Political Fragments of Archytas, Charondas, Zaleucus + Hierocles

soul to think the celestial bodies are divine is especially evident from those (the Jews) who look to these bodies through preconceptions about divine natures. For they also say that the heavens are the habitation of God and the throne of God, and are alone sufficient to reveal the glory and excellence of God to those who are worthy; than which assertions what can be more venerable?”

Indeed, that the heavens are not the inanimate throne and residence of Deity is also evident from the assertion in the nineteenth Psalm, that “the heavens declare the glory of God.” For R. Moses, a very learned Jew (see Gaffarel’s Unheard-of Curiosities, p. 391), says “that the word saphar [to declare or set forth] is never attributed to things inanimate.” Hence he concludes “that the heavens are not without some soul; which,” says he, “is no other than that of those blessed intelligences who govern the stars and dispose them into such letters as God has ordained; declaring unto us men, by means of this writing, what events we are to expect. And hence this same writing is called by all the ancients, chetab hamelachim; that is to say, the writing of the angels.”

...at the same time indignant, at their not being more frequently perused.

Of Hierocles, the author of the Ethical Fragments, something more is known than of the authors of the Political Fragments, through what is said of him