle. Again, from those which are nearest the Sun on each side: from Mars who is placed between Jupiter and the Sun, hypermese, which is likewise termed lichanus; and from Mercury who is placed between Venus and the Sun, paramese.

Pythagoras, by Musical proportion, calls that a Tone by how much the Moon is distant from the Earth; from the Moon to Mercury the half of that space; and from Mercury to Venus almost as much. From Venus to the Sun sesqidulple; from the Sun to Mars a tone (that is as far as the Moon is from the Earth); from Mars to Jupiter half; and from Jupiter to Saturn half; and thence to the Zodiac sesquiduple. Thus there are made seven tones: which they call a Diapason harmony, that is an universal concord, in which Saturn moves in the Doric mood, Jupiter in the Phrygian, and in the rest the like.⁵⁹⁶

The sounds made by the seven planets and the Sphere of Fixed Stars, and that which is above us (termed by them Antichthon), Pythagoras affirmed to be the Nine Muses. But the composition and symphony, and, as it were, connection of them all—whereof as being eternal and unbegotten, each is a part and portion—he named Mnemosyne.