Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 8:12

12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so as the third part of them was darkned; and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise .

Interpreters (setting aside one or two, who conceit the Revelation is nothing but a Repetition of things that hapned in Iudea before Iohn's time) generally agree, that the Period of time to which this Prophecy relates, is from the year 480, when the Western Empire ceased. The History of the Age next following, both relating to civil and Ecclesiastical Things, doth so fit this Prophecy, that Interpreters are much divided about the Sense of it, whether it be to be understood of the Miseries befalling the Roman Empire, or the Church in that time: For, as great Princes in the former, so great Lights in the latter are metaphorically expressed in Scripture, under the Notions of the Su[illegible: 1 letter], Moon, and Stars, in regard of the great Influence they have upon Men, as those Luminaries of Heaven have upon the Earth. Mr. Mede understands it of Political Magistrates here expressed, (as in Ioseph's Dream) by the Sun, Moon, and Stars: and to shew us how the Event fitted the Prophecy, he tells us out of the best Authors, That when Odoacer had routed Augustulus, and turned him out of the Empire, himself ruled Rome under the Title of a King 16 years, and destroyed all their old Magistracy, but after two years restored it. That Theodoricus following him in the Government of Italy, restored all their Rights again, which so continued under three Kings (all Goths) for near 50 years. But after the year 546, Rome was taken and burnt once and again, and a third part of it demolished by Totilas. Others understand it of Pelagius, or some famous Heretick in that time. But to speak freely, the words of the Prophecy, and the Histories we have, rather agree to Mr. Mede's Sense; for (except Pelagius, who began about 406) we read of none in this Age to whom the words of this Prophecy will agree in any good Sense.