Cicero offic., lib. i.

Astronomie

Man is borne not only to serve his owne turne (as Tullie sayeth), but his kinsfolke, friends, and the common wealth especially, loke for some furtherance at hys handes, and some frutes of his laboure: where upon sundry men finding themselves as it were tyed by this bond and dutie of humane society, have willinglye endeavoured sundry wayes to shew themselves profitable members of their common weale. Some men by study of the minde, have employed themselves to give out good lawes and ordinances for governement, as Solon, Lycurgus, and others. Some have spente their time in devising artes and sciences, for the better sharpening of man's witte, and the easier expressing his conceytes, as in time past Aristotle for Logicke and Philosophies Cicero and Demosthenes for Rethoricke, Euclide and others for Arithmeticke and Geometrie. Others againe by long and diligent observation, have found out the motion and courses of the celestiall Orbes, that thereby man might have the distinction of times and seasons, the better to direct his doings both for taking paynes and rest, as occasion and circumstances doth require. Some delight in feates of armes, thereby to be better able to defend their countreys from the force of the enimie, and rightfully (when occasion is) to enlarge their dominions.