Dante knew little more of Greek than of Arabic. His occasional use of Greek words is enough to prove this—for example when he discusses the Pythagorean theory of “Antictona,” using the accusative as if it were a nominative.[103] In several passages he implies that the language was not known to him, and he distinctly states that he used translations of Aristotle’s works. Here again we are able to identify the versions he used. In _Conv._ II. xv. 59-73 he complains that it is impossible to know what Aristotle believed about the Milky Way, because in the “old translation” he is made to say one thing, and in the “new translation” quite another. From his quotations of these two conflicting opinions, we are able to deduce that the “old translation” was that which Michael Scot made from the Arabic, and the “new translation” that of Aquinas, which was made direct from the Greek. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [103] _Conv._ III. v. 32. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ He had access, therefore, to more than one Latin translation of Aristotle; and beside this, his quotations seem to have been often taken from commentators and compilers of his own times, especially Aquinas and Albertus Magnus. This was frequently the case with the _Meteorologica_ of Aristotle, for the _De Meteoris_ of Albertus Magnus seems to have been much used by Dante in place of Aristotle’s own work. Dante quotes it by name as _Meteora_ in _Conv._ II. xiv. 169, and also in _Conv._ IV. xxiii. 125-126, where he mentions “Alberto” as the author. These two, then, the Arab Alfraganus and the Greek Aristotle, were Dante’s chief authorities in astronomy, both in Latin translations. Besides these, there is evidence in his writings that he was familiar with several classical authors who treated of astronomy. He quotes frequently from many of Cicero’s works, and we find echoes, in two passages, of the _Dream of Scipio_,[104] which he is almost certain to have read, since it was a favourite book in his time. There are several references to Seneca, but the only time that an astronomical phenomenon recorded by him is mentioned[105] Dante is evidently quoting at second-hand from Albertus Magnus. With all the works of Virgil, and with the _Metamorphoses_ of Ovid (from which he took his astronomical myths)[106] he was evidently very familiar; and Lucan is one of his authorities for the position of the earth’s equator. In this case the name of the author and the number of the book are precisely stated.[107] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [104] _Inf._ ii. 76-78; _Par._ xxii. 134-138. [105] _Conv._ ii. xiv. 174-176. [106] Phaëthon, _Conv._ II. xv. 53-55, _Purg._ xxix. 118-120; Latona, _Purg._ xx. 130-132; the Horses of the Sun, _Conv._ IV. xxiii. 134-139, etc., etc. [107] _Conv._ III. v. 115-117. ------------------------------------------------------------------------