The thing (80v & 82r)

[Koen G]

Maybe the dots indicate that the "things" are not to be thought of as literal spindles, but cosmic ones.

I think so too, Linda. Some shorthand for a Platonic idea about the cosmos seems relevant, since he most famously compared the spinning of the axis to that of a spindle.

Alternatively, it could be the rings on the celestial sphere, or just a line of stars - the idea remains the same. I think in general the dotted line in is used in this section to make sure that the object is understood in its "cosmological" meaning.