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N  THE  CUSTODY  0\=  ThE 

BOSTON     PUBLIC   LIBRARY. 


rSHELF    N° 


SjIX.I 


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T.  Lucretius  Cafus^ 

OF  THE 

Nature  of  Things. 

Tranflated  into  Englilh  Verfe  by 
Thomas  Creech,  A.  M.  and 
Fellow  of  Wadham  College 
in  Oxford. 


Volume  IL 

Containing  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Books.' 
Explain'd  and  Illuftrated  with  Notes 
and  Animadverfions. 


Felix  qui  ptuit  rerum  cognofcere  cattfof, 
Attfue  mettts  omnes,  &  inexorabile  Fatum 
Suhjecit  jedibus,  finphunujue  Acherontis  avan. 

Virg. 


L  0  N  D  0  ti:      ^^ 

Printed  by  John  Matthews,  for  George 
Sawb  RIDGE,  at  the  Jy&r^g  Fkurs  de  Ljs  in 
Link  Britain.     MdccxiV- 


.2  D  M  I  ; .   i. 


*■'     .^;f    O 


""^ADAMblli 


«ir 


THE 


PREFACE 


AVING    in  the  Vreface   to  the  fir/i- 
VGlume  given  4 he  Vublick  fo  full  and 
ample  an  Account  of  my  Defign^  in  pub- 
lining  thefe  Notes  and  Animadverfions 
on  this  Englijh  Tranjlation  of  Lucretius^ 
as  likewije  of  the  Helps  I  made  ufe   ofy 
and  of  the  Method  I  have  ohferv^d^  in 
this  Undertakings  which  I  take  to  be  the  chief  Bnfinefs  of 
a  Frefacer^  IJliall  not  long  detain  my  Header  by  Way  of 
Introdu^ion  to  this  fecond  Volume ^  that  contains  only  the  two 
la  ft  Books  of  my  Authour  ^  who^  having  in  thefe  two 
Books  treated  of  a  great  Variety  of  noble   SubjeBs,  has 
afforded  me  a  jufi  Occafion  of  fwelling  this  Volume  to  almojh 
an  equal  Number  of  Sheets  with  the  former,  tho^  compu^ 
ting  the  Number  ofVerfes,  it  contain   but  little  more  than 
one  Third  of  the  whole  Foem  of  Lucretim ;    The  Length 
however ,  if  1  may  judge  of  the  Readers  SatisfaBion  in  the 
Ferufaly  by   my  own  in  the  compilings  72^ ill  not,  I  hope, 
feem  tedious  to  him  ;  and  I  flatter  my  felf,  that  I  fljall  not 
weary  and  grow  irkfome  to  thofe,  whom  it  has  bem  my  prin- 
(ipal  Study  and  ^^fg^  ^^  ^^^^  ^0  inflruB  and  divQrt. 

t  a  2  ]  wi^^^ 


The    Preface. 

When  the  SuhjeSi  of  which  my  Authour  was  treating 

was  nUtmally  cirahhed  and  ahfirufe,  as  in  the  two  firfi 

Books ^  in  which  he  diffutes  chiefly  of  the  Nature  and  Fro- 

ferties  of  his  APoms ;  I  thought  it  not  convenient  to  dwell 

too  long  upon  it ;  hut  endeavour  d  only  to  render  it  flain 

and  intelligible  with  as  much  Brevity  as  the  Province  of 

an  Interpreter y  which  I  had  undertaken y  would  allow: 

But  when  he  came  to  treat  of  Things  which  I  judged  would 

he  more  entertaining^  as  of  the  Origine  of  the  JVorld  ^  of  the 

Motion  of  the  Heavens  ;  of  fhe  Sun^  Moon  and  Stars  •  of 

the  fir fi  Meny  and  of  their  Manners  and  Way  of  Life  ;  of 

the  fir  ft  Infiitution  of  Kings  y  Magiflrates  and  Laws  •  of 

the  fir B  Invention  of  Arts  and  Sciences  ;>  of  the  Things  we 

call  Meteors y  as  Thundery  Lightningy  Whirlwinds y  Earth- 

quakes  y  ^c.     Of  the  Caufes  of  Rainy  Windy  Haily  SnoWy 

and  Fro  ft  ^  Of  the  Flames  that  are  ejeBed  from  the  Bowels 

of  Mount  z^tna ;  Of  the  annual  Increafe  of  the  River 

Nile  ;  Of  the  Averni  ^  Of  certain  miraculous  Fountains ; 

Of  the  Load  [tone 'j  and  of  the  Caufe  and  Origine  ofFlagues 

^nd  Difeafes ;  Of  all  whichy  as  well  as  of  many   other 

SuhjeBs  of  the  like  Naturey  Lucretius  has  difputed  in  thefe 

two  last  Books ;  when  he  camey  I  fajy  to  treat  of  thefe 

Matters y  he  afforded  me  a  wider  Field  to  inlarge  and  ex- 

patiate  upon ;  and  I  have  laid  hold  of  the  Opportunity  he 

gave  mey  to  illufirate  all  thofe  fever al  Suhjeltsy  with  the 

Opinions  of  all  the  mo  ft  celehratedy  as  well  antient  as 

moderny  FhilofopherSy  concerning   them  :  In  which   I  pre* 

fume  I  fi] all  not  be  deernd  to  have  tranfgrejs^d  the  Bounds y 

which  were  formerly  prefcrih'd  to  an  Interpreter  y  whoy  as 

Amr^onim  allows y  Ne^jue  henevolentia  duBus  conari  debet y 

^ua  perperam  dicuntur  confentanea  facerCy  eaque  veluti  a 

tripode  exciperey  neque  reBe  prodita  pravo  fenju  per  odium 

carper  e  ^  fed  eorum  effe  incorruptus   judex  y  at  que  auBoris 

fenfum  aperire  imprimis y  -  illiufque    placita   interpret ari  ^ 

turn  quod  alijy  €^  ipfefentiat  afferre.     Befides  'y  i  can  not 

apprebendy  hut  that  it  will  be  acceptable  to  the  Publick  to  fee 

at  one  View  the  different  Opinions  of  the  Learned  Men  in 

fill  Aies.  on  the  above  SuhkUs  \  and  this  is  what  I  have  en- 

aeavoiir  d 


The     Preface. 

deavour^d  to   oblige  my   Readers  with  in  the  following 
Sheets, 

I  will  conclude  this  Preface  with  a  few  Lines  in  my  o'wn 
Vindication^  and  then  take  my  League. 

I  fore/ee  that  I  ha^e  render  d  my  [elf  liable  to  he  carfd 
at^  and  that  I  fljall  be  cenfurd  by  fomeCriticks,  on  Account 
offome  particular  Words ^  and  certain  Ways  of  Exfrejjion^ 
which  I  have  confiantly  obferz^'d  and  made  ufe  of  through 
the  whole  Courfe  of  this  Work  ;  contrary  to  the  generally 
recei'v'd  Cuftom  and  PraBife  of  many ^  nay  ferhafsofmosfy 
of  our  frefent  Writers. 

I  need  not  be  told^  that,  in   Matter  of  Sfeech^  when 
Cufiom  has  once  fre^uaird^  we  are  abfolutely  obligd  to  fub- 
mit  to  whate'ver  it  has  imfosd  upon  us  •  and  that  it  is  not 
lawful^  on  any  Pretence  whatfoe'ver^  to  refifi  the  Laws  of 
that   So'veraign^    I  had    almofi   faid    Tyrant  of   Lanr 

Cui  penes  arbitrium  efi  d^  jus  ^  norma  lo^uendi. 

Horat,, 

But  on  the  other  Hand,  in  Language,  as  in  moft  Things 
elfe,  there  is  a  good  Cufiom  and  a  bad  -^  The  good  ought  to 
he  the  Standard  of  Propriety  and  Correclnef  of  Speech ;  and 
the  bad  ought  carefully  to  be  avoided,  as  the  Corrupter  of 
it :  fo  that  the  main  Difficulty  lies  in  difcerning  rightly 
between  them  :  But  how  this  may  be  done  is  not  our  prefent 
Bufinef  to  inquire. 

Dr,  Swift y  in  his  Letter  to  the  Lord  High  Treafurer, 
with  good  reafon  complains.  That  our  Language  is  extreamly 
imperfeB,  that  its  daily  Impro'vements  are  by  no  Means 
in  proportion  to  its  daily  Corrupticns,  and  that  the  Pre- 
tenders  to  polijlj  and  refine  it  hanje  chiefly  multiply^ d  Abufes 
and  Abfurdities ',  and  fo  far  he  is  certainly  in  the  right: 
but  I  can  not  agree  with  him  when  he  goes  on,  and  fays. 
That  in  many  Infiances  it  offends  agai??fi  every  Part  of 
Grammar  :  He  feems  to  impute  to  the  Language  itfelf  the 
Faults  of  our  uncorre^t  Writers..     All  Languages^  but  more 

efpeciall]^ 


The     Preface. 

effeclally  the  modern^  and  ours  among  the  refi^  have 
certain  Idioms  and  Proprieties  of  Speech  peculiar  to  each  of 
them^  in  which  nevertheleJS  they  offend  againfi  the  general 
Rules  of  Grammar  :  Of  this  fo  many  Inftances  might  be 
given,  that  it  is  needlef  to  give  any. 

Modern  and  living  Languages  are  not  to  be  fixd  by  the 
Standard y  nor  afcertain'd  by  the  Maxims  and  Rules  of  the 
antient  and  the  dead ;  and  their  chief  Beauties  confift  in 
frequent  Emancipations  from  the  fervile  Laws  of  antient 
Grammar,  A  Man  may  write  ungrammatically  y  and  yet 
'write  very  good  Englifh  ^  according  to  this  excellent  Say- 
ing of  ^intiliany  Aliud  eft  grammatice,  aliud  L,atine 
loqui. 

I  now  return  to  what  gave  Occaficn  to  thefe  Refleciionsy 
andy  among  feveral  other  Infiances  that  my  Readers  may 
ebfervcy  will  mention  only  one  or  twoy  in  which  I  have 
varfd  from  fame  other  Writers  of  thefe  Days.     Phenomenon 
is  a  Word  that  has    been  introduced  into   our  Language  : 
l^ecefity  brought  it  in   to   avoid  a   Circumlocution :    For 
it  is  originally   Greek  y  and  fignifies    an   Appearance  in 
the  Heaven y  or  in  the  Air,     Now  fomCy  inftead  of  Phe- 
tiomenony  leaving  out  the  two  final  Letters y  make  it    Phe- 
fiomeny  and  fay  in  the  Plural y  Phenomens  *    both  which  I 
take  to  be  altogether  ahfurd :  Others y  who  write  Phenome- 
non in  the  (ingular  Number ,  when  they  have  Occafion  to 
ufe  it  in  the  Pluraly  fay  Phenomenay  which'i  in   my   Dpi- 
7jiony  is    contrary  to  the  Analogy  if  our  Language  ;  and 
others  again y  in  the  fame  Number y  Phenomena^ s,  which 
I  almofi  dare  pronounce  to  be  a  Monfer  in  Speech  :  For  my 
own  Part,  ivhenever  1  have  been  oblig  d  to  ufe  it  in  the 
plural,   I  have  not  fuck  to  fay,  Phenomenonsy  rather  than 
Phenomena y  as  it  is  in  the  Original :  and  this  I  am  fure  is 
more   conformable  to  the    Analogy   of  our    Language^  in 
which  the  Difference  between  the  Singular  and  the  Plural 
Number  y  even  in  the  Words  borrowed  from  the  learned  Lan- 
guagesy  confifis  not  in  any  Variation  of  the  final  Syllabhy 
hut  in  the  Addition  of  the  Letter  s  to  the  fingular  Number, 
fbw  in  the  folkiping  Words ^  ldM%  d^athmay  Chimera y 


The    Preface^ 

CowpendluMy  Efithalamlumy  whichy  together  •with  tna* 
ny  other y  we  hanje  taken  from  the  learned  Languages, 
and  naturalized  in  our  own,  we  fay  not  in  the  Plural^ 
Idea,  Anathemata,  Chimera,  Compendia,  Efithalamia, 
even  tho'  we  have  retain  d  their  original  Terminations  in 
the  Singular,  hut  IdeaSj  Anathemas,  Chimeras,  Compen^ 
diums,  Efithalamiums,  Befides  ^  Since  there  is  no  Method 
yet  proposed,  nor  any  Rules  yet  agreed  upon,  andfetled  among 
m,  for  the  afcertaining  and  fixing  of  our  Language  for 
ever,  why  has  not  every  Man  an  equal  Share  of  Liberty, 
not  only  to  introduce  and  fet  up  a  new  Word,  if  there  he 
Occapon  for  it,  hut  even  to  ufe  one  that  is  already  intro^ 
duc^d,  in  a  different  manner  from  the  refi  of  his  contempo* 
rary  Writers,  efpeciaUy  fince  they  themfelves  ufe  it  dif-^ 
ferently  from  orn  'another  I "  Licuit,  femperque  licehit. 
This,  I  hope,  isifufficient  to  eSccufe,  if  not  to  jti[tify,  my 
having  us'd  the  Word  Phenomenons  in  the  plural  Number  t 
at  leafl  it  will  make  it  appear  to  he  an  Errour^  not  of  Ig^ 
norance,  hut  of  Judgment ,  and  which  I  declare  my  felf 
always  ready  to  recant  and  re5lify,  whenever  I  can  he  bet" 
ter  informed,  and  convincd  by  good  Reafons  that  I  am  in 
the  wrong. 

Again:  Nothing  is  more  frequent  with  our  prefenP 
Writers  than  the  following  Way  of  Expreffion :  They  greedi- 
ly embrace  that  Do5lrine,  be  it  never  fo  erromom.  This 
Example  is  taken  from  one  of  our  moft  celebrated  Authours 
for  Corre^neJS  of  Style ;  neverthelefs  I  take  the  Word  never 
in  that  place  to  be  a  Barharifm  in  Speech  :  It  ought  to  ba 
ever  •  be  it  ever  fo  errmeous  :  This  Way  of  Exprejjion 
is  an  Idiom  of  our  Language  *,  partly  elliptick,  partly  a 
tranfpofition  of  the  Words  ^  which,  when  placd  in  due 
Order,  and  without  any  Word  underfiood,  will  run  as 
follows:,  How  erroneous  foever  it  be.  I  have  not 
Room  in  this  Place  to  undertake  the  Difquifiticn  of  this 
Doubt,  nor  to  give  my  Reafons  at  large,  why,  when^ 
ever  I  have  had  Occafion  to  make  Ufe  of  the  like 
Expreffion,  I  have  diffented  from  mofi  of  our  other  Writers, 
and  employed  the  Word  ever,  rather  than  never :  But  this^ 

together 


The     P  R    1    F  A   G 


E. 


together  with  fome  Hundreds  of  Ohftrvationsy  relating  te^ 
cur  Tiative-  Language y  and  -which  I  have  been  many  Tears 
digefing  in  my  Thought Sy  I  intend  to  publijh  in  a  fhorP 
timCy'  as  an  Effay  towards  the  corretiingy  improving^  and 
afcertainingofit^  under  this  Title y  Remarks- upon  the 
English  Tongue. 


.V «   -dW-j 


T.mL  u  c  r  e- 


C42j] 


T.  LucretiusCarus 


Hat  Verse  can 
a  Wing, 


foar  on  fo  fublime 


As  reaches  his  Deferts  ?  What  Muse 

can  ling. 
As   HE  requires?     What  Poet  now 

can  raife 
A  Aately  Monument  of  lading  Praife,^ 
Great  as  his  vaft  Deferts,  who  firft  did  fhow  ^ 

Thefe  ufefui  Truths ;  who  taught  us  firft  to  know         >• 
Nature's  great  Pow'rs?   'Tismore  than  Man  can  dolS 
For,  if  we  view  tlie  mighty  Things  he  fhow'd, 
His  ufefui  Truths  proclaim,  he  was  a  GodI 
ro  He  was  a  God,  who  firft  reform'd  our  Souls, 
And  hd  us  by  Philosophy  and  Rules, 


5 


From 


NOTES. 


Lucretius  begins  this.  Book 
with  the  Praife  of  EpieSriiV,  and 
not  only  makes  him  eq^i?tb  the 
Gods,  but  even  proclaims  him  a 
God  ;  becaufe,  fays  he,  his  Di- 
vine Difcoveries  have  been  more 
beneficial  to  Mankind,  than  the 
Inventions  of  Ceres,  or  of  Bac- 
chus, or  than  the  many  glorious 
Exploits  of  Hercules  :  fince  Men 
n?iight  have  liv'd  happily  enough 
without  them.  But  true  Wif- 
dom,  which  Epicurus  firft  dif- 
cover'd  and  taught,  is  of  the 
greaceft  Utility  to  Mankind,  be- 
caufe it  chdces  away  ail  Uneafi- 


nefs  from  the  Mind,  and  in- 
ftruffts  us  aright  in  the  Nature 
of  all  Things,  and  concerning 
the  immortal  Gods. 

10.  Who  iirft.&c]  LacHiantius, 
lib.  3.  cap.  14.  de  falsa  Sapientii  : 
and  many  others,  pretend  from 
this  Expreflion  of  LucretiuSjthac 
he  did  not  mean  Epicurus,  buc 
one  of  the  more  antient  Philofo- 
phers,  as  Pythagoras,  or  Socra- 
tes, or  Thales,  or  fome  other  of 
the  feven  Sages :  But  they  are 
evidently  miftaken,  as  appears 
by  v.  ^o,  of  this  Book,  where  he 
fay  S3 

lii  Cuius 


42^  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

From  Cares,  and  Fears,  and  melanch oly  Night, 
To  Joy,  to  Peace,  to  Ease  ;  and  fliew'd  us  Light. 
For  now  compare  what  other  Gods  beftow :  y 

15  Kind  B^cc  H-vs  firft  the  pleafing  Vine  did  fliow ;  > 

And  Ceres,  Corn^  and  taught  us  how  to  plough.        S 

Yet 

NOTES. 


Cujus  ego  ingreflus  veftigia— — 

His  Steps  I  trace — ^ — 

And  Cicero  certainly  had  his 
Thoughts  on  this  Paifage,  when 
in  Tufcul.  4.  he  fays  ;  Qi\x  qui- 
deni  cogitans  foleo  fa:pe  mirari 
nonnullorum  infolentiam  Philo- 
fophoruni,  qui  NaturjK  cogniti- 
onem  admirantur,  ejufque  In- 
ventori  Sc  Principi  gratias  exul- 
tantes  agunt,  eunique  venerantur 
ut  Deum  ;  liberates  enim  fe  per 
COS  dicunt  gravifllmis  Dominis. 
When  I  refled  on  thefe  Things, 
1  often  wonder  at  the  Infolence 
of  fome  Philofophers,who  admire 
the  Knowledge  of  Nature,  and 
give  Thanks  with  Tranfport  of 
Mind  to  the  Inventour  and  firft 
Authour  of  Natural  Philofophy, 
owning  that  he  has  delivered 
them  from  moft  Tyrannous 
Lords.  Thus  our  grateful  Poet 
confeiTes  to  whom  he  owes  his 
Knowledge  in  the  Nature  of 
Things:  And  indeed,  if  Epi-i 
curus  did  deliver  the  Minds  of  1 
Men  from  Cares,  and  fears,  and  I 
Superflition,  he  jufbly  deferv'd 
to  be  rever'd  preferably  to  any  of 
the  Heathen  Gods.  The  Words 
of  this  PaiTage  run  thus  in  the 
Original, 

Qui  primus  vita:  rationem  inve- 

nit  earn,  quae 
Nunc  appellatur  Sapientia' ► 

For  WISDOM  was  the  Name 
which  the  Epicureans,  who  were 
a  iort  of  Men  not  burden'd  with 
i;oo  much  Modefty^  gave  only  to 


their   own  Philofophy.    Horata 
Lib.  I.  Od.  33. 

Parcus  Deorum  cultor,  &  infre- 

quens 
Infanientis  dum  fapienti^ 
Confultus  erro.' 
I 

But  the  other   Philofopbers  were 
I  content  to  call  their  Dodrine  by 
\  the  Name  of  the  Love  of  Wif- 
dom  :    for  fo  the  Word  Philofo- 
phy fignifies. 

15.  Bacchus,  &c.]  The  Son  of 
Jupiter  and  Semele  :  He  is  faid 
to  have  been  the  firft  that  plan- 
ted Vines,  and  made  Wine  of  the 
Grapes  :  For  which  Reafon  the 
Poets  made  him  the  God  of 
Wine :  He  travel'd  over  the 
whole  Earth,  conquer'd  the  In- 
dies, and  was  the  firft  who  tri- 
uniph'd  ;  which  he  did,  riding 
upon  an  Elephant.  The  chief 
Badges  and  Emblems  of  his 
Power  were  Tygres  and  the 
Thyrfus  :  The  Tygres  were  har-r 
nefs'd  to  his  Car  •,  and  thus  he 
was  wont  to  be  carry'd  about  : 
Virg.  ^neid.  6.  v.  804. 

Nec  quji,  pampineis  vi(f^or  juga 

flecfi|tiliabenis, 
Liber,'  agens  celfo  Nifse  de  ver- 

tice  tigres. 

Nor  Bacchus,   turning  from  his 

Indian  War, 
By  Tygers  drawn,    triumphant 

in  his  Car, 
From  Nifa's  Top  defcending  to 

the  Plains, 
With  curling  Vines  around  his 

purple  Reins. 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS, 


The  Thyrfus,  was  a  Spear  or 
Javelin,  wrapp'd  about  with 
Vine-Branches  and  Ivy  ;  whofe 
Point  ended  in  the  Shape  of  a 
Cone  :  Bacchus,  and  the  mad 
drunken  Women,  his  Compani- 
ons, who  were  call'd  Bacchaz,  al- 
ways carry'd  a  Thyrfus  in  their 
Hands :  Moreover,  Lucretius, 
in  this  Place,  calls  Bacchus  by 
the  Name  of  Liber : 

Namque  Ceres  fertur  fruges,  Li- 

berque  liquoris 
Vicigeni  laticem  mortalibus  in- 

itituilTe, 

Virg.  Georg,  I.  v.  5. 

— —  Vos,  O  clariffima  mundi 
Lumina,  labentemcceloquic  du- 

citis  annum. 
Liber  &  aUna  Ceres;    veftro  li 

munere  tellus 
Chaoniam  pingui  glandem  mu- 

tavit  arifti, 
Poculaque     inventis     Acheloia 

mifcuit  uvis. 

Upon  which  the  Interpreters  fay, 
that  the  Poet  calls  Liber  and  Ce- 
res the  Lights  of  the  World,  ei- 
ther becaufe  they  were  efteem'd 
to  be  the  Inventours  of,  and  to 
prefide  over,  the  Harveft  and 
the  Vintage,  which  are  the  chief 
Parts  or  Seafons  of  the  Year^and 
the  chief  Ornaments  of  the 
World,  iince  they  fupply  Man- 
kind with  Meat  and  Drink  :  or, 
becaufe  by  them  he  means  the 
Sun  and  Moon.  And  indeed 
Pr^textatus,  in  Macrobius  Sa- 
turnal.  lib.  i.  cap.  18.  evidently 
proves,  that  not  only  Liber  and 
Dionyfiusj  which  is  another  of 
the  Names  of  Bacchus  ;  but  that 
Jupiter,  and  Mars,  and  Mercu- 
ry, and  Hercules  too,  were  the 
Sun  ;  who  was  call'd  Liber,  fays 
he,  quod  libere  vagctur.  He 
adds  likewife,  that  Ceres  was 
the  Moon,  and  that  fojne  derive 


427 

her  Name  a  creando,  becaufe  flie 
conduces  very  much  to  the  Pro- 
dudion  of  Things.  Bacchus  was 
call'd  Liber,  eirher  becaufe  he 
made  free,  and  reftor'd  to  Liber- 
ty the  Country  of  Boeocia,  where 
he  was  born,  as  we  learn  from 
Plur.  m  Qua;ft.  Cent,  or  be- 
caule  Wine  delivers  the  Mind 
from  Cares,  infpires  with  Cou- 
rage, and  occafions  a  Liberty  or 
Frecnefs  of  Speech.  Thus  Ho- 
race, Carm.  Lib.  3.  Od.  21. 
fpeaking  to  a  Cask  of  Wine : 

Tu  lene  tormentum  ingenio  ad- 

mpves 
Plerumque  duro  :    tu  fapienti=. 
um 

Curas,  6c  arcanum  jocofo 
Cojililium  retegis  Lya'o, 
Tu  fpem  reducis  mentibus  anxi- 

is, 
Virefque  :     &  addis  cornua  pau- 
peri. 

Poll  te  neque  iratos  trementi 
Regum  apices,  neque  militum 
arma. 

Of  Bacchus  fee  more,    Book  IL 
\,6i6.  and  Book  IV.  y.  ii6^, 

16.  Ceres]  She  was  Daughter 
of  Saturn  and  Ops,  and  Mother 
of  Proferpine.  She  was  believed 
to  be  the  fir  ft  that  fow'd  Corn, 
and  found  out  the  Art  of  Ufing 
it.    Virgil,  Georgick  I.    v.  147. 

Prima  Ceres  ferro  mortales  ver^ 

tere  terram 
Inftituit. !-. 

For  which  ;tleaibn  they  made  her 
the  Goddefs  of  Corn  ;  and  hence 
too,  as  Varro,  Cicero,  andAr-  . 
nobius  witnefs,  ilie  was  call'd 
Ceres,  as  it  were,  Geres,  becaufe, 
touse  the  very  Words  of  Arno- 
bius,  lib.  3.  Salutarium  femi- 
num  fruges  gerar.  See  more, 
B.  IL  v.  616,  4n4  B,  IV.  v. 
11(^5. 

18.  As 


li 


I  2 


428  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

Yer  Men  might  ftill  have  liv*d  without  thefe  two : 
They  might  have  liv'd  as  other  Nations  do. 
But  what  Content  could  Man,  what  Pleafure  find, 
'2,0  What  Joy  in  Life,  while  Paflions  vex'd  the  Mind  ? 
Therefore  that  Man  is  more  a  God  than  thefe,  y 

'  That  Man,  who  fhew'd  us  how  to  live  at  Eafe,  V 

That  Man,  who  taught  the  World  Delight  and  Peace. 3 
His  ufeful  Benefits  are  rais*d  above 
25  A  Lc  IDES  A(5ls,  the  greateil  Son  of  J  0  f  £  ! 

For 

NOTES. 


18.  As  other  Nations  do.]  Di- 
odorus  Siculus,    Book  III.  fays, 
That    the    Inhabitants    on  the 
Coaft  of  the  Gulph  of  Arabia  ; 
and  of  the  Countreys  of  Troglo- 
dytia  and  South  Ethiopia,   know 
not  the  Ufe  of  Corn  or  Wine  ; 
but  that  fome  of  them   live  upon 
Fifla    and    Snails,    others    upon 
Roots,  others  upon  the  Leaves, 
Seeds,  and  Fruits  of  Trees,  and 
others  upon  Locufts.    Mela  wit- 
nefles,  that  the  Troglodytes  live 
jn  Dens,  and  feed  upon  Serpents : 
fome  of  which,  fays  Pliny,  Nat. 
Hift.  lib.  31.  cap.  2.    are  twenty 
Cubits  in  Length.     And   Faber, 
in  his  Note   on  this  PaflTage    of 
our  Authour,    fays,    that  fcarce 
the  lixth  Part  of  Mankind    do 
yet  know  what  Wheat  is.  There- 
fore we  may  well,  fays  Lucretius, 
live  without  Corn   and    Wine, 
but  not  without  W^ifdom  :     Sa- 
pientia  enim,  fays  Cicero,  lib.  i. 
de  Fin.    eft  una  qua:  moeftitiam 
pellat  ex  animis,  qua;  nos  exhor- 
refcere  metu  non  finat,  qua  prae- 
ceptrice  in  tranquillitate  vivi  po- 
teft,  omnium  cupiditatum  ardo- 
re  reftindo  :     For  Wifdom  only 
it  is  that  drives  away  Sorrow  and 
Uneafinefs  from  the  Mind,  that 
fuffers  us    not  to  ft  and   aghaft 
with  Fear  ;    and  by   whofe  Ad- 
vice   we     may    extinguifli    the 
Flame  of  all  inordinate  Dcfires, 
and  lead  our  Lives  inTranquilli- 
ty,  and  exempt  from  all  manner 
of  Paflion. 


I  p.  But  what  Content,  &c.3 
Lucretius : 

At  bene  non  poterat  fine  pure 
pecTtore  vivi. 

W^here  by  puro  pe(ftore  the  Poet 
means  a  Mind  undifturb'd  by 
Ignorance,  and  not  obnoxious  to 
Errours  j  a  Heart  fincere,  and 
free  from  all  Anxiety  ;  for,  as 
Elorace  fays, 

Sincerum  eft  nil!  vas,    quodcun- 
que  infundis,  acefcit. 

In  like  manner,  without  Since- 
rity of  Heart  and  Purity  of 
Mind,  'tis  impoflible  to  lead  a 
happy  Life  or  to  pafs  our  Days 
in  Tranquillity  :  And  Cicero 
teaches  us,  that  the  only  way  to 
acquire  this  Purity  of  Mind  is 
by  the  Help  of  Wifdom,  which, 
by  delivering  us  from  all  Ter- 
rours  and  Dciires,  and  from  the 
Temerity  of  all  falfe  Opinions, 
is  the  fureft  Guide  to  Pleafure. 
Mentem  autem  puram  ut  habeas, 
adhibenda  eft  fapientia,  quic,  Sc 
terroribus  cupiditatibufque  de- 
tracftis,  &  omnium  falfarum  o- 
pinionum  temeritate  direptajCer- 
tiiiimam  fe  nobis  ducem  prabeat 
ad  voluptatem.   i.deFin. 

24.  His  ufeful,  &c.]  In  thefe 
24.  v.  the  Poet  enumerates  fome 
of  theLabours  of  Herculesjwhich, 
he  tells  us,  fall  as  far  iliort  of  the 
Difcoveries  of  Wifdom,  made  by 
Epicurus,  as  the  Spul  is  more  ex- 
cellent 


fiook  V.  LUCRETIUS.  429 

For  tell  me,  how  the  fierce  N  e  m  ^e  ^  n  Roar 
Could  fright  us  now  ?  How  could  th*  Arc^di^k  Boar, 
The  C  XET^N  Bull,  the  Plague  oi  L  e  rh  e's  Lakes, 
The  poys'nous  Hyi>r^  with  her  numrous  Snakes  ? 

How 
NOTES. 

cell  ent  than  the  Body:  For  Her- ^  Labours  of  Hercules,  according 
cules  did  indeed  deliver  Men  ;  to  the  Order  in  which  the  chief 
from  Monfters,  that  were  de-jpfthem,  which  are  thirty  four 
itrudive  to  the  Body  ;  butEpi-;i-*^  Number,  are  enumerated, 
curus^  who  firft  inftruc'ted  Men  \  Now  there  haunted  in  the  Ne- 
in  the  Art  of  Wifdom,  delivered  I  m^'^n  Wood,  near  Cleone,  a 
their  Minds  from  all  vain  Anxi-  \  City  of  Achaia,  in  the  Countrey 
eties,  and  reftlefs  Defires  :  He  of  Peloponnefus,  a  vaft  and  ter- 
chac'd  from  our  Souls  the  Ter-  ^  rihle  Lion,  that  did  a  World  of 
rours  at  which  we  were  ftar tied' ^lifchief;  Hercules,  not  being 
and  ftood  aghaft  ;  and  diffipated  able  to  kill  him  either  with  his 
the  Darknefs  of  Errours,  which!  Club,  or  with  his  Darts,  laid 
clouded  the  Happinefs  of  Life,     j  l^old  of  him,    and  tore  him  to 


25.  Alcides^' Hercules ;     He 
was     call'd     Alcides    from     his 
Grandfather   Alc^eus,    who  was 
Father  of  Amphitryo  of  Thebes  : 
For  Hercules     was    the  Son  of 
Jupiter  ,        by     Alcmena     the 
Wife  of  Amphitryo.    Now  be- 
fore either  Hercules,    or  Euryf 
theus,    King  of  Mycena;,    were 
born,    Juno,  who  knew  that  the 
Fates  had  decreed,    that  whether 
of  them  came  into  the   World 
lafl,  niould  ferve  the  other,  con- 
triv'd  the  Matter  fo,    that  Her- 
cules was  born  after  Euryftheus, 
who,    at   her  Inftigation,    com- 
manded Hercules   to     go  upon 
many  dangerous  Exploits  ;    but 
he  prov'd    fuccefsful  in    all    of 
them,  therefore  was  call'd  Her- 
culeS;from''H^, Juno  and  xa^©'. 
Glory,  becauie  fhe  was  the  Caufe 
ot  all  his  Renown,    tho'    fore  a- 
gainft  her  Will.  Virgil.    Rn.  8. 
V.  api. 

■  -ut  duros  millc  labores 
Rege  fub  Euryftheo,  fatis  Juno- 

nis  iniqua: 
Pertulent.— — — . 

26.  Nema:an  Roar.&c]  That 
is  the  Nemjean  Lion.  Nem^eus 
magnus  hiatus  leonis,  fays  Lu- 
cretius.   This  IS  the  iirch  of  the  j  Crete  by  Neptune,  wHom  Minos 

Kinz 


pieces  with  his  Nails  j  then  took 
his  Skin,  which  neither  Stone 
norlron  could  penetrate,andwore 
it  on  his  Shoulders,  as  a  Badge 
of  Honour,  Diod.  Sicul.  lib.  3. 
Plaut.  in  Perf.  Virg.  2En.  8. 
This  gave  Occafion  to  the  Infti- 
tution  of  the  Nemasan  Games, 
which  were  celebrated  every 
third  Year  in  Honour  of  Hercu- 
les. But  fome,  particularly  Sta- 
tins, will  have  this  Solemnity  to 
have  been  firil  inftituted  to  cele- 
brate the  Funeral  of  Opheltes, 
Son  of  Lycurgus,  and  who  was' 
kill'd  by  an  Adder. 

27.  Th'  Arcadian  Boar,]  This 
was  his  feventh  Labour:  for 
Lucretius  does  not  obferve  the 
Order  :  and  mentions  only  the 
chief  of  them.  He  ipeaks  here  of 
the  dreadful  Boar  that  hauntecj 
upon  the  Mountain  Erymanthus 
in  Arcadia,  and  laid  wafte  all 
the  Countrey  round.  Hercules 
took  him,  and  carry'd  him  to 
Euryftheus,  King  of  Mycenar. 

28.  The  Cretan  Bull,]  This 
was  his  ninth  Labour,  A  Bull 
that  infefted  the  Country  about 
Crete  :  Hercules  brought  hini 
alive  likewife  to  Euryftheus. 
Some  fay  this  Bull  was  fent  into 


430 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


30  How  could  Gertok's  Force,  or  triple  Face  ? 

How  D  loM  Ed's  firy  HoRSEjthofe  Plagues  ofTnR^cE? 
How  could  the  Birds,  that  o'er  th*  A  rc^d  i^k  Plains 
With  crooked  Talons  tore  th'  affrighted  Swains, 
Offend  us  here  ?     Whom  had  the  Serpent  flruck, 
35  Mighty  in  Bulk,  and  terrible  in  Look, 

That 
NOTES, 


King  of  Crete  had  offended  :  o- 
thers,  that  it  was  the  fame  Bull 
which  brought  Europa ,  the 
Mother  of  Minos,  into  Crete: 
and  others,  that  it  was  the  Bull, 
for  Love  of  which,  Paiiphae,  the 
Wife  of  Minos,    run  mad. 

The  Plague  of  Lerne's  Lakes,] 
This  was  his  third  Labour.  It 
was  a  Serpent  that  liv'd  both  up- 
on Land  and  in  the  Water,  and 
was  call'd  Hydra,  from  vS'ccp. 
Water:  It  kept  for  the  moft 
part  in  the  Lake  Lerna,  between 
Mycenae  and  Argos :  and  was 
dreadful  for  having  feven  Heads  ; 
nay,  Virgil  fays,  fifty,  if,  as 
many  believe,  it  be  the  fame 
Hydra  that  A  neas  faw  when  he 
deicended  into  Hell  ; 

Quinquaginta  atris  immanishia- 
tibus  Hydra 

Sxvior  intus  habet  fedem. 

^u.  6.  V.  57^. 

and  others  an  hundred  ;  and  no 
fooner  was  one  of  thenl  cut  off, 
than  two  fprouted  out  in  its 
Place  :  but  Hercules  kill'd  him 
•at  length,by  fearing  the  Wounds, 
asfaftashecut  off  each  of  his 
Heads. 

30.  Geryon]  This  was  the  fix- 
teenth  Labour  of  Hercules.  Ge- 
ryon,  was  a  King  of  Spain,  hid 
to  have  three  Bodies,  either  be- 
caufe  he  govern'd  three  lilands  of 
Spain,  the  greater  and  lelFer  Ba- 
leares,  how  call'd  Majorca  and 
Minorca  ;  and  Ebufus,  now  Ivi- 
ca  i  or  becaufe  he  and  his  two 
Brothers,  who  were  united  in  the 
ftricfteft  Ties  of  Friend  iliip,  were 
all  flain  by  Hercukfj    who  took 


away  their  Herds  of  Cattle,  and 
brought  them  into  Italy,  Pau- 
fan.  lib.  i.  and  Diodor.  lib.  4. 
Virg.  TEn.  8.  v.  201 . 

-Nam  maximus  ultor, 


Tergemini  nece  Geryonis,  fpoli- 

ifque  fuperbus, 
Alcides  aderat  •,    Taurofque  hac 

vicftor  agebat 
Ingentes  •,  vallemque    boves  am- 

nenique  tenebant. 

31.  Diomed'sfiry  Horfe,]  This 
was  the  fixth  Labour.  Diome- 
des  was  a  King  of  Thrace,  who, 
to  make  his  Horfes  the  more 
fierce  and  wild,  f;d  them,  as  the 
above-cited  Diodorus  faySj  not 
with  Oats<and  Barley,  but  wifh 
human  Flefli  •  Hercules  took 
him,  and  gave  him  to  his  own 
Horfes  to  eat. 

32.  The  Birds,  &c.]  This  was 
the  eighth  Labour.  Thefe  Birds 
were  call'd  Stymphalides,  from 
Stymphalus,  the  Name  of  a 
Town,  Mountain,  and  Lake  in 
Arcadia ;  where  thefe  Birds 
haunted  :  they  were  of  the  Size 
of  Cranes  -,  in  Shape  like  the 
Bird  call'd  Ibis,  which  we  gene- 
rally interpret  a  Snipe,  and  had 
Beaks  fo  hard,  that  they  would 
enter  into  Iron :  Thefe  Hercu- 
les kill'd  with  his  Darts,  as  Pau- 
fanias  and  Catullus  teftify  ;  But 
Diodorus  Siculus,  lib.  4..  fays, 
he  frighted  them  out  of  the 
Countrey  with  a  great  Brafs 
Rattle. 

34.  The  Serpent,  &c.]  The 
fourteenth  Labour.  Hefperus, 
the  Brother  of  7\tlas  had  three 
Daughters,  ^gle,  Arethufaand 
Hefperechufaj  who  are  faid    to 

have 


BookV.  LUCRETIUS.  4j£ 

That,  arm'd  with  Scales,  and  in  a  dreadful  Fold, 
Twin'd  round  the  Tree,  and  watch'd  the  growing  Gold? 
Remov'd  as  far  Sisihc  Atl^  an  ck  Shore, 

De- 

N  O  r  B  S. 


have  had  Gardens  planted  with 
Trees  that  bore  golden  Fruit. 
Thefe  Gardens  were  guarded  by 
a  vigilant  Dragon,  whom  Her- 
cules flew,  by  the  Command  of 
Euryftheus,  and  took  away  the 
Apples.  Befides  the  Dragon,  Vir- 
gil adds  a  PriefVefs,  and  a  Tem- 
ple, perhaps  of  Venus,  to  whom 
the  Apples  were  confecrated. 

Hinc  mihi  Maflyl^e  gcntis  mon- 

flrata  Sacerdps, 
Hefperidum  templi  cuftos,    epu- 

laique  draconi 
Qux  dabat,    6c   facros  fervabat 

in  arbore  ramos. 

/Eneid.  4.  v.  483. 

And  the  fame  Poet,  according  to 
the  common  Opinion,  defcribes 
the  Situation  of  the  Gardens  to 
be  in  the  Mauritania  Tingitana, 
now  the  Kingdoms  of  Fez  and 
Morocco,  about  the  Town  of 
Lixa,  in  the  extreameft  Weftern 
Part  of  Africa  :  According  to 
fome,  they  were  in  the  Conti- 
nent ;  according  to  others,  in  an 
Ifland.  Others  place  thefe  Gar- 
dens of  the  Hefperides  in  the 
quite  oppofite  Parts  of  Africa, 
that  is  to  fay,  in  the  very  Ealt 
of  Africa,  and  on  «he  Eaftern 
Shore  of  the  Syrtes  Major,  near 
Cyrenaica  :  but  this  Errour  is 
fully  confuted  by  Salmalius  to 
Solinus.  Moreover,  fome  will 
have  itj  that  the  Apples  of  thefe 
Gardens  were  only  Sheep,  whofe 
Fleeces  were  very  valuable,  and 
which  the  Greeks  call  /«'>'Act, 
as  well  as  they  do  Mala,  Apples. 
Others  believe  them  to  have  been 
what  we  call  Citrons  or  Lemons, 
and  that  Hercules  iirft  brought 
them  from  thence  into  Greece  : 
They  likewife  bsiieve  th€  Gar- 


dens to  have  been  the  Fortunate 
Iflands.now  the  Canaries  :  which 
lie  below  Lixus  indeed,  but  very- 
near  to  Mount  Atlas,  and  not 
far  from  the  Shore.  Laftly,  o- 
thers  will  have  them  to  be  the 
Iflands,  which  the  Antientscali'd 
Hefperides,  and  Gorgades,  or 
Gorgones,  now  the  illands  of 
Cape  Verd  :  but  thefe  lie  more 
to  the  South,  at  a  great  Diftance 
from  Atlas,  towards  the  Mouths 
of  the  River  Niger,  and  at  leaft 
an  hundred  and  fifty  Leagues  di- 
ftant  from  them.  And  thefe  lait 
believe  the  Dragon  to  be  the  tor- 
tuous Sea,  that  divided  the  Gar- 
dens from  the  Continent.  Mil- 
ton, defcribing  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  gives  it  Trees 

-Whofe  Fruit,   burnilTi'd 


Vvith  Golden  Rind, 

Hung  amiable:  Hefperian  Fa- 
bles true  i 

If  true,  here  only,  and  of  deli- 
cious Tafte. 

38.  Atlantick  Shore,]  The 
Weft  of  Mauritania,  which  is 
wafli'd  by  the  Atlantick  Ocean, 
fo  call'd  from  Mount  Atlas, 
which,  under  feveral  Names,  ex- 
tends itfelf  even  to  Egypt,  and 
dividing  all  Africa  into  North 
and  South,  that  is  to  fay,  Mau- 
ritania from  the  inner  Lybia, 
ends  in  the  Weftern  Ocean.  For 
which  Reafon  the  antient  Poets 
comprehended  all  the  People^that 
lay  to  the  South  of  Atlas,  under 
the  Name  of  iEthiopians,  and 
diftinguifli'd  them  by  Orien- 
tal and  Occidental.  The  Spani- 
ards call  ail  this  Extentof  Moun- 
tains ,  Montes  claros  Atlas, 
Brother  of  Prometheus,  Son  of* 
Japetusj  and  King  of  Maurita- 

ania 


4J2  LU  C  RET  IT}  S.  Book  V 

Defafts  unrrod  by  us,  and  by  the  M  o  o  «. 
40  Thofe  others  too  that  fell,  and  rais'd  his  Fame,  t 

That  gave  him  this  diffused  and  lafting  Name,  S 

And  made  him  rife  a  God  from  O  e  tJs  Flame: 


NOTE  S. 


nia,  being  admohifli'd  by  The- 
mis, that  he  was  in  Danger  of 
being  kill'd  by  a  certain  Son  of 
Jupiter,  would,  for  that  Reafon, 
receive  no  Stranger  into  his 
Houfe:  and  having  deny 'd  the 
Rights  of  Hofpitality  to  Perfeus, 
the  Son  of  Jupiter  by  Danae, 
Daughter  of  Acrifius  King  of 
the  Argives,this  PerfeuSjby  fliew- 
ing  him  Medufa's  Head,  chang'd 
him  into  this  Mountain,  which 
bears  his  Kfame  :  This  Fable  is 
related  at  large  by  Ovid,  Metam. 
4.  V.  (^21.  &^  feq.  Now  Atlas 
was  very  skilful  in  Aftrology, 
which  gave  Occafion  to  the  Fidi- 
on  of  fupporting  Heaven  on  his 
Shoulders.  And  Virgil  defcribes 
the  Mountain  as  ftill  retaining 
the  Figure  of  a  Man,  ^neid.  4. 
V.  246.  where  fpeaking  of  Mer- 
cury, he  fays, 


-Jamque   volans  apicem  Sc 


latera  ardua  cernit 
Atlantis  duri,  coelum  qui  vertice 

fulcit : 
Atlantis,  cindum  affiduecui  nu- 

bibus  atris 
Piniferum  caput  &  vento  pulfa- 

tur  &  imbri  : 
Nix  humeros  infufa  tegit :     turn 

flumina  mento 
Prsecipitant  fenis,  Sc  glacie  riget 

horrida  barba. 

Thus  tranflated  by  Dryden. 

— — —  And  flying  thence  he  fpies 
Atlas,  whofe  brawny  Back  fup- 

ports  the  Skies  : 
Atlas,   whofe  Head,    with  piny 

Forefts  crown'd. 
Is  beaten  by   the  Winds,    with 

foggy  Vapours  bound. 


Had 


from 


Snows  hide  his  Shoulders ; 

beneath  his  Chin 
The  Founts  of  rouling  Streams 

their  Race  begin  : 
A    Beard    of   Ice  on   his  large 

Breaft  depends. 

39.  Defarts  untrod  by  Us^  and 
by  the  Moor.] 

Quo  neque  nofter  adit  quifquam, 
nee  barbarus  audet.       Lucret. 

i.e.  Whither  none  of  us  Romans 
go,  nor  any  Foreigner  dares  to 
go :  For  the  Antients,  as  well 
Greeks  as  Latines,  call'd  all 
that  were  not  of  their  own 
Countrey  Barbarians :  But  I 
think  our  Tranflatour  can  hard- 
ly juftify  this  Expreffion,  untrod 
by  the  Moor,  fince  the  Moors 
are  the  People  that  inhabit  the 
Countrey  of  which  Lucretius  is 
fpeaking.  Be  that  as  it  will,  Ci- 
cero afferts  for  certain,  that  even 
in  his  Days  there  was  no  Sailing 
pradis'd  any  farther  than  froin 
the  Mouths  of  the  Euxine  Sea, 
to  the  Columns  of  Hercules : 
i.e.  than  Abyle,  now  Ceuta,  on 
the  Africaif  Coaft,  and  Calpe, 
now  Gibraltar,  on  the  Coaft  of 
Spain.  For  Hercules,  after  he 
had  laid  wafte  the  Garden  of 
the  Hefperides,  fix'd  two  Pillars 
on  the  Mountains  Abyle  and 
Calpe,  as  the  Bounds  of  his  Tra- 
vels :  which  two  Mountains 
were  before  contiguous ;  but  he 
is  faid  to  have  parted  them,  a  nd 
by  that  Means  letting  in  the  O- 
cean,  to  have  open'd  the  Sea  of 
Cadiz,  now  cali'd  the  Straits  of 
Gibraltar. 

40.  Thofe  others    too,    &:c.3 
For  many  other  notable  Exploits 


435 


fiook  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

Had  they  ftill  liv*d,  what  Mifchief  had  they  done  ? 

Whom  had  they  torn  ?    Whom  frighted  ?    Surely  none: 
45  For  now,  ev'n  now,  vaft  Troops  of  Monsters  fill 

Each  thick,  and  darkfome  Wood,  and  fhady  Hill : 

Yet  who  complains,  yet  who  their  Jaws  endure  ? 

For  Men  may  fhun  their  Dens,  and  live  fecure. 
But  had  not  his  Philosophy  began, 
50  (What  had  not  Man  endur'd,  ungrateful  Man  ?) 

And  cleans'd  our  Souls,  what  Civil  Wars,  what  Cares 

Would  fierce  Ambition  raife,  what  pungent  Fears  ? 

How  Pride,  Luft,  Envy,  Sloth,  would  vex  the  Mind  ? 

There-' 

NOTES. 


are  recorded  of  Hercules.  He 
kill'd  Bufyris,  the  Son  of  Nep- 
tune and  Libya,  an  Egyptian 
Tyrant ,  of  fuch  incredible 
Strength,  that  he  could  draw  an 
Ox  about  at  his  Pleafure,  and 
who,  as  well  as  Diomedes  of 
Thrace,  fed  his  Horfes  with  hu- 
man Flefh  :  And  Ant^us,  the 
Son  of  Neptune  and  Terra,  a 
Giant  fixty  four  Cubits  high ; 

^who,   as  often  as  he  was  faint  or 
v/eary  ,    if  he  but  touch'd  the 
Earth,  recovered  his  full  Strength 
again  :     And  Augeas,    the  King 
of  Elis,    who  refus'd  to  give  him 
what  he  had  agreed  forcleanfing 
his  Stables  of  the  Filth  they  had 
gather'd  in  thirty  Years :     And 
£ryx,  the  Son  of  Venus,    with 
whom,  he  fought  at  the  Coeftus, 
or  Hurl-bats :     Befides,    he  Hew 
feveral   of  the    Centaurs,    See. 
and  was  of  fignal  Service  to  the 
Gods,  in  their    Wars  with   the 
Giants,  who  durft  attack  their 
Heaven ;  for  the  Earth  had  pro- 
nounc'd  an  Oracle,   at  Phlsegra, 
a  Town    in  Thrace,     and  the 
Place  of  the    Battel,   That  the 
Giants  could  not  be  deftroy'd, 
without  the  Help  of  two  Heroes 
or  Demi-Gods  :  Upon  which  the 
Gods  made  Choice  of  Hercules 
and  Bacchus ;    and  by  their  Afli- 
ftance  got  the  Vicflory  :      Thus 
Apoilodprus :    And  hence  we  fee 
the  Vaihnefs  of  the  Fables,    in 


teaching  that  the  fame  Hercules, 
who  flourifli'd  about  the  Age  of 
Thefeus  and  Euryftheus,  was  al- 
ready among  the  Gods  in  the 
Time  of  the  Giants  War. 

42.  O Eta's  Flame]    Lucretius 
fays  nothing    of    the  Death  of 
Hercules,  nor  of  his  riling  a  God 
from  OEta's  Flame  j     but   fince 
our  Trariilatour  has  thought  fit 
to  take  Notice  of  it,    it  will  not 
be  improper  for  us  to  explain  it. 
Deianira,  growing  jealous  of  her 
Husband     Hercules,    who,    £he 
heard,  was  fallen  in  Love  with 
lole,  fent  him  a   Garment  that 
had  been  dipt  in  the  poyfonous 
Blood  of  the  Centaur  Neflus  ; 
and  which,    flie  had  been  infor- 
med, had  a  Vertue,  to  make  any- 
one ,  that  wore  it,  in  Love   with 
her.     Hercules  had  no  foonerpuc 
it  on,  than  all  his  Limbs   began 
to  burn  to  that  degree,    by  the 
Force  of  the  poys*nous  Dye,  that 
unable  to  refifl:  the  Violence  of 
the  Torment,    he  tore  up  Trees 
by  the  Roots,    and  built  himfelf 
a  Pile,  upon  the  Mountain  OEta 
in  Theflaly,     then    having  fee 
Fire  to  it,  threw  himfelf  into  the 
Flames :     and  being  thus  purg'd 
from  alt  the  Filth  he  had  contra- 
cted here  below,    he  was  believ'd 
to  go  diredly  to  Heaven,    and 
thusj  as  Creech  fays, 


Kick 


^H€ 


434  ^  ^  ^  ^  '^  T  lU  S.  Book  V, 

Therefore  the  Man,  who  thus  reform'd  our  Souls, 
5  5  That  (lew  thefe  Monfiers,  not  by  Arms,  but  Rules, 

Shall  we,   ungrateful  we,    not  think  a  God  ? 

Efpeciaily  fince  HE  divinely  fiiow'd 

What  Life  the  Gods  muft  live ;  and  found  the  Cause 

Arid  Rise  of  Things,  and  taught  us  Nature's  Laws, 
^o      His  Steps  I  trace ;  and  prove,  as  Things  begun, 

By  the  fame  Laws,   and  Nature  they  live  on, 

And  fail  at  laft,  loofe  all  their  vital  Ties ; 

'  But  chiefly,    that  the  Soul  is  born,  and  dies  : 

,:And 

NOTES, 


. — ~  He  rofe  a  God  from  OEta's 
flame. 

Milton,  in  Paradife  Lofl,  B.  II. 

As  when  AlcideSjfrom  OEchalia 

crown'd 
"With   Conqueft,    felt  th''  cnve- 

nom'd  Robe,  and  tore 
Thro*  Pain   up    by  the   Roots 

ThefTalian   Pines, 
And   Lichas  from  the   Top  of 

OEta  threw 
Into  th'  Euboick  Sea,  dec. 

55.  But  Rules]  Epicurus,  in 
his  Writings,  treated  not  only 
of  Phyhcks,  but  Ethicks  like- 
wife:  The  firft  by  the  Care  of 
ILaertius  have  efcap'd,  moft  of 
them,  from  the  Rage  of  Time: 
but  of  his  Ethicks,  the  little 
that  remains,  is  in  his  three  Epi- 
ftles  to  Herodotus,  Mcsnec^^us 
and  Pythodes. 

57.  He  divinely  fliow'd,  &C.3 
Faberfays,  that  Lucretius  here 
fpeaksofthe  Treatife  that  Epi- 
curus compos'd  'DTse^^  oo-iothIi^, 
of  Holinefs. 

60.  His  Steps,  &c.]  In  thefe 
40.  V.  the  Poet  gives  us  the  Ar- 
gument of  this  Book,  in  which 
he  will  endeavour  to  prove,  that 
the  World  had  once  a  Beginning, 


and  will  one  Day  have  an  End  : 
Then  he  will  defcribe  the  Rife  of 
the    World,     and   of  Animals; 
will  teach    what  Animals  were 
adually  produc'd  ;  and  what  the 
Vainnefs  of  the  Poets,    and  the 
Superftition  of  the  Generality  of 
Men  have  feign'd  and  believ'd. 
He  will  tell  how  Names  came  to 
be  given  to  Things,and  how  mu- 
tual Society  arofe  from   Speech  ; 
and  whence  iirft  proceeded  Reli- 
gion,   and  the  Fear  of  the  Gods  : 
Laftly,    he  will  explain  the  Mo- 
tion of  the  Heavens,    the  Cour- 
fes  and  Revolutions  of  the  Sun, 
the  Moon,     and    other  Planets 
and  Stars,  and  will  demohftrate, 
that  they  are  whirl'd  about  by 
,  the  Force  of  Nature  only,  with- 
lout  the    Helper    Affiftance   of 
Providence  ;     For  unlefs  he  can 
make  out  fuch  a  Motion  of  the 
Heavens,     and    prove    it  to  be 
meerly  natural,  he  owns  he  Hiall 
not  be  able  to  take  away  all  Be- 
lief of  Providence  :     For,    as  he 
obferves  in  the  fir  ft  Book,  v.  84. 


Long  time  Men  lay  opprefs'd 
with  flaviili  Fear ; 

Religion*s  Tyranny  did  domi- 
neer : 

And,  being  plac'd  in  Heaven 5 
look'd  proudly  down. 

And  frighted  abjecil  Spirits  with' 
her  Frown.  -i! 

64.  Sha- 


Bo'ok  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


4U 


And  that  thofe  Shadows,  which  in  Dreams  appear,      7 

^5  And  Forms  of  Friends,  and  perifli'd  Heroes  bear,  > 

Are  but  loofe  Shapes,  by  Fansy  wroughc  in  Air.  j 

Now  I  muft  teach,  the  World,  as  Years  prevail, 
Muft  die;  this  noble  Frame  muft  fink  and  fail  j 
And  how  at  firft  'twas  form'd  9  what  curious  Blows      7 
70  Made  SEED,Earth,Seas,Sun,Heav'n,and  Srars,compore:S- 
What  living  Creatures  did,  what  never  rofe.  ^ 

How  Leagues,  and  how  Society  began; 
What  civiliz'd  the  favage  Creature,  Man. 

Whence  fprung  that  mighty  Dread  of  Pow'rs  above, 
75  That  Reverence,  that  awful  Fear.and  Love, 
Which  firft  religious  Duties  did  engage  ; 
And  now  fecures  their  holy  Things  from  Rage. 

How  tow'rds  both  Poles  the  Sun's  fixt  Journey  be^d?^ 
And  how  the  Year  his  crooked  Walk  attends :         ^ '  .  ^/" 
80  By  what  juft  Steps  the  wand'ring  Lights  advance; 
And  what  eternal  Meafures  guide  the  Dance  ; 
Left  fome  fhould  think  their  Rounds  they  freely  go,     -p 
•   Scatt  ring  their  fervile  Fires  on  Things  below,  >. 

On  Fruits,  and  Animals,  to  make  them  grow,  3 

Or 

NOTES, 


^4.  Shadows  which  in  Dreams 
appear,  &c.]  Which  the  igno- 
rant Vulgar  miftake  for  Souls 
feparated  from  the  Body ;  but 
Epicurus  has  ihewn  them  their 
^rrour,  by  proving  that  the 
Soul  dies  with  the  Body.  S^e 
Gafarellus,  in  his  Collecflion,  de 
Talifmannis, 

70.  Seed,3  The  Atoms,  which 
Lucretius  held  with  Epicurus  to 
be  the   Principles  of  aJI  Things. 

71.  Never  rofe,]  He  means 
ChimxraSj  Scyllas,  CentaurSj 
Hermaphrodites,  Sec. 

77'    Holy    Things]     Lucret. 

Fana,  Lacus,   Lucos,   Aras,  Si- 
mulacraque  Divumj 

The  Temples,    Lakes,   Groves, 
Altars,  and  Images  of  the  Gods. 

Sr,  Eternal  Meafures]  Lucre- 
iMrS  fays,  l^atura  gubeni^ns,  ^t\4 


means  what  he  calls  afterwards 
Fortuna  gubernans^v.  108.  which 
our  Tranilatour  there  calls 
Chance  :  And  indeed  Lucretius 
means  nothing  elfe  in  this  Place  : 
Pliny^  'cjs  true,  calls  Nature  the 
Parent  and  Maker  of  all  Things  ;■• 
And  Seneca,  lib.  4.  de  Bensf. 
makes  her  the  God,  by  whom  all 
Things  are  made  and  govern'd. 
Quid  enim,  fays  he,  aliud  eft 
Natura,  qnam  Deus,  Sc  divina 
ratio  toti  mundo  ac  partibus  in- 
fer ta  ?  But  Lucretius  was  of  a- 
nother  Opinion,  and  makes  her 
other  than  God,  and  means  in 
Eifecft  nothing  more  by  ruling 
Nature,  than  the  Power  and 
Motion  of  the  Atoms,that  fortu-^ 
itoully  and  without  Deiign  hud- 
dled and  join'd  themfelves  toge-» 
ther  into  this  Frame  of  ?h? 
World. 

Guide  the  Dance]    The  Mo- 
tions of  the  Planets  msy  vvell  bf 


4?  6 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


85  Or  that  fome  God  does  whirl  the  circling  Sun, 
And  fiercely  lafli  the  firy  Horses  on : 
For  ev'n  thofe  few  exalted  Souls,  that  know. 
The  Gods  muft  live  at  Eafe,  not  look  below. 
Free  from  all  meddling  Cares,  from  Hate,   and  Love 

90  If  they  admire,  and  view  the  World  above. 
And  wonder  how  thofe  glorious  Beings  move. 
They  are  intrapp'd,  they  bind  their  flavifh  Chain  j 
And  fink  to  their  religious  Fears  again  ; 
And  then  the  World  with  heav'nly  Tyrants  fill, 

95  Whofe  Force  is  as  unbounded  as  their  Will. 


De- 


N  O  T  £  5. 


compared  to  a  Dance,   from  the 
regular  Meafures  of  them. 

85.  Or  thatj  &c.]     Epicurus 
himfelf  to  Herodotus.    Tg  jj  peiA 

S6.  Firy  Horfes]  The  Horfes 
of  the  Sun  are  faid  to  be  four  in 
Kuniber :  Pyroeis,  fo  call'd 
from  '37t)f5  Fire ;  Eous,  from 
>}6^?5  the  Morning  -j^^thonjfrom 
di^coy  I  burn,  or  I  heat  ',  and 
Phlegon,  from  ^As^to,  I  burn, 
lyucretius  mentions  them  not, 
but  owes  this  Verfe  to  his  Tran- 
fiatour. 

87.  For  ev'n,  Sec.']  This  and 
the  twelve  following  Verfes  are 
repeated  in  Book  VI.  v.  51.  and 
feqq.  And  in  Book  I.  v.  78. 
and  Book  II.  v.  6c6.  he  teaches 
almoit  the  fame  Docflrine. 
.  90,  If  they  admirej  Sec."}  Ho- 
race, the  Epicurean,  manifeftly 
tirew  from  this  Fountain,  when 
he  faid ; 

Nil  admirari  prope  res  eft  una, 

Numici, 
Solaque  quje  poflit  facere  6c  fer- 

vare  beatum  : 
Hunc  folem,    &  ftellas,  &  dece- 

dentiacertis 


Tempora  momentis, 

formidine  nulli 
Imbuti  fpecftent.  . 


funt  qui 


Explain  that  PafTage  of  Horace 
by  this  of  Lucretius,  and  you 
will  be  more  in  the  right  than 
the  other  Interpreters.  Moreo- 
ver this  is  exactly  the  Do<ftrine 
of  Socrates  :  and  therefore  this 
Saying,  The  Things  that  are  a- 
bove  us,  are  nothing  to  us,  which 
is  commonly  afcrib'd  to  Socrates 
by  others,  is  by  TertuUian  af- 
crib'd to  Epicurus :  Sed  Epicu- 
rus qui  dixerat,  Quas  fuper  nos 
nihil  ad  nos,  cum  dc  ipfe  coelum 
afpicere  defiderat,  folis  orbem 
pedaleni  apprehehdit,  &c,  lib.  2. 
ad  Nationes. 

94.  Heav'nly  Tyrants]  In  the 
fec©nd  Book  he  calls  them  Domi- 
nos  fuperbos,  proud,  imperious 
Lords.  And  Velleius,  in  Cicero, 
1.  I.  de  Nat.  Deor.  fays  the  fame 
Thing.Dum  Deum  rerum  autho- 
rem  facitis,impofuiftis  in  cervici- 
bus  noftris  Dominum  fempiter- 
num,  quem  dies  Sc  nocfles  timere- 
mus.Quis  enim  non  timeat  omnia 
providehtem,  &  cogitantem,&  a- 
nimadvertentem,  dc  omnia  ad  fe 
per'tinere  putantem,  curiofum  & 
plenum  negotii  Deum  ?  By  ma- 
king God  the  Authour  of  all 
Things,  you  fet  over  us  an  eter- 
nal Lord,  of  whom  we  muft 
Day  and  Night  ftand  in  Awe. 
for  who  can  not  but  dread  a  God, 

who 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

peJuded  Ignoranrs !  who  ne'er  did  fee. 
By  Reason's  Light,  what  can,  what  can  not  be ; 
How  ev'ry  Thing  muft  yield  to  fatal  Force ; 
What  fteady  Bounds  confine  their  natrai  Courie. 
loo      But  now  to  prove  all  cbis  ;  firft  caft  an  Eye, 
And  look  on  all  below,  on  all  on  high  : 
The  folid  Earth,  the  Sea?,  and  arched  Sky  : 
One  fatal  Hour  ('dear  Youth)  muft  rui;i  all ; 
This  glorious  Frame,  that  ftood  fo  long,  .muft  fall. 


417 


NOTES. 


who  overfees  all,  provides  for  all, 
thinks  of  4II,  takes  Notice  of  all 
and  believes  that  all   belongs  to 
him,  in  iliort,  a  meddling,  inqui- 
fitive,  and  never  idle  God  ? 

100.  But  now,  Scc.2  In  thefe 
1 9.  V.  he  at  length  tails  upon  his 
Subje<ft;  which,  he  fays,  is  a  no- 
ble one  indeed,  but  intricate,  and 
to  which  he  ihall  find  it  difficult 
to  gain  Belief:  for  Men  do  not 
eafily  give  Credit  to  what  they 
are  unwilling  to  believe  :  and 
who  would  willingly  regard  the 
Ruin  of  the  World,  of  which  he 
can  not  be  a  Witnefs  without  his 
own  Deftru(ftion?  The  Poet 
himfelf  feems  to  commiferate  fo 
great  a  Misfortune : 

tria  talia  texta 
Una  dies  dabit  exitio- — . —  v.  95. 

Which  he  did  certainly  dread, 
when  he  faid. 

Quod  procul  i  nobis  fledat  For- 
tuna  gubernans,  y,  108. 

A 11- ruling  Chance,  avert  it  far 
from  us. 

Moreover,  upon  the  Words  of 
Lucretius  cited  above,  Tria  ta- 
lia, &c.  Faber  obferves,  that  O- 
vid  pays  him  a  Compliment  in 
his  own  Coin ; 

Carmina  fublimis  tunc  funt  pe- 
ricura  Lucreti, 


Exilic  terras  cum  dabit  una 
dies. 

104.    This  Frame  muft  fallj3 
Tljis  is  deny'd  by  Ariftotle,  1. 1, 
de  Coeio,    and  by  Plato  in  Ti- 
m.»:us ;  tho'  they  difagree  in  the 
Manner  of  it  :     For  Plato  fays, 
^he  World  had  a  Beginning,  and 
that  God  created  it ;    but  denies 
it  will   ever  have  an  End  ;    not 
that  it  is  immortal  in  its  own 
Nature,  bup  becaufe  it  would  be 
unworthy    of   the    Wifdom  of 
God,  whofe  Workmaniliip  it  is, 
to  diflblve  fo  glorious  a  Frame, 
or  to  fuffer  it  to  be  difTolv'd  I 
But  Ariftotle  holds.  That  what- 
ever has  had  a  Beginning,    may, 
and  will  have  an  End  :  but  that 
the  Heavens  never  were  created, 
and  will  never  be  diflblv'd  :  Nor 
ought  Ariftotle  alone  to  boaft, 
that  he  aiTerted  a  World  uncrea- 
ted and  eternal  :    for  before  him 
Xenophanes,    Parmenides,     Me- 
lilTus,  Philolaus,  Ocellus,    Ari- 
fta:us,    the   Chaldeans,    and  o- 
thers  taught  the  fame  Dodlrine. 
In  like  manner,    not  Epicurus  a- 
loneof  ail  the  antient   Philofo- 
phers,    gave  the  World  a  Begin- 
ning; for  Empedocles,  Heracli- 
tus,     Anaximander,     Anaxime- 
nes,  Anaxagoras,  Archelaus,Di- 
ogenes,  Leucippus,  Democritus, 
the  Brachmans,    the   Egyptians, 
and  others,  were  of  the  fame  O- 
pinion  j  to  which  Pliny  too  fub- 
IcribeSj   in  thefe  Words :     Nu- 

men 


4;e 


L  V  C  RET  lU  S. 


Book  V. 


105     I  know,  that  this  feems  ftrange,  and  hard  to  prove, 
(Strong  hardened  Prejudice  will  fcarce  remove) 
And  fo  are  all  Things  new,  and  unconfin  d 
To  Senfe,  nor  which  thro*  that  can  reach  the  Mind; 
Whofe  Notice,  Eye,  nor  Hand,  thofe  only  Ways, 

1 10  Where  Science  enters,  to  the  Soul  conveys. 
And  yet  ril  fing  :    perchince  the  foll'wing  Fall 
Will  prove  my  Words,  and  fhew  'tis  Reafon  all : 
Perhaps  thou  foon  flialt  fee  the  finking  World 
With  ftrong  Convulfions  to  Confufion  hurl'd  i 

1 1 5  When  ev*ry  rebel  Atom  breaks  the  Chain, 
And  all  to  primitive  Night  return  again  ; 
But  Chance  avert  it!  Rather  let  Reas'n  (hew 
The  World  may  fall,  than  Sense  Ihould  prove  it  true: 

But 

J^OTBS. 


men  eflTe  mundum  credi  par  eft, 
xternutn,     immenfum  ;     neque 
genitunii   neque  interiturum  un- 
quam.     Nat.  Hift.  lib.  2.  cap.  i. 
Thus  Epicurus  agreed  with  us. 
That  the  World  had   a  Begin- 
ning •,  but  he  err'd  in  teaching, 
that  God  was  not   the  Creatout 
of  it  :  And  we  know,  for  certain, 
that,  In   principio  creavit  Deus 
ccelum  &   terram.     And  both 
Epicurus,    and  the  other  Piiilo- 
fophers  with   him,    were  mifta- 
ken,     when  they  taught,  That 
the  World  was  not  created  out 
of  Nothing,  but  made  of  a  pre- 
exifting   Matter,      Lucan ,    in 
Pharfal.  lib.    i.   v.  73.  defcribes 
the  future     DifTolution    of  the 
World,   in  the  following  Ver- 
fes : 

-*  Sic  cum,  compage  fo- 


luta, 

Specula  tot  mundi  fuprema  coe- 
gerit  hora, 

Antiquum  repetens  iterum  Cha- 
os, omnia  miftis 

Sydera  fyderibus  concurrent ; 
ignea  pontum 

Aitra  petent ;  tellus  extendere 
iittora  nolet, 

Bxcutietque  Fretum  :  fratri  con- 
traria  Fhc^be 


Ibit,    &  obliquum  bigas  agitate 

per  orbem 
Indignata  diem  pofcet  fibi  :     to- 

taque  difcors 
Machina  divulfi  turbabit  foedera 
,    mundi. 

Which  May  has  not  amifs  inter- 
preted in  the  following  Verfes : 

So  when  this  Knot  of  Nature  is  ' 
difTolv'd, 

And  the  World's  Ages  in  on? 
Hourinvolv'd 

In  their  old  Chaos ;    Seas  with 
Skies  fliall  join. 

And  Stars,  with  Stars  confound- 
ed, lofe  their  Shine. 

The  Earth  no  longer  fliall  extend. 
its  Shore, 

To  keep  the    Ocean  out :    the 
Moon  no  more 

Follow  the  Sun'j    butj    fcorning 
her  old  W^y, 

Crofs  him,    and  claim  the  Gui- 
dance of  the  Day  : 

The  falling  World's  now  jarring 
Frame  no  Peace, 

No  League  fliall  hold,  &c, 

109.  Thofe  only  W^ays,  &C.3 
For  all  Men  give  naoft  Credit  to 
thofe  Things  which  they  fee  or 
touch,  and  Sight  is  the  chief  In- 

1^1 


Book  V.  LTf  C  R  ETIU  S.  439 

But  now  before  I  teach  thefe  Truths,  more  fure 
1 20  And  certain  Oracles,  and  far  more  pure, 

Than  what  from  trembling  Ptthi^  reached  our  Ears • 
I'll  firft  propofe  fome  Cure  againft  thy  Fears: 

Left 

HOTES. 


let  of  Knowledge  :  Therefore 
Milton,  complaining  of  his  be- 
ing blind,  fays  finely  5 


'     ■  Thus  with  the  Year 
Seafons  return,    but  not  to  me 

returns 
Day,  or  the  fweet  Approach  of 

Ev'n  and  Morn, 
Or  Sight  of  vernal  Bloom,    or 

Summer's  Rofe, 
Or  Flocks,  or  Herds,  or  human 

Face  divine  : 
But  Cloud    infteadj   and  ever- 

during  Dark 
Surround  me,  from  the  chearful 

Ways  of  Man 
Cut  off,    and  for  the  Book  of 

Knowledge  fair 
Prefented     with     an     univerfal 

Blank 
Of  Nature's  Works,    to  me  ex- 

pung'd  and  raz'd  ; 
And  Wifdom   at  one  Entrance 

quite  Hiut  out. 

1 19.  But  nowj&c]  But  becaufe 
the  Folly  of  the  Stoicks,  the  Ig- 
norance of  others,  and  the  Su- 
perftition  of  the  Generality  of 
Men  had  oppos'd  many  Obje- 
ctions to  this  Opinion,  Lucre- 
tius removes  them  all,  and  firfl, 
in  39.v.confutes  the  StoickSjWho 
held,  that  the  Sun,  the  Sea,  the 
Earth,  in  fhort,  the  Univerfe, 
being  animated  by  a  Spirit  in- 
fus'd  thro'  the  whole,  is  God. 
Thus  Maniiius,  lib.  i.  v.  238. 

Hoc  opus  immenfi  conflrudum 

corpore  mundi, 
Membraque  naturae  diverfd  con- 

dita  formd 
Aeris,    atque  ignis,    terr«,    pe- 

lagique  jacentis 


Vis  animjB  divina  regit,   facroq; 

meatu 
Confpirat  Deus,  &  tacit^  ratio- 

ne  gubernat. 

Which  Creech  thus  renders: 


w 


hich 


To  this  vaft  Frame,   in 
four  Parts  confpire. 

Of  diff'rent  Form,  Air,  Water, 
Earth,   and  Fire, 

United  God,    the     World's  al^ 
mighty  Soul, 

By  fecret    Methods,     rules  and 
guides  the  Whole  ; 

By  unfeen  PafTcs  he  himfelf  con- 
veys 

Thro'  all  the  Mafs,   andev'ry 
Part  obeys. 

But  thefe  Men  the  Poet  defplfes, 
and  treats  them  and  their  fool- 
ifli  Dodrine  with  the  utmofi: 
Contempt  and  Indignation. 

121.  Pythia]  See  the  Note 
upon  V.  758.  Book  I.  from 
whence  this  and  the  foregoing 
Verfe  are  repeated.  And  to  what 
is  there  faid  on  them,  I  will  here 
add  fome  farther  Particulars 
concerning  the  Oracle  of  Apollo, 
who  was  cali'd  Pythius,  from  his 
killing  the  Python,  a  huge  Ser- 
pent, which  had  its  Name  ^ot> 
<§■  'CEri/@«r,  becaufe  he  was  engen- 
der'd  of  the  Putrefaction  of  the 
Earth,  and  fprung  from  the 
Filth  that  the  Flood  of  Deucali- 
on had  left  behind  it,  Ovid. 
Metam.  i.  v. 438. 

^ Te  quoque,    maxime 

Python, 
Turn  genuit  ;    populifque  novis, 

incognite  Serpens, 
Terror  eras  :    tantum  Ipatii  de 

monte  tenebas : 

Hunc 


44^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


Left  Superstition' prompt  thee  to  believe, 
That  Sun  and  Moon,  that  Seas  and  Earth  muft  live  ; 

Are 
^4  O  T  E  S. 


Hunc  Deus  arcitenens, 

Mille  gravem  telis,  exhauftifc  pe- 

ne  pharetra, 
Perdidit,    effufo  per  vulnera  ni- 
gra veneno. 

Kow  the  Perfon,  or  Prophetefs, 
who,  inftead  of  Apollo,  pro- 
nounc'd  the  Oracle,  and  gave 
Anfwer  to  thofe  that  came  to 
confult  the  God,  was  a  Maid, 
and  the  firft  that  perform'd  it 
was  Phenomoe,  the  Daughter 
of  Apollo.  The  Oracle  was  de- 
livered from  a  Place  in  the  Tem- 
ple, call'd  the  Adytum,  which 
was  the  moft  fecrec  and  retir'd 
Part  of  it,  and  into  which  none 
but  the  Prophetefs  was  permitted 
to  enter  :  and,  according  to  the 
Dcfcription  Strabo  gives  of  it,  it 
was  a  deep  and  crooked  Cave, 
with  a  Mouth  or  Entrance  but 
indifferently  large,  and  out  of 
which  the  Anfwer  of  the  God 
was  thought  to  aicend,  and  in- 
fpire  the  Prophetefs.  Over  the 
Mouth  of  this  Cave  ftood  the 
Tripod,  upon  which  when  the 
Prophetefs  got  up,  flie  was  im- 
mediately tranlported  with  a 
Spirit  of  Divination  ;  and  then 
gave  the  Anfwer,  fometimes  in 
Profe,  fometimes  in  Verfe.  Du 
Choul,  in  his  Treatife  de  la  Re- 
ligion des  anciens  Romains,  gives 
us  the  Form  of  the  Tripod,  with 
a  Crow  fitting  on  it,  as  a  Bird 
facred  to  Apollo ,  and  with  a 
Harp  and  Laurel  at  the  Feet  of 
it.  To  which  we  may  add,  that 
in  Conftantine's  Oration-  ad  Sa- 
crorum  coetum,  in  Eulebius 
there  is  Mention  made>  cap.  i8. 
of  a  Serpent  alfo  twining  about 
the  Tripod,  and  of  a  Diadem 
with  which  the  Prophetefs  was  a- 
dorn'd.  Lee,  in  the  Tragedy  of 
Mithridates,  defcribes  the  Ago- 
ny of  the  Pythian,   when,    in- 


fpir'd  by  the  God,  Hie  was  about 
^to  pronounce  the  Oracle. 

At  Delphi,   when  the 


glorious  Fury 

Kindles  the  Blood  of  the  projJhe- 
tick  Maid, 

The  bounded  Deity  does  flioot 
her  out, 

Draws  ev'ry  Nerve,  thin  as  a 
Spider's  Thread, 

And  beats  the  Skin  out  like  ex- 
panded Gold. 

And  Dryden,  in  OEdipus,  makes 
the  old  Tirefias  fay  : 

Now  the  God  iliakes  me !  he 
comes !    he  comes ! 

I  feel  him  now 

Like  a  ftrong  Spirit,  charm'd 
into  a  Tree, 

That  leaps,and  moves  the  Wood 
without  a  Wind  : 

The  row  zed  God,  as  all  this 
while  he  lay 

Tntomb'd  alive,  ftarts,  and  di- 
lates himfelf : 

Heftruggles,  and  he  tears  my 
aged  Trunk 

With  holy  Fury  ;  my  old  Arte- 
ries burft  ; 

My  rivel'd  Skin.— — 

Like  Parchment,  crackles  at  the 
hallow'd  Fire: 

I  ihall  be  young  again,  &c. 

To  both  of  whom  Virgil  fhcw'd 
the  Way,  in  his  Defcription  of 
the  convulfive  Rage  of  the  Cu- 
ma:an  Sybil,     ^neid.  6, 

124.  That  Sun,  &c.]  Pytha- 
goras, Plato,  Trifmegiftus,  and 
many  others  of  the  antient  Phi- 
lofophers,  imagin'd  the  World 
to  be  endow'd  with  a  rational 
Soul,  and  to  partake  of  the  Na- 
ture of  the  God  that  made  it. 
They  were  induced  to  this  Belief, 
by  confideringthe  admirable  Or- 
der and    Connexion  of  all  the 

Parts 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

125  Are  Gods  eternal,  and  above  the  Rage, 
And  pow'rful  Envy  of  devouring  Age : 

NOTES, 


441 
And 


Parts  of  the  Univerfe  ;   which, 
they  were  perfuaded,    could  not 
befuftain'd,    but  by  a  Soul  in- 
trinfecaily   informing,  ordering, 
difpofing,   and  conneding  them. 
This  Soul  Plato  indeed  did   not 
believe  to  be  God  himrelf,    but 
the  Work  of  the  Supream  God  : 
but  Pythagoras  and  Thales,    as 
we  learn  from  Minutius  Felix, 
aflerted  it  to  be  God  himfelf: 
To  this  Opinion  the  Hermetick 
Philofophers   feem    likewife    to 
fubfcribe,  and  explain  it  in  this 
manner:     They  tell  us,  that  the 
Divine    Spirit,    which  produc'd 
the  World  out  of  the  firft  Wa- 
ter, being  infus'd,  as  by  a  conti- 
nual  Infpiration,     into    all  the 
Works  of  Nature,    and  largely 
diffus'd  thro'  them,  by  a  certain 
fecret  and  continual   A  eft,    mo- 
ving the  Whole,   and  every  indi- 
vidual Part  of  it,    according  to 
its  Kind,     is  the    Soul  of    the 
World.     Plato,  and  the  old  A- 
tademicks,  as  we  find  their  Opi- 
nion deliver'd  by  Cicero,    in  A- 
cad.  Qua:ft.  lib.  i.    fay  thus  of 
it ;     The  feveral    Parts  of  the 
World,  and  all  Things  contained 
in  them,  are  kept  together  by  a 
fcnfitive  Nature ;    which  is  en- 
dow'd  likewife  with  perfecl  Rea- 
fon  :  It  is  alfo  fempiternal  ;    be- 
caufe    there     is    nothing    more 
ftrong,  by  the  Power  or   Force 
of  which  it  can  be  difTolv'd.  And 
this  Nature  is  the  Power,    which 
is  cali'd  the  Soul  of  the  World  : 
Plutarch,  de  Placitis  Philofoph. 
lib.  4.  cap.  I.  teaches,   That  He- 
raclitus  affirm'd  the  Soul  of  the 
World  to   be  an   Exhalation   of 
the  humid  Parts  of  it.     Varro, 
on  the  contrary,    would  have  it 
ro  be    Fire,  but  means,  perhaps, 
the  fame  Thing  with   Chalcidi- 
us  in  the  Tim.^us,  where  he  calls 
Vefta-  the  Soul  of  the  univerfal 


Body  :    or  with  Pliny,   who  af- 
ferts  the  Sun  to  be  the  Soul  of 
this  World  :     Hunc  mundi  toti- 
us  efTe  animam,    ac  plane  men- 
tern,  hunc  principale  Naturse  re- 
gimen, ac  Numen  credere  decet, 
fays  he,    lib.  2.  cap,  6.     But  the 
Stoicks    went  yet  farther,    and 
held.  That  every  one  of  the  Ce- 
leftial  Bodies,  that  have  Motion, 
is  to  be  efteem'd  in  the  Number 
of  the  Gods :    and  this  Opinion 
they  grounded  on  the  Conftancy 
they  had  obferv'd  in  the  Revolu- 
tions of  the  Heavens,    and  in  the 
Courfes  of  the  Stars;      whence 
they   concluded  their  Motion  to 
be  voluntary,    and,    confequent-  • 
ly,    that  they  are  Gods.     Thus 
the   Stoick  Lucilius    in  Cicero, 
fays,  Hanc  igicur  in  ftellis  con- 
ftantiam,    hanc  tantam  in  tarn 
variis  cafibus,  in  seternitate  con- 
venientiam  temporum,  non  pof- 
fum  intelligere,  fine  mente,  rati- 
one,  confilio  :     Qu^  cum  in  fy- 
deribus  efTe  videamus,  non  peflu- 
mus  ea  ipfa  in  Deorum  numero 
non  ponere  :     De   Natar.  Deor. 
lib.    3.    And  a  little  higher  he 
fays,  Reilat  ut  motus  Aftrorum 
fit  voluntarius :    quas  qui  videat, 
non  indodie  folum,  verum  etiam. 
impie  faciet,  fi  Deos  efle  neget. 
But  Laclantius  retorts  their  very- 
Argument   upon  thefe  Philofo- 
phers, and  fays.    That  the  con- 
itant  and  fis'd  Revolutions  and 
Courfes  of  the  celeftial  Bodies, 
are  an  evident  Argument    that 
they  are  not  Gods  :   For,  if  they 
were,  they  would  not  be  deter- 
min'd  to,  nor  prefcrib'd  any  cer- 
tain Motions  •,  but,  like  Animals 
upon  Earth,    whofe  Will  is  free, 
would  move  whereever  they  lilT:, 
Quid,    quod  argumentum  iilud, 
quo  coll.'gunt  univerfa  ccaeleftia 
Decs  effe,    in  contrarium  valet  I 
Nam  fi  Deos  efTe  idcirco  opinan- 
L  1 1  tur. 


44^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


And  therefore  they,  whofe  impious  Reafohs  try,  (Sky.> 
(More  bold  than  thofe  fond  Fools  that  ftorm'd  the  > 
To  prove  the  World  is  mortal,  and  may  die  j        3 

That 

NOTES. 


tur,    quia  certos  Be  rationabiles 

curfus  habent,  errant :  ex  hoc  e- 

nim  apparet  Deos  non  efre,quod 

exorbitare  illis,  a  pr^eftitutis  iti- 

rieribus  non  licet.      C^etertim  fi 

Dii  efTent,  hue  atque  illuc  paflim 

line  ulla  necsdrtate  ferrentur,    fi- 

cut  an i mantes  in  terra  ;    quorUm 

quia  liberie  funt  voluntates,    hue 

atque  illuc  vagantur,  lit  libuit  •, 

&  quo  quemque  nletis    duxeritJants,    may 

eo  fertiir.  De  Orig.  Error,  cap.  5.J  CafTarion, 


who  by  their  Arguments  endea* 
Your  to  prove  the  World  to  be 


mortal, '  equally  deferve  to  be 
punifli'd  for  their  Impiety,  as 
were  the  impious  Giants  of  old^i 
who,  in  their  Way,  did  likewife 
all  they  could  to  deftroy  Heaven, 
and  durft  to  wage  War  with  the 
Gods.  Whoever  defires  to  be 
fully  inftrucfted  concerning  Gi- 
confult  the  learned 
who  has  treated  of 


ISlow  the  Reafon,"  why  Lucreti 
us  lailies  the  Authours  of  thefe 
Opinions,  and  treats  them  with 
fo  much  Scorn  and  Indignation, 
is,  becaufe  their  Belief  of  the 
Soul  of  the  World,  prefTes  hard 
his  impious  Hypothecs,  concer- 
ning the  Divine  Providence  : 
For,  releafe  but  the  Soul  from 
that  Union,  which  thefe  Philofo 


them  at  large  :  I  will  only  add. 
That  the  antient  Heathens  drew 
the  Occafion  of  this,and  of  many 
of  their  other  Fables,  from  the 
Mofaical  Hiftory,  which  they 
wretchedly  profan'd  and  de- 
prav'd  by  their  childifli  Fidions : 
And  that  too  the  rather,  if  it  be 
true  what  Bouldue,  a  French 
Capuchin,  in  a  Treatife  printed 


phershave  thus  foolillily  affign'd,  Inot  long  ago,  and  intituled,  De 
and  then  to  hold  a  Soul  of  the  Eccleiia  ante  legem,  tells  us,  in 
World,  and  an  all-ruling  Provi-jlib.  i.  cap.  9.  That  the  Names, 
dence  will  be  all  one  and  thejKaphaim,  Emim,  Zuzin,  and 
fame  Thing.  others,  as  he  fays,    commonly  in 

128.  Fond  Fools]  The  Giants,  Scripture  taken  for  Giants,ought 
who  fought  againft  the  Gods  at  not    to  be    expounded    in   that 


Phlegra,  and  attempted  to  fcale  | 
Heaven,  by  heaping  one  on  ano- 
ther the  Hills  of  that  Countrey, 
and  of  Theiralia.Virgil,Georg.3. 
V.  281.  See  likewile  the  Note  on 
"Book  I.  V.  243.    To  which  I  add 


Senfe.  Then  he  affirms,  that 
the  Title  of  Giant  was  antiently 
a  Name  of  Honour,  by  which 
they  di {tin guifli'd  fuch  Perfons, 
as  in  thofc  Days  were  Reftorers 
of  Piety;    and  that  the  Aflem- 


that  Phlegra  was  fo   call'd  ^-ro^jblies  of  Giants,    were  Colledges 
-^(oi^lyc^.  to  burn,  perhaps,be-lof  Inftrudions  in  that  Age  of 


caufe    of  the    Giants' being  de-j^he  World.  Thus  he  endeavours 
ftroy'd  there  chiefly  by   Light- 1^^  prove,    that  Nimrod  was,    in 
nine:  or,  as  others,  from  Batiks ! ^>^t  penfe,    a  Giant, 
ar 
uftathius  fays 


of  hot  Water  that   arife 


bouts.  Eultathius  lays,  it  was 
likewiil'  cali'd  Pallene  ;  and  that 
the  Vv'ickednefs  of  the  Inhabi- 
tants gave  Occafion  to  the  Fable 
of  the  Giants  Fight.  Now  what 
Lucretius  here  fays,  is  this  :  Left 
you  iliGuld  think,  that  all  thofC;, 


a  Man  in- 

tl^ei-ea^i  ftruded  by  God  himfelf:     and 

this  he  would  make  good  out  of 


Methodius.  But  thefe  Aflerti- 
ons  of  his ,  and  the  curious 
Proofs  he  alledges  from  their 
Hebrew  Titles,  are  new  and  da- 
ring Flights  of  Fanfy. 

130.  That 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

130  That  Orbs  can  fall,  the  Sun  forfake  his  Light, 
And  bury*d  lie,  like  meaner  Things,   in  Night, 
Calling  that  mortal  which  is  all  divine, 
Muft  needs  be  damn'd  for  their  profane  Defign. 
For  thefe  are  fo  unlike  the  Gods  ;  the  Frame 

135  So  much  unworthy  of  that  glorious  Name, 
That  neither  lives,   nor  is  an  Animal  ^J 
That  neither  f&els  j  dull  Things,  and  fenfelefs  all. 

j^  o  r  E  s. 


445 


For 


130.  That  Orbs,  &c.]     That 
the  Heavens  are  immutable  and 
incorruptible,  nay,    even  imma- 
terial, and  confequently  no  ways 
obnoxious  to  the     Cataftrophe 
which  Lucretius  here  alTerts,  has 
always  been  the  vulgar  Opinion, 
as  well  as  the  Belief,  of  Ariftotle, 
Xenophanes,    Averroes,    Cicero, 
and  indeed  of  moft  of  the  Philo- 
fophers :     And    tho'  Experience 
itfelfof  the  vifible   Mutations, 
that  fomctimes  happen  in  them, 
for  Example,  the  new  Star,  that 
appear'd  in  Caffiopeia,     in  1 573. 
and  vanilli'd  the  Year  following, 
are  abundantly  fufficient  to  con- 
vince them,  by  natural  Reafon, 
of  the  Erroneoufnefs  of  that  O- 
pinion  ;  yet  fome  Men  are  fo  gi- 
ven up,   even  to  the  moft  repro- 
brate  Senfe  of  Ariftotle,  that  not 
the  Divine  Authority  itfelf  can 
draw  them  from  it :     as  in  this 
Point  particularly,    Suarez,  and 
many  others,  are  fo  far  from  be- 
lieving the   Heavens  to  be  cor- 
ruptible and  mutable,  that  they 
will  allow  them  to  be  chang'd 
only  accidentally,  as  they  call  it, 
and  not  fubftantially,  at  thelaft 
Day  :     Upon  which  Maldon.  on 
St.   Matthew,     fays    very    well, 
That    he    had     rather     believe 
Chrift,  who  affirms  it,    than  A- 
riftotle,  who  denies  it. 

134.  For  thefe,  &c.]]  In  thefe 
2.4.  V.  he  fays.  That  it  is  fo  far 
from  being  true.  That  what  he 
is  about  to  teach  of  the  future 
DifTolution  of  the  World,  will 
derogate  from    the  power  and 


Divinity  of  the  Immortal  Gods, 
that,  on  the  contrary,    it  will  e- 
viiice  their  Dignity,  and  the  Ex- 
cellence of  their  Nature  ;  becaufc 
it  will  help  us  to  diftinguifii  be- 
tween  what  is  endow'd   with  a 
Divine  Body,    and  what  is  not  : 
For  what  can  be  more  difrefpecfl- 
ful  and   injurious  to   the   Gods, 
than  to  declare  aloud,    that    the 
Heavens-     the  Earth,     the  Sea^ 
the  Sun,    the  Moojn  ,     and   the 
Stars,     are  endow'd   with  their 
Immortality,  Eternity,  and  Di- 
vine Underftanding,as  they  moft 
manifeftly  do,    who  hold  them 
to    be    immortal  ?      Efpecially, 
fince  they  are  incapable  even  of 
being  animated  with  the   Breath 
of  Life  :  For  a  Soul  can  no  more 
be  in  them,  than  a  Tree  in  the 
Air,  a  Cloud  in  the  Sea,    or  a 
Fiili  upon  dry   Ground:       And 
as  every    Thing    has    a  proper 
Place  affign'd  it,    to  be  produced 
and  live  in  5     So  neither  can  the 
Soul  be  produc'd,    or  exift  with- 
out a  Body.     This  Opinion    is 
both  impious  and  repugnant  to 
true  Reafon  ;     but  fince  we  have 
already  fully  anfwer'd,     in   the 
third   Bock,    all  the  Epicurean 
Objections  againft  the   Immor- 
tality of  the  Soul,    we  will  not 
trouble  our  Reader  with  the  Re- 
petition  of  them.     Befides,    the 
Drift  of  Lucretius  is,    to  prove, 
that  Heaven,   Earth,    Sea,    Sec, 
are  mortal,     and    confequently 
will  be  diffolv'd,  and  perifli. 

1-^6.  Neither]    None,  not  one 

cf  them  ;    we  generally  fay,    nei» 

L  U  2  Xhqv 


444 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


For  Life,  and  Sense,  the  Mind,  and  Soul  refufe 
To  join  with  all ;  their  Bodies  muft  be  fit  for  Ufe : 

140  As  Heav'n  does  bear  no  Trees;  no  Stars  below  ;  "7 
As  Stones  no  BLOOD,and  Fish  no  Mountains  know;  /" 
But  each  has  proper  Place  to  rife  and  grow  :  3 

So  neither  Souls  can  rife  without  the  Blood,       (cou'd. 
And  Nerves,  and  Veins,  and  Bones  ;  for  grant  they 

145  Then  thro'  each  (ingle  Part,  as  Arms,  or  Head, 

'Twould  firft  be  fram'd,  thence  o'er  the  other  fpread  ; 
As  Water,  into  Veflpls  pour'd,  will  fall 
Firft  to  one  Part  5  then  rife,  and  cover  all. 
But  fince  'tis  certain,  that  a  proper  Place 

1 5  o  Is  fettled  for  the  Life,  and  the  Increafe 
Of  Mind  and  Soul  ;  'tis  Folly  to  believe 
That  they  can  rife  without  fit  Limbs,  or  live  ; 
Or  be  in  flitting  Air,  or  chilling  Seas, 
Or  Earth,  or  fcorching  Flames.  Fond  Fanfies  thefe ! 

155  Therefore  they  are  not  Gods,  their  Sense  divine  j      9 
For  they  are  made  unfit  for  that  Defign  ;  > 

Since  none  with  Minds  in  vital  Union  join.  i^ 

Nor  muft  we  think  thefe  are  the  bleft  Abodes, 
The  quiet  Mansions  of  the  happy  Gods  ^^ 

Their 

NOTES, 


tket:  of  thenij  when  we  fpeak  but 
of  two. 

140.  As  Heav'n,  Sec."]  You 
will  find  this  and  the  following 
ji.  V.  B.  III.  V.  755. 

144.    For  grant,  Scc.^      This 
and  the  four  following  Verfesare 
rejected  by  Faber,  who  imagines, 
they  were  by   Miftake  brought 
to  this  Place,  together  with  the 
five  preceding  Verfes,    from  the 
third  Book,    where  we  find  them 
all  together  ;  but  his  Suppofition 
is  without  Reafon  :      For  they 
feem  to  be  a  Part  of  this  Argu- 
ment, and  as  much  to  the  Pur- 
pofe  as    the  other  Verfes  of  it. 
For,  fays  the  Poet,  if  even  in  our 
Bodies,  which  are  compos'd  of 
Veins,  Nerves,  Blood,  &c.  there 
be  certain  and  appointed  Places, 
where  the  Mind  and  the  Sgul  are 
born,    and  exift  apart  by  them- 
ielves,  it  is  in  vain  for  any  one 


to  pretend,  that  there  is  a  Mind 
and  a  Soul  in  the  Heavens,  the 
Earth,  the  Sea^  and  other  Bo- 
dies, that  have  no  Organs  what- 
ever. 

1  <^6»  For  they  are,  dec."]  To 
this  Purpofe  Velleius,  in  Cicero, 
lib,  I.  De  Nat.  Deor.  fays;  Qui 
Mundum  ipfum  animantem  fa- 
pientemque  efle  dixerunt,  nullo 
modo  animi  n^turam  intelligen- 
tes  viderunt,  in  quani  naturam 
cadere  poflit  ;  They  who  faid, 
that  the  World  is  an  Animal, 
and  endow'd  with  Underftand- 
ing,  did  not  in  the  leaft  know 
the  Nature  of  the  Mind,  nor  in- 
to what  Nature  it  can  be  infus'd. 

158.  Nor  muft,  &c.]  Since 
the  Gods  are  immortal,  and  e- 
ternal,  they  muft  of  Necefiity 
have  Abodes  that  are  fo  too  : 
Therefore  all  Men  place  the 
Gods  in   the  Heavens,    which, 

for 


Uook  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


44T 


160  Their  Subftance  is  fo  thin,  fo  much  refin'd. 

Unknown  to  Sense,  nay,  fcarceperceivd  by  Mind: 
'    Now  fince  their  Subftance  can't  be  touch'd  by  Man,    t 
They  can  not  touch  thofe  other  1  hings  char  can  ;         J*. 
For  whatfoe'er  is  touch'd,  that  mu£t  be  touch'd  again.  3 

There-^ 

N  O  T  £  5. 


for  that  Reafon,  fay  they,  can 
never  be  deftroy'd.  To  this  the 
Poet  anfwers  in  thefe  1 1,  v.  That 
this  is  only  the  Invention  of  Po- 
ets, or  of  the  ignorant  Vulgar : 
For  the  Nature  of  the  Gods  is 
too  fubtile  to  touch  fuch  thick 
Bodies  as  the  Heavens;  and 
therefore  we  muft  not  believe 
them  to  be  the  Manlions  of  the 
Gods.  Nay,  fays  he,  no  Part  of 
the  Univerfe  is,  or  can  be  their 
Abodes :  For  whatever  has  an 
Abode,  or  is  in  any  Place,  both 
touches  and  is  touch'd  :  For 
Place,  and  the  Thing  plac'd,  as 
they  call  them,  are  Bodies  ;  and 
Body  can  both  touch  and  be 
touch'd  :  But  the  Gods  neither 
touch  nor  are  touch'd;  They 
are  not  touch'd,  becaufe  their 
Nature  is  fo  fubtile,  that  it  is 
wholly  imperceptible  to  our  Sen- 
fes :  and  therefore  we  ought  to 
believe,  that  their  Abodes  are 
anfwerable  to  their  Nature,  and 
far  different  from  ours,  that  is, 
from  thofe  that  are  commonly 
aflfign'd  to  the  Gods  :  that  is  to 
fay,  that  they  are  of  fo  fubtile  a 
Nature,  as  renders  them  wholly 
imperceptible  likewife  to  our 
Senfes.  But  all  the  Parts  of  the 
World  are  perceivable  to  our 
Senfes  •,  therefore  none  of  them 
can  be  the  Abode  of  the  Gods, 
And  fince  the  Gods  are  not 
touch'd,  it  neceffarily  follows 
that  they  do  not  touch  : 

Tangere  enim  non  quit,    quod 
tangi  non  licet  ipfum.      Lucr. 

For  nothing'  can  touch,  but 
what  may  be  touch'd  again. 
Therefore  you  muft    look  out 


for  fome  other  Manfions  for  the 
Gods,  than  thofe  you  have  hi- 
therto affign'd  them. 

Nardius  takes  Occafion  from 
this  Argument  to  prove,  that 
Lucretius  contradids  his  own 
Doctrine,  and  that  even  accor- 
d:^ig  to  his  own  AiTertions  there 
cai^i  be  no  Gods  :  He  argues  to 
this  Purpofe  :  If  the  Gods,  fays 
he^  of  Lucretius  are  no"  where, 
then  Lucretius  has  no  Gods : 
for  they  muft  certainly  be  no- 
thing at  all,  or  they  muft  be  the 
Void  :  This  is  evident  from 
his  own  Principles  ;  For  Book  I. 
v.  55o.hefays, 

Two  Sorts    of  Beings  :iveafon's 

Eye  defcry'd, 
And  prov'd  before,    their ^  Dif- 

f 'rence  vaftly  wide  : 
Body  and   Void,    which   never 

could  agree 
In  any  one  eflential  Property  : 
For  Body,     as   ^tis  Matter,     is 

from  Place 
Piftincfi  ;  and  Void  from  Body, 

as  'tis  Space. 

Therefore,  whatever  is,  is  either 
Place,  or  a  Thing  plac'd. 

And  to  afford  a  PlacCj 

Is  the  peculiar    Gift  of  empty 
Space.  B.  I.  v.  490. 

Thus  if  the  Gods  are  not  Bodies, 
they  are  empty  Space,  and.  alto- 
gether nothing,  as  was  faid  be- 
fore. That  they  are  not  Bodies, 
Lucretius  himfelf  can  not  deny  * 
What  can  neither  touch,  nor  be 
touch'd,  is  not  Body  :  The  Gods 
of  Lucretius  neither  are  touch'd, 
nor  touch  J   therefore  they  are 

not 


446  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

165  Therefore  the  Mansions  of  thofe  hapby  Pow'rs 
Aluft  all  be  far  unlike,  diftindl  from  ours .; 
Of  fubrile  Nature,  fuitable  to  their  own : 
All  which,  by  long  Difcourfe,  I'H  prove  anon. 
But  now  to  fay  this  fpacious  Worxd  began, 

170  By  bounteous  Heavn  contriv'd  to  pleafure  Man; 

And 
NOTES. 


For  nothing  but  ^  then  can  they  be,  but  a  meer  Fi- 
ction, an  empty  Word,  to  footh 
the  credulous  Ears  of  unthinking 
Men  ?  And  fince  he  is  contri- 
ving fome  moft  tenuious  Abode 
for  them,  what  can  be  more  te- 
nuious than  the  Void,  which  is 
wholly  deftitute  of  Body  f  But 
he  is  officioully  about  to  invent 
fomething  yet  more  fubtile,  and 
not  unlike  their  own  Nature  ; 
that  is  to  fay,  Nothing. 

167.  Suitable  ro  their  own] 
The  fame  Difference  of  Tenuity 
as  there  is  bitween  us  and  the 
Gods,  there  ought  to  be  like- 
wife  between  their  Abodes  and 
ours  :  and  thus  by,  fuitable  to 
their  own,  he  means,  that  the 
Seats  and  Manfions  of  the  Gods, 
confift  of  the  fame  Principles  as 
the  Gods  themfelves. 

169.  But  now,  &C.3  But,  fay 
they,the  Gods  made  this  World, 
and  decreed  it  to  be  eternal.  To 
which  Lucretius  anfwers  in  32.  v. 
Did  they  make  it  for  their  own 
fake,  or  out  of  Love  to  Man  i 
Whoever  fays  for  their  own, 
may  as  well  pretend,  that  to  be 
ador'd  and  worfliip'd  by  Men  is 
of  Advantage,  and  adds  to  the 
happy  State  of  a  God,  who  is  in- 
tireiy  blefs'd,  and  wants  nothing  : 
And  if  any  one  fay  for  the  Sake 
of  Man,  lee  him  tell  me,  what 
I  Trouble  it  would  have  been  to 
us  if  we  never  had  had  a  Being, 


not  Bodies 

Body  can  be  touch'd  or  touch. 
He  lias  confirm'd  the  minor 
Propofition  in  this  Argument : 

Now  fince  theirSubftance  can't 

be  touch'd  by  Man, 
They  can  not  touch  thofe  o- 

ther  things  that  can  ; 
For  whatfoe'er  is  touch'dsthat 

muft  be  touch'd  again. 

The  fupine  Idlenefs  and  Inaction 
of  his  Gods, made  him  aware  how 
he  plac'd  them  among  Bodies : 
And  B.  L  V.  48  <5.  he  fays. 

What  ever  is,  a  Pow'r 

muft  own, 
Or  fit  to  a(ft,   or  to  be  acSed 

on  ', 
Or  be  a  Place,   in  which  fuch 

Things  are  done  ; 
Now  Body  only  fuffersjand  a(fis- 

And  yet  he  allows  them  a  Body, 
but  fo  fubtile,  as  not  to  fall  un- 
der the  Perception  of  Senfe  : 
Perhaps  he  will  fay,  with  Epicu- 
rus, that  his  Gods  have  not  a 
Body,  but  as  it  were  a  Body  : 
And  thus  he  will  fet  up  a  third 
Nature,  in  Contradiction  of  his 
own  Docirine, 
That 


when  he  taught, 


m  vam 


A  third  diff'rent  Nature 

is  fought, 
And  ne'er  can  be  found  out  by 

Senfe  or  Thought. 

Book.  I.  y.^91. 


Certainly  he  will  not  pretend, 
that  his  Gods  areConjunc'ls,  or 
Events  of  concrete  Bodies :  What 


not  to  have  a  Being? 

To  make  good  his  Aflfertion  in 
this  Place,  Lucretius  chiefly  la- 
bours to  prove,  that  the  Gods 
did  not  make  the  World  for  the 
Benefit  of  Man.  Therefore,  fays 
he,  there  is  no  Reafanj  why  any 

of 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  447 

And  therefore  this  vaft  Frame  they  toil'd  to  raife, 
And  fit  for  us,  fhould  meet  with  equal  Praife  9 
Or  be  efteem'd  eternal,  all  fecure 
From  Ruin,  or  the  Teeth  of  Time  endure  5 
175  And  that 'tis  impious  to  defign  to  prove,  n 

What  was  contrived  by  the  wife  Pow'rs  above,  ^ 

And  fix'd  eternal  for  the  Man  they  lovej 


That 


N  O  T  £  5. 


of  us  ihould,  as  in  Gratitude  for 
fo  great  a  Favour,  extol  this 
mighty  Work,  believe  it  eter- 
nal, and  that  it  v/iil  be  immor- 
tal :  For  of  what  Advantage 
could  our  Acknowledgements  be 
to  the  Gods,  that  that  Confide- 
ration  only  ihould  induce  them 
to  make  the  World  for  the  Sake 
of  us,  or  for  our  Benefit  ?  Be- 
iides,  what  new  Thing  was  there 
to  allure  the  Gods,  who  enjoy 
the  moft  perfetft  Tranquillity,  to 
change,  either  for  their  own  fake 
or  ours,  their  former  Life  of 
happy  and  uninterrupted  Repofe, 
and  to  take  upon  themfelves  the 
Care  of  Man,  and  of  all  created 
Beings,  they  who,  'till  then,  liv'd 
in  undifturb'd  Delights  and 
Happinefs?  Farther,  what  could 
it  have  been  the  worfe  for  us,  if 
we  had  never  been  created  .''  For 
he,  who  has  once  tafted  the 
Sweets  of  Life,  with  good  Rea- 
fon  defires  to  live  on  :  but  they 
who  never  had  a  Being,  how  can 
they  be  in  Love  with  the  Plea- 
fures  of  Living  ?  Moreover,  how 
could  the  Gods  fabricate  the 
World  for  the  Sake  of  Man  :  of 
Man,  I  fay,  of  whom  they  had 
no  previous  Notice,  no  Model  to 
work  by?For  nothing  canbemade 
without  an  Idea.  And  whence 
had  the  Gods  firft  their  Idea 
of  creating  the  World?  Whence 
had  they  their  innate  Notices  of 
the  World,  by  which  they  xnight 
fee  in  their  Mind,  what  they 
purpos'd  and  refolv'd  to  make  ? 
For  fince  the  World  was  to  be 
created    of  Atoms  ^    the  Gods 


could  by  no  other  Means  come  to 
the  Knowledge  of  the  Power  of 
thofe  Atoms,  nor  of  what  they 
would  be  able  to  effed  by  the 
Change  of  their  Sites,  Orders, 
and  Pofitions;  unlefs  Nature, 
by  creating  the  World  from  the 
fortuitous  Coalition  of  Atoms, 
had  afforded  them  a  Specimen  of 
it,  and  unlefs  they  had  experi- 
mented, by  the  very  Rife  of 
Things,  how  great  was  the  Effi- 
cacy of  the  Atoms.  Thus,  €o 
far  is  it  from  being  true,  That 
the  Gods  made  this  World  for 
the  Sake  of  Man,  that  indeed 
they  had  no  Hand  in  the  Creati- 
on of  it  ;  but,  by  the  Guidance 
of  Nature,  it  was  made  by  a  for- 
tuitous Concourfe  of  Atoms. 

Thus  Lucretius  begins  his  Im- 
piety anew,  and  endeavours  to 
raife  a  Duft,  and  blind  Mens 
Underftandings  :  And,  to  fecure 
his  _  former  Opinion,  pretends 
Objed:ions  intermixt  with  Scoits, 
againfl  all  thofe,  who,  upon  fo- 
ber  Principles, and  a  flrid  Search 
into  the  Order  and  Difpofitioii 
of  Things,  were  forc'd  to  confels 
this  Frame  to  be  the  Contrivance 
of  fome  intelligent  Being,  and 
the  Produd  of  Wifdom  icfelf. 
And  here,  agreeable  to  the  E- 
picurean  Principles,  he  fuppofes 
Intereft  to  be  the  Caufe  of  all 
good  Nature ,  and  the  only 
Spring  of  Adion,  and  then  pe- 
remptorily demands,  what  fuit- 
able  Returns  Man  could  make 
the  Gods  for  all  their  Labour, 
or  what  additional  Happinefs 
they  could  rsceiveif      Where  he 

makes 


44§ 


LUCRETIUS^ 


Book  V. 

That  this  can  die,  that  this  to  Fate  can  bow,  y 

And,  with  bold  Reafon,  drive  to  overthrow,  ^ 

1 80  And  make  that  mortal  they  defign'd  not  fo  :  ^ 

'Tisfond:     For  what  could  Man  return  again? 
What  Profit  to  the  Gods  for  all  their  Pain, 
That  they  fhould  work  for  him  ?  Why  break  their  Reft, 
In  which  they  liv'd  before,  fecure  and  bleft  ? 

1S5  What  coming  Joy,  what  Pleafure  could  they  view. 
To  leave  their  former  Life,  and  feek  a  new  ? 
For  they  delight  in  new,  whofe  former  State 
Was  made  unhappy  by  fome  treachrous  Fate: 
But  why  Ihould  they,  who  liv'd  in  perfedt  Eafe,  O 

190  Who  ne*er  faw  any  Thing,  but  what  did  pleafe,  > 

Be  tickled  thus  with  Love  of  Novelties  ?  ^ 

Perhaps  they  lay  obfcure,  and  hid  in  Night, 
Till  Things  began,  and  Day  produc'd  the  Light. 

BeCdes  9 

NOTES. 

makes  another  wild  Suppofition,  j  evident,  as  that  it  is  a  Perfedion 
which  will  never  be  granted,  viz. 
That  to  create,  or  difpofe,  is 
Toil  and  Trouble  to  Omnipo- 
tence*, for  fuch  I  have  prov'd 
every  Eternal  and  Self-exiftent 
to  be.  Now  let  us  look  a  little 
on  the  immoderate  Praiies  he  be- 
itows  on  his  Epicurus,  and  ask 
him,  what  Rewards  could  Pofte- 
rity  give  him  for  his  Philofophy, 

how  could  he  receive  any  Benefit  |  as  all  Mens  Wifiies  and  Endea- 
from  their  Praifes  and  Commen- 1  vours  fufficiently  evince,  then 
dations  ?  What  then,  was  his  i  furely  to  bellow  chat  Being,  is  at 
God  Epicurus  a  Fool,  who  loft  1  leaft  an  equal  Blelling.  And  to 
his  own  Eafe,  oppos'd  himfelf  to  I  anfwer  his  impudent  Queftion, 
ib  many  Philofophers,  and  la-  |  How  the  Deity  could  have  his 
bour'd  to  write  almoft  infinite  |  Knowledge  ?  'tis  fufficient  to  re- 
turn ,  That  his  Method  of 
Knowing  is  not  to  be  meafur'd 
by  ours,  that  he  is  Omnifcient, 
that  being  a  PerfecTiion,  needs 
not  any  external  Impulfe  from 


to  be  fo  :  for  'tis  already  prov'd, 
that  infinite  Perfecf^ion  is  a  ne- 
ceflary  Confequence  of  Self-Ex- 
iftence.  But  when  he  endeavours 
to  prove*  that  to  Be  is  no  Good 
to  Man,  what  but  Laughter  can 
be  return'd  to  fuch  an  idle  Oppo- 
fitionof  common  Senfe  ?  For  if 
to  be  continued  in  Being  is  fo 
great  a  Good,  and  fo  defireable. 


Volumes,  when  he  had  no  Mo- 
tive to  engage  himfelf  in  all  this 
Trouble  ?  No,  Lucretius  highly 
efteems  him  for  the  Benefits  he 
beftow'd  on  Mankind  ;  and  thusj 
anfwers  himfelf,  whilft  he  allows  j 
Ungle  Benevolence  to  be  a  ftrong : 
Motive  to  Atftion  :     And  this  is 


Images 


185.  What  coming,  &c.]   Ci- 
cero, lib.  2.  de  Nat.  Deor.  fpealcs 


allow'd  by  general  Confent,   he  |  to    the    fame  Purpofe    in  thefe 
being  hated>    who  looks  only  on  |  Words.     Quid  autem  erat,  quod 


his  own  Intereft,  and  makes  that 
the  Meafure  of  all  his  Deligns. 
And  that  the  Deity  is  benevo- 
lent in  the  highefl  Degree^   is  as 


concupifceret  Deus  mundum  fig- 
nis  8c  luminibus^  tanquam  Mdi- 
lis,  ornare  ?  Si,  ut  Deus  ipfe  me- 
lius habitaretj   antea^    videlicet 

tern- 


449 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

Befides;  what  Harm,  had  the  Sun  idly  ran, 
1^5  Nor  warm'd  the  Mud,  nor  kindled  it  to  Man,         ' 
What  Harm  to  us,  if  we  had  ne'er  began  ? 
True  :  thofe  that  are  in  Being  once,   fliould  drive, 
As  long  as  Pleasure  will  invite,   to  live  ; 
But  they,  who  ne*er  had  tafted  Joys,  nor  feen^ 
200  What  Hurt  to  them,  fuppofe  they  ne'er  had  been  ? 

Befides:      Whence  had  the  Gods  their  Notice, 
whence  their  Mind, 
Thofe  fit  Ideas  of  the  human  Kind  ? 
What  Image  of  the  Work  they  then  delign'd  ? 
How  did  they  underftand  the  Pow'r  of  Seed, 
205  That  they,  by  Change  of  Order,  Things  could  breed  j 
Unlefs  kind  Nature's  Pow  rs  at  firft  did  (how 
A  Model  of  the  Frame,  and  taught  them  how  to  know? 

For  Seeds  of  Bodies  from  eternal  ftrove, 
And  us'd,  by  Stroke,  or  their  own  WEiGHT>to  move, 
21  o  All  Sorts  of  Union  try'd,  all  Sorts  of  Blows, 
To  fee  if  any  way  would  Things  compofe : 

And 

NOTES. 


tempore  infinito,  in  tenebrisj 
tanquam  in  gurguftio  habitave- 
rat  ?  Poft  au{em,  varietate  ne 
eum  delecftari  putamus,  quod 
ccelum  dc  terras  exornatas  vi- 
demus  ?  Qux  ifta  poteft  efTe 
obletftacio  Deo  ?  qu^e  fi  eflet,  non 
ci  tarn  diucarere  potuilTet.  Why 
was  it,  that  God  was  fo  defirous 
to  adorn  this  World  with  Lumi- 
naries, and  Conftellations,  like 
the  gawdy  Calfock  of  a  Herald  ? 
W^as  it  that  he  might  liys  him- 
felf  the  better  ?  And  had  he 
liv'd  till  then,  that  is  to  fay,  an 
infinite  Space  of  Time,  in  the 
Dark,  as  in  a  Cabin  ?  Or  do 
we  imagine,  that  at  length  he 
took  Delight  in  Novelties,  and 
therefore  cloath'd  the  Heavens 
and  the  Earth  in  all  that  glori- 
ous Array,  in  which  we  now  be- 
hold them  ?  What  Delight  can 
that  be  to  God  ?  W^ere  it  any, 
he  would  not  have  been  fo  long 
without  it. 

2or.  Whence  had,  &c,]     The 
Kotieej    or  Knowledge,    of  all 


This  Argument  is  con- 


Things,  proceeds  from  the  Ima- 
ges of  Things,  that  offer  them- 
felves  to  the  Mind  :  Befides,  the 
Gods  do  nothing  incdnfiderately ; 
but  forefee  whatever  they  refolve 
to  do.  Now  no  Images  of  Things 
could  come  into  the  Divine 
Mind  ;  fince  the  Things  them- 
'felves  did  not  yet  exilt.  *Tis 
idle  therefore  to  pretend,  thae 
the  Gods  created  the  Heavens, 
the  Earth,  the  Animals,  and  all 
Things, 
tain'd  in  1$.  v. 

208.  For  Seeds,  &c.]  In  thefe 
8,  V.  the  Poet  delivers  the  Opi- 
nion of  Epicurus  concerning  the 
Creation  of  the  World,  which 
he  deny'd  to  be  the  W^ork  of  the 
Gods  ;  but  taught,  that  all 
Things  are  effetfted  by  Nature, 
or  rather  by  Chance  and  For- 
tune, that  is,  by  a  fortuitous 
Concourfe  of  Atoms?  For  he 
would  not  allow  Fortune  or 
Chance  to  be  any  Thing,  that, 
of  it  felf,  teniper'd  and  difpos'd 
the  Atoms  to  work  thefe  Effects 
M  m  m  w5 


4ro 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


And  (o,  no  Wonder,  they  at  laft  were  hurl'd 
Into  the  decent  Order  of  this  World  ; 
And  ftillfuch  Motions,  (till  fuch  Wayspurfue,^ 
II 5  As  rtiay  fapply  decaying  Things  by  new. 
For  were  I  ignorant  how  Beings  rife. 
How  Things  begin;  yet  Reafons  from  the  Skies,' 
From  ev'ry  Thing  deduc'd,  will  plainly  prove, 
This  World  ne'er  fram'd  by  the  wife  Pow'rs  above  ; 
tioSo  foolifh  the  Defign,   contrived  fo  ill !  "p 

For  firft ;  thofe  Tradls  of  Air  what  Creatures  fill  ? > 
Why  Beasts  in  ev'ry  Grove,  and  fliady  HitL  >        > 

Vaft 
NOTES. 


vjc  now  behold',  but  that  the  A- 
toms  themfelves  are  that  very 
Chance  :  forafmuch  as  without 
any  Premeditation,  they  meet, 
and  mutually  cleave  to  one  ano' 
ther,  and  thus  make  ait  concrete 
Things,  juft  as  it  happens,  with- 
out any  preconceiv'd  Defign  : 
And  thus,  as  Dryden  finely  ex- 
prelTes  this  Opinion  of  Epicurus, 


The  various 

Dance 
JLeap'd  into    Form , 

Work  of  Chance. 


Atoms  interfering! 


the  nobles 


Lucretius  too  explains  it  in  the 
lame  Words,  as  here,  Book  I. 
V.  1 02 1,  and  in  this  Book,  v. 
470.  he  repeats  thefe  Verfes  a- 
gain. 

216.  For  were,  &C.3  To  prove 
the  World  not  to  have  been 
made  by  the  Gods,  the  Poet,  in 
thefe  34..  V.  brings  fome  Argu- 
ments from  the  ill-contriv'd 
Frame,  Difpofition,  and  Make 
of  it.  The  Work  of  an  a]}- wife 
Artift,  fays  he,  ought  to  be  per- 
fect in  all  Points  ;  not  like  the 
Earth  with  Mountains,  W^oods, 
Lakes,  &c.  hideous  and  dread- 
ful to  bshold  :  Some  Parrs  of 
it  ihould  not  be  chili'd  with  per- 
petual Froft,  nor  others  parch'd 
with  continual  Heat :  It  lliould 
produce  Fruits  of  all  Sorts,rather 
than  Thorns,  Briars,  and  other 
ufelefs,   nay,    noxious   Plants  > 


It  fliould  be  difturb'd  with  no 
Storms  nor  Tempefts ;  it  Hiould 
breed  no  wild  Beafts,  nor  other 
Animals,  that  are  dangerous  and 
deftrudtive  to  Man  :  nor  fhould 
various  Difeafes  attend  the  vari- 
ous Seafons  of  the  Year,  and 
fliorten  our  Days :  but  all  things 
iliould  have  been  made  pleafant 
and  beautiful,  accommodated 
only  to  the  Eafe  and  Pleafure  of 
Man  :  and  thus  it  would  indeed 
have  been  a  Work  worthy  of  a 
wife  and  bounteous  God, 

Thus  our  prefumptuous  and 
daring  Poet  takes  upon  him  to 
find  Fault  Vv^ith  the  Contrivance 
it  felf,  and,  like  that  proud 
King  of  Arragon,  could,  no 
Doubt,  have  mended  the  Defign. 
And  here,  tho'  'tis  unreafonable 
to  demand  a  particular  Caufe 
and  Motive  for  every  Contri- 
vance, lince  we  are  not  of  the 
Cabinet-Council  of  Nature,  nor 
affifted  at  her  Projecfr,  yet  his 
Exceptions  (no  Doubt  the  beft 
his  labouring  Wit  could  invent^ 
are  fo  weak,  fo  often  anfwered, 
and  fo  eafily  (  on  Principles 
grounded  on  certain  Hiftory, 
and  infallible  Record)  to  be  ac- 
counted for,  that  there  is  no  need 
to  frame  a  particular  Anfwer,nor 
Reafon  to  fear,that  any^the  mea- 
neft  Reader,  can  ever  be  fur- 
priz'd  with  fuch  Trifles. 

221.  For  firft.  Sec."]  In  thefe 
6.  Y.  is  conuia'd  his  Erft  Argu-^ 

sisnt> 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS, 

Vaft  Pools  take  Pare,    and  the  impetuous  Tide, 
Whofe  fpreading  Waves  the  diftant  Shores  divide  - 
125  Two  Parts  in  three  the  torrid  Zone  does  burn. 
Or  FRIGID  chill,  and  all  to  Defarts  turn. 

N  0  T  £  5. 


4?x 


And 


ment,  in  which  he  proves.  That 
far  the  greateft  Part  of  the 
Earth  is  ufelefs  to  Man  ;  foras- 
much as  it  confifts  partly  of 
Mountains,  Woods,  and  Rocks; 
and  that  the  Sea  and  vaft  Lakes 
take  up  another  Part  of  it :  as 
alfo  becaufe  a  third  Portion  of  it 
is  uninhabitable,by  Reafon  of  the 
violent  Heat  of  the  Sun  ;  and  a 
fourth,  on  Account  of  its  being 
extreamly  cold  ;  that  is  to  fay, 
under  the  Torrid  Zone,  and  un- 
der the  two  Frigid  Zones.  How 
then  can  it  be  pretended,  that 
this  Earth,  which  abounds  with 
fo  many  Defetfts  and  Inconveni- 
ences, was  created  by  the  Gods 
for  the  Sake  of  Man  ? 

Thofe    Trails  of  Air    what 
Creatures  fill  ?]    Lucretius : 


■  Quantum  coeli  tegit  impe- 

tus ingens, 
Inde  4vidam  partem  montes,  dec. 


Which  our  Tranllatour  has  not 
rightly,  or,  at  leaft,  has  doubt- 
fully render'd.  For  what  Lu- 
cretius fays,  is  this ;  That  as 
much  of  the  World  as  the  Hea- 
vens furround  or  cover,  by  which      

he  means  the  Orb  of  the  Earth,  I  Thefe  Zones    are    defcrib'd 
is  partly  taken  up  by  Mountains,!  Virgil,  Georg.  i.  v,  233. 
&c.    and  therefore  is  of  no  life 


mirabili  cum  celeritate   moveri, 
vertique  videamus,  &c. 

226.  The  Torrid  and   Frigid 
Zones.]     The  Aftronomers  divi- 
ded the  Heavens,    according  to 
Latitude,  into  five  Parts,   each 
of  which  the  Greeks  call'd  ZcJvn, 
and  the  Latines,  Cingulum,  Faf- 
cia,    Plaga :      Cicero  calls    the 
Zones,  Maculae,  and  Orae  :    the 
Zone,   that  is  in  the  Midft,  bc" 
tween  the  two  Tropicks,  beyond 
which  the  Sun  never  pafTes,    is 
call'd  the  Torrid  Zone.     Polybi- 
us  divides  this  Zone  into  two, 
parted  by  the  Equator  ;    but  in 
this  Opinion  he  is  not  follow 'd 
by  any.    The  two  Zones,   that 
are  extended,  one  from  the  right 

I  of  the  Torrid  Zone,  towards  the 
Ardtick,  or  North  Pole,  and  the 
other  from  the  left  of  the  Torr 
rid  Zone,    towards  the  Antar- 
<ftick,or  South  Pole,  are  call'd  the 
Temperate  Zones.      The  other 
two,     included  within  the  Po- 
lar Circles,    are  call'd  the  Frigid 
Zones.  Thales  is  believ'd  to  have 
been  the  Inventour    of  them  ; 
but  Poflidonius,  as  cited  by  Stra- 
bo,    afcribes  the  Invention,  the* 
without^Reafon,  to  Parmenides. 
are    defcrib'd  by 


to  Man,  But  Creech  feems  to 
make  him  complain,  that  no 
Creatures  are  produc'd  in  the 
Air,  as  well  as  in  the  Water,  and 
on  dry  Ground.  His  Miftake 
proceeded  from  not  enough  con- 
fidering  what  the  Poet  means  by 
Coeli  impetus  ingens ;  the  vio- 
lent Whirl  of  the  Heavens.  Ci- 
cero, deNatura  Deorum,  lib.  2. 
Ciim  autem  impetum  coeli  ad- 


Quinque  tenent  coelum  Zonx: 

quaruni  una  corufco 
Semper  fole  rubens,    &  torrid^ 

femper  ab  igni  ; 
Qiiam    circum    extremic  dextr^ 

liBvaque  trahuntiir, 
Cseruleaglacieconcreta:,    atque 

imbribus  atris. 
Has  inter  mediamque,  du^e  mor- 

talibus  xgris 
Munere  njoncelTj?  Diviim.  • > 


M  m  m2 


Five 


4^2  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V: 

^nd  all  the  other  Fields,  what  would  they  breed. 
If  let  alone,  but  Bryars,  Thorns,  and  Weed  ? 
Thefe  are  their  proper  Fruits,  this  Nature  would,      '7 
130  Did  not  laborious  Mortals  toil  for  Food  ;  > 

And  tear,  and  plough,  and  force  them  to  be  good  :    3 
IDid  they  not  turn  the  Clods  with  crooked  Share, 
By  frequent  Torments  forcing  them  to  bear; 
No  tender  Fruits,  none  of  their  own  Accord 
235  Would  rife  to  feed  proud  Man,  their  fatify'd  Lord^ 

Nay 
NOTES. 


Five  Girdles  bind  the  Skies :  the 
Torrid  Zone 

Glows  with  the  pafiing  and  re- 
pafling  Sun  : 

Far  on  the  right  and  left,  th' 
Extreams  of  Heav'n, 

To  Frofts,  and  Snows,  and  bit- 
ter Blafts,  are  given. 

Betwixt  the  Midft  and  thefe,  the 
Gods  affign'd 

Two  habitable  Seats  for  human 
Kind.  Dryd, 

And  the  fame  Aftronomers  like- 
wife  affign'd  five  Zones  on  Earth, 
to  anfwer  to  thofe  of  the  Hea- 
vens t  and  of  thefe  Ovid  takes 
Notice,  Metam.  i.  v.45- 

Utqueduie  dextra  ccelum,  toti- 

demque  finiftrd 
parte  fecant  Zonjc,    quinta  eft 

ardcntior  illis : 
Sic  onus  inclufum  numero  di- 

ftinxiteodem 
Cura  Dei  j     totidemque  plaga* 

tellure  premuntur : 
Quarum  qua;  media  eft,    non  eft 

habitabilis  *eftu  ; 
Kix  tegit  alta  duas  :  totidem  in- 
ter utramque  locavit, 
Temperiem    dedit,    mifti  cuin 

frigore  flamma. 

Which  the  fame  Dryden  thus  in- 
terprets I 

And  as  five  Zones  th'  ^therial 

Region  bind. 
Five  correfpondent  are  to  Earth 

aflign'd* 


The  Sun,  with  Rays  direcfily 
darting  down, 

Fire3  all  beneath,  and  fries  the 
middle  Zone. 

The  two  beneath  the  diftant 
Poles  complain 

Of  endlefs  Winter,  and  perpetu- 
al Rain. 

Betwixt  th'  Extreams  two  hap- 
pier Climates  hold 

The  Temper,  that  partakes  of 
Heat  and  Cold. 

Nor  was  it  amifs  obferv'd  by 
thefe  A  ftronomers ,  that  the 
Parts  of  the  Earth  anfwer'd  to 
the  oppofite  Parts  of  the  Hea- 
venSj  and  partak'd  of  their  Qua- 
lities :  tho'  fo  great  has  been  the 
Wifdom  of  God  in  attempering 
all  Things,  that  even  direcfily 
beneath  the  Sun,  and  where  the 
Heats  are  moft  violent,  both 
Men  and  Cattle  may  live  a  plea- 
fant  and  eafy  Life  :  but  of  this 
the  Antienrs  were  ignorant. 

227,  And  all,  Sec,"]  In  thefe 
9.  v.  is  contain'd  his  fecond  Ar- 
gument, m  which  he  obferves, 
that  the  otherParts  of  the  Earth, 
that  are  cultivated,  will  not 
produce  the  Fruits,  unlefs  the 
Ground  be  tilled  by  Men  with 
great  Toil  and  Labour  :  But  if 
the  Earth  were  created  by  the 
Gods,  for  the  Service  of  Man, 
why  does  it  not  bear  them  Fruits 
of  its  Q\vn  Accord  ? 

23^.  Nays 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  4^5 

Nay,  often  too,  v»'hen  Man,  with  Pains  and  Toil 

Has  ploughed,  and  overcome  th'  unwiiiing  Soil, 
,   When  Flow'rs  put  forth,  and  budding  Branches  fhoor 

Look  gay,  and  promife  the  much  long'd-for  Fruit, 
240  The  fcorching  Svtf,  with  his  too  bufy  Beams, 

Burns  up,  or  Clouds  deftroy  the  Fruits  with  Streams. 

Or,  chill'd  by  too  much  Snow,  they  foon  decay. 

Or  Storms  blow  them,  and  all  our  Hopes,  away. 
But  farther;  why  fhould  Parent  Nature  breed 
145  Such  hurtful  Animals?  why  cherifli,  feed 

Deftrudtive  Beafts  ?  Why  fhould  fuch  Monsters  grow. 

Did  the  kind  Gods  difpofe  of  Things  below  ? 

Why  Plagues  to  all  the  Seafons  of  the  Year  belong  ? 

And  why  (houid  hafty  Death  deftroy  the  Young  ? 
250      A  Man,  when  firft  he  leaves  his  prim'tive  Nighr, 

Breaks  from  his  Mother's  Womb  to  view  the  Light : 

Like 
N  O  T  £  5. 


23(5,  Nay,  often,  &c.]  Thefe 
8.  V.  contain  the  third  Argu- 
ment, and  fay,  that  even  when 
we  expecft  to  reap  the  Fruits  of 
our  Laboursj  in  the  Tillage  of 
the  Earth,  we  are  often  deceiv'd 
in  our  Hopes,  either  by  Rains  or 
Droughts,  by  Storms,  Blights, 
Sec.  which  is  finely  exprefs'd  by 
Sir  R.  Blackmore : 

The  verdant  Walks  their  charm- 
ing Afpe(ft  lofe. 
And  ihrivel'd  Fruit  drops  from 

the  wither'd  Boughs  ; 
Flow'rs  in  their  virgin  Bluflies 

fmother'd  die, 
And  round  the  Trees  their  fcat- 

ter'd  Beauties  lie  : 
Infeti^ion  taints  the  Air;     lick 

Nature  fades ; 
And   fuddain    Autumn  all   the 

Fields  invades ; 
So  when  the  Plains  their  flowery 

Pompdifplay, 
Sooth'd   by   the    Spring's    fsveet 

Breath,  and  chearingRay; 
If  Boreas  then,  defigaing  envious 

War, 
Mufters  his  fwift-wing'd  Legions 

in  Ehe  Air  ; 


And,  bent  on  fure  DeftrucRion, 
marches  forth 

With  the  cold  Forces  of  the 
fnowy  North  : 

Th'  op'ning  Buds,  and  fprout- 
ing  Herbs,  and  all 

The  tender  Firft-born  of  the 
Spring  muft  fall  ; 

The  blighted  Trees  their  bloom- 
ing Honours  ilied, 

And  on  their  blafted  Hopes  the 
mournful  Gard'ners  tread. 

244.  But  farther,  &c.]  in  thefe 
6.  V.  is  contain'd  the  fourth  Ar- 
gument, in  which  the  Poet  ob- 
ferves,  that  noxious  Animals  are 
produc'd  and  fed,  as  well  on  dry 
Ground,  as  in  the  Sea  :  that  the 
Seafons  of  the  Year  bring  Difea- 
fes ;  that  untimely  Death  fnatch- 
es  many  away  :  To  which  Evils 
they  ought  not  to  be  fubjecl;,  if 
all  Things  were  created  for  their 
Sake. 

250.  A  Man,  Sec.']  In  thefe 
16.  V.  he  brings  his  fifth  Argu- 
ment. If  the  Gods,  fays  he,  had 
made  the  World,  the  Condition 
of  Man  would  have  been  better 
than  thac  of  other  Animals,  yec 

we 


4^4 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


Like  a  poor  Carcafs,  tumbled  by  the  Flood, 
He  falls  all  naked,  and  befmear'd  with  Blood, 
An  Infant,  weak,  and  deftitute  of  Food. 
25  5  With  tender  Cries  the  pitying  Air  he  fills  ; 
A  fit  Prefage  for  all  his  coming  Ills : 
While  Beafts  are  born,  and  grow  with  greater  Eafe; 
No  need  of  founding  Rattles  them  to  pleafe  j 


No 


N  O  T  £  S. 


we  plainly  fee  it  is  much  worfe  : 
and,  to  weigh  the  Matter  aright, 
Kature  feems  a  kind  Parent  to 
them,  and  a  crofs  Stepmother  to 
us.  Why,  fays  Epicurus,  in  La- 
<flantius,  lib.  7.  cap.  $.  did  God 
3Tiak€  Man,  whom  he  lov'd,  ob- 
noxious to  fo  many  Evils  ?  Why 
did  he  make  him  frail  and  mor- 
tal ?  Cur  ergo  Deus  omnibus 
malis  hominem,  quern  diligebat, 
objecit  ?  Cur  mortalem,  fragi- 
lemque  conflituit  ?  Man  indeed 
comes  into  the  World  naked, 
helplefs,  and  unarm'd  :  but  Na- 
ture has  given  him  the  Advan- 
tage of  Hands,  which  are  call'd 
the  Organ  of  Organs.  Befides, 
let  us  fuppofe,  that  a  great  E- 
:ftate  were  given  gratuitoufly.and 
for  no  previous  Confideration, 
to  a  Man  that  were  Lame,  muti- 
lated, infirm  and  difeas'd,  would 
itnotbeunjuft  to  call  the  Do- 
nour  to  Account  for  the  Infirmi- 
ty of  the  Objecfl  of  his  Liberali- 
ty, and  to  blame  him  that  he 
gave  no  more  ? 

255.  With  tender,  &c.]  Pliny, 
lib,  7.  fpeaking  of  the  Imbecilli- 
ty  of  human  Nature,  fays,  Ho- 
m.inem  tantiim  nudum,  &  in  nu- 
da  humo  natali  die  objecit  ad 
vagitus  ftatim  &  ploratus,  nul- 
lumque  tot  animalium  pronius 
ad  lacrymas,  atque  has  protinus 
vit^  principio.  Nature  produ- 
ces Man  only  naked,  nor  of  the 
great  Number  of  Animals  is  any 
more  prone  to  Tears,  and  that 
too  in  the  very  Moment  of  his 
Birth.  But  let  us  hear  Dryden's 
Tranilation  of  this  PafTage.  • 


Thus,  like  a  Sailor  by  the  Tem- 

peft  hurl'd 
AUiore,  the  Babe  is  Shipwrecked 

on  the  World  : 
Naked  he  lies,   and  ready  to  ex- 
pire, 
Helpiefs    of    all    that     human 

Wants  require : 
Expos'd      upon      unhofpitable 

Earth, 
From  the  firft  Moment  of  his 

haplefs  Birth ; 
Strait  with  foreboding  Cries  he 

fills  the  Room, 
Too  lure  Prefages  of  his  future 

Doom. 
But  Flocks,  and  Herds,    and  e- 

v'ry  favage  Beaft, 
By  more  indulgent  Nature,  are 

increas'd  : 
They  want  no  Rattles  for  their 

froward  Mood, 
No  Nurfe  to  reconcile  them  to 

their  Food 
With  broken  Words  ;   nor  win- 
ter Blafts  they  fear. 
Nor    change  their    Habits  with 

the  changing  Year  : 
Nor   for    their   Safety  Citadels 

prepare. 
Nor  forge    the  wicked  Inftru- 

ments  of  War. 
Unlaboured  Earth  her  bounteous 

Treafure  grants. 
And  Nature's  laviHi  Hands  fup- 

ply  their  common  Wants. 

258.  Sounding  Rattles]    Mar- 
tial, lib.  14.  Epig.  54' 

Si  quis  ploratQr  collo  tibi  vernu- 

la  pendet, 

Ha^c^quatiat  tenera 

itra  manUo 

'  Hence 


garrula  fi- 


4^r 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

No  need  of  tattling  Nurfes  bufy  Care :  'i 

160  They  want  no  Change  of  Garments,  but  can  wear    ^ 
The  fame  at  any  Seafon  of  the  Year.  j 

They  need  no  Arms,  no  Garrifon,  or  Town, 
No  ftateJy  Caftles  to  defend  their  own. 
Nature  fupplies  their  Wants  ;  whate'er  they  cravej 

265  She  gives  them,   and  preferves  the  Life  fhe  gave. 

But  now,  fince  Air,  and  Water,  Earth, and  Fire 
Are  Bodies  all  produc'd,  and  all  expire  ; 
Since  thefe  are  fuch,   thefe  that  compofe  this  Frame, 
The  Nature  of  the  Whole  muft  be  the  fame : 

27oForthofe,  whofe  Parts  the  Strokes  of  Fate  controul, 
If  thofe  are  made,  and  dy;     fo  muft  the  whole. 
Now  fince  the  Members  of  the  World  we  view. 
Are  chang'd,  confum'd,  and  all  produc'd  anew : 
It  follows  then,  for  which  our  Proofs  contend, 

275  That  this  vast  Frame  began,  and  fo  muft  end. 
But  left  you  think  I  poorly  beg  the  Caufe  ^ 
And  that  it  difagrees  with  Nature's  Laws, 

That 

NOTES. 


Hence  we  may  obferve,  that  the 
Rattles,  which  our  Nurfes  ufe  to 
quiet  their  froward  Children, 
are  not  of  modern  Date  ;  efpeci- 
ally,  if  the  Crepitaculum,  which 
is  the  Word  our  Poet  here  ufes, 
be  the  fame  with  the  Siftrum, 
that  the  Egyptians  us'd  in  the 
Service  of  the  Goddefs  Ifis,  as, 
by  the  Defcription  Apuleius, 
Metam.  lib.  11.  gives  of  it,  it 
feems  to  be  :  Dextera  quidem 
ferebat,  fays  he,  ;ereum  crepita- 
culum, cujus  per  anguftam  ia- 
minam  in  modum  baltei  recur- 
vatam,  trajecf^je  mediae  pauc^ 
virgulfB  crifpante  bracbio  terge- 
minos  jacitus  reddebant  anguftum 
fonorem.  And  the  Figure  of  Ifis, 
holding  a  Siftrum  in  her  Hand, 
which  Hieronymus  Boflius,  de 
Siftro,  p.  22.  gives  us,  from 
fome  antient  Coins  of  Adrian, 
reprefents  it  to  be  very  much  of 
the  fame  Form  with  our  com- 
mon Rattles. 

266.  But  now,  &C.3    Having 
f^ly'd  the  Objed^ions,  which  the 


Weaknefs  of  the  Stoicks,  and 
the  Superftition  of  the  Vulgar, 
had  rais'd  againft  his  Opinion  : 
he  now,  in  thefe  10.  v,  argues  to 
this  Purpofe  :  The  Nature  of 
the  Whole  is  the  fame  with  thae 
of  its  Parts :  and  fince  we  fee 
that  the  Parts  of  the  World, 
the  Earth,  Sea,  Air,  and  Fire, 
are  continually  chang'd,  fome- 
times  diminifh'd,  fometimes  re- 
newed, it  muft  be  confefs'd,  thae 
the  whole  Mafs  is  equally,  and 
alike,  mortal. 

268.  This  Frame]  i.  e.  of  the 
Earth,  which  is  compos'd  of  the 
four  Elements,  that  are  call'd  by 
Manilius,  lib.  i.  v.  137.  Qua- 
tuor  mundi  artus  *,  the  four 
Limbs,  or  Members  of  the 
World  :  as  they  are  likewife  by 
Lucretius,  v.  272.  of  this  Book. 

27,5.  But  left,  &c.]  Here  the 
Poet  d em  onft rates  at  large,  in 
73.  V.  That  the  chief  Parrs,  and 
iargeft  Members  of  the  World, 
Earth,  Water,  Air  and  Fire,  are 
produc'dj  and    die,    And   firft, 

in 


4^6  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

That  Water,  AiR,that  Earth,  and  Eire  fliould  ceafe^ 
And  fail  ;  that  they  can  dy,  and  can  increafe  ; 

280  Confider  ;  Earth,  when  parch'd  with  bufy  Beams, 
And  trodden  much,  flies  up  in  dusky  Streams : 
And  little  Clouds  of  thick'ning  Duft  arife, 
Difpers'd  by  Winds  thro'  all  the  low'r  Skies: 
And  gentle  Rivers  too,  with  wanton  Play, 

285  That  kifs  their  rocky  Banks,  and  glide  away. 
Take  fomewhat  ftill  from  the  ungentle  Stone, 
Soften  the  Parts,  and  make  them  like  their  own. 
And  by  what  Thing  another's  fed,  and  grows, 
That  Thing  fome  Portion  of  its  own  muft  lofe : 

290  Now  fince  all  fpring  from  Earth,  and  fince  we  call^ 
And  juftly  too,  the  Earth,  the  Source  of  aH; 
Since  all,  when  cruel  Death  diffolves,  return 
To  Earth  again,  and  (he's  both  Womb  and  Urn  : 
The  Earth  is  chang'd,fome  Parts  muft  fometimes  ceafe,' 

295  And  fometimes  new  come  on,  and  flie  increafe. 

Befides, 

NOTES. 


In  thefe  20.  v.  he  begins  with  the 
Earth  :  Many  of  whofc  Par- 
ticles, fays  he,  are  borne  aloft, 
and  compofe  the  Air  :  the  Ri- 
vers wafli  ofF  many  more,  and 
roll  them  into  the  Sea  :  Then, 
in  16.  V.  he  fays,  That  new  Wa- 
ter is  produc'd  every  Day  ;  but 
Part  of  it  is  chang'd  into  Air  by 
the  force  of  the  Sun :  and  in 
the  fubterranean  PaiTages  another 
Part  of  it  condenfes,  and  puts 
on  the  Form  of  Earth.  Then 
in  10.  V.  he  fays,  That  no  Man 
will  pretend,  that  the  Air,  which 
receives  all  the  Particles,  that 
are  continually  flowing  to  it  from 
all  Things,  and  that  repairs  and 
renews  all  thofe  Things,  is  eter- 
nal and  immortal :  And  laftly, 
in  27.  V.  he  aiTerts,  That  we 
ought  to  conclude  the  like  alfo 
of  Fire,  fince  the  Rays  of  the 
Sun,  who  is  the  fole  Fountain 
and  Source  of  all  Light  and  Fire, 
flow  out  from  his  Orb,  and  pe-^ 
rifli  every  Moment,  And  there- 
fore we  muil  be  forc'd  to  allow. 
that  the  Sun  himfelf  is  repair'dj 


as  we  fupply  a  Lamp  with  Oil, 
to  keep  the  Flame  alive, 

280.  Confider,  &:c.3  Here  the 
Poet  proves,  I,  That  the  Earth 
waftes  away,  and  is  renew'd  t 
For,  fays  he,  the  Sun,  by  conti- 
nually iliining  upon  it,  bakes  and 
dries  it  up  :  it  wears  with  being 
trampled  on  :  the  Force  of  the 
Winds  blows  fome  of  it  into  the 
Air  :  Rains  difTolve  it  :  Rivers 
walli  it  away :  it  is  wafted  by  its 
own  Produdions,  and  again  re- 
newed by  them  :  For,  as  the 
Earth  is  the  great  Mother  of  all 
Things,  fo  too  flie  is  their  com- 
mon Sepulchre  :  The  Earth 
therefore  decays,    and  is  renew'd, 

284.  And  gentle,  dec.']  Out 
Tranflatour  is  not  fo  much  ob- 
lig'd  to  his  Authour  for  this 
Thought  as  to  Cowley,  who,  in 
the  ft  I  Book  of  his  I>avideis,fays : 

'The  Streamjwith  wan- 


ton Play, 
KifTes  the  fmiling  Banks,    and 
glides  away. 


*  Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  4^7 

Befides;  ihac  Seas,  and  Rivers  wafte  and  die, 
And  ftill  incfei(c  by  conftanc  new  Supply,  (fliow 

What  need  of  Proofs  ?     This  Streams   themfelves  do 
And  in  fofc  Murmurs  bubble  as  they  flow. 

300  But  left  the  Mass  of  Water  prove  too  great. 
The  Sun  drinks  fome,  to  quench  his  nat'rai  Heat: 
And  fome  the  Winds  brufh  ofFj  with  wanton  Play, 
They  dip  their  Wings,  and  bear  fome  Parts  away: 
Some  pafTes  thro*  the  Earth,  difFus'd  all  o'er, 

305  And  leaves  its  Salt  behind  in  ev'ry  Pore; 
For  all  returns,  thro*  narrow  Channels  fpread. 
And  joins  where'er  the  Fountain  fhews  her  Head  ; 
And  thence  fweet  Streams  in  fair  M e^  2{  d  e  r  s  phy^ 
And  thro*  the  Valleys  cut  their  liquid  way  ^ 

And 

NOTES. 


296.  Befides,  &c.]  In  thefe 
16.  V,  the  Poet  proves,  I  Idly, 
That  the  Water  waftes  away, 
and  is  again  repair'd  :  for  the 
Sea,  the  Rivers,  and  the  Foun- 
tains, are  continually  lupply'd 
with   new    Waters ;       and   the 


Becaufe  thofe  pungent  Parts.they 

roll'd  before. 
Now  ftay  behind,    and  lodge  in 

ev'ry  Pore. 

308.  In  fair  Meanders  play] 
Meander  is  a  great  River  of  the 


Reafon  why  the  Sea  does  not  o-jlefTer  Alia,  flowing  from  the 
verflow,  is,  becaufe  the  Winds,  Fountain  Aulocrene,  in  the  grea- 
bruihing  over  the  Surface  of  its  Iter  Phrygia  :  It  divides  Caria 
Waves,  take  away  fome  Part  of  j  from  Ionia,  and,  at  the  City- 
its  Flood,  and  becaufe  the  Heat  Heraclea,  falls  into  the  Myrtoaii 
of  the  Sun  continually  licks  up  i  Sea,  which  is  a  Part  of  the  i^- 
its  Waters  :  Befide-;,  fome  Part !  gean,  and  now  cal-Pd  Mare  di 
of  the  W^aters  of  the  Sea  dives!  Mandria,  This  River  is  now  the 
beneath  into  the  Pores  and  Chan- 1  Madre,  and  flows  in  fo  many 
nels  ofihe  Earth  :  where,  lea-  Windings,  that  it  often  feems  to 
ving  behind  its  Bitternefs  and  run  back  towards  its  Head  .-  O- 
Salt,  it  gropes  out  its  blind  Paf-j  vid.  Metam.  lib.  p.  v.  449. 
fage  to  a  fecond  Birth  j  and  ftar-l 

ting  up  in  Fountains,  creeps  from    Hie  tibi,    dum  fequitur  patriae 
them  into  Rivers,  and   from  the]      curvamine  rip^, 
Rivers  works  its  way,and  returns  Filia  M^andri,    toties  redeuntis 


ag«iin,  into  the  Sea, gliding  back- 
wards and  forwards  with  a  ne- 
ver-ceafing  Courfe. 


eodem, 
Cognita  Cyanee,  Sec 


305.  And  leaves  it's  Salt,  Sec.']  Whence,  not  only  all  Turnings 
Lucretius  himfelf  gives  the  Rea-]and  Windings  are  metaphorical- 


ion  of  this.  Book  n.  V.  451. 
For  when  fait  Streams  through 


ly  call'd  Meanders  :  but  likewife 
all  crafty  and  wily  Counfels  :  In 
which  laft  Senfe,  Cicero,  in  Pifo, 
winding  Caverns  pafs,  "    |  ufes  the  Word  Meander:     and 

They  rife  up  fwect,'  and  bubble;  Prudencius,    in  the  Hymn  ante 
o'er  the  Grafs  j  '  Somn, 

Knn  O 


LUCRETIUS, 


Book  V. 


3 1  o  And  Herbs,  and  Flow'rs  on  ev*ry  Side  beftow : 

The  Fields  all  fmile  with  FLow'RS,where'er  they  flow: 

But  more ;  the  Air,  thro'  all  the  mighty  Frame, 
Is  chang'd  each  Hour,  we  breathe  not  twice  the  fame  - 
Becaufe,  as  all  Things  wafte,  the  Parts  muft  fly         y 

3 1 5  To  the  vaft  Sea  of  Air  ;  they  mount  on  high,  > 

And  foftly  wander  in  rhe  lower  Sky :  3 

Now  did  not  this  the  wafting  Things  repair. 
All  had  been  long  ago  dilfolv'd,  all  Air. 

There- 

NOTES. 


O  tortuofe  Terpens, 
Qui  miJle  per  Maeandros, 

Fraudefque-  flexuofaSj 
.    Agitas  quieta  corda. 

Dion  Prufeus  fays,  that  this  Ri- 
ver makes  no  lefs  than  lix  hun- 
dred Windings  towards  the 
Spring  where  firft  it  rif'es.  Thus 


in  wreathing 


It's  wanton   Tide 

Volumes  flows, 
Still  forming  reedy  Illands  as  it 

goes  : 
And  in    Meanders  to  the  neigh- 

b'ring  Main, 
The    liquid  Serpent   draws  it's 

iilver  Train. 

Sir  Richard  Blackmore. 

Moreover,  the  four  Verfes  that 
conclude  this  Argument,  are  pa- 
raphraftically  rendered  •,  and  the 
two  laft  of  them  feem  to  be  imi- 
tated from  thel'e  of  Cowley  : 

Th'  innocent  Stream,  as  it  in  Si- 
lence goes, 

Frefli  Honours,  and  a  fuddain 
Spring  beftow: 

Qn  both  its  Banks,  to  ev'ry  Tree 
and  Flow'r. 

312.  But  more,  &:c.]  In  thefe 
lo.  V,  he  proves  llldly.  of  the 
Air^that  it  fometimes  waftes.and 
then  again  increafes  :  For  the 
Air  Js  chang'd  every  Moment  : 
Becaxife^   whatever    flows   fiom 


Bodies,  is  carry'd  into  the  vaft 
Tracft  of  Air.  But  minute  Cor- 
pufcles  are  continually  flowing 
from  all  Things,  and  are  con- 
vey'd  into  the  Air,  where  they 
fly  to  and  fro  without  ceafing. 
Now,  unlefs  the  Air  conftantly 
reftor'd  thele  Corpufcles  to  the 
Bodies  from  whence  they  came, 
all  Things  would  by  this  Time 
have  been  wafted  to  Nothing, 
and  totally  deftroy'd.  Therefore 
Bodies  are  perpetually  chang'd 
into  Air,  and  the  Air  returns  a- 
gain  into  Bodies, 

315.  Vaft  Sea  of  Air]  This 
feems  a  bold  Metaphor ;  and 
yet  has  the  Authority  of  Lucre- 
tius ;  Aeris  in  magnum  fertur 
Mare  :  and  he  of  Ennius,  who, 
in  Feftus,  fays,  Crafla  pulvis  o- 
ritur ;  omne  pervolat  coeli  Fre- 
tnm.  And  our  Cowley  not  only 
cails  rhe  Air,  a  tracldefs  Ocean  ; 
!  but  the  Sea,  the  low  Sky  ;  for 
which,  he  tells  us,  he  has  the  Au- 
thority of  the  Scripture  it  felf: 
Genef.  i.  v.  6.  Let  there  be  a 
Firmament  in  the  Midft  of  the 
!  Waters,  and  let  it  divide  the 
Waters  from  the  Waters  :  The 
Paflage  of  Cowley,  of  which  I 
am  fpeakmg,  is  in  that  incompa- 
rable Pindarick  Ode,  which  he 
calls  The  Mufe  *,  and  the  rather 
deferves  to  be  tranfcrib'd,  be- 
cauf^  he  reclaims  the  Authority 
of  our  Poet,  to  juftify  one  Part 
of  his  Allegory  : 

Where 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  4^9 

Therefore,  /ince  all  Things  wafte,   their  vital  Chain  ^ 
320  Diffolv'd  'y  how  can  the  Frame  of  Am  remain  ?  L 

Ir  rifes  from,  and  makes  up,  Things  again.  S 

Befides^  the  Sun,  that  conllant  Spring  of  Light, 
Still  cuts  the  Heav'ns  with  Streams  of  fliining  White  . 
And  the  decaying  old  with  new  fupplies  : 
325  For  ev*ry  Portion  of  the  Beam,  that  flies, 
Is  but  lliorc-liv'd,  it  juft  appears,  and  dies. 

As  thus  'tis  prov'd. 

For,  when  an  envious  Cloud  ftops  up  the  Stream, 
The  conftant  Stream  of  Light,  and  breaks  the  Beam, 
330  The  lower  Part  is  loft,  and  dilmal  Shade 

O'erfpreads  the  Earth,  where'er  the  Cloud's  convey 'd,' 

There- 

NOTES, 


Where  never  Fifli  did  fly, 
And  wich  ihort  filver  Wings  cut 
the  low  liquid  Sky  ; 
Where  Bird  with  painted  Oars 
did  ne'er 
Row  thro'  the  tracklefs  Ocean  of 
the  Air,  &c. 

322.  Befides,  &c.i  In  thefe  27. 
V.  he  proves,  IVthly,  That  Fire 
periflies,  and  is  again  renew'd  : 
Of  this  he  brings  aa  Inftance  of 
the  Sun,  whofe  firft  Light,  fays 
he,  totally  periflies,  and  a  new 
Light  is  created  in  its  Place  : 
This  Truth  we  know  by  Expe- 
rience, as  often  as  any  Mift  in- 
terpofes  between  the  Sun's  Orb 
and  us.  He  farther  teaches,  That 
the  like  happens  in  our  Lamps 
and  Candles,  in  Lightning,  in 
the  Moon,  and  in  the  other  Pla- 
nets -,  of  all  which  the  firft  Light 
dies,  and  a  new  Light  is  conti- 
nually fubftituted  in  its  Room  : 
Therefore  Light,  in  which  there 
is  always  fome  Fire,  dies,  and  is 
renew'd  in  all  luminous  Bodies, 
and  confequently  the  Fire  it  felf 
iXiufl:  periili,  and  be  renew'd 
likewife.  And  indeed,  as  to  our 
Lights,  which  are  fupply'd  and 
fed  with  fomething  fat  and  hu- 
mid, as  Oil,  no  Man  difputes, 
h;-|C  th.-?,t    they    are    continually 


chang'd.     But  Ariftotle,   lib.  2, 
Meteor,  denies,    that   the  Light 
of  the  Sun  is   like  our  terreftiial. 
Lights  :  and  will  have   it  to  "be 
always  one  and  the  fame,    as  be- 
ing never  fed   with  Humidity  ; 
for  otherwife,    a  new  Sun  would 
rife  every  Day,and  be  daily  new, 
which  is  both  falfe  and  abfurd. 
Lucretius  indeed,  in   this  Place, 
does  not  pretend  to  fay,  that  the 
Sun  or  the   Stars  are  of  a  firy 
Nature,  or  that  they  are   Fire  ; 
but  is  fatisfy'd  that  Lightjwhich 
always  contains  fome  Fire,  peri- 
fhes,  and  is  renew'd  daily.     He 
will  prove  by  and   by,    whether 
the  Sun  be  Fire  or  not ;  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  Doclrine  of  Epi- 
curus, will  teach,  that  the  cele- 
ftial  Bodies,  that  is  to  fay,  the 
Stars,   are  either  Fire,  or  conlift 
of  Fire  :     which  he   has  likewife 
often  infinuated  elfewhere. 

328.  For  when,  &c.]^  Sir  Ri- 
chard Blackmore,  defcribing  a 
Storm  : 

A  fuddain  Storm  did  from  the 
South  arife. 

And  horrid  black  begun  to  hang 
the  Skies  : 

Low-bellying  Clouds  foon  inter- 
cept the  Light, 

And  o'er  the  Sailors     fpread  a 
noon-day  Night. 

N  n  n  2         343=  Hy- 


46o  LUCRETIUS,  Book  V. 

Therefore  there  muft  be  conftant  Streams  of  Rays, 
Since  ev'ry  Portion  of  the  Beam  decays : 
Nor  fhould  we  fee,  but  all  lie  blind  in  Night, 

335  Unlefs  new  Streams  fiow'd  from  the  Spring  of  LightI 
So  from  our  Lights,  our  meaner  Fires  below. 
Our  Lamps,  or  brighter  Torches,  Streamsdo  flow, 
And  drive  away  the  Night  :  they  ftill  fupply  7 

New  Flames  ;  as  fwiftly  as  the  former  die,  V 

940  New  Beams  ftill  tremble  in  the  lower  Sky  :  ^ 

No  Space  is  free,   but  a  continu'd  Rav 
Still  keeps  a  conftant,  tho'  a  feeble,  Day  ; 
So  faft,  ev'n  HrDR^^'llke,  the  fruitful  Fires 
Beget  a  new  Beam,  as  the  old  expires. 

345  So  Sun  and  Moon,  with  many  a  num'rous  Birth, 

Bring  forth  new  Rays,  and  fend  them  down  to  Earth, 
Which  die  as  faft  :     left  Tome  fond  Fools  believe, 
That  thefe  are  free  from  Fate,  that  thefe  muft  live, 
Ev*n  ftrongeft  Tow'ns  and  Rocks,  all  feel  the  Rage 

350  Of  powVful Time:  ev'n  Temples  viafte  by  Age: 
Nor  can  the  Gods  themfelves  prolong  their  Date, 
Change  Nature's  Laws,  or  get  Reprieve  from  Fate  : 

Ev'n 

NOTES. 


343.  Hydra]  See  the  Note  on 
V.  28.  of  this  Book. 

349.  Ev'n  ftrongeft,  &c.]  In 
thefe  1 1.  V.  he  confirms  the  pre- 
ceding Arguments.  The  Things 
that  feem  moft  folid,  feel  the 
Strength  of  Time,  and  moulder 
away.  "Who  does  not  every  Day 
fee  Towers.  Temples,  and  the 
Images  of  the  Gods  faliiug  to 
Decay,  and  dropping  to  the 
Ground  I  The  Deities  them- 
felves can  not  fupport  them. 
Even  Rocks  c/umble  with  Age, 
and  come  tumbling  piecemeal 
down  from  the  Mountains : 
Who  then  will  pretend,  that 
Things,  which  are  unable  to  re- 
fift  the  Injuries  of  a  finite  Time, 
have  exifted  from   all  Eternity  ? 

351.  Nor  can  the  Gods,  Sec.'] 
Forfome  are  of  Opinion,  that 
the  Antients  believ'd.  That  not 
only  Man.and  all  created  Things, 
as  well  animate  as  inanimate  Be- 


ings, but  that  even  the  Gods 
themfelves  were  fubject  to  Fate. 
And  the  Words  of  Lucretius,  in 
this  Place,  are, 

Nee  fancflum   Numen  Fati  pro- 

toHere  fines 
Pofie,ncque  adverfus  naturae  foe- 

dera  niti. 

But  if  the  Decrees  of  Fate  were 
unalterable,  how  came  Venus  to 
fear,  that  the  Mind  of  Jupiter 
would  ch.ingc,  in  regard  to  the 
Trojani?  Virgil,  Mn.  i.  v.  241. 


— ■_ — -  Qtu-e  te,  genitor,    fenten- 

tia  verric  ? 
Hoc  equidem    occafum   Troj«, 

triftefque  ruinas 
Solabar,    fatis  contraria  fata  re- 

pendens. 

Fate  therefore  feemsto  have  been 
nothing  elfe,  than  an  immuta- 
ble 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  461 

Ev'n  Tombs  grow  old,  and  wafte,  by  Years  o'erthrown : 
Mens  Graves  before,  but  now  become  their  own. 
955  How  oft  the  hardeft  Rock  difTolves,  nor  bears 
The  Strength  but  of  a  few,  tho'  pow'rfuJ,  Years  ! 

Now 


NOTES, 


ble  Series  of  Things  and  Events, 
exifting  in  the  Mind,  or  in  the 
Decrees  of  Jupiter  ,  and  which, 
for  that  Reafon,  he  alone  knew, 
and  alone  reveal'd  to  the  Gods 
by  his  owa  Mouth,  and  to  Men 
by  Oracles.  Thus  the  Fortune- 
telling  Harpy,  lEn.  3.  v.  251. 

Qu.^  Phcebo  pater  cmnipotens, 

mihi  Phoebus  Apollo 
Pra:dixit..— — 

To  which  I  add,  that  the  Anti- 
ents  did  indeed  hold  Fate  to  be 
unalterable,  and  unavoidable ; 
Fata  viam  invenient  :  but  in 
fuch  a  Manner  neverthelefs,  that 
they  believ'd,  I.  That  the  Event 
of  Fate,  tho'  it  could  not  be 
wholely  prevented,  might  ne- 
verthelefs be  fome  what  retarded  : 
Thus  Juno,  JE.n.  7.  v.  315. 


regnis  pro- 


Non  dabitur,    eflo. 

hibere  Latinis  : 
Ac  rrahere,   atque  moras  tantis 

licet  addere  rebus. 


Tl.  That  the  Event  often  depen- 
ded on  certain  Conditions,  which 
being  eluded.  Fate  was  eluded 
likewife.  III.  That  the  Decla- 
ration of  any  Fate  whatever,whe- 
ther  by  Jupiter  himfelf,  or  by 
the  Oracles,  might  be  ambigu- 
ous :  whence  ic  happen'd.  That 
the  Gods,  as  well  as  Men,  often 
ilruggled  againit  adverfe  Fates. 
And  this  it  was  that  Venus 
ft-ar'd  •,  that  Jupiter  had  not  fpo- 
ken  fincerely  of  the  future  Hap- 
pinefs  of  ^neas  :  becaufe,  if  he 
had,  fhe  knew,  that  it  was  un- 
.aiterable,  and  muft  of  Neceflity 
hfippen  :       For,    as  Dryden ,  in ' 


Palamon  and  Arcite, 
Chaucer, 


fays  after 


The    Pow'r,    that  minifters  to 

God's  Decrees, 
And  executes  on  Earth  what  he 

forefees, 
Caird   Providence,    or  Chance, 

or  fata!  Sway, 
Comes  with  refiillefs  Force,  and 

finds,  or  makes  its  Way. 

3 ■53.  Ev'n  Tombs  grow  old, 
&:c.j  Juvenal,  Satyr.  10.  v.  142. 
to  the  fame  Purpofc,  fays, 

Patriam  tamen  obruit  o- 


lim 


Gloria  paucorum,   Sc  laudis  ti- 

tulique  cupido 
Ha'furi  in  faxis  cineruni  cuftodi- 
I      bus,  ad  qua: 
!  Difcutienda  valent  fterilis  mala 

robora  iicus  : 
Qiiandoquidem  data    funt  ipfis, 
quoque  fata  fepukhris. 

Which  Dryden  has  iin^ely  para^?. 

phras'd  : 

Yet  this  mad  Chace  of  Fame,  by 

few  purfu'd. 
Has  drawn  Deftruclion  on  the 

the  Multitude  : 
This  Avarice  of  Praife  in  Times 

to  come, 
Thefe  long  Tnfcriptions^crowded 

ontheTomb, 
Should  fome  wild  Fig-tree  take 

her  native  Bent, 
And    heave   below     the  gawdy 

Monument, 
W^ould  crack  the  marble   Titles, 

and  difperfe 
The  Characfters  of  all  the  lying 

Verfe  : 

For 


462  LUCRETIUS,  Book  V. 

Now  if  that  Rock,  for  infinite  Ages  paft,  o 

Stood  ftill  fecure,  if  it  was  free  from  wafte  ;  S. 

Why  fliould  it  fail,  why  now  diflblve  at  laft  ?  3 

360      Laftly,  look  round,  view  that  vast  Tract  of  Sky, 
In  whofe  Embrace  our  Earth  and  Waters  lie: 
Whence  all  Things  rife,  to  which  they  all  return, 
As  fomedifcourfej  the  fame  both  Womb  and  Qrn: 
'Tis  furely  mortal  all :  for  that  which  breeds 

365  That  which  gives  Birth  to  other  Things,   or  feeds, 

Muft  lofe  fome  Parts ;  and  when  thofe  Things  do  ceafe. 
It  gets  fome  new  again,  and  muft  increafe. 

But  grant  the  World  eternal,  grant  it  knew 
No  Infancy ;  and  grant  it  never  newj 

Why 

NOTES. 


For  Sepulchres  thcnifelves  muft 

crumbling  fall 
In  Times  Abyl^s,    the  common 

Grave  of  all. 

Moreover,  that  the  Graves  of 
Men  fliould  come  to-be  their  own 
Graves,  is  a  Thovight  added  to 
Lucretius  by  his  Tranflatour. 

^60.  Laftly,  &:c.]  In  thefe 
8.  V.  he  confutes  thofe,  who  hold, 
That  all  Thmgs  proceed  from 
iEther,  or  Heaven,  and  are  re- 
iblv'd  again  into  Heaven,  and 
yet  aiTerc,  that  Heaven  it  felf  is 
immortal  and  eternal :  For 
whatever  is  chang'd  into  other 
Things,  and  is  repair'd  and  re- 
new'd  by  thofe  Things,  when 
they  are  diiTolv'd,  muft  be  born, 
and  mortal. 

363.  As  fome  difcourfe]  He 
means  the  Poets,  who  feign'd, 
that  Coelus  was  the  raoft  ancient 
of  all  the  Gods,  and  that  he  mar- 
ry'd  his  Sifter  Terra,  the  Earth  ^ 
whence  he  was  believ'd  to  be  the 
Father  of  all  Things. 

1,68.  But  grant,  6<:c  ]  In  thefe 
17.  V.  he  afterts,  thatthe  World 
is  new,  becaule  the  moft  antient 
of  all  Hiftories,  reach  not  far- 
ther than  the  Theban  or  Trojan 
Wars ;  and  certainly,  if  the 
Wodd,  far  from   being  ecernal. 


were  much  older  than  \vz  know 
it  to  be,  we  fliould  have  had 
fome  Records  of  a  much  older 
Date  :  And  farther,  becaufe  all 
the  Arts  are  but  of  late  Inventi- 
on, fince  Mention  is  made  of  the 
Founders  of  all  of  them.  And  if 
the  World  had  had  no  Beginning, 
all  Arts,  but  efpecially  thofe  ule- 
ful  to  Life,  would  have  exifted 
from  ail  Time.  Macrobius,  on 
the  Dream  of  Scipio,  Book  2. 
chap.  10.  argues  to  the  fame 
Purpofe,  in  thefe  W^ords,  Quis 
non  hinc  exiftimet  mundum 
quandoque  coepilTe,  nee  longam 
retro  hujus  xtatem,  cum  abhinc 
ultra  retro  duo  annorum  millia 
de  excellenti  rerum  geftarum 
memoria  ne  Grxca.  quidem  ex- 
tat  Iiiftoria?  Nam  fupra  Ninum, 
a  quo  Semiramisfecundum  quof- 
dam  creditur  procreata,  nihil 
prxclarum  in  libris  rectum  eft  : 
Si  enini  ab  initio,  imo  ante  initi- 
um  fuit  mundus,  ut  Philofophi 
volunt,  cur  per  innumerabilium 
feriem  fteculorum,  non  fuerat 
cultus,  quo  nunc  utiniur,  inven- 
tus ?  Non  literarum  ufus,  quo 
folo  memorial  fulcitur  jeternitas  ? 
Cur  denique  multarum  rerum 
experientia  ad  aiiquas  gentes  re*-^ 
centi  a^cate  pcrvenit  ?  Ut  ecce  i 
GalH  vitem,    vel  cultum  ok^c, 

Koma 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

370  Why  then  no  Wars  our  Poets  Songs  imploy. 
Before  the  Siege  oiT h eb es,  or  that  of  T j? 0 r  ? 
Why  former  Heroes  fell  without  a  Name? 
Why  not  their  Battels  told  by  lafting  Fame? 

NOTES. 


46^ 


But 


Roma  jam  adolefcente,  didice- 
runt :  aliae  verb  genres  adhuc 
multa  ilefciunt,  quK  nobis  in- 
venta  placuerunt.  Hj2c  omnia 
videntur  ieternitati  rerum  repug- 
nare,dum  opinari  nosfaciunt,cer- 
to  mundi  principio  paulatim  iin- 
gula  quitque  coepiffe.  Who  can 
believe  but  that  the  World  had 
a  Beginning ,  and  that  too 
not  long  ago  ,  iince,  of  what 
happen'd  above  two  thoufand 
Years  pail,  we  have  no  Hiftory, 
not  even  of  any  great  Actions  : 
For  before  Ninus,  who,  accor- 
ding to  fonie,  was  Father  of  Se- 
miramis,  nothing  memorable  is 
recorded  in  our  Books  :  And  if 
the  World  was  from  the  Begin- 
ning, or,  as  Philofophers  fay,  be- 
fore the  Beginning  ",  why,  during 
a  Succeflion  of  innumerable  A- 
ges,  was  not  the  Method  and 
Way  of  Life,  which  we  now  fol- 
low, invented  ?  Why  not  even 
the  life  of  Letters,  which  alone 
fecures  and  eternizes  the  Memo- 
ry of  Things?  And  why  have 
fome  Nations  had  but  a  late 
Knowledge  of  many  Things  ? 
For  Inftance,  the  Gauls^  who 
knew  not  to  till  the  Vine,  nor 
the  Olive,  tUl  Rome  was  in  her 
Age  of  Adolefcency.  And  other 
Nations  are  ftill  ignorant  of  ma- 
ny Arcs  and  Inventions,  that 
have  long  been  in  life,  and  of 
great  Advantage  to  us.  Ail  which 
feenis  to  contradidi  the  Eternity 
of  Things,  and  gives  us  great 
Ground  to  believe,  that  all 
Things  began  by  Degrees,  after 
theW^orld  had  its  Beginning. 

371,  The  Siege  of  Thebes] 
Which,  fays  Macrobius,  was  be- 
fore the  Siege  of  Troy,     Howe- 


ver it  could  be  but  a  little  Time 
before,  becaufe  it  is  certain,  that 
fome  Leaders  were  at  the  De- 
ftruction  of  Troy,  whofe  Fa- 
thers had  been  at  the  Siege  of 
Thebes.  Faber.  There  were  fe- 
veral  Cities  call'd  by  the  Name 
of  Thebes  ;  but  Lucretius  fpeaks 
of  that  in  Boeocia,  which,  as  Ifi- 
dorus  fays,  wa^  built  by  Cad- 
mus, and  of  the  War  between 
the  two  Brothers,  Eteocles  and 
Polynices,  the  Sons  of  OEdipus, 
by  his  own  Mother  Jocafta.  Of 
the  Trojan  War,fee  B.  I.  v.  5iy. 
372.  W^hy  former  Heroes,&:c.3 
Horace  feems  to  give  the  Reafon 
of  this,  when  he  fays,  that  in  the 
Ages,  in  which  thofe  Heroes 
liv'd,  there  wanted  Poets  to  re- 
cord their  Fame  : 

Vixere  fortes  ante  Agamemnona 
Multi  :  fedomnes  illacrymabiles 
Urgentur,  ignotique  long4 
Nocfte ;  carent  quia  vate  facro. 
And  therefore  Cowley  excellent- 
ly well,  (ays : 

Not  Winds  to  Voyagers  at 
Sea, 
Nor  Show'rs  to  Earth  more  ne- 
ceflary  be, 

Than  Verfe  to  Virtue,which 
can  do 
The  Midwife's  OiEce,   and  the 

Nurfe's  too  : 
It  feeds  it  ftronglyjand  it  cloaths 
it  gay  i  _ 

And    when    it    dies,    with 
comely  Pride 
Embalms  it,   and  ere<fls  a  Pyra- 
mid, 

That  never  will  decay. 
Till  Heaven  it  felf  ihall  melt 
away. 
And  nought  behind  it  ftay. 
And 


4^4  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

But  'tis  as  I  declape  ;  and  thoughtful  Man, 
373  Not  long  ago,  and  all  the  World  began  : 

And  therefore  Arts,  that  lay  but  rude  before,  "7 

Are  polifh'd  now,  we  now  increafe  the  Store,  > 

We  perfe(ft  all  the  old,  and  find  out  more.  S 

Shipping's  improv'd  ;   vjc  add  new  Oars  and  Wings  j 
380  And  MusiCK  now  is  found,  and  fpeaking  Strings. 
Thefe  Truths,  this  Rife  of  Things  we  lately  know  j 
Great  E  p  i  c  v rv  s  liv'd  not  long  ago  : 
By  my  Afliftance  young  Philosophy 
In  Latine  Words  now  firft  begins  to  cry. 
385      But  if  you  think  fucceiTive  Worlds,  the  fame 

They  now  appear,  but  Earthq^uakes  fliook  the  Frame, 
Or  Fire  deftroy'd,  or  Floods  fwept  all  away  ;  1 

Grant  only  this,  and  you  the  Caufe  betray  :  > 

This  ftrongly  proves  the  World  will  once  decay  :      \ 

For 


NOTES. 


And  pryden  in  like  manner  : 

For  ev'n  when  Death  dilTolves' 

our  mortal  Frame, 
The  Soul  returns  to  Heaven,' 

from  whence  it  came^, 
Earth  keeps  the  Body  ;    Verfe' 

preferves  the  Fame. 

374.  But  'tis,  &c.]  Tt  is  no: 
ftrange  that  Arts  are  new,  that 
they  are  bat  lately  improv'd  and 
refin'dj  that  is  to  fay,  Sailing, 
Poetry,  Mufick,  &c.  fince  the 
World  it  felf  is  but  of  late  ftan- 
ding,  and  was  not  from  Eterni- 
ty, as  the  Stoicks  and  Ariftotle 
erroneouily  believ'd. 

383.  By  my  Affiftance,  &c.3 
Lucretius  has  feveral  times  alrea- 
dy been  telling  us  this  of  him- 
felf :  but  more  particularly, 
Book  I.  v.  933.  and  at  the  Be- 
ginning of  the  fourth  Book. 

38$.  But  if,  &c.]  To  thefe 
Arguments  fome  Philofophers 
give  this  Anfwer  :  The  fame 
Arts  flourifh'd  heretofore  that  do 
now  :  But  fometimes  Fire  de- 
ilroy'd  Mankind,  fometimes  De- 
luges fwept  them  away,.or  Earth- 


quakes fwallow'd  them  up  :    and 
hence  thofe  Arts  feem  to  be  new  : 
The    Poet    retorts  this  Anfwer 
upon  them,    in  thefe  10.  v.    and 
fays,  That    no    Man    of  found 
Judgment  will  pretend,    that  the 
World,  whofe   Parts    are  fome- 
times confum'd   by   Fire,    fome- 
times overwhelni'd  with  Waters, 
and  fometimes  Hiaken  and   fwal- 
low'd up  by  Earthquakes,  can  be 
eternal :     For  the   Reafon,  why 
we  believe  a  Man  to  be  mortal,is, 
becaufe  he  is  fubjecft  to,    and  at- 
tack'd  by,  thofe  Difeafes,  which, 
having  liez'd  upon  others  with 
greater     Violence,     have    fwept 
them  away.     But   Ariftotle,    on 
the  contrary,   fays,    that  there  is 
no  Fear    of  the  World's  being 
dilFolv'd  ;    nay   more,    that  the 
Deluges   and   Conflagrations   of 
the  Earth  conduce  to   the  Safety 
of  the   whole    Univerfe  ;    for  he 
held  the  W^orld   to  be  eternal  ; 
which  Dodlrine  of  his  is  not  only 
repugnant  to  the  Chriftian  Faith, 
but  likewife  to  the  Opinion  of 
almoft  all  the  Philofophers 

387.     Or  Fire  deftroy'd,     or 
Floods  fwept  all  awayQ  The  Po- 
et 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  46^ 

390  For  what  can  ficken  thus,  can  wafte,  and  fail, 
And  perifli  all,  if  ftronger  Strokes  prevail. 
For  thus,  fince  we  can  feel  the  fame  Difeafe,  •^ 

Same  Harms,  that  other  per  fhing  Things  do  (ieZe,     > 
We  think,  that  we  fhall  die  as  well  as  thefe.  3 

395     Befides  :  whate'er's  immortal,  muft  be  (o, 
Becaufe  'tis  solid,   'bove  the  Pow  r  of  Blow  9 
Whofe  Parts  no  Wedge  divides,    which  know  no  Pore  ^ 
And  fuch  are  Seeds,   as  I  explain 'd  before: 
Or  elfe  becaufe,  like  empty  Space,  'tis  fuch 

400  As  is  fecure  from  Stroke,  and  free  from  Touch  ! 
Or  elfe,  becaufe  it  can  admit  no  Bound, 
*Tis  INFINITE,   and  knows  no  Place  beyond. 
To  which  the  Seeds  may  fink :  This  makes  the  all 
Eternal  ;  there's  no  Place  where  Seeds  may  fali, 

405  And  breed  Confufion  here :  No  Space  does  lie  "^ 

Without  the  Whole,  to  which  the  Parts  may  fiiejS*- 
And  leave  the  mighty  All  to  wafte  and  die.  3 

But  now  the  World's  not  solid,  ev'ry  Mafs 
Contains,  between  the  Seeds,  fome  empty  Space  : 

410  Nor  is't  like  Void;  for  thoufand  Things,  if  hurl'd 

With  mighty  Force,  can  ftrike,  and  break  the  Worlis  t 
Seeds  ruftiing  on,   may  bear  fome  Parts  away. 
Like  vi'lent  Streams,  and  fo  the  World  decay : 
Befides,  there's  Space  beyond,  to  which,  the  Tie      y^ 

41 5  Of  Union  loos'd,  the  fcatter'd  Parts  may  fly  :      (dy ;  > 
Therefore  thefe  HEAv'Nsand  Earth  can  wafte,  and  3 

And 
NOTES, 


et  alludes  to  the  known  Stories 
of  Phaethon,  who  is  fabled  to 
have  fet  the  World  on  Fire;  and 
of  the  Flood,  that  happen'd  in 
the  Days  of  Deucalion  :  The 
firft  of  them  may  be  feen  at 
large  in  Ovid.  Metam.  lib.  2.  and 
the  other  in  the  fame  Authour, 
lib.  I.  See  likewife  below,  v. 
44.0.  and  V.  445, 

395.  Befides,  &c.]  In  thefe 
2i.  V.  he  brings  thefame  Argu- 
ment againft  the  Immortality  of 
the  World,  which,  B,  IH.  v, 
776.  he  brought  againft  the  Im- 
mortality of  the  Soul  :  confult 
the  Notes  upon  that  Place.  No- 
thing, fays  he,  is  eternal,  or  im- 


mortal, except  Bodies  perfecTtly 
folid,  as  the  Atoms ;  except  the 
Void,  and  the,  to  Wv,  Univerfe» 
But  the  World  is  not  a  Body 
perfectly  folid  :  Nor  is  it  void 
or  empty  Space ;  nor,  fince  there 
are  infinite  Worlds,  can  it  be 
pretended,  that  it  is  the  Univerfe* 

40^.  To  which  the  Parts  may 
fly,]  As  if,  for  the  DifTolution  of 
any  Thing,  it  were  requifite,that 
it  iliould  go  from  Place  to  Place, 
or  that  Bodies  Ihould  come  from 
fome  exteciour  Place,  and  ilrike 
it  with  fo  great  Violence,  as  to 
dilTolve  the  Thing  it  felf. 

41^.  Therefore,  &:c,]  In  thefe 
5.  Y.  he  draws,  from  theArgu- 


O  o  o 


jnents 


466 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


And  therefore  orxe  began ;  for  what  Can  fail. 
And  wafte;  o'er  what  the  Strokes  of  Fate  prevail, 
Muft  be  unable  to  endure  the  Rage 

420  Of  infinite  paft  Time,  and  Pow'r  of  Age. 

But  laftly ;  fince  th'  Elements,  at  Jars, 
Still  fight,    are  ftill  engaged  in  Civil  Wars, 
Can  not  their  Battels  ceafe,  their  Wars  be  done. 
And  all  the  other  Parts  fubmit  to  one  ? 

425  The  Fire  prevail,  and,   with  deftrudltve  Beams 
Dry  Seas,  the  thirfty  Svr^  drink  up  the  Streams  ? 
Which  now  he  feems  to  try,  but  all  in  vain  j 
For  Rivers  ftill  bring  new  Supplies  an:iain5 
So  faft,  fo  great,  as  if  defign'd  to  raife 

'430  A  Flood,  and  o'er  the  Centre  fpread  the  Seas: 
But  that's  in  vain  ;  the  Waters  ftill  decay, 
The  Winds  brufli  off,  and  bear,  fome  Parts  away  ; 
The  Sun  drinks  fome  ;  the  Stars  take  fon:ie  for  Food, 
And  feem  to  threaten  more  a  Drought  than  Flood  : 

Thus 

NOTES. 


jncnts  he  has  brought  already, 
this  Conclufion  ;  That  fince  the 
World  will  have  an  End,  it  had 
a  Beginning  :  and  hasnotexifted 
from  all  Eternity  :  for  what  is 
mortal,  muft  ofNeceffity  have 
been  born. 

To  make  this  Difputation  of 
our  Authour  more  eafy  to_  be 
underftood,  it  will  not  be  im- 
proper to  obferve,  that  there  are 
two  Sorts  of  Eternity  :  from  the 
pxefent  Time  backwards,  and 
from  the  prefent  forwards  ; 
which  the  Schoolmen  call  ^ter- 
nitas  a  parte  ante,  and  i^ternitas 
a  parte  poft  :  Thefe  two  make 
up  the  whole  Circle  of  Eternity, 
which  the  prefent  Now  cuts  as  a 
Diameter.  Boetius  de  Confolat. 
Philofoph.  lib.  5.  defines  Eter- 
nity, Interminabilis  vit^  tota 
iimul  &  perfeda  pofTeffio  :  The 
whole  and  perfeifi"  PolTeflion  at 
once,  of  a  Being  without  Begin- 
ning or  Ending  :  And  this  De- 
finition is  foUow'd  by  Tho.  A- 
quinas,  and  all  the  Schoolmen, 
who     therefore     call    Eternityj 


Nunc  ftans,  a  ftanding  Now,  to 
diftinguifli  it  from  that  Now, 
which  IS  a  Difference  of  Time, 
and  always  flowing. 

421.  But  laftly,  &c.]  In  thefe 
40.  V.  he  brings  another  Argu- 
ment, from  the  continual  Fight- 
ing of  the  Elements,  which  are 
the  four  chief  Parts  of  the 
World  :  For,  fays  he,  fince 
Fire  engages  with  Water,  and. 
fometimes  the  Flame,  fometimes 
the  Flood  prevails,  what  iliould 
hinder-  but  that  this  Contention 
will  at  laft  end  in  the  Dellrucfti- 
on  of  the  whole  World  ?  And 
that  great  Conflagrations  and 
Deluges  have  happen'd,  the  Sto- 
ries of  Phaethon  and  Deucalion 
fufficiently  evince  :  for  then  the 
Earth  was  defl:roy'd  by  Fire,  and 
overwhelm'd  with  Water  ;  and 
tho'  the  Poets  fooliflily  fable, 
that  the  Fire,  and  thg  Deluge, 
broke  out  and  ceas'd  at  the  In- 
tervention of  the  Gods,  yet  they 
were  indeed  only  the  Eifccfls  of 
natural  Caufes, 

4.3$'  Thus 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  467 

435  Thus  they  ftill  fight,  with  equal  Force  maintain 
The  War;   now  conquer,  and  now  yield  again. 

Yet  Fire,  as  Stories  go,  did  once  prevail. 
And  once  the  Water  too  was  fpread  o'er  all. 
The  Fire  prevaii'd,  when  the  Sun's  furious  Horfe,   7 

440 Pifdaining  P  h ^et h  on's  young  feeble  Force,  > 

Ran  thro'  the  Sky  in  an  unufual  Courfe  ;  3 

And,  falling  near  the  Earth,  burnt  all  below,  y 

'Till  angry  Jove  did  dreadful  Thunder  throw,  ^ 

And  quench'd  the  hot-brain'd  firy  Youth  in  P  0. 


But 


NOTES, 


435.  Thus  they,  &c.]  Milton 
defcribes  admirably  well  this 
Fighting  of  the  Elements,  and 
perhaps  took  the  Hint  from  Lu- 
cretius. 

For  Hot,  Cold,  Moift,  and  Dry, 

four  Champions  fierce, 
Strive  here  for  Maft'ry  ;    and  to 

Battel  bring 
Their  Embryon  Atoms  :    They 

around  the  Flag 
Of  each  his  FaAion,    in  their  fe- 

veral  Clans, 
Light-arm'd,    or  heavy,    iliarp, 

imooth,  fwift,  or  flo.v,  i 

Swarm  populous;    unnumber'd 

as  the  Sands 
Of  Barca,orCyrene's  torrid  Soil, 
Levy'd    to    fide    with    warring 

Winds,  and  poife 
Their  lighter  Wings.     To  whom 

thefe  raoft  adhere, 
He  rules  a  Moment,  &c. 

Which  a  late  Authour  has  hap- 
pily imitated : 

The  heavier  Seeds  rullion  in  nu- 

m'rous  Swarms, 
And    crufli     their  lighter  Foes 

with  pond'rous  Arms  : 
The  lighter  ftrait  command  with 

equal  Pride, 
And  on  mad  Whirlwinds  in  wild 

Triumph  ride  : 
None  longfubmits  to  afuperiour 

Pow'r  ; 
Each  yields,  and,  in  his  Turn,  is 

Conqi4erquf. 


440.  Phaethon]     He   was  the 
Son  of  Clymene   and    Sol,    the 
Sun:     And  with  much  Importu- 
nity obtain'd  of  his  Father,    to 
drive  his  Chariot  for  one  Day  ; 
but  not  being   able  to  guide  the 
Horfes,    they    went  out    of  the 
Road  of  their  daily  Courfe,  and 
fet  Fire  to  the  World  :     Jupiter 
ftruck  him    with   his   Thunder, 
and  he  fell  into   the   River  Eri- 
danus.     The  Fable  is  related  at 
large  by  Ovid,  Metam.  2.  Plato, 
in     his    Timafus,     explains   the 
Meaning  of  this  Fable,  in  Words 
to  this  Effecfl: :      What  is  com- 
monly reported  among   us,    fays 
he,  that  in  Times  long  fincepaft, 
Phaethon.the  Sun  of  Sol,  having 
obtain'd  Permiflion    to  drive  his 
Father's  Chariot,  and  miilaking 
the  right  Road,  itz  Fire   to  the 
Earth,  and  that  he  was  ftruck 
down,  and  kill'd  with  Lightning, 
is  faid  only  figuratively,    or  by 
Way  of  Fable  :    but  fignifies  the 
Mutation  or   Decay,    as  well   of 
earthly  Things,    as  of  thofe  that 
are  in  the  Heavens,    and  are  mo^ 
ved  with  the  Heavens  :    As  alfo 
that   Deftnicftion,    which,    in   a 
long  Interval  of  Time,  is  made 
of  all    Bodies  that    are    on    the 
Earth,    by  the  violent  Aflaults 
of  the  Element  of  Fire.       And 
thus    too   Ariftotle,    lib.  4.  de 
Mundo. 

444.  Po]    The  Greeks  call'd  it 

'Hio^iTctvor,   the  Latinesj    Padus, 

now  the  Po  :    a  River  of  Italy, 

Q  o  o  2  thgt 


468 


LUCRETIU  S. 


Book  V, 


445  But  P HOEBzi s  gather'd up  the  fcatter*d  Ray, 
And  brought  to  Heav'n  again  the  falling  Day  : 
The  Horses  too,  that  ran  thro'  Heav'n's  wide  Plain^ 
He  caught,  and  harnefs'd  to  the  Coach  again  : 
They  ever  (ince,  in  due  Obedience,  drew 

450  The  flaming  Carr.     This  Greece  reports  as  true. 
Yet  'tis  abfurd :     But  all  may  yield  to  Flame, 
If  great  Supplies  of  rapid  Matters  came 
From  the  vast  Mass  :  for  then  thofe  Seeds  muft  failj 
And  fink  again,  or  Fire  muft  rain  all. 

455      Seas  once  prevailed,   nor  could  the  Towns  withftand 
The  raging  Waves :  they  fpread  o*er  all  the  Land  : 

But 
NOTES, 


that  rifes  in  the  AlpSjat  the  Foot 
of  the  Mountain  Vefulus,  now 
Monte  Vifo,  and  dividing  the 
Cifalpine  Gaui,  which  is  now  a 
Part  of  Italy,  into  the  Tranlpa- 
duan  and  Cifpaduan  Gauls,  dif- 
gorges  it  felf,  at  feveral  Mouths, 
into  the  Hadriatick  Sea.  Virgil 
calls  it  the  King  of  Rivers,  be- 
caufe  it  is  the  largest  River  of 
Italy.  Georg.  i.  v.  481. 

Proluit  infano  contorquens  vor- 

tice  fylvas 
Fluviorum  Rex  Eridanus- 

And,G.  4.V.372.  hedefcribes  it  at 
the  Spring  from  whence  it  flows  : 

Et  gemina  auratus  taurine  cor- 

nuavultu 
Eridanus;  quo  non  alius  per  pin- 

guia  culta 
In  mare  purpureum    violentior 

influit  amnis. 

There  Po  firft  iflues  from  his 

dark  Abodes, 
And,  awful  in  his  Cradle,  rules 

the  Floods  : 
Two  golden  Horns  on  his  large 

Front  he  wears. 
Arid  his  grim  Face  a  Bull's  Re- 

femblaace  bears : 
With  rapid  Courfe  he  feeks  the 

facred  Main, 
And  fattens,    as  he  rung,     the 

fruitful  Plain 0 


4.45.  Phoebus]  Of  Phoebus  fee 
B.I.  V.  81^. 

447.  The  Horfes  too]  The 
Horfes  of  the  Sun,  of  which  we 
have  fpoken  above,  v.  85. 

451.  But  all,  &c.]  What  Lu- 
cretius here  fays,  is  this  :  The 
old  Greek  Poets  report  this  for 
Truth,  tho'  indeed  it  is  but  ari 
idle  Fidion  :  Not  but  that  it  is 
poflible  that  Fire  may  deftroy  all 
Things,  if  an  immenfe  Quantity 
of  Corpufcles,  of  a  firy  Matter, 
were  brought  down  upon  the 
Earth,  out  of  the  Infinite  Space  : 
for  in  that  Cafe,  unlefs  the  Pow'r 
and  Force  of  that  igneous  Matter 
be  weaken'd,  reprefs'd,  and  kept 
under  by  fome  Means  or  another, 
all  Things  will  be  burnt,  and  pe- 
rilh  with  too  much  Heat. 

455.  Seas  once  prevail'd]  Here 
the  Poet  alludes  to  the  fabulous 
Flood  of  Deucalion,  which,  no 
Doubt,  took  its  Rife  from  the 
true  Flood  of  Noah,  related  in 
the  Mofakal  Hiftory,  of  which 
it  can  not  be  queftion'd,  but 
fome  Copies  were  got  among  the 
Heathens  :  and  as  they  drew  the 
Occaiion  of  many  of  their  Fa- 
bles Irom  thofe  facred  Writings, 
fo  too  they  wretchedly  profan'd 
them  by  their  foolifli  Fidions  : 
but  none  has  fuffer'd  more,  in. 
paffing  chro'  their  Hands,  than 
this  Flood  of  i^oah  i    which  ha- 

vinsr 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS, 


469 


But  when  the  numYous  Seeds,  the  mighty  Mafs 
Supply'd,  were  turn*d  from  this  into  another  Place, 
The  Water  ceas'd,  and  the  continual  Rain  : 
460  And  Rivers  ran  within  their  Banks  again. 

Now 

NOTES. 


ving  furnifli'd  Matter  of  Specu- 
lation to  many  of  our  Chriftian 
Philofophers,  who  have  puzzled 
their  Brains  to  give  a  rational 
and  intelligible  Account  of  it  ; 
I  prfcfume  it  vviJl  not  be  taken  a- 
mifsj  that  I  here  make  a  Hiort 
Digreffion,  to  give  our  Tranfla- 
tour's  Opinion  concerning  that 
Deluge  :  He  obferves,  in  the 
iirft  Place,  That  the  Authour 
of  the  Theory  of  the  Earth, 
pleads  for  a  univerfal  Flood,  it 
being  inconfiftent  with  the  de- 
monftrated  Nature  of  a  Fluid, 
that  Water  fhould  ftand  up  in 
Heaps,  fifteen  Cubits  above  the 
Tops  of  the  higheft  Mountains  : 
This,  fays  Creech,  I  am  wil- 
ling to  admit,  tho'  there  is  no 
Reafon,why  Omnipotence  might 
not  be  immediately  concern'd  in 
it ;  fince  the  Authour  of  the 
Theory  himfelf  confefles.  That 
the  forty  Days  Rain  can  not, 
according  to  his  Hypothelis,  be 
explain'd  by  any  natural  Caufe 
that  he  can  difcover.  In  the 
next  Place,  that  Authour  com- 
pares the  Height  of  the  Moun- 
tains, and  the  Depth  of  the  Sea  ; 
and  having,  as  to  both,  made 
allowable  Suppofitions,  tho'  the 
Courfe  of  the  largeft  River ,even 
the  Nile  it  felf,  will  not  prove 
its  Head  to  be  above  three  Foot 
higher  than  its  Mouth,  he  infers, 
that  eight  Oceaps  wi|l  be  little 
enough  to  make  an  univerfal  De- 
luge :  The  Waters  above  the 
Firmament  are  exploded  ;  the 
Rain  would  afford  but  the  hun- 
dredth Part  of  fuch  a  Mafs  of 
Water,  unlefs  the  Showers  were 
continual,  and  over  the  Face 
Qf  the    whole  Earthy     and    the 


Drops  came  down  ninety  times 
fafter  than     ufually    they    do : 
Though  a  Man  would   be  apt  to 
think,  from   the  Expreflions  in 
Genefis,  The  Windows  of  Hea- 
ven were  open'd,  that  there  was 
fomething  very  extraordinary  in 
this  Rain,    and  that  ail  thofe  re- 
quir'd  Conditions  were  obferv'd. 
The  Caverns  of  the  Earth,    if 
they  threw  out    ail  the  Water 
they  contained,  would  afford  but 
little,     in    Comparifon   of  the 
great    Store  that  was   rcquir'd  ; 
And  if  the  whole  middle  Region 
of  the  Air  had   been  condens'd, 
ftill  there  had  not  been  enough  ; 
becaufe  Air,    being  turn'd  into 
Water,    fills  only  the  hundredth 
Part  of  that  Space,  which  it  for- 
merly poffefs'd.    Though  all  the 
other  Ways,  by  which  fome  have 
endeavour'd  to  explain  the  Flood, 
were  demonftrably  infufiicient, 
yet  this  lait,  which  gives  an  Ac- 
count of  it,  from  fo  natural  and 
eafy  a  Caufe  of  the  Condenfation 
of  the  Air,  deferv'd  to  be  confi- 
der'd  a  little  more :     But  it  is 
the  Art  of  a  Difputer,  to  touch 
chat  leaft,  which  prefles  moit  on 
the  Opinion  he  would  advance. 
For  it  being  allow 'd,  that  Air, 
by    natural    Caufes,      may    be 
chang'd  into  Water  ;    and  a  Va- 
cuum being  excluded,  itneceiTa- 
rily  follows,  that  as  much   Air, 
as  rifes  fifteen  Cubits  higher  than 
the  Tops  of  the  Mountains,     is 
fufficient  to  make  fuch  a  Deluge, 
as  is   defcrib'd  to  have   been  in 
Noah's  Time  :      Becaufe  where 
there  is  no  Vacuum,  there  can  be 
no  Contraction  into  a  lefs  Space  : 
and  every   Particle  of    Matter, 
whatSYQr  Form  or  Schematirm  ic 

puts 


470  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

Now  I  will  fing,  how  moving  Seeds  were  hurl'd. 
How  tofs'd  to  Order,  ho w  they  fram'd  the  World  :j 
How  Sun  and  Moon  began  ;   what  fteady  Force 
Marked  out  their  "Walk  ;     what  makes  them  keep  their 
46 5 For  fure  unthinking  Seeds  did  ne*er  difpofe     (Courfe  : 
Themfelves  by  Counsel,  nor  their  Order  chofe  : 

Nor 

N  O  T  JS  5. 


puts  on,  muft,  in  all  Conditi- 
ons, be  equally  extended,  and 
therefore  take  up  the  fame 
Koom.  But  fuppofe  a  Vacuum, 
or,  as  it  happens  in  our  imperfed 
Oondenfations,  that  a  hundred 
cubical  Feet  of  Air  would  make 
but  one  Foot  of  Water  ;  yet  fure 
the  Region  is  large  enough  to 
make  Amends  for  this  Difpro- 
portion.  Now  lince  Nature  is 
fufiicient  for  Condenfation;  and 
fince  its  Pow'rs  may  be  con  fid e- 
rably  invigorated  for  the  Execu- 
tion of  the  Almighty's  Wrath, 
why  muft  it  be  thought  fo  diffi- 
cult to  explain  a  Deluge  !  And 
why  fiiould  an  excellent  Wit 
wafte  it  felf  in  fafliioning  anew 
World,  only  to  bring  that  about, 
which  the  old  one  would  permit 
eafily  to  be  done  ?  It  is  above 
the  Province  of  Philofophy  to 
make  a  World  :  let  that  be  fup- 
pos'd  to  have  been  form'd  as  it  is 
reveal 'd  ;  it  is  enough  for  us  to 
fearch  bywhatLaw  sic  is  prefer  v'd; 
and  a  Syftem,  erecfted  on  this 
Foundation,  will  be  agreeable 
both  to  Reafon  and  Religion.  It 
is  above  the  Province  of  Philofo- 
phy likewife,  to  affign  a  natural 
Caufe  of  a  fupernatural  Effed:  : 
But  the  prying  Minds  of  fome 
Men  will,  with  their  Hiort-lin'd 
Plummets,  be  founding  inro  the 
unfathomable  Depths^of  the  Di- 
vine Difpenfatioi^s :  Kow  much 
better  thay,who,iirmly  believing 
that  there  was  fuch  a  Flood  as 
that  of  Noah,  defcrib'd  to  us  in 
Holy  Writ,  afcribe  it  raeerly 
to  Omnipotence  5" 


Commanded  by  whofe  Breath, 

th'  obfequious  Main 
Stood  ftill,    and  gather'd  up  its 
flowing  Train  : 
Th'   Almighty  did  the  Sea 
divide, 
And,    as  he  rends  the  Hills,    he 

fplit  the  Tide : 
Benumb'd  with  Fear,  the  Waves 
eretfted  flood, 

O'er-looking  all  the  diftant 
Flood  : 
Mountains  of  craggy  Billows  did 

arife, 
And  Rocks  of  lliffen'd  Waters 

reach'd  the  Skies , 
Remoter   Waves    came  rouling 
on  to  fee 

The  Arrange    transforming 
Myftery :  n 

But  they,    approaching 
near. 
Where  the  high  Chryftal  Ridges 
did  appear. 

Felt  the  divine  Contagion's 
Force ; 
Mov'd  nothfully  awhile,and  then 
quite  ftopt  their  Courfe. 

SirR.  Blackmore. 

4^1.  Now,  d^c."]  In  thefe  29.V. 
The  Poet,  being  about  to  ex- 
plain how  the  World  began,  ex- 
cludes the  Gods  and  Providence 
from  having  any  Hand  in  it  ; 
and  afcribcs  the  whole  Work  to 
Matter,  from  whence  proceeded 
Chaos,  a  rude  and  undigefted 
Heap  of  Particles,  which,  being 
driven  to  and  fro,  at  length  came 
together,  like  with  like,  and 
thence  arofe  the    Heaven,     tha 

Earth, 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


471 


Nor  any  Compacfts  made,  how  each  (hould  move  • 
But  from  eternal,  thro*  the  Vacuum,  ftrove. 
By  their  own  Weight,    or  by  external  Blows, 

470  All  Motion's  try'd,  to  find  the  beft  of  thofe. 
All  Unions  too  j  if,  by  their  various  Play, 
They  could  compofe  new  Beings  any  Way : 
Thus  long  they  whirl'd,  moft  Sorts  of  Motion  paft,' 
.  Moft  Sorts  of  Union  too,  they  join'd  at  laft 

475  In  fuch  convenient  Order,  whence  began  (Man  : 

The  Sea,  the  HeAv'n,  and  Earth,  and  Beasts   and 
But  yet  no  glitt'ring  Sun,   no  twinkling  Star,  -j 

No  Heav'n,  no  roaring  Sea,  no  Earth,  no  Air,  C 
Nor  any  Thing  like  thefe  did  then  appear :  ^ 

But 

NOTTS'. 


Earth  ,  the  Sun  ,  the  Stars , 
and  whatever  elfe  this  World 
contains.  This  Do<ftrine  of  E- 
picurus  is  deliver'd  by  Plutarch, 
de  Placit.  Philofbph.  lib.  i.  c.  4. 
in  thefe  Words :  'O  rolvvv  aoa 
)U(^  CiWiS\^  '5r£e/t)tsxActa/^£vcy  c^v,- 

TOj'j  Tooy  'A'Tojutov   ccajudTa))'',  d- 

Kiva^oJ^'cov,  «V  TO  ouuTO  fSTQV\ct  crco- 

•sTOiiiixiOLV  s;/ov']cc   Xj   ()(yjJM.rooy  ^ 

477,  But  yet,  &c.]  Macrobius 
Saturnal.  lib.  6.  cap.  2.  compares 
this  Pafiage  of  Lucretius  with 
the  following  Verfes  of  Virgil,  in 
Silenus,  v.  31. 

Naraque    canebat  uti  magnum 

per  inane  coatfta 
Semina.  terrarumque,  anim^eque, 

marifque  fuiffent, 
Et  liquid  i  fimul   ignis:      ut  his 

exordia  primis 
Omnia,  &  ipfe  tener  mundicon- 

creverit  orbis. 
Tumdurare  fojum,  &  difcludere 

Nerea  Ponto 
Coeperit,  Qc  rerum  pauUatim  fu- 

mere  forraas  : 


Jamque  novum  ut  terrx  ftupeant 

lucefcere  folem ; 
Altius  atque  cad  ant  fubmotis  nu- 

bibus  imbres  : 
Incipiant    fylva;.  cum   primum 

furgere,  cumque 
Rara  per  ignotos  errent  animalia 

montes. 

Which    is  thus  interpretecl  '^By 
Dryden  : 

He  fung  the  fecret  Seeds  of  Na- 
ture's Frame  : 
How  Seas,  and  Earth,  and  Air, 

and  active  Flame  ,      . 

Fell  thro'  the  mighty  Void ;  and 

in  their  Fall 
Were    blindly   gather'd  in  this 

goodly  Bail  ! 
The  tender  Soil,    then  flifTning 

by  Degrees, 
Shut  from  the    bounded  Earth 

the  bounding  Seas  : 
Then  Earth,  and  Ocean  various 

Forms  difdofe, 
And  a  new  Sun  to  the  new  World 

arofe  : 
And  Mills,  condens'd  to  Clouds, 

obfcure  the  Sky, 
And     Clouds,      difiTolv'd,     the 

thirfty  Ground  fupply : 

'  The 


LUCRETIUS,  Book  V, 

480  But  a  vaft  Heap,  and  from  this  mighty  Mafs 
Each  Part  retired,  and  took  its  proper  Place  : 
Agreeing  Seeds  combin*d ;  each  Atom  ran. 
And  fought  his  like,  and  fo  the  Frame  began  : 
From  difagreeing  Seeds  the  World  did  rife, 

485  Becaufe  their  various  Motion,  Weight,  and  Size,' 
And  Figure  would  not  let  them  all  combine^ 
And  lie  together  ,  nor  friendly  Motions  join  : 
Thus  Skies,  2nd  thus  the  Sun  firft  rais'd  his  Head, 
Thus  Stars,  thus  Seas  o'er  proper  places  fpread. 

490      For  firft  the  earthy  Parts,  a  heavy  Mafs, 
And  clofely  twin'd,  poflefs'd  the  middle  Place. 

Now 
NOTES. 


The   rifing    Trees   the  lofty. 

Mountains  grace  ; 
The  lofty  Mountains  feed  the| 

favage  Race, 
■^et  few,  and  Strangers  in  th' 

unpeopled  Place. 

480.  And  from  this  mighty 
Mafs,  &c.]  The  Poet  here  tea- 
ches, That  fo  long  as  the  Atoms 
were  jumbled  confufedly  one  a- 
mong  another,  neither  Earth, 
nor  Heaven,  nor  Stars  had  yet  a 
Being  :  But  when  the  chief 
Parts  of  the  World  began  to  dif- 
join,  and  get  clear  from  each  o- 
ther,  then  the  Heaven  fhone  with 
Splendour,  the  dry  Ground  ap- 
pear'd,  the  Waters  were  gathered 
into  one,  &c.  Thus  Lucretius 
will  have  all  Things  to  have  be- 
gun by  little  and  little,  not  only 
by  Reafon  of  the  fundry  Impedi- 
ments of  the  Concourfe  of  the 
Atoms,but  alfo  becaufe  of  their 
different  Figures :  Whence,  fays 
he,  it  is  evident,  that  the  World 
has  not  exifted  from  all  Eternity. 
He  is  now  going  to  difpute,  fepa- 
rately,  of  the  firft  jRife  of  each 
Part  ofit. 

490,491.  For  firft,&:c.]  In  thefe 
52.  V.  he  difcourfes  of  the  Rife 
of  the  Earth,  of  the  Heaven,  and 
of  the  Sun,  Moon,  and  Stars. 
And  fince  the  confus'd  and  unfa- 
fliion'd  Mafs  of  Matter,    muft 


I  have  been  brought  into  Order 
I  by  Motion,  and  lince  all  Motion 
t  proceeds  from  Weight,    the  Poet 
IS  in  the  right  to   inquire  what 
I  theheaviefl  Atoms  muftdo.Now 
Epicurus  believ'd,  that  the    A- 
toms,  being  embroil'd,  and  con- 
,  fus'd  in  a  Heap  together,  did,  by 
;  their  innate  Motion,     roul  and 
:  tumble  up  and  down,  among  one 
I  another,  till,    at  length,    all  the 
I  more  denfe  Atoms,    jumbled  to- 
i  wards  the  Middle,    and  all  the 
more  rare,  being  extruded  and 
fqueez'd  away    by    the  thicker, 
flew  towards  the  Circumference. 
Moreover,  that  of  thefe  thicker 
Atoms  the  Body  of  the    Earth 
was  compacted,  and  that  it  con- 
tain'd  within  its  Bulk  fome  Seeds 
of  Water,  which  had  not  been  a- 
ble  to  difentangle  themfelves  and 
get  away,  at  the  fame  time  with 
the  others  :      But  that  fome  of 
thofe,     that    had     difentangled 
themfelves,    did,    by  Reafon  of 
their  various  Degrees  of  Tenui- 
ty, retire  to  feveral  Diftances  j 
thus  fome  of  them  ftopt  not  far 
from  the    Mafs  of  Earth,    and 
made    the     Air :      that    others 
mounted  yet   more    aloft,    and 
compos'd  the  Sky :    and  that  the 
firy  Corpufcles,    that  were    ex- 
truded with    the  reft,     getting 
clear  of  all  of  them,combin'dint<? 
thofe  Bodies  that   iliine  in  the 

Bkfy 


Book  V.  L  U  C  R  ET  lU  S.  473 

Now  as  thefe  heivy  Parts  combin'd  more  clofe, 
Defcending  ftill,  they  vexc  with  conftant  Blows 
The  lurking  Parts  of  Sea,  of  Stars,  and  Skies,' 

495  And  Sun;  and  fqueez'd  them  out,  and  made  them  rife; 
Becaufe  thofe  Seeds  are  fubtile,  more  refin'dj 
And  round,  and  fmooth,  and  of  a  leller  Kind 
Than  thofe  of  Earth  ;  and  fo  can  freely  pafs 
The  fubtile  Pores  of  the  defcending  Mafs. 

500  And  thus  the  Parts  of  Heav  n  did  firft  retire. 
And  bore  up  with  them  num'rous  Seeds  of  Fire  : 

As 

NOTES. 


Sky,  and  are  call'd  Stars.    Laft- 
ly,  That  the  lefler,  roundjfmooth 
Corpufcles  were  fo  determined, 
limited  ,    and  confin'd  to  that 
Motion  towards  the  Circumfe- 
rence, that  was  made  by  Elifion, 
or  by  Expreffion  from  the  more 
denfe  Corpufcles,    that,    fdraf- 
much  as  they  went  not  out  of  the 
Mafs  by  parallel  Ways,  they  did, 
in  the  very  ProgreflionjVarioufly 
encounter  one  another,  and  mu- 
tually repel'd   the  Violence  they 
receiv'd  :      which    Violence    at 
length  ceafing,    thofe  that   were 
got    fartheft,   or    moft  remote 
from  the  Centre,  became  entan- 
gled with  one  another,  and  mu- 
tually  comprefling    each  other, 
and  holding  faft  together,    did, 
by  that  Means,    create  a  certain 
Species    of    the    Walls  of   the 
World :     And    whatever    Cor- 
pufcles came  to  them  there,  were 
turn'd  back,  and  reprefs'd  from 
them  in  fuch  a  Manner,that  ftill, 
new    Supplies    coming    up,"  the 
whole  etherial,  or  celeftial  Regi- 
on was  aptly  made  and  fabrica- 
ted by  them.    This  perhaps  will 
be    better    underftood,    by  the 
Comparifon    Lucretius  himfelf 
ufesto  explain  it,  when  he  fliews^ 
that  this  might  very  well  happen^ 
in  like  manner  as  when  Vapours 
and  Exhalations  fteam  out   of 
the  Earth  and  Water,  and,  being 
carry'd  aloft,are  there  condens'd, 
^ad   grow    into   one    Body   of 


Clouds,  fo  as  to  make,  as  it 
were,  a  Cieling,  under  which 
the  Air,  that  remains  vifible  to 
us,  is  contain'd.  See  Plutarch, 
de  Placit.  Philofoph.  lib.  I.  c.4. 
491.  The  middle  Place]  Tho' 
Epicurus  and  Lucretius  placed 
the  Earth  in  the  Midft  of  the 
World,  yet  they  deny'd  the 
Earth  to  have  any  Qentre,  or 
middle  Place,  as  we  have  feen, 
Booki.  v.  1071.  &feqq.  Thus 
too  Manilius,  fpeaking  of  the 
Earth,  lib.  i.  v.  167,  places  it  iii 
the  Midit  of  the  Univerfe  : 

Imaque  de  cuncftis  mediam  tenet 
undique  fedem  ; 

Idcircbque  manet  ftabilis,  quia 
totus  ab  illi 

Tantundem  refugit  niundus,  fe- 
ci tque  cadendo 

Undique,  ne  caderet :  medium 
totius  8c  imum  eil  : 

Idlaque  contra(flis  conliftunt  cor- 
pora plagis, 

Et    concurrendo    prohibent    in 

-   longius  ire. 

Low  eft  of  all,   and  in  the  Midft 

it  lies, 
Compafs'd  by  Seas,    and  covered 

by  the  Skies  : 
The  Place  does  fix  it,   for,  flili 

rifing  higher. 
The  other  El'ments  equally  re- 

tirCj 


PPP 


Afid 


474 


LU  C  R  E  T  lU  S. 


Book  V. 


^s  when  the  Sun  begins,  his  early  Race,  O 

And  views  the  joyful  Earth,  with  blufliing  Face,        > 
And  quaffs  the  pearly  Dews,  fpred  o'er  the  Grafs ;     3 

505  From  Earth  he  draws  fome  Mists  with  bufy  Beams, 
From  wand'ring  Waters  fome,  and  running  Streams: 
Thefe  thin,  thefe  fubtile  Mists,  when  rais'd  on  high. 
And  join'd  above,  fpread  Clouds  o'er  all  the  Sky  : 
Juft  io  the  Parts  of  Heav'n  did  upward  move, 

5 1  o  The  fubtile  JEth  er,.  thus  combin'd  above  : 
And  vaftly  wide,  and  fpread  o'er  ev'ry  Place, 
Contains  the  reft  within  her  kind  Embrace  :  (Sun  ; 

Thus  Heav'n  :  then  rofe  the  Moon,  and  Stars,  and 
Which  thro'  the  Sky  with  conftant  Motions  run  : 

Becaufe 
NOTES. 


And  that,  by  falling,  ftops  its 
farther  Fall, 

And  hangs  the  midft  and  low- 
eft  of  them  all  : 

Its  Parts  to  no  one  Point  prefs 
jointly  down, 

And  meet,  and  ftop  each  other 
from  moving  on.  Creech. 

See  the  Note  on  Book  II.  v.  ^62. 

•5C2.  As  when,  &C.3  Dryden, 
in  one  of  his  Defcriptions  of  the 
Morning ,  has  exprefs'd  this 
Thouglit  of  Lucretius  : 

•— — The  Sun  arofe,  with  Beams 

fo  bright. 
That  all  th'  Horizon  laugh'd  to 

fee  the  joyous  Sight : 
He,    with  his  tepid   Rays,   the 

Rofe  renews, 
And  licks  the  dropping  Leaves, 

and  dries  the  Dews. 

Palam.  &  Arc. 

513.  Thus  Heav'n,  &€.]  Ha- 
ving made  the  Earth,  as  the 
Foundation  of  the  whole  World, 
and  the  Sky,  the  Walls  of  it,  as 
he  himfelf  calls  it ;  he,  in  thefe 
9.  v.  places  the  Sun  and  Moon, 
which  are  of  a  middle  Nature, 
between  the  Sky  and  the  Air,  as 
being  compos'd  of  Principles 
lighter  than  thofe  of  the  Air, 


and  heavier  than  thofe  of  the 
Sky,  in  the  very  Confines  of  the 
Air  and  Sky,  where,  he  tells  us, 
they  are  in  perpetual  Motion,  as 
the  Lungs  and  Hearts  in  Ani- 
mals. He  takes  no  Notice  of  the 
other  Planets  or  Stars,  tho'  his 
Tranflatour  does.  But  let  us  hear 
the  beft  of  Poets,  and  a  Chrifti- 
an  Philofopher,  defcribing  this 
Part  of  the  Creation.  He  fpeaks 
in  the  Perfon  of  an  Angel : 

'I  faw  the  rifing  Birth 


Of  Nature  from  the  unapparenc 
Deep ; 

I  faw,  when  at  God's  Word,  this 
formlefs  Mafs, 

The  World's    material    Mould 
came  to  a  Heap  : 

Confufion  heard  his  Voice,  and 
wild  Uproar 

Stood  rul'd  :     ftood  vaft  Infini- 
tude confin'd  ; 

'Till,     at  his    fecond    Bidding, 
Darknefs  fled. 

Light  flione,    and  Order  from 
Diforder  fprung  : 

Swift  to  their  fev'ral  Quarters 
hafted  then 

The  cumbrous  Elements,  Earth, 
Flood,  Air,  Fire; 

And  the  etherial  Qiiinteflence  of 
Heaven 

Flew  upward,    fpirited  with  va- 
rious Form?, 

Thaf 


BookV.  LUCRETIUS.  47^ 

5 1  5  Becaufe  their  Seeds  were  aU  too  light  to  lie  y 

la  Earth,  not  Jight  enough  to  rife  on  high,  C 

And  pafs  the  utmoft  Limits  of  the  Sky  ;  ^ 

But,  plac'd  between  them  both,  the  Midst  controul 
Certain,  but  moving  Portions  of  the  Whole  : 

52c  Juft  as  in  Man,  fome  Parts  refufe  to  ceafe 
From  Motion,  fome  ftill  lie  diffolv'd  in  Eafe. 

Thefe  Things  retir'd,  the  heavier  Parts  of  Clay     -> 
Sunk  farther  down,  and  made  an  eafy  Way  C 

For  flowing  Streams,  and  Caverns  for  the  Sea:  3 

And 
NOTES, 


That  roul'd  orbicularjand  turn'd 

to  Stars  : 
Each  had  his  Place  appointed, 

each  his  Courfe. 
Thus  GOD  the  Heav'ns  crea- 
ted, thus  the  Earth, 
Matter      unform'd    and    void  : 

Darknefs  profound 
Cov'red  th'^Abyfs  ;    but  on  the 

wat'ry  Calm 
His  brooding  Wings  the  Spirit 

of  G  O  D  outfpread, 
And  vital  "Virtue  infus'd,    and 

vital  Warmth 
Throughout  the  fluid  Mafs  j  but 

downwards  purg'd 
The  black,  tartareous^  cold,  in- 
fernal Drugs, 
Adverfe  to  Life,    then  founded, 

then  conglob'd 
Like  Things  to  like ;  the  reft  to 

feveral  Place 
Difparted,  and  between  fpun  out 

the  Air ; 
And  Earth,  felf-balanc'd,  on  her 

Centre  hung.  Milton. 

522,  523.  Thefe,  &c.]  But  the 
Work  is  not  yet  perfe<ft  :  we  have 
hitherto  neither  Fire,  Air,  nor 
Water.  He  tells  us  therefore,  in 
thefe  !5.v.firft,That that  feculent 
Mafs,  that  funk  together  to  the 
Bottom,  being  prefs'd  on  all 
Sides  by  the  Beams  of  the  Sun, 
and  the  Heat  of  the  Sky,  contra- 
ifted  it  felf ;  Thence  exhal'd  the 
Sea  like  Sweat :  but  the  lighter 
Particles,  mounting  higher,com- 
|sos'4  th?  5-Unients  of  f  ir«  <m4 


Air:  In  the  next  Place,  that 
fome  of  the  Particles  of  this 
Mafs  being  more  hard  and  itiff 
than  the  others,  they  did  not  all 
fubfide  alike,  and  hence  the  hol- 
low Places  to  receive  the  Sea,and 
the  Channels  for  the  Rivers  ; 
and  hence  too  the  Lev^el  of  the 
Plains,  and  the  Turgidnefs  of 
the  Mountains. 


The  Mountains  huge 


appear 
Emergent,    and  their  broad  bare 

Backs  up-heave 
Into  the  Clouds  ;  their  Tops  af. 

cend  the  Sky  : 
So  high    as    heav'd   the  tumid 

Hills,  fo  low 
Down  funk    a   hollow   Bottom. 

broad  and  deep, 
Capacious  Bed  of  Waters ;    thi^ 

ther  they 
Hafted  with  glad  Precipitance, 

up-roul'd. 
As  Globes  on  Dufb,  conglobing 

from  the  Dry ; 
Part  rife  in  cryftal  Walls,    or 

Ridge  dired; 

As  Armies,  at  the  Call 

Of  Trumpet; 

Troop  to  their  Standard  ;  fo  th§ 

wat'ry  Throng, 
Wave  rouling  after  Wave,  where 

Way  they  found  ; 
If  fteep,  with  torrent  Rapture, 

if  through  Plain, 
Soft  ebbing :  nor  withftood  them 

Rgck  or  Hill  : 


F|>^» 


euc 


47.^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


525  And  as,  by  conftant  Blows,  the  vigorous  Sun 
Did  ftrike  the  upper  Parts,  and  prefs  them  down, 
More  Moifture  rofe;    and  then  did  Streams  increafe  : 
More  Parts  were  ftill  fqueez*d  out,and  fwell'd  the  Seas; 
More  yRr  H  E  R  then,  of  Air  more  Parts  did  rife, 

530  And  borne  on  high,   there  thicken'd  into  Skies  : 

The  Mountains  rais'd  their  Heads ;  the  humble  Field 
Sunk  low  ;  the  ftubborn  Stones  refus'd  to  yield; 
The  Rocks  did  proudly  ftill  their  Height  maintain, 
Nor  could  all  fink  into  an  equal  Plain. 

135  Thus  Earth  at  firft  was  fram'd  ;  and  thus  did  fall 
The  loweft,  as  the  Sediment  of  all.  (Mafs, 

Thence  Seas,    thence  Air,   thence  jEther,  ev'ry 
Djftind  from  others,  took  its  proper  Place : 

All 

NOTES. 


But  they,  or  under  Ground,    or 

circuit  wide, 
With  ferpent  Errour  wand'ring 

found  their  Way, 
And  on  the  wafliy  Ooze    deep 

Channels  wore, 
Within  whofe  Banks  the  Rivers 

now-^ . 

Stream,     and     perpetual    draw 

their  humid  Train.    Milton. 

523.  Sunk  farther  down,  &c.] 
Lucret. 

Succidit  Sc  falfo  fuffudit  gurgit^ 
foflas. 

Plutarch,  de  Placit.  Philoroph. 
lib.  3.  5(a&'  cojtca)  to  vSco^  Itti- 
rcty  sxo/Aotvs  T«V  \;Krc5i«/a^'«ir  to- 
r?ra?.  And  the  fame  Authour,lib. 
i.  cap.  4.  de  Placit.  Philofoph. 
exprelles  this  Opinion  of  Lucre- 
tius more  at  large  :  Of  thofe 
Bodies,  favs  he,  which  funk 
oown.and  fettled  below,wasmade 
the  Earth  ;  that  Part  of  it  which 
wasmoft  fubtilcjand  of  a  thinner 
Form  and  Confiftence,  gathered 
round  together,  and  engender'd 
the  Element  of  Water  :  which, 
bemg  of  a  liquid  and  flowing 
Nature,  ran  downwards  to  hol- 
low Places,  that  lay  low,  and 
were  capable  to  receive  and  hold 

if 


529.  ^ther]  The  Firmament, 
the  celeftial  Spheres,  the  Hea- 
vens. They  were  call'd  7Ether,J^ 
7^  del  ^ieiv,  from  their  being  in 
perpetual  Motion. 

537.  Thence  Seas,  &:c.]]  That 
he  may  the  better  explain  the 
Motions  of  the  Stars,  he  previ- 
oufly  teaches,  in  thefe  14.  v.  that 
the  moft  refplendent  and  liquid 
j^ther,  having  mounted  higher 
than  the  inconftant  and  turbu- 
lent Air,  is  wholely  undifturb'd 
by  any  manner  of  Storms,  and 
rolls  in  a  conftant  and  like  Moti- 
on :  which  Motion  of  the  ^ther 
is  not  in  the  leaft  incredible, 
fince  the  Euxine  Sea  does  the 
like,  and  is  continually  flowing 
into  the  Propontick,  without 
changing  its  Courfe. 

Thence  ^ther]  Lucr.  inde 
iFther  ignifer  ipfe.  For  the  An- 
tients  believ'd  the  Stars  to  be  ei- 
ther very  Fire,  or  of  a  fi.ry  Na- 
ture, and  therefore  call'd  the  ^- 
ther  ignifer,  Fire-bearing ;  as 
they  did  likewife  fignifer,or  ftel- 
lifer,  that  bears  the  Signs,  or 
Stars.  Or  elfe  the  Poet,  in  this 
Place,  defcribes  the,  Region  of 
Elementary  Fire,  which  lies  next 
under  the  Heaven^  as  Manilius 
iings^  in  thefe  excelieiit  Verfes: 

Ignis 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  477 

All  Fluids,  and  all  differently  light, 
540  And  therefore  reached  the  lefs,  or  greater  Height. 
Then  liquid  j£the  ^  did  the  fartheft  rear,  . j_ 

And  lies  on  fofteft  Beds  of  yielding  Air  :  . ,  vf 

But  yet  its  Parts  ne'er  mix,,  whilft  Winds  do  blow. 
And  rapid  Storms  difturb  a|l  here  below:        ,  ^^y  , 
345  They  undifturb'd  move  round  the  fteady  Pole  :  ; 
And  Sun,  and  Stars,  with  conftant  Motion  roll: 
For  that  by  conftant  Turns  the  Sky  may  move, 
The  conftant  Motions  of  the  Waters  prove  ; 
This  Thing  the  mighty  Mafs,  the  Ocean,  fhows  ; 
5  50  For  that,  at  fettled  Hours,  ftill  ebbs  and  flows.  ' 

Now 

NOTES. 


Ignis  in  azjhereas  volucer  fe  fu- 

flulic  auras, 
Summaque  complexus  ftellantis 

culmina  coeli, 
Flammarum  vallo  nature  moe- 

nia  fecit.  lib.  i.  v.  144. 

Upward  the  Flame  on  adive  Pi- 
nions fled, 

To  Heaven's  high  Arch  it  rais'd 
its  iliining  Head  5 

There  ftopt,  as  weary  grown, 
and  round  the  Framej 

For  Nature's  Bulwark,  rais'd  a 
Wall  of  Flame.  Creech. 

i  545.  The  fteady  Pole]  The 
Pointof  the  Axle-tree,  on  which 
Aftronomers  imagine  the  Hea- 
ven to  be  turned.  There  are  two 
Poles,  the  North  Pole,  known 
by  a  Star  call'd  Polus  Ardicus ; 
:ind  the  South,  call'd  Antardi- 
cus,  which  is  invifible  to  us. 
The  Word  Pole,  comes  from 
cTOAeJ'y,  to  turn.  They  are  like- 
wife  call'd,  cardines  coeli,  The 
Hinges  of  the  Heaven  ;  becaufe 
it  being  hung  upon  them,  like  a 
Door  on  its  Hinges,  is  roul'd  and 
turn'd  about. 

547"  For  that,  &c.]  Here  our 
Tranflatour  has  miftaken  the 
ienfe  of  his  Authour,  who  fpeaks 
Mjw  of  the  Flux  and  Reflux  of 


the  Ocean,  but  of  the  Courfe  of 
the  Euxine  Sea.  For  how  can 
that  Motion  of  the  Ocean  be  al- 
ledg'd  as  a  parallel  Inftance  to 
confirm  the  one,regular,and  con- 
ftant Motion  of  the  Spheres  ? 
The  Words,  in  the  Original, 
are  as  follows  : 

Nam  raodice  fluere,   atque  una 

poflfe  sethera  nifu, 
Signi£cat  Ponti  mare^certo  quod 

fluit.seftu, 
Unum  iabendi  confervans  ufque 

tenor  em. 

Now  what  led  our  Tranflatour 
into  his  Errour,  was,  in  all  Ap- 
pearance, his  having  follow'd 
the  Reading  of  this  Paflage  in 
the  firft  Edition  of  Lambinus, 
in  which  we  read  magnum,  in- 
ftead  of  Ponti :  Signiiicat  mag- 
num mare,  &:c.  but  that  Criticlc 
corrected  it  in  his  fubfequent  E- 
ditions,  and  reads  Ponti  mare. 
Fayus  hov/ever  retains  the  other 
Lecfiion,  and  ridiculoufly  pre- 
tends to  juftify  it :  But  certain- 
ly, whatever  that  Interpreter  al- 
ledges  to  the  contrary,  the  con- 
ftant Courfe  of  the  celeftial 
Circles,  is  better  prov'd  by  the 
conftant  Motion  of  the  Euxine 
Sea  into  theBofphorus  of  Thrace, 
thence  into  the  Propontis,  the 
Hellcfpont,  &c.  without  any  Re- 

fiuxj 


47B 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V, 


Now  learn  what  moves  the  St  Ails,  what  mighty 
Force 
Does  drive  them  on ;  what  Laws  confine  their  Course  : 
Firft;  If  the  Orb  is  mov'd,  and  whirls,  and  draws 
The  Sun  about ;  then  this  may  be  the  Caufe  : 
555  Vaft  Tracts  of  Air  the  diftant  SkiES  do  bound, 
And  with  a  ciofe Embrace  encircle  round; 
The  upper  Part  of  that  drives  down  the  SitiES 
From  East  to  West  ;  the  under  mak^s  them  rife  5^^ 
And  fo  the  Whirl's  performed.   Thus  oft  a  Flood 
560  Turns  round  a  Wheel,  and  whirls  the  weighty  Wood. 
Or  elfe  the  Orbs  may  lie  at  Reft  above, 
Steady  and  fixt,  and  only  Stars  may  move ; 

Becaufe 

NOTES. 


flux,  than  by  the  ebbing  and 
flowing  of  the  Ocean.  This  is 
ib  obvious,  that  to  afTert  the 
contrary,  as  Fay  us  does,  feems 
next  to  an  Abfurdity. 

551.  No'v  learn,  &C.3  Lucreti- 
us, when  he  difpures  ot  the  Hea- 
vens, of  the  Motions  of  the 
Spheres,  and  of  thofe  Things 
which  the  Greeks  call,  /w£T£w^, 
Meteors,  never  affirms  any  thing 
for  certain  :  This  was  thecon- 
flrant  Cuftom  of  the  Epicureans. 
who  thought  they  difcharg'd  ad- 
mirably well  the  Part  of  natural 
Philofophers,  if  they  affign'd  on- 
ly any  poflible  Caufes  of  the  cele- 
Aial  Motions  :  Our  Poet  does 
the  like  in  thefe  28.  v.  If  fays  he, 
the  whole  Orb  be  mov'd  ;  then 
there  may  be  two  Airs,  one  that 
may  prefs  from  above,  and  drive 
it  down  to  the  Well: :  and  ano- 
ther, that  may  be  faid  to  bear 
and  life  it  up  from  beneath  ;  If 
the  Orb  be  motionlefs,then  fome 
rapid  Particles  of  the  Sky,  ftrug- 
gling  to  get  into  the  Empty 
Space  ;  and  not  able  to  force 
their  Way,  and  break  thro'  the 
fl:rong  Walls  of  the  World,  are 
whirl'd    about,     and    drag  the 


Stars  with  them  :  Or  fome  exter- 
nal Air  rufhes  in,and  turns  them 
a  bout  :  Or,  laftly,  the  Stars 
move  forward  of  themfelves,  in 
Search  of  proper  Food  to  keep 
alive  their  fires. 

Cleanthesj  in,  Cicero  de  Natu- 
ra  Deorum,  lib.  2.  alledging 
Reafons  to  evince  the  belief  of  a 
Deity,  urges,  for  the  laft  and 
moft  weighty,  JEquabilitatem 
motus  &  convcriionis,  &c.  The 
Equability  of  the  Motion  and 
Converfion  of  the  Heavens,  Sun, 
Moon,  and  Stars  :  and  their  Di- 
ftincTtion  in  Variety,  Beauty,  and 
Order.  The  very  Sight  of  which, 
fays  he,  fufficiently  declares  them 
not  to  be  fortuitous  or  cafual. 
For  what  can  be  more  evidently 
perfpicuous,  when  we  behold  and 
contemplate  the  Heavens,  than 
that  there  is  a  God,  by  whofe  ex-» 
cellent  Providence  they  are  go-? 
vern'd  ?  Thus  Cicero  ,  who, 
from  the  bare  Suggeftion  of  Na- 
ture, difcover'd  the  Truth  of 
what  our  obdurate  Poet,  by  Ar- 
guments drawn  from  the  Con- 
templation of  NaturejCndeavours 
to  difproYCq 


m 


BookV. 


LUCRETIUS. 


479 


O  F    T  H  E 


Fixed   Stars. 


UcRETius,  treating  in  this  Place  of  the 
Stars,  and  their  Motions,  affords  us  an  Op- 
portunity to  fay  fomething  of  thofe  glorious 
and  fplendid  Bodies :  The  Aftronomers  di- 
ftinguifli  them  into  two  Sorts  :  The  fixed 
Stars,  and  the  Erratick,  which  laft  are  like- 
wife  eaird  the  Planets  :  of  thefe  we  will 
give  afliort  Account  by  and  by,  when  our  Authour  comes 
to  treat  of  the  Sun,  Moon,  8cc.  and  will  here  confine 
our  Inquiries  only  to  the  firlt  Sort,  which  are  called,  The 
fixed  Stars,  becaufe  they  always  obferve,  at  leaft  to  us  they, 
feem  to  do  fo,the  fame  invariable  Diftance  from  one  another, 
and  from  the  Ecliptick  :  Hence  the  Sphere,  in  which  they 
are  believ'd  to  be  plac'd,  is  term*d,  d-n-xdr^,  inerrans,  be- 
caufe of  the  inviolable  Order  obferv'd  in  their  Intervals 
or  Diftancesfrom  one  another.  The  chief  Things  to  be  con- 
fider'd  of  them,  not  as  they  are  reduced  into  Signs  and  Con- 
ftellations,  with  which  we  lliall  not  meddle,  but  fliall  take 
Notice  of  them  only  as  they  are  diflindl  and  feveral  mun- 
dane Bodies,  diffeminated  and  difpers'd  through  the  immenfe 
Space  of  the  Ethereal  Region,  which  we  call  Heaven  :  The 
chief  Things,  I  fay,  that  deferve  our  Obfervation,  are, 

I.  Their  Substance;  concerning  which  the  Antients 
differ  in  Opinion :  Zoroafter  held  them  to  be  of  a  firy 
Subftance,  and  fo  too  did  the  Stoicks  :  The  Egyptian  Phi- 
lofophers,  as  Diogenes  Laertius,  in  Procem.  has  recorded 
their  Opinion,  believ'd,  rS^  dd^^^v^^vou,  k^-tvi  rdr cova^ii 
Tct  iTTi  yvig  yn'i^y  that  the  Stars  are  Fire,  and  that  by  their 
Contemperation  all  Things  are  produc'd  on  the  Earth.  In 
Orpheus  the  Sun,  Moon,  and  Stars,  are  call'd,  'H(pairoz(j 
f^sAjf,  the  Members  of  Vulcan.  Thales  held  the  Stars  to  be 
both  of  an  earthy  and  firy  Subftance.  Empedocles  main- 
tain'd  them  to  be  firy,  and  to  confift  of  that  very  Fire  which 
the  ^ther  contain'd  in  itfelf,  and  ftruck  out  at  its  firft  Se- 
cretion :  The  Opinion  of  Anaxagoras  deferves  to  be  men- 
tioned, 


4^0  L  U  C  k  E  T  I  U  S.  Book  Vl 

tion'd,  for  no  qther  Reafon,  than  becaufe  it  is  extravagant- 
ly ridiculous :  for  he  affirmed,  That  the  ambient  ^ther, 
being  of  a  firy  Nature,  does,  by  the  impetuous  Swiftnefs  of 
its  Motion,  whisk  up  Stones  from  the  Earth,  and  that  they, 
being  fet  on  Fire,  become  Stars,  and  are  carry'd  from  Eaft 
to  Weft:  Diogenes  would  have  them  to  be  of  the  Nature 
of  Pumice  Stones  fet  on  Fire,and  that  they  are  as  the  breathing 
Holes,  and  Nofcrils  of  the  World,  by  which  it  draws  in  its 
Breath.  Xenophanes,  That  they  are  Clouds,  fet  on  Fire 
in  the  manner  of  Coals,  and  that  they  are  extinguifh'd  by 
Day,  and  at  Night  rekindled.  Heraclides  and  the  Pythago- 
reans believ'd  each  Star  to  be  a  particular  World  by  it  fel^ 
exifting  in  the  infinite  ethereal  Space,  and  containing  an 
Earth,  an  Air,  and  a  Sky  :  and  this  Opinion  is  found  ia 
the  Works  of  Orpheus  :  For  his  Followers  affirm'd  the 
Stars  to  be  fo  many  diftindt  and  individual  Worlds.  Plato 
held  them  to  confift  chiefly  of  a  firy  Nature,  but  fuch,  as  to 
admit  the  Mixture  of  other  Elements,  as  it  were,  in  the  Na- 
ture of  a  Cement  to  compadt  and  hold  them  together.  Ari- 
ftotle,  and  his  Followers,  alfert  them  to  be  of  the  fame  Sub- 
ftance  with  the  Heavens,  but  only  more  condens'd  ;  and 
that  they  are  fimple  Bodies,  without  the  Mixture  of  any  E- 
lements.  Pliny,  and  many  others,  believe  them  to  becom- 
pos'd  of  the  fame  Matter  as  Exhalations  and  Vapours,  and 
confequently  to  confift  of  a  Subftance  partly  aqueous,partly 
aerial.  Of  all  thefe  Opinions,  the  moft  probable  is,  that 
the  Stars  are  firy  Bodies  :  This  was  the  Sentiment  of  the 
antient  Chriftian  Church,  which,  in  Hymn.  Feria  fecunda 
ad  Vefper.  of  which  Hymn  St.  Ambrole  is  faid  to  be  the  Au« 
thour,   (ings  as  follows, 

Immenfe  coeli  conditor. 
Qui  mixta  ne  confunderent 
Aquae  fluenta  dividens, 
Coelum  dedifti  limitem. 
Firmans  locum  cceleftibus, 
Simulque  terras  rivulis, 
Ut  unda  iiammas  temperet ; 
Terrse  folum  nee  diffipent,  &cc. 

Where  we  find  the  Reafon,  why  the  Waters  are  plac'dabov<6 
the  Heavens,  viz.  to  reftrain  and  temper  the  exceilive  Fer- 
vour of  the  Sun  and  Stars.  And  again  ;  in  Hymn.  Fer, 
quarca  ad  Vefper.  the  fame  Church  fings, 


Book  V,  LUCRETIUS.  481 

Coeli  Deus  farKftiiTime, 
Qui  lucidum  centrum  poll 
Candore  pingis  igneo. 

And  of  the  fame  Opinion  are  moft  of  the  Fathers,  nor  only 
of  the  Latine,  but  of  the  Greek  Church  likewife.  Cyrillus 
Hierofolym.  Caefar^us,  Theodoretus,  D.  Chryfoftom,  Gre- 
gor,  Nyilen.  Procopius,  and  Anaftafius  Sinaita,  all  of  them 
pofitively  aflert  the  Stars  to  be  of  a  firy  Nature ;  and  with 
them  agree  Tertullian,  St.  Ambrofe,  St.  Auguftine,  Arno- 
bius,  Ladantius,  Anfelmus,  Alcuinus,  Beda,  8cc.  Befides, 
many  of  the  eminent  modern  Philofophers  and  Aftronomers 
concur  in  the  fame  Opinion :  Induc'd  therefore  by  all  thefe 
Authorities,  we  may  reafonably  conclude,  That  the  Stars 
are  compound,  notfimple  Bodies;  that  they  are  compos'd 
of  elementary  Matter,  form'd  into  firy  Globes  ;  that  they 
confift  of  folid  and  liquid,  as  this  terraqueous  Globe  of 
ours  ;  and  confequently,  that  they  are  fubjedt  to  Alteration 
and  Corruption. 

II.  Their  Light  :  whether  it  be  innate,  and  the  Gift  of 
the  Almighty  at  their  Creation  :  or  mutuatitious,  and  bor- 
row'd  from  the  Sun  :  which  laft  is  the  Opinion  of  Metro- 
dorus,  in  Plutarch,  de  Placit.  Philofoph.  lib.  z.  cap.  17.  and 
with  him  agree  many  of  the  modern  both  Philofophers  and 
Aftronomers  j  and  it  is  the  Belief  of  fome  at  this  Day.  The 
firft  Opinion  however  feems  to  be  the  moft  probable ;  and 
Macrobius,  in  Somn.Scip.  lib.  i.  cap.  19.  afTerrs  the  Truth 
of  ir,  in  thefe  Words :  Omnes  ftellas  (fcil.  fixasj  lumioe 
lucerefuo,  quod  illse  fupra  folem  in  ipfo  puriifimo  xthere 
funt ;  in  quo  omne  quicquid  eft,  lux  naturalis  &■  fua  eft. 
And  this  agrees  with  what  we  faid  before  touching  their 
firy  Nature  :  For  there  can  be  no  Fire  without  Light. 
And  indeed  it  feems  highly  improbable,  that  the  Sun  can 
illuminate  the  fix'd  Stars,  fince,  as  Bulialdus,  in  Aftronom. 
Philolaic.  lib.  i.  cap.  1 1.  obferves,  the  Sun's  Diameter,  if 
it  could  be  beheld  from  Saturn  only,  would  appear  too  lit- 
tle, and  afford  too  weak  a  Light  fufficiently  to  illuftrate  e- 
ven  that  Planer,  much  lefs  therefore  can  it  impart  its  Light 
to  the  fixt  Stars,  that  are  remov'd  to  fo  great  a  Diftance 
beyond  it.  For  this  Reafon  fome  believe  each  of  the  fix'd 
Srars  to  be  the  Head  and  chief  Part  of  a  diftindl  mundane 
Syftem  j  as  the  Sun  is  the  Head  and  chief  Part  of  our 

Qq  q  vilible 


482  LUCRETIUS.  BookV. 

vifible  Syftem:  And,  as  the  Sun  has  fevers  1  Planets,  con- 
ftituced  and  carry 'd  about  him  ;  fo  likewife  every  one  of 
the  fix'd  Stars  has  other  mundane  Bodies,  like  Planets,dif- 
pos'd  and  moving  around  them  ;  tho'  they  are  invifible  to 
us,  by  Reafon  of  their  great  Diftance  from  our  Earth.  Arid, 
according  to  this  Opinion,  G^lilaso,  Dialog.  3.  Syftem. 
Cofmic.  makes  no  Scruple  to  affert,  that  each  of  the  fix'd 
Stars  is  a  Sun,  exadly  of  the  fame  Nature  with,  and  per- 
fectly refembling,  this  of  ours  ;  that  it  ferves  befides  to 
illuminate  the  innumerable  other  Planetary  and  Lunary 
Bodies,  within  their  refpedive  Syftems  :  and  confequent- 
iy  is  endow  d  with  innate  and  original  Light.  Several  o- 
ther  of  our  modern  Aftronomers  are  of  the  fame  Opinion  ; 
among  them  Ricciolus,  who,  Almageft.nov.  lib.  6.  cap.  2. 
has  thefe  Words :  Mihi  longe  probabilior  horum  (fcil.  Bru- 
ni,  Galilaei,  Renati  des  Cartes,  &  Reithaei)  opinio  videtur, 
quia  magis  convenit  opificis  numinis  majeftati,  ut  non  uni- 
cam  ftellarum  a  fe  ipfa  lucentem,  fed  plures  inftar  folis  ac- 
cenderet:  Nee  alium  fui  luminis  fontem  agnofcerent, 
quam  omnium  luminum  pattern  Deum. 

IIL  Their  Cojlour:  which  vifibly  differs  according  to 
^he  Variety  of  their  Light,  as  it  is  blended  and  attemper'd 
by  the  different  Conftitution  of  the  Matter,  or  Subftance, 
of  which  they  are  compos'd  :  for  fome  appear  to  be  of  a 
ruddy,  others  of  a  leaden  Hue  :  fome  of  a  Gold  Colour, 
others  of  a  fiiver  white,  others  pallid,  Sec,  whence  fome 
have  pretended  to  form  a  Judgment  of  their  feveral  Na- 
tures, and  accordingly  have  rang'd  them  under  the  feveral 
Planets,  of  whofe  Qualities  they  imagin'd  them  chiefly  to 
partake ;  having  Regard  to  the  Proportion  of  Refemblance 
they  bear  in  their  Colours,   to  thofe  of  the  Planets. 

IV.  Their  Scintillation:  which  particularly  diftin- 
guillies  them  from  the  Planets,  which  have  no  fuch  Vibra- 
tion, or  twinkling  of  Light;  as  generally  is  obferv'd,  more 
or  lefs,  in  all  the  fix'd  Stars,  at  one  time  more  than  at  ano- 
ther ;  and  moft  when  the  Wind  is  Eafterly,  as  Schikardus 
in  Aftrofcop.  obferves.  Ariftotle  afcribes  the  Caufe  of  their 
Scintillation  to  their  Remotenefs  from  our  Sight ;  which 
Remorenefs  is  the  Reafon,  that  our  Eyes  reach  them  but 
weakly,  and  with  a  trembling  LafTitude.  To  this  Opinion 
Fontanus,  in  Urani^,  lib.  2,  affents,  when  he  fays, 

SciUcec 


BookV.  LUCRETIUS,  485 

Scilicet  alta  illis  regio,  fedefque  repofta?. 
Quo  poftquam  advenit  defelTo  lumine  vifiis, 
Defeflus  tremic  ipfe,  tamen  tremere  ipfa  videntur. 

But  this  Reafon   is    not    convincing,    fince.    If 'it    were 
true,  the  Planet?,  Jupiter  and  Saturn,  (hould,    by  Reafon 
of  their  great  Diftance,  in  fome  meafure  affedt  our  Sight 
with  fuch  a  Trembling  or  Scintillation  ;  ^d  this  we  know 
they  never  do,  even  in  their   greateft  Altitude.      Others 
afcribe  the  Caufe  to  Refraction,  and  imagine  this  Scintillation 
to  arife  from  the  unequal  Surface  of  the  fiudtuating  Air,  or 
Medium,  thro'  which  the  Sight  palTes  :     in  like  manner, 
as  Stones  in  the  Bottom  of  a  River,  feem  to  have  a  tremu- 
lous Kind  of  Motion,  which  neverthelefs  is  only  the  curl'd 
and  uneven  Undulation  of  the  Surface  of  the  Water.    But 
if  this  Reafon  were  true,  we  fliould  not  only  in  the  fix'd 
Stdrs,  but  in  the  Planets,  nay,  even  in  the  Moon,  difcovep 
fuch  a  Scintillation.  GafTendus,  with  more  Probability,  con- 
ceives it    to  proceed    from  their  native  and  primigenial 
Light,  which,  like  that  of  the  Sun,  fparkles,    and   ejacu- 
culates  fuch  quick- darting  Rays,  that  our  infirmer  Sight  can 
not  look  on   them  without  trembling  :     To  this  we  may 
add  their  impetuous  and  whirling  Motion  about  their  own 
Axis  ;  by  which  there  is  caus'd  a  more  fuddain  and  quick- 
er Variation  in  thofe  fulgid  Objects,  than  the  Eye  can  pur- 
fue.     But  Scheinerus,    in   his  Mathematical  Difquifitions, 
pofitively  dilTents  from  this  Opinion.     The   Scintillation  of 
the  Stars,  fays  he,  is  not  their  proper  Revolution   or  Con- 
volution, not  any  interiour  exeftuaring  Commotion  ;    no 
tremulous  revibrating  of  the  Sun-Beams,    proceeding  from 
their  firft  or  fecond  Motions;    no  unquiet  or  unequal   Eja- 
culation of  their  proper  Rays;  no  trembling  of  the  weary'd 
Sight  ;  not  any,  nor  all  of  thefe,  but  only  the  Intercifion  of 
their  feveral  Species  falling  upon  the  Eye ;    which  Intercifi- 
♦  on  is  caused  by  the  unquiet  Intercurfation  of  Vapours  vafi- 
■  oufly  affected.    Hevelius,  tho'  he  allow  of  their  Circum- 
gyration about  their  own  Axis,  yet  he  admits  it  only  as  an 
afldfting,  not  as  the  fole,  Caufe  of  their  Scintillation :  which 
he  imputes  rather  to  a  conftant  Evibration  of  lucid  Matter, 
era  continual  Expiration  of  firy  Vapours  from  thr)fe  celefti- 
al  Bodies ;  even,  fays  he,  as  we  perceive  thofe  Fulgurations 
'  9nd  Ebullitions  in  the  Body  of  the  Sun,  which,    the  groffer 
'|liey  are,    andi  in  the  greater  Plenty   they  are  ejeded,   fa 


484  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

much  the  greater  and  more  vifible  Scintillation  they  caufe. 
Thefe  are  the  feveral  Opinions  concerning  the  Scintillation 
of  the  Stars. 

V,  Their  Number  :  which,  according  to  the  Computa- 
tion of  Ptolemy,  including  only  thofe  that  are  moft  remark- 
able and  vifible,  and  as  they  are  reduc'd  to  the  fix  common- 
ly receiv'd  Degrees  of  Magnitude^  amounts  to  only  1022. 
And  Pliny,  lib.  2.  cap.  4.  reckons  them  to  be  1600,  But  if. 
we  refledi  on  the  Number  of  all  the  Scars  in  the  Firma- 
ment, as  we  regard  them  by  the  Help  of  a  Telefcope,  which 
difcovers  many  more  than  the  bare  liyecan  do,  we  may  af- 
firm them  to  exceed  the  Number  of  human  Calculation  : 
Jordano  Bruno  fays,  their  Number  is  infinite.  Ricciolus, 
fpeaking  of  the  Number  of  the  Scars,  argues  thus,  That  if 
the  Conftellation  of  Orion  take  up  in  the  Heavens  the  Space 
of  5  00  fquare  Degrees,  as  by  Experience  we  know  it  does,  and 
if  every  fquare  Space,  whofe  Side  is  but  two  Degrees,  con- 
tains no  Icfs  than  500  Stars,  as  Galilxo,  by  the  Alfiftance  of 
a  Telefcope,  obferv'd  that  it  does,  there  will  be  found  in 
the  whole  Conftellation  of  Orion,  at  leaft  62500  Stars,  tho' 
the  bare  Eye  only  can  not  difcover  in  the  whole  above  63. 
According  to  which  Proportion,  if  the  reft  of  the  Confrella- 
tions  were  examined,  and  if  the  Difference  of  the  Number 
of  Stars,  chat  appear  by  the  Telefcope,  over  and  above 
thofe  difcern'd  by  the  bare  Eye,  were  computed,  it  would 
amount  to  above  1 000000  Stars,  befide  thofe  in  the  Milky 
Way  :  Nay,  fays  Ricciolus,  Almageft.  Nov.  Tom.  i.  1.6. 
0,413.  if  any  Man  fliould  reckon  them  above  2000000, 
the  Number  would  not  feem  to  me  improbable,  Mihi  qui- 
dem.  nihil  inopinabile  finxerit.  Some  of  the  Rabbins  of  the 
Jews  will  not  allow  the  whole  Number  of  Stars  to  amount 
to  above  12000  :  but  the  Cabalifts  admit  of  no  lefs  than 
29000  Myriads,  which  Number  Schickardus  believes  too 
exorbitant ;  and  imagines,  that  the  whole  Extent  of  the 
Heavens,  is  not  capable  of  receiving  above  2671 2  Myriads, 
even  though  they  were  plac'd  contiguous  to  one  another  : 
but  as  to  this  Particular  of  the  Number  of  the  Stars,  we 
ought  to  agree  with  Schottus,  who,  in  Pr^Iuf.  in  Firmament. 
Itiner.  Ecfcatic.  Kircheri,  in  Schol.  i.  fays,  That  it  is  an 
Arrogance  indeed  intolerable,  to  believe  that  our  Sight, 
how  ftrengthen'd  and  alliftcd  foever  by  the  Help  of  Tele- 
fcopes,  can  difcover  all  the  Stars  in  iheExpanfe  of  Heaven  ; 
and  an  extream  Piece  of  Folly,  to  pretend  cg>  include  th?m 

within 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  48  j 

within  the  Bounds  of  any  Definite  Number;  that  being 
the  Work  of  the  Almighty  only,  who  alone  numbers  the 
Multitude  of  the  Stars,  and  calls  them  all  by  their  Names. 

VI.  Their  Figure:  which  is  apparently  fpherical  or 
round;  and  yet  Plutarch,  de  Placit.  Philofoph.  lib.  a. 
cap.  14.  relates  the  difi'erent  Opinions  of  the  Antients,  even 
as  to  this  Particular :  Cleanthes  held  them  to  be  pyramidal, 
and  that  they  end  in  a  fharp  Cone :  Anaximenes  would 
have  them  to  be  like  Scuds,  or  Nails,  fix'd  in  the  chryfcal- 
line  Firmament,  like  Jewels  in  a  Ring.  Others  imagin'd 
them  to  be  flat,  and,  as  it  were,  firy  and  lucid  Plates,  as 
fo  many  flat  Pictures,  not  of  any  Thicknefs  or  Profundity. 
Scheinerus,  and  Antonius  Maria  de  Reitha,  will  have  them 
to  be  of  divers  Figures  or  Faces,  of  a  poly-angular  Shape  ; 
and  fuch  indeed  the  larger  Sort  ofTelefcopes  reprefent  them. 
Kepler,  in  Epit.  Aftronom.  p.  498.  defcribes  them  like  fo 
many  lucid  Points,  or  Sparkles,  calling  forth  on  all  Sides 
their  Rays  of  Light:  infcmuch  that  we  are  to  take  their  Fi- 
gure to  be  only  phyfically  fpherical,  not  mathematically  fo : 
for  tho*,  in  the  firft  Acceptation,  they  may  be  faid  to  be 
round  Bodies,  yet,  according  to  the  later,  their  Surface  may 
be  found  to  be  uneven,  and  to  confift  of  many  Angles,  or 
Sides. 

VII.  Their  Magnitude  :  of  which  divers  Calculations 
have  been  made  by  many  eminent  Aftronomers  ;  but  to 
litde  Purpofe  :  for  fo  great  a  Diverfity  of  Opinions  has  a- 
rifen  among  them,  partly,  becaufe  Authours  can  not  agree 
as  to  the  Diftances  of  the  Stars  from  the  Earth,  which  is 
the  fuppos'd  Centre  of  the  World  ;  and  partly  becaufe  of 
the  different  Eftimates  of  their  apparent  Diameters,  that 
have  been  made  by  the  Eye,  by  Tycho  Brahe,  and  other 
more  antient  Aftronomers ;  and  by  Telefcopes  by  the  Mo- 
dern :  infomuch,  that  we  ought  ingenuoufly  to  acknow- 
ledge with  Schickardus,  that,  veras  illarum  magnicudines 
vere  ignoramus,  we  are  indeed  ignorant  of  their  true 
Magnitude, 

VIII.  Their  Place  and  Ci&TANCE  from  the  Earth,  or 
rather  from  the  Sun  :  which  is  a  Qiieftion  fo  hard  to  re- 
folve,  that  Pliny  long  ago  pronounc'd  it  to  be  no  lefs  thap  a 
Piece  of  Madnefs  to  inquire  into  it  :  and  Ricciclus,  Alma- 
geft.  Nov.  lib,  6.  cap.  7.  treating  cf  this  Subjed, has  thought 

fir. 


48^  LUCRETIUS,  Book  V,f 

fit,  in  the  Front  of  his  Difcourfe,  to  lay  it  down  as  an  un- 
deniable Truth,  That  Men  can  not,  by  any  certain  and  e- 
yident  Obfervacion,  come  to  the  true  Knov/Iedge  of  the  Pa- 
rallax and  Diftance  of  the  fix'd  Stars  .  For  it  is  not  known, 
whether  the  Stars  are  all  in  the  fame  fpherical  Surface,  e- 
qually  diftant  from  the  Centre  of  the  World;  or  whether 
they  are  plac'd  at  unequal  Diftances ;  that  is  to  fay,  fome 
higher,  fome  lower,  as  the  old  Stoicks  held  them  to  be, 
fuppofing  the  Diffrence  of  their  Luftre,  and  of  their  appa- 
rent Magnitude,  to  proceed  from  the  Diverfity  of  their  Si- 
tuation, according  as  they  are  more  or  lefs  diftant  from 
our  Sight :  Thus  Manilius,  giving  the  Reafon  why  fome  of 
the  Stars  in  Orion  appear  more  obfcure  than  the  others,fays, 

Non  quod  clara  minus,  {ed  quod  magis  alta  recedunt. 

And  this  Hypothefis  has  fo  great  an  Appearance  of  Truth, 
that  the  learned  Aftronomers,  Tycho  Brahe,  Galilseo,  and 
Kepler,  readily  embrace  it.  And  thus  we  may  reafonably 
fuppofe,  that  their  Diftances  are  as  various  as  thofe  of  the 
Planets,  and  that  it  is  fcarce  polfible  to  difcover  their  true 
Diftance,  becaufe  our  fhorc  and  feeble  Sight,  being  unable 
to  diftinguifh  their  various  Intervals,  judges  them  to  be  all 
plac'd  in  the  fame  concave  fpherical  Surface. 

IX.  Their  PROPER  Motion:  which  is  twofold  :  Firft, 
that  of  Circumrotation  about  their  own  Centre,  around 
which  they  are  whirl'd  with  wonderful  Celerity  ;  which,  as 
we  faid  before,  is  in  Part  the  Reafon  of  their  Scintillation : 
and  this  Motion  is  call'd,  motus  vertiginis.  Secondly,  their 
Motion  of  Revolution,  from  Weft  to  Eaft  :  fecundum 
dud:um  Ecliptics,  in  which  they  are  obferv'd  to  move  fo 
very  flowly,  that  they  run  not  through  one  Degree  in  the 
Ecliptick  looner  than  in  the  Space  of  feventy  one  Years, 
nineteen  Days  and  twelve  Hours,  within  a  Trifle  :  and 
they  compleat  not  the  whole  Circle  of  360  Degrees,  in 
lefs  than  15579  Years,  which  is  the  Annus  magnus  Plato- 
ricus^  tho'  the  Antients  computed  it  to  amount  to  36000 
Years  :  And  this  great  Platonick  Year,  which  confifts  of 
2'5  579  Sydereal  Years,  is  equal  to  25580  equinodi:ial 
Years.  And  thus  I  have  given  a  fnort  Account  of  the-naqft 
remarkable  Obfervations  touching  the  fe'd  Stara. 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  487 

Becaufe  the  Fires,  confin'd  to  little  Space,  -y 

Grow  fierce  and  wild,  and  feek  a  larger  Place,  C 

565  And  thus  thro*  the  vaft  Heav'n  begin  their  Race.      ^ 
Or  elfe  external  Air,  ©r  fubtile  Wind 
May  whirl  them  round  :    Or  they  may  move  to  find 
Their  Nourifhment ;  and  run  where  Food  invites. 
And  kindly  calls  their  greedy  Appetites. 

570  For  true ;  what  fingle  Force  makes  Stars  to  rife 
And  fet ,  what  governs  thefe  our  fingle  Skies 

Is  hard  to  tell :  

And  therefore  I,  how  Stars  may  move,  propole 
A  thoufand  Ways,  and  numerous  as  thole  : 

575  And  what  may  whirl  the  Sun,  and  pale-fac*d  MooN^ 
In  all  the  Worlds  ;  but  can  not  fix  on  one, 
Altho*  but  one  rules  here  ;  but  which  that  is 
*Tis  hard  to  point ;  it  may  be  that  or  this. 

And  that  the  heavy  Parts  fhould  end  their  Racc"^ 

580  And  reft  ;  and  Earth  polTefs  the  middle  Place, 
Its  Weight  decay *d;  that  Pow'rdid  weaker  grow, 
Becaufe  convenient  Things  were  plac'd  below. 
That  rofe  with  it,  to  which  'tis  clofely  joined  ; 
By  nat  ral  Ties,  and  ftrongeft  Bands  confin'd  : 


And 


NOTES. 


571.  Our  fingle  Skies]  The 
Skies,  and  Stars,  that  we  fee 
move  continually,  and  he  calls 
them  fingle,  becaufe  the  Epicu- 
reans held  a  Multitude  of  Worlds 
to  be  in  the  All,  or  UniYerfe,and 
all  of  them,  like  this  of  ours,  or 
even  of  a  greater  Extent. 

579.  And  that,  6ic.]  But  fince 
Lucretius  fo  often  mentions  the 
great  Weight  of  the  Earth,  it 
may  well  be  inquir'd,  why  it 
hangs  without  Motion  in  the 
Air,  and  does  not  rather  prefs 
downwards,  and  fall  precipitate- 
ly into  the  infinite  Void  ?  To 
this  the  Poet  anfwers  in  thefe 
17.  V.  Thattho'  it  have  fo  hap- 
pen'd,  that  the  Air  only  is  cir- 
cumfus'd  around  the  Earth,  yet 
becaufe  both  Air  and  Earth  are 
bound  by  natural  and  kindred 
Ties,  and  from  their  very  Be- 
ginning are  Parts  of  the  fame 
Whole,  the  Earth  is  no  Burthen 


to  the  Air ;  but  having,  in  a 
Manner,  laid  afide  all  its  Weight 
and  Compreffion,  it  only  fticks 
faft,  and  cleaves  naturally  to  it : 
But  it  would  not  be  fo,    if  this 

I  Earth  had  been  brought  out  of 
another  World ;  for,  in  that 
Cafe,  it  would  prefs  heavy  upon 
this  Air  with  its  Weight ;  even 
as  our  Bodies  feel  a  little 
Weight  that  is  not  a    Part  of 

I  them,  tho'  neither  the  Head,  nor 
the  other  Members  are  burden- 
fome  to  one  another,becaufe  they 
are  mutually  congeneal,  and. 
bound  to  one  another  by  a  gene- 
ral and  common  Band.  Epicu- 
rus to  Herodotus  fays,  t  yyiv 
TzS  cf,'«g^  l-TToy^ii^j  cu^  crvyUy^' 
See  the  Note  on  Book  II.  v.  552. 
584.  By  natural  Ties]  Arifto- 
tle  will  not  allow,  that  the  Earth 
is  therefore  lufpended  in  the  mid- 

j  die  of  the  Air,  becaufe  it  is  con- 

•geneal,  and,  as  it  were,  of  a  Piece 

with 


'4B8 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V 


585  And  thus  it  foftly  refts,  and,  hanging  there. 
Grows  light,  nor  prefles  down  the  lower  Air, 
Jaft  as  in  Man,  the  Neck  the  Head  fuftains. 
The  Feet  the  whole;    yet  not  one  Part  complains 
Of  preirmg  Weight ;  neither  is  vex'd  with  Pains  : 

590  Yet  other  Weights  impos'd  we  ftrait  perceive, 
Tho'  lighter  far,  contrad  our  Limbs,  and  grieve. 
fSuch  vaft  Import  from  fim'lar  Parts  does  fpring. 
When  one  is  aptly  join'd  t'  another  Thing.] 
So  Earth  was  fafliion'd  in  its  proper  Place: 

595  Not  made,  then  thruft  into  the  ftrange  Embrace 
Of  diff'rent  Air,  but  with  the  World  began; 
"    A  certain  Part  of  it,  as  Limbs  of  Man. 

Befides  ;  the  shaking  Earth  does  often  move 
The  upper  Air,  difturbing  all  above: 

600  Which  could  not  be,  unlefs  the  ftrongeft  Tie 
Did  clofely  join  the  Earth,  the  Air,  and  Sky. 


Thin 


NOTES, 


with  it,  as  Epicurus  believ'd 
but  fays  the  Reafon  is,  becaufe  it 
is  the  heavieft  of  all  theElcments 
And  Plato,  in  Pha»don.  will  have 
the  Eqaability  of  the  Earth  it 
lelf,  to  be  the  Caufe  of  its  Stati- 
on in  the  Middle  of  the  Uni- 
verfe  :  According  to  whofe  Opi- 
nionjOvid  Metam.  i.  v.  i2.fays, 

Et  circumfufo  pendebat  in  aere 

teJIus 
Ponderibus  librata  fuis. 

And  our  Milton  in  like  manner: 

The  Earth,  felf  balanc'd,  on  her 
Centre  hung. 

592.  Such  vaft,  &C.3  This 
and  the  following  Verfe  v.'e  have 
inftrted  to  fill  up  a  Lacuna . 
%vhich  Creech,  having  totally 
onaitted  this  Vcri'e  of  his  Au- 
thour, 

Ufque  adeo    magni    refert,   cui 
qua:  adjaceat  res, 

had  left  in  all  the  former    Edi" 
tions  of  this  Book.  i 


598.  Befides,  &c.]  In  thefe 
4.  V.  he  brings  another  Argu- 
ment of  the  Connexion  of  the 
Earth  and  Air  :  Becaufe,  fays  he, 
the  Thunder,  that  caufes  violent 
Motions  in  the  Air,  makes  the 
Earth  tremble,  which  it  could 
not  do,  but  that  they  are  of  a 
Piece. 

Here  our  Tranrtatour  feems 
to  have  imperfedly  render'd 
the  Senfe  of  his  Authour,  wiiofe 
Words  are, 

PrA::crc^  grandi  Tonitru  concuf- 

ia  repente 
Terra,  fupra  qua:  fe  funt,  concu- 

tit  omnia  motu. 
Quod  facere  baud  ullk  poflet  ra- 

tione,  nifi  eiTet 
Parcibus  aeriis  mundi  CGeloque 

revincfta. 

i.  e.  Befides,  the  Earth,  when 
ever  it  is  fliaken,  on  a  fuddain, 
hy  a  violent  Thunder,  makes 
every  Thing  that  is  upon  it, 
lliake  and  tremble  :  Which  it 
could  by  no  means  do,  unlefs, 
&CQ,  Compare  this  with  Creech's 

Trans* 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  489 

Thin  fubtile  Souls,  'caufe  clofely  join'd^  do  prop 
:      The  mighty  Weight  of  Limbs,  and  bear  it  up  : 
What  raife  the  Limbs  in  leaping,  what  controul, 
60$  And  guide  their  Motion,   but  the  fubtile  Soul? 

Which  Ihews  the  weighty  Force  of  Things  refin'd,     y 
When  ty'd  to  others  of  a  grolfer  Kind  ;  S- 

As  Air  to  Earth,  toourgrofs  Limbs  the  Mind,      j 
But  farther  on  :   the  Sun  and  Moon  do  bear 
^io  No  greater  Heats,  nor  Figures  than  appear; 

Becaufe 

NOTES. 


Tranflation,    and    fee    his    Er- 
rour. 

602.  Thin,  &c.]  But  becaufe 
it  may  feem  wonderful,  that  fo 
fubtile  a  Body  as  the  Air,  fliould 
fupport  a  Mafs,  fo  vaftly  thick 
as  the  Earth  •,  he  adds  in  thefe 
7.  V.  that  the  Soul,  which  is  a 
moft  fubtile  Subftance,  fuftains 
our  ponderous  Body  :  nay,  not 
only  that,  but  even  lifts  it  up, 
and  makes  it  leap  from  the 
Ground, 

6c\.  What  raife what 

controul,]  Where  we  muft  un- 
derftand  the  Word  Things  ;  An 
EUipfis,  too  frequently  us'd  by 
Creech,  tho'  hardly  allowable  in 
our  Language,  which  hates  all 
grammatical  figures,  and  loves 
to  fpeak  plain*  What,  without 
a  Subftantive,is  always  in  the  lin- 
gular Number  :  What  raifes, 
what  controuls,  Sed  hoc  obiter, 

639.  But  farther,  dec.']  Epicu- 
rus, in  the  tenth  Book  of  Laerti- 
us,  (peaking  of  the  Magnitude  of 
the  Sun  and  Stars,  fays  :  that  in 
as  much  as  it  relates  to  us  to 
judge  of  it,th€irMagnitude  is  the 
fame  that  it  appears  to  be  :  and 
that  as  to  the  Thing  itfelf,  it  is 
fomewhat  bigger,  or  fomewhat 
lefs,  or  elfe  exacftly  the  fame  that 
it  feems  :  infomuch  that  our 
Eyes  lie  very  little,  if  they  do  at 
all.  The  Poet  in  thefe  27.  V.  af- 
ferts  the  fame  thing,  and  endea- 
vours to  prove  his  AflTertion 
by   an  Argument   taken   from! 


Senfe :  As   we  retire    from  any 
Fire,  fo  long  as  we  are    within 
fuch  a  diftance  of  it,  that  we  can 
perceive  its  Light  and  Heat,  the 
Fire  feems  no  lefs  than  it    doe§ 
when  we  aren£ar  it  :  But  we  feel 
the  Heat,  and  perceive  the  Light 
of  the  Sun  :  Therefore  the  Sun  is 
of  the  fame  Magnitude  it  feems 
to  be  :    Then  he    adds    of  the 
Moon,  that  we  diftindtly  fee  the 
outmoft  Verge  and  face  of  it  : 
And  yet  we  fliould  fee  it  but  con- 
fufedly,  if  it  were  fo  far  off,  that 
its  Diftance  took  away  any  of  its. 
Magnitude  :   Laftly,  he  fays  of 
the  Stars,  that  they  are  not  much 
larger,  nor  much  lefs,  but  rather 
juft   as  big    as    they  feem  ;  for 
even  the  Fires  that  we  fee  here 
below  at  diftance  from  one  ano- 
ther, either  by  Day,  or  by  Night, 
prefent  to  our  Eyes  the  like  va- 
riety of  Sizes.     Epicurus  writes 
the  very  fame  Do(firine  to   Py- 
thodes. 

Thus  neither  Epicurus,  nor 
Lucretius  after  him,affirmM  any 
thing  for  certain  concerning  the 
Magnitude  of  the  Sun,  Moon, 
and  Stars  ;  And  indeed  fo  many, 
and  fo  various  are  the  Opinions 
both  of  the  Antients  and  Mo- 
derns, of  this  Matter,  that  it  is 
impoffible  to  ground  any  pro- 
bable Belief  upon  them  ;  H^ow- 
ever,  I  will  give  fome  of  their 
Opinions,  but  rather  for  Curio- 
fity  than  Inftrucftion.  I.  Hcra- 
ditus  held  the  Sun  to  be  a  Foot 
K  r  r  broad  1 


490 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


Becaufe  that  Space,  thro*  which  the  Rays  can  fly. 
The  Heat  can  reach  our  Touch,  the  Light  our  Eye: 

Can 

NOTES. 


broad  :  II.  Anaxagoras,  many 
times  as  big  as  the  Countrey  of 
Peloponnelus.  III.  Animaxan- 
der,  as  big  as  the  Earth.  IV.  Em- 
pedocles,  a  vaft  Mafs  of  Fire, 
even  bigger  than  the  Moon. 
V.  Archelaus,  the  biggeft  of  all 
the  celeftial  Lights.  VI.  Plato, 
never  to  be  conceiv'd,  nor  found 
out.  VII.  Cicero,  immenfe. 
VIII.  The  Egyptians,  and  after 
them  Macrobius,  eight  times  as 
big  as  the  Earth.  IX.  Others, 
whofe  Opinion  Cicero,  Tatius, 
and  Philoponus  mention,  but 
conceal  their  Names,  above  eigh- 
teen times  as  big  as  the  Earth. 
X.  Eratofthenes,  ieven  and  twen- 
ty times  as  big  as  the  Earth. 
XL  Cleomedes,  near  three  hun- 
dred times  as  big  as  the  Earth. 
XI L  Ariftarchus,  above  two 
hundred  fifty  four  times  as  big 
as  the  Earth.  XIII.  Hipparchus, 
SL  thoufand  and  fifty  times  as  big 
as  the  Earth.  XIV.  Plutarch 
fays,  there  were  fome  who  held 
the  Sun  to  be  a  thoufand  feven 
hundred  and  twenty  eight  times 
as  big  as  the  Earth.  XV.  Poffi- 
donius, fifty  nine  Thoufand  three 
hundred  and  nineteen  times  as 
big  as  the  Earth.  What  Cer- 
tainty then  can  be  grounded  on 
fo  many  different  Opinions  ?  And 
Archimedes  own'd,ic  was  next  to 
impoffible  to  take  the  Diameter 
of  the  Sun,  becaufe  neither  the 
Sight,  nor  the  Hands,  nor  the 
Organs,  by  which  the  Obferva- 
tion  is  perceiv'd,  are  fufficient  to 
demonftrate  it  exadly,  and  there- 
fore no  Credit  ought  to  be  given 
to  them.  This  roakes  Ladanti- 
«s  fay,  Dementiam  efle  diiqui- 
rere,  aut  fcire  velle,  Sol  utrum- 
ne  tancus,  quantus  videtur,  an 
multis  partibus  major  fit  quam 
©ranis  h«c  terra  :  That  it  is  a 


folly  to  inquire,  or  be  deiirous 
to  know,  whether  the  Sun  be  as 
big  as  he  feems  to  be,  or  many 
Times  bigger  than  the  whole 
Earth.  And  the  fame  Uncertain- 
ty there  is  likewife  concerning 
the  Magnitude  of  the  Moon,  and 
of  the  other  Planets  and  Stars. 

But  the  more  modern,  both 
Philofophers  and  Aftronomers, 
tho'  their  Opinions  be  indeed 
various,  as  to  the  Magnitude  of 
this  Glorious  Luminary,  yet 
having  grounded  them  on  more 
probable  Methods  of  Obfervati- 
on,  have  at  leaft  come  nearer  the 
Truth,  than  the  Antients,  and 
not  left  us  fo  much  in  the  Dark, 
nor  in  fo  great  Uncertainty  con- 
cerning it.  It  is  moit  certain, 
that  we  form  a  right  Judgment 
of  the  Magnitude  of  an  Objed, 
by  the  Diftance  of  one  Part  of 
it  from  another,  and  by  the  Di- 
ftance of  the  whole  from  us  : 
For  the  Diftance  of  it  being  firft 
confider'd,  we  find  that  the  Rays 
from  all  Parts  of  the  Objecft 
caufe  an  ImprefTion  on  the  Reti- 
na in  the  Extremities  of  more  or 
lefs  diftant  Fibres  :  Therefore 
the  farther  diftant  thofe  Extre- 
mities, fo  imprefs'd,  are  from 
each  other,  the  greater  we  judge 
the  Ob)e<ft  to  be  ;  and  in  like 
manner  on  the  contrary  :  info- 
much  that  it  is  firft  neceflary  to 
know  the  Diftance  of  an  Objetft, 
before  we  can  attain  to  the  true 
Knowledge  of  its  Magnitude  : 
And  therefore  whenever  we  are 
miftaken  in  the  Diftance,  we 
muft  neceflarily  be  deceived  in 
the  Magnitude  likewife  :  And 
confequently,  as  often  as  we  judge 
an  Objed  to  be  farther  from  us 
than  it  really  is,  we  imagine  it 
to  be  bigger  than  it  is  ;  becaufe 
the  farther  diftant  an  Objed  is, 

the 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

Can  leflen  nothing,  nor  contract  the  Frame, 
Nor  make  the  Fire  appear  a  milder  Flame  : 

NOTES. 


491 

Now 


the  lefs  will  be  the  Space  between 
the  incident  Points  of  the  Rays, 
that  make  the  Impreflion  on  the 
Retina  :  And  on  the  contrary, 
as  often  as  we  judge  the  Obje^ 
to  be  nearer  us  than  indeed  it  is. 
we  fancy  it  to  be  lefs  than  reaily 
it  is,  becaufe  the  Space  between 
the  Points  of  the  Rays,  dec.  is 
larger.  Hence  we  fee  the  Rea- 
fon,  why  it  is  fo  difficult  to  come 
by  the  true  Knowledge  of  the 
Sun's  Magnitude  :  For  the  Di- 
ftance  of  the  Sun  from  the  Equa- 
tor is  fo  hard  to  be  difcovered, 
that,  if  we  may  believe  Pliny^ 
to  endeavour  to  find  it  out,  pe- 
ne  dementis  otij  eft,  is  an  Im- 
ployment  fit  for  none  but  Mad- 
men.   Ricciolus  lilcewife  confef- 


fes,  that  the  Sublimity  of  the  Sun 
has  exceeded  and  baffled  hither- 
to the  Search  and  Invefligation 
of  all  Aftronomers.  However 
he  himfelf  fays,  in  Almagcft. 
lib.  3.  cap.  II.  That  the  true 
Magnitude  of  the  Sun  may  be 
known  from  its  true  Semidia- 
meter  ;  for  that,  being  doubled, 
gives  its  true  Diameter,  whence 
its  other  Species  of  Magnitude 
are  derived,  according  to  the 
Rule  of  Proportion.  This  Me- 
thod has  been  obferv'd  by  many 
of  the  raoft  learned  and  judici- 
ous Aftronomers,  whofe  Opini- 
ons concerning  the  Sun's  Magni- 
tude, may  be  feen  at  one  View 
in  the  following  Table, 


r  r  2 


The 


492                  L 

V  C  E 

.  E  T  lU  S. 

Book  V. 
1 

1  he  true  Magnitude  of  the  Sun 
compar'd  with  the  K  ar t h. 

The  S  u  nV 

True  Di- 

ameter. 

Circum» 

fere  nee. 

Area  of^ 
itsgrea-\ 
tefi  Cir- 
cle, 

■ 

Superji' 

ciss. 

Solidity, 

contains 

,. 

iccording  to  the  fol- 
lowing Authours, 

Simple 
Diam, 
of  the 
Earth, 

Simple 
Diam,    \ 
of  the      \ 
Earth, 

Square 
Diam, 
of  the 

Earth, 

Square 
Diam, 
of  the 
Earth, 

Solidity  of 
the  Earth, 

Ptolomi€us,  Mau'7 
rolycm  ,    Clavi'M,  /■ 
ani  £arocin£,         j 

^  1 

17   T 

24  0 

134  0 

166  I 

Afifiar-  "7  more  than 
chus      ^lefs    than 

Alhategiiiui 

6  J- 
7i 

20   i 
22  -f 

30  ^ 
38  c 

26  c 

127  c 

155    G 

2^54  tV 

368  i-. 

5  -h 

T8i 

108    0 

186  0 

Coperniciis 

■i  u 

1  it 

16  ^ ' 

22    0 
22   C 
26   0 

91    G 

161  -f 

Fycho  ani  Blancanm 

16  -; 

85    0 

95  ^ 

140  0 

Longomontanwi 

18  ,v 

196  0 

■ 

IS  0 

176   0 

46  C 

39  0 

3216  0 

21  c 

; 

R8<  0 

706  c 

176  c 

3375  0 

Lansbergii'A 

7  {i 

7  ° 

64    0 

24     0 

434  0 

BuUaldi'A 

^x     7 

l<,6  c 

343  0 

l^^endelini/A 

12S64  0 

262144  0 

Kircberii^ 

s 

16  0 

83    Q^          140    0 

^^eita    .                    iio  o 

> 

3i  T- 

ic6  ~;^ 

314  o\     loco  0 

'kicciohiS                      133    X 

3oo«:,6  0    oSfco  0 

Of 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


493 


Of  the  SUN. 


(tj 


HIS  glorious  Luminary  is  in  Hebrew  cali'd 
Chamah,  or   Scbernafh,  from  his  Hear,   or 
Adon  Schemez,  i.  e.  Dominus  Sol:  By  the 
Phoenicians,  Baal  Schemaim,  i.  e.    Dominus 
Coeli :  in  Chaldee,  Schemfo ;  in  Arabick,  El 
Scheme :  By  the  Greeks,  "Hai(^  and  9o?/i(^, 
quail  (pc^^  TV  /3i«,  i.  e.  Lux  vitae,  whence  the 
Latine,  Phoebus,  call'd  likewife  Titan,  Apollo,   Cor  Coeli, 
Dculus  Jovis,  2.nd" Ofu.fj.ct  'A(9ip(^;,  i.  e.  oculus  aecheris.     The 
,  Egyptians  call'd  the  Sun,  Potiris,  which  in  their  Language 
lignifies,  the  Holy  God;    and  Ofyris,  from   his   vital  and 
Icindly  Heat:  as,  on  the  contrary,  Typhon  and  Seth,    from 
I  lis  violent  and  deftrud:ive  Fervour  :  and  by  them  call'd  like- 
'vife  Horus  :  By  the  Perfians  Mithra  ;  i.  e.  Dominus  or  Dy- 
lefta :  by  the  antient  Arabs,  Urotalt,  i.  e.  Lucis  Deus ;  and 
Oufares,  or  Dai-LTfar,  i,  e.  Deus  perluftrans,  as  Sebedius  de 
Dijs  German,  interprets  thole  Names.     By  the  Syrians,  ac- 
ording  to  Macrobius,  the  Sun  was  call'd  Adad,  or,  as  Sca- 
iger  and  Selden  would  rather  have  it,  Ahad,  or  Elhad,  i.  e. 
mus  :  or  as  Pontanus  in  his  Notes  on  Macrobius,  Badad,  i.  e. 
>olus,  unicus.     Heraclitus,  as  Macrobius  in  Somn.  Scip.  lib. 
.  cap.  20..  <:alls  the  Sun  the  Fountain  of  all  celeftial  Light  and 
leat :  Moft  of  the  Antients,  as  Democritus,  Metrodorus,  Py- 
hagoras,  Plato,  8cc.  and  of  the  Moderns  likewife,/  as  Kepler, 
cheinerus,  Rheitas,Bulialdus,  Kircher,  Ricdoius,8cc.  imagine 
he  Sun  to  be  a  real  firy  Body,   confiftingof  true  proper  Ele- 
mentary Fire,  partly  liquid,   partly  folid  :  The  liquid  is  as 
:  were  an  Ocean  of  Light,  and  moves  with  flaming  Billows, 
nd  nry   Ebullitions  :  This  is  manifeft  to  thofe  who  regard 
lat  moft  glorious  Luminary,  by  the  help  of  a  Telefcope  : 
^he  folid  Parts  are,  like  the  Land  in  our  Terraqueous  Globe, 
ividedinto  Continents,  Iflands,  Mountains  and  Rocks,  as  if  it 
/ere  to  reftrain  the  vehement  Motion  of  the  exeftuating  folar 
)cean,  and  by  the  frequent  Allifions  to  repel,  diifipate  and 
"cak  the   impetuous  Force  of  it  3  to  the  end  it  may  wich 

greatg: 


494  LUCRETIUS,  Book  V. 

greater  Efficacy  impart  its  all-produdive  Virtue  to  the  Bodies 
on  which  it  beftows  Light  and  Influence. 

It  is  like  wife  probable,  that  within  the  folar  Globe,  as  in 
this  Earth  of  ours,  there  are  vaft  Caverns  and  Receptacles  of 
Fire,  that  break  out  of  the  Suns  ignivomous  Mountains,  in 
like  manner  as  fubterranean  Fires  are  ejedled  out  of  the 
Mountains  ^tna,  Hecia,  and  Vefuvius:  Befides,  the  folid 
Parts  of  the  Sun,  within  whofe  Bowels  is  contained  the  fluid 
and  liquid  Fire,  like  Metal  in  a  Furnace,  are  thoroughly  ig- 
fiify'd,  in  the  fame  manner  as  the  Bricks  of  the  Roofs  and 
Sides  of  Furnaces  are  made  red  hot,  and  look  of  the  fame 
Colour  as  the  firy  Mafs  of  melted  Matter  within  them. 

It  is  farther  fuppos*d,^liat  the  folid  Parts  of  the  Sun  con. 
fift  of  a  Matter  abeftinous  and  incombuftible,  and  far  bet- 
ter able  to  refift  the  Veracity  of  Fire  than  this  Earth  of  ours : 
Nay,  fuppofing  that  fome  Parts  of  the  Sun  here  and  there 
Ihould  be  confum'd,  and  whole  Mountains  be  level'd  and 
^vafted,  yet  there  is  no  neceifity  from  thence,  that  the  Globe 
of  the  Sun  fliould  be  totally  deftroy^d,  no  more  than  is  this 
Earth  by  the  frequent  Accidents  of  fuch  Kinds  of  Ruins  and 
Decays.  Moreover,  the  Splendour,  as  well  of  the  fluid,  as 
folid  Fire  of  the  folar  Globe,  is  evidently  fat  more  bright  than 
our  Fire  or  Flame  here  below  :  the  End  for  which  it  was 
made  neccfTarily  requiring  it  fhould  be  fo  :  Since  it  may 
reafonably  be  conjedur'd,  to  be  created  for  the  Fountain  of 
Light,  if  not  of  the  whole  World,  at  leaft  of  the  Planetary 
Syftem. 

It  is  likewife  obferv'd  ;  that  as  well  this  liquid  Sea  of  Fire, 
as  that  which  breaks  out  of  the  Caverns  and  Mountains, 
conftantly  exhales  fuliginous  Vapours,  not  black  and  footy, 
like  the  Smoke  of  our  Fire,  but  bright  and  clear ;  and  that 
thefe  Exhalations,  condenfing  in  the  ambient  ^ther,  do  in  a  ; 
manner  overcaft  the  Sun,  as  Clouds  overfliadow  the  Earth. 
From  all  which,  and  from  the  Evidence  of  frequent  Obfer^ 
vations,  lately  made  by  the  Help  of  the  T&lefcope,  is  ma- 
nifeft  the  Miftake  of  Ariftotle  and  his  Followers  ;  who  ima^ 
gine  the  Sun  to  be  an  unalterable  Subftance,  whereas  indeed 
he  is  fubjeifl  to  divers  Changes  and  Alterations :  which  not 
only  the  Generation  and  Produdlion,  but  the  DifToIution 
and  Corruption  likewife  of  feveral  Phsenomenons  in  the  Body 
of  the  Sun,  altogether  unknown  to  the  Antients,   clearly  det 

monftrate: 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  49; 

monftrate  '.'  Among  which  the  moft  remarkable  are  thofe,' 
which  Jare  Aftronomers  call  the  Maculae  folares,  and  the  Facu« 
lac  folares. 

The  Maculae,  or  Spots  are,  they  tell  us,  certain  cloudy 
obfcurities  appearing  upon  the  Disk  of  the  Sun  ;  and  fuppos'd 
jy  fome  to  be  a  fuliginous  obfcure  Matter  or  Exhalation^ 
bmetimes  clofely  compadled  into  one,  fometimcs  difpers'd 
md  diffipated  into  feveral  Parcels,  and  ifTuing  from  its  fer- 
ment firy  Body,  by  Force  of  its  extream  Heat :  But  whether 
hey  are  in  the  Sun  itfelf,  or  fome  Space  diftant  from  it,  is 
lot  certain  :  However,  it  is  from  feveral  Obfervations  moft 
probable,  that  they  are  in  the  very  Body  of  the  Sun,  or  at 
eaft  not  far  from  the  Surface  of  it :  They  are  very  irregular 
n  their  Shapes  and  Figures,  as  well  in  regard  to  their  Form 
IS  Size  ;  and  fome  of  them  are  more  durable  than  others  : 
\nd  thofe  that  have  the  longeft  Duration,  are  held  to  be  the 
blid  Parts  of  the  Sun,  and  it  is  believ'd  that  the  rcalbn  why 
:hey  difcover  themfelves  in  various  Figures,  and  of  different 
Magnitudes,  is  becaufe  of  the  vertiginous  Motion  of  the  Sun 
ibout  his  own  Axle,  reprefenting  them  to  our  Sight  in  di- 
i^ers  Situations. 

The  Faculas  folares  are  held  to  be  partly  mafTy  Globes  of 
Fire,  that  burft  out  of  the  ignivOmous  folar  Mountains  3  and 
which,  by  reafon  of  their  Brightnefs,  fhine  amidft  the  Ma- 
culae, or  fuliginous  cloudy  Vapours,  and  fometimes  difap- 
pear  in  a  fhort  fpace  of  time,fometimes  continue  long  vifible  : 
and  partly  Effervenciesof  the  exeftuating  folar  Ocean ;  which, 
by  reafon  of  the  exceHive  innate  Fervour  of  the  Globe  of 
the  Sun,  boils  up  into  mighty  Waves,  like  fo  many  Moun- 
tains of  Light,  that  fcatter  and  diiperfe  the  darker  Maculae, 
land  difcover,  as  it  were  a  firy  Ocean,  fluduating  and  agi- 
tated with  framing  Billows  of  exceflive  Splendour  :  But  Schei- 
nerus  in  difquifit.  Mathem.  defines  them  thus  :  Faculss  Tunc 
areolae  in  fole  lucidiores  reliquo  ejufdem  corpore :  i.  e.  The 
Faculae  are  certain  fmall  Plats,  or  Quarters  in  the  Sun,bright- 
er  than  the  reft  of  his  Body.  Ga!ila;o  in  Letter.  3.-  delle 
Macchie  Solari,  defcribes  them  as  follows  ;  In  the  Face  of 
jihe  Sun,  fays  he,  there  appear  certain  Marks,  brighter  thaa 
'the  reft,  and  which  obferve  the  fame  Motion  as  the  Macu- 
la:  :  Nor  can  it  be  doubted  but  that  they  are  inherent  in  the 
very  Body  of  the  Sun  j  becaufe  it  is  not  credible,  that  there 

can 


^6  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

can  be  any  Subftance  more  rcfnigfrnt  than  that  pf  the  Sun 

Laftly,  This  Obfervation  of  the  Sun's  Spots  and  Lights 
has  given  Occaiion  to  Aftronomers  to  remark,  that  the 
Sun,  befides  his  Motion  of  Revolution,  diurnal  and  annual, 
according  to  the  Hypothefis  of  the  Immobility  of  the  Earthy 
has  likewife  a  Motion  from  Eaft  to  Weft  about  his  own  Axle : 
which  Converfion  is  finifli'd,  according  to  fomc,  in  the  fpace 
of  twenty  feven  Days,  or  thereabouts :  According  to  Kepler 
and  others,  in  twenty  four  Hours:  but  others  aflign  it  a. 
much  more  wonderful  Celerity,  particularly  Otto  de  Guer- 
rick,  who  affirms  the  vertiginous  Courfe  of  the  Sun  to  be 
compleated  in  a  moments  Space.  AH  which  confider'd,  to- 
gether with  what  we  faid  before  of  the  Sun's  Magnitude,  we 
may  well  fay  with  Lucretius  i 

Nam  licet  hinc  mundi  patefadtum  totius  unum 
Largifluum  fontem  fcatere,  atque  erumpere  flumen 
Ex  omni  mundo,  quo  fie  elementa  vaporis 
Undique  conveniunt,  8c  fie  congeftus  eorum 
Confluit,  ex  uno  capite  hie  ut  profluat  ardor. 

And  conclude  with   the  fame  Poet,  That  it  is  no  wonder 
the  Sun  difpenfes  fo  much  Light  and  Heat  to  the  Earth. 

As  to  the  Figure  of  the  Sun,  Epicurus  affirm'd  nothing  for 
certain  concerning  that  neither,  but  only  faid,  that  the  vari- 
ous Opinions  of  feveral  Men,  of  the  different  Figure  of  the 
Sun,  might  for  any  thing  he  knew  to  the  contrary,  be  all  of 
them  true.  Mean  while  Vis  certain  that  the  Opinions  difter'd 
concerning  the  Figure  of  the  Sun  likewife  :  For  L  the  Py^ 
thagoreans,  Platonicks,  Peripateticks  and  Stoicks  held  the 
Sun  to  be  globous.  IL  Anaximenes  believ'd  it  to  be  flat^ 
and  broad  like  a  Leaf,  or  Plate  of  Iron,  or  other  Metal. 
111.  Others  to  be  in  Shape  like  a  Difh  or  Platter.  IV.  Hera- 
clitus  would  have  the  Sun  crooked,  and  bending  like  the  Keel 
of  a  Boat  :  They  gave  likewife  the  fame  different  Figures  to 
the  Moon  and  Stars.  The  Figure  of  the  Sun  is  now  uni* 
.verfally  held  to  be  globous. 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

6 1 3  Now  fince  the  vig'rous  Rays  do  freely  flow 


497 


As  far  as  us,  and  vific  all  below; 

Their  Fires,  and  Figures  are  the  fame  they  fliow 

Nor  greater  all,  nor  Jefs^ 

And  thus  the  Moon, 

Whether  with  borrow'd  Rays,  or  with  her  own 
6io  She  view  the  World,  carries  no  larger  Size, 

No  fiercer  Flames,  than  thofe  that  ftrike  our  Eyes. 

For  Objects,  farremov'd,  at  Difl:ance  feen. 

When  too  much  hind'ring  Air  is  plac'd  between, 

No  certain  Figure  fhow  :     no  Eye  can  trace 
625  Each  Line,  each  Figure  of  the  diftant  Face : 


} 


But 


NOTES. 


6x9'   Borrow'd  Rays]       For  jas  the  San  has,    but  only  a  mu- 
fome  hold  the  Moon  to  have  no  Jtuatitious  Light,    and  borrow'd 


Light  but  what  flie  borrows  from 
the  Sun  :     but  others  will  have 
her  iliine  with  no  Light  but  her 
own  :     Lucretius  does  not  decide 
this  Controverfy,    but  only  pro- 
pofes  each  Opinion,    'Tis  moft 
probable,  and  generally  believ'd 
however,  that  the  Moon   bor- 
rows her  Light  from  the  Sun. 
This  Opinion  is  grounded  on  the 
Opacity  of  that  Planet,    which 
indeed  proves  the  Moon  to  be  al- 
together depriv'd   of  any  innate 
or  proper  Light  of  her  own  : 
And  this  Opacity  is  demonftra- 
bly  prov'd  j  becaufe  in  her  total 
Eclipfesj    ilie  wholely  lofes  her 
Luftre  :  v;hich,  on  the  contrary, 
if  Iliehad  any  of  her  own,  would 
rather,  in  the  greateft  Darknefs, 
become  more  vifible  and  confpi- 
cuous :    whence  it  is   rationally 
concluded,  that  all  the  Light  fhe 
has,is  from  the  Sun,  and  that  the 
Moon,  as  fhe  is  an  opacous,   fo 
too  file  is  a  denfe  Body,    fitted, 
and  apt  to  receive  and  reflecf^  the 
Light  of  the  Sun.    Macrobius, 
giving  theRcafonjwhy  the  Moon, 
when  file  iliines,  does  not  impart 
any  Warmth,  as  weJl  as  the  Sun, 
but  only  reflecfts  the  Light,    like 
a  Looking-glafs,    afcribes  it  to 
Iser  having  no  LigTit  of  her  own, 


from  the  Sun  ;  which  her  being 
plac'd  beneath  the  Sun,  evident- 
ly evinces  :  His  Words  are  thefe, 
Lunam,  qu^  luceproprid  caret,& 
de  fole  mutuatur.neceflTe  eft  fonti 
lumims  fui  elTe  fubjedam:  Hxc 
?  enim  ratio  facit  lunam  non  ha- 
bere lumen  proprium,  c^eteras 
omnesftellas  lucere  fuo,  quod 
Jila;  fupra  folem  locate,  in  ipfo 
purifiimo  icthere  funt,  in  qua 
omne,  quicquid  eft,   luxnatura-. 

iis&  fuaeft. ,  Luna  vero, 

quia  fola  ipfa  fub  fole  eft,  &  ca- 
ducorum  jam  regioni  luce  fu4 
carenti  proxima,  lucem  nifi  de 
fuperpofito  fole,    cui  refplendet, 

habere  non  potuit »  Luna 

fpeculi  inftar,   lumen,    quo  iilu- 
ftratur  emittit ;    dc  fit  accepts 
luci  penetrabilis  adeo,  ut  earn  de 
fe  rurfus  emittat,  nullum  tamen 
ad  nos  perfercntem  fenfum  calo- 
ris,  quia  lueis  radius,    cum  ad 
nos  deorigine  fui,  id  eft,  de  fo- 
le pervenit,   naturam  fecum  ig- 
nis,  de  quo  nafcitur,    devehit  ; 
cum  vero  in  luna:  corpus  infun" 
ditur,  &:  inde  refplendet,    folam 
refundit  claritudinem,  non  calo- 
rem  ;    nam   &c  fpeculum,    cum! 
fplendorera  de  fe  vi  oppofiti  emi- 
nus  ignis  emittic,  folaip  ignis  li- 
milicudinem  carentem  fenfu  ca- 
S  f  f  loris 


498  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

But  fince  the  Mooi^  prefents  a  certain  Size,  y 

A  certain  Shape,  and  Figure,  to  our  Eyes,  ^ 

*Tis  plain,  that  it  appears  as  great  as  'tis.  ^ 

Bat  farther  on :  Since  all  our  Flames  below, 
630  At  Diftance  feen,  do  various  Sizes  fliow; 
Now  lower  (ink,  now  raife  their  lofty  Head, 
And  now  contraded  feem,  now  farther  fpread  : 
We  may  conclude  the  Stars,  when  feen  from  far,     7 
Or  fomewhat  greater  than  their  Figures  are,  ^ 

655  Or  fomewhat,  tho'  but  little  lefs,   appear.  3 

But  more  :  no  Wonder  that  fuch  vaft  Supplies,  y  ■ 
Such  Streams  of  Rays  from  this  fmall  Sun  fhouId> 
As  cherifli  all  with  Heat,  and  fill  the  Skies.  (rife,  3 

For  we  may  fancy  this  the  Spring  of  Fire, 
640  To  which  the  Vapours  of  the  World  retire  ; 
There  gather  into  Streams,  and  thence  they  fall. 
As  from  the  Fountains  Head,   and  fpread  o'er  all: 

Thus 
NOTES. 


loris  oftendit,  dec,  Tn  Somn.  Scip.  | 
lib,  r.  cap.  ip.  and  Cicero,  lib.  2.1 
de  Naturi  Deor.  is  of  the  f^im 
Opinion.  And  Feftus,in  voce  Mu- 
lus,  obferves,  that  the  Moon  is 
faid  to  be   drawn  by  Mules,    ini 
Regard  to  her  borrow'd   Light  : 
becaufe,    as  Mules  are  not  gene- 
rated out  of  their  own  Kind.buti 
of  a  Horfe  ;  fo  the  Moon  is  faid; 
to  Hiine,  not  with  her  own,    but] 
t\otho  lumine,    as  Lucretius  in  I 
this  Place,  and  after  him  Catul- 
lus exprefies  it,    with  a  Baftar-:! 
Light,  which  ilie  derives  from 
the  Sun.     And  Milton,  fpeakiii' 
of  the  Sun,  calls  him 

.— ■ — r,'  ■    •  Great  Palace   of  all 


their 


Light ! 
To  him,    as  to 

other  Stars 
Repairing,    in  their  golden  Urns 

draw  Light  ^ 
And  hence  the  Morning-Planet 

gilds  her  Horiis. 


nitude  of  the  other  Stars  and 
Planets:  of  which  we  have  al- 
ready fpoken  at  large,  v.  551. 

6'^6.  But  more,  Sec.']  But  it 
feems  almofl  impoffible,  that  fo 
much  Heat  and  Light,  as  are 
diffus'd  thro*  the  whole  Sky,  im- 
menfe  as  it  is,  ihould  flow  from 
fo  fmall  a  Body  as  the  Sun,  if  it 
be  no  bigger  than  it  appears  to 
be.  To  fatisfy  this  Difficulty, 
Lucretius  teaches,  in  9.  v.  that 
we  may  imagine  the  Sun  to  be  as 
the  perpetual  Source  of  Light 
and  Heat :  becaufe  the  Seeds  of 
Light  and  Heat  continually  flow 
from  all  Parts  of  the  tlniverfe 
into  the  Body  of  the  Sun,  as  into 
a  great  Foitntain  :  fo  that  we 
feel  and 


ca.    *  •     I'""'-  -"""perceive  the   Heat  and 

Foun.am,    Light,  nJt  of  the  Sun  only,  but 

,,  „       f  of  the  whole  World  :    To  which 

he  adds,    in  10.  v.    that  perhaps 

the  Air,  near  the  Sun,    is  fet  a- 

fire  by  his  Beams  :    and  that  ma- 

T    r  u  ■^u*.*.i     ^t         J  ny  flry  Particles,  invifible  to  us, 
Lefs  bright  the  Moon  S>^  ^l^,,^        ^t^„,    ^^3  Orb 

Mirrour :      v.icii  full   Face  I  ^^^^  ,^^^^^  -^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^^J 

a  ProfulTon  of  Light  and  Heat, 
Thus  Lucretius,  in  a  Thing  fo 
doubtful,    dares  pronounce  no- 


His 

borrowing  her  Light 
From  him,  Sec. 

_  629.  But   farther,    Sec  ]      In 
thsVs  7.  V.  he  fpeaks  of  the  Mag- 


thing  for  certain. 


6^2,  Diik 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  499 

Thus  have  we  feen  a  little  Fountain  yield 
Vaft  fpreading  Screams,  and  fiow  o'er  all  the  Field. 
645      Or  elfe  the  Sun  might  kindle  ncighb'ring  Air, 
And  raife  furprizing  Heat  and  Fervour  there  ; 
Perchance  the  Air  is  of  convenient  Frame,' 
And  may  be  kindled  by  a  little  Flame : 
As  oft  in  Straw  and  Corn  fierce  Flames  prevail, 
650  From  one  poor  falling  Spark,  and  fpread  o'er  all : 
Or  elfe  the  Sun  has  fecretftores  of  H^t, 
Dark,  and  unfiiining  Scores,  but  vaftly  great  : 
And  thefe  increafe  the  Warmth,  thefe  move  the  Senfe, 
And  thefe,  united,  make  the  Heat  intenfe. 
655     How  tovi^'rds  both  Poles  the  Suns  fixt  Journey  bends. 
And  how  the  Year  his  crooked  Walk  attends, 

Why 
NOTES. 

6^2.    Dark    Stores    of  Heat]  I  are  tranfcrib'd,  Word  for  Word, 
The  Original  has,  ciccis  fervori-  !  from  Cowley,    David,    i.    p.  ip. 
bus,    that  is  to  fay,    invifible  to  j  of  the  Folio  Edition.     The  Ori- 
iis  :     For,    as  PafTeratius  notes,  f  ginal  runs  thus  : 
ca'cus  fignifies    not   only    what  | 

does  not  fee,    but  aho  whatever    Nee  ratio  folis  limplex,  nee   cer- 
is  not  feen.     Csecum  non   tan-  j      ta  parefcit, 
turn  quod  non  vider,   fed  etiam  !  Quo  pacflo  seftivis  e  partibus  ^- 
quicquid  non  videtur.     In  Pro-  I      gocerotis, 
pert.  lib.  2.  Eleg.  27.  1  Brumalcs  adeat  flexus,  atquein- 

^55.  How  towards,  &C.3     Inj      de  revertens 
Order    to    explain    the  annual  \  Canceris  ad   metas  vertit    fe  ad 
Courfe  of    the    Sun,     and    the        folftitialcs. 
monthly  Courfe  of  the  Moon,  | 

through  the  twelve  Signs  of  the  |  Vvhich  our  Tranflatcur  has  ren- 
Zodiack,  he  iirft  propofes,  in  I  der'd  in  the  two  Veilcs>  that  fol- 
25.  V.  the  Opinion  of  Democri-  j  low  thefe  of  Cowley, 
tus,  who  taught,  that  the  lower  j  Both  Poles]  The  South  and 
Spheres  are  roul'd  and  whirl'd  |  North  Pole,which  are  two  Points 
around  by  the  higheft  Orb,call'd  j  about  which  the  Heavens  are 
the    Primum    Mobile,      either    roul'd:     fo  call'd   from  'uTo^':^J^ 


fwifter  or  more  flow,  according 
to  the  Diftance  of  each  Sphere 
from  that  higheft  Orb  :     Thus 


I  turn,  whence  the  Latines  call'd 
them  vertices.  The  North  Pole 
is  always   vifible  to  us,    and  to 


the  Sun  moves  fwifter  than  the    the  French,    Italians,  Sec.     The 


Moon ;  becaufe  the  Sun  is  higher, 
and  therefore  the  Signs  more  fel- 
dom  overtake,  and  pafs  by  him, 
than  they  do  by  her  :  Nor  is  it 
then  ftrange,  that  the  Moon 
runs  thro*  all  the  Signs  in  one 


South  is  never  feen  by  us,  but 
by  thofe  whom  we  call  Antipo- 
des.    See  above  v.    54.5. 

6e,6.  His  crooked  Walk]  Cow- 
ley calls  the  Walk  of  the  Sun 
crooked,  by  Reafon  of  the  Obli- 


Month,  which  the  Sun  goes  thro'  J  quity  of  the  Zodiack,thro'  which 
but  in  twelve.  |  he  makes  his  annual  Revolution, 

The  two  iirft  of  thefe  Verfes   SeetheNoteonv.d^i. 

S  f  f  2  63S.  The 


500  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

Why  from  the  Summers  Height  he  foon  declines^ 
And  falls  to  vifit  the  cold  Winter  Signs, 

And 

NOTES, 


<^58.  The  cold   Winter  Signs] 
The  SignSj  in  matter  of  Ailro- 
logy,  are    Afterifms,    or  Confi- 
gurations of  fix 'd  Stars:    which 
are  imaginiary  Forms,  devis'd  by 
Aftrologers^,  the  better  to  com- 
prehend and    diftinguilli    thole 
Stars  from  one  another  :    Thus 
one  Afteriim  is  calPd  the  Bear, 
another  the  Dragon,  dec.   to  the 
Number  of  forty  eight  in  ail,  ac- 
cofding  to  the  antient  Aftrolo 
gers  *,  befides  a  few  lately  inven- 
ted  by  the  Difcoverers    of  the 
South  Pole.   It  is  not  agreed  who 
£rft  reduc'd  the  Stars  into  Afte- 
rifms,   or  Conftellations  :     nor 
is  it  an  eafy  Task  to  reconcile  the 
different  Morphofes  or  Figures 
in  the    feveral    Spheres   of  the 
Chaldeans,  Perfians,  Egyptians, 
Greeks,  Arabians,  Indians,  Chi- 
nefes  and  Tartars :     of  whofe  O- 
pinions  in  this  Matter,    the  rari- 
ous  Difference  may   be  feen  in 
the  Defcription  of  Abu  Maflier, 
commonly  call'd  Albumazar,  in 
Aben  Ezra  de  Decanis  Signorura, 
publiili'd     by  Scaliger  ,     in    his 
Note^  onManilius :  Of  all  which 
Salmafius,  in  Prxfat.  ad  DJatrib. 
de     Antiq.     Aftrolog.    believes 
thofe  of  the  Greeks,    which  are 
moft  cttmmonly   us'd   amongft 
us,  tobeoflateft  DAtet     As  t6 
the  Names  of  the    Scars,    it  is 
fcarce  doubted,    but  that  Adam 
firft  impos'd  them  ;  tho  all  thofe 
Appellations,    except  lome  few 
preferv'd  in  Scripture,  are  fince 
utterly   loft  »  Yet  moft  of  the 
Names   we  now  ufe,  are  above 
two  Thoufand  Years  ftanding,as 
appears  by  Heliod  and   Homer. 
They  were  not  however  all  nam'd 
at     one    and     the  fame  Time  ; 
for  fome  are  of  late   Denomina- 
tion, particularly  that  which  Co- 
non,  Antinous,   and  others  call 


Coma  Berenices.  Some  report 
Aftrseus  to  be  the  firft  who  gave 
names  to  the  Stars  :  whom  fqr 
that  Reafon 


■Fama  Pa-centem 


Tradidit  Aftrorum- 


As  Aratus  fays  in  Germanicus  : 
and  others  afcribe  it  to  Mercury : 
~_  i  To  give  the  feveral  Names  of  the 
Signs  and  Conftellations,  would 
engage  me  in  too  tedious  aTask  : 
I  will  therefore  confine  my  felf 
to  the  two  Lucretius  here  menti- 
ons, which  are  ^goceros  and 
Cancer. 

-SEgoceros,  by  %hQ  Greeks,  call'd 
'AiyoKip^,  from  ai^,  a  Goat,  and 
>t£^s-,  a  Horn,  and  ^Aiy'iTrciv '  by 
theLatines,  Capricornus  •,  Hircus 
^quoris  by  Afdepiadiusand  Vo- 
maniis,  Pelagi  Procella  by  Vita- 
lis  :  and  thus  Horace, 

-Tyrannus 


HefperiiE  Capricbrnus  undx. 

The  Poets  fabled,  that  ^goeerps 
was  born  of  the  Goa'tofAmatthea, 
and  plac'd  by  Jupiter  among  the 
Stars,  in  Memory  of  than  God's 
having  been   nourifli'd  with  the 

_  fame  Milk.     Some  fay,  that  this 
was  made  a  Conftellation  in  Ho- 

I  nourof  ^^gipan,  the  Son  of  Jupi- 
ter by  the  Olenian  Goat  ;  but 
others,  with  more  reafon,  that 
jT^gipan  was  Fofter-Brother  to  Ju- 
piter, and  Son  of  ./Ega,  the  Wife 
of  Pan,  from  whence  he  had  his 
Name,  And  EafTus  in  Germa- 
nic, from  the  Authority  of  Epi- 
menides,  writes,  that  j^gipan  af- 
fifted  Jupiter  in  his  Wars  againft 
the  Titans,  and  help'd  him  to 
put  on  his  Armour  ;  for  which 
reafon  he  was  honoured  vv'ith  this 
Cdeftial 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


foi 


And  then  returns.     And  why  the  nimble  Moon 
^^oDoes  drive  her  Chariot  fafterthan  the  Sunj 
And  in  one  Month  thro'  all  the  Zodiack  go. 
While  the  grave  Sun's  a  year  in  walking  thro': 

NOTES. 


For 


Celeftial  Dignity  :  He  was  re- 
prefented  half- Goat,    half-Fiili, 
the  reafon  of  which,  fays  the  Scho- 
liaft    on  Aratus,    was,    hecaufe 
having  found   on  the  Sea-iliore, 
the  Shell  of  a  Miirex  or  Purple- 
Fiflij  he  wound  it  as   if  it  had 
been  a  Horn,  and  fo  ftnick  a  Pa- 
nick  Fear  into  the  Titans,  whence 
he  came  to  be  figur'd  with  a  Tail 
like  a  Sea-monfter.   The  Sun  en- 
tring  into  this  Sign,  makes  the 
Winter  Solftice.     Cancer,  by  the 
Greeks  call'd  Kct^ii/v©' ,  a  Crab 
is  faid  to  have  been  kill'd  by  Her- 
cules for  biting  him  by  the  Foot, 
when  he  encounter'd  the  Serpent 
Hydra,  and  to  have  been  made  a 
Conftellation  at  the  Intreaty  of 
Juno.     This  Sign  is  in  that  Part 
of  the   Heaven,    which  the  Sun 
reaches  about  the  middle  of  June, 
and    then    makes  our    greateft 
HeatSjlongefl:  Days  and  Summer- 
Solffcice  :    Moreover,  thefe  two 
Signs,  Cancer  and  Capricornus, 
are  celebrated  by  the  Chaldaick, 
Pythagorean  and  Platonick  Phi- 
lofophers,  the  firft  of  them  for 
being  the  Gate  by  which  Souls 
descend  into  humane  Bodies  ;the 
laft  for  being  that  by  which  they 
re-afcend   into  Heaven,    whence 
they   call   Cancer,    Porta  homi- 
num,    and   Capricornus,    Porta 
deorum.      Macrobius  in  Somn. 
Scip.  lib.  I.  cap.  12.  fays,  that  the 
natural  Philofophers  call'd  thefe 
two  Signs,  Portas  Solis,  the  Gates 
of  the  Sun  ;    and   then  having 
the  reafon  of  it,  he  adds   :  Per 
has  portas  anim^v  de  coelo  in  ter- 
ras nieare,  Sc  de  terris  in  coelum 
remeare  creduntur  :    ideo  homi- 
num  una,  altera  Deorum  voca- 
rur  :  hominum  Cancer,  quia  per 
hunc  in  inferiora  defcenfus  eft  : 


Capricornus  Deorum,  quia  per 
ilium  animaz  in  propriie  immor- 
talitatis  fedem,  6c  in  Deorum 
numerum  revertuntur.  See  like- 
wife,  Ccel.  Rhodig.  Antlq.  Lecl. 
lib.  15.  cap.  23.  and  Kircher  in 
OEdip.  Tfcgypt.  Tom.  2.  p.  535. 

660.  Her  Chariot,  <3ic.]  Ho- 
mer and  Ovid  make  the  Moo« 
to  be  drawn  in  a  Chariot  by  two 
Horfes,  one  black,  the  other 
white  ]  of  which  BalHis  in  Ger- 
manic, gives  this  reafon,  becaufe, 
fays  he,  (he  fometimesjs  feen  by 
Day,  as  well  as  in  the  Night. 
Others  will  have  her  to  be  drawn 
by  Oxen  :  and  therefore  Nonnus 
in  Dionyf  lib.  12.  calls  her, 

Of  both  which  we  have  exprefs 
Reprefentations  in  the  Roman 
Coins  ;  and  particularly  in  thofe 
of  the  Emprefs  Julia  Domna, 
See  Triftan.  in  his  Commentar. 
Tom.  2.  p.ig.  129.  She  is  likewifa 
faid  to  be  drawn  by  Mules,  of 
which  we  have  fpokon  above,  v. 
61 9.  Claudian  lib.  3.  de  laudibus 
Sciliconis, makes  her  to  be  drawn 
by  Stags  in  regard  of  thefwifcnefs 
of  her  Motion  :  and  fo  too  Hie 
is  reprefented  in  fevcral  Confi-ilar 
and  Imperial  Coins,  thac  may 
be  feen  in  Urfinus,  Golzius,  and 
Gorla:us. 

661.  662.  Zodiack]  The  Zo- 
diack is  called  by  Prolomy  Ku- 
JCA©'  r^S^v  XooSicoVs  the  Circle  of 
Animals,  becaufe  it  is  divided  in- 
to twelve  Signs,  all  of  which  re- 
femble,  either  Men  or  fome  other 
living  Creatures,  that  are  de~ 
fcrib'd  and  mark'd  in  the  Zadi- 
ack  at  equal  Diftances  from  one 
another  By  the  Latines  it  is 
call'd  Signifer,  and  by  the  Greeks 


f02 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


2jf/^£0(popi^.  It  is  defcrib'd  to  be 
a  Circle,  or  rather  a  Zone,  obli- 
quely paffing  from  Eaft  to  Weft, 
by  the  Equinodliai  and  Solftitial 
Points,  and  parted  in  the  mid  ft 
by  the  Ecliptick,  which  divides 
it  into  two  Parts,  the  one  Nor- 
thern, the  other  Southern,  both 
which  are  terminated  by  the  Cir- 
cumferences of  two  imaginary 
Circles,  lefs  than  one  of  the 
great  CircIsS;  and  is  far  diftant 
from  the  Ecliptick,  as  is  the 
greateft  Latitude  of  any  Planet 
from  thence.  The  Invention  of 
this  Circle  is  by  fome  afcrib'd  to 
Pythagoras,  by  others  to  OE- 
nepides  the  Chian,  and  by  others 
to  Anaximander  the  Milefian. 
See  Plutarch,  de  Placic.  Philo- 
foph.  and  Pliny,  lib.  2.  cap.  8. 
Manilius,  lib.  i.  v.  <^75.  fpealdng 
of  the  Zodiack,  fays,  1 

Nee  vifus  aciemque  fugit,  tan- 

tumque  notari  I 

Mente    poteft,     ficut  cernuntur] 

mente  priores  ;  I 

Sed  nitet  ingenti  ftellatus    bal- 

theus  orbe, 
Infignemque  facit  ccelato  lumin-e 

mundum. 

Which  Creech  reoders  as  follows  : 

It  is  not  hid,  nor  is  it  hard  to' 

find,  I 

Like  others,   open  only   to  the; 

Mind  :  ' 

For  like  a  Belt,  with   Studs  of 

Stars,  the  Skies 
It  girds,  and  graces  ;  and  invites 

the  Eyes. 


f  poetically,    making  the  Zodiack 
a  viiible  Circle,becaufe  the  twelve 
Signs  moving  in  it  are  viiible  ; 
but   properly  fpeaking,    as  it  is 
I  taken  for  a  Fafcia  or  Zone  only, 
I  it  is  no  otherwife  perceptible  than 
I  by  reafon  ;  and  therefore  Gemi- 
nus  in  Ifagog,  rightly  fays.  That 
of  all  the  Circles  in  the  Heavens, 
'  only  the  Via  Ladea  is  perceiva- 
[  ble  by  Senfe,  the  others  being  no 
[  otherwife  difcernible  than  by  the 
I  Eye  of  E.eafon.^    Moreover  con- 
\  cerning  the   Zodiack,    there  are 
,thefe  five  things  that  chiefly  de- 
fer veto  be  known.   Lit  is  divi- 
f  ded  into  ^60  Parts  or   Degrees : 
I  each  Sign  into  30  Degrees  •,  one  of 
I  which  Degr2es,or  thereabouts,the 
I  Sun    makes  or  compleats  every 
I  day,  by  his  primary  or  own  pro- 
■  per  Motion,  proceeding  or  going 
;  forward  from  the  Weft  to  Eaft  ; 
I  and  thus  in  about  the  fpace  of  a 
I  year  he  runs  through   the  twelve 
i  Signs ;  mean  while  by  his  fecon- 
Idaiy  or  common  Motion,  which 
tlie  Latins  calls  Raptus,  a  Whirl, 
proceeding  from  Eaft  to  Weft,he 
makes  the  Compafs  of  the  whole 
Earth  in   the  fpace  of  four  and 
twenty  hours.  1 1.  The  Order  and 
Names  of  the  Signs  are  contain'd 
in  thefe  verfes  : 

Sunt    Aries,    Taurus,    Gemini, 

Cancer,  Leo,  Virgo, 
Libraque,    Scorpius,  Arcitenens, 

Caper,  Amphora,  Pifc&s. 


And  Scaliger,  in  his  Note  on  that  | 
PaiTage,  farther  obferves,  chat  it! 
has  this  in  common  with  the  Ga- 
laxy or  Milky  Way,  that  both 
of  them  are  not,    like  all   the 
other  Circles  of  the  Sphere,  aoV&> 
2r£op//o/,  perceivable  only  to  Rea- 
fon, but  that  they  are  both  of 
them  vifible  to  the  Sight  like- ^ 
wife,    which  none  of  the  others  j 
are.  Yet  Manilius  feems  to  fpeak 


Which  being  moft  of  them  Ani- 
mals, the  Circle  was  from  thence 
cail'd  Zodiack,  from  the   Greek 
Word  '(cvhov,  which  fignifies  an 
Animal,  as  we  hinted  before.  II  J. 
Aries  anfwers   to  the  Month  of 
March,  about  the  tenth  of  which 
Month  the  Sun  is  faid   to  enter 
into  that  Sign,  and  tjo  run  thro* 
aJI  of  it  by  about   the  tenth   of 
April,  at   which  Time  he  enters 
into' Taurus  :    and   in  like  man- 
ner of  all  the  reft.  IV.  It  is  caJl'd 
oblique,  becaule  it  is  not  at  an 
equal  diftance  from  each  Pole  : 

l^.uc 


, 


^0? 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

For  this  a  thoufand  Reafons  may  be  fhown  j 
But  yet  'tis  hard,  nor  fafe,  to  fix  on  one. 

66^  For  firft,  Democritvs  has  found  the  Caufe 
Perhaps,  and  rightly  fettled  Natures  Laws  ; 
For  thus  he  fays :  Great  Orbs  are  whirl'd  above,' 
And  by  that  Whirl  the  lower  Circles  move  ; 
And  fo  the  diftant  Orbs,  that  lie  below, 

670  Far  from  this  Spring  of  Motion,  move  but  flow, 

Becaufe  the  Pow'r  ftill  lefTens.     Thus  the  Sun  y 

Is  far  outftripc  by  nimble  Stars,  that  run'  C, 

In  higher  Rounds  :  much  more  the  lower  MooNi       \ 
Now  fince  file's  plac'd  fo  low,  fince  weak  tiie  Force, 

675  She  can  not  have  an  equal  nimble  Courfe 

With  Stars  ;  fo  thefe  may  overtake  the  Moon, 
And  pafs  beyond  heroft'ner,  than  the  Sun  : 
Thus  fhe  may  feem  to  move,  her  walk  appear 
Thro'  all  the  Signs,  'caufe  they  return  to  her. 

Beddes  ; 

NOTES. 


but  being  carryM  crofs  the  Tor- 
rid Zone,  it  reaches  both  the 
Tropicks,  and  twice  divides  the 
Circle  of  the  Equator.  In  the 
firft:  Degree  of  Cancer  it  touches 
the  North  Tropick,  which  is 
thence  call'd  the  Tropick  of  Can- 
cer :  It  touches  the  South  Tro- 
pick in  the  iirft  Degree  of  Ca- 
pricorn, whence  that  Tropick 
has  the  Name  of  the  Tropick  of 
Capricorn.  It  cuts  the  Equator 
in  the  firft  Degree  of  Aries^  and 
in  the  firft  Degree  of  Libra.  V. 
When  the  Sun  comes  to  the  Tro- 
pick of  Cancer,  about  the  tenth 
of  June,  then  is  our  Height  of 
Summer,  or  Summer-Solftice  : 
when  about  the  tenth  of  Decem- 
ber, he  reaches  the  Tropick  of 
Capricorn,  then  is  our  Depth  of 
Winter,  or  the  Winter-Solftice. 
Thefe  Tropicks  have  their  name 
from  Tpa-TTO),  I  turn,  becaufe 
when  the  Sun  has  reach'd  to 
either  of  them,  he  turns  his 
Courfe  back  again  towards  the 
other.    Moreover,  when  the  Sun 


reaches  to  the  Se<flion  of  Aries, 
which  he  does  about  the  tenth  of 
March,  then  is  the  Vernal  Equi- 
nox ;  when  he  comes  to  the  Se- 
ction of  Libra,  about  the  twelfth 
of  September,  then  is  the  Autum* 
nal  Equinox, 

662.  While  the,  &:c.]  To  the 
fame  purpofe  Cowley  : 

The  felf  fame  Sun 
At  once  does  flow  and  fwiftly 

run : 
Swiftly  his  daily  Jouj-ney  goes. 
But  treads  his    annual    with  a 

ftatelier  Pace  ; 
And  does  three  hundred  Rounds 

inclofe 
Within  one  yearly  Circles  Space, 
At  once  with  double   Courfe  in 

the  fame  Sphere, 
He  runs  the  Day,  and  walks  the 

Year. 

66^.  Democritus,  dfc."]  Of  him 
See  B.  3.  V.  356.  and  v.  104.4.  and 
B.  4.  V.  335. 

(5So.  Belides, 


504 


LU  C  R  E  TIU  Si 


-«•> 


Book  V^ 


^80     Befides;  by  Turns  a  conftant  Stream  of  Air, 
At  fixt  and  certain  Seafons  of  the  Year, 
Might  rnfti  from  either  Part,  and  make  the  Sun  decline,' 
And  fail  from  Summer  to  the  Winter  Sign  : 
Or  drive  it  up  again,  and  bring  the  Rays 

685  And  Heat  to  us,  and  fhew  us  longer  Days. 

And  thus  the  Moon,  thus  other  Stars  may  rife. 
And  fink  again  into  the  Winter  Skies, 
Driv'n  by  thefe  two  conftant  Streams  of  Air.  , 

For  Clouds  in  Storms  two  difF  rent  ways  do  move, 

690  The  lower  oppofite  to  thofe  above  : 

What  wonder  then  the  Sun  with  vig'rous  Beams, 
And  Stars  are  driven  by  two  conftant  Streams  ? 

And  Day  may  end,  and  tumble  down  the  West, 
And  fleepy  Night  fly  flowly  up  the  East  5     , 

Becaufe 
NOTES. 


(?9o.  Befides,  &c.]  In  thefe  13. 
V.  he  introduces  twofeveral  Airs^ 
waiting  on  the  Sun  and  Moon  : 
by  one  of  which  they  are  fhov'd 
down  from  Cancer  to  Capricorn ; 
and  by  the  other  heav'd  up  again 
from  Capricorn  to  Cancer,  and 
this  at  fixt  and  certain  Times  : 
And  that  it  may  not  feem  incre- 
dible, he  bids  us  look  on  the 
different  Racks  of  Clouds,  which 
feveral  Winds  drive  feverai  Ways. 

Befides  thefe  and  the  foregoing 
Opinion,  there  was  a  third, 
which  Cicero,  lib.  3.  de  Nat. 
Deor.  afcribes  to  Cleanthes,  who, 
as  if  the  Sun  follow'd  his  Food, 
would  have  the  Humidity  that 
arifes  from  the  Earth,  and  from 
the  Sea  to  be  the  Caufe  of  the 
Summer  and  Winter  Solftices. 
For  the  Words  of  Cicero  are 
thefe.  Quid  enim  ?  Non  eU- 
dcm  vobis  placet  omnem  ignem 
paftu  indigere,  nee  permanere 
ullo  modo  polTe  nifi  alatur  ? 
Ali  autem  Solem,  Lunam,  5c  re- 
liqua  Aftra,  aquisalia  dulcibus, 
alia  marinis  ?  eamque  caufam 
Cleanthes  aifert,  cur  fe  Sol  refe- 
rat,  nee  longius  progrediatur 
folftitiali  orbe,  itemq-,  bruma- 
li,  ne  longius  difcedat  a  cibo  ? 
For  are  not  you  of  Opinion  that 
&\l  Fir«  requires  Food,  and  can 


in  no  wife  fubfift,  unlefs  it  be 
nourilli'd  ?  Nay,  that  the  Sun, 
the  Moon,  and  other  Stars  are 
fed  ,  fome  with  frefli,  others 
with  Sea  Water  ?  And  does  not 
Cleanthes  alledge,  that  the  Caufe 
of  the  Suns  returning  from  the 
Summer  and  Winter  Solftice, 
and  his  going  no  farther  is,  that 
he  may  not  ftraggle  too  far  away 
from  his  Meat  ? 

6B6.  And  thus,  &:c.]  This 
and  the  following  Verfe  run  thus 
in  the  Original  *, 

Et  ratione  pari  lunam  ftellafque 

putandum  'it, 
Qu?^  volvunt  magnos  in  magnis 

orbibus  annos, 
Aeribus  poflfe  alternis  a  pattibus 

ire. 

Where  we  may  obferve,  that  our 
Interpreter  has  totally  omitted 
the  fecond  of  thofe  Verfes,  in 
which  the  Poet  feems  to  allude 
to  the  Periods  of  the  Stars,  and 
the  Revolutions  of  Saturn,  Ju- 
piter, and  Mars. 

6S9.  For  Clouds,  &c.]  This 
many  neverthelefs  deny,  tho'  it 
be  certain,  fays  Faber,  that  there 
is  fcarce  any  Terapeft  of  Thun- 
der and  Lightning,  but  thishap^ 
j^ns. 

^93.  And  Day,  &c.]   In  th^fe' 

9-  V" 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  90? 

^95  Becaufe  the  Sun,  having  now  performed  his  Round, 
And  reach'd  with  weary  Flames  the  utmoft  Bound 
Of  finite  Heav'n,  he  there  puts  out  the  Ray, 
Weary 'd  and  blunted  all  the  tedious  Day 
By  hind 'ring  Air,  and  thus  the  Flames  decay. 

700  Or  elfe  that  conftant  Force  might  make  it  move 

Below  the  Earth,  which  whirl'd  it  round  above. 

And  To  the  conftant  Morning  ftill  may  rife. 

And  with  pale  Fires  look  chro*  the  lower  Skies  ; 

*^  Becaulc 

N  O  T  £  5. 


i 


9.  V.  he  tells  us,  that  Night  fuc- 
ceeds  the  Day,  either  becaufe  the 
Sun,  being  fatigu'd  with  the 
length  of  his  Journey^  ffor  the 
fetting  Sun  feems  faint  and  wea- 
ry] is  extinguifli'd  :  Or  elfe  be- 
caufe he  is  whirl'd  with  the  fame 
force  beneath  the  Earth  by  Night, 
as  above  the  Earth  by  Day.  Epi- 
curus in  the  Epiftle  to  Pythocles 
contends,  that  the  Rifing  and 
Setting  of  the  Sun  may  be  made, 
ycoLT  lf^(pouveioiv  r\  xs^  yv\gy  k^ 
«rctAjv  gTrixpu-^iv,  or,  xotr'  ccvot'kp/y, 

702.  And  fo,  &c.]    In   thefe 
23.  V.  he  teaches,  That  the  Splen- 
dour, which  we  call  the  Morn- 
ing, and  which  before  the  riling 
pf  the  Sun  adorns  the  Heavens, 
is  occafion'd,  becaufe  the  Sun,  re- 
turning   from    Weft    to  Eaft, 
pours  forth  his    Rays  before  he 
appears  himfelf :  or  elfe  it  hap- 
pens, becaufe  the  Seeds  of  Fire, 
that  were  difpers'd  abroad  in  his 
Journey  the  Day  before,  flow  to- 
gether in  the  Eaftern  Sky,  and 
illuftrate  the  Earth  with  a  fain- 
ty  and  glimmering  Light,  before 
they  have  form'd  and  kindled 
up  anew  the  Globe  of  the  Sun  : 
And  if  this   Conftancy   of  the 
Seeds  flowing   together  to    one 
Place  feem  incredible,  let  it  be 
conlider'd,  that  no  lefs  a  Con- 
ftancy    may     be     obferv'd     in 
fcveral    other    Things.       Thus 
Plants   flioot    forth  their  Buds 
Ai   a   iixt   and   certain   Seafon 


of  the  Year  :  Thus  Children 
breed  their  Teeth  at  a  certain 
Age,  &c.  _ 

This  laft  Opinion,  ridiculouj 
as  it  is,  was  neverthelefs  em- 
brac'd  by  Epicurus  and  his  Fol- 
lowers :  who  as  Cleomedes,  lib. 
2.  c.  I.  witnelTes,  held  that  a 
new  Sun  arofe  daily, and  was  dai- 
ly extinguifli'd ;  and  Servius,  up- 
on the  firft  Georgick,  fays,  they 
did  not  pretend,thatthe  Suncon- 
tinu'd  his  Courfe  thro'  the  other 
Hemifphere;  but  that  the  Orb 
of  a  new  Sun  was  always  made 
in  the  Eaft  ;  or,  at  leaft,  that  the 
old  Sun  was  repair'd  and  light- 
ed up  anew.  For  Epicurus  did 
not  fo  much  hold  the  quotidian 
Creation  of  a  new  Sun,  as  the 
daily  Renovation  of  the  old  : 
To  which  Opinion  Horace,  ira 
Carmine  Sxculari,  feems  to  al- 
lude, 

Alme  Sol,   curru    nitido  diem 

qui 
Promis    Sc  celas ,   aliufque  _  Sc 

idem 
Nafceris.  ■■    '  '■ 

And  GalTendus  explains  this  O- 
pinion  of  Epicurus  in  thele 
Words  :  Since  the  Ocean  com- 
pafTes  the  Earth,  the  Sun  may  be 
extinguifli'd  by  its  Waters  in  the 
Weft,  and  return  all  along  thro* 
the  Waves  by  the  North  into 
the  Eaft,  and  rife  from  thence 
rekindled.  Thus  GafTendus  ♦,  bv 
T  t  t  which 


fo^  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V- 

Beeaufe  the  Sun  rouls  round  with  coftftant  Ray, 
705  And,  rifing  upwards,  fhews  approaching  Day  : 
Orelfe  beeaufe  the  Fires,  diffolv'd  at  Night, 
There  join  again,  and  fcatter  vig'rous  Light* 
Thus  when  the  Morning  Sun  begins  to  rife. 
Its  Flames  lie  fcatter'd  o'er  the  Eastern  Skies, 


The^' 


Jj  0  T  jE  ^. 


ivKich  lieverthelefs  he  but  little 
mends  the  Matter.  Epicurus 
however  was  not  the  Authour  of 
this  ridiculous  Opinion  :  For 
Xenophanes  the  Colophonian 
held,  that  the  Moon  and  Stars 
were  certain  Clouds  fet  oh  Fire, 
and  that  they  were  extinguiih'd 
every  Day,  and  rekindled  at 
Hight:  and  that,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  Sun  was  extinguiili'd 
every  Night,  and  rekindled  eve- 
ry Morning  •,  or,  to  exprefs  it 
in  the  Winds  of  Minutius  Foelix, 
<;^ongregatis .  ignium  feminibus 
foles  alios  atque  alios  femper 
fplendere.  Of  the  fame  Opinion 
likewife  was  Heraclitus,  whofe 
faying  was,  mm(^  va^  l(p'  y,fA.i.' 
fyitsi'  whence  the  Proverb  in 
Plato,  Heracliteo  fole  citius  ex- 
tingtii.  And  from  them  Epicu- 
rus receiv'd  by  Succeffion,  Hxre- 
ditateni  ftultitia*,  as  Lacf^antiUs 
calls  it,  this  Inheritance  of  Fol- 
ly. And  yet  Pomponius  Mela, 
de  fitu  Orbis,  lib.  5.  ca^.  6.  re- 
lates, that  the  Rifing  Sun,  when 
beheld  from  Mount  Ida,  looks 
diiterent  from  what  it  does, 
when  regarded  from  any  other 
Place  in  the  whole  Earth  :  For 
fays  he,  foon  after  Midnight, 
many  fniail  Bodies  of  Fire  are 
feen  difpers'd  and  fcatter'd  in  the 
Eaft  :  and  as  the  Day  comes  on, 
»-hey  are  fe^n  to  join  by  Degrees 
-clofer  and dofer  together,  till  be- 
ing coileded  into  iewer  Bodies, 
^\\  of  them,  from  the  firft  to  the 
lail,  are  kindled  into  Flames; 
arid  thefe  Flames,  joining  into 
«ji?3  «ontra«ri  themfeives  into  a 


round  Figure,  and  come  to  be  a 
vaft  Globe  of  Fire,  that   feems 
annexed  to  the  Earth  ;    then  it 
decreafes  by  degrees,     but    ft  ill 
continuing    its    globous  Form ; 
and    the    more    it     leflens,    it 
grows    the    more     bright     and 
fulgid   :    at  length   it  dilperfes 
the  ihades  of  Night,  and,  be^ng 
made    a  Sun,     rifes    with    the 
Day.      Orientem   folem    Idseus 
aliter  quam   in   alijs  terris  folet, 
afpicit.    Ollentahtur  namqueex 
fummo  vertice  ejus  fpedantibus 
pen^  a  medii   no<fle   fparfi  igne» 
paflim  micare,  8c  ut   lux  appro- 
pinquat,  ita  coire'  3c  fe  conjuri- 
gere  videntur,  donee  magis,  ma- 
gifque  collecfli,  pauciores  deinde, 
ex  un^   ad  poftremam  fiammd 
ardeant ;  &  cum  diei  clara  lux, 
Sc  incendio  iimilis  affulfit,  cogit 
fe,   ac   rtttundat,    Sc  fit  ingens 
globus   •.    diu    is  quoque  gran- 
dis,  Sc  rerris  annexus  apparet : 
deinde  paufattim  decrefcens ;  8c 
quantum  decrcfcit,  eo  clarior  ; 
fugat  noviffim^  hodlem,  &  cum 
dicjjamfol  facftuSjattollitur. Pom- 
pon. Mela  lib.  5.  de  fitu  orbis, 
cap.  6.  This  too  is  confirm 'd  by 
,Diodorus  Siculus, whofe  Account 
of  this  Matter  we  will  give  be- 
low, V.  711. 
708.  The  Morning,  Scc.^  La-* 

—  Rofeam  Matuta  per 


dret. 


oras 
JEtheris  auroram  defert^  Sc  lumx- 
na  pandit. 

Matutii,  as  Cicero  tells  us,  wii 
the  Goddefs  Ino,  whom  the 
Greeks  cail'd    Leucoihea,   and 

the 


LUCRETIUS. 


fo? 


.  Book  V. 

710  Then  gather  to  a  Ball :  And  this  we  view 
From  IdJ's  Top  :  this  Fame  reporrs  as  true." 
Nor  is  it  ftrange  that  common  Seeds  of  Fire 
Should  to  the  Eastern  Quarter  ftill  retire. 
Still  evry  Day  reti^rn,  and  make  a  Sun  ;  j 

7 1 5  Becaufe  a  thoufand  other  Things  are  done  V 

At  fet,  and  conftant  Times,  and  then  alone,  j 

Thus  Trees,  at  certain  Times,  thus  Shrubs  do  fiioot 
At  certain  Times,  and  bud,  and  bear  their  Fruit  : 
Thus  Teeth  in  Boys  begin,  and  thus  they  fall ; 

720  Thus  Beards  in  Youth  ;    at  certain  Seafons  all : 

Thus  Thunder,  SNOW,andSTORMS,and  Winds  appear 
At  fixt  and  certain  Seafons  of  the  Year  : 
As  Things  firft  happen'd,  they  continue  pn  ; 
The  Courfe,  that  Chance  firft  gave  them,  ftill  they  run. 

The 

N  O  T  £  5. 


the  Latines,  Matuta  j  the  Daugh- 
ter of  Caducus.  Ino  dea  dicitur, 
<]\ix.  Leucothea  a  Grajcis,  a 
nobis  Matuta  dicitur;  cum  fit 
Caduci  filia.  De  Nat.  Deor. 
Lib,  3.  And  Milton, 

To  refalute  the  World  with  fa- 

cred  Light 
Leucothea  wak'd,  and  withfrefli 

Dews  embalm'd 
The  Earth  :    and  now  the  fmil- 

ing  Morn  begins 
Her  rofy  Progrefs, . 

711-  Ida's  Top  :  3  There  are 
two  Mountains  of  this  Name  : 
one  in  Crete,  the  other  in  Phry- 
gia,  which  laft  in  one  Chain  of 
Mountains  runs  thro'  the  whole 
Countrey  of  Troas  :  The  Nor- 
thern Part  of  it  reaches  to  the 
Shore  of  the  Propontick  ;  the 
Weft  to  the  Hellerpont,the  South 
to  the  Gulph  of  Adramytteum 
in  the  iEgean  Sea,  and  the  Eaft 
looks  over  the  Place  where  ftood 
the  City  of  Troy  :  and  in  this 
part  of  it  Paris  gave  his  Judg* 
ment  of  the  three  GoddefTes. 
This  was  the  higheft  Part  of  all 
the  Mounrain,  and  that  of  which 
X^i^cresivij  ipe^ks :    Siirabp  calls 


the  Top  ofit  Gargarus.  Ofths 
Sun-rifing ,  beheld  from  this 
Mountain,  Diodorus  Siculus,  lib. 
17.  p.  491.  gives  the  following 
Account. 

v^  rUv  rS  Kuvor    iTrirohm  Itt' 

y'iVi^  rlw  AKP^y  T  rcov  dyiucov 
yvkTo^  scTM^ct'yo'JsMov'J.a,  rot?  dx-Vvctg 

o/rs  Somv  itv^^  TT^elco  ^ly^ctmv 
Ts    <?  yyig  ©gi^ov'](^  •  Mst'  oa/Vox 

'scog  cI'v^svsm'J)  'Tf /'7r\£9poy  (TictVif^ct, 

K)  Tori  T  ^/Wi^S"  g'7r/A0t^«Vtf5', 
TO  (pOMV0yl4«V0V  T?  y-\U  fAyZ^^  TTAJf-p 

%cr}iivdZei.  Which  is  as  much 
as  to  fay  i  A  fingular  and  won- 
derful Thing,  happens  in  this 
Mountain  :  For,  about  the  rifing 
of  the  Dog-Star,  there  is  fo  grea? 
a  Calmnefs  of  the  circumfus'd 
Air  on  the  Top  of  the  Moun= 

T  M  2  %mi 


5o8  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

725      The  Days  may  longer  grow,  and  vig'rous  Light 
Unwillingly  give  place  to  drowfy  Night  ; 
And  fometimes  fleepy  Night  may  longer  ftay, 
And  flowly  wake  before  approaching  Day  : 
Becaufe  the  Sun  might  walk  the  conftant  Rounds 

730  In  crooked  Paths,  and  in  uneven  Bounds  j 
Nor  into  equal  Parts  the  Globe  divide, 
Now  longer  here,  and  now  on  th  other  fide, 


Until 


NOTES. 


tain,  that  the  higheft  Part  of  it 
is  above  the  leaft  Breath  of 
Wind  :  and  even,  while  it  is  yet 
Night,  the  Sun  is  feen  to  rife, 
not  in  a  globous  and  circular 
Figure,  but  in  a  Flame  difpers'd 
here  and  there  in  fuch  a  manner, 
that  many  Fires  feem  to  touch 
the  Horizon  :  but  all  of  them 
3F1  a  lliort  fpace  of  time  contrad 
themfelves  into  one  Magnitude^ 
which  takes  up  the  fpace  of  about 
three  hundred  Foot,  and  at 
length  the  Day  appearing,  the 
compleat  Magnitude  of  the  Sun 
appears  likew'ife,  and  iliines  with 
its  accuftom'd  daily  Light, 

725,  The  Days,  &c.]  It  has 
always  been  accounted  a  wonder- 
ful Thing  that  the  Days  and 
Nights  lengthen  and  fhorten  fo 
regularly  in  the  Courfe  of  the 
Year,  that  the  alternate  Chan- 


every  Obliquity  is  divided  from 
theHorizon  into  two  equal  Parts: 
and  this  is  the  K  eafon  that  the 
Sun,  being  twice  within  the  Year 
plac'd  in  the  Equator,  makes 
two  Equinoxes  in  all  Countreys 
whatever.  II.  Then  he  adds  in 
4.  v.  another  Reafon,  and  fays, 
that  there  may  perhaps  be  certain 
places  in  the  Sky,  where  the  Sun 
finds  more  or  lefs  Refiftance,  and 
this  may  retard  or  haften  his 
Courfe.  III.  He  fays  it  may 
happen,  becaufe  thofe  fires  that 
either  compofe  or  kindle  the  Sun, 
may,  at  certain  Seafons  of  the 
Year,  alTemble  and  meet  more 
flowly  in  the  Eaftern  Sky,  than 
they  do  at  others. 

The  firft  of  thefe  is  the  true 
and  genuine  reafon  :  for  the  In- 
equality of  the  Days  and  Nights 
proceeds  from  the  oblique  Pofi- 


ees  of  the  Length  and  Shortnefs  tion  and   Site  of  the  Zodiack  : 


of  both  of  them  are  exadly  va- 
ry'd  by  Turns  both  in  Summer 
and  Winter  :  Of  this  the  Poet 
afiigns  three  Caufes.  I.  It  may 
happen,  fays  he,  becaufe  the  Sun 
makes  his  Rounds  above  and  be- 
low the  Earth  more  fwiftly  at 
fome  times  than  at  others  ;  inaf- 
much  as  the  Ways  or  Places,thro' 
which  he  travels,  are  longer  or 
iliorter.  This  is  contained  m  17. 
V.  in  which  he  likewife  defcribes 
the  unequal  Segments  of  the  di- 
urnal and  nocf^urnal  Circles  in 
the  oblique  Pofition  of  the 
Sphere :  but  from  this  Rule  he 
excepts  the  .^.quatorj   which  in 


whence  it  comes  to  pafs,  that 
they,  who  have  a  perpetual  Equi- 
nox, that  is  to  fay,  thofe  that 
live  under  the  iEquator,  never 
have  the  leaft  Inequality,  but  a 
conftant  Equality,  of  Days  and 
Nights,  becaufe  they  inhabit  un- 
der a  ftrait  and  direcft  Sphere  : 
But  thofe  that  live  towards  either 
of  the  Poles,  have  their  Days 
and  Nights  longer  or  iliort- 
er,  according  as  they  are  more 
remote  from  the  Pole,  or  nearer 
advanc'd  to  it.  But  fuch,  as  live 
in  the  moft  oblique  Sphere,  that 
is  to  fay,  under  either  of  the 
Polesj  have  fix  Monshs  of  conti- 
nual 


^ 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


Until  it  comes,  and  warms  with  neighboring  Rays 
The  Line,  and  meafures  equal  Nights  and  Days, 


f09 


The 


■NOTES, 


nual  Light,  and  by  turns  as  ma- 
ny of  continual  Night  and  Dark- 
nefs  :  Therefore  'tis  no  wonder 
what  Pliny,  lib.  4.  cap.  12.  lays  of 
them,  that  they,  ierere  matutinis, 
meridie  metere,occidente  fole  foe- 
tus arborum  decerpere,  nocftibus 
in  fpecus  condi,  &c.  fow  in  the 
Morning,  reap  at  Noon,  gather 
the  Fruits  of  the  Trees  at  Sun- 
fetj  hide  themfelves  in  Caverns  at 
Nightj  &c.  And  thus  we  know. 

Quid  tantumoceanoproperentfe 

tingere  foles 
Hyberni :  vel  quae  tardis  mora 

nocftibus  obftet, 

Virg.  Georg.  2.  v.  481. 

What  drives  the  Chariot  on  of 

Winter's  Light, 
And  ftops  the  lazy  Waggon  of 
the  Njght. 

1  As  Cowley  exprefles  it. 

733.  Until,  &c.]  In  this  and 
the  following  fix  Verfes  Lucre- 
tius   defcribes    the    Equinodial 
Circle  •,  which  by  the  Greeks  is 
call'd,  to-M^e^tvo?  ;  by  the  Latines 
^quidialis,JEquino^Tialis3iEqua- 
tor,  and  Cingulum  Mundi  :  and 
by  Mariners,     it  is  commonly 
caJI'd  the  Line.     It  is  one  of  the 
greateft  Circles  of  the  Sphere  : 
it's  Poles  are  the  fame  with  the 
Poles  of  the  World  j  from  either 
of  which   it  is  equally  diftant, 
and  divides  the  Celeftial  Globe 
into  the  northern   and  fouthern 
Hemifphere.     Chriftoph.    Cla- 
vius  in  Sacrobofc.  defcribes  it  by 
an  imaginary  Line,  drawn  from 
the  Centre  of  the  World,  and 
extended  to  the  iirft  Point,  ei- 
ther   of   Aries  or    Libra,    and 
thence  carry'd  about  by  the  diur- 
1^1  Revolution  of  the  ?rimum 


Mobile.  Of  this  EquinocJlial 
Circle  thefe  Things  chiefly  de- 
ferve  to  be  obferv'd  :  1.  That  it 
parts  as  well  the  Terreftrial  as 
the  Celeftial  Globe,  and  is 
divided  into  3<^o  Degrees^  as 
every  other  greater  or  lefler 
Circle  is,  becaufc  of  the  eafy  Di- 
vifion  of  this  Number  into  a 
Moiety,  a  third,  a  fourth,  fifth, 
fixtli,  or  eighth  *,  its  fixth,  for 
Example,  being  fixty,  which 
Number  admits  of  many  more 
Divifions  without  any  Fra- 
dions.  II.  The  Sun,  being  pofi- 
ted  in  the  Equinodial,  makes 
the  Days  and  Nights  even,  and 
then  the  Equinodial  divides  the 
Sphere  into  the  Northern  and 
Southern  Hemifpheres,  whofe 
Poles  are  the  Poles  of  the  World. 
III.  Fifteen  Degrees  of  this  Cir- 
cle rife  hourly  on  one  Part,  and 
as  many  fet  every  hour  on  the 
other  ;  fo  that  one  Degree  of  it 
rifes  every  four  Minutes  of  an 
Hour.  For  which  reafon  the 
Equinoctial  is  faid  to  be  theMea- 
fure  of  the  Primum  Mobile.  IV. 
This  Circle  iliews  the  Equinodi- 
al  Points,  which  happen  twice 
every  Year;  i .  about  the  eleventh 
of  March,  when  the  Sun  enters 
into  the  firft  Degree  of  Aries : 
2.  about  the  thirteenth  of  Sep- 
tember, v;hen  he  enters  into  the 
firft  Degree  of  Libra.  V.  It  di- 
vides the  Zodiack  into  two  Moie- 
ties, the  Southern  and  the  Nor- 
thern, and  thence  the  Signs  are 
diftinguifh'd  into  thofe  of  the 
North  and  South.  VL  It  is  the 
Meafure  of  Time,  and  fliews 
what  Declination  the  Stars,  or 
the  Parts  of  the  Ecliptick  have, 
eithern  northern  or  fouthern. 
VIT.  Laftly,  in  this  Circle  are 
obferv'd  the  Afccnfions  and  De- 
fcenfions  of  the  Zodiacal  Signs. 
735.  Between 


f  10  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

735  The  Line  lies  juft  between  the  North  and  Sou'th, 
And  leaves  an  equal  Diftance  unto  both,  | 

Be  J 
NOTES, 


73 5.. Between  the  North  and 
South]  That  is,  between  the 
North  and  South  Poles  -,  Lucre- 
tius fays,  Medio  curfu  flatus  A- 
Suilonis  &  Auftri,  which  are  in- 
eed  two  Winds,  the  firfl;  of 
which  blows  from  the  North,  the 
laft  from  the  South,  and  which 
are  commonly  taken  by  Poets  for 
the  North  and  South  Points  or 
Poles  of  the  World. 

73(5.  An  equal  Diftance  unto 
both]  Lucr.  Diftinet  scquato  coe- 
lum  difcrimine  metas :  where  by 
metas,  he  means  the  two  Tro- 
picks  of  Cancer  and  Capricorn, 
which  are  the  utmoft  Bounds  of 
the  Suns  Revolution,  and  which 
he  never  palTes.  They  were  call'd 
Tropicks  from  the  Greek  Word 
<7(fo7r>!i; which  fignifies  Converfion, 
or  Turning  ;  becaufe  the  Sun, 
when  he  comes  at  thofe  Circles, 
turns  back  again  towards  the 
jfliquator  ;  nor  ever  goes  beyond 
thofe  Bounds,  either  to  the  North 
or  South  :  Hence  the  Egyptians, 
as  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  lib.  5. 
Stromat.  obferves,  hieroglyphi- 
cally  defcrib'd  the  Tropicks  un- 
der the  Figure  of  two  Dogs  ^.s 
if  they  were  Guards,  deputed  by 
Nature,  to  keep  in  and  reftrain 
the  Sun  from  running  beyond  his 
Eounds.  The  fir  ft  among  the 
Greeks,  who  found  out  thafe 
Tropicks,  is  faid  to  be  Thales, 
the  Milefian  :  v/ho  likewife  writ 
a  particular  Treatife  of  them,  as 
Eudemus  in  Laertius  wimelTes. 
The  Tropick  of  Cancer  is  call'd 
T^o-TTiKo^  ^ee.tvoi",  i.  e.  Tropicus 
aeftivus,  from  the  Heat  of  Sum- 
3ner,  which  we  in  this  northern 
Hemifphere  enjoy,  when  the  Sun 
is  neareft  to  that  Circle  ;  which 


the  Sun's  greateft  Declination,  or 
the  Obliquity  of  the  Zodiaclc, 
which  it  touches  in  the  iirft  Point 
of  Cancer.  Its  Office,  on  one 
fide,  is  to  terminate  cne  Torrid 
Zone,  and,  on  the  other,  the 
northern  Temperate  Zone,  and 
to  make  the  Summer  Solftice  and 
longeft  Day  northward.,  and  the 
Winter  Solftice  or  iliorteft  Day 
fouthward.  The  Tropick  of 
Capricorn  is  likewife  defcrib'd  ; 
a  fmaller  Circle,  parallel  to  the 
Equator,  whofe  Diftance  from 
thence  h  equal  to  the  Sun's  great- 
eft  Declination,  and  touches  the 
Ecliptick  in  thefirft  Point  of 
Capricorn  ;  on  one  fide,  bound- 
ing the  Torrid  Southern  Zone, 
on  the  other,  the  Southern  Tem- 
perate Zone  ;  making  the  Win- 
ter Solftice  or  Hiorteft  Day 
northward,  and  the  Summer  Sol- 
ftice, and  the  longeft  Day  fouth- 
ward. Moreover,  the  Solftic^s 
were  fo  call'd,  becaufe  the  Days 
do  then  increafe  and  iliorten  fb 
very  flowly,  that  they  can  fcarc^ 
be  perceiv'd  to  do  either,  inlb- 
much  that  quafi  fiftatur  Sol:  Ths 
Reafon  of  which  cannot  be  bet- 
ter given,  than  in  the  Words  of 
Julius  Scaliger  in  Problemat, 
Gellian.  Is  circulus,  quem  Sol 
quotidiefignat,  non  eft  circulus, 
fed  magis  qusedam  fpira.  Neque 
enim  revolutionis  finis  eodem 
committitur,  unde  initium  ha- 
bnerat  :  "Major  enim  diftanti^ 
eft  a  punclo,  unde  digrefl'us  eft, 
ad  pun(ftum,  ad  quem  hor^  vi- 
gind  quatuor  cum  perduxere  ; 
ubi  propior  fit  iis  fignis,  quic 
propius  ad  ^quinocTiium  acce- 
duiit,  propter  obliquitatem.  Ita- 
que  cum  tenditad  folftitia,    pro- 


is  thus  defcrib'd  :  A  fmaller  Cir-   Pf^\  ^»"^*  ?^"?2  reaitudinem^vi^g 


"i 


cJe,  parallel  to  £be.^Quaror,whofei^^;;'^';   K  '*"«^'^   folftitia    dia.a 
diftanqe  from  thence  is  equaUQ,  |  ^^'^^^^  *^  ^*  ^^^^^  ^'  ^^    ^^' 


Tfeat 


Book  V.  tV  C  R  ETIU  S. 

Becaiife  the  Zqdiack  is  oblique,— • 

Thro'  which  the  Sun  his  yearly  Walk  does  go," 
And  views  obliquely  all  the  World  below  ; 

740  Thus  teach  Aftronoraers ;  and  this  cOnfefs'd 
A  fair  Opinion  ;  probable  at  leaft. 

Or  elfe  the  Air  is  thick,  and  flops  the  RayJ 
Nor  gives  the  Sun  a  free  and  eafy  way. 
And  this  prolongs  the  tedious  winter  Night, 

745  The  Darkness  flowly  yields  to  ling'ring  Light. 
Or  elfe  at  certain  Seafons  of  the  Year, 
The  Flames  meet  flowly  in  the  Eastern  Air, 
And  frame  the  Sun,  and  make  the  Day  appear. 

K  O  T  E  5^. 


^It 


But 


That  Circle,  which  the  Sun  de- 
fcribes  by  his  daily  Motion,  is 
not  properly  a  Circle,  but  rather 
A  fpiral  Line  :  For  the  end  of 
its  Revolution  does  not  termi- 
nate in  the  Point,  whence  it  be- 
gan. For  its  Diftance  from  the 
Point,  from  whence  the  Sun  fet 
forw^ard,  to  that  to  which  he  ar- 
rives by  his  daily  Courfe  of 
twenty  four  hours,  is  greater 
when  he  approaches  neareft  to 
thofe  Signs,  that  are  next  the 
tquinb(ftial,by  reafort  of  the  Ob- 
liquity of  his  Courfe  :  But  when 
he^' draws  near  to  the  folftitial 
Points,  there  appears  fcarce  any 
Variation  of  his  Courfe,  becaufe 
the  Line  is  then  almoft  ft  rait  and 
direcft  :  whence  it  is  calPd  the 
Solfticb.  Moreover,  Macrobius, 
lib.  I.  cap.  21.  tells  us,  That  the 
Egyptians  reprefented  the  Statue 
of  the  Sun  with  his  Head  fliav'd 
on  one  fide,  and  having  long  hair 
on  the  other,  to  ihtimate,  by  the 
firft,  the  time  of  the  winter  Sol- 
ftice,  cum  velut  abrafis  incre- 
mentis,  angufti  manente  exftan- 
tii,  ad  minimum  diei  Sol  perve- 
neritfpatium  :  by  the  later,  his 
fummer  Solftice,  or  his  fuil- 
grown  Splendour,  to  which  he  ar-  \ 
rives  by  Degrees,  emerging  again,  I 
from  thofe  Streights  and  Dens,; 
which  were  his  abode  in  the  Win- ! 


ter  Troplckj  into  the  Summer 
Hemifphere  :  ex  quibus  latebris 
vel  auguftiis  rurfus  emergens, 
ad  a:ftivum  hemifphserium  tan- 
quam  enafcens  in  augmenta  por- 
rigitur :  as  the  fame  Authour 
expreiTes  it  in  the  Place  above- 
cited.  See  above,  v.  ^58. 

737'  Zodiack,  &c.]  Of  this  fee 
above,  v.  661, 

742.  Or  elfe,  &c.]  Thefe  4.-W 
contain  a  fecond  Caufe  orReafora 
of  the  Increafe  and  Decreafe  of 
the  Days  and  Nights  :  But  this 
is  indeed  a  weak  Argument :  For 
how  can  the  Air's  being  more  or 
lefs  thick  make  the  Sun  rife  later 
or  fooner  ? 

74(5.  Or  elfe,  &:c.]  in  thefe  3.  v. 
he  ailed ges  a  third  Reafon,  which 
is  of  equal  Force  with  the  laft  : 
as  if  the  Days  or  Nights  were 
longer  or  iliorter,  becaufe  the 
Seeds  of  Light  flow,  and  meet  to- 
gether, fometimes  fooner,  fome- 
tjmes  later,  to  repair  the  decay'd 
Splendour  of  the  Sun.  But  by 
fubjoining  this  third  Caufe,  tho 
Poet  feems  to  obferve,  what  is 
likewife  generally  taken  notice 
of,  that  not  only  the  Day  and 
the  Night,  but  that  the  morning 
and  the  evening  Twilight,  are 
iometimes  fliorter  than  they  are 
at  others  :  For,  in  an  oblique 
Sphere,  the  Duration,  as   well  of 

the 


512 


LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

But  more :  the  Mgon  may  ftiine  with  borrow'd  Rays, 


750  Her  various  Light  increafing  with  the  Days, 
As  She  the  farther  from  the  Sun  retires, 
And  with  full  Face  receives  his  fcorching  Fires: 
When  FULL,  oppos'd.  She,  climbing  up  the  East, 
yie\ys  him  below  fall  headlong  down  the  West. 


And 


NOTES. 


the  Twilight  before  Sun-rifing, 
as  of  the  Twilight  after  Sun-fet, 
is  unequal  throughout  the  Year  ; 
being  longer  in  the  Summer,  and 
Ihorter  in  the  Winter  ;  becaufe, 
fince  theTwilight  either  begins  in 
the  Morning,  or  ends  in  the  Eve- 
ning, when  the  Sun  is  eighteen 
Degreesj  perpendicularly  taken, 
below  the  Horizon,  the  Bows  of 
the  Compafs  or  Circuit  of  the 
Sun,  who,  with  thofe  Degrees 
either  rifes  in  the  Morning,  or 
goes  down  in  the  Evening,  are 
larger  in  Summer,  and  lefs  in 
Winter  :  Befides,  this  Inequality 
is  the  greater,  the  more  diftant 
we  are  from  the  Equator.  And 
yet  we  may  not  believe,  that  the 
evening  Twilight  is  longeft  a- 
bout  the  fummer  Solftice  and 
ihorteft  about  the  winter  :  for 
indeed  it  it  is  rather  fomewhat 
iliorteft  of  all  before  the  vernal, 
and  after  the  autumnal  Equi- 
noxes. But  it  might  feem  tedious 
to  purfue  thele  Matters  far- 
ther. 

749.  But  more  :  Sec."]  Here  the 
Poet  inquires  into  the  Caufes, 
why  the  Moon  changes  her  felf 
into  fo  many  fliapes  :  for  as  Ovid 
Met.am.  15.  v.  lyi^.  fays. 

Nee    par,   aut  eadem  nodurn^ 

forma  Dianse 
Efle  poteft  unquam  ;  femperque 

hodierna  fequente, 
Si  crei'cit,  minor  eft  ;  major,  fi 

contrahit  orbem. 

Which  Dryden  thus  tranflates. 


Not   equal   Light    th*  unequal 

Moon  adorns. 
Or  in  her  wexing,  or  her  waning 

Horns  : 
For  ev*ry  Day  £ke   wanes,   her 

Face  is  lefs. 
But    gathering  into  Globe,   Hie 

fattens  at  Increafe.       Dryden. 

Now  Lucretius  tells  us  in  thefe 
12.  v.  That  if  Ihe  receive  her 
Light  from  the  Sun,  if  ilie  be  a 
globous  Body,  and  laftly,  if  Hie 
make  her  Rounds  below  the  Sun, 
then  they  explain  aright  her  va- 
rious and  manifold  Phafes,  who 
fay,  that  the  Moon  changes  her 
Face  according  to  the  different 
Light  flie  receives  from  the  Sun, 
as  ilie  approaches  nearer  to  him, 
or  retires  farther  from  him.  This 
too  is  the  Opinion  of  almoft  all 
the  Mathematicians,  and  of  all 
the  Poets,  efpecialiy  of  Manilius, 
lib.  2.  V.  96. 

Tu  quoque  fraternis  reddis  lie 

oribus  ora, 
Atque  iterum  ex  iifdem  repetis, 

quantumque  reliquit, 
Aut  dedit  ilie,  refers  ;  &  fydus 

fydere  conftas. 

Which  Creech  thus  renders : 

For  as  the  Moon  in  deepeft  Dark- 
nefs  mourns, 

Then  Rays  receives,  and  points 
her  borrow'd  Horns ; 

Then  turns  her  Face,  and  with  a 
Smile  invites, 

The  full  Effufions  of  hfiv  Bro- 
ther's Lights. 

755*  D&: 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  yi; 

75  5  And  fo  her  Light  decreafe  as  She  goes  on 

Thro'  diffrent  Signs,  approaching  near  the  Sun. 

And  thus  the  Phases  are  explained  by  all 

That  think  her  Shape  is  Round,  the  Moon  a  Ball^ 

And 
N  O  T  £  ^. 


755.  Decreafe  as  (he  goes  on] 
For  when  the  Moon  is  at  full, 
ihe  goes,  as  it  were,  back- 
wards under  the  Earth  towards 
the  Sun,  and  comes  up  to  him  : 
whence  it  is,  that  flie  decreafes 
by  Degrees,  till  being  in  Con- 
junction with  him,  ihe  become 
inviiible  to  us. 

75^.  Diff'rent  Signs,  &c.]  He 
means  that  Part  of  the  Heavens, 
which  is  conceal'd  from  us  be- 
neath the  Earth. 

757.  The  Phafes,  &c.]    The 
different  Changes  or  Variations 
of  the  Moon,  which  the  antient 
Greeks  call'd  ^ctV^r^    and  from 
them  the  Latines,  Phafes,  or  Ap- 
paritiones  :  The  Names  of  thefe 
Phafes  or  Appearances,  efpecial- 
ly  of  the  four  chief  and  moft  re- 
markable, are  thefe*    The  fir  ft, 
reckoning  her  Changes  as  flie  in- 
creafes,  is  MMvoeiJ^ii",  i.  e.  corni- 
culata,  horn'd,  or  having  Horns  : 
The  new  Moon,  which  happens 
when  fhe  is  about  fixty  Degrees 
diflant  from  the  Sun.  This  Pha- 
lis  is    by  the  Turks  and  Arabs 
call'd  Nalka,  a  Horfe-lhoo,    be- 
caufe  the  Moon  then  refembles 
the  Figure  of  one.  The  fecond, 
Aix,o^of^{^,  i.  e.  bifecfta,    or  di- 
midiata,  The  Half-Moon,  when 
ihe   is    ninety    Degrees    diftant 
from  the  Sun  :  The  third3  ^Aju^l- 
xi'P?of,  i.  e.  gibbofa,  or  dimidio 
orbe  major  ;  which  happens  at  a 
120    Degrees  diftant  from    the 
Sun  'y   and  the  fourth  and   laft 
XlcLYCTiwivo^,  i.  e.  Totilunis,  when 
full,  and    in    oppoiition  to  the 
Sun,  or  at  the  Diftance  of  180 
Degrees  :   and  from  this   laft, 


m  a  contrary  Order,  are  reckon'd 
her  decrealing  Changes.  And 
thefe  feveral  Phafes  flie  inviola- 
bly obferves ;  nor  are  they  the 
Work  of  Chance,  as  our  Poet 
would  impioufly  iniinuate  ;  but 
the  Ad  and  Order  of  Divine 
Providence  j  as  even  another 
Poet,  tho'  a  Heathen  too,  faw 
very  well  : 

Nee  lunam  certos  excedere  lu- 
minis  orbes  ; 

Sed  fervare  modura,  quo  crefcat, 
quove  recedat  ; 

Nee  cadere  in  terram  pendentia 
fydera  coelo, 

Sed  dimenfa  fuis  confumere  tem- 
pera iignis ; 

Non  Cafus  opus  eft,  magni  fed 
Numinis  ordo. 

Thus  render'd  by  Creech  : 

That  Light,  by  juft  Degrees,  the 

Moon  adorns  ; 
Firft  iliews,     then  bends,   then 

£lls  her  borrowed  Horns  ; 
And  that  the  Stars  in  conftant 

order  roul, 
Hang  there,  nor  fall,  and  leave 

the  liquid  Pole  ; 
'Tis    not  from  Chance  ;    The 

Motion  fpeaks  aloud 
The  wife  and  fteady  Conducfi  of 

a  God. 

To  which  I  add  this  of  Statius, 
Sylv.  lib.  3. 

Servit  &  aftrorum  velox  chorus, 

Sc  vaga  fervit 
Luna,   nee    injuir*e  toties   redit 
orbita  lucis. 


II  u  u 


And 


fH 


L  V  C  R  E  T  IV  S. 


And  place  her  circling  Orb  below  the  reft  : 
"jSo  h.  fair  Opinion,  probable  at  leaft. 

U  O  T  E  S, 


Book  V* 


Tho* 


And  oFM^crobius  in  Somn.  Scip.  I 
lib.  i.cap.  6.  Similibus  difpenfa- 
tionibus  Hebdflmadum,  Luna 
fui  luminis  vices  fempiterna  lege 
variando  difponit. 

And  lince  we  are  upon  the  Sub- 
je<ft  of  this  Planet,  I  cannot  but 
talce  notice  of  an  opinion,  which 
is  at  this  day  afferted  and  main- 
^ain'd  by  feveral,  as  well  Philo- 
fophers  as  Ailronomers  :  viz. 
That  the  Moon  is  inhabited  : 
This  Belief  they  ground  on  the 
appearance  of  Mountains,  Val- 
leys, Woods,  Lakes,  Seas  and 
Kivers,  which,  by  the  help  of  the 
Telefcope,  they  difcover  in  the 
Orb  of  that  Planet.  The  An- 
tients,  as  Cicero  witneiTes,  em- 
brac'd  this  Opinion  long  ago  : 
Habitari,  fays  he,  ait  Xenophanes 
in  Lund,  earn  que  efle  terram 
multarum  urbium  dc  montium. 
Academ.  Quisft.  lib.  4.  The 
Interpreter   of   Aratus  :  eivcu  q 

gTT    aOTi^S"  OlKCLCri  CtMcC  '^jTOJCL/US^  to 

K)  ocTA  I-ttI  ■y-^s'-,  And  Plutarch 
De  Placitis  Philofoph.  lib.  2.  cap. 
30.  reports,  That  the  Pythago- 
reans atfif  m  the  Moon  to  be  ano- 
ther Earth,  inhabited  in  all  its 
Parts,  even  as  this  Earth  of 
ours  :  and  peopled  with  living 
Creatures  fifteen  times  larger 
than  thofe  with  us  :  Thefe  In- 
habitants the  Antients  call'd  An- 
tichthonss,  becaufe  they  believ'd 
them  to  dwell  in  an  Earth  quite 
oppofite  to  this  of  ours.  And 
Ehat'rAuthour,in  his  Treatife,  De 
facie^^  orbe  Lun^c,  iays,  That 
there  are  Caverns  in  the  Moon, 
call'd  Penetralia  Hecates  *,  and 
that  the  upper  Parts  of  that  Pla- 
,,-net,  which  always  regard  the 
■'Heavens,are  the  Elyzian  Fields  t 
That  it  is  likewife  inhabited  by 
Genii,  who  not  always  make 
ihglt  Abode  shere,   biu    fome- 


times  defcend  to  Earth,  to  puniili 
or  awe  Mankind  :  Achilles  Ta- 
tius  in  Ifagog.  reports  alfb  the 
like  of  the  Moons  being  inhabit- 
ed :  fo  too  does  Macrobius  in 
Somn.  Scip.  lib.  i.  cap.  11.  in 
thefe  Words  :  Lunam  astheream 
terram  Phyfici  vocaverunt,  & 
habitatores  ejus  Lunares  Popu- 
los  nuncuparunt :  quod  ita  efle 
pluribus  argumentis,  qu^e  nunc 
longum  eft  enumerare,  docue- 
runt.  See  more  to  this  purpofe 
in  Kepler's  Aftronomia  optica, 
and  particularly  in  a  pofthumous 
Treatife  of  his,  intitul'd,  Som- 
nium,  five  de  iunari  Aftrologil, 
Now  why  fliould  this  Opinion, 
feem  extravagant,  if  it  be  admit- 
ed,  that  the  Moon  enjoys  as  fa- 
vourable an  afpecfl  from  the  Sun, 
as  this  Earth  of  ours  :  tho'  the 
Days  and  Nights  there  be  anfwe- 
rable  to  our  Half- months,  in  re- 
gard it  is  skreen'd  with  Hills  and 
Mountains,  under  which  lie  deep 
Shades  and  Valleys,  with  hollow 
Caves  and  Recefles,  of  equal 
Benefit  againft  the  Extremities 
of  Heat  and  Cold  :  and  being 
water'd  befides  with  great  Lakes 
and  Rivers,  and  confequent- 
ly  fupply'd  by  Nature  with 
all  Things  necefTary  for  the  fup- 
port  of  Life  ?  How  then  can  ic 
reafonably  be  thought,  that  Ma- 
ture has  conferr'd  all  thofc  Ad- 
vantages and  Benefits  for  no  Life 
and  End  *,  and  that  the  Moon  is 
made  for  no  other  purpofe^  and 
ferves  only  to  refletfl  to  us  the 
Light  of  the  Sun?  See  more  in 
Ifaac  Voflius  in  his  learned  Trea- 
tife, de  Natura  &c  Propriet.  Lu- 
cis,  cap.  19. 

After  all,  it  is  not  agree'd, 
what  Kind  of  Creatures  thefe 
Lunary  Inhabitan'^s  are  :  How- 
ever Kepler  feems  fomewhat  p0- 
fitive  as  to  shis  Point  alfo  :  Con- 
dudenduica 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  ^if 

Tho' PROPER  Light  the  Moon's  pale  Face  fliould  filj 
Yer  it  might  fliew  the  diff'rent  Phases  ftill : 
Becaufe,  as  that  bright  Body  rouls  above, 
Another  dark,  unseei^,   thick  thing  might  move 
765  Beneath,  and  ftop  the  Rays,  divert  the  Streams 
Of  falling  Light,  and  turn  away  the  Beams. 

Or  elfe,  if  like  a  Ball,  half  dark,  half  bright, 
Roul'd  round  its  Axle,  may  affed  the  Sight 
With  diff'rent  Phases,  and  jQiew  various  Light : 


I 


Notes. 


Now 


cludendum  videtur,    fays   he  in 
his  Notes,  ad  appendic.   Seieno- 
graph.    in    Luna  creaturas    eiTe 
viventes,  rationis,     ad   ordinata 
facienda,    capaces.      He   affirms 
the    fame  Thing  of   the  other 
PlanctSj  nay  even  of  the  Sun  it- 
felf ;    concerning  which,  in  the 
Epilogue  to  his  fifth  Book,  he 
breaks  out  into  this  Expreflion  : 
Vel  fcnfus  ipfi  exdamant,  ignea 
hie  habitare   corpora,  mentium 
fimplicium  capacia,  vereque  fo- 
lem  efCc  -zirupoS"  vospa    fi   non  re- 
gem,     at  faltem    regiam.    Nor 
IS  this  fo  ft  range  as    what  fome 
afTert,  who  maintain   the  Moon 
to  be  the  Paradife  in  which  our 
firft  Parents    were  created,  and 
from  whence,  for  their  Tranf- 
greflion,  they  were  expell'd,    and 
driven  down  to    this    Earth  of 
ours.   This  Hieronymus  Vitalis, 
in  Lexic.  Mathemat.  in  voce  Pa- 
radifus,  endeavours  to  evince,  as 
well  from  Reafon,    as  from  the 
Authorities  of  feveral  of  the  Fa- 
thers and   Schoolmen.    He  fays 
indeed,  That  this  is  new  and  un- 
heard of,  but  not  therefore  to 
be  accounted  fooliih  and  abfurd  ; 
Fateor,  fays  he,  id  novum,  fin- 
gulare,   &  haiflenus  inauditum, 
at  non  per  hoc  temerarium,  atque 
intolerabile    dixeris  :    Then  he 
urges  in  thefe  exprefs  words',  mo- 
do  parti  tanta  rerum    notitii, 
luna*  facie  Telefcopio  penitiflime 
obfcrvata,  veterum  dicftis  expen- 
lis,  locis  fuper  hanc  terram  in- 
yeftig^tis,  Paradifuni  in  Lun^e 


fuperficie  collocari,  ratio  ipi'a 
compeJlit.  The  Reader  may  be 
farther  fatisfy'd  as  to  this  Mat- 
ter in  that  Authour  ;  but  it  is 
time  for  us  to  return  to  Lucretius. 

761.  Tho'  proper,  &c.]  In 
thefe  6.  v.  he  afligns  another  rea- 
fon, and  fays,  That  if  the  Moon 
do  fhine  with  unborrow'd  Light, 
then  we  muft  imagine  that  ano- 
ther Body,  which  is  opacous  and 
totally  dark,  always  moves  with 
the  Moon,  and  obftrU(fls  an4 
turns  away  her  Beams. 

This  is  faid  to  be  the  Opinion 
of  Anaximander  ;  who  never- 
thelefs  believ'd  nothing  like  it  • 
For  tho'  he  did  perhaps  fay,  That 
the  Moon  'iSiov  h/^iii  c^^g  »  had 
her  own  Light.  Piut.  de  Placic. 
Philofoph.  lib.  2.  cap.  26.  and 
28.  (=(p(xa-xsv  T£  o-ixmw^ivSoeiSyiy 
^■JiMH(pcvV^i^.    Laertius,) 


TS 


yet  he  never  fo  much  as  dreamt 
of  any  other  Body,  that  mov'd 
about  with  her,  and  hinder'd  and 
obftruded  her  Light, 

762.  Phafes,  &c.]  See  the  Note 
above,  v.  757. 

767.  Or  elfe,  &c.]  In  thefe  29, 
V.  he  propofes  their  Opinion,  who 
held  the  one  Half  of  the  Moons 
Orb  to  be  light,  the  other  Half, 
dark  :  Now,  fays  he,  if  you 
imagin  this  Opinion  to  be  true, 
imagin  likewife  fuch  an  Orb  to 
to  be  turn'd  round  on  its  Axle, 
or  Centre,  and  it  will  prefene 
the  different  Phafes  we  behold  in 
the  Moon. 


^1  w  H  a 


t\m 


fi6 


LUCRETIUS, 


Book  V. 


770  Now  turn  that  half,  which  the  full  Light  adorns, 
A  Quarter  now,  now  dwindle  into  Horns. 
And  this  the  later   BuiBrLom^n  SecSt 
Afferts,  and  the  Ch^ldeUk  Schemes  rejed  : 


As 


N  O  T  £  5. 

This  was  the  Opinion  of  Bero- 
fiis,  a  famous  Aftronomer  in  the 
Days  of  Antiochus  Soter,  as  alfo 
of  the  Babylonians,  who  defend- 
ed this  Dodlrine  againft  a*  Secft  of 
the  Chaldean  Aftronomers :  who 


as  Diodorus  Siculus,  lib.  2.  wit- 
nelTes,  agreed  with  the  Greeks, 
that  the  Moon  fhines  with  Light 
that  is  not  her  own  :  but  the  Ba- 
bylonians held  one  half  of  the 
Moons  Globe  to  be  luminous 
the  other,  dark.  And  that  both 
the  Chaldeans  and  Babylonians 
too  were  very  skilful  in  Aftrolo- 
gy,  we  have  the  Teftimonies  of 
Diodor.  lib.  i.  de  divin.  Pliny 
lib.  7.  c.  5(5.  and  many  others  : 
NayManiliuslib.i.v.  38.  teaches, 
That  Aftrology  was  given  by  the 
Gods  to  the  Kings  of  the  Chal- 
deans :  for  it  was  God,  fays  he, 

Qui  fua  difpofuit   per  tempora, 

cognita  ut  effent 
Omnibus,  &  mundi  facies.  coe- 

lumque  fupernum, 
lsratura:que    dedit  vires,  fe  qua; 

ipfa  rechifit, 
Regales  amnios  prinium  dignata 

movere, 
Qui  domuere  feras  gentes  Ori- 

ente  fub  imo, 
Qiias  fecat  Euphrates,  in  quas  & 

Niius  inundat. 

At  whofe  command  the  Stars  in 

order  met, 
Who  Times  appointed  when  to 

rife  and  fet  ; 
That  Heav'ns  great  Secrets  might 

lie  hid  no  more. 
And  Man,  intruded,  gratefully 

adore : 
Nature  difclos'd  her  felf,     and 

from  her  Springs 
Pure  Streams  deriv'd  overfiow'd 

the  Minds  of  Kings*, 


Kings  next  to  Heav'n,  who  o'er 

the  Eaft  did  fway. 
Where  fwift  Euphrates  cuts  his 

rapid  Way  j 
Where  Nile  o'erflowSjand  whence 

the  Whirl  reftores 
The  Day  to  us.    and,    pafling, 

burns  the  Moors. 

Creech' 

772.  And  this,  &c.3  This  and 
the  following  Verfe  run  thus  in 
the  Original, 

Lit  Babylonica  Chald^eiim  ^0- 

(ftrina  refutans 
Aftrologorum  artem  contra  con- 

vincere  tendir. 

Upon  which  Paflage,  if  Faber's 
Note  be  true,  our  Tranflatour 
fcems  to  be  miftaken  in  the  fenfe 
of  his  Authour  :  For  that  Inter- 
preter there  fa;  s.  That  by  Baby- 
lonica Chaldaeorum  ars,  our 
Poet  here  means  only  thofe  Chal- 
d^ans,  who  follow'd  the  Hypo- 
thefis  of  Berofus  againit  the  vul- 
gar Aftrology :  What  it  was, 
fays  he,  Plutarch  teaches,  de  Pla- 
citis  Philofophorum  lib.  2.  where 
he  afierts,  That  an  Eclipfe  of 
the  Moon  is  caus'd  v!^  rid  -arg^V 

i,  e.  by  her  turning  towards  us 
that  Part  of  her  Orb  which  is 
not  iiry.  Then  he  fubjoins.  that 
the  Chaldeans  in  this  Place  is 
the  Name  of  a  particular  Seci:, 
not  of  the  whole  People,  as 
might  be  prov'd  out  of  Herodo-^ 
tus.  To  which  I  add  this  of 
Laertius,  'zrotg^t  Vi  'Bct^v?>olvioii-y 
VI  'AcraJgiOj?  Xct^iJ'owo;,  Ft'/Uvocro- 
(p'l^ou  r[^^  Iv^ToTf.  And  with 
this  agrees  Cicero,  lib,  2.  de  Di- 
vinat, 

OF 


Book  V. 


tUCRETIVS. 


J 17 


OF     THE     , 

Original  and  Progress 


o  F 


ASTRONOMY 


Among  the  A  n  t  i  e  n  t  s. 


USTRONOMY  had  its  Name  ^^  -r^  vo^ 
Ttov  oisipc^y,  becaufe  it  teaches  the  Laws  and 
Rules  of  the  Motions  of  the  Stars :  But  the 
Words  Aftronomy  and  Aftrology   were  an- 
ciently promifcuoufly  us'd  one  for  the  other: 
For  what  Plato  calls  Aftronomy,  Ariftotle  and 
others  call  Aftrology.     Thus  Salmafius  in  Plin.  Exercitat, 
Tom.  I.  p.  6.  fays,  That  among  the  Greeks  Thales  is  faid 
firft  ctVfOA07>jo-o«,  to  aftrologize,  tho*  he  never  treated  of  the 
Judiciary  Art.    In  like  manner,  Pherecydes  was  call'd  an 
Aftrologer,  tho*  he  was  only  an  Aftronomer :  and  the  Nau- 
tical Aftrology  of  Phocus  the  Samian,  which  fome  afcribe  to 
Thales,  treats  only  of  the  Aftronomical  Science.    Manilius,  on 
the   contrary,  calls  his  Poem  Astronomicon,  tho*  all  of  it, 
except  the  firft  Book,  treat  of  judiciary  Aftrology.     But  in 
After- Ages  this  Synonymy  was  difcontinu'd :  for  when  the 
apotelefmatick  Part,  which,  from  the  Site  and  Afped:  of  the 
fixed  Stars  and  Planets,  teaches  to  divine  their   Influences, 
as  CO  the  Production  of  future  Events,  came  to  get  footing  in 
Greece,  where  antiently  only  the  Meteorologick  Part  of  it, 
which  teaches  the  Motions  of  the  Stars,  was  known,  they 
3iftinguifh'd  them,  and  gave  to  the  firft  the  Name  of  Aftro- 
logy, and  call'd  the  laft  Aftronomy ;  which  is  properly  un- 
derftood^  and  defcrib'd  to  be,  The  Science,  which  con- 
templates the  Motion,    Diftance,     Colour,    Light,    Order, 
Place,    Magnitude^    and    the  like  Adjun<its  of  the  Fixed 

Stars, 


5iS  LUCRETIUS,  Book  V. 

Stars,  and  of  the  Planets,  without  any  relpecft  to  the  judicia- 
ry Parr. 

And  as  this  Science  itfelf,  fo  the  ProfelTours  of  it  too 
were  in  like  manner  doubly  diftinguifh'd.  Plato,  in  Epi- 
nomideufes  the  Words  'Arfovo^avles"  and  'A^^ovofxoi,  indiffe- 
rent Sences  :  He  underftands,  by  the  firft  of  them,  thofe  who 
apply  themfelves  to  difcover  the  Rifing  and  Setting  of  the 
Stars,  in  order  to  prognofticate  concerning  the  Seafons  of 
the  Year,  and  the  Temperature  of  the  Air  :  By  the  laft  of 
them,  he  means  thofe  who  particularly  confine  their  Studies 
to  the  Theory  of  the  Planets. 

The  Original  of  Astronomy,  fays  Gaflendus,  proceeded 
from  Admiration  3  Originem  ipfi  ipfa  fecit  admiratio,  In- 
trodud:.  Aftronom.  For  our  Forefathers,  aftonifh'd  at  the 
Splendour,  Variety  and  Multitude  of  thofe  glorious  Bodies,and 
obferving  their  conftant  and  regular  Motions,  apply 'd  them- 
felves to  the  Study  of  this  Science,  and  transferred  their  admi- 
ration into  Obfervations,  which,  in  Procefs  of  time,  they 
mark'd  down  in  Tables,  or  Parapegma's,  for  the  Inftrudlion 
of  Pofteriry  :  And  for  this  reafon  Ricciolus,  in  his  Preface  to 
the  firft  Tome  of  the  New  Almageft,  affirms  Astronomy  to 
be  almoft  coeval  with  the  Stars  themfelves  :  And  that,  to- 
-gether  with  other  Arts  divinely  infus'd,  it  was  reduc'd  into 
Experiment  and  Pracftice  by  Adam  himfelf,  who,  according  to 
Suidas,  was  the  Parent  and  Authour  of  all  Arts  and  Doc- 
trines; rdrn,  fays  he,  -srotv'Ja  hv^^fxcula.  k,  SiSdyfrnlcx,-  Befides, 
that  Adam  particularly  inftrudled  Seth  in  this  aftral  Science, 
and  that  too  by  Writing,  is  the  Opinion  of  all  the  Jewilh 
and  Arabian  Dodtours  ;  and  among  them,  particularly  of 
Gelaldinus  Arabs,  cited  by  Kircher  in  Obelifc.  PamphiL 
p.  5.  if  he  be  the  Authour  of  the  Book,  which  goes  under 
the  Title  of  Liber  Creationis  ;  of  which  fome  are  in  doubt, 
even  tho*  it  be  commented  upon,as  fuch,by  Rabbi  Abraham, 
and  Rabbi  Jofeph  Ben  Uziel  :  But  however  that  be,  Jo- 
fephus,  in  the  eleventh  Book  of  the  Jewifli  Antiquities, 
writes,  that  Seth,  having  been  inftru(5:ed  in  Aftronomy 
by  Adam,  and  knowing  that  the  World  was  twice  to  be 
deftroy'd,  once  by  Water,  and  once  by  Fire,  reduc'd  this 
Art  to  an  Epitome,  and  for  the  Information  and  Benefit  of 
Pofterity,ingrav'd  it  on  two  Pillars,  one  of  Brick,the  other  of 
Scone;  the  firft  to  preferve  it  from  the  Fire,  thefecond  from 
tht  DeluQC  -  which  laft  Pillar  he  affirms  to  have  been  re- 

mainln^ 


BookV.  LUCRETIUS.  fi^ 

itiaining  in  his  Days  at  a  PJace  call'd  Syrias  or  Seirath, 
which  If.  VofTius,  lib.  i .  de  ^cate  Mundi,  Itippofes  to  be  the 
Land  that  borders  on  Mount  Ephraim,  not  far  from  Jericho. 

Seth,  the  Son  of  Adam,  having  thus  engrav'd  on  two 
Pillars,  the  Theory  of  this  celeftial  Science,  which  h^  had 
receiv'd  from  his  Father;  and  Astronomy  being  thus  brought 
into  the  World,  the  fucceeding  Patriarchs,  who,  by  reafon  of 
their  Longevity,  had  the  Opportunity  of  obferving  many 
aftral  Revolutions,  cultivated  and  improv'd  it :  Nay,  fome 
of  the  Jewifli  Dodlours,  particularly  Rabbi  Ifaac  Abarbenel 
in  Diflertat.de  longasvitace  prim.  Patr.  goes  fo  far  as  to  affirm, 
that  the  Lives  of  the  Patriarchs  were,  by  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence, miraculoufly  prolonged  for  no  other  End,  than  that 
they  might  apply  themfelves  to  the  Study  of  this  celeftial 
Science  :  in  which  the  moft  celebrated  for  his  Knowledge 
is  Enoch,  whofe  Books  on  that  Subjedl  are  faid  to  be  ex- 
tant to  this  Day  in  the  Territories  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba, 
as  Vofllus  de  Scientiis  Mathemat.  affirms :  at  leaft  they  are 
feveral  Times  cited   by  Tertullian  and  Origen. 

It  is  not  certainly  known  to  what  Degree  of  Improve- 
ment this  Science  was  brought  before  the  Flood  :  but  from 
the  Teftimony  of  Origen,  citing  the  above-mention'd  Books 
of  Enoch,  it  appears  ;  That  the  Stars  were  then  reduc'd  into 
Afterifms,  under  peculiar  and  diftindl  Denominations,  con- 
cerning which  that  Patriarch,  who  was  the  Seventh  from 
Adam,  writ  many  fecret  and  myfterious  Things.  Befides, 
it  is  evident  from  Scripture  itfelf.  That  the  Year  was  then, 
as  it  is  now,  computed  by  twelve  Revolutions  of  the  Moon, 
to  one  of  the  Sun's  through  the  Zodiack :  For  it  is  faid  ex- 
prefsly  in  Genefis,  That  Noah  enter'd  into  the  Ark  the  feven- 
teenth  Day  of  the  fecond  Month,and  went  out  of  it  the  twen- 
ty feventh  Day  of  the  fecond  Month  of  the  Year  following  : 
In  the  fame  Book  likewife  exprefs  Mention  is  made  of  the 
feventh  and  tenth  Months :  From  whence  we  may  with 
good  Reafon  infer.  That  the  Patriarchs  had  then  the  Know-» 
ledge  of  the  Courfes  of  the  Sun  and  Moon,  with  their  Pe- 
riod?, and,  in  all  Probability,  of  the  other  Planets  alfo. 

After  the  Flood,  when  Mankind  came  to  be  fcatter'd 
over  the  Face  of  the  whole  Earth,  Aftronomy  began  to  be 
ftudy'd  by  feveral  Nations,  who,  no  doubt,  had  their  firft 
Knowledge  of  it  from  Noah  and  his  Pofterity  :  And  hence 
arofe  the  Conteft  for  the  Honour  of  its  Invention.    But 

fince 


^20  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V, 

^nce  ic  cannot  be  deny*d,  that  Mankind  difpers'd  themfelves 
out  of  Aiia  into  Africk,  Europe,  and  other  Parts  of  the 
World,  the  Afiaticks  may  juftly  claim  to  themfelves  the 
Glory  of  it ;  and  among  them  chiefly  the  Babylonians, 
Chaldeans,  and  Badrians  :  of  whom  the  moft  renown*d  for 
their  Skill  in  this  Science  are  Evahdnes,  Belus,  Zoroafter, 
and  Otanes :  as  alfo  Cidenas,  Naburianus,  Sudinus,  and 
Seleucus  the  Chaldean. 

From  the  Affyrians  and  Chaldeans  it  came  to  the  Egy- 
ptians, being  brought  thither  by  Abraham  the  Patriarch,  as 
Eufebius,  lib.  9.  Prxparat.  Evangel,  proves  from  the  autho- 
rity of  Jofephus,  Eupolemus,  Artapanus,  and  others,  as 
they  are  cited  by  Alexander  Polyhiftor  :  But  Eupolemus 
feems  to  infer  that  Abraham,  before  his  Defcent  into  -^gypt^ 
taught  it  to  the  Phoenicians.  Others  however  fay,  that  Mer- 
cury firft  taught  the  Egyptians  Aftronomy,  and  indeed  all 
other  Arts  and  Sciences.  This  is  politively  aflerted,  not  on- 
ly by  Jamblichus,  but  by  Plato  in  Phoedrus,  where  he  calls 
him  ^ai^e  y^/^f^druv,  and  by  Cicero,  lib.  3.  Divinar.  Vide 
etiam  Ladtantium,  lib.  i.  cap.  6.  There  are  others  who 
attribute  the  Honour  of  it  to  the  Egyptians  before  the  Chal- 
deans, who,  fay  they,  were  even  themfelves  firft  inftrudled 
in  it  by  the  Egyptians  :  To  make  good  which  Affertion  they 
produce  the  Teftimonies  of  Diodorus  Siculus.  Bibliothec, 
lib.  I.  and  of  Hyginus  Fabul.  271.  the  firft  of  whom  fays, 
that  Babylon  was  a  Colony  of  the  Egyptians,  founded  by 
Belus  of  Libya,  who  inftituted  there  a  College  of  Priefts, 
to  the  end  they  might  contemplate  the  Stars  in  the  fame 
manner  as  tkofe  of  Egypt :  The  laft,  that  one  Evahdnes  is 
faid  to  have  come  from  beyond  the  Seas  into  Chaldaea,  and 
there  to  have  taught  Aftronomy. 

But  if  this  Science  were  known  to  the  Egyptians,  before 
it  was  to  the  Babylonians  and  Chaldeans,  how  comes  it  to 
pafs,  that  the  Egyptian  Obfervations  are  fo  much  later  than 
thofe  of  the  Babylonians  .^  For  we  fcarce  find  any  of  the 
Egyprian  to  precede  the  Death  of  Alexander  the  Great  j 
than  which  even  thofe  of  the  Greeks  are  earlier  :  But  the 
Babylonian  Obfervations  were  manifeftly  made  almoft  two 
thoufand  Years  before  that  lime.  And  Cicero,  lib.  i .  de 
Divinat.  afcribes  it  firft  to  the  Affyrians  :  The  Affyrians,  ut 
ab  ultimis  audoritatem  repetam,  fays  he,  by  reafon  of  the 
Plainnefs  and  large  Extent  of  their  Countrey,  which  afford- 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  ^21 

ed  them  on  all  fides  a  dear  and  open  View  of  Heaven,  ob- 
terv'd  the  Courfe  and  Motion  of  the  Stars :  And  having 
fram'd  a  due  Calculation  of  their  Revolutions,  they  from 
tbence  made  Predi(5tions  of  future  Events :  And  amongft 
the  Aflyrians,  the  Chaldeans  (non  ex  artis,  fed  ex  gentis  vo- 
cabulo  nominati)  arriv'd  to  fuch  a  Perfedion  of  Skill,  that 
they  could  foretel  what  fhould  h  ppen  to  any  one,  and  un- 
der what  Fate  they  were  born :  which  Arc  the  Egyptians 
learnt  of  them  many  Ages  ago.     Thus  Cicero. 

There  are  others  neverthelefs  who  deny  this  Honour  both 
to  the  Chaldeans  and  Egyptians,  aiTigning  the  Invention  of 
Aftronomy  to  the  Ethiopians :  of  this  Opinion  is  Lucian, 
^"As^My'iA^'  But  this  AfTertion  feems  of  little  Weight,  it 
being  contrary  to  the  general  Stream  of  Tradition,  even 
long  before  Lueian's  Time. 

The  Africans  too  pretend  to  the  Invention  of  Aftronomy  ; 
and  among  them  particularly  the  Mauritanians,  who  are 
faid  to  have  been  inftrudted  in  that  Science  by  their  King 
Atlas,  the  Son  of  Libya. 

Aristotle  afcribes  the  Invention  of  it  wholely  to  the 
Babylonians  and  the  Egyptians :  'Ar/Moi,   ^  Ba^v?,mioi,  ^^l^ 

cJv  'sroMctV  ^isei?.  gX^/x*^  -t^  sxotVa  rcov  (}!s'f'Cov  '  And  how  the 
Egyptians  came  to  be  skilful  in  that  Science,  Ptolomy,  who 
was  himfelf  of  Egypt,  gives  us  this  reafon,  on  f^dmv  awoi-A.Sv'^ 

TO?S"  AiSvjUOi^,  KjTzS  tS  "Efywa  •  And  why  ?  S^ioyn^  S^voir/jiOf 
Tg  Xj  crvvz]oi  Kj  oAw?  tx.&.vo]  'srsg)  tcc  f^cf.^yf^aUcK,.  Of  the  Babylo- 
nians .  he  fays,  ori  rvt  -srotf Gtvw  k^  tcS  rS  ''E^/aa  cruvouta  v'^,  Sio  Xj 
^jrctf'  o,v%lg  TO  /uct9M/Wct1<x.ov  Xj  'Sc^.'Jsf hIocqi'  TiTy  ecrsfoiv  avn^ri^. 

Thus  from  the  feveral  Nations  before-mention'd,  Aftro- 
nomy feems  to  have  been  antiently  divided  into  three  dif- 
ferent and  chief  Sed:s,  that  is  to  fay,  the  Aflyrian,  under 
which  is  compfehended  the  Babylonian  and  the  Chaldaick, 
the  Egyptian,  and  the  Mauritanian  or  Atlantick  :  Of  which 
laft  neverthelefs  the  Romans  made  no  account  ;  for  among 
ihem  were  enumerated  only  thefe  three  Sed:s,  the  Chal- 
daick, Egyptian  and  Grecian  :  Now  Eudoxus  is  faid  to 
have  been  the  firft,  who  from  the  Egyptians  brought  Aftro- 
nomy to  his  Countreymen  the  Greeks  :  and  Beroius  to  have 
brought  into  Greece  the  Science  of  Genethlialogy  from  his 

X  X  X  Countrey- 


522  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

Countreytnen  the  Chaldeans.    Vitruvius,  lib.   9.    cap.  7. 
Eorum  autem  invenciones,  quas  fcriptis  reliquerunr,  qua  fo- 
lercia,   quibufque    acuminibiis,     &   quam  magni    fuerint, 
qui  ab  ipfa  Chalda?orum  natione  profluxeruntj  oftendunt :  , 
Primufque  Berofus  in  infula,  &c  civitate  Coa  confedit,  ibique 
aperuit  difeiplinam.     And  Pliny    fays,  that  the  Athenians 
publickly  eredted  a  Statue  with  a  golden  Tongue  to  Bero- 
fus, for   his  divine   Predidions.     After  him  Antipater  and 
Achinapolus  were  reputed  famous  Genethlialogifts.   Of  Na- 
tural Caufes  and  Effeds,  Thaies,  Anaxagoras,  Pythagoras, 
Xenophanrus,  and  Democritus  are  efteem'd  the  moft  emi- 
nent Obfervers.      After  them,   following  their  Inventions, 
and  oblerving  befides  the  Rife  and  Setting  of  the  Stars,  and 
the  Seafons  of  the  Year,  Eudaemon,  Callifthus,  iVlelo,  Phi- 
lippus,  Hipparchus,  Aratus,  8cc.  left  to  Pofterity  their  Aftro- 
logicai  Prognofticks,  in  their  Tables,  which  are  call'd  Pa- 
rapegma's  :  Of  which  fee  Geminus  and  Theon  in  Arati  Phsc- 
nom      Thus  tho*  it  be  certain,  that  the  Greeks  deriv'd  their 
Knowledge   in  Aftronomy  from  the  Chaldeans  and  Egy- 
ptians, yet  fo  great  was  their  Prefumption,  as  confidently  to 
affirm,  that  the  Invention  of  it-  was  due  to  them,  particu- 
larly to  the  Rhodians,  from   whom   they  pretend  that  the 
Egyptians  receiv'd  it,  as  Diodorus  Siculus  reports  in  the 
Story  of  the  Heliadre  :  And  laftly,  others  of  them  afcribe  its 
Original  to  their  Poet  Orpheus  :   but  thofe  Opinions  favour 
too  much  of  the  Fable  :  and  therefore  we  may  rather  fub» 
fcribe    to  their  Belief,  who  hold.  That  Thaies  the  Milelian 
firft  brought  Aftronomy  into  Greece,    having .  deriv'd  his 
Knowledge  in  that  Science  from  the   Egyptians. 

After  Thaies,  it  was  improved  by  Anaximander,  Anaxi- 
menes,  Anaxagoras,  Democritus,  Empedocles,  Eudtemon, 
,  Meton,  Eudoxus,  and  others  of  the  Athenian  School,  till 
the  time  that  Alexander  the  Great  founded  the  City  of 
Alexandria  in  Egypt.  After  which  the  Ptolemies,  his  Sue- 
cefTours,  having  ereded  there  an  Academy  for  all  manner 
of  Studies,  the  Grecian  Aftronomy  made  its  retreat  thi- 
ther ;  and  fionrifli'd  under  thofe  Princes  in  equal  Glory 
with  the  Egyptian :  And  from  thence  we  hear  of  the  fa- 
mous Names  of  Autolychus,  Calippus,  Timochares,  Ari- 
ftyllus,  Eratofthenes,  Conon,  Hipparchus,  Sofigenes,  Theon 
the  Elder,  Ptolemy,  Paulus  the  Alexandrian,  Theon  the 
Younger,  furnam'd  likewifethe  Alexandrian,  andhis  Daugh- 
ter,  the  excellent;,  but  unfortunate,  Hypatia. 

Ic 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  ^25 

It  was  long  before  Aftronomy  was  introdncd  into  Italy, 
or  had  any  Profeflburs  among  the  Romans  :  For  tho'  Dion 
Prufieus  in  Orat.  49.  affirm,  That  the  Pythagoreans  inftrudt- 
cd  the  Italians  in   that  Science,  and  that  in  all  Probability 
the  Dod^rine  of  Philolaus,   Timseus,   Archytas,   and  others, 
the  Fame  of  whofe  Learning  had  invited  even  Plato  himlelf 
to  make  a  Voyage  into  Italy,  could  not  have  been  conceal'd 
from  the  curious  and  ingenious  Romans;   yet  that  martial 
People,  who  were  more  addicted  to  Arms  than  Arts,  en- 
tertain'd  but  late  and  flowly  too,  thefe  fpeculative  Studies : 
Nor,  to   pafs   bv  the  rude  Sketches  of  Numa  Pompilius, 
does  the  Roman  Hiftory  mention  any   Perfons,  as  confi- 
derably  knowing   in   Aftronomy,    before    Caius  Sulpicius 
Gallus,  who  was  Legate  to  ^miljus  Paulus,  in  the  War 
againft   Perfes,  King  of  Macedon,    and  who   firft  among 
them  publifh'd  a  Treatife  of  hclipfes.     After  him,  we  read 
That  Lucius  Taruntius,  Nigidius  Figulus,  Varro,  and  Ci- 
cero apply  d   themfelves  to  the  Study  of  Aftronomy  :  But 
ro  none  of  the  Romans  is  that  Science  fo  much  indebted,  as 
to  their  Great  Didatour  C,  Julius  Caefar,    who,   as  Lucan 
witneHes, 

Media  inter  prselia  femper 


Stellarum,  cselique  plagis,  fuperifque  vacabar. 

And  who  aflifted  by  the  Egyptian  So(igenes,  reduc'd  the 
Roman  Year  to  the  Courfe  of  the  Sun,  which  we  yet  re* 
cain ;  and  writ  a  Treatife. of  the  Stars  in  the  Greek  Tongue, 
From  him  the  Mathematical  Arts,  and  particularly  Aftrono^ 
my,  began  to  flouriOi  among  the  Romans :  And  after  his 
Example,  Auguftus  C^efar,  who  was  his  Nephew  and  Suc- 
cefTour,  encourag'd  the  Study  of  it. 

Let  this  fuffice  as  a  brief  Indication  of  the  firft  Rife  and 
\uthours  of  Aftronomy,  and  of  the  Promoters  of  it  among 
he  Antients  It  would  perhaps  be  too  tedious  to  continue 
he  Progrefs  of  it  down  to  thefe  times,  and  to  (hew  when, 
low,  and  by  whom  it  has  been  improved,  and  brought  to 
hat  Degree  of  Perfedion,  to  which  it  is  now  arrived, 

''  '■  '    II." 'Ui-  II  i  ■..  I  I  .  I    iMLiiii.     im     II    iw^waMi^— a^^Wwa^ij^MB^ 


524  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

As  if  it  could  not  either  way  be  done, 
775  But  powerful  Reafons  fix  d  our  Choice  on  one; 

But  why  the  Moons  a  monthly  Round  purfue  ? 

Why  one  fo  long,  not  ev'ry  Day  a  new  ? 

Why  are  they  fram'd,  endure,  and  always  ceafe 

At  this  {ct  Time  ?  The  Caufe  is  told  with  eafe  j 
780  Since  other  Things  at  certain  Times  appear, 

And  only  then:  Thus  Seafons  of  the  Year : 


N  0  T  £  5. 


Firft 


774..  As  if,  &c.]    Herewefeei 
that  tho'  Lucretius,  after  Epicu- 
rus, believ'd  the  iirft  Opinion  to 
be   the   moft    probable,    yet  he 
does  not  condemn  the  later.  And 
thus  too   Epicurus  in  Laertius, 
lib.  10.  fays,  that  tho'  one  Kea 
fon,  may  feem  better  than  any  of  j 
the  other,    for  the   Solution  of 
any .  Problem  whatever,    yet  we' 
ought  nor  therefore  immediately 
to  condemn  all  the  reft  that  may 
be    given  ,    if   they    have    any 
Appearance    of    Truth,     even 
tho'  but  one  of  them  can  be  true. 
77^.  But  why,  ^c]    In  thefe 
27.  v.  he  propofes  the  Opinion  of 
Epicuru?,    who    held    that    the 
Moon  is  created  and  dies  daily, 
in  a  certain   Form  and  Figure  : 
In  like  manner  a5  he  held  the 
Sun  to  be  daily  extinguilli'd  in 


Perceiv'ft  thou  not  the  Pro_ 

cefs  of  the  Year 
How  the  four  Seafons  in  four 

Forms  appear, 
Refsrabling    human    Life  in' 

ev'ry  Shape  they  wear  ? 
Sprmg    firft,     like     Infancy^' 

flioots  out  her  Head, 
With  milky  juide  requiring  to' 

be  fed  , 
Helplefs,tho'  frcili;  and  want-* 

ing  to  be  led. 
The  green  Stem  grows  in  Stature 

and  in  Size, 
But  only  feeds  with  Hope   the 

Farmer's  Eyes  : 
Then  laughs  the  child iili  Year, 

with  Flowrets  crown'd. 
And  laviflily  perfumes  the  Fields 

around ; 
But  no  fubftantial  Nourifhment^ 

receives ; 


the  Welt,,  and  created  again  in  j  Infirm  the   Stalks,    unfolid  are 

the  Eaft.    And  that  this  may  be,       the  Leaves. 

fays  he,  feveral  other  Things  de-   Proceeding  omvard,  whence  the. 

monftrate  :   For  thus,  at  certain  I      Year  began, 

and  inviolable  Times,  the  Sear  The  Summer  grows  adult,  and> 


fons  of  the  Year  follow  one  ano- 
ther :  The  Spring  precedes  the 
Summer  ■,  the  Summer  the  Au- 
tumn ;  the  Autumn  the  Winter  ; 
TheWinter^the  Spring,&c.Ovid. 
Metam.  15.  v.  1^6.  defcribes  in 
like  manner  the  conftant  Succef- 
fion  of  the  four  Seafons  of  the 
Year,  and  compares  them  to  the 
four  Ages  of  Man's  Life.  I 
omit  the  Original  for  Brevi- 
ties fake,  and  will  only  give 
Dryden's  Tranllation  of  it  to 
ill  nitrate  this  PalTage  of  Lucre- 
tius •.  ' 


ripens  into  Man 
This  Seafon,  as  in  Men,  is  moft 

replete 
Vv^ith  kindly  Moifture,  and  pro-i 

lifick  Heat. 
Autumn  fucceeds ;  a  fober,  tepid- 

Age, 
Not  froze  with  Fear,  nor  boil- 
ing in  tjo  Rage;  i 
More  than  mature,  and  tending 

to  Decay, 
When  our  brown  Locks  repine  to 

mix  with  odious  Grt;y. 

Laft 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


T^r 


Firft  Spring,  and  Ve2{vs  kindeft  Pow'rs  infpire 
Soft  Wilhes,  melting  Thoughts,  and  gay  De(ire  j 
And  warm  F^ vokivs  fans  ch'  amorous  Jt^ire 5 


Then 


NOTES. 


Laft  Winter  fweeps  along  with 

tardy  Pace, 
Sour  is  his  Front,  and  furrow'd 

is  his  Face  : 
His  Scalp,    if  not    diHionour'd 

quite  of  Hair, 
The  ragged  Fleece  is  thin  ;  and 

thin  is  worfe  than  bare. 

782.  Venus,]  For  Venus,  the 
Goddefs  of  Generation  accom- 
panies the  vernal  Seafon  ;  as  Lu- 
cretius himfelf  elegantly  lings  at 
the  Beginning  of  the  firft  Book  ; 
which  Drydenhas  no  lefs  elegant- 
ly render 'd  in  thefe  Verfes. 


Delight  of  humane  Kind,  ^'and 
Gods  above  : 

Parent  of   Rome  :     propitious 
Queen  of  Love  : 

Whofe  vital  Pow'r,  Air,  Earth, 
and  Sea  fuppJies, 

And  breeds  whate'er  is  born  be- 
neath the  rouling  Skies  : 

For  ev'ry  Kind,  by  thy  proliiick 
Might, 

Springs,    and  beholds  the  Rcgi- 
.  ons  of  the  Light  : 

Thee,  Goddefs,  Thee  the  Clouds 
and  Tempefts  fear ; 

And  at  thy  pleafing  Prefencedif- 
appear  : 

For  Thee  the  Land  in  fragrant 
Flow'rs  is  drefs'd  ; 

For  Thee  the    Ocean  fmilcs 
and  fmooths  her  wavyBreaft 

AndHeav'n  itfelf  with  more  fe- 
reneand  purerLight  is  blefs'd. 

For  when  the  riling  Spring  adorns 
the  Mead, 

And    a    new    Scene  of  Nature 

•    ftands  difplay'd  ; 

When  teeming  Buds,  and  cheer- 
ful Greens  appear, 

And  Weftcrn  Gales  unlock  the 
iazy  Year ; 


The  joyous  Birds  Thy  Welcome 

firft  exprefs, 
Whofe  native  Songs  Thy  genial 

Fire  confefs : 
Then  favage   Beafts  bound  o'er 

their  flighted  Food, 
Struck   with    Thy    Darts,    and 

tempt  the  raging  Flood  : 
All     Nature    is    Thy    Gift;' 

Earth,  Air,  and  Sea, 
Of  all  that  breathes  the  vari-' 

ous  Progeny, 
Stung  with  Delight,  is  goaded 

on  by  Thee. 
O'er  barren   Mountains,  o'er 

the  flow'ry  Plain, 
The  leafy  Foreft,  and  the  li-^ 

quid  Main, 
Extends  thy  uncontroul'd  and 

boundlefs  Reign. 
Through  ail  the  living  Regions 

Thou  doft  ra.ove. 
And  fcatter'ft,  where  Thou  go'It, 

the  kindly  Seeds  of  Love. 

See  B.  L  V.  I. 

Moreover,  our  Tranflatour  has 
repeated  this  and  the  two  follow- 
ing Verfes  from  B.  L  v.  19.  tho* 
his  Authour  have  not. 

784.  Favonius,  3  The  "Wefr 
Wind,  of  which  Book  L  v,  21. 
Lucretius  here  calls  it  Zephyrus  : 
which  is  likewife  a  Wind  that 
blows  from  the  Equinocftial 
Weft,  contrary  to  the  Wind 
call'd  SubfolanuSj  which  blows 
from  the  Equinoc'^ial  Eaft.  It 
was  fo  call'd  from  t,ca;j(poc^^y 
that  brings  Life  ;  becaufe,  when 
it  blows,  all  things  bud  and  ilioot 
forth.  This  Wind  was  feign'd 
to  be  the  Fore-runner  of  Venus, 
becaufe  it  blows  chiefly  in  the 
Spring,  with  which  Seafon  Venus 
is  faid  to  be  moft  delii^hted. 

785.  Flora 


526  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

785  Then  Mother  Flor^^  to  prepare  the  Way, 

Makes  all  the  Field  look  glorious,  green,  and  gay  5 
And  freely  fcatters  with  a  bounteous  Hand 
Her  fweeteft,  faireft  Flowers  o'er  the  Land: 
Next  Heat,  and  dufty  Harvest  take  the  Place, 

790  And  fofc  Etes iJs  fan  the  Sun-burnt  Face. 
Then  fweaty  Autumn  treads  the  noble  Vine, 
And  flowing  Bunches  give  immortal  Wine : 

Next 

NOTES. 


785.  Flora,  3  Lacftantius  de 
falla  Religione,  lib.  i.  calls 
her  Faula  :  for  which  Voffius 
there  reads  Flaura  :  flie  was,  as 
Yerrms  in  the  fame  Authour 
fays,  Scortum  Herculis,  the  Har- 
lot of  Hercules  :  but  according 
to  others,  il\e  was  a  Roman 
Dame,  who,  by  her  lewd  PraJii- 
ces  having  heap'd  up  a  great  deal 
of  Money,  bequeathed  her  Eftate, 
when  Ihe  dy'd,  to  the  Common- 
Wealth  of  Rome.  This  is  cer- 
tain, That  the  Senate  made  her 
theGoddefs  of  Flowers,  Gardens 
and  Meadows:  ut  pudend^e  rei 
quccdam  dignitas  haberetur,  as 
Lacftantius  in  the  Place  above- 
cited  tells  us  :  They  inftituted 
likewife  Feftivalsin  her  Honour, 
call'd  Floraliajwhich  is  confirm'd 
by  Ovid;  lib.  5.  Faftorum  : 

Convenere   Patres  ,  &    (i  bene 
floreat  annus, 

Numinibus  veftris  annua  Fefta 
vovent, 

And  the  fame  Poet  acquaints  us. 
that  thefe  Solemnities  were  per- 
form'd  towards  the  later  end  of 


Ireque  florefcerent,  fays  Lacftan-^ 
tins  in  the  fame  Place.  And  in 
thefe  Floralia,  vile,  impudent 
Strumpets  were  wont  to  dance 
naked  in  the  Streets  to  the  Sound 
of  Trumpets :  to  which  Cu- 
ftom  Juvenal  alludes ,  Sat.  6. 
v.  249. 


Dignifllima  prorfus 


Florali  matrona  tubd, 


April  : 

Incipij  Aprilij  tranfis  in  tempo- 
ra.  Maij  ; 

Alter    te  fugiens,  cum  venit, 
alter,  abit, 

Thefe  Feftivals  therefore  were 
inftituted,  ut  fruges  cum  arbo- 
ribusj  aut  vitibus  ben?  prp^pe- 


790.    Etefia's,  ]     The  Etefias 
are  Winds,  that  blow  conftant- 
ly   for  about  eleven    Days    to- 
gether in  the  Heat  of  Summer, 
and  chiefly  after  the  Rife  of  the 
Dog-Star.     Hence  they  are  call'd 
Etefia,    which  is  as  much  as  to 
fay.  Annual,    from    the  Greek 
Word  sTor,  a  Year.     Thus  Pli- 
ny, lib.  37.  cap.  5.  &  Aul.  Gell. 
lib.  2.  cap.  18.  Strabo  calls  them 
Subfolani,    of  v/hich    fee  above 
V.  78 4.  others  Weft  Winds,  and 
others  Eaft,    and   Lucretius    in 
this   Place   makes   them   North 
Winds ;    Etefia    flabra   Aquilo- 
num.     See  more  E.  VI.  V.  718. 

792.  And  flowing  Bunches.  Sec."] 
Lucr.  Graditur  fimul  Evius  E- 
van.  Bacchus  was  call'd  Evius 
and  Evan,  from  the  Word  hvcol, 
which  the  mad  Bacch^  or  Bac- 
chides  us'd  in  their  Orgies  ; 
Ovid.  lib.  4.  Metam.  v.  15. 

Nycfleiiufque,  EleleufqueParenSj 
dc  Jacchus  ^  Ev^n. 

^  ?%}^  The. 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  ^27 

Next  roars  the  fcrong-lung'd  Southern    Blaft,   and 
The  infant  Thunde,r  on  his  dreadful  Wings  :    (brings 

795  Then  Cold  purfues,  the  North  feverely  blows, 
And  drives  before  it  chilUng  Frosts,  and  Snows  : 
And  next  deep  Winter  creeps,  grey,  wrinkled,  old,' 
His  Teeth  all  fliatter.  Limbs  all  fliake  with  Cold : 
Therefore  no  wonder  fure  the  Moon  fhould  rife 

Soo  At  certain  Times,  and  that  agam  fhe  dies 

At  certain  Times  5  fince  thouland  Things  are  fhown 
At  fixt  and  conftant  Times,  and  then  alone. 

Eclipses  may  be  folv'd  a  thoufand  ways  ; 
For  if  the  Moon  can  ftop  defcending  Rays 

805  By  thrufting  her  dark  self  between,  and  fo 
Bring  liiddain  Shade,  and  Night  on  all  below  ; 
Then  give  me  Reafons,  why  there  can  not  be  *]! 

Another  Thing,  too  dark  for  us  to  fee,  J> 

And  fit  to  ftop  the  Rays,  as  well  as  She  ?  3 

810  Or,  why  the  circling  Sun,  in  pafling  by  -p 

Some  venomous  Places  of  the  neighbouring  Sky,         >> 
May  not  grow  sick,  and  pale,  and  almoft  die  ?      3 
Thofe  paft,  grow  well,  regain  his  former  Light  ? 
Thus  fometimes  make  us  Day,  andfometimes  Night^ 

Si  5      And  whilft  the  Moons  their  monthly  Courfes  run. 
Within  the  reach  of  Earth's  dark  fliadowing  Cone, 

If 
N  0   T  E  S, 


793.   The  flrong-lung'd   fou- 
thern  Blaft,  J     Lucretius. 

Altitonans  Vulturnus3&  Aufter 
fulmine  pollens. 

Vulturnus,  of  which  Creech 
takes  no  Notice,  is  the  South- 
Eaft  Wind,  fays  Agell.  lib.  2. 
cap.  22.  Aufter  is  the  South 
"Wind,  and  generally  blows  in 
Autumn. 

803.  Eclipfes,  &c.]  In  thefe 
21.  V,  he  treats  of  the  Eclipfes 
of  the  Sun  and  Moon :  The  Sun, 
fays  he,  is  eclips'd,  when  the 
Moon,  or  any  opacous  Body,  be- 
low his  Globe,  interpofes  be- 
tween that  and  the  Earth,  and 
thus  intercepts  his  Beams,  and  1 
hinders  thofe  Kays  of  Light  from  ^ 
coming  forward  to  the  Earth.! 


The  Moon  is  eclips'd,  when  Hie 
happens  to  be  in  the  ihadow  of 
the  Earth,  or  any  other  opacous 
Body,  that  is  interpos'd  between 
her  Orb,  and  the  Sun  ;  Belides  ; 
why  may  not  both  the  Sun  and 
the  Moon  grow  faint  and  licken, 
nay,  as  it  were,  fall  into  a  Swoon, 
when  they  chance  to  go  thro'  any 
Places  of  the  Heavens,  that  are 
infe<ftious  to  them,  and  deftruc- 
tive  of  their  Fires  and  Light  ? 
This  laft  was  the  Opinion  of 
Xenophanes. 

Bi6.  Within   the  reach,  Scc,2 
Lucretius. 

Menftrua  dum  rigidas  Coniper- 
labitur  umbras. 

That  is  to  fay.  While  the  Moon» 
in  her  monthly  Courfc,  pafTes 

by 


SiS  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

If  then  revengeful  Earth  can  ftop  the  Light, 
If  fhe  can  hide  the  fickning  Moon  in  Night : 
Why  can  not  other  Things  divert  the  Streams, 
820  The  failing  Streams  of  Light,  and  ftop  the  Beams  ? 

Or 
NOTES. 


by  the  rigid  Shadow  of  the 
Earth  ;  which  Shadow  is  of  a 
Conick  Figure.  But  fome  in- 
terpret Coni  to  be  meant  of  the 
Earth  itfelf ,  as  if  it  were 
acovoeiSyiSy  iliap'd  like  a  Cone, 
becaufe  Ariftotle,  lib.  2.  Me- 
teor, fays,  that  the  Earth  is 
Hiap'd  like  a  Tymbrel,  and  that 
the  Lines  drawn  from  its  Cen- 
tre make  two  Cones  :  but  the 
Poet  means  the  Lunar  Eclipfe 
is  made,  by  reafon  of  the  Sha- 
dow of  the  Earth,  that  ftretches^ 
out  in  the  fliape  of  a  Cone. 

818.    The  lick'ning    Moon,] 
The  antient  Heathens  were  of 
Opinion,  that  Witches,  by  mut- 
tering fome  Charms   in   Verfc, 
caus'd  the  Eclipfes  of  the  Moon  -, 
which  they  conceiv'd  to  be,  when 
the   Moon,  the  Goddefs  of  the 
Earth,  was   brought  down  from 
her  Sphere  by  the  virtue  of  thofe 
Incantations  :They  believed  like- 
wife,  that  in  chefc  Eclipfes,  ilie 
ficken'd  and  labour'd,  as  in  an 
Agony,  and  luifer'd  a  Kind  of 
Death  :  Of  this  Belief  were  even 
Stelichoras  and  Pin3ar,  as  Pliny 
relates,  lib.  2.  cap.   12.  Milton, 
tho'   not  of  the  fame  Opinion, 
yet    defcribes   this     foolilli    Be- 
lief, 

Not  uglier  follow  the  Night- 
Hag-,  when,  call'd 

In  fee  ret,  riding  thro'  the  Air, 
file  comes, 

Lur'd  with  the  Smell  of  Infant 
Blood,  to  dance 

With  Lapland  Witches,  while 
the  lab'ring  Moon 

Eclipfes  at  their  Charms* 

AndiLeein,thp,Tragedyof  OE- 
dipus,  fpsakingpf  chs  Mooa  in 
Edipfcj 


-'The  Silver  Moon  is  all  o'er 


Blood 
A  i'ettling  Crimfon    ftains  her 

beauteous  Face  : 
Sound  there,  found  all   our  In- 

ftruments  of  War  ; 
Clarions,  and  Trumpets,  Silver, 

Brafs,  and  Ir'n,  :  ^j 

And  beat  a  thoufand  Drums  to 

help  her  Labour. 

The  vain  Heathens  farther  be- 
liev'd.  That  the  MoOn  being  by 
thefe  Inchantments  brought 
down  from  Heaven,  they  were 
at  thofe  times  in  danger  of  loilng 
that  celeftial  Light  :  and  there- 
fore they  made  a  great  Noife  by 
beating  of  brafs  VefTels,  by  ring- 
ing of  Bells,  founding  of  Trum- 
pets, whooping,  hallowing,  and 
the  like,  to  drown  the  Witches 
Mucterings,  that  the  Moon  not 
hearing  them,  they  might  be 
render'd  ineffedual,  and  llie  fuf- 
fer  no  hurt.  Thus  Medea  in 
Ovid  boafts  that  fhe  could  draw 
down  the  Moon  from  Heaven  : 

Te  quoque,  Luna,  traho,  quam 

Tcmefisa  labores 
^-ra  tuos  minuant.  ■ 

Metam.  7.  v.  207. 
And  Tibullus. 

Cantus  &  e   curru  lunam  didu- 
cere  tentat, 

Et  facerent,  fi  non  xrn  repulfa 
fonent. 

And  Statius.  6.  Theb. 

-Attonitis  quoties  divellittir 


aftris 
Soils  opaca  foror,  procul  auxili- 

antia  gcntes 
^ra  crepant.  <    ,  • 

And 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

Or  if  the  Moon  fhines  with  a  nat'ral  Ray, 
As  thro'  infedious  Air  fhe  cuts  her  way, 
Why  may  not  flie  grow  fick,  her  Flames  decay  > 

N  O  T  £  5. 


^29 


Since 


And  Seneca  in  Hippolytus. 

£t  nuper    rubuic,   nullaque  lu> 

cidis 
Nubes  fordidior    yultubus    ob- 

ftitit  : 
At  nos   folliciti   lumine    turbi- 

do, 
Tracftam  ThefTalicis  carminibus 

rati, 
Tinnitus  dedimus 

And  Livy  Dccad.  7.  3.  (peaks  of 
it  J  as  of  an  ordinary  Cuftom, 
in  thefe  Words :  Qualis  in  de- 
fe(ftu  Lun^e  filenti  no(f^e  fieri  fo- 
let,  edidit  clamorem.  And  Ju- 
venal fays  pleafantly  enough  of  a 
loud  fcolding  Woman,  that  ilie 
alone  was  able  to  relieve  the 
Moon  out  of  an  Eclipfe  : 


• Jam  nemo  tubas  atque  ^ra 

Una  laboranti  potent  fuccurrere 

Luna:.  Sat.  6.  v.  442 


And  this  abfurd  Superftition  was 
fo  grounded  in  the  Pagans,  that 
after  many  of  them  were  become 
Chriftians,  it  v^as  not  quite 
rooted  out  :  not  even  in  St.  Am- 
brofe's  time,  whofe  reprehenfion 
of  this  Piece  of  Paganifm  is  ci- 
ted by  Turncbus  in  Adverfar. 
And  Maxim  us  likewife  blames  it 
in  a  Homily  de  Defedu  Lunjc. 
And  Bonincontrius,  who  liv'd 
yet  feveral  Ages  later,  affirms, 
That  he  himfelf  had  feen  this 
abfurd  Cuftom  pradlis'd  upon 
the  like  Occafion,  by  his  own 
Countreymen,  the  Italians.  The 
Turks  continue  it  to  this  Day,  as 
Scaliger  affirms :  And  Plutarch 
in  the  Life  of  .Smilius  reports. 


(That  the  Romans,  befides  their 
Beating  of  brazen  Veflcls,  found- 
^  ing  of  Trumpets,  &c.  were  wont 
to  reach  up  flaming  Links  and 
Torches  towards  Heaven,  to  re- 
fupply,     and    kindle    again  the 
Light  of  the  Moon,  which  they 
believ'd  by  Charms  to  be  extin- 
guilh'd.     Delrius  in  Senec.  Tra- 
goed.  fays,  he  has  read,  that  the 
Indians  are  wont  with  Tears  and 
Lamentations  to  bewail  this  De- 
fe(ft  or  Deliquium  of  the  Moon, 
believing  the  Sun  had  then  whipc 
her  till  flie  bled,    to  which  they 
impute    the  Caufe  of  her  dark 
and  fanguine  Colour.     In  Com- 
mentar.  ad   Hippolyt.  pag.  195. 
Vide  etiam  Turnebum  in   Ad- 
verfar. lib.  22.  cap.  23.  and    24. 
And    Pincierus  in   Parerg.  Otif 
Marpurg.    lib.  2.  cap.   37.     Of 
this    fuppos'd    fainting    of   the 
Moon  Wowerus  alfo  makes  men- 
tion in  his  Pst'gnion  de  Umbf^, 
cap.  8.  towards  the  End,     But 
we  may  farther  obferve,  that  the 
Arabians   believ'd  the  Moon  to 
be  in  the  like  Agony,  when  (lis 
eclips'd  the  Sun,  as  appears  by  a 
Cuftom  they   obferv'd  at  their 
new   Moon.     For  keeping  holy 
the  Day  of  their  Neomenia,  or 
New-Moon,  and  believing  it  un- 
lucky to  have  the  Moon  fuffer 
any  Hurt  on  that  Day,  they  were 
wont,  becaufe  Ihe  might  on  that 
day  ecliple  the   Sun,    the  Solar 
Eclipfe  happening  when  theMoon 
is  new,  to  defer  the  Celebration 
of  their  Neomenia  till  the  nexc 
Day  :    or    at    leaft    for    fixteen 
Hours,  till  the  Sun  was  paft  the 
Eclipfe.      And  hence  it   is  that 
the  Aftronomers  diftinguiUi  the 
Neomenia  of  the  Arabians,  into 
the  Coeleftis ,  which  was  the  firft 
and  natural  Timejand  theCivilis, 
which  was  not  the  true  time,  but 
Y  y  y  the 


S10 


LUC  R  E  T  lU  S. 


Book  V. 


Since  IVe  the  Motions  taught  of  Stars  above, 
825  How  Sun,  and  Moon,  and  by  what  Caufe  they  move  5 
And  how,  eclips'd,  they  lofe  their  gawdy  Light, 
And  fpread  o'er  all  an  unexpeded  Night, 
As  if  they  wink'd,  and  then  with  open  Eyes 
View*d  all  again,  and  clear'd  the  lower  Skies  : 
S30N0W  let's  defcend  again  to  new-born  Earth, 
And  find  to  what  (lie  gave  the  fooneft  Birth : 
What  fort  of  Beings,  which  of  all  the  Kinds 
She  firft  durft  venture  to  the  faithlefs  Winds. 

She,  firft  of  all,  green  Herbs,  and  Flow'rs     did 
855  And  fpread  a  gawdy  Green  o'er  all  the  Field :     (yield. 

And 
NOTE  S. 

the  Day  following,  and  on  which  i  other  the. like  ignoble  Animals,- 
they  celebrated  their   Neomeniaj  what  may  we  not  reafonably  be- 


to  avoid  the  ill  Luck,  and  im- 
profperous  Accidents,which  their 
Superftition  made  them  appre- 
hend. See  Nicolaus  Mulerius  in 
his  Diatribe  de  Anno  Arabico, 
in  the  Explication  of  the  Arabi- 
bian  Epocha,  or  the  Hegyra.  Ub- 
bo  Emmius  has  inferted  it  in  his 
Chronology  between  the  fourth 
and  fifth  Books. 

824.  Since,  &c.]  Having  ex- 
plain'd  after  his  manner  the  Mo- 
tions of  the  Sun,  Moon,  and 
Star?,  he  defcends  from  Hea- 
ven to  his  native  Element, 
4-nd  in  thefe  10.  v.  tells  us  that 
tie  is, going  to  defcribe  the  Rife 
and  6rigine  of  Things  from  the 
Earth,   the  common  Parent  of 

all. 

834.  She  firft,  &c.]  Lucretius 
defcribes  the  Rife  of  things  from 
the  new-form'd  Earth  in  fo  live- 
ly a  manner,  that  he  feems  even 
t^  have  been  prefent  at  their 
Birth.  And  firft  in  thefe  21.  v. 
he  tells  us,  that  the  Earth  firft 
ppoduc'd  the  Grafs,  Herbs,  and 
fl<>wers,  then  the  Trees,  then 
she  kfs  perfed^,  and  laft  the  moft 
(Excellent  Animals.  For,  fays  he, 
fince  we  fee,  that  e%'en  now,  \vhen 
the  whole  World  is  decay'd,  and 
\yorn  out  to  a  great  Degree,  ilie 
Aiil  produces  Mice,  frogs,  and 


licve  of  her,  when  both  herfelf 
and  her  Husband  ^ther, '^\tere 
in  their  blooming  Age  ? 

Here  we  maty  take  notice  that 
the  Order,  w^hich  Lucretius  ob- 
ferves  in  the  Creation  of  Things, 
differs  very  little  from  that,.'  for 
which  we  have  a  better  Authori- 
ty than  his  :  But  let  us  hear  a 
Chriftian  Poet  defcribe  the  fame 
Thing. 

-Then  the  Earth, 


Defart,  and  bare,  unfightly,  un- 

adorn'd,  V 

Brought  forth  the  tender  Grafs, 

whofe  verdure  clad 
Her  univerfal  Face  with  pleafant 

Green.  .  ' 

Then  Herbs  of  ev'ry  Leaf,  thar 

fuddain  flow'r'd,  • 

Op'ning  their  various  Colours, 

and  made  gay 
Her  Bofom  fmelling  fweet :  And' 

thefe  fcarce  blown, 
Forth  flouriHi'd   thick  the   clu- 

ft'ring  Vine,  forth  crept 
The  fmelling  Gourd,    upftood 

the  corny  Reed 
Embattel'd  in    her  Field,    and 

th*  hurtible  Shrub, 
And   Bufh,  with  frizzled    Hair 

irnplicit  :  Lift, 
Rdfe   as  in    Dance   the   ftately 

Tree's,  and  fpread 

Their 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  y^\ 

And  next  the  Tree,  with  fpreading  Br^nches^  fhpotjj- 
But  clofely  fixt,  and  bound  with  fteddy  Roots.  * 

As  Bristles,  Hairs,  and  Plumes  are  firft  defign'd 
O'er  Limbs  of  Beasts,  and  o'er  the  winged  Kind  • 
840  So  new-born  Earth  with  Herbs  and  Trees  began* 
And  then  by  various  Ways  bore  Beast,  and  Man  :  * 
For  Heav*n,  'tis  certain,  did  not  fafliion  all ;  7 

Then  Jet  the  various  Creatures  downwards  fall:     > 
Nor  Seas  produce  an  earthly  Animal,  3 

845  And  therefore  Parent  Earth  does  jufVly  bear 
The  Name  of  Mother,  fince  all  rofe  from  her  : 
She  now  bears  Animals,  when  foft  ning  Dew       (new  ? 
Defcends;  when  Sun  fends  Heats,  she  bears  a  thoufand 
Then  who  can  wonder  now,  that  then  She  bore 

850  Far  flronger,  bulky  Animals,  and  more, 

When  both  were  young,  when  both  in  Natures  Pride  j 
Aluftly  Bridegroom  He,  and  She  a  buxomeBRiDE? 

Firft,   of  all  Animals,  in  teeming  Spring, 
TheFEATHER'DKiNDpeep'dfor[h,andclap'dtheirWing: 

As 

NOTE  S. 


Their  Branches  hung  with  copi- 
ous Fruit,  or  gem'd 

Their  BloiToms  :  With  high 
Woods  the  Hills  were  crown'd, 

With  Tufts  the  Valleys,  and  each 
Fountain-fide, 

With  Borders  long  the  Rivers. — - 

847.  She  now,  &c.  Here  the 
Poet  proves  by  a  Similitude,  that 
all  Animals  did  in  the  Beginning 
proceed  from  theHumidity  ofthe 
Earth,  warm'd  and  impregnated 
by  the  Heat  of  the  Sun,  in  like 
manner  as  we  now  fee  Worms 
and  Infedts  generated, 

849.  Then  who,  &c.]  Lucre- 
tius forefeeing  that  it  might  be 
objeded,  that  perfecfi:  and  adult 
Animals  do  not  now  burft  out 
of  the  Earth,  intimates  in  this 
Place,  that  the  Sun  is  now  grown 
a.difabled  Lover,  and  the  Earth 
pad  her  teeming  Time  :  and  thus 
their  Vigour  being  exhaufted, 
they  can  not  now  produce  Hor- 
fc5^  Lions,  &c.  nor  any  of  thofe 
i^rge  Allinials,  wjtiich  t|iey  did 


in  the  Beginning  of  the  World, 
when  they  were  both  in  the 
Prime,  and  Flower  of  their 
Age. 

853,  854-.  Firil,  &c.]In  thefe  19- 
V.  he  fays.  That  firft  of  all  Ani- 
mals, and  that  too  in  the  Spring, 
for  that  was  the  moft  proper 
Seafon,  the  Birds  were  batch 'd 
from  Eggs,  which,  as  Milton  ex- 
prefles  it, 

Burfting  with  kindly  Rupture, 

forth  difclos'd 
Their  callow  young  :     but  fea- 

ther'd  Toon,  and  fledge. 
They    fum'a    their    Pens,     and 

foaring  rh'  Air  fublime. 
With       Clang      defpis'd       thj? 

Ground  : . — . 

For,  fays  our  Poet,  they  had 
Growth  and  Strength  fufficient 
to  go  in  fearch  of  their  Food: 
Then  from  certain  little  Bags 
or  Bladders,  which  he  calls 
Wombs,  and  that  iluck  to  the 
Earth,  the  other  Aniaials,  an4 
¥  y  y  3  'Me^i 


n^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


855  As  even  now  our  tender  Insects  ftrive 

To  break  their  Bags,  get  forth,  and  eat,  and  live, 


Next 


NOTES. 


Men  themrelfes  burft  forth: 
while  for  their  nourifliment,  a 
proper  Liquor,  very  like  Milk, 
flowed  from  the  Veins  of  Mother 
Earth  into  their  infant  Mouths  ; 
For  we  ought  to  believe,  that  the 
Earth,  when  fhe  brought  forth 
her  young,  had  Milk  no  lefs  then 
Women  now  ad  ays,  when  they 
bring  forth  their  Children.  Thus 
the  Earth  fupply'd  them  with 
Food,  the  Temperature  of  the 
Air  was  fnch  that  they  needed  no 
Garments,  and  the  Meadows, 
thick  with  Grafs,  afforded  them 
cafy  Beds. 

This  firft  Manner  of  the  Ori- 
gine  of  Things  Lucretius  ex- 
plains according  to  the  Opinion  of 
Animaxander,and  of  feme  others 
of  the  antient  Philofophers,  as 
we  fee  in  the  firfb  Book  of  Dio- 
dorus  Siculus,  near  the  begin- 
ning, where  he  fays,  That  the 
Earth  firft  ftiffen'd  and  grew 
together,  when  the  circumfus'd 
Fire  of  the  Sun  had  eniighten'd, 
and  warm'd  it  all  around  :  Then, 
when,  by  reafon  of  its  being  thus 
heated,  the  outmoft  Surface  of 
it  was  in  a  manner  fermented, 
feme  Humidities  fwell'd  in  ma- 
ny Places,  and  in  them  there 
grew  certain  flimy  ft  inking  Sub- 
dances  ,  involv'd  in  tenuious 
>lembranes :  the  like  to  which 
jnay  be  feen  to  this  DayinFens  and 
Marilies,  where  the  Waters  ftag- 
nare,  when  after  cold  Weather, 
the  Air  grows  hot  on  a  fuddain, 
and  is  not  chang'd  by  Degrees  : 
Now  thofe  humid  Things , 
'vhich  we  mention'd  before,  be- 
ing animated  by  the  Heat,  re- 
ceiv'd  Nourifliment  in  the  Night 
by  thi  Mifts  that  fell  from  a- 
bove  :  but  in  the  Day  were  con- 


folidated  and  hardened  by  the 
Heat.  Laftiy,  When  they  that 
grew  in  the  Wombs  of  the  Earth, 
had  attain'd  their  due  Growth, 
the  Membranes,  being  burft  and 
broken  to  pieces,  difclos'd  the 
Forms  and  Shapes  of  aJl  Kinds 
of  Animals  :  And  fuch  of  thefe 
as  had  the  greateft  Share  of 
Heat,  went  to  the  higher  Places, 
and  became  Birds  :  but  fuch  of 
them  as  had  retain'd  the  earthly 
Solidity,  were  reckon'd  in  the 
rank  of  Reptiles,  and  other  ter- 
reftrial  Animals:  And  thofe  that 
participated  moft  of  the  Nature 
of  Maiij  ran  together  to  the 
Places,  where  human  Kind  af- 
fembled,  and  which  was  call'd 
the  Place  of  their  Birth.  Thus 
far  Diodorus. 

854.  Thefeather'd  Kind,  &c.] 
It  is  queftion'd  by  fome,  whe- 
ther Birds,  which  are  generally 
call'd  Genus  aereum,  and  in  the 
facred  Scripture  it  felf,  Volati- 
lia  Coeli,  may  be  properly  rec- 
kon'd among  terreftrial  Ani- 
mals, Ovid,  in  his  Diftribution 
of  Animals  at  the  Creation, 
feems  not  to  allow  them  to  be  fo. 

Aftra  tenent  coelefte  folum,  for- 

mt^que  Deorum, 
Ceflerunt  nitidis  habitandtE  pi- 

fcibus  unda?. 
Terra  feras  cepit,  volucres  agita- 

bilis  Aer.     Metam.  i.  v.  73. 

Cicero  obferves  the  like  Difpofi- 
tion  in  the  fecond  Book  of  the 
Nature  of  the  Gods,  and  in  Ti- 
mceus  :  fo  too  does  Ariftotle,  as 
he  is  cited  bv  Plutarch  in  5,  de 
Placit.  Phi'lofoph.  To  thefe 
may  be  added  the  Belief  of 
the  antient  Greeks,  and  which 

they 


sv 


BookV.  LUCRETIUS.  ,,, 

Next  Beasts,  and  thoughtful  Man  received  their  Birth  : 
For  then  much  vital  Heat  in  Mother  Earth, 

Much 
N0TB5. 


they  had  from  the  Egyptians, 
That  Birds  were  produc'd  before 
the  Earth  itfelf  was  form'd,  to 
which  Ariftophanes  in  Avibus 
alludes.  But  Manilius  more  tru- 
ly places  them  upon  Earth  : 
fpealcing  of  which  he  fays, 

Hanc  circum    varias  gentes  ho- 
minum  atque  ferarum, 

Aeriarque  colunt  volucres.  • 

lib.  I.  V.  2-^6. 

Apuleius  agrees  with  Manilius, 
and  ends  the  Controverfy  in 
thefe  Words  :  Si  fedulo  animad- 
vertas,  ipf*  quoque  aves,  ter- 
reftre  animal,  non  aerium,  per- 
hibeantur ;  fcmper  enim  illis 
vi<flus  omnis  in  terra  ;  ibidem 
pabulum,  ibidem  cubile ,  tan- 
tumque  aera  proximum  terr^e 
volando  verberant :  iterum  cum 
illis  fefia  funt  remigia  alarum, 
terra  ceu  portus  eft.    That  is. 


a  Bird  without  an  Egg  :  for  fo 
Cenforinus  propofes  the  Quefti- 
on  ;  Avefne  ante,  an  ova  gene- 
rata  fint,  ciim  &  ovum  fine  ave, 
&  avis  fine  ovo  gigni  non  poflit  ? 
de  die  natali,  cap.  14.  Difarius 
in  Macrobius  Saturnal.  lib.  7. 
c^-  16.  fums  up  the  Arguments 
on  both  fides,  and  gives  the  De- 
cifion,  of  which  the  deader  may 
there  be  inform 'd. 

857.  NextBeafts,  &c.]  Mil- 
ton's defcription  of  the  firft 
Beaits  rifing  out  of  the  Ground 
at  their  Creation,  is  fo  lively  and 
fublime,  that  it  well  deferves  to 
be  tranfcrib'd  by  way  of  Illuftra- 
tion,  to  this  Paflage  of  our  Poet. 

The  Earth  obey'd,  and, 


ftreight 
Op'ning    her    fertile     Womb  , 

teem'd  at  a  Birth 
Innum'rous    living    Creatures , 

perfe(fl  Forms, 
If  you  weigh  the  Matter  aright,  iLirab'd,  and  full  grown  :  out  of 
Birds  may  truly   be  affirm'd  to       the  Ground  up-rofe, 
be  rather  a  terreftrial,  than  an]  As  from  his  Lair,  the  wild  Beafl: 
aerial  Animal,  for  they  have  all       where  he  woni 
their  Food   from   the    Earth  :lln    Foreit  wild,    in    Thicket, 
there  they  feed,  and   there  they  I     Brake,  or  Den  : 
reft:    when  on  Wing,  they  in-!  Among  the  Trees  in  Pairs  they 
deed  fan  the  Air  that  is  next  the  1      rofe,  they  walk'd  : 
Earth  :  but  when  their  Wings   The  Cattle  in    the  Fields,  and 
grow  weary,  the   Earth  is  their       Meadows  green  : 
refting  Place.     But    as  to  this   Thofe  rare  and  folitary,  thefe  in 
Qiieftion    fee   Hieron.  Magius,  |     Flocks 

lib.  I.  Mifcellan.  cap.  ult.  Jaco-| Paft'ring  at  once,  and  in  broad 
bus  Cruteus  Syllog.  3.    and  Kir-!      Herds  up  fprung 
cher  in  his  Iter.  Ecftatic.  2.  Dia-^The  graify  Clods  now  calv'd  ; 
log.  2.    cap.    5.  I  will  only  add,!      now  half  appear'd 
that  another  Difficulty,  not  much ;  The  tawny  Lion,  pawing  to  ge^ 
unlike  the  former,  if  either 


of 
them  deferve  to  be  call'd  fo,  has 
puzzled  the  Brains  of  Ariftotle, 
Theophraftus,  and  moft  of  the 
antient  Peripateticks ,  to  wit, 
which  were  firft  created.  Birds 
or  Eggs,fince  neither  an  Egg  can 
be  produc'd  without  a  Bird,  nor 


free 
His  hinder  Parts ;  then  Iprings; 

as  broke  from  Bonds, 
And  rampant  iliakes  his  brinded 

Mane  :  the  Ounce, 
The  Libbard,  and  the  TygrCi^s 

the  Moal 

Ri&l* 


SH 


LUCRETIUS, 


Book  V. 


Rifing  5   the    crumbled    Earth 

about  thqm  threw 
Jn  Hillocks :  the  fwift  Stag  from 

under  Ground 
Bore  up  his  branching   Head  : 

icarce  from  his  Mold 
Behemoth,  biggeft  born  of  Earth, 

upheav'd 
His  Vaftnefs :  Fleec'd  the  Flocks, 

and  bleating  rofe, 
As  Plants :   ambiguous  between  |  arboribus  efle    nati. 


Sea  and  X^and, 
^he  R,iv£r  Horfe,and  fcaly  Cro- 
codile, Sec.  Paradife  lofb.  B.  7. 


In  which  Paflage  that  Poet  hints 
at  two  other  Ways  of  the  Crea- 
tion of  Man :  the  one  from 
Trees,  the  other  from  the  Earth. 
As  to  the  firft  Britannicus  fays, 
Quum  primi  illd  jetate  in  fpelun- 
cis  fylvifq;  more  ferarum,  habj- 
tarent,  quumq;  ex  arboribus  ve- 
tuftate  cavatis,  tanquam  ex  dor 
micilio  exirent,  putabantur  e^ 
Then  al- 
of  Virgilj 


ledging    this    Verfe 
JEneid.  8.  315. 


Genfque  virdm  truncis,  &  duro 
robore  nati, 


Thoughtful  Man,  &c.]  Lu- 
cretius "in  this  Place  fpeaks  not 
after  the  Opinion  of  Epicurus! he  fliews  in  thofe  Words  the  pro- 
only,  but  partly  too  of  the|  bable  Caufeof  thie  Fi<{iion  :  that 
Stoicks,  who,  as  Ladantius  wit- las  they  dwelt  in  Woods,  fo  they 
nefTeSj  believ'd,  Homines  in  om-s  feem*d  to  be  born  of  the  Trees : 
nibus  Cerris  &  agris  tanqu-am  |  but  furely  he  forgets  himfelf  a 
Eungos  efle  generates:  That  Men  I  little,  when  he- fays  ex  arboribus 
were  born,  like  Muflirpoms  in!  vecuftate  cavatis,  having  but  jui^ 
^very  Field  :  and  partly  after  the  |  before  faid,  prima^  ilia  ietat€. 
Opinion  of  Animaxander,  wlioJfoF  how  then  eou'ld  the  Trees 
the*  he  held  that  Men,  and  a^li  have  had  time  to  decay  and  grow 
the  other  Animals  were  pro-  hollow  ?  yet  A  utumnus  commits 
duc'd  of  the  Water,  yet  as  Flu-  the  fame  Overfighr.  The  fe- 
tarch  de  Plac.  Phil.  1.  5.  c,  ipjcond  way,  mention'd  by  Juvenal 
Tays,  he  taught,  that  they  wer^jof  Man's  Original,  gives  juft 
contain^  in  tliorny  Bags,  and  5  Grounds  to  believe,  that  tho' 
iJlut  up  in  them,  till  the  Age  of  |  many  of  the  more  learned  among 
Puberty,  and  then  burfting  from  I  the  Heathens  had  read  the  Hi- 
fhofe  Prifons,  they  came  out  |  Hory  of  Mkjfes,  yet  that  they 
Men  and  Women,  already  able;  either  defpis'dv  or  corrupted,  or 
to  nourifli  themfelves  :  And'Oppos'd  the  Inftrucfrion :  Wit- 
Jaftly,  partly  after  the  Opinion  nefs  Julian  the  Apoftate,  who  irf 
of  Archelaus,  who  in  Lacrantias,!  a  Fragment  of  an  Epiftle  pub^ 
i;u    -    *^^,i,^„    1 ;„.. X   Yifii^^  with,  his  other  Works  by 


lib.  2,  teaches,  homines  ortos  e 
terra,  qua:  limum  limilem  lacfri 
ad  efcam  eliquaverit,  that  Men 
were  born  of  the  Earth,  which 
for  their  Nourifliraent  ooz'd  out 
a  Slime  like  Milk.  Others  had 
yet  other  Opinions  concernirig 
the  Original  of  Mankind  :  Juve- 
Hal  Sac.  6.  v.,  n. 

Quippe  aliter  tunc  oj-ljg  noyo, 
coeloque  recenti 

Vivebant  homines,  qui  rupta  ro- 
bore nati, 

Compofitique  luto,  nulloshabu- 


Petavius,  pag.  534.  Sec.  feqq. 
delivers  it  as  the  Theology  of 
the  Antient  Heathens,  that  Man- 
kind, increas'd  not  from  two 
Perfons,  as  Mofes  taught,  but 
that  when  Jupiter  created  the 
World, Drops  of  facred  Blood  fell 
down,  out  of  which  arofe  Man- 
kind, toV  oTg  Zsf^.  cuoa/uei  Ttii 
^c(,>70t,,  Scil-LYCOX  oufJiff^i^  /spsr  /Z3:g-i 
(pacTtoi',^  ojv  -zzra  to  rcov  oivi)fco7rc>» 
^AdS-'-o-m  yiv^*  impioufiy  urgn 
ing,  that  other  wife  the  World 
could  not  have  been  fo  faonin-r 
cre^s'dj.  though  Women,  as  he 
"     ■•'  "       '  '       lewdljj' 


BookV.  LU  C  RAX  lUS.  yj9 

Much  moifture  lay :  And  where  fit  Place  was  foiwid, 
860  There  Wombs  were  form'd,  and  fatten  d  to  the  Ground  • 
In  thefe,  the  yet  iniperfed  Embryo's  lay,  -/ 

Thro'chefe,  when  grown  Mature,  they  forc'd  their  way,  S. 
Broke  forth  from  Night,  and  faw  the  cheerful  Day  :  3 
Then  Nature  fafhion'd  for  the  Infant's  Ufa 
865  Small  Breasts  in  Earth,  and  fiU'd  with  Milky  Juice: 
Such  as  in  Women's  Brcafts  fhe  now  provides 
For  future  Infants :  thither  Nature  guides 
The  chiefeft  Parts  of  Food,  and  there  they  meet 
Fit  Fcrmeni;,  there  they  grow  both  white  and  fwett : 

Earth 


NOTES. 


lewdly  adds,  had  been  as  fruitful 
is  Swine.   But  what  wonder  is  it, 
:hat  Men  had  fo  mean  an  Opini- 
on of  their  own  Original,    who 
believ'd  but  little  better  of  that 
3f  their  Gods  ?    Witnefs  Varro, 
>vho  in  his  Fragments,  Antiqui- 
catum  rerum  divinarum, blaming 
rheir  fabulous  Theology,  Mythi- 
:on  genus  Theologitc/ays,  in  this 
we  find,  That  one  God   is  born 
out  of  the  Head,  another  out  of 
the  Thigh,  a  third  from  drops 
of  Blood  :    In  hoc  enim  eft,  ut 
Deus  alius  ex  capite,  alius  ex  fe- 
more,    alius  ex  guttis  fanguinis 
jnatus.     Nor  were  fome  of  the 
antient  Philofophers  lefs  ridicu- 
i  lous  in  their  Opinions,  concern- 
ing the  Reparation  of  Mankind  : 
To  inftance  only  in  one  :    Every 
one  knows,   that  there  are  in  the 
Joints  of  the  Fingers  little  Bones, 
commonly  cali'd  Seed-Bones :  one 
of  which,  about  half  as  big  as  a 
Pea,  is  plac'd  in  thefirft  Jomtof 
the  Thumb  :  This  the  Arabians 
call  Abadara,  as  Bartholinus  ob- 
ferves  in  his  Anatomical  Inftitu- 
tions,  lib.  4.  cap.  ult.  Now  fome 
I  of  the  wife    Antients  fooliflily 
I  held,  that  out  of  that   Bone,  as 
out  of  Seed,  Mankind  iliould  at 
laft  be   propagated  anew.     You 
may  find   likewife  other  Opini- 
ons concerning  Man's  Original, 
in  the  learned  Cenforinus  de  Die 
nacali,  cap  4.  v.herc  he  treats  at 


large  of  this  Matter.  And  if 
you  think  it  worth  your  while  to 
fee  this  fabulous  Rife  of  the 
World  confuted,  you  may  find 
it  well  done  by  Firmianus,  lib.  2. 
cap.  12. 

8<^o.  There  Wombs,  &c.]  La- 
dantius,  lib.  2.  de  Origine  Er- 
ror, cap.  II.  and  12.  cites  this 
Verfe  of  Lucretius,  and  makes 
this  Remark  upon  it.  Aiunt  cer- 
tis  converlionibus  coeli :  &  a- 
ftrorum  motibus  maturitatem 
quandam  extitifle  aniraalium  fe- 
rendorum :  itaque  terrain  no- 
vam  femen  genitale  retinentem 
folliculos  ex  fe  quofdam  in  ute- 
rorum  fimilitudinem  protulifle, 
de  quibus  Lucretius,  lib.  5. 


Crefcebant 
bus  apti, 


uteri,  terras  radki- 


eofque  ,  cum  matur^flent ,  na- 
turd  cogente,  ruptos  animalia 
cajtera  profudifTe  :  Deinde  ter- 
ram  ipfam  humore  quodam,  qui 
elTet  lacti  fimilis.  exuber^ire,  eo- 
que  alimento  animantes  efle  nu- 
tritos.  Thus  coo  Cicero  lib.  i. 
de  Leg.  &  Cenforinus  de  die  Na- 
tali,  cap.  2.  where  he  tells  us  be- 
fides,  that  Democritus  too  was 
cf  the  fame  Opinion. 

Faften'd  to  the  Ground  :] 
Lucrer.  terra:  radicibus  apti  : 
i.  e.  aifix'd  and  fticking  in  the 
E^ri;h,  by  their  Roots. 

872.  The 


^;6  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

870  Earth  gave  the  Infants  Food  ;  thin  Mists  were  fpred 
For  Cloaths  ;  the  grafly  Meadows  gave  a  Bed. 

The  Earth,  when  new,  produc'd  no  raging  Cold, 
No  Heats,  nor  Storms  :  Thefe  grew,  as  (he  grew  old. 
Therefore  out  Parent  Earth  deferves  to  bear 
875  The  Nancie  of  Mother,  fince  All  rofe  from  Her. 
Thus  for  a  certain  Time  Mankind  flie  bore, 
And  Beasts,  that  fliake  the  Wood  with  dreadful  Roar, 
And  various  Kinds  of  Birds  ;  and  as  they  flew. 
The  Sun,  with  curious  Skill,  the  Figures  drew 
880  On  all  their  Plumes  :  he  well  the  Art  might  know. 
He  us'd  to  paint  the  like  on  his  fair  Bow. 

But  weary 'd  now,  and  tir'd  by  length  of  Time, 
The  Earth  grows  old,  and   weak  3  as  Women  paft 

their  Prime. 
Time  changes  all ;  and  as   with  fwifteft  Wings        '7 
885  He  palfes  forward  on,  he  quickly  brings  > 

A  difF'rent  Face,  a  diffrent  Sight  of  Things :  O 

And 
NOTES. 


872.  The  Earth,  &c.]  But  how 
could  thefe  infant  Animals  bear 
the  Inclemencies  of  the  Seafons, 
the  parching  Heat,  and  the  chil- 
ling Cold  •,  nay,  how  could  they 
live,  or  even  be  born,  when  the 
Sun  had  bak'd  the  Earth,  or  the 
Cold  frozen  it  up  ?  To  this  Lu- 
cretius anfwers  in  thefe  10.  v. 
That  in  the  beginning  of  the 
World  there  was  neither  Winter 
nor  Summer  •,  but  that  the  whole 
year  was  one  calm  and  conftant 
Spring.  And  certainly  the  Earth 
is  juftly  ftyl'd  a  Mother  by  all 
the  foregoing  Ages,  fince  flie 
firft  brought  forth  Birds,  Beafts. 
and  then  Man,  as  the  Mafter- 
picce  of  all  her  Produdlions. 

878.  And  as,  &c.]  This  Part 
of  this,  and  the  three  following 
Verfes  are  added,  with  how  much 
reafon  let  the  Reader  judge,  by 
our  Interpreter  to  his  Authour, 
who  only  fays, 

Aeriafque  fimul  volucres  varian- 
tibu'  form  is. 

882.    But  weary'd,  &c.]    But 


why  does  flie  produce  none  of 
thefe  Things  now  ?  To  this  he 
anfwers  in  12.  v.  that  the  Cir- 
cumftance  of  Time  is  changed  : 
and  the  Earth  is  now  paft  her 
teeming  age.  And  what  wonder 
is  it,  that  the  World,  being  now 
grown  cold  and  difabled,  be- 
ing fometimes  tormented  with 
too  much  Heat,  fometimes  per- 
fecuted  with  too  much  cold,  and 
fallen  into  the  other  Inconveni- 
ences of  long  Life,  is  at  length 
grown  fruitlefs  and  barren  ?  Dio- 
dorus  Siculus,  lib.  i.fays,  That 
the  Earth  being  continually  bak'd 
by  the  Heat  of  the  Sun,  grew 
daily  more  and  more  conftipa- 
ted  and  bound  up  ;  infomuch 
that  Hie  could  not  at  length  pro- 
duce any  more  of  the  larger 
Kind  of  Animals,  which  were' 
then  generated  by  the  mutual 
Com  mixtion  of  Animals-of  the 
fame  Species ;  To  which  Lucre-' 
tius  feems  here  to  allude.  | 

884.  Time,  &c.]  To  this  pur-' 
pofe,  Ovid  Metam.  lib.  15.  v.' 
235.    fays  finely: 

Tempu5 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS, 


SU 


And  Nature  alters:  this  grows  weak,  this  ftrong, 
This  dies,  this,   newly  made,  is  firm  and  young  : 
Thus  alt'ring  Age  leads  on  the  World  to  Fate  .- 

890  The  Earth  is  different  from  her  former  State : 
And  what  in  former  Times  with  Eafe  She  bore. 
Grown  feeble  now,  and  weak,  ^She  bears  no  more, 
And  now  does  that  She  could  not  do  before. 
Befides :  the  Earth  produc'd  a  numerous  Train 

895  Of  Monsters  :  Thofe  her  Labour  wrought  in  vain  : 
Some  without  Hands,  or  Feet,  or  Mouth,  or  Eyes  j 
Some  fhapelefs  Lumps,  Natures  Abfurdities  ; 
Dull,  movelefs  Things,  and   deftitute  of  Food, 
Which  could  not  fly  the  Bad,  nor  choofe  the  Good, 

900  A  thouland  fuch  in  vain  arofe  from  Earth  j 
For  Nature,  frighted  at  the  ugly  Birth, 
Their  Strength,  and  Life  to  narrow  Bounds  corifin*d| 
Deny'd  them  Food,  or  to  increafe  their  Kind : 
For  that  one  Pow'r  a  thoufand  Things  requires  ; 

?o5  Almoft  as  many  as  its  own  defires: 

There  muft  be  Food,  and  Seed,  and  Organs  fit 
For  flowing  Seed,  whilft  all  the  happy  Nighc 
The  Body  lies  dilTolv'd  in  foft  delight ; 
That  Male  and  Female  may  their  PowVs  impJoy, 

?ioThey  muft  have  Organs  fit  for  mutual  Joy. 

But 
NOTES. 


Tempus  edax  rerum,  tuque,  in- 
vidiofa  vetuftas, 

Dmnia  deftruitis  :  vitiataque 
dentibus  x\i 

Paulatirn  lentd  confumitis  om- 
nia morce. 

Thus  rendered  by  Dryden. 

Thy  Teeth,  devouring  Tiro-i  ! 

thine,  envious  Age  ! 
Dn  Things  below  ftill  exercife 

your  Rage : 
With    venom'd    Grinders    you 

corrupt  your  Meat ; 
A.nd  then,    at   ling'ring  Meals, 

the  Morfels  eat. 

894.  Befides,  &c.]    The  Poet 

bere  tells  us  in  38.  v.  That  lince 

Animals  were  at  firft  fortuitous- 

y  born,   '5is  reafonable  to  be- 


lieve, that,  in  the  beginning  o£ 
the  World,  there  were  innumera- 
ble other  Animals  produc'd  of 
wonderful  Kinds  and  Sizes  :  but 
that  they  did  not  continue  long, 
becaufe  they  were  imperfecf^,  and 
wanted  the  means  of  receiving 
their  Food,  and  the  Power  of 
Gopulatioa ,  ^nd  engendering 
their  Kinds.  For  all  the  Ani- 
mals now  remaining  are  pre- 
feirv'd  ,  either  by  their  own 
Power  and  Induftry,  or  by  the 
Care  of  Men  :  Thus  the  Lion  is 
prefer v'd  b\  his  Strength,  the 
Fox  by  his  Craft,  the  Stag  by 
his  Swifcnefs  6rc.  And  thofe 
that  are  ufeful  to  Man,  as  Dogs, 
Cattle,  Horfes.  Sec,  he  takes 
care  of  and  defends.  But  why 
fliould  we  nounfli  imperfed  A- 
nimals,  and  fuch  as  would  be  of 
Z  z  z  no 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V: 


But  more :  thefe  Years  muft  numVous  Kinds  deface  5 
They  could  not  all  preferve  their  feeble  Race  : 
For  thofe  we  fee  remain,  and  bear  their  young, 
Crafc,  Strength,  or  Swiftnefs  has  preferv'd  fo  long. 

915  Many  their  Profit,  and  their  Ufe  commends; 
Thofe  Species  Man  prefer ves,  kind  Man  defends. 
Wild  Beasts,  and  Lions  Race  their  native  Rage 
Preferves  fecure,  thro'  ail  devouring  Age. 
Swiftness preferves  the  Deer, and  Craft  the  Fox,"! 

920  The  vig'lanr,  faithful  Dog,  the  Horse,  the  Ox,        S 
We  Men  defend  ;  we  keep  the  tender  Flocks  :  j 

They  fliun  wild  Beafts,  they  fly  the  dreadful  Wood  | 
They  feek  for  Peace,  and  much,  and  eafy  Foodj 
Gotten  without  their  Toil :  and  this  we  give 

925  For  the  vaft  Profits  we  from  them  receive: 

But  thofe  to  whom  their  Nature  gave  no  Forced 
No  Courage,  Strength,  nor  Swiftnefs  to  the  Courfe; 
Whom  neither  Profit  could,  nor  Ufe  commend, 
Thofe  Man  refus'd  to  feed,  or.  to  defend  : 

930  Thus,  doom'd  by  Chance,  they  liv'd  an  eafy  Prey 
To  all,  and  thus  their  Kinds  did  loon  decay. 

But  never  Centaurs  j  thefe  were  never  known  j 
That  TWO  fuch  Natures  lliould  combine  in  one. 

Such 
NOTES, 


no  ufe  to  us  ?  Creech  has  omit- 
ted one  Verfe  in  this  ArgumenCj 
where  the  Original  has 

Androgynum  inter  utrum,  nee 
Htrumqi  &  utrinque  remotum  : 

And  indeed  it  is  generally  held 
to  be  fpurious :  But  whoever  in- 
ferted  it,  leems  to  have  had  an 
Eye  on  th«  Androgynes  in  the 
Banquet  of  Plato.  Heinfius  on 
the  Phoenix  of  Claudian  reads  it 
thus  % 

Androgynen  inter  neutra^  atque 
ab  utroque  remotam. 

Androgynus  is  deriV'd  from  the 
Creek  Words,  avwp  a  Man,  and 
yvvii^  a  Woman,  and  Signifies  a 
Perfon  vcho  has  both  Sexes,  the 
Male  and  Female:  of  which  fort 
the  Poets. fabled  Hermaphrodi- 


tusj  the  Son  of  Venus  and  Mer- 
cury, to  be  :  Cicero,  Jib.  de  Di- 
vin.  calls  an  Hermaphrodite^  fa- 
tale  quoddam  Monftrum  j  a  cer- 
tain tatal  Monfter. 

932.  But  never,  dec.'}  He  now 
teaches  in  47.  v.  That  Nature, 
tho'  five  had  neither  Skill  nor  Ex- 
perience, never  brought  forth 
inch  monftrous  Animals ,  as 
thofe,  for  which  the  Poets  have 
moft  notorioufly  bely'd  her.  And 
firft,  fays  he  in  14.  v.  Theilalia 
never  knew  a  Centaur  :  nor  can 
a  Man  and  a  Horfe  be  conjoin'd 
in  one  Body  :  their  different  du» 
ration  of  Life,  their  Food,  their 
Manners,  all  forbid  it.  We  may 
fay  the  like  of  Scyllas,  and  other 
Monfters  of  the  fame  Nature  : 
And  they  who  believe  the  Exi' 
ftence  of  a  Chimjera,  do  not 
coniider  that  the  Entrails  of  ^ 

tiow, 


Book  V. 


LUC  R  E  T  I  U  S, 


S39 


Lion,  or  any  other  Animal  may 
be  roafted,  and  confum'd  by 
Fire.  Whoever  therefore  holds, 
that  miraculous  and  monftrous 
Animals  could  be  produc'd  by 
the  Earth,  while  Hie  was  yetj 
young,  may  likewife  believe  thej 
Rivers  of  Milk  and  Gold,  and 
the  other  idle  Ficftions  of  the 
Poets :  Rut  let  him  reflecfl  too, 
that  even  at  this  Day  many  Seeds 
of  Herbs  and  Trees  are  contained 
in  the  Bowels  of  the  Earth,  as 
were  formerly  the  Principles  of 
all  things  :  yet  Trees  of  feveral 
forts  never  fpring  out  of  the 
Earth  in  one  Tree,  nor  different 
Herbs  from  the  Root  of  the 
fame  Plant. 

Centaurs  3    Monftcrs,    whofe 
upper  Part  was  like  a  Man,  and 
their  lower  like  a  Horfe  :  The 
Poets  feign  them  to  be  begot  by 
Ixion  upon  aCloud:  ThenceVir- 
gil  calls  them  Nubigena;,  Cloud- 
begotten.      They    were    indeed 
People  of  Theflaly,    who   liv'd^ 
near  the  Mountain  Pelion,  and  i 
were  call'd  Centaurs  from  >ii/jiO'j,\ 
I   fpur,    becaufe  they  were  the 
firft  who  rid  Horfes  with  Spurs, 
and  who   fought  on  Horfeback. 
Plin.  lib.  7. cap. 5^. Now  when  the 
ignorant     Countrey-People    in 
Theffalia  faw  Men  firft  a  Horfe- 1 
back,  they   imagin'd  them  andj 
their  Horfes  to  be  all  of  a  piece, | 
and  this  gave  rife  to  the  Fable,  i 
SeeB.  IV.v.  733.   Diodorus  lib.l 
5.  Ariftotle  2.  Phyf.  8.  de  Hift.j 
Animal.  &  dc  generat.  Anim.  4.[ 
Sc  5.  cap.  3.  deny  and  condemn? 
all  monftrous  Mixtures  of  this] 
Nature.      And   Ovid    himfelf,| 
that  great  Patron  of  all  manner  | 
of  Fables,  even  tho' he  have  gi-| 
ven  a  Relation  of  a  Battel  be-i 
tween  the  Lapith^  and  the  Cen- 
taurs, yet  upon  better  Thoughts 
feems     to    renounce    that  Cre- 
dulity :    when  in  Trift.  lib.  4. 
f  leg.  7,  he  fays, 

•r- Credam  prius  era 

Meduf« 
C^or^onis  anguineis  cinda  fu- 

jile  CQ,m;s^ 


Efle  canes   utero  fub  Virginis  : 
efTe  Chim^eram, 
A  truce  qua:  flammis  feparet 
angue  leam  ; 
Quadrupedefque    homines    cum 
pe(ftore  pedora  juncflos ; 
Tergeminumque  virum,   ter- 
geminumqj  canem  : 
Sphyngaque    Sc   Harpyias,    Ter- 
pen tipedefque  Gigantes : 
Centimanumque  Gygen ,   fC" 
mibovemque  virum. 

Where  he  feems  to  deny  not  on- 
ly Centaurs,  but  alfo  all  manner 
of  Monfters.  Yet  Empedodes 
held  that  there  were  fuch  Crea- 
tures as  Centaurs :  and  Claudius 
C^efar  likewife,  witnefs  Pliny, 
who  writes,  Hippocentaurum  in 
TheiTalia  natum  eodem  die  in- 
teriiffe  ;  &  nos  principatu  ejus 
allatum  iJIi  ex  v^gypto  in  melle 
vidimus.  A  Hippocentaur  was 
born  in  ThefTaJia,  and  dy'd  the 
fame  Day  :  and  I  my  felf  faw  it, 
when  by  his  Command  it  was 
brought  to  him  in  Honey  out  of 
Egypt.  Voiuterranus  fays,  that 
he  had  feen  a  half-Dog  :  and  o- 
thers  other  Monfters,  of  which 
Lycofthenes  has  made  a  Coi- 
lecftion  in  his  Book  de  Prodig.  8c 
Oftent.  Sometimes  Women  have 
brought  forth  Frogs,  Serpents, 
Stones,  and  the  like,  that  had 
been  generated  in  their  Womb  : 
Such  Prod udtions  are  indeed  pre- 
ternatural, and  the  Eflfecfts  of 
Difeafe  ;  but  not  therefore  to  bs 
deem'd  impoffible,  or  reckon'd 
among  the  Number  of  Things 
that  cannot  be.  Whether  the 
forming  Faculty  fubmits  and 
gives  way  to  the  Mother's  Ima-^ 
gination,  is  not  our  Bufinefs  in 
this  place  to  inquire ;  no  more 
than  it  is  to  decide  this  Qiiefti- 
on  ;  Whether  from  the  execra- 
ble and  unnatural  Copulation  of 
a  Man  with  a  brute  Beaft,  an 
Animal  of  a  mixt  and  dubious 
Nature  may  not  be  generated, 
Herodotus  writes,  that  in  his 
Days  a  certain  Woman  us'd  pub- 
lickly  to  couple  with  a  Goat  t 
<,\n4  Pliny,  lib.  7,    cap,  3.  wit^ 


j4a  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

Such  difagreeing  Pow'rs ;  abfurd  and  vain  1 
935  Plain  Nonfenfe!  Thefe  are  Creatures  of  the  Brain.' 
A  Fool  knows  this :  For  Horses  oft  enjoy- 
Full  growth  at  three  Years  old  ;  not  fo  a  Boy 
He  fcarce  forgets  his  Teat,  and  oft  at  reft. 
As  Dreams  prefent,  he  feeks  his  Nurfes  Breaft  : 
"940  Then,  when  the  Horse  grows  old,  his  Limbs  decay. 
And  loofen'd  Life  begins  to  fly  away  ; 
The  Boy  grows  ftrong,  he  feels  the  Pride  of  Growth, 
A  fturdy,  vigorous,  gay,  and  bearded  Youth  : 
Left  you  fhould  think  fuch  Monsters  apt  to  grow., 
945  A  thoughtful  Man  above,  a  Horse  below. 

Or  ScTLL^Sf  whom  a  num'rous  Train  entwines 
Of  HALF  Sea-Dogs,  and  barks  above  her  Loins  : 
Or  fuch  that  live,  nor  grow  an  equal  Time, 
And  which  at  equal  Years  not  reach  their  Prime ; 

Whom 

,  :^  0  T  £  5. 


siefTeSjthat  Alcippe  brought  forth 
an  Elephant :  and  that  another, 
in  the  beginning  of  the  Marfian 
War,  was  deliver'd  of  a  Serpent. 
And  the  fame  Authour  in  the 
Place  abovecited,  mentions  fe- 
veral  other  monft'rous  Births. 

935.  Creatures  of  the  Brain.] 
The  Schoolmen  call  Centaurs, 
and  the  like  imaginary  Crea- 
tures, Entia  Raticnis ;  but  they 
are  rather  Entia  Imaginationis  : 
Phantaftick  Creatures  •,  that  have 
no  Exiftence,  but  in  the  Imagi- 
nation. 

94(^.  Scynas,]There  were  two  of 
this  Name  ;  one  the  Daughter  of 
Kifus,  the  other  of  Glaucus,  fays 
Faber,  and  Creech  after  him,  but 
they  feem  to  be  both  miftaken, 
for  flie  was  Daughter  of  Phor- 
cus,  with  whom  Glaucus  was  in 
Love.  The  Scylla  of  Nifus  is 
faid  to  have  been  chang'd  into 
the  Monfter  of  that  Name,whom 
we  have  defcrib'd,  B.  I.  v.  74.0. 
and  Book  IV.  v.  735.  But  Ovid 
Metam.  lib.  8.  v.  148.  fays  flie 
was  chang'd  into  a  Bjrd. 

At  aura  cadentem 

Suftinuifle    levis ,    ne     tangeret 
a£f|uoraj  vifa  eft  ; 


Pluma  fuit :    plumis   in   avem 

mutata  vocatur 
Ciris,  Sc  a  tonfo  eft   hoc  nomen 

adepta  capiilo. 

Milton  in  the  fecond  Book  of 
Paradife  Loft,  defcribing  Sin, 
whom  he  makes  the  Portrefs  of 
Hell-Gate,  had  certainly  an  Eye 
on  this  fabulous  Monfter  :  His 
Words  are  thefe  j 

She    fcem'd    a  Woman    to    th^e 

Wafte,  and  fair, 
But  ended  foul  in  many  a  fcaly 

Fold, 
Voluramous  and  vaft  ;  a  Serpent 

arm'd 
With  mortal  Sting  :  About   her 

Middle  round 
A    Cry  of   Hell-Hounds  never 

ceafing  bark'd 
With  wide  CerberianMouthsfull 

loud,  and  rung 
A  hideous  Peal :    yet,  when  they 

lift,  would  creep, 
If  ought  difturb'd  their   Noife, 

into  her  Woinb, 
And  kennel  there ;   yet  there  ftill 

bark'd,  and  howl'd, 
Within  unfeen  :  Far  lefs  abhorr'd 

thanher^ 

"  Vex'd 


^41 


BookV.  LUCRETIUS. 

950  Whom  equal  Years  not  fill  with  youthful  Rage, 
Nor  lofe  their  Strength  again  at  equal  Age  ; 
Whom  neither  the  fame  Kinds  of  Beauty  fire. 
Nor  raife  foft  Thoughts,  gay  Wifhes,  warm  Defire  ; 
Or  thofe  that  feek,  and  live  by,  d  iff 'rent  Food  : 

955  Thus  Hemlock  kills  a  Man,  for  Goats  'tis  good. 

Belides ;  fince  Flames  will  fcorch  the  Lion  s  Breaft, 
And  burn,  as  well  as  any  other  Beaft  ; 
How  could  CniMiERAs  rife,  or  how  contain 
Three  Kinds ;  a  Lion's  Head,  a  Serpents  Train 

960  A  Goat,  the  middle  of  the  fanfy'd  Frame, 

And  ftill  with  fcorching  Noftrils  breathing  Flame  .^ 

Then  he  who  thinks,  that  new-made  Heav'n  and 
Did  give  to  fuch  prodigious  Monsters  Birth,  (Earth 
Yet  brings  no  Caufe  to  prove  the  Fanfy  true, 

9^5  But  ftill  relies  on  the  poor  ftiift,  'twas  new  • 
May  fanfy  too,  that  Streams  enrich'd  the  Seas, 
With  golden  Waves,  that  Jewels  grew  on  Trees 
That  Man  of  fuch  vaft  Force  and  Limbs  did  rife,? 
That  he  could  ftride  the  Ocean,  whirl  the  Skies; 

970  Or  any  thing  mad  Fanfy  can  devife. 


For 


NOTES. 


Vex'd  Scylla,  bathing  in  the  Sea,  and  no  doubt  he  took  the  De^ 

that  parts  fcription  from  Homer, 

Calabria  from   the  hoarfe  Tri- 


nacrian  Hiore,  dec, 

955.  Thus  Hemlock,  &c.]  In 
like  manner  the  Poet,  Book  IV. 
V.  6^6,  fpeaking  of  the  Plant 
which  he  there  calls  veratrum,and  | 
which  our  Tranflatour  there  calls  I 
Hemlock,  as  he  does  here  the 
Plant  which  his  Authour  calls 
Cicuta,  I 

Thus  Hemlock-Juice  pre- 


vails, 

And    kills  a  Man,    but  fattens 
Goats  and  Quails. 

See  the  Note  on  that  PafTage. 

958.  Chimseras]  This  ignivo- 
mousMonfter,that  had  the  Head 
of  a  Lion,  the  Breaft  of  a  Goat,, 
and  the  Tail  of  a  Serpent,  the 
Poet  himftlf  fufficiently  expUins: 


See  more  in  the  Note  on  v.  64o» 
B.  II,  To  which  I  here  add,  that 
Bellerophontus,  the  Son  of  Glau- 
cus,  King  of  Ephyra,  is,  there- 
fore faid  to  have  kili'd  this  Mon- 
fter,  riding  on  the  Sea-Horfe 
Pegafus,  whom  Neptune  had  lent 
him,  becaufe  he  render'd  habi- 
table a  Mountain  of  the  fame 
Name  in  Lycia ,  whofe  Top, 
which  was  wont  to  throw  out 
Flames,  was  full  of  Lions,  the 
Foot  of  it  ftor'd  with  Serpents, 
and  the  fides  of  it  proper  for  the 
Pafturage  of  Goats,  Ctefias  in 
Pliny  fays,  that  the  Fire  of  that 
Mountain  kindles  wich  Water, 
and  is  extinguiili'd  with  Earth, 
or  with  Hay. 

06%.  That  Man,  &c.]    Lucre- 
tius;  B.   I,    Y.  2^9.  has  taugh:, 

why 


542^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


For  tho'  much  Seed  lay  hid,  when  thoughtful  Man 
And  all  the  various  Kinds  of  Beasts  began  5 
Yet  nothing  proves,  that  Things  of  diff'rent  Kind^ 
That  difagreeing  Natures  fhould  be  join'd ; 

975  Since  now  the  Grass,  and  Trees,  and  all   that  grows, 
And  fprings  from  Earth,  are  never  join'd  like  thofe  : 
But  each  arifing  from  its  proper  Caufe 
Remains  diftinS,  and  follows  Nature's  Laws. 
Then  Man  was  hard,  as  hard  as  Parent-Stones ; 

580  And  built  on  bigger,  and  on  firmer  Bones :  (ftrong: 

The  Nerves,  that  join'd  their  Limbs,  were  firm  and 
Their  Life  was  healthy,  and  their  Age  was  long  : 
Returning  Years  ftill  faw  them  in  their  Prime  ; 
They  Vvcary'd  ev'n  the  Wings  of  meaf ring  Time  : 

'9S5  No  Colds,  nor  Heats,  no  ftrong  Diseases  wait. 
And  tell  fad  News  of  coming  hafty  Fate  ; 
Nature  not  yet  grew  weak,  not  yet  began 
To  fhrink  into  an  Inch,  the  larger  Span  : 
Like  Beasts  they  lay  in  ev'ry  Wood  and  Cave, 

^9oGath"ring  ihe  eafy  Food,  that  Nature  gave  : 

No 

NOTES. 


why  Nature  could  not  at  the  Be- 
ginning create  Men  of  fo  vaft  a 
nze, 

That  while  they  wade  through 
Seas,  and  fwelUng  Tides, 

Th*  afpiring  Waves  fliould  hard- 
ly touch  their  Sides  : 

Why  not  fo  ftrong,  that  they 
with  eafe  might  tear 

The  hard  eft  Flocks,  and  throw 
them  through  the  Air  ? 

But  becaufe  Things  on  certain 
Seeds  depend 

For  their  B(;ginning,  dec, 

979.  Then  Man,  &c.j  Here 
the  Poet  defcribes  at  large  the 
State  of  Man,  in  the  beginning 
of  the  World,  their  Manners  and 
Way  of  Life  :  And  ilrft  in  23.  v. 
he  teaches,  that  the  iirft  Men 
were  ftronger  in  Body,  than  Men 
Slow  are,  hy  reafon  of  the  innate 
Hardnefs  they  had  inherited  and 
consra<fred  from  their  ilubborn 


Mother  the  Earth  :  whence  they 
were  lefs  fubjecfl  to  Difeafes,  and 
much  longer-liv'd  :  But  no  Man 
till'd  the  Ground,  for  all  ap- 
peas'd  their  hunger  with  Acorns, 
Wildj^ngs,  and  other  Fruits  like 
thofe.  Next  he  tglis  us  in  4.  v. 
that  the  Springs  and  Rivers  invi- 
ted them  by  their  Murmurs  to 
come  and  quench  their  Thirft  : 
Then  in  1 1 .  v.  That  they  had  no 
Cloaths,  nor  Houfes,  but  that 
Shrubs,  and  Woods,  and  Caves 
flielter'd  them  from  Storms  and 
Cold  :  And  in  10.  v.  that  they 
had  no  Laws,  no  Societies  ;  but 
Iiv'd  by  Spoil  and  Rapine  :  ma- 
king ufe  of  the  Women  in  Com- 
mon, whom  they  either  forc'd  to 
fubmit  to  their  Defires  by 
Strength  and  Violence,  or  gain'd 
their  tonfent  by  Flattery  and 
Prefents,  fuch  as  Acorns_,  Pears, 
and  Apples. 

As  hard  as  Parent- Stones  Q  Lu- 
cretius dc§5  tto  where  f^y,  tha?^ 

the 


f4J 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

No  impious  Ploughman  yet  had  learn'd  to  tear 
His  Parents  Bowels  with  the  crooked  fhare  ; 
None  planted  fruitful  Trees,  none  drefs'd  the  Vine; 
None  prun'd  decaying  Boughs,  none  prefs'd  the  Wine: 
995  Contented  they  with  the  poor  eafy  Store, 

That  Sun  and  Earth  beftow'd,  they  wifii'd  no  more  : 
Soft  Acorns  were  their  firft  and  chiefeft  Food, 

And 

JN  O  r  E  S. 


the  iirft  Men  ow'd  their  Origine 
to  Stones  ,  and  our  Tranflatour 
feems  rather  to  allude  to  the  fa- 
bulous Reparation  of  Mankind 
after  the  Deluge/rom  the  Stones, 
which,  by  command  o*"  Themis, 
Deucalion  and  Pyrrha  threw  be- 
hind them  :  Of  which  Ovid  Me- 
tam.  lib.  i.  v.  435. 

Inde  genus  durum  fumus,  expe- 

rienfque  laborum, 
£t  documentadamus,  qua  fimus 

origine  nati. 

991.  Noimpious,  Sec."]  This 
Patlage  .  of  our  Authour  Ovid 
feems  to  imitate  in  his  Defcri- 
ption  of  the  Golden  Age  : 

Ipfa  quoque  immunis,  raftroque 

intacJia,  nee  ullis 
Saucia  vomeribus,  per  fe  dabat 

omnia  Tellus  : 
Contentique  cibis,  nullo  cogente 

creatis, 
Arbuteos  foetus,  montanaque  fra- 

ga  legebant 
Cornaque,  &  in  duris  harentia 

mora  rubetis : 
Et  qxxx  deciderant  patuU  Jovis 

arbore  glandes. 

The  teeming  Earth,  yet  guiltlefs 
of  the  Plough, 

And  unprovok'd  did  fruitful 
Stores  allow  : 

Content  Vv'ith  Food,  which  Na- 
ture freely  bred. 

On  Wildings,  and  on  Strawber- 
ries they  fed  j 


\  Cornels    and      BrambJc-berrics 
gave  the  reft  ; 
And  falling  Acorns  furniili'd  out 
a  Feaft.  Dryden. 

995.  Contented,  &c.]  Macro* 
bius,  lib.  <5.  Saturnal.  cap.i.ob- 
ferves,  that  Virgil  has  imitated 
this  PafTage  of  Lucretius,  when 
defcribing  his  happy  Countrey- 
man,  he  fays, 

Quos  rami  fru(flus,  quos  ipla  YO^ 

lentia  rura 
Sponte  tulere  fui,  carpfit. 


Georg.  2.  V.  500. 

He  feeds  on  Fruits,    which,   of 

their  own  accord. 
The  willing  Ground,  and  laden 

Trees  afford.  Dryd. 

^97.  Soft  Acorns,  ]  For  the 
chief  Food  of  the  firft  Men  wa$ 
Acorns :  Whence  Virgil  Georg. 
r .  V.  147. 

Prima  Ceres  ferro  mcrtales  vcr- 

ttr:  terram 
Initituit  :  cum  jam  glandes  at- 

que  arbutalacr^ 
Deiicerent  f)  lv£c,  &  vicflum  Do- 

dona  negaret.  ' 

Where  tho'  the  Poet  fays,  that 
the  Woods  fail'd  them,  and  no 
longer  afforded  them  Acorns,  yet 
it  is  more  probable,  that  they 
contemn'd  the  ufe  of  Acorns, 
when  they  had  difcover'd  the  Art 
of  fowing  Corn  ;  Thus  Juvenal, 

fpeaking 


544  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V* 

And  thofe  red  Apples  that  adorn  the  Wood. 
And  make  paie  Winter  blu{h ;  fuch  Nature  bore,^ 
looo  More  num'rous  then,  befides  a  thoufand  more,        C 
Which  all  fupply'd  poor  Man  -with  ample  Store.       \ 
When  THIRSTY,  then  did  purling  Streams  invite 
To  fatisfy  their  eager  Appetite  : 
As  now,  in  Murmurs  loud,  the  headlong  Floods, 
1005  Invite  the  thirfty  Creatures  of  the  Woods  : 

And  then  by  Night  they  took  their  Rest  in  Caves^' 

Where  little  Streams  roul  on  with  filent  Waves  ^ 

They  bubble  thro'  the  Stones,  and  foftly  creep,        7 ; 

As  fearful  to  difturb  the  Nymphs  that  fleep ;  ^ 

101  o  The  Moss,  fpread  o'er  the  MARBLES,feems  to  weep  :3 

Whilft 
N  O  T  £  5. 


Ipeaking  in  the  Perfon  of  the  old 
Marfians  and  others,  Sat.  14. 
V.  180. 


.    .  Panem  qu^ramus  aratro, 
Qui  fatis  eft  menfis  j  laudant  hoc 

numina  ruris. 
Quorum  ope  &  auxilio,   grat« 

poft  munus  arifta: 
Contingunt  homines  veteris  fa- 

ilidia  quercus. 

998.  Red  Apples,  &c.3  Lucr. 

—  Quae  nunc  hiberno  tem- 
pore cernis 

Arbuta  Poeniceo  fieri  matura 
colore. 

Arbutum  is  the  Fruit  of  the 
Tree  call'd  Arbutus,  the  Arbute- 
Tree,  a  Plant  frequent  enou'gh 
in  Italy  ;  it  has  the  Leaves  like 
ihofe  of  a  Bay-tree,  but  growing 
very  thin,  and  bears  a  Fruit  as 
big  as  a  middling  Plum,  red  like 
a  Cherry,  or  rather  Strawberry, 
bscaufe  of  its  roughnefs,  Pliny, 
lib.  15.  cap.  24.  calls  the  Fruit  of 
this  Tree  ,  Poma  inhonora , 
Apples  of  no  value  :  and  indeed 
tho'they  have  a  certain  Sweetnels, 
they  are  four  withal,  and  un- 
pleafant  to  the  Tafte,  as  well  as 
Siurtful  to  the  Head  and  Stomach. 


The  Antients  delighted  much  in 
the  Shade  of  this  Tree.  Horat. 
Nunc  viridi  membra  fub  arbuto 
ftratus.  Pliny  calls  the  Fruit  of 
this  Tree  Unedines,  becaufe,  fays 
he,  we  can  not  eat  above  one  of 
them,  by  reafon  of  their  Afperi- 
ty  and  Sournefs.  But  he  is  mi- 
ftaken  in  making  the  Unedo  and 
the  Arbutum  to  be  one  and  the 
fame  Thing  :  The  firft  of  them 
is  the  Fruit  of  the  Epimelis, 
which  fome  interpret  to  be  a  fort 
of  Medlar-Tree.  But  the  Arbu- 
tum of  the  Latines,  and  which 
the  Greek  call  Memxcylon,  is 
the  Fruit  of  the  Tree,  which  the 
Latines  loiow  by  the  Name  of 
Arbutus,  and  the  Greeks  by  that 
of  Coraarus.  Thus  Galen,  lib, 
2.  Aliment,  plainly  diftinguiilies 
between  the  Unedo  and  the  Ar- 
butum, afcribing  the  firft  to  the 
Epimelis,  the  later  to  the  Coma- 
rus,  or  Arbutus.  Thus  Dale- 
campus  in  lib.  prim.  Plin.  argues 
that  Authour  of  Errour. 

1008.  They  bubble,  &c.]  Old- 
ham. 

Hard  by,   a   Stream  did  with 

fuch  Sofcnefs  creep, 
As't  were  by  its  own  Murmurs 

hufli'd  afleep. 

And 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  74J 

Whilft  other  Streams  no  narrow  Bounds  contain, 
They  break  fuch  Banks,  and  fpread  o'er  all  the  Plain, 

They  knew  no  ufe  of  Fire  to  drefs  their  Foo»  ; 
No  Cloaths,  but  wander'd  naked  in  the  Wood  : 
1015  They  liv'd  to  fliady  Groves,  and  Caves  confin'd, 
Meer  fhelter  from  the  Cold,  the  Heat,  and  Wind.' 

No  fixt  Society,  no  fteddy  Laws  ; 
No  publick  Good  was  fought,  no  common  Cause, 
But,  all  at  War,  each  rang'd,  and  fought  his  Food, 
1 020  By  Nature  taught  to  feek  his  private  Good. 
Then  to  renew  frail  Man's  decaying  Race ; 
Or  mutual  Lust  did  prompt  them  to  embrace  ; 
Or  elfe  the  greater,  Vigour,  of  the  Male, 
Or  fome  few  treach'rous  Presents  did  prevail  ; 
1025  Some  Acorns,  Apples  fome,  fome  Pears  bellow; 
The  Thing  the  fame,  the  Price  waslefs  than  now.' 
Then  ftrong,  and  fwift,  they  did  the  Beasts  purfue^ 
Their  Arms  were  Stones,  and  Clubs  ;  and  fome  they 
And  fome  they  fled :  from  thofe  they  fear'd  to  fight  (flew. 
1030  They  ran,  and  ow'd  their  Safety  to  their  Flight. 

When 
N  O  T  £  5. 


And  the  Authour  of  Hudibras, 

Clofe  by    a   foftly    murm'ring 

Stream, 
Where  Lovers  us'd  to  loll  and 

dream. 

1009.  The  Nymphs  that  Sleep:] 
For  the  Nymphs  were  fabled  to 
dweH  in  Caves  and  Dens.    Of 
them  fee  Book  4.  v.  589. 
10 14..  No  Cloaths,]  Lucr. 

•Neque  uti 


Pellibus,  &  corpus  fpoliis  veftire 
ferarum  : 

For,  as  the  Poet  will  teach  by 
and  by,  the  firft  Coverings  Men 
wore,  were  the  Skins  of  wild 
Beafts,  they  kill'd  in  hunting. 

1026.  The, Thing,  &c.]  This 
Obfervation  is  the  Tranflatoiir's, 
not  his  Authour'S;  who,   I  be- 


lieve,  woirid  fcarce  have  faid  io. 
The  Prefents  Lucretius  mentions, 
were  of  the  greateft  Value  in 
thofe  Days  :  therefore  the  Price 
was  not  lefs  than  now. 

1 027.  Then  ftrong,  &c.]  Thefe 
robuft  unpolilli'd  Mortals  fpent 
all  their  time  in  hunting  wild 
Beafts,  whom  they  purfu'd  with 
Stones,  Clubs,  and  fuch  like 
Weapons  :  And  when  they  were 
either  weary  of  killing  them,  or 
that  Night  came  on,  they  roul'd 
themfelves  up  in  Leaves  and 
Grafs,  and  ilept  contented,  and 
with  a  quiet  Mind  ;  for  they  did 
not  dread,  what  the  Stoicks 
fooliflily  believ'd  of  them  , 
when  Night  had  involv'd  the 
World  in  Shade,  that  Light  and 
Day  would  never  return,  becaufe 
they  hadobferv'd  that  Viciflltude 
from  the  firft  beginning  of  Day 
and  Night :  This  is  contain'd  iix 
15.  V.  In  the  31.  V.  following  the. 
Poet  goes  on.  But,  fays  he,  this 
A  2  a  a  Life 


546  LUCRETIUS,  Book  V. 

Whendrowfy  Night  came  on,  they  naked  Jay, 
Spread  o*er  the  Ground  like  BEARS,and  rough  as  they  i 
Their  Sleep  was  found,  they  wak'd  not  all  the  Nighr,^ 
Nor  wander'd  here  and  there,  whilft  Shades  affright,  L 

1035  Nor  viev/d  the  East  with  longing  Eyes  for  Light :  J 
But  all  difToIv'd  in  fweeteft  Slumbers  Jay, 
Till  the  bright  Sun  arofe,  and  brought  the  Day. 
For  fince  they  had  beheld,   e'er  fince  their  Birth, 
The  Day  and  Night  by  Turns fpread  o'er  the  Earthy 

1 040  They  never  fear'd  the  Sun  fliould  lofe  his  Light, 
And  all  lie  bury'd  in  eternal  Night. 

The 

n  o  r  E  s. 


Lifeof  theirs  was  vext  with  fome. 
Inquietudes  1     the  wild     Beafts 
furpriz'd  them,  when  they  were 
fleeping :    and  then    it    fuddain 
Death  was  their  Portion  ;   or  a 
tedious  and    painful    Life,    by 
means  of  their  feftering  Wounds  ; 
for  they  knew   not  yet  the  heal- 
ing Virtue  of  Simples  :    Famine 
kill'd  many,  and  more  the  ^ve- 
nomous Herbs  they  ignorantly 
fed  on.  But  that  none  may  thinkj 
that  aJl  Mankind  was,  by  fo  ina- 
ny   Ills  and  Mifchiefs  as    befel 
them,  involv'd   in  one  common 
Ruin,  and  totally  deftroy'd  ;  let 
it   be  confider'd,  that  the  wild 
Beafts  devoui-'d  them  only  one  by 
one,  and  that  few  dy'd  by  poy- 
fonous  Herbs,    or    for  want   of 
Food,  in  comparifon  of  the  ma- 
ny Thoufands  that  fall  in  a  Day 
in  our  Armies  :  Befides  ;  what 
Numbers  are  now   fwaliow'd  up 
in   the  Sea  •,  how   many  dy    by 
Poyfon,  how  many  by  Intempe- 
jrance  and  Luxury  ? 

1031^.  But  all,  &C.3  Manilius 
Is  of  another  Opinion.,  lib.  i. 
V,  66.  where  fpeaking  of  the  iirft 
Inventours  of  Arts,  he  fays ; 

Nam  rudis  ante  illos,  nullo  dif- 
crimine  vita 

In  fpeciem  converfa  operum  ra- 
tions carebat, 

E$  ftupefacTta  novo  pendebat  lu- 
mineisi^ndi: 


Turn  velut  amiffis  mcerens,  tun?, 

L^ta  renatis 
Syderibus,  varioffque  dies,  incer- 

taque  no(ftis        ' 
Tempora,    nee    fi miles   umbras 

jam  fole  regreflb, 
Jam  propiore,  fuis  poterat  dif- 

cernere  caufis. 

Before  that  Time   Life  was  an 

artlefs  State, 
Of  Reafon  void,  and  thoughtlefs 

in  Debate  : 
Nature  lay  hid  in  deepeft  Kight 

below  ; 
None   knew    her  Wonders,  and 

none  car'd  to  know  : 
Upward  Men  look'djthey  faw  the 

circling  Light- 
Pleas'd  with  the  Fires,  and  won- 

der'd  at  the  Sight  • 
The  Sun,  when  Night  came  on, 

withdrawn  they  griev'd, 
As  dead  ;  and   joy'd  next  Morn, 

when  he  Jreviv'd  : 
But  why  the  Nights  grew  long 

or  Hiort  j  the  Day 
Is  chang'd,  and  the  Shades  vary 

with  the  Ray, 
Shorter  at  his  Approach,  and  lon- 
ger grown 
At  his  Remove,  the  Caufes  were 

unknown.  Creech. 

And  with  Manilius  agrees  Stati- 
us,  Thebaid.  4.  where  fpeaking 
of  the  primitive  Arcadians,   he 

i%».  Hi 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  ^47 

The  moft  they  dreaded  was  the  furious  Beast;? 
For  he,  in  Dead  of  Night,  did  oft  moleft,  > 

And  lengthen  into  Death,  their  flumb'ring  Rest.   3 

1045  Sometimes  they  left  their  Caves  by  Night,  and  fled,^ 
Rows'd  from  their  fofteft  Sleep,  all  pale,  half  dead,  C 
While  Boars  and  Lions  came,  and  feiz'd  their  Bed. ^ 

Yet  fewer  dy'd  than  now  :  for  fingly  then 
Each  caught  within  the  Limits  of  his  Den, 

1050  "While  the  Beast  tore  the  living,  trembling  Food, 
And  revel'd  in  full  Draughts  of  reeking  Blood, 
With  dreadful  Cries  he  fill  d  each  Wood  and  Cave, 
To  fee  his  Limbs  go  down  a  living  Grave. 
Others,  that  fcap'd  with  Life,  but  wounded,  groan'd,? 

1055  Holding  their  Hands  on  the  corrupting  Wound,        ^ 
While  trembling  Echo's  did  reftore  the  Sound.         J 

Not 
N  0  T  £  S. 

Hi  lucis  ftupuifTe  vices,  nocftifque  ■  lugebant,  8>c  renatum  Isetis  ejrci- 
feruntur  *"  jpiebant  aufpiciis.      Ita  rudiores 

Nubila,  &  occiduum  longe  Ti-    olim,  &  qui  fimpliciorem  vitam. 


tana  fecuti 
Defper^fle  diem. 

And  Dracontius  in  Hexaemer. 

Nee  lucem  rem  care  putat  terrena 

propago; 
Aft  ubi  purpureum  furgentem  ex 

<equore  cernunt 
Luciferum,  vibra,re  jubar,  flam- 

mafque  ciere, 
^t  reducem  fupar  aftra  diem  de 

fole  rubentem  ; 
Mox  revocata  fovent  hefterna  in 

gaudia  mences, 
Temporis  &  requiem  nofcentes 

luce  diurnd 
Cioeperunt  fperar^  diem,    ridere 

tenebras. 

And  the  learned  Seldeo,  de  Diis 
S)  ris,  Syntagm,  2.  confirms  their 
Opinions,  and  believes  tKe  Ori- 
ginal of  the  Feftivals,  which  the 
Anticnts  inftituted  in  Honour  of 
Adonis,  to  have  fprung  from  no 
pther  Ground  :  His  Words  are 
thefe,  Non  aliud  cogitarunt  ; 
qui  primum  has  n^enias  inftitue- 
runt,  quam  foils  accefTum  &c  re- 
f^lVn^^^ ;  Quern  ut  ^mifTwm  nunc 


degebant,  prius  quam  ab  Aftro- 
nomis  leges  fyderum  didicerant. 

1053.  A  living  Grave.]  Lucre= 
tius. 

Viva  videns  vivo  fepeliri  vifcera 
bufto;  '       "^ 

Upon  which  Faber  obferves,  that 
Dionyfius  Longinus  blames  an 
Expreflion  lilce  this,  in  Gorgias 
Leontinus,  who  calls  Vulturs, 
the  living  Sepulchres  of  Men, 
yv'TTz?  i^-^vxpt  Ttlfpof  However 
he  excufes  Lucretius,  though  he 
condemns  not  the  Cenfure  of 
Longinus  :  For,  fays  he,  Gorgias 
was  a  Rhetorician,  in  whofe  Art 
fuch  Defcriptions  ought  never  to 
find  Place,  tho'  in  Poetry  they 
have  much  of  the  Sublime, 

io^6.  While  trembling.  &c.]] 
This  Verfe  is  the  Tranflatours, 
not  the  Poets. 

1057.  Not  sldll'd,  &?.]  Lucre- 
tius. 

Expertes  opis,  ign.^roSj  quid  yuI-» 
ner^vejlent. 

i,  e.   They  knew  not  yet  the  Art 
A  a  a  a  2  ©f 


548 


L  u  c  R  E  r  I  u  s. 


Book  V. 

Not  skill'd  in  Herbs,  and  now  grown  derperate. 
With  horrid  Cries  they  call'd  on  hngxing  Fate, 
Till  Worms  increased,  and,  eating  thro'  ihe  Clay, 
1060  Made  PalTage  for  the  Sour,  to  fly  away. 

But  then  no  Armies  fell  at  once,  no  Plain 
Grew  red,  no  Rivers  fwellfd  with  Thoufandsflain  : 
None  plough'd  the  Floods,  none  fliipwreck'd  made  their 

Graves  '   , 

In  Seas,  none  drank  cold.  Death  among  the  Waves,i 
1065  But  oft  the  furious  Ocean  rag'd  in  vain ;;  : 

No  mifchief  done,  the  Waves  grew  mild  again: 

No 
N  O  T'E  S,  .   ::     . 


of  Medicine,  and  were  ignorant 
of  the  Remediesj  requiliteto  heal 
their  Wounds. 

1059.  Till  Worms,  &c.]  This 
and  the  following  Verfe  run  thus 
in  the  Original.. 

Doniciim  eos  vita  privarunt  ver- 
minafkva. 

Feftus  fays,  That  Vermina  figni- 
£es,  the  wringing  of  the  Guts, 
when  we  feel  a  Pain,  as  if  Worms 
were  gnawing  them  :  The  Greeks 
call  it  s"^(pOi  °  But  perhaps  Ver- 
mina may  here  fignify  very 
Worms,  that  might  be  engende- 
red in  their  rankling  and  corrupt- 
ing Wounds :  if  fo,  our  Tranlla- 
tour  is  fo  far  in  the  right  j  but 
how  well  their  making  a  PalTage 
for  the  Soul  to  fly  away,  agrees 
with  the  Doctrine  of  Epicurus, 
the  Reader  need  not  be  inform- 
ed. 

1 0^1.  No  Armies  fell]  They 
had  yet  no  Wars  •,  but  were 
wholly  ignorant  of  the  cruel  Arts 
of  deftrbying  one  another  :  And 
as  Ovid  fays,,Metam.  i.  v.  97. 

Nondum   prnecipites     cingebant 
.    oppida  fdiTx  ; 

Non  tuba  diredi,  non  a:ris,  ^jcjr- 
nua  flexi. 


INon    galea;,   non 
fine  militis  ufu 

Mollia   fecura;  pera 
gentes.     ., 


enfis,   erant 


^ebant    otia 


No  Walls  wdre  yet^ '  ilor  Feh'te,, 

nor  Moat,  nor  .Mound  ; 
Nor    Drum    was     heard,     nor 

Trumpets  angry  Sound  : 
Nor  Swords  were   forg'd  :  But, 

void  of  Care  and  Crime,      :  ,' 
The    foft  Creation   llept   away 

their  Time. 

10^3.   None,  Sec.']   Thus  too 
Ovid  Metam.  i.  v.  94. 

Nondum  cxd  fuis,   peregrinum 

ut  viferet  orbem, 
Montibus,  in  liquidas  pinus  de- 

fcenderat  undas : 
NuUaque  mortales,    praeter   fua 

iittora  norant. 

The  Mountain  Trees  in  diftant 

Profpect  pleafe. 
Ere  yet    the  Pine  defcended  to 

the  Seas ; 
Ere    Sails  were    fpread    new 

Oceans  to  explore, 
And   happy  Mortals,    iincdn- 

cern'd  for  more, 
Coniin'd  their  Wiilies  to  their 

native  Shore. 

And  Maniliusj.lib.  I.  v.  76. 

Immotufque  novos  pontus  fub- 

duxerat  orbes  : 
Nee    vitam  pelago,    nee  ventis 

credere  vota 
Audebant,  fed  quifque   fans  fe 

nofTe  putabat.  ^^   ■  i 

^  ^ Non^ 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  ^49 

No  Ships  were  found,  nor  eould  the  treach'rous  Smile 

Of  fmooth-fac'd  Waves  tempt  one  poor  Man  16  Toil. 

Then  Want,  now  SuRFEiTsbring  ahafty  Death ; 

1070  Our  Bellies  fwell  fo  much,  they  ftop  our  Breath. 

^         Then  poys'nous  Her  bs,  when  pluck'd  by  Chance,  did 

Now  Poyson's  grownan /\RT,improv*dby  Skill"  (kill; 

But  when  they  built  theirHuTTS,  when  FiRil)egan, 

•  i  i--ji*.    '  s   Any; 

NOT  B'Jl^i^^A  i 


— <; None  refign'd 

'l*"heir  Lives  to  Seas,  or   Wiilies 

to  the  Wind  •, 
Coniin'd  their  fearch  •,  they  knew 

;:hemfelves  alone, 
And  thought  that  only  worthy  to 

b^  known.      ■"}]'  • 

io58.  Tempt  one  poor  Man  to 
Toil.]  For  as  Seneca  li^"'  Medea 
fays, 

Audax  nimium  qui  freta  primus 
Rate  tarn  fragili  perfida  rupit  ; 
Terrafque  fuas  poft  terga  videre, 
Animam  levibus  credidit  auftris, 

6cc.  ':■ 

which  the  Tragedian  took  from 
Horace,  Od.  i.  3. 

Illi  robur  &  ies  triplex    - 
Circa  pedus  erat,    qui  fragilem 

truci 
Commifit  pelago  ratem 

Primus ;    nee  timuit  pr^cipi- 
tem  Africum,  &c. 

Thus  render'd  by  Dryden, 

Sure  he,  whofirft  the  PafTage 
try'd, 

In  harden'd    Oak  his    Heart 
did  hide, 

And  Ribs  of  Iron  arm'd  his 
Side  : 

Or  his  at  leaft,  in  hollow  Wood, 

Who    tempted    iirft    the    briny 
Flood  : 

Nor  fear'd  the  Winds  contend- 
ing Roar, 

Nor    Billows    beating     on   the 
Shore  •, 

Nor  Hyades,  portending  Rain, 

jNor  all  the  Tyrants  of  the  Main  3 


.:3n2i: 


What  Form  of  Death  cowld  him 

affright  J 
Who,  unconcerned,  with  fledfaft 

Sight, 
Could  view  the  Surges,  mountain 

fteep,'  '  ■  '  • ' 

And   Mohfters,    rouling  in  tht 

Deep'?  '     ■  ^•—  -i^'^^' 

Could    thtough  the 'Ranks-  of 

Ruiri-go,^  ;  •'    ;■••  ^'  ^-■'; 

With  Storms  above,'  ahd^  Rcic^ 

beioW'?  ;'";'••  •:  •  '•-  'i-^;> 
In  vain  xfi^  =Natirr6*Sii«ife  OoM' 

mand.  r'-  '"^  ■ -'l  t-=^^- 'l^-'^T 
Divide    the  'Waters "  frorii  0| 

Land,  '  - 
If  daring;  Ships,  and  Men^^MiSf 

phane^---     ^  :--^n?".^ 

Invade  th' inviolable  Maih'<j  '■  '-^ 
Th'  eternal  Fences  overleap'^  "'^* 
And  pafs  at  Will  thebouhdleli 

Deep.  '  •  •"   ■■■'  '  ■■' 

No  Toil,  no  Hard iliips' can  i^- 

ftrain 
Ambitious     Man,     inur'd     to 

Pain  ; 
The  more  confin'd,  the  more  he 

tries. 
And  at  forbidden  Qiiarpy -flieg* 

10^?,  Then  Want,  &:c.]  Penti- 
riacibi:  Want  of  Food,  The 
next  Verfe,  Our  Bellies,  &c.  is  a 
Thought  of  our  Tranlliitours, 
not  of  his  Authours. 

1073.  But  when,  &c.]  We  have 
hitherto  feen  only  Men,  who 
were  wild  and  favage,  who  wan- 
der'd  in  the  Woods,  and  liv'd 
by  Spoil  and  Rapine  :  But  others 
now  enter  upon  the  Stage,  who 
are  mild,  gentle,  and  ftudious  of 

civil 


yp  LUCRETIUS,  Book  V 

And  Skins  of  murder'd  Beafts  gave  CLOATHSto  Man  ; 
JIP75  When  one  to  one  confin'd,  in  chafte  Embrace, 
;  i      Enjoy'd  fweet  Love,  and  faw  a  numrous  Race  : 
Then  Man  grew  fofc,  the  Temper  of  his  Mind 
Was  chang'd  fronn  rough  to  mild,  from  fierce  to  kind  : 
For  us'd  to  Fire,  his  Limbs  refused  to  bear 
1080  The  piercing  Sharpnefs  of  the  open  Air  ; 

And  Lust  enfeebled  him  ;  befides,  the  Child, 
Soften'd  by  Parents  Love,  grew  tame  and  mild. 
Then  Neighbours,  by  degrees  familiar  grown, 
M^de  Leagues,  and  Bonds,  and  each  fecur'd  his  own  : 

And 
NOTE  5. 


cmttrfe."  JForby  this  Time,  fays 
tb«  Poet  in  20.  v.  that  Tempe- 
rature and  Calmnefs  of  the  Air, 
■which  rejgu'ii  when  the  World 
was  in  its  Infancy,  remain'd  no 
loRger  i  but  fomctimes  piercing 
Cold,  and  fomctimes  fcorching 
Hea,t,  together  with  St9rms  and 
Tempefts,  pcrfecutcd  Ma;iJcind. 
THofp  Hardfliips  and  Inconve- 
niencies  weaken'd  them  by  de- 
grees, and  forc'd  them  to  the 
Contrivance  of  building  them- 
felv^  Hutts  and  Houlcs,  to  iliel- 
ter  tneir  Bodies  from  the  Incle- 
mencies of  the  Seafons  :  They 
dwelt  in  thefc  new  Abodes,  one 
Manconfin'd  to  one  Woman,  and 
were  blcfs'd  with  a  numerous 
Offspring,  whofe  infant  fmiling 
Innocence  foften'd  the  rigid  Sou r- 
nefs  of  t|ieir  Parents  Temper, 
and  chang'd  their  innate  fullen 
Rough nefs  into  Calmnefs  and 
Affability.  After  this,  having 
found  out  the  ufe  of  Fire,  they 
becaimcfo  tender,  that,  unable  to 
endure  any  longer  their  primi- 
tive Nakedncfs,  they  made  thcm- 
felves  Cloaths  of  the  Skins  of 
Beafts  f  and  grew  fo  civiliz'd  in 
time,  that'  they  cnter'd  into 
Friend  rtiips  and  Societies,  info- 
much  that  they,  who  wcre.deH- 
I0U3  to.be  CA'tc  rhemfcl'vci,  found 
it  their  bcil  way  to  abftain  from 
doii)g  Injuries  to  otliets  :  Thus 
jPpi] cord  prefer v'd  Mankind. 
1074..  And  SiunS;  dec.']    Dio- 


dorus  Sic;ulu9,  lib.  i.  fays,  that 
the  Poets  feign'd  Hercules  to  be 
cloath'd  with  the  Skins  of  Beafts, 
and  that  he  is  painted  too  in  that 
Garb,  to  put  Poftcrity  in  Mind 
of  this  antient  way  of  Drefs  of 
oiir  firft  Fathers. 

1 08 1.  BtfideSj  the  Child,  &€.] 
Lucret. 


■  Puerique  parentum 


Bland iti is  facile  ingcnium  fregere 
fuperbum. 

i.  c.  The  Children,  by  their 
harmless  innocent  Smiles,  eafily 
foften'd  the  Koughnefs  of  their 
Parents  Temper.  This  PaiTage 
can  have  no  other  Interpretation^ 
tho'  Creech  makes  it  fay  quite 
the  contrary. 

1083.  Then  Neighbours,  Sec."] 
They  who  endeavour  to  difgrace 
Religion,  uiuaily  rcprefentit  as  4 
Trick  of  Stare,  and  as  a  politick 
Invention  to  keep  the  CredulouJ 
in  Awi:  •,  which  however  abfurd 
and  frivolous,  yet  is  a  ftrong 
Argument  againft  the  Atheift, 
who  cannot  declare  hisOpinionsj 
unlcfs  he  be  a  Rebel,  and  a  Di- 
fturbcr  of  the 'Commonwealth  : 
The  Caufeof  God,  and  his  C»^ 
far  are  the  fame,  and  no  Affrone 
can  be  offered  to  one,  but  it  re- 
flcds  on  both  ;  and  tiiatthe  Epir 
curean  Principles  are  pernJciou< 
to  Societies,  is  evident  from  tl;j« 
Account  they  give  of  the  Rife  ol' 

^heixio 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


yfi 


1085  And  then  by  Signs,  and  broken  Words  agreed. 

That  they  would  keep,  preferve,  defend,  and  feed 
Defenfelefs  Infants,  and  the  Women  too, 
As  nat'ial  Pitt  prompted  then:i  to  do. 

The* 

Notes. 


them,     Firft  then  we  muft  ima- 
gine  Men  Ipringing  out  of  the 
Earth,  as  from  the  teeth  of  Cad- 
mus his  Dragon,  (fratres  fungo- 
rum,  &  tuberum,  as  Bias  call'd 
the  Athenians,  who  counted  it  a 
great    glory  to  be  'AuloX-^ovsr,) 
and   like  thofe  top,    fierce,  and 
cruel  J  but  being  fofcned  by  na- 
tural Decay,  and  length  of  Time^ 
grew  mild  ;  and  weary  of  conti- 
nual  Wars,  made  Leagues,  and 
Combinations,formutualDefence 
and  Security  ;  and  inveftcd  fome 
Perfon  with   Power  to  overlook 
each  Man's  Adions,  and  to  pu- 
nilli,  or  reward  thofe  that  broke 
or  kept  their  Promifes.    Now  if 
Societies  began  ,thus,  'tis  evident 
that  they  are  founded  on  Intereft 
alone,  and  therefore  Self-prefer- 
vation  is  the  only  thing  that  o- 
bliges  Subjecfis  to  Duty,  and  when 
they  are   ftrong  enough  to  live 
without  the  Protecftion  of  their 
Prince,  all  the  bonds    to  Obedi- 
ence are  cancell'd,    and  Mutiny 
and    Rebellion    will    neceflarily 
break  forth  •,  for  we  all  know, 
how  ambitious  every  Man   is  of 
Kule,howpaflrionately  hedefires  it, 
and  how  eagerly  he  follows  it,  tho' 
ten  thoufand Difficulties  attendthe 
Purfuit  :    What  if  he  break  his 
Promife,  recall  his   former  Con- 
fent,    and  acft    againft  the  Law 
that  was  founded  on  it  ?    Why 


need  he 
got  the 


be  concerned,  if  he  has 
longc/l 


Sword,  and  is 
above  the  Fear  of  Punihiment  ? 
Will  not  a  profpecTt  of  a  certain 
Profit  lead  him  on  toVillaiiy  ? 
And  why  rtiould  his  Confcience 
T:artle  at  Wickednefs,  that  is  at- 
eiided  with  Pleafure  ?  Since  all 
he  Epicurean  Vertues  are  no- 
nng  but  Fear,  and  Inrereft,  and 


the  former  is  remov'd,  and  the 
latter  invites.  'Tis  true,  as  Lu- 
cretius fays,  ftrange  Ddfcoveries 
have  been  made,  and  Plutarch 
gives  us  very  memorable  Iniian- 
ces  :  Plots  have  been  defeated, 
but  as  many  prov'd  fuccefsful  t 
and  how  weak  that  fingle  Pre- 
tence, how  infufiicient  to  fecure 
Government,  is  evident  from 
the  daily  Plots,  and  Contrivan- 
ces, Murders,  and  Treafons,  that 
difturb  us  ;  tho'  all  the  Terrours 
of  Religion  joyn  with  thefeFears, 
and  endeavour  to  fupprefs  them. 
And  therefore  thefe  Opinions  are 
dangerous,  and  deftruclive  of  So- 
cieties, and,  as  Origen  fays  of  his 
Purgatory  Fires,  sk  cIk.iySuuov  tt 
rcov    roiiiTcov  aci(py.reiAv    'ffiSivcroLt 

ctoTv^V  «  yjy:0-iiu.ov  di'cf.Ccx/.veiv  tTiot '? 
T^^  fj.oyi?  (po^w  cucov'ts  xo^dcricos 
ndv  av^i?!\ov]ct^  IttI  otoctov  »?  xot- 

Yo)lcov  y^vaiv.  Others,  tho'  pre- 
tending to  better  Principles  than 
thofe  ot  Epicurus,  yet  are  alto- 
gether as  faulty  in  ftating  the 
Rife  of  Power;  and  more  abfurd  : 
for  his  Opinion  is  agreeable  to 
his  other  PolTcions,  but  theirs 
contradi<fl  the  Creation  they  af- 
fert,  and  the  Providence  they  al- 
low; I  mean  thofe  that  declare  the 
People  to  be  the  Spring  and  Foun- 
tain of  Power,  and  that  from, 
their  Confent  ail  theAuthority  of 
the  Governour  is  derived  :  Sure 
thefe  Men  never  confidered  the 
Relation  betwixt  God  and  his 
Creatures ;  and  what  an  abfolute 

Domi- 


^J* 


LUCvRETIU  S. 


Boo*  V* 


Tho'  this  fix'd  not  an  UNivERSAt  Peace, 
1090  Yet  many  kept  their. .|:aith,.  andJiy'd  at  Eafe  j 

MOT  E  S. 


Or 


Dominion  he  has  over  thofe,  to 
whom  he  firft  gave,  and  ftill  con- 
tinues. Being.  But  let  us  look  on 
Man   under  that  Circumftance, 
ahd  then  how  naked,   how  di- 
vefted  of  all  Pov/er  will  he  ap- 
pear ?  How  unable  to  difpofe  of 
himfelf,  and  fubmit  to  the  Laws 
of  his  Fellow  free  Agent  ?  Uhlefs 
he  endeavours,  as  much  as  is  pof- 
iibk,  to  difown  the  Right  of  the 
Deity,  and  turns  Rebel  againft 
the  Authour  of  his  Being.     For 
how  can  any  one  fubmit  himfelf 
to  another,  without  the  exprefs 
Permiffion  of  him  that  has  abfo- 
lute  Dominion  over  him  ?  And 
where  is  that  Permiffion  ?     Is  it 
founded  on  Reafon  or  Scripture  ? 
Does   Benevolence,    or  Self-pre- 
fervation,  the  twopropofed  Mo- 
tives to  Society,  fpeak  any  I'uch 
thing  ?  And  does  not  Scripture 
expreily    oppofe  this  Opinion  I 
Well  then,  all    Power   defcends 
from  above ;  'tis  the  Gift  of  that 
Being,   to  whom  it   principally 
belongs,  and  cjcts  Ail^  ^aai^r^-s. 
Kings  are  from  God,    is   true, 
both  in  the  account  of  the  fober 
Heathen,  and   good   Chriftian  : 
and  therefore  every   King,  that 
ever  was,  or  is,  whether  he  ob- 
tain the  Crown  by  Succfiffion,  or 
Election,    (except     the    Jewilli) 
muft  be  acknowledged  abfolute: 
Liberty  and  Property  of  the  Sub- 
jects depend  on  his  Will,  and  his 
Pleafure  is  Law  •,  for  none  can 
confine    or     limit    that    Power 
which  God   beftows,    but  him 
felf:   And  therefore  to  prefcribe 
Laws    to     the    Governour,    to 
choofe  or  refufe  him  on  certain 
conditions,  is  ro  invade  the  Pre- 
rogative of  Heaven,    and  rebel 
againft    the    Almighty.      Thus 
when  God  defign'd  to  limit   the 
Power  of  the  JewiHi  Monarchy, 


he  prefcribes  Laws  himfelf;  but 
fihce  he  hath  not  iixt  any  to  o- 
ther  Princes,  every  King,  as  fuch, 
(for  I  do  not  refpecl  their  parti-^ 
cular  Grants  to  the  People,which 
they  are  bound  to  obferve)  is 
abfolute.  ,  , 

To  free  this  from  all  Excepr, 
tion,  it  muft  be  conlidered  that 
the   Difcourfe  is  concerning  the 
Origine  of  Power,  which  is  now', 
fettled  in  fome  Perfons,  and  by, 
which  Communities  are  govern-! 
ed.     The  Epicureans    ad:    very, 
agreeably  to  their  impious  Prin-^, 
cipies,  when  they  make  Fear  arid 
Diftruft  the  only  Motives  to.  A- 
greement,  and   the  Pa<fls  which 
thefcatter'd  Multitude  agreed  to 
be  the  Foundation  of  the  Power 
of  the  Prince  :  it  being  impoffi- 
ble  for  them,  who  had  excluded 
Providence,    to    find  any   other 
Original  :  But  this   Opinion,  as, 
deliver'd  by  them,  depending  up- 
on their  other  abfurd   and  impi- 
ous Philofophy,  muft  be    v/eak 
and  irrational ;  yet  ftill  this  No- 
tion is  embrac'd,  tho'  not  upon 
the  fame  Motives  ;  Facftion  and 
Anibitionpropagate  that  Errour, 
wliich  was  nothing  eUe  but  inno- 
cent Ignorance  in   the  Antients  : 
They  confidered  Man  as  fingle, 
unable  to  live  with  Security  or^ 
Comfort,    bccaufe  his   Fellows, 
either  oat  of  Pride,  Luft,  or  Cb- 
vetoufnefs,  would  endeavour. to 
rob    him  of   his     Enjoyments,, 
and    his    Life   too,    if  it    hin- 
der'd  them  in  the  Profecution  of 
their  Wiilies  ^  Thus  they  faw  a 
Neceffity  of  Government,andbe- 
caufe  it  proceeded   from   Man's 
natural       Imperfections  ,     they 
thought  him,  that  by  his   Wif- • 
dom,  or  his  Strength,  was  moft  : 
fitted  for  the  Defence  and  Prefer- 
YAVion  of  othersj  to  be  as  it  were 

a  Lord 


yn 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

Or  elfc,  almoft  as  foon  as  ic  began, 

The  Race  had  fall'n,  this  Age  ne'er  feen  a  Man. 

Kind 
NOTES. 


il  Lord  by  nature,  and  born   a  i  or  SuccelTive,  rules  by  the  fame 
Sovereign  :     Thus    Plutarch,    6 {Authority,    as  'tis  certain   they 

do,  becaufe  both  have  Power,  and 


ocoC,i^  UojJLiVOi  r   crooC^eiv   di/vct- 

'Tis  the  iirit  and  moft  funda- 
mental Law,  that  He  that  is 
able  to  proted,  is  a  King  by 
Kature  to  him  that  needs  Pro- 
tedioa  :  Thus  Hiftorians  make 
the  Eledion  of  the  firft  Kings  to 
be  for  their  Strength,  their  Wif- 
dom,  or  their  Beauty  :  and  Ari- 
ftotle  peremptorily  determines, 
that  the  Barbarians  are  Slaves  by 
Kature  to  the  Greeks :  This  was 
innocent  enough  in  them,  but 
how  can  we  be  excufed,  who 
have  fuch  perfe(fl  Knowledge  of 
a   Creation,  who  hear  Wifdom 


the  People  can  give  them  none  : 
then  what  is  more  certain,  than 
that  all  Kmgs,  which  way  foever 
they  are  inthroned,  before  they 
have  made  any  Grants  to  their 
People,  are  abfolute  ?  And  that 
Xheir  Pleafure  is  Law,  for  other- 
wife  there  could  be  none,  that 
Liberty  and  Property  depend  up- 
on their  Will.     ^     -^     ^        "P 


Nam 
neq; 


Nee 
ra 


propri2B 
me,  neq: 


telluris 
iJlum, 


quenquam    llatuit 


herum 
Natu- 


Nor  does  Nature  provide  more 
by    her    Kings  \lZ%^ll^-l^^^ 


proclaim,   that 

reign,    who  made  it  an  Article  |. IT.,*''"  V/'"""P^es  are  true, 

in  Edward  the  Vlth's  Time,  and    lows     '  L  1     '1  ""'"/^"^  ^«^- 

lows,  35  It  docs,  becaufe  the  Peo- 
pie,  that  cannot  beftow  the  Pow- 
er,have  noRight  to  make  Condi- 
tions fonts  Exercife,  and  fet  Li- 
mits how  far  it  ihail  extend,  and 
make  fuch  and  fuch  Agreements 
for  the  Admiflion  of  the  Prince  - 
what  Harm  is  there  in  this  inno- 
cent Truth  ?    For   we  difcourfe 
only  of  Kings  as  they  iirft  are, 
without  anyReference  to  fuch  and 
fuch     particular    Communities, 
where  they  have  been  pleafed  to 
limit  themfelves  ;  to  grant  Privi- 
leges to  their  Subjeds,  and  fettle 
Property,  and  confirmed  all  this 
with  Oaths     and  engaged   their 
Royal  Word,  and  Promife  before 
God  and  Man  for  their  Perform- 
ance. 

Ifuppofe  it  is  granted  on  all 
hands,  that  the  King  is  Supreme 
that  upon  any  Pretence  whatfo- 
ever  It  is  Treafon  to  refiil ;  and 
To  there  can  be  no  Fear  of  Punifh 


now  every  Day  in  our  publick 
Prayers  profefs, that  God  is  the 
only  Ruler  of  Princes  ?  From 
whence  'tis  neceflarily  inferr'd, 
that  he  only  bellows  the  Power, 
for  if  it  came  from  the  Multi- 
tude, what  is  more  evident,  than 
that  they  could  make  what  Con- 
ditions they  pleafed,  fubjed:  them 
to  a  High  Court  of  Juftice,  and 
call  them  to  account,  if  they 
ad:  contrary  to  their  Pleafure  ?  It 
being  certain,  and  confirmed  by 
common  PracTtice,  that  he  that 
voluntarily  parts  from  his  Right, 
may  do  it  on  what  Terms  he 
thinks  fit  :  Now  if  it  be  certain, 
(andDemonftrationproves  it)that 
God  is  the  alone  Giver  of  Power, 
if  the  Prince  be,  as  Plutarch 
and  Menander  fay,  liKcvv'if/.'^v 
X^s"  9si^,  a  living  Image  of  the 
L>eity,  if,  as  Pliny,  qui  vice  Dei 

crca  hominum  genus  fungeretur, ^^^^ 

And  every  King,whether  Eledive '  ment,  no  T)7upon7he"K:ing  hut 

B  b  b  b  ^  his 


^5^4  LU  C  R  ETIU  5.  Book  V. 

Kind  Nature  Pow'r  of  framing  Sounds  affords 

To  Man  ;  and  then  Convenience  taught  us  Words: 

1095.  As  Infants  now,  for  want  of  Words,  devife        ^ 

Expreirive  Signs  :  they  fpeak  with  Hands  and  Eyes;  > 

Their  fpeaking  Hand  the  Want  of  Words  fuppiies.3 

All 
N  0  T  E  S- 


his  own  Gonrcience  ;  fufficit  quod 
Deum  expectet  ulcorem  j  yet  tho' 
the  Law  cannot  punilh,  it  can  di- 
rect :  tho'  it  is  not  a  Mafter,it  is 
a  Guide,  and  fuch  a  one,  as,  be- 
caufe  of  his  Oath,  he  is  bound  to 
follow  :  For  tho'  the  People   can 
not,  He  can  limit  himfelf ;  for 
being  a   rational  Creature,  and 
intrufted  with  Power,    without 
any  particular  Rules  for  the  Gui- 
dance of  it  ;  his  Keafon  is  to  be 
his  Diredor,  and  therefore  accor- 
ding to  the  Tempers  and  parti- 
cular Humours  of  the  People,  he 
may  make  Laws,  fettle  Maxims 
of  Government;  and  oblige  him- 
felf  to  make  thofe  his  Meafures, 
becaufe  his  Reafon  alTures  him, 
that  this  is  the  beft  Method  for 
the  Prefervation  of  the  Society, 
the  Maintenance  of  Peace,    and 
obtaining  thofe  Ends,  for  which 
he  was  intrufted  with  this  Power. 
And  iince   Princes   muft  dye, 
and  Government  being  neceflary, 
Succeffion  is  equally  fo.and  there- 
fore it  may  fesm  that  everyprince, 
owing  his  Power  only  to  the  fame 
Origiiial  from  which  the  firft  de- 
rived it,  is  at  liberty  to  confirm 
fuch  and  fuch  Privileges  and  Im- 
munities, which  his  Predeceflbrs 
have  granted  ;  yet  upon   a  feri- 
GUs  View  ofthepremifed  Reafon, 
no  fuch  Confequence  will  follow  •, 
for  fince   the    Predecefi'ors  have 
found  thefe  Laws  agreeable  to  the 
tempers  of  thePeople,and  the  only 
%vay  to  preferve  Peace,  'tis  evident 
that  thofe  are  rational,  and  Iince 
he  is  to  ufe  his  Power  according 
to  right  reafon,    there  is  an  ante- 
^dent  Obligation  on  him  to  af- 
fent  to  thofe  Laws  ;    and  make 
Shofe  the  Meafures  of  his  Go- 


vernment ;  unlefs  fome  extraor- 
dinary Cafe  intervenes,  which 
requires  an  Alteration  of  thofe 
Laws,  and  thqn  that  method  of 
abrogating  old,  and  making  new 
ones  is  to  be  followed,  which  con- 
ftant  Experience  hath  found  Na- 
tional :  And  fince  a  Prince  can- 
not be  bound  by  any  Tyes  but 
thofe  of  Confcience,  this  Opini- 
on leaves  all  the  Obligations  pof- 
fible  upon  him. 

1093.  Kind  Nature,  &c.]  But 
it  may  reafonably  be  ask'd,  how 
Leagues  could  be  made,  and  So- 
cieties eftabliili'd  among  Men, 
who  perhaps  indeed  could  think, 
but  had  not  yet  learnt  to  utter 
their  Thoughts.  To  this  Lucre- 
tius anfwers,  That  the  firft  Men 
were  confcious  to  themfelves  of 
their  own  Powers  and  niatural 
Faculties;  and  that  they  utter'd 
feveral  Sounds,  as  each  Obje(f^ 
that  they  faw,  or  as  any  thing 
that  they  felt,  caus'd  in  them 
either  Fear,  Joy,  Pain,  Grief, 
Pleafure,  &c  :  For  Nature  her- 
fclf  compell'd  them  to  this ',  and 
theretore  Horfes,  Dogs,  Birds, 
in  ihort,  all  Animals,  that  have 
Breath,  do  the  like  :  And  thus 
Man  too  at  firft  ftamm.er'd  only 
imperfecfi:  and  inarticulateSounds. 
But  no  Commerce  was  yet  eftar 
blifli'd  ,  they  had  no  mutual 
Communication  with  one  ano- 
ther :  Nor  indeed  could  any  fuch 
I  Thing  be,  till  Names  were  given 
I  to  Things :  Every  Man  there- 
fore perceiv'd,  that  it  would  be 
ufeful  to  himfelf  and  others,  to 
agree  upon  a  certain  Name  foir 
each  Thing.  Thus  all,  who  were 
encer'd  into  one  Society,  agreed 
among  themfelves  upon  the  fame 

Names 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  5-^^ 

All  know  their  Powr's;  they  are  by  Nature  fhown;/ 
Thus  tender  Calves  with  naked  Front  will  run,  S* 
1 1 00  And  fiercely  pufli  before  their  Horns  are  grown.  S 
Young  Lions  fliew  their  Teeth,  prepare  their  Pa  ws;  ) 
The  Bears  young  Cubs  unfheath  their  crooked  C 
Claws,  Q 

While  yet  their  Nails  are  young,  and  foft  their  Jaws.  J 
The  Birds  ftrait  ufe  their  Wings,  on  them  rely; 
1 105  And  foon  as  Dangers  prefs,  they  ftrive  to  fly. 

Befides;  That  one  the  Names  of  THiNGScontriv'd, 
And  that  from  him  their  Knowledge  all  deriv'd, 

•Tis 
N  O  T  £  ^. 


Names  of  Things :  And  thus  the 
ufefulnefs  of  calling  Things  by 
Names,  gave  occalion  for  the  In- 
vention of  Words.  But  for  any 
to  pretend,  that  one  Man  gave 
Names  to  all  Things,  is  wretch- 
edly abfurd  and  foolifli.  This 
Difputation  Lucretius  has  in- 
cluded in  6^.  v. 

Scaliger,  in  the  firft  Book  of 
his  Poetick,  chap.  i.  obferves, 
That  as  all  our  Adions,  fo 
Speech  too  is  to  be  conlider'd  un- 
der three  diflferent  Heads  :  I,  As 
abfolutely  neceifary  :  II.  As  ufe- 
ful :  III.  As  delightful.  The 
firft  Kind  was  that  which  ferv'd 
as  a  neceffary  Means  of  Inter- 
courfe  between  Man  and  Man, 
barely  to  underftand  one  ano- 
ther's Meaning  :  And  fuch  we 
may  imagine  to  have  been 
that  manner  of  Speech,  which 
Ladantius  de  vero  Cultu 
cap.  10.  meniionSj  and  which 
Men,  according  to  the  Opi- 
nion of  fome  of  the  Antients, 
Ws'd  in  the  beginning  of  the 
"World,  when,  as  fome  belie v'd, 
they  only  gefticulated  their 
Thoughts ,  and  fpoke  their 
Meaning  by  Signs  and  Nods 
After  which,  as  the  fame  Au- 
thour  fays,  and  before  him  Dio- 
?iorus  Siculusj  lib.  i.  they  made 
Effays  of  Language,  by  impof- 
ing  diftind^  nominal  Notes,  or 
Haines  upon  Uy^^aX  ThingSj  an<^ 


thus  by  Degrees  they  made  a 
kmd  of  Speech.  Thus  too  Ho- 
rat.  lib.  i.  Serm.  3. 

Q.uum  prorepferunt  primis  ani- 

malia  terris, 

Mutum  &  turpe  pecus, m 

Donee  verba,  quibus  voces  fen- 

fufque  notarent, 
Nomjnaque  invenere.  — — — — ^-" 


The  fecond  fort  of  Speech,  fays 
Scaliger,  was  a  little  more  re-^ 
fin'd  and  poliHi'd,  by  being  a- 
dapted  and  made  fit  for  Ufe,  an4 
Convenience  ;  and  by  applying, 
as  it  were,  certain  Dimenfions, 
Prefcriptions,  and  Lineaments  to 
the  lirft  rude  Sketch  of  Lan- 
guage J  whence  proceeded  a  cer? 
rain  Law  and  Rule  of  fpeaking  t 
The  third  fort  was  yet  more  po- 
lite, there  having  been  added  tQ 
the  former  the  Ornament  of  Ele- 
gancy, as  its  Drefs  and  Apparel, 
Thus  Scaliger,  of  Speech  in  ge-? 
ncral. 

1 10^.  Befides,  &c.3  Here  Lu-? 
cretius  feems  to  fall  foul  uporj 
the  Chronologer  of  the  Holy 
Scripture,  by  denying  that  Names 
were  given  to  Things  by  the 
firft  Man :  but  thofe  V/ritings 
were  perhaps  unknown  to  ouj? 
Poet,  and  he  chiefly  difputes 
againft  the  Opinions  of  Pytha- 
goras and  Plato  5  Man^  f^ys  I^i;*^ 
1  h  ^  fe  3  .  1-  .  -- 


f  y6  lUCKETIUS.  Beok  V^ 

'Tis  fond  to  think  :  For  how  could  that  Man  tell    "p 
The  Names  of  Things,  or  lifp  a  Syllable,  > 

1 1 1  o  And  not  ANOTHER  Man  do  fo  as  well  ?  > 

Nay 

NOTES. 


blichus  de  Se<^.  Pythagor.  was 
created  the  moft  wife  and  know- 
ing of  all  Animals,  capable  to 
confider  things,  and  to  acquire 
Knowledge  from  them  j  becaufe 
God  had  imprinted  and  beftow'd 
iipon  him  the  plenitude  of  all 
Realbn,    in  which  are  contained 
all  the  fe^^eral  Species  of  Things 
and  the  Significations  of  all  their 
Names,  and  of  all  Words  :  Pla- 
to in  Cratylus    will  not  allow, 
that   any  one  Man  gave  Names 
to  Things,  but  that  they  receiv'd 
their  Names  from  the  wifeft  and 
moft  learned  of  Men,  whom  he 
calls  ovo/^cts"?pj'ar,  and     ovofxctjih- 
?«$",  the  Makers  and  Impofers  of 
Kames,  in  the  giving  of  which, 
fays  he,  the  higheft  Wifdom  ma- 
nifeftly  appears ;  and   Cratylus 
adds,  that  no  Man  could  do  it, 
but  they,  who  reflecting  on  the 
Nature  of  Things,  were  able  to 
judge  of  them,  and  to  accomo- 
date, and  give  to  each  Thing  a 
Name,  fuitable  to,  and  expref- 
iive  of,  its  Nature  :    Lucretius 
was  aware  of  this,  and  therefore 
inquires  in  thefe  4..  v.    How   this 
great  Knowledge  came  to  be  in 
the  firft  Nomenclacor,  and  de- 
ny'd  to  the  reft  of   Mankind  : 
How  fliould  one  Man,  fays  he, 
be  able  to  give  Names  to  Things, 
and   not  another?  The  Anfwei^ 
is  ready,  tho'  it  will  appear  of  no 
Weight    to  Lucretius,  who  will 
not  believe  the  Creation  of  one 
Man  onlyjfrom  whom  all  the  reft 
have  defcended  ;  nor,  that  when 
Names  were  firft  given  to  Things, 
there  was  yet  but  one  Man  in  the 
"VVorld:  And  why  might  not  that 


$rft  Parent  of  Manldad;  whom  M^^^ie  Things 


God  had  infus'd  with  Knov/- 
ledge,  (Creavit  Deus  fcientiam  ii> 
animo,  fenfu  iraplevit  eum,  & 
mala  &:  bona  oftendit  illi,  addi- 
ditqi  difciplinam.  Ecclef  cap. 
17.)  Why  might  he  not,  I  fay, 
being  thus  inftruded  ,  impofe 
Names  on  Things  ?  And  that 
too  then  efpecially,  when  this 
new  created  Monarch,  on  the 
Feftival  of  his  Inauguration, 
call'd  an  his  fubjed  Anmials  by 
their  Names :  appellavitque  A- 
dam  nominibus  fuis  cuntfta  ani- 
mantia  *,  fays  the  facred  Chrono- 
loger,  Genef.  3.  Which  Text  of 
holy  Writ  Eufebius,  Preparat. 
Evangel,  lib.  11.  cap.  4.  reciting^ 
fays,  that  Mofes  meant  nothing 
elfe  by  it,  than  that  a  Name  was 
given  to  each  Thing,  agreeable 
and  fuitable  to  its  Nature.  And 
fince  the  Nature  of  Man  is  prone 
to  learn,  and  greedy  of  Know- 
ledge, why  might  not  the  reft  of 
Men,  v;iio  came  afterwards  into 
the  World,  and  convers'd  with 
that  firft  Giver  of  Names,  wil- 
lingly retain  them  in  their  Me- 
mory, as  they  receiv'd  them  from 
him  ?  From  him,  I  fay,  who, 
not  like  mute  Animals,  could 
exprefs  only  his  own  Affections, 
his  own  Defires ;  but  likewife 
knew  and  exprefs'd  the  Nature 
andManners  of  others.  But  of  the 
Original  of  human  Speech,  fee 
LaertJib.  10.  Diodor,  Sicul.  lib. 
r.  fub  initium,  Sc  Plato  in  his 
Cratylus. 

inc.  And  not,  &c.]  That  is 
to  fay.  If  any  one  Man  could  im- 
pofe Names  on  Things,  another 
might,  at  the  fame  tintie,  do  the 


W^' 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  yy7 

Nay  more  :  If  others  us'd  not  Words  as  foon. 
How  was  their  Use,  and  how  the  Profit  known  ? 
Or  how  could  he  inftrudt  ^nothers  Mind  ? 
How  make  them  underftaiid   what  was  dcfign*d  ? 
1115  For  his,  being  fingle,  neither  Force,  nor  Wic  *> 

Could  conquer  many  Men,  nor  they  fubmit  •• 

To  learn  his  Words,  and  pradife  what  was  fir.     j 
How  he  perlwade  thole  fo  unfit  to  hear  ?  Oj 

Or  how  could  favage  they  with  Patience  bear  ^» 

1 120  StrangeSouNDsandWoRpsftillrattlingin their Earo 
But  now  fince  Organs  fit,  fince  Voice  and  Tongue, 
By  Natures  Gift  beftow'd,  to  Man  belong, 

Whac 

NOTES, 


mi.  Nay  more,  SccJ]  Tn  tViefe 
10.  V.  the  Poet  asks  *,  How  that 
firft  Nomendator  could  com- 
pel the  reft  of  Men  to  learn  from 
him  what  they  were  to  fay  ;  and 
to  retain  in  their  Memory  the 
Words  he  had  invented,  and  the 
Names  he  had  given  to  things  i 
This  Argument  is  of  little  vali- 
dity :  For,  befides,  as  we  faid  be- 
fore, that  the  Nature  of  Man  is 
prone  to  learn,  and  defirous  of 
Knowledge,  we  Icnow  that  Chil- 
dren eafily  accuftom  themfelves 
to  pronounce  and  ipeak  by  de- 
grees the  Words  they  hear  fpoken 
by  their  Parents,  Nurfes,  and 
others  that  are  about  them  :  The 
Child,  who  had  been  brought  up 
by  Goats,  and  never  in  his  Life 
heard  a  human  Voice^bleated  like 
that  Animal,  and  fpoke  only  the 
Language  of  Goats.  Even  Par- 
rots, Pies,  Starlings,  Sec.  when 
they  are  taught,  learn  to  pro- 
nounce human  Words  articulate- 
ly, meerly  by  their  own  Induftry, 
and  we  obfervethem,  conning  o- 
ver  by  themfelve£,and  foftly  mut- 
tering the  LefTons  that  have  been 
taught  them :  Plutarch  de  Animal. 
Compar.  makes  mention  of  a 
Magpie  he  had  feen  in  a  Barber's 
Shop  at  Rome,  that  fung  no,  lefs 
than  nine  different  Tunes,  obfer- 
ving  the  due  Time  and  Meafure 


in  all  of  them.  What  Wonder 
then  that  Man,  a  Creature  en- 
dow'd  with  Keafon  and  Under- 
ftanding,  fliould  learn  to  imitate 
the  Words  of  his  Fellow-Crea- 
ture ? 

1 121.  But  now,  &c.]  Here  the 
Poet  in  35.  v.   fays,    That  'tis 
not    furprizing,    that   any  Man, 
to  whom    Nature  had    given    n 
Tongue  and  a  Voice,  could,  as 
he  thought  fit,  and  according  to 
the  various   Knowledge  he   had 
conceived  of  the  great  Variety 
of  Things,  diftinguiih  and  mark 
each  of  them  by  a  proper  Name  ; 
efpecially  fince  even  mute  Ani- 
mals can,    and  do  exprefs  their 
different  Paffions  and  Affedioiis, 
by  different  Voices  and  Sounds  : 
For  they  declare  and  fignifie  their 
Pain  and  Pleafure,  and  the  other 
Affections,    that  are  fubjed:   to 
thofe  two,  by  inarticulate  indeed, 
but  unlike  and  various,  Sounds. 
Why  then  might  not  any  Man 
mark     and      denote      different 
Things  by  different  Names  ?  But 
this  is  not  what  was  done  by  the 
firft  Impofer  of  Names  ?  For  he 
not  only  exprefs'd  his  own  Affe- 
cftions  ;  but  the  proper  Nature, 
and  genuine  Manners  of  others, 
by  virtue  of  the  divine  Gift,  the 
Knowledge  which  the  Almighty 
had  infuf^d  into  him, 

'  ]|i23.  VJH^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


What  Wonder  is  it  then,  that  Man  fiiould  frame, 

And  give  each  DIFFERENT  Thing  a  diff'rent  Name  ? 

Ii^5  Since  Beasts  themfelves  do  make  a  difF'rent  Noife, 
Opprefs'd  by  Pains  and  Fears,  or  fiird  with  Joys. 
This  plain  Examples  fhew :  When  Dogs  begin        f 
To  bend  their  Backs,  and  fhew  their  Teeth,and  grin,> 
When  hollow  Murmurs  fhew  deep  Rage  within  5    J^ 

5 igo  Their  Voice  is  difPrent  when  they  bark  aloud. 

And  with  flrong  Roarings  fright  the  trembling  Croud  : 
Or  when  they  lick  their  Whelps  with  tender  Tongue, 
Or  when  they  play,  and  wanton  with  their  Young, 
Now  feem  to  bite,  but  never  chop  their  Jaws, 

'1135  Now  fpurning,  but  with  tender  fearful  Claws  ; 
Then  flatt'ring,  foft  and  tender  is  their  Voice 
Far  difFrent  from  that  grating,;howling  Noife, 


They 


N  0  T  £  5. 


1123.  What  Wonder^&c]  For, 
ds  Faber  on  this  PafTage  obferves, 
if  the  Names  themfelves  gave 
any  Knowledge,  rSv  (pvatcev,  of 
the  Natures  and  Qualities  of  the 
Things  that  are  cail'd  by  them, 
and  if  upon  the  bare  Pronuncia- 
tion of  three  or  four  Syllables  any 
particular  Notice  were  obtain'd ; 
that  indeed  would  defervedly 
claim  our  Admiration :  but  fince 
it  depends  only  upon  Ufe,  and 
that  Ufe  upon  Chance,  Conveni- 
ence, and  fcmerimes  on  the  Te- 
merity and  Ignorance  of  the 
meaner  and  illiterate  Part  of 
Mankind,  Lucretius  is  in  the 
right  to  fay,  that  there  is  no 
^yonder  in  it. 

1 1 2  5.  Since  Beafts,  &c.]  Sextus 
Empiricus,  lib.  11.  Pyrhon.  Hy- 
potyp-  feems  to  be  of  Opinion;, 
That  BirdSjand  brute  Beafts  have 
a  particular  Language  according 
to  their  dififerentKindstand  with 
him  agrees  Lacftantius,  and  fays, 
That  Speech  is  proper  to  Man  ; 
and  yet  we  may  obferve  in  Birds 
and  Beafts  a  certain  fimilitude  of 
Spnsch,  and  that  too,  different 
upon  different  Occafions  :  To  us 
indeed  theirVoicesfeem  imperfjclj 
and  inarciculat?  j  and  fo  !;oo  per- 1 


haps  do  ours  to  them  i  but  theie 
Voices  utter  Words  to  them- 
felves, becaufe  they  underftand 
them.  Proprius  homini  fermo 
eft  •,  tamen  &  illis  qu^dam  fimi- 
litudo  fermonis  :  Nam  &  dig- 
nofcunt  invicem  fe  vocibus  ;  dc 
cum  irafcuntur,  edunt  fonum 
jurgio  fimilem  :  dc  cum  fe  ex  in- 
tervallo  videre,  gratulandi  oifi- 
cium  voce  declarant :  Nobis  qui- 
dem  voces  eorum  videntur  incon- 
dite, ficut  illis  fortaffe  noftra?  ,* 
fed  illis,  qui  fe  intelligunt,  verba 
funr.  Lactan.  de  Ira  Dei.  cap.  7. 
And  the  credulous  Antients  firm- 
ly believ'd,  that  Magicians  un- 
derftood  the  Languages  of  Birds: 
And  Porphyry  aflures  us,  That 
Apollonius  Tyanxus  could  ex- 
pound the  Notes  of  Swallows ; 
or,  as  Philoftratus  fays,  the 
Chirping  of  Sparrows  :  Tirefias 
like  wife  is  renown'd  for  his 
Knowledge  in  the  Languages  of 
Birds  :  Apollon.  Rhodig.  lib.  5. 
mentions  one  Mopfus  ,  who, 
underftood  the  Language,s  of 
Crov/sand  Daws.  Pliny  lib,  10. 
cap.  49..  relates  of  Melampus,^' 
that  he  was  inftrucfted  to  inters 
pret  the  Tongues  of  Birds  b.y  a 
Serpentj  that  came  to  him,  and 

■'■•■■  '  ■' ■■   }^i 


LUCRETIUS. 


il9 


Book  V. 

They  make,  "when  fhut  alone,  or  creeping  low. 
Whine,  as  they  ftrive  to  (hun  the  coming  Blow. 
1,140      The  HoR^E  with  diff'rent  Noifes  fills  the  Air, 
When  hot  and  young,  he  neighs  upon  his  Mare, 
Rous'd  by  ftrong  Love  ;  or  when  by  fierce  Alarms,' 
He  SNORTS,  and  bears  his  Rider  on  to  Arms.  :■. 
Thus  Birds,  as  Hawks,  or  thole  that  cut  the  Flood, 
II 45  Make  difTrent  Noifes  as  they  eat  their  Food  j    > 
Or  when  they  fiercely  fight  ;  or  when  purfue 
The  trembling  Prey :  Each  Passion  has  a  new; 
Sometimes  at  Change  of  Ai  R,they  change  iheirVoice  5 
Thus  Daws,  and  om'nous  Crows,  with  various  Noife, 
;  Affright 

N0T£5. 


lick*d  his  Ears.  But  of  thk  even  | 
he  hitnfelf  feems  to  queftion  the 
Truth  :  nor  does  he  give  much 
Credit  to  what  he  reports  of  De- 
mocritus,  who  faid,  That  the 
Blood  of  feveral  Birds,  mixt  to- 
gether and  corrupted,  will  pro- 
duce a  Serpent,  of  which  who- 
ever eats,  incelle<rturus  fit  avium 
colloquia,  will  underftand  the 
Difcourfe  of  Birds:  That  the 
SoUthfayers  drew  their  Divina- 
tioas  from  the  Voices  of  Birds, 
as  well  as  from  their  Flight,  is 
nojcxwious  :  Virgil  /En.  3.  v.  359. 

Trojugena,  int-erpres  Divum,  qui 

numina  Phoehi, 
Qui  tripodas,    Clarii  lauros,  qui 

fydera  fentis, 
Rt  volucrum  linguas,  Sc  prarpe- 

tis  omina  penna:  : 

And  the  Birds,  from  whofe  Voice 
they   took  their  Auguries,  were 
cail'd,  Ofcines,  from,  os  8c  cano, 
finging  with  the  Mouth  :    and 
thefe     were      Crows,      Ravens, 
Pies,  and  the  like  :  as  the  others, 
jfrom  svhofe  flight  they   divin'd 
^ture  Events,  were  call'd  Prje- 
petes,    from,  'ZDffivrarfSi^,  flying 
before,  as  Vultures,  Eagles,  Sec. 
But  befides  all  ithis,  we  may  pro- 
duce the  Authority  of  fome  of 
the  JewiHi  DoAours,  who  affirm 
Salomon  to  have  been  learned  in 


I 


the  Languages  of  Birds  :■  Nay, 
they  fay,  that  he  fent  a.Meflage 
by  a  certain  Bird,to  the  Queen  of 
Ethiopia  ;  who  mttft  therefore 
be  thought  to  have  beoi  as  know- 
ing in  the  Language  of  Birds  as 
himfelf  :  And  in  the  Alcoran, 
he  is  made  to  fay,  O  homines,  in- 
teiligite  avium  eloquentiam  : 
And  from  the  fame  Authority 
we  learn.  That  a  Lapwing,  or  a 
Bird  caird  a  Houp,  brought  him 
the  iirft  News  of  the  Qiieen  of 
Sheba  :  Of  which  Notice  is  ta- 
ken in  the  Prolegom.  in  Bibl, 
Poiyglott.  But  Delrius  denies. 
That  either  Birds  or  Beafts  can 
ufe  Difcourfe,  becaufe  they  are 
void  of  Reafon  ;  yet  he  confefles, 
that  they  have  certain  Indicati- 
ons, or  expreffive  Sounds,  by 
which  they  reveal  and  make 
known  their  Affedlions  and  Ap- 
petites ;  and  which  Men,by  long 
Obfervationjmay  come  to  under- 
ftand :  He  adds,  that  thefe  Indi- 
cations of  theirs  are  perfectly 
known  to  the  Devil,  and  that  he 
may  inftrucfl  Magicians  to  know 
them  as  well  as  himfelf;  which 
whether  he  ever  did  or  not,  fays 
he,  1  cannot  tell  :  but,  non  eft 
incredibile  fecilTe,  it  is  not  in- 
credible but  he  has.  Delrius 
Difquif.  Mag.  lib.  2.  cap.  19. 

I  i4p.  Ominous  Crows]  Crows 
are   faid     to   prognofticate   the 

Change 


L  U  C  R  E  T  lU  S. 


Book  V. 


1150  Affright  the  Farmers;  and  fill  all  the  Plain, 

Now  calling  for  rough  Winds,  and  now  for  Rain. 
Therefore  fince  Beasts  and  Birds,  tho'  dumb,  com- 
As  various  Voices,  as  their  various  Sense;       (mence 
How  eafy  was  it  then  for  Man  to  frame, 

1155  And  give  each  difT'rent  Thing  a  difi'rent  Name  ?  1  - 
,  Now  for  the  Rife  ofFiREsfwift  Thunder  thrown  j 
Frqm  broken  fuiph'rous Clouds,  firft  brought  it  down  t  t 

/    For' 

NOTE  S. 


Change  of  Weather,  either  to 
fair  or  foul :  and  to  give  notice 
of  each  by  their  different  Croak- 
ing :  If  they  croak  often,  and 
with  a  hoarfe  Voice,  it  is  a  Sign 
of  Rain:  Virg.  Georg.  i.  v.  381. 


m.  .  ■  £t  e  paflu  decedens 

-   agmine  magno 
Corvorum  increpuit  denfis  exer- 
citus  alis. 

An4  V.  388. 

Turn  cornix  rauca  pluviam  vo- 

cat  improba  voce, 
Et  fola  in  ficca  fecum  fpatiatur 

areni. 

But  if  they  croak  not  above  three 
or  four  times,  and  wich   a  flirill 
and  clear  Voice,  it  betokens  fair  j 
Weather.    Thiis  Virgil    in   the  | 
fame  Georgick,  v.  410.  fpeakingj 
of  fair  Weather,  fays,  that  i 

Turn    liquidas  corvi  preflb  ten 

gutture  voces  \ 

Aut  quater  ingeminant  :  &  f^epe  • 

cubilibus  altis  I 

Kefcio  qua  prater  folitum  duke- 1 

dine  l^ci 
Inter  fe  foliis  ftrepitant :  juvat 

imbribus  acTtis 
Progeniem    parvam ,   dulcefque 

revilere  nidos. 

Seethe  Note  on  v.  89.  B.  VI. 
115^.  Now  for,  &c.]    He  has 


before  made  mention  of*  Firet 
v.  1073.  He  now  teaches  in  15.  v, 
That  Fire  was  either  thrown 
down  to  Earth  by  Thunder  :  or 
that  the  Trees,  being  rudely 
iliaken  by  ftormy  Winds,  and 
their  Branches  growing  hot  by 
frequent  ftriking  and  dailiing 
againft  one  another,  burft  out 
at  length  into  Flames,  and  firft 
gave  Fire  to  Men,  who  us'd  it 
to  drefs  their  Meat,  having  ob- 
ferv'd  that  the  Heat  of  the  Sun 
ripen'd  and  brought  their  Fruits 
to  Maturity,  and  made  them 
more  fit  for  their  Service,  Anc 
thus  another  Way  of  Life,  and 
Change  of  Food,  invented  b) 
witty  Luxury,  was  firft  intro- 
duc'd. 

Caneparius,  de  Atramentis 
cap.  13.  reckons  up  lix  feveraJ 
Ways,  by  which  Fire  may  be  ge- 
nerated and  kindled  ;  viz.  Pro- 
pagatione,  Putredine,  Coitione 
Antispafi,  Friiftione  &  Percuffio- 
ne :  by  Propagation,  Corrupti- 
on, Coition,  Antispafis,  or  con- 
trary K-evulfion,  Fridion,  anc 
Percuflion  :  which  nevertheief 
he  reduces  to  thefe  three  Kinds 
Propagation.  Coition,  and  Mo 
tion  ;  m  which  the  other  way; 
are  included  :  For  Corruptior 
and  Revullion  to  the  contrary 
kindle  Fire,  by  compelling  thf 
djfperfed  Heat  to  unite  together 
and  therefore  fall  under  the  Heat 
of  Coition  :  as  Fricfiion  and  Per 
culTion  do  under  that  of  Motion 

#     '■.  ii6o,  Anci 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


S6i 


For  many  Things  take  Fire,  when  Lightening  fiks. 
And  fulph'rous  Vapours  fill  the  lower  Skies  : 
lidoAnd  Trees,  when  Ihaken  by  a  Southern  Blaft, 
Grow  warm,  then  hot,  and  fo  take  Fire  at  laft  ; 
Their  Branches,  mingling  with  a  rude  Embrace, 

Burft  into  Flames. • — - 

And  thus  our  Fires  might  rife  from  cither  Caufe. 

The  Sun  firft  taught  them  to  prepare  their  Me  atj 
Becaufe  they  had  obferv'd  his  quick  ning  Hear, 
•       Spread  o'er  the  Hills,  and  ev'ry  fliady  Wood, 

Ripen'd  the  Fruits,  and  made  them  fit  for  Food. 
'      Hence  various  Methods  they  did  ftill  purfue, 
1 170  And  chang'd  their  former  Life,  to  take  a  new. 


1165 


NOTES. 


The 


,ii<Jo.  And  Trees,  &c.]  This, 
if  we  may  believe  fomeAuthours, 
iiappen'd  often  formerly  in  Hun- 
;ary  :  And  Lucretius  has  alrea- 
dy made  mention  of  Trees  taking 
Fire  by  Coliifion,  Book  I.  v.  902, 
See  the  Kote  on  that  Place  : 
Moreover,  Vitruvius,  lib,  2.  cap. 
i.  afcribes  the  Original  of  our 
;ulinary  Fire  to  this  Accident  of 
Trees  taking  Fire  in  a  Tempeft  : 
His  Words  are  as  follow  :  Ab 
Tempcftatibus  Sc  Vencis  denfx 
:rebritatibus  arbores  agicatSB,  Sc 
inter  fe  terentes  ramos,  ignem 
ixcitaverunt  :  Which  the  An- 
cients having  obferv'd,  took  from 
thence  the  firft  Hint  of  the  In- 
vention of  their  Igniaria  :  for 
their  way  of  getting  Fire  was  by 
rubing  one  Stick  againft  another, 
cill  being  heated,  they  catch'd 
Fire,  which  they  fed  with  dry 
Leaves,  or  fome  other  Matter, 
:hat  was  eafily  combuftible  : 
Virgil  Mn,  i.  v.  179. 


Sufcepitque  ignem 

arida  circum 
Kutrimeuta  dedit.- 


foliis,   atque 


And  thefe  dry  Nourifhments, 
fays  Turnebus,  in  his  Notes  on 
Theophraftus  de  Igne,  they  call'd 
'-X*t=*)  i'  c.  focus ;  or^  accord- 


ing to  the  Scholiaft  of  Apolloni- 
us,  a-oph^y  i.  e.  Strator  :  Which 
we  may  compare  with  our  Tin- 
der :  The  other  Parts,  which 
were  the  Sticks,  they  call'd 
TtfS'Tfov,  i.  e.  Terebrum,  and 
thefe  ferv'd  inftead  of  our  Flint 
and  Steel.  The  Trees,  that  are 
moft  fubje<ft  to  take  Fire  in  this 
manner,  are  faid  to  be  the  Fig- 
tree,  Laurel,  Oak,  Holm,  Tile- 
tree,  Ivy  and  Vine  :  but  above 
all  the  Laurel.  And  if  we  may- 
give  credit  to  Manilius,Fire  may 
be  got  almoft  out  of  every 
Thing. 

Sunt  autem  cundlis  permixti  par- 

tibus  ignes ; 
Qui  gravidas  habitant  fabrican- 

tes  fulmina  nubes  j 
Et  penetrant   terras,  TEtnamque 

imitantur  Olympo, 
Et  calidas  reddunt  ipfis  in  fonti- 

bus  undas  : 
Ac  filice   in  dura,  viridique  in 

cortice  fedem 
Inveniunt,  cum  fylva  fibi  collifa 

crematur, 
Ignibus  ufque  adeo  Natura  eft 

omnis  abundans.  lib.  i,  v.  850. 

Which  our  Trandatour  thus  ren-t 
ders : 


C  c  c  c 


Fire 


%(yt 


LUCRETIUS.  BookV* 

The  Wiser,  and  the  Wittier  left  the  Field  ; 
And  Towns  for  fafety  did  begin  to  build; 

By  Nature,  Kikgs. — ^^ -^ 

Then  Cattle  too  was  fliar'd,  and  fteady  Bounds 
!  175  Mark'd  out  to  ev'ry  Man  his  proper  Grounds  : 
Each  had  his  proper  Share,  each  what  was  fit. 
According  to  his  Beauty,  Strength,  or  Wit  : 
For  Beauty  then  and  Strength  had  moft  Command  5 
Thofe  had  the  greateft  Share  in  Beafts  and  Land  ; 

But 
NOTES, 

That  whofoevcr  values  his  eafti 
and  quiet,  and  delires  to  live  hap- 
pily, will,  if  he  be  wife,  avoid 
the  Adminiftration  of  pubiick 
Affairs:  For  the  Soveraigii  Au- 
thority is  hard  to  gain,  and 
harder  to  keep  :  InfteadofPlea 
fures,  it  brings  Cares  and  Trou- 
bles ;  It  is  always  tottering  and 
inconftant ;  always  attacked  b) 
Ambition  and  Envy,  and  ofter 
thrown  down  by  Confpiracy. 
■  1174.  Steady  Bounds,  Scc.^ 
Thus  too  Ovid.  Metam.   i,  i 


I 


Fire  lies    in  ev*ry  Thing  ;    m 

Clouds  it  forms 
The  frightful  Thunder,  and  de- 

fcends  in  Storms  t 
It  pafles  thro' the  Earth,  in  ittna 

raves,  ^; 

And  imitates  Heav'ns  Thunder 

in  its  Caves  •  .,     ,      -r 

In  hollow  Vales  it  boils  the  nhng 

Floods;  , 

In  Flints  'tis  found,   and  lodges 

in  the  Woods ; 
For,  tofs'd  by  Storms,  the  Trees 

in  Flames  expire,  _ 

So  warm  are  Natures  Parts,  lo 

iiU'd  with  Fire. 

Creech. 

iiyi.The  Wifer,&c.]lnthere 
00  v.  he  tells  us,  That  to  pro- 
vide the  better  for  theit  common 
fafety,  they  gave  the  Soveraign: 
power  to  one  Man,  to  whom  Na- 
ture had  given  to  excel  in  Beauty, 
Wit,  or  Scren£;th  ;  and  had  thus 
herfelf  declar'd  him  a  King.  This 
Monarch  fell  to  building  of 
Towns  and  Towers,  to  defend 
himfelf  and  his  Subjeds  from  the 
Infults  of  their  Enemies.  He 
governed  them  at  Will  ;  every 
Thing  was  done  that  he  com- 
manded, and, 

O  Happy  Mankind  under  fuch 
a  Prince  ^ 

But  Avarice  and  Ambition,  foon 
corrupted  and  overthrew  all 
shing?  :  And  fuch  is  the  Condi- 
tion of  Priiicssi€¥'n  al  this  Day, 


135- 

Communemque  prius,   ceu    lu- 

mina  folis  Be  auras, 
Cautus  humiim  longo    fignavii 

limite  menfor. 

Then    Land-marks   limited    to 

each  his  Right, 
For  all  before  was  common  as  th« 

Light.  Dryd. 

1 178.  For  Beauty,  dec."]  It 
was  the  Cuilom  formerly  in  ma- 
ny Countries  to  choofe  theii 
Kings  for  the  Beauty  and  Ma- 
jefty  of  their  Perfons  :  Thi; 
Ari/lotle,  lib.  i.  de  Rep.  report; 
to  be  true  of  the  Ethiopiansiwho 
fays  he,  when  they  obferve  an) 
one,  who,  in  his  Looks,  refem- 
bles  the  Images  of  their  Gods- 
immediately  conclude,  that  h^ 
was  born  to  rule  over  others 
And  Xenophou  in  Symp.  fays 
That  Beauty  is  fomething  that 
Kature  herrdf  has  itamp'd  with 
Koyalty, 


Book  V.  L  17  CR  E  T  I  U  S,  ^^^ 

1 1 80  But  when  once  Cold  was  fotlnd,  the  powerful  Ore? 
Saw  Light,  and  Men  gap'd  after  gli rt'r in g  Store ;  > 
Then  Wit  and  Beauty  v.'erd e'fteem'd  h^'more,  3 
But  Wealth  enjoy*d  their  HonOoir,  fie^'d  their  Place : 
The  WISE  and  BEAuxEbtrs  bow  to  FortuneVAss. 

1 185      But  if  Men  would  live  up  to  Reasons  Rules, 
They  would  not  fcrape  and  cringe  to  wealthy  Fools  r 

For 

NOTES. 


JLoyalty.  Heliogabaltls,  though 
but  a  Boy,  was  chofen  Emperor 
by  the  Roman  Soldiers  at  iirft 
light  of  him;  as  if  he  had  had 
what  Euripides  calls '^Ejj^(^  &!ljov 
ru^vvi^^  5  a  Countenance  that 
deferv'd  a  Kingdom.  Thus 
Dryden ; 

Manly  Majefty 


Sate  in  his    Front,  and   darted 

from  his  Eyes, 
Commanding  all  he  view'd. 

And  in  another  Place  : 

Eyes  that  confefs'd  him  born  for 

Kingly  fway ; 
So  fierce  they  flafli'd  intolerable 

Day. 

And  Virgil  feems  to  have  had 
fomething  like  this  in  his 
Thoughts,  when  he  defcribes  the 
"difference  of  Look  between  the 
li^vful  King  of  the  Bees,  and  the 
tlfurper  ;  of  which  Defcription 
that  this  Note  may  not  ft  retch 
too  long ,  I  will  omic  the 
Original,  and  give  only  Dryden's 
Tranllation : 

With  Eafe  diftinguiili'd  is  the 

regal  Race  : 
One  Monarch  wears  an  open,  ho- 

neft  Face, 
Shap'd   to   his  Size^    and   God- 

Jilce  to  behold. 
His  royal  Body  iliines  with  specks 

ofGoid^  - 


And  ruddy  Scales-:  Pop  Empire 

he  cJeiign'd, 
Is  better  bornj  and  of  a  nobler 

Kind  : 
That  other  looks  like  Nature 

in  Difgrace : 
Gaunt  are  his  Sides,  and  fuJIen 

is  his  Face, 
And    like  this  griefly  Prince' 

appears  his  gloomy  Race. 

To  vvhich  I  will  only  add,  that 
3r«oeiV.5A^,  like  a  God,  is  often 
usM  by  Homer  as  an  Epithec 
for  a  beautiful  Perfon. 

Strength  had  moft  Command] 
For  as  Varro  Margop.  fays  very 
well ; 

Qiii  pote  plus  viget,   pifces  ut 

f^pe  minutos 
Magnu'  comeft  j    ut  aves  cnecat 

accipiter. 

1 183.  But  Wealth,  &c.]  Thus 
Horace,  Sat. 

•Omnis  enim  res. 


Virtus,  fama,  decus,  divina,  hu^ 

manaque  pukhris 
Divitiis  parent,  3cc.  1  j. 

And  Ovid  : 

Aurea  funt  vere  nunc    f^ecula  5 

plurimus  auro 
Venit  honos.' . 

And  the  Authour  of  Mudibtraa 
in  two  Words, 


C  c  c  e  2 


fo^ 


5H 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 

For 'tis  the  greateft  Wealth  to  live  content 
With  Little  :  fuch  the  greareft  Joy  refent : 
And  bounteous  Fortune  itill  affords  Supply, 

1 1 90  Sufficient  for  a  thrifty  Luxury. 

But  Wealth  and  Pow*r  Men  often  ftrive  to  gain,  7 
As  that  could  bring  them  Eafe  ;  or  make  a  Chain  ^ 
To  fix  unfteady  Fortune  :  all  in  vain  !  J 

For  often  when  they  climb  the  tedious  Way, 

1 1 95  And  now  in  reach  of  Top,  where  Honours  lay; 

QuickStrokes  from  Envy,  orfrom  Thunder  thrown,^ 
Tumble  the  bold,  afpiring  Wretches  down :  > 

They  find  a  Grave,  who  flrove  to  reach  a  Crown.j^ 
And  thus  'tis  better,  than  proud  Sceptres  fway, 

1 200  To  live  a  (juiec  Subject,  and  obey. 

Thef< 

N  O  T  £  S. 


I 


For  Money  is  the  only  Pow'r, 
That  all  Mankind  falls  down  be- 
fore. 

1187.  For 'tis,  &c.]  Who,  that  I 
reads  thefe  Lines,  can  believe  that  I 
Epicurus  was  an   Epicure  :    He  | 
believed  that  a  wife  Man  can  not  | 
be  poor:  becaufe  he   lives  con-f 
tent  with  what  he  has ',  and  thinks 
it  enough,  even  tho'  it   be  but 
little  :  He  plac'd  indeed  the  chief 
Happinfes  of  Life  in  Pleafure  : 
and  what  he  meant  by  Pleafure 
let  Cicero  teach  us  :  Negat  Epi- 
curus jucunde    pofTe    vivi,    niti 
cum  virtute  vivatur  :  negat  ul- 
1am  in  fapientem  vim  eJTb  Fortu- 
nx  :  tenuem  vicftum  antefert  co- 
piofo,  &c.  Tufcul.   QujhA.  lib. 
3.     And  Laertius  tells  us,  that 
Epicurus  was  often  inculcating 
into  his  HearerSjParfimony^Con- 
tinency,  Sparingnefs  of  Food,  and 
Equanimity,    or    Eaiinefs ,    and 
Content  of  Mind  in  all   States 
and  Conditions :  Whence  he  had 
often  in  his  Mouth  this  Saying, 
■JiSis'a.   fmohvlcma^?   ^TTVKcvjHGiy  01 

The  greateft  Wealth  to  live 
content"!  Thus  too  Dryden  in  the 
Wife  of  Bath's  Tale  after  Chau- 
cer ; 


Content  is  Wealth,  the  Riche; 
of  the  Mind, 

And  happy   he,    who  can  thai 
Treafure  find  ; 

But  the  bafe  Mifer  ftarves  a- 

midft  his  Store, 
Broods  on  his  Gold,  and  gri-' 

ping  ftill  at  more, 
Sits  fadly  pining,  and  believes 

he's  poor. 

1190.  Sufficient,  &c.]  Ventre 
nihil  novi  frugalius,  fays  Juve- 
nal, Sat.  5.  V.  6.  And  it  was 
the  conftant  Obfervation  of  the 
foberer  Heathens,  That  Nature 
is  content  with  very  little  :  Dip^ 
genes  in  the  Life  of  Socrates,  re- 
lates of  that  Philofopher,  that  lie 
was  wont  to  fay.  That  moil 
Men  feem'd  to  live  only  to  eat  ; 
but  that  for  his  Part  he  eat  only 
to  live.  And  Plato  obfcrves. 
That  of  all  Creatures  Man  is 
longeft  in  digefting  his  Food  : 
And  that  Nature  has  order'd  it 
thus  to  intimate  to  us,  That  ilie 
would  not  have  thofe  nobler  Oc- 
cupations, of  which  ilie  has  ren- 
der'd  us  capable,  and  for  which 
we  were  chiefly  created,  to  be  in- 
terrupted by  too  frequent  eating. 

And 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  ^65 

Thefe  former  Kings  now  murcher'd,  they  o  enhrown 
The  Glory  of  the  Sceptre  and  thp  Crown 
Decreased:  The  Diadem,  that  Sign  of  State, 
Now  wept  in  Drops  of  Blood,  the  Wearer's  Fate  • 
1205  Spurn'd  by  the  common  Feet ;  who  fear'd  no  more  ; 
'Tis  SWEET  to  fpurn  the  Things  we  fear'd  before. 

Thus  Monarchy  was  loft. 

That  Sun  once  fet,  a  Thoufand  little  Stars. 
Gave  a  dim  Light  to  Jealousies  and  Wars  : 
1 110  While  EACH  among  the  Many  fought  the  Throne^ 
And  thought  no  Head,  like  his,  deferv'd  the  .Crow  nJ 

This 
JV  O  T  £  5. 


And  as  this  is  a  good  mo- 
ral Reafon  ,  sfo  neither  is  the 
Phyfical  Keafon,  which  Anato- 
mifts  give  us,  to  be  contemn'd  : 
For  they  oblerve,  That  the  Ileon, 
one  of  the  Guts,  through  which 
the  Meat  muft  pafs,  and  fo  call'd 
from  eiMcvj  I  involve,  is  fix  times 
longer  than  our  whole  Body,  and 
twilled  and  folded  in  fuch  a 
manner,  and  withal  fo  fmaJl, 
that  what  we  eat  can  not  pafs 
through  it  eafily,  and  in  a  fliort 
time. 

1203,  Diadem3  Diadems  were 
us'd  by  the  antient  Kings,  as 
Crowns  are  now,  for  the  Mark 
of  Royalty :  They  are  by  fome 
faid  to  be  only  white  Ribbands, 
adorn'd  with  precious Stones.and 
which  they  bound  about  their 
Heads.  The  Word  comes  from 
SJ-S^JeTv,  to  bind  about.  But 
Pancirollus,  from  an  Epiftle  of 
St.  Jerome  to  Fabiola,  defcribes 
a  Diadem  to  be  a  little  Cap, 
like  half  a  Football,  bound  a- 
bout  with  a  white  Fafcia  or 
Wreath.  This  PaiTage  of  St.  Je- 
rome is  in  Epift.  128.  de  veftitu 
Sacerdotum,  where  that  Father 
calls  it  rotundum  Pileolum,  a 
round  Cap ;  fuch  a  one  as  that 
in  which  UlyfTes  is  reprefented  in 
an  arch'd  Walk,  call'd  by  his 
Name.  The  Greeks,  fays  he, 
call  it  Tjccg^,  and  fome,  galerus  : 
after  which  he   adds,  that  this 


Pileolum  was  ty'd  oil/ -'to ::  the 
back-part  of  the  Head  with  a 
Ribband,  in  fuch  a  manner,  that 
it  could  not  eafily  flip  off :  Ita 
in  occipitio  vitta  conftrucfta 
eft,  ut  non  facile  labatur  ex  ca- 
pitc.  Yet  indeed  the  Fafcia  or 
Vitta  itfelf  feems  rather  than  the 
Bonnet  to  have  been  the  Diadem : 
For  Marcellinus ,  lib,  1 5.  ac- 
quaints us,  that  Pompey  was 
fufpecfted  of  Treafon,  for  wear- 
ing the  fafciola  Candida  about 
his  Leg,  to  hide,  as  he  pretend- 
ed, a  Sore :  but,  fays  he,  the 
Fafciola  Candida  being  generally 
interpreted  a  Diadem,  it  created 
a  Sufpicion,  that  he  was  aiming 
at  the  Empire  :  the  rather,  be- 
caufe  it  was  not  material  on  what 
part  of  the  Body  it  was  worn. 
See  likewife  Alexander  ab  Alex. 
Gen.  dier.  lib.  i.  cap.  28.  And 
Britannicus  fays  pofitively,  it  was 
not  Corona,  but  fafcia  :  which 
agrees  likewife  with  the  Etymo- 
logy of  the  Word  Diadem,  which 
we  gave  before  : 

1208.  That  Sun,  &c.]  Herp 
the  Poet  tells  us,  that  the  Mci^ 
narchy  being  abolifli'd ,  Vio- 
lence, Opprefllon,  and  Tumults 
began  to  rage  anew,  and  the  Life 
of  Man  return'd  to  its  primitive 
Savagenefs  :  However,  they  at 
length  thought  fit  to  create  Ma- 
giftrates  among  themfelves.  and 
CO  make  Laws^  in  order  to  puniili 
"   ■  the 


s^ 


LUCRETIUS, 


Book  A 


This'  made  them  feek  for  Laws,  this  led  their  Choic 
To  Rulers  5  PowV  was  giv  n  by  publick  Voice  : 
For  Men,  worn  out,  and  tir'd  by  coniiant  Strife, 

jCii^S  At  [aft  began  to  wifh  an  easy  Life  ; 

And  To  fubmitted  of  their  own  Accord  t 

To  rigid  Laws,  and  cheir  ELECTED  Lord.  1 

For  \^  hen  each  fihgle  Man,  led  on  by  Rage,  ^ 

Grew  bloody  in  Revenge,  and  ftrove  t'  engage        r : 

■I2ZO  His  Enemy,  'twas  an  unpleafant  Age. 

Hence  Men  grew  weary  of  continual  Wars, 
Which  four'd  the  Sweet  of  Life  with  conftant  Fears 
Becaufe  diffufive  Wrong  can  fpread  o'er  all ;  'I 

No  State  fecure  ;  nay,  oft  the  Wrongs  recoil,         > 

jii^Wnh  double  Force  on  the  Contrivers  fall.  j 

NOT  E  5. 


the  Oppreflbrs!  And  this  was  an 
Inftance  of  their  Prudence  ;  For 
the  dread  of  Puniflanient  keeps 
Men  in  Awe,  and  retains  them 
within  the  Bounds  of  their  Du- 
ty. And  let  none  imagine  they 
can  violate  the  Laws  with  Impu- 
nity, even  the'  they  offend  in 
private  ;  For  Confcience  herfelf 
IS  a  Babbler  ,  and  many,  when 
raving  under  the  Violence  of  Di- 
feafe,  or  even  in  their  Dreams, 
have  been  their  own  Accufers, 
and  betray 'd  their  fecret  Crimes. 
Here  we  may  obferve  that, 
Lucretius,  from  v.  1170.  to  v. 
1233.  has  folv'd  the  following 
Political  Problems. 

I,  Why  Man,  who  was  born 
free,  fubje<fted  himfelf  from  the 
very  Beginning,  to  the  Obe- 
dience of  Kings  ?  For  no  Man, 
as  Plutarch  elegantly  argues,  is 
by  Nature  born  a  Slave. 

Either  for  the  Refpe^  and  Re- 
verence they  bore  to  fome  Men, 
on  account  of  their  Beauty  and 
Majeftick  Looks  :  Or  by  region 
of  the  fuperiour  Strength  of 
feme,  by  which  they  compell'd 
t>he.  Weaker  to  unwilling  Obe- 
dience and  Servitude  :  or  for  the 
Excsilence  of  their  Wit;  which 


eaiilyand   juftly  acquir'd  thetf 
the  Command  over  others. 

IL  Why  did  they  confer  th 
Government  on  one  Man  ?  Wen 
there  not  feveral  endowed  will: 
equal  Qiialiiications  ?  Befides 
every  Man  feems  in  his  own  Eye 
to  be  beautiful  and  wittj 
enough. 

Becaufe  they  deem'd  a  Monar;  , 
chy  to  be  preferable  to  a  GoVeriv 
menrof  many,  and  believ'd  the'y 
fliould  live  more  free  under  the 
Dominion  of  one,  than  of  many 
Rulers. 

III.  Why  did  the  Beautiful, 
the  Strong  and  the  Witty  ceaf^ 
at  length  to  reign  ? 

The  Invention  of  Gold  de- 
thron'd  them,  for  when  Men 
grew  rich,  the  foyeraign  Autho- 
rity deyoly'd  on  the  moffc 
Wealthy. 

IV.  Why  did  the  Kings  fall 
at  lirft  to  building  of  Towers 
and  Citadels  ? 

Either  becaufe  they  apprehend- 
ed the  Tnfults  of  Enemies,  or 
were  jealous  of  their  own  Suh- 
je(fls,  whom  they  opprefs'd  wit> 
too  fevere  a  Slavery. 

V.  How  came  the  Kmpf 
Power,    with    all  its.  Marks  or 


'I 


Jook  V.  LUCRETIUS.  J67 

Nor  can  thofe  Men  expedl  to  live  at  Eafe, 
Who  violate  the  common  Bonds  of  Peace. 
Tho*  now  they  lie  conceal'd  from  Man  and  God, 
They  ftill  muft  fear 't  will  fome  time  come  abroad: 

130  Since  fome  diseas'd,  and  fome  by  Night  betray 
The  wicked  Actions,  they  have  done  by  Day; 

!   ■  Tho'  hid  in  Night  ;  fcarce  Hell  fo  deep  as  they. 
Now  fing,  my  Muse,  for  that's  my  next  Delign,^ 

/     Why  ALL  do  bow  to  somewhat  as  Divine  ?  > 

3,35  Why  ev'ry  Nation  has  its  proper  Shrine  ?  3 

Why  ALL  do  Temples  build,  why  Altars  raife? 
And  why  all  facrifice  on  facred  Days  ? 
How  this  diffused,  this  lafting  Fame  was  fpread 
Of  Powr's  above  ?  Whence  came  that  awful  Dread, 

240  That  Parent  of  Religion  thro'  the  Rout, 
Which  forces  them  to  bow,  and  grow  devout  ? 

This 

NOTES. 


loyalty,  to  be  at  length  totally 
ubverted  and  laid  afide? 

"Becaufe  nothing  reiifts  Envy; 
■hich  climbs  the  loftieft  Towers, 
ad  invades  the  Palaces  of  Kings : 
ay,  the  Favourites  of  Fortune 
re  chiefly  expos'd  to  her  Al- 
aults. 

VL  Why  were  Laws  firfl:  in- 
ented  and  made  ? 

Perhaps  for  the  Sake  of  Com- 
iicrce  :  for  Man  is  a  fociable  A- 
limal,  and  indigent  of  mutual 
Offices.  Therefore  that  he  might 
lot  be  perpetually  in  ArmSjLaws 
lere  invented  to  eftablifli  a  Rule 
)f  common  Society,  and  to  re- 
train and  keep  within  certain 
vounds  the  Pcculancy  and  un- 
tridled  Luft  of  the  Wicked. 

122(5.  Nor  can,  &c.]  For,  as 
r^^icero  fays  very  truly,  fua  quem- 
^ue  fraus,  fuum  facinus,  fuum 
jcelus,  fua  audacia  de  fanitate 
jic  mente  deturbat,  Lib.  i.  de 
Inib.  » 
1229.  They  ftill,  Sec.']    That 

3.  as   Cicero,  lib.    i.    de   iinib. 

v-eating  of  thefe  Things,  fays, 
lunquam  confidant  id  fore  fcm- 

'  :r  occultum,  let   them   never 


flatter  themfelves,  that  thefe  E- 
normities  will  lie  for  ever  bury '4 
in  Darknefs  :  becaufe  many  are 
faid  to  have  betray'd  their 
Crimes  in  their  Dreams  :  and 
others,  in  the  delirious  Ravings 
of  a  Difeafe,  have  difcover'd 
their  abominable  AcTtions,  that 
had  lain  a  long  time  conceal'd. 

1230.  By   Night  betray,  dec."} 
Thus  Book  IV.  v.  1012. 

Multi   de  magnis  per  fomnum 

rebu'  loquuntur, 
Indiciique  fui  fadi  perfsepe   fur- 

ere. 

Some  talk  of  State  Affairs,  and 

fome  betray. 
The     Plots ,    their    treach'rous 

Minds  had  fram'd  by  Day. 


1233.  Now 
gion,  fays  he 


fing  &c.]  Reli- 
and  the  Fear  of 
the  Gods,  began  at  the  iirft 
Birth  of  Men  :  But  from  whence 
had  they  their  Knowledge  of  the 
Deities  f  It  is  uncertain,  whe- 
ther from  the  Images  that  flow'd 
from  the  Gods  themfelves,  to 
whom  Epicurus  afcrib'd  as  it 
were,  a  Body  and  Blood}  or  from 

Images 


^6S 


LU  C  R  E  T  I  U  S. 


Book  V 


This  is  aneafy  Task :  For  new-born  Man, 
Juft  fprang  from  Earth,  when  firft  this  Frame  began, 
Divine  and  glorious  Forms  defcending  came, 
£245  And  ftruck  his  Mind  by  Day,  by  Night  the  fame  : 
But  then  increased,  their  working  Fanfies  fhow'd 
Great  Limbs  and  Strength,  and  fit  to  make  a  God 
And  thefe  they  thought  had  Sense,  becaufe  they  fhook  ? 
As  Fanfy  told,  their  Limbs,  and  proudly  fpoke ;       /■ 
12^0  Their  Words  were  all  majeftick,  as  their  Look,     j 
Eternal  too,  becaufe  a  new  Supply,  y 

A  conftant  Stream,  where'er  they  turn'd  their  Eye,    V 
Of  Forms  came  in,  and  fhew'd  the  Deity.  j 

Nor  could  they  think  fuch  mighty  Things  could  fail, 
1255  Or  pow'rful  Blows  on  fo  much  Strength  prevail. 
And  HAPPY  too,  becaufe  no  Fear  deftroys. 
Nor  Dread  of  fullen  Death  corrupts  their  Joys, 

Befides,  in  Dreams  they  often  feem'd  to  do 
A  thoufand  various  Things,  and  Wonders  fhow : 
1260  Yet  never  weary  they,  but  vig'rous  ftill  j 

Their  Strength  as  much  unbounded  as  their  Will, 

Befides  they  faw  the  Heav*ns  in  Order  roul 
Their  various  Motions  round  the  fteady  Pole  : 

The 

NOTES. 


Images  that  arofe  by  chance. 
Novv  thofe  Images ,  whatever 
they  were,  or  from  whence  fo- 
evcr  they  came,  by  continually 
itriking  the  Minds  of  Men,  either 
when  they  were  fleeping  or  a- 
wake,  were  the  Caufe  that  Men 
conjecftur'd  that  fome  Subftances, 
like  thofe  Images,  and  capable 
of  Underftanding ,  did  exift 
fomewhere  or  other  :  for  the  Ima- 
ges feem'd  to  fpeak,  and  to  move 
their  Members  :  And  they  be- 
liev'd  them  immortal  too,  be- 
caufe the  Form  of  the  Images 
was  always  the  fame,  and  their 
Power  and  Strength,  feem'd  to 
be  immenfe :  And  happy  like- 
wife,  becaufe  they  were  never  ter- 
rify'd  at  Dangers,  nor  difturb'd 
at  the  fear  of  Death  :  and  never 
grew  weary,  as  if  they  en  joy 'd 
eternal  Reft. 

1262,  Befides,  &c.]    In  ;hefe 


1 1.  V.  he  farther  alTerts,  that  the 
Ignorance  of  natural  Caufes  gave 
Rife  likewife  to  Religion.  For 
when  Men  obferv'd  the  Motions 
of  the  Heavens,  and  the  VicilTi- 
tudes  of  the  Seafons,  when  they 
perceiv'd  the  Hail,  the  Snow, 
the  Winds,  the  Thunder,  the 
Lightning,  &c.  and  could  not 
comprehend  what  fliould  be  the 
Caufes  of  all  thofe  wondrous  Ef- 
fects, they  concluded  that  God 
was  the  Authour  of  them  :  For 
to  whom  could  they  afcribe  the 
conftant  and  continual  Motion 
of  the  Spheres,  rather  than  to  a 
wife  Ruler  and  Lord  ?  And 
where  could  they  place  his  A- 
bode  better,  or  with  greatfirRea- 
fon,  than  in  the  Places  from 
whence  comes  the  Snow, the  Hail, 
the  Thunder,  &c  i  Thus  argu'd 
the  Epicureans :  but  much  bet- 
ter the  Stoicks,  who  made  ufe  of 

this 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  <;6<^ 

The  Seasons  of  the  Year  hyconftant  Laws 

i2<^5  ^un  round,  but  knowing  noc  the  nac'ral  Caufe ; 
They  therefore  thought,  that  Gods  muft  rule  above, 
Poor  ihift !  and  all  at  their  Devotion  move. 
In  He  av'n  they  plac'd  their  SEAT,their  ftatelyThrone,-^ 
For  there  the  Sun,  the  Sta^s,  and  various  Moon,  > 

1270  And  Day,  and  Night,  their  conftant  Courfes  run  i  3 
And  Hail,  and  Rain,  and,  thro*  a  broken  Cloud, 
Swift  LiOHTNiNG  flies,  and  Thunder  roars  aloud. 
Unhappy  Man,  who  taught,  the  Gods  engage        9 
In  thefe  j  that  they  are  fubjed  unto  Rage  :  S" 

1275  A  Curfe  co  theirs,  to  ours,  and  future  A^e  I 


What 


J^  O  T  E  S. 


thi?  very  Argument,  to  aflert 
and  prove  the  divine  Providence  j 
which  the  others  brought  to  op- 
pofe  it. 

Thus  Manilius,  lib.  i.  V.  475. 
ipeaicing  of  the  Motions  of  the 
Scars  and  Spheres  : 

Nee  varies  obitus  norunt,  varios- 

que  recurfus ; 
Certa  fed  in  proprias  oriuntur 

fydera  luces  •, 
Nacalefque  fuos,  occafumque  or- 

dine  fervant : 

And  v.  4.83.  he  adds : 

At  mihi  tarn  praifens  Ratio  non 

ulia  videtur, 
Qua  pateat  mundum  divino  nu- 

mine  verti, 
Atque  ipfum  effe    Deum  j    nee 

Forte  coifle  magiftri, 
Ut  voluit  credij  qui.  Sec, 

Which  our  Tranflatour  thus  ren- 
ders : 

The  Stars  ftill  keep  one  Courfe  : 

^hey  ftill  purfue  / 

^Heir  conftant  TracJ^j  nor  vary 
-Ja  anew  : 
From  one  fixt  Point  they  ftart, 

their  Courfe  maintain. 
Repeat  their  Whirl,  and  vific  it 

again  ; 


A  moft  convincing  Reafonjdrawn 

from  Senfe, 
That  this  vaft  Frame  is  rul'd  by 

Providence  j 
Which,  like  the  Soul,  does  ev*ry 

Whirl  advance  : 
It  muft   be  God:   nor  was   it 

made  by  Chance, 
As  Epicurus  dreamt,  8cc. 

1273.  Unhappy,  &c.]  This  Be- 
lief of  a  Divine  Providence,  Epi- 
curus held  to  be  the  fole  Caufe  of 
all  the  Anixeties  that  difturb  the 
life  of  Man  :  and  this  Opinion 
of  his  Lucretius  explains  in  thefe 
25.  V.   From  that  Belief,  fays  he, 
proceeds  the  vain  and  caufelefs 
Superftitipn  of  the  greateft  Pare 
of  Mankind,  which  is  not  Piety 
to  the  Gods.    The  Pious  Man  is 
he,  who  looks  into  himfelf,  who 
explores  the  Secrets  and    Power 
of  Nature,  that  he  may  compre- 
hend the  Caufes  of  all  Things, 
and  wonder  at  nothing  :  This  is 
he,  who  with  an  undaunted  Soul 
beholds  the  Motions  of  the  Hea- 
vens, and  all  the  other  Ph<eno- 
menons    of    Nature  ;     becaufe 
he    is    convinc'd    upon    certain 
Grounds,  that  all  things  here  be- 
low  happen     without  the  Care 
and   Intervention  of  the  Gods.: 
But  Ignorance  is  the  Parent  of 
Piecy. 

IKd  d  d  Papi- 


f7o 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V, 


"What  Grief  they  biroiu^ht  themfelves,  tons  what  Fears? 
To  poor  Polierky  what  Sighs,  what  Tears  ? 

Aias  I  what  PiEtv?  Alas  1  'Tis  none, 
To  bend  all  coverd  to  a  senseless  Stone, 
1280  Lie  proftrate,  or  to  \xfit  evVy  Shrlne, 

Or,  with  fpread  Arms,  invoke  the  Pow'rs  Divine 

Before 
K  O  T  E  S, 


Papicotam  crederes  Lucretium 
fays  Creech  on  this  Paflage. 
Horace  Epift.  6.  lib.  i* 

Kii  admirari,  prope  res  eft  una, 

IST'imici, 
SoUque  quje  poflit  facere  Sc  fer- 

vare  beatam. 
Hunc  foleni,    &  ftellas,  &  deqe- 

dentia  certis  "^^  /  _;  '^  *  ; '    :, 

Tempora  m o mentis,  funrti til  for- 

midine  nulla 
Imbuti  fpecftent. '  \      ; 

And  Virgil. 

-Foelix  qui  potuit  reriim  cogno-^ 
fcere  caulas,  !  ^ 

■  ftrepitumque  Acherbntis 

avari.  .  • 

Subjecit  pedibus. '    ■  , 


enim  beatam  vitaffl  in  aninii  fe- 
curicate,  &:  in  omni  vacatione 
^jnunerum  pbnioius.  De  Natur. 
Deor.  lib.  i. Upon  which  La«ftan- 
tius  fays,  that  he  is  apt  to  believe 
with  PofTidonius  in  the  fame  Ci- 
cero, that  Epicurus  did  indeed 
believe,  that  there  were  no  Gods 
at  all  ;  and  that,  what  he  faid  of 
the  Immortal  Deities,  he  faid 
only  to  avoid  th?  Cenfure  of  the 
World  :  That  though  he  indeed 
confefs'd  with  his  Mouth,  f hat 
there  wcrc  Gods,  yet  he  deny 'd 
thfem  in  Effe(ft,-by  exempting  , 
them  from  all  manner  of  Affe-  ' 
cftions,  and  fjroni  all  Imployment 
\\>hat£vcr :   Dc  Ira  Dei.  cap.  4.. 

1279.  To  bend,  &c.3  Lueret. 
^Verrrer  ad  lapidem.  For  the 
Romans  were  wont  in  their  wor- 
fliip  ofthe  Images  of  their  Gods, 
to  turn  their  Bodies  round  to  the 
right.  Plant,  in  Curcul.  Adt.  i, 
v.  70. 

All  coyer'd]  For  the  Romans 
likewife  worfliipM  the  Images 
of  their  Gods,  with  a  Vail  hang- 
ing down  from  their  Head,  Plauc. 
in  Amph.  Invocat  Deos  immor- 
tales,  ut  libi  auxilium  ferant, 
manibus  puris,  capite  operto. 
The  Realbn  of  which  Ceremony, 
you  may  fee  at  large  in  Plutarch 
ov  pi,',wcti)io7s"  'and  in  the  Life  of 


1274.     Subjecfl    unto    rage  3 

Velleius  in  Cicero  explains  this. 

Opinion  of  Epicurus,    and'giyes 

tls  the  reafon  of  it  in  thefeA/V^tirds  : 

Qnx  enim  nobis  Natufa'i'nfor- 

niationem  Deorum.  ipfoxnm'de- 

dit,  eadeni  infculpfit  in  menti-. 

'1>us,    ut  COS  arternos,  &  beatos 

^haberemus  :  Qiiod  fi  ita  eft,  vere 

expolita  eft  ilia  fentenria  ab  Epi- 

curo,  quod  a:ternum  beatumque 

£t,  id  nee  habere  ipfum  negotii 

-quidquam,    nee  exhibere  alteri, 

"itaque  neque  ira,    neqne  gratid 

tencri ;  quod  qua:  talia  elfeat,  im-!  Marcellus.  See  likewife  the  Inter- 
becilla  elTent  omnia  :  Nihil  enim  \  preters  of  Minutius  Felix,  p.  10. 
agit  Deus,  nullis  occupationibus «  1 281.  Spread  Arms]  Lucr.Pan- 
■]eft  iniplicatus,  nulla  Opera  moii-|dere  palmas;  which  was  a  Cu- 
'iur ",  fua  fapientia  &  virtute  gau-|  ftom  obferv'd  lilcewife  in  their 
jdet  :  habet  exploratum  fore  fe  I  Supplications  to  the  Gods  r  Virg. 
temper  turn  in  maximis,  turn  inj  j^neid.  i.  V.  97. 


spternis  voluptatibus.    Hunc  D 
wm  rite  beatum  dixerimus,  Yes- 
trum  vero  laborioiiffiiijum  :  Nos 


Ingerait,  &  duplices  tendens  ad 
fydera  palmas. 

12^8.  What 


ni 


Book  V.  LU  C  k  E  T  lU  S. 

Before  their  Temples,  while  the  Altar  flows 
With  Blood  of  Beafts,  arvd  we  make  Vows  6n  Vows. 
But  fure  *t^s  Piety  to  viev(/  the  Whole;  <^ 

1285  And  learch  all  Natuke  Wfth  aiquiec  Sout. 

For  when  we  viev/  the  Heavi^js,  and  how  the  Sun, 
And  MooK,  and  Stars  theitconftant  C^tfesrun  ;' 
Then  Doubts,  chat  lay  opprefs'd  with  other  Cares, 
Begin  to  raife  their  Head,'  and  bring  new  Fears. 

1190  We  doubt :  What  are  there  Gods,  that  rule  above, 
At  whdfe  Dired:ion  the  bright  Stars  do  niove  ? 
For  Ignorance  in  Caufes  troubles  Man  ^' 
And  hence  we  doubt,  if  e*er  the  World  began. 
If  e  er  fhali  end  :  how  long  the  Orbs  fliall  roul ; 
^'i95  Haw  long-  the  Stars  run  tound  their  fteady  Pole  ; 
Or  if,  prefer  v'd  by  Gods,  can  ft  and  the  Rage, 
And  pow'rful Envy  of  devouring  Age. 

What  Mind's  unfliaken,  and  what  Soul  not  aw'd. 
And  who  not  thinks  tbe  angry  Gods  abroad,      (hurJ'd 

1^00  Whofe  Limbs  not  flirinlc,  when  dreadful  Thunder, 
From  broken  Clouds,  fliakes  the  affrighted  World  ? 
What,  do  not  Cities,  do  not  Nations  fear. 
And  think  their  difmal  Dissolution  near.> 
Why,  do  not  Tyrants  then,  and  mighty  Lords, 

1305  Recall  their  wicked  Deeds,  and  boafting  Words, 

And 

NOTES. 


1298.  What  Mind,  &c.]  In 
thefe  28.  V.  he  fays,  That  Fear  is 
another  Caufe  of  Religion  :  For 
]Vlen,  being  frighted  at  Tem- 
pefts.  Earthquakes,  &c.  againft 
which  they  cMvl^  not  ftruggle 
with  any  ftrength,  nor  avoid 
'them  by  any  Art  or  Induftry  of 
their  own,  impIor*d  the  Aid 
and  Afliftance  of  invifible  Pow- 
ers :  This  was  the  Beginning  of 
Prayers  and-  yows ;  and  thus 

Primes   in  o^be  Decs  fecit  Ti- 
mor. 

put  what  do  Vg^vs  avail  ?  The 
Wind  ftiil  rages  on  relentlefs  : 
the  unpitying^Gods   are   as  deaf 


ind  unmov'd  as  the  Temped  i 
and  Chance  alone direift sand  go- 
verns all  Things. 

1304.  Why  do  not  Tyrants, 
Scc.2  Thus  Shakefpear  in  tbq 
Tragedy  of  King  Lear,  del^riir 
bing  a  Tempeit, 


— -— -Mao?s  Nature  canno^ 

carry 
Th'  Affliction,  and  not  fear.  Le| 

the  great  Gods, 
Who  keep  this  dreadful  Pothqg 

a'er  our  Heads, 
Find    out    their    Enemies  now, 

Tremble,  thou  Wretch, 
Thar  haft  within  thee  un^ivul-' 
'gedCrinies, 


4>  4  d  4  2 


m- 


572 


LUCRE  TIU  S. 


Book  V. 


And,  fear,  that  now.  Revenge  is  furelyeome  ? 
Do  they  not  tremble  .at  approaching  jP(X)pi  ? 

Befides,  when  Winds  grow  high,  when  Storms  in- 
And  fcatter  warlike  Navies  thro*  the  Seas s;;,  .  (creare, 
1310  When  Men,  for  Battel  arm'd,  muft  no^  engage 
A  ftronger  Foe,  and  fight  the  Waters  Rage; 
Does  not  the  trembling-GEN'RAL  prqftrate  fall. 
And  beg  a  Calm  0'  th'  Gods,  or  profp'rpns  Gale  ? 
In  vain :  the  Storms  drive  on ;  no  Off'rxng  faves  t 
1 5 1  5  All,  fhipwreck'd,  drink  cold  Death  anjqng  the  Waves  : 
And  hence  we  fanfy  unseen  Pow'rs  in^  J,bings         p 
Whofe  Force  and  Will  fuch  ftrange  Confuijon  brings,  > 
And  fpurns,  and  overthrows  our  greateft  Kings.        3 
Befides;  when  Earthquakes  fliakc' this  mighty 
1320  And^tottring.  Cities  fall,  or  feem  to  fallj  ;  (Ball, 

What  then  if  Men,,  defp/icelefs  Men,  defpife  p 

Theiir  own  weak  felves,  and  look  with  anxious  Eyes  > 
For  prefefnt  Hedp,  and  Pit  y  from  the  Skies?  ?  3 

What  Wonder,  if  they  .think  fonie  Pow'rs:  controul, 
1325  And  Gods,  with  mighty  Force,  dp  rule, the- whole  ? 
But  farther  :  powrful  Gold  firft  rais'd  his  Head, 
And  Brass,  and  Jji/A^eRi  and  ignoble  Lead, 

i   .yj'ib  ■<.-..  When 

N  d  T  E  S. 


tinwhipt  ofjuflrice  r.    Hide  thee, 

thou  bloody  Hand  ;    *■:    ;     ";, 
Thou,Perjiir'd  ;  and  Thou,  fimi- 

lar  of  Virtue, 
That  art  inceftuous  :  Caitiff,  to 

pieces  iliake,  ; 

That  under  Covert,   anid  conye-! 

nient  Seeming,  j 

Haft  pracftis'd  on  Man's  Life  : 

Clofe  pent-up  Gui it,        .. 
Hive  your  concealing  Continents, 

and  cry 
Thefe      dreadful      Summoners 

Grace. 

132^.  But  farther,  ^c]  In 
thefe  3§.  v.  he  teaches  how  Me- 
tals came  firft  to  be  difcovered, 
what  ufe  they  put  them  to,  and 
the  value  they  fet  upon  themi  Ha 
afcribes  the  iirft  Difcovery  to  the 
burning  down  of  the  Woods :  No 
matter  how,  nor  why  they  were 
fet  a  fire  :  but  the  Heat  of  the 


Flames  melted  the  Metals  that 
.wiere  difperfed  here  and  there  in 
the  Veins  of  the  Earth,  and  made 
them  flow  into  one  Mafs  :  Now 
\vhen  Men  firlt  happen'd  to  fee 
that  glittering  Body,  they  were 
furpriz'd  at  its  Splendour,  and 
this  it  was  that  invited  them  to 
handle  it,  and  try  what  it  was 
good  for  ;  And  taking  notice,that 
the  Figure  of  each  Lump  of  it 
'refembled,and  bore  a  Proportion 
with,  the  figure  of  the  Hole  or 
hollow  Place  out,  of  which  they 
had  talcen  it,  they  concluded, 
that  by  meking  thofe  Metals 
again,  they  might  bring  them  in- 
to what  Form  they  pleas'd  ;  and 
that  they  might  be  made  fo  thiri, 
as  to  receive  an  Edge,  and  be 
Jliarpen'd  :  Thus  they  began  to 
make  Inftrumentsof  eachlortof 
Mietal  ;  and  with  them  fell  to 
cutting  down  the  Vv  oodsj  cleav'd 

the 


Book  V.  aL^  V  CR^EjrjUS,  ^7j 

I,  When  (hady  Woods,  on  lofty  Mountains  grown, 
^    jpelc  fcofChing Fires ;  whetberfrpin  Thunder  thrown, 
1330  Or  elfe  by  Man's  Defign  the  Flames  arofe. 

Who  burnt  the  neighb'ring  Woods  to  fright  their  Foes: 
Or  elfe,  delighted  all  with  fruitful  Grounds, 
They  fought  moreMEADows,and  enlarg'd  their  Boundsj 
Or,  greedy  to  increafe  their  ftore  of  Food, 
J 33 5. And  take  theBeafts,  they  fir'd  the  fheit'ring  W^od: 

r     For 
MO  T  E  S. 

nils,  firft  dircover'a':ri9l(fl^'^^& 
that  too  in  Panchaia.  Sec  Plin. 
lib.  7.  cap;  5<$»  and  PoLydbre  Vir- 
gil, Ubi  2.  de  Ket.  Invent,  capo 
^9^  MorepYer,  among  th^  other 
Metals Xucretias  mentions  Iron, 
th^o'  our  Tranflatoiir  We's  iibt. 
The  Authour  of  the'Da^enfary 
defcribes  thefe  Mines  of  Metals 
in  the  Earth,  in  Lines  worth 
tranfcribing : 

Now  thofe  profounder  Regions 

they  explore. 
Where  Metals  ripen  in  vaft  Cakes 

of  Ore  :  if  iHi  j;  '?^ 

Here,  fallen  to  the  Sight,  at  large 

is  fpread  .ov 

The  dull  unwieldyMafs  of  lump- 

iHi  Lead  :  •      :,; 

There,  glimm'ring  in  their  dawn- 
ing Beds,  are  fQen  :', 
The    more    ^fpiring     Seeds  .of 

fprightly  Tin.  , /,V 

The    Copper  S parkier  next    ia 

ruddy  Streaks, 
And  in  the  Gloom  betrays.,  i;s 

glowing  Cheeks  :  .. 

The  Silver  then,  with  bright  and 

burniih'd  Grace, 
Youth,  and  a  blooming  Luftre 

in  its  Face,  •  .'      , 

To  th'  Arms  of  thofe  more  yield- 
ing Metals  flies,  \'^^ 
And  in  the  Folds  of  their,  .IfJ^" 

braces  lies  :  '  ,  ■ 

So  clofe  they  cling,  fo  ilu.bbpTnly 

retire, 
Their  Love's  more  vi'Ifint  thaa 

the  Chymifts  fire.  - 


/  ......  .w  .    . 

fhe  Timber  ;  made  Beams,  Sec. 
Now    becaufe    the   Inftruments 
and  Tools  they:  had. -made    of 
Gj^d^nd  of  Silver,  as  being  fof- 
teir  Metals,  were  more  fubjedl  to 
blunt  than  the  others ;  thofe  firft 
Men  fet  a    gif^ater  value    upon 
Brafs^  becaufef  it   was;  the  more 
iri^ful  Metal.     Whence  the  Poet 
takes  occafion  to  fay.  That  thofe 
wretched  Mifers  who  fit   brood- 
ing over  their  unprofitable  Gold 
and  Silver,    and  contemn  Brafs 
artdlron,  thofe  more  ufeful  Me- 
tals, acft  CQntrary  to  the  Di^ftates 
of  Nature,  who  teaches  to  fet  va- 
lue on  Things  according  to  the 
Utility  and  Llfefulnefs  of  them. 
,^  GoldQ    Cadmus,  the  Phoenici- 
an, is,  by  fome,  faid  to  have  been 
the  firft,  who  difcover'd  Gold  : 
Others    fay,    that    Thoas    firft 
fQUn.d   it,    and  that  too  in    the 
Mountain   Pang^eus  in  Thrace, 
•now  call'd   Malaca,    and   Cafta- 
giia  :  The  Chronicon  Alexandri- 
num  afcribes  it  to  Mercury,  the 
Son  of  Jupiter,  or  to  Picus,  King 
of  Italy  j  who,  quitting  his  own 
Country,  went  into  Egypt,where, 
after  the  Death  of  Mifraim,  the 
Spn  of  Cham,  he  was  eletfted  to 
fucceed  him  in  the  Royal  Digni- 
ty, and  was,  for  the  Invention  of 
Gold,  caird  0£Oi-  x?t^'<'"'(^>     the 
golden  God.  jtfchilus  attributes 
the  Invention   of   this  and    all 
other    Metals    to   Prometheus  : 
And  there  are  others  who  write, 
that  either  ^aclis,   whom  Hy£;i- 
nus  calls  Cjeacus,  the  Son  of  jV 
picer,  or  Sol,  the  Son  of  Ocea- 


f33i.  Who  burnt. 


dec.']  Here 
ws 


L  V  C  R  E  T  I  t7  S. 


Book  V 


FdMhus  Men  hunted,  whilft  no  Nets  Were  found, 
Ndr  FOktesTS  trembled  at  the  barking  Hound  : 
Whatever  'twas  that  gave  thefe  Ft AMfis  their  Bi^ch, 
Which  burnt  the  to w'ring  Trees,  and   fcorch'd  th 
Earth, 

¥340  Hot  Streams  of  SIlVer,  Gold,  and  Lead,  and^ 
As  Nature  gaVe  a  hollow  prober  Place,  ('Brass,  ^ 
Defcended  dowh,  and  form'd  a<jiiT¥T'RiNG  Mass.  j 
This  when  unhappy  Mortals  chanc'd  ro  fpy,  p 

And  the  gay  Colour  pleas'd  their  childifti  Eye  j      S 

J 545  They  dug  the  certain  Cause  of  Misery.  Jj 

And  then  obferving,  that  it  (hew'd  the  Frame, 
And  Figure  of  the  Hollow  whence  it  came  ; 
They  thought,  thefe,  meired,  would  with  Eafe  recp}ye 
Whatever  Shapes  the  Artist  pleas*d  to  give  :  , :  .. 

jj 3 50  Or  drawn  to  Breadth,  or  take  the keeneit  Edge ; 
And  fb  the  Hooil  beifram'd,  Qr  fubtle  Wedge, 


o 


N  t)  r  E  s. 


we  may  obferve>  that  Men  wag'd 
Warfitft  of  all  with  Fire,  hav- 
ing, before  the  Inventitm  of  Iron, 
Brafs,  or  Arms,  with  which  they 
fought  afterwards,  difcover'd  the 
^eftrui^iv'e  Force  of  that  Ele- 
ment. 

1340.  Hot  Screams,  &:c.]  Ari- 

ilotle  in  his  Treatife  ^a^^s^c  Gcty- 
•^ctV.  a)i«r.  fays,  that  feme  Shep- 
herds in  Spain,  having  fee  Fire  to 
certain  Woods,  and  heated  the 
Subftance  of  the  Earth,  the  Sil- 
ver, that  was  in  the  Boweis  of  it, 
2nelted,and  jflow'd  together  into  a 
Heap  :  ^d  that  a  little  while  af- 
terwards there  happeh'd  anBarth- 
quake,  which  cleav'd  the  Earth, 
and  difclos*d  a  vaft  Qiiaritity  of 
Sliver,  thdt  had  flow'd  together 
by  that  means.  Thrs'too is  eon- 
■firm'd  by  Strabo,  lib.  3.  vVhere 
he  fays,  that  the  Mines  in  Artda- 
liifia  were  difcovered  by  this  Ac- 
cident. So  too  Athen^Us  lib  (5. 
c.  4.  But  of  the  firft  Dilcoverers 
of  Metals,  confult  the  Aurh6urj> 
mention 'd,  v.  1336.  and  Georg. 
\%tik)l.  lib.  I.  -de 'Metal.     '  '-     '• 


1345,  They  dug,  SccJ 
Ovid.  Met.  I.  v,  138. 


Thfti 


ttum  ell;  in  vifcera  ter- 


rx. 


Qjiafc^ue  recondiderat,  Stygiif^yc 

adn'ioverat  utiibris,  'T, 

Effodiuntur    opes,     irritartic'ijfe 

malorum.  ^ 

Janique  nocens  ferrum,  ferrd^ue 

nocentius  aurum 
Prodierat,  prodit  bellum,    qutiS 

pugnat  utroque. 

Thus  Englifli'd  by  Dryden, 

Then  greedy  Mortah, '  rumni|- 

ging  her  Store,  '  ,;'* 

Dug  from, her  Entrails  'firil  thie 

precious  Ore, 
(Whicli  next  to. Hell  the  pruderifc 

Gods  had  laid) 
And  that  alluring   111  to  Si^fit 

difplay'd: 
Then  ctirfe^  Sttrel,  and  mote'K^r' 

curftd'Gold,  "''!_ 

Gave  Mifchief  Birth,  and  nj^aW; 

thafMffcliief  bold>  "'/' 

And 


Rook  V.  L  V  C  R  E  T  I  U  S.  y^^ 

Or  other  iNSTigiuMENTS,  all  apt,  and  good 

To  CUT,  or  CLEAVE,  OT  SCRAPE,  Or  JIOLLOW  Wood  S 

But  Gold  tbey  try'd  in  vain ;  the  Metal  brojce, 

1 35 5  Or  the  fofc  Ed^e  was  turn'd  at  ev  ry  Stroke  : 
This  they  contemn*d,  the  blunted  Gold  delpis'd. 
And  feeble  Silver  •;  Brass  alone  was  pri^'d, 

.        But  now  the  feeble,  and  the  ufelefs  Ore 

Gets  all  the  Honour  :  Brass  is  priz'd  no  more?, 

1360  Thus  Time  does  change  the  Dignity  of  Things : 
For  forne  he  bears  away  with  fwifteft  Wings, 
And  hurls  into  Contempt ;  brings  others  fortb. 
And  gets  them  new,  and  ftill  preferves  their  Wprth^ 
WhiUt  Cruelty  was  not  improved  by  Art, 

1 365  And  Rag«  not  furnifti'd  yet  with  Sword  nor  Dart  ; 
With  Fists,  or  Boughs,   or  Stonbs  the  Warriours 
Thefe  were  the  only  Weapons  Nature  taught :  (fought; 

But 

N  O  TBS. 


And  double  De.ith  did  wretched 
Man  invade,  , 

By  Steel  aflfaulted,  and  by  Goldj 
betray'd. 

Milton,  in  the  firft  Book  of  Pa 

radife  loft/peaking  of  Mammon:, 

— — By  him  firft 

Men  alfo,  andjb.yhis  Suggeftion 

taught, 
RanCick'd  the  Gen.tre,  and  with' 

impious  I^ands, 
Kifled  the  JSoWels  of  their  Mo- 
ther Earth; 
For  Trcafures  better  hid. 

1559.  Gets  all  the  Honour  :]; 
The  Authour  of  the  Difpenfary 
fays  to  the  fame  Purpofe, 

Gold  makes  a  Patricj^n   of  a 

Slave  ; 
A  Dwarf,  an  Atlas  •,  a  Xherfites, 

brave  : 
It  cancels  ail  Def>;cis.--i 

j  And     Dry  den     in      Antvphitryo 
mdces  Jupiter  fay, 


-When  I  made 


This  Gold,  I  made  a  greater  God 

than  Jove,  , 

And  gave  my  own  Omnipotence 

away. 


13^0.  Thus  Time,  &C.3    To 
the  fame  purpofe,  Dryden 

Thus  ey*ry  Moment  alters  what 

is  done. 
And    innovates  fo  suSi  till  then 

unknown : 

For  former  Things 

Are  fet  afidejlike  abdicated  Kings. 

i3<^4..  Whilft,  &c.]  Since  it  is 
reafonable  to  fuppol'e,  that  the 
veins  of  Iron,  as  well  as  of  Braft 
Silver,  Lead,  &cc.  were  melted 
by  the  Heat  of  thole  burning 
Forefts,  how  comes  it  to  pafs, 
that  the Antients  fcarce  make  any 
mention  of  IroHj  but  qfcen  of 
Brafs  ?  Becaufe,  fays  he,  in. thefe 
1(5.  v.  Brafs  was  a  more  eafy 
Metal  to  work  ;  and  there  was 
greater  plenty  of  it:  Thereforethe 
■Weapons  and  Tools  of  Husban- 
dry, that  were  firft  us'd,  were 
made  of  Brafs  :  ^t  length,  Iron 
c^ame  in  Play  :  a  fitter  Metal  to 
plough  and  till  the  jGbubborA  and 
harden'd  Earth  ;  and  more  pro- 
per forche  daily  increafing  rough- 
nefs  and  cruelty  of  Man. 

1-^66.  With  Fifts,  &c.]  For  as 
Cowley  fays,  David,  5, 


576 


L  U  C  Ft  ETIU  S, 


Book  V 

But  when  I? lames  burnt  the  Tr^es,  and  fcorch'd  thi 
•Then  Brass  appear 'dyand  Iron  fit  to  wound.  (Ground 
1570'BRASsfirft  was  us'd,  becaufe  the  fofter  Ore, 

And  Earth's  cold  Veins  contained  a  greater  Store  : 
vThus  Brass  did  plough,  and  braren  Trumpets  found 
Their  Weapons  Br  ASSj  and  Brass  gave  ev'ry  Wound : 
Thus  arm'd,  they,  ftrait  invade  their  Neighbours  Field 
IB75  And  take  his  Beafts :  to  arm'd  the  naked  yield : 
'  At  i'aft>  they,  melting  down  the  rigid  Mafs, 
Made  Iron  Swords,  and  then  defpis'd  the  Brass, 
They  then  began  to  plough  with  Iron  Shares, 
And  Iron  Weapons  only  ferv*d  in  Wars. 
J 380      Thus  Men  firft  learnd  to  ride  a  single  Horse  ; 
:  t?  And  Avhilft  their  fleady  Leet  Hands  rul'd  the  Courfe 

.0   .....  ..   ..:,,..  .  Thei: 

NO  T  E  S. 
Thefe  were  the  firft   rude   ArtslOjcVa*    ^* ,     Inh    yb  cv  Ihd 


that  Malice  try'd. 
Ere  Man  the  Sins  of  tod  much 

Knowledge  knew, 
And  Deaths  by  long  Experience, 

witty  ^rew. 


1^70.  Brafs  firft,  &C.3 
Faft.  lib.  4. 


Ovid 


iEs  crat  in  pretio,  Chalybs  jam 

mafTa  placebat :  ^ 

Eheu !  perpetuo  debuit  ilia  tegi 


■  tt/Wp'  'EAfeVW,  ... 

'  'EMKOUcaVy  &C. 


1380.  Thus  Men^&c.]  Having 
made  mention  oif  Wars  in  tn^ 
preceding  Verfe,  he  takes  occa- 
iion  to  explain  in  4.8.  v.  thof^i 
favage,  which  we  call  warlike, 
^    ^  _      Arts  of  the  firft  Men,  who  im- 

jprov'd  in  Cruelty,  and  grew  dai- 
i372.Thus  Brafs,  A'c]  Hefiod.    ]y  more  and  more  ingenious  to 


*'£p>a)V,  K,  ^U/J-i^coVy  lib.  i.  v.  149. 
fpeaking  of  the  Brazen  Age  : 

X*A)C«<r  eif7ctC&vio,^£A(Xird    ax 

And  Euftathius  on  Iliad  i.  v. 
23^.  x^^^°^  "^  ^  cr/J"M^ov  Xiyei  2i^ 
TT  <m<LKcu  xr'^o-'v  'viyjL-KvM^  dec. 
to  which  I  add  this  of  Athenaeus, 
lib.  6,  cap.  4-  'I?of«  ta  oJtcc    k^ 

Tu^ncov  •  &%*  •;(j3L^Y,£y  ovtcov  r'<Sv 


ly  more  and  more  ingenious  to 
deftroy.    At  firft  they  fought  on 
Horfeback^and  a  Horfe  is  a  tame 
and  gentle  Animal  1  then  they 
join'd  two  Horfes  to  a  Chariot, 
then  four,  and  arm'd  their  Cha- 
riots with  Iron  Bills  and  Scythes. 
Afcer    this     wild    Beafts    were 
brought  to  the  Wars,  Elephants 
by  the  Africans,  Lions  by  the 
Parthians,  then  Bulls,  Boars,  &c. 
But  Lucretius  himfelf  does  not 
believe  all  this :  only  having  met 
with    thefe  Relations  in    fome 
Hiftories,    he    mentions     them, 
and  mingles  Truths  with  Falfi- 
ties.    And  yet,  fays  he.  they  are 
not  altogether  incredible  :    for 
what  has  not  witty    Rage  and 
Cruelty     invented  ?  And    what 
kmd  of  Affiftance  and  Relief  will 

Men 


^,ook  V.  LUCRETIUS,  5-77 

Their  ftronger  RIGHT  Hands  fought  .-before  they  knew. 
Or  brought  to  Wars,  a  Chariot  drawn  by  two : 

Then 
NOTES, 


Men  not  embrace  and  ref ufe,  who 
labour    under    Opprellion,    and 

Defpair  l  r-,  ^     , 

To  ride  a  tingle  Horie]  Sopho- 
cles aicribes  the  firft  Invention 
of  the  Bridle,  and  of  nding  on 
Horfeback  to  Neptune  :  Lyfias 
the  Orator,  to  tlie  Amazons  : 
aitd  others,  toothers:  But  Vir- 
gil abfolutely  to  the  Lapithae, 
a  People  of  Theffalia,  that  in- 
habited the  Mountains,  Pindus 
and  Othrys,  and  were  next  Neigh- 
bours to  the  Centaurs  ;  Georg. 
1.  V.  115. 

Froena  Pelethronij  Lapithae,  gy~ 

rofque  dedere, 
Impolici  dorfo  :  atque   equitem 

docuere  fubarmis 
Tnfultare  folo,     &c  greflfus  glo- 

merare  fuperbos. 

Thus  rendered  by  Dryden  ; 

The  Lapithaj  add  the 

State 
Of  Bits  and  Bridles;  taught  the 

Steed  to  bound ; 
To  run  the  Ring,  and  trace  the 

mazy  Ground  : 
To  ft  op,  to  fly,   the  Rules  of 

War  to  know ; 
T'  obey  the  Rider,  and  to  dasre 

the  Foe. 

1353.  A  Chariot,  &c.]  The 
iirjEt  Invention  of  Chariots  is 
by  ^fchylus  afcrib'd  to  Pro- 
metheus, by  Cicero  to  Minerva, 
by  the  Trezenians  to  Hippolytus 
and  by  Virgil  to  Ericthonms ; 

Primus   Ericfthonius    currus    & 

quatuor  aufus 
Jimgere  equos,   rapid ifque  rotis 

infiftere  vicftor. 

Georg,  3.  Y.  113. 


Bold  Eridhonius  was  the  firft 

that  join'd 
Four  Horfes,  for  the  rapid  Race 

defign'd. 
And  o'er  the  dufty  Wheels  pre- 

fiding  fate.  Dryd. 

But  whether  the  Poet  means  that 
Eridhonius,  who  was    King  of 
the  Athenians,  the  Son  of  Vul- 
can and  Teilus,  who  is  faid  to 
have  been  Snake-footed,  Angui- 
pes,  and,  to  conceal  that  Defor- 
mity, to  have   firit  invented  a 
Chariot ;  or  that  other  Eridho- 
nius,  the  Phrygian,  who  was  the 
Son  of  Dardanus,  Grandfon  of 
Jupiter,  and  one  of  the  Ancef- 
tours    of  ^neas,   is   uncertain.. 
Pliny  fays  the    Phrygians  firfb 
drove  a  Chariot  with  two  Horfes, 
and  Eridhonius  one  with  four  : 
Bigas  primum  junxit  Phryguni 
Natio,    quadrigas    Ericfthonius. 
Nat.  Hift.  lib.  7.  cap.  ^6,    Eufe- 
bius    in    Chronic,  makes  Tro- 
chilus  the  Argive,  who  was  Son 
ofCallithea,  the  Prieftefs  of  Ju- 
no, to  be  the  firft   Inventour  of 
Chariots,  and  with  him   agrees 
TertuJlian  de  Spedac.    Hovvever 
he  is  erroneoufly  call'd  Orfilochus 
by  Hyginus,  who  neverthelefs  is 
foilow'd  in  his  Errour  by  Corip- 
pus  in  Panegyr.  i.  as  we  find  by 
thefe  Verfes,  which  Scaliger  crt 
Eufebius  cites : 

Orfi  loch  urn  referunt  primas  Jun- 
jliSq  quadrigas, 

Et  currus  armaiTe  novos,  Pelo- 
pem.que  fecundum 

In  foceri  venifle  necem.- , 

But  Dempfter,  in  his  Edition  of 
Corippus,  inftead  of  Orfilochum 
reads  Cecropidem,  by  which  he 
means  Ericfthonius,  who  was  the 
£  e  e  e  fourth 


578  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

Then  four  were  join'd,  and  then  the  arme0  Cars, 
1385  And  caftied  Elephants  were  brought  to  Wars  j 


The 


NO  r  E  s. 


fourth  King  of  Athens  ffom 
Cecrops,  who  founded  that  Ci- 
ty :  Others  again  will  have  it  to 
have  been  OEnomauSj  the  King 
cjf  Elis :  But  Theon,  the  Scho- 
liaft  of  Aratus  fays  plainly,  that 
the  Conftellation  of  Heniochus, 
which  the  Latines  call'd  Auriga, 
the  Charioteer,  is,  ei^co^or  h  Bsa- 

prefentation  either  of  Bellero- 
phon  or  of  Trochilus,  thefirft  In- 
Ventour  of  the  Quadriga.  More- 
over, as  to  the  manner  of  join- 
ing thefe  four  Horfes  in  a  Cha- 
fiot,  the  Antients,  as  they  dif- 
fer'd  from  us,  fo  they  differ'd 
among  themfelves  likewife  :  For 
fome  Chariots  had  two  Poles, 
one  between  each  pair  of  Horfes  ; 
for  the  Horfes  went  jequatA  froa- 
te,  all  a-breaft  :  fo  that  all  the 
Horfes  were  t,vyioi,  i.  e.  jugalcs,  1 
yok'd  and  harnefs'd  to  the  Poles :  1 
Afterwards  CIythenes,the  Sycio- 
hian,  chang'd  that  manner,  and 
made  Chariots  with  one  Poleon- 
Iy;fo  that  the  two  middle  Horfes 
only  were  jugales ;  the  other  two 
that  were  outmoft  to  the  right 
and  left,  had  only  Reins,  and 
the  other  neceflary  Harnefs  and 
Traces,  and  were  therefore  call'd 
trei^^ofoi,  i.  e,  funales  ;  and 
thefe  were  more  at  liberty  than 
thofe  caird  Jugales.  Of  the  fu- 
nales, Suetonius,  in  the  Life  of 
Tiberius,  gives  us  a  remarkable 
Example  in  thefe  Vv^ords,  Tibe- 
rius, pubefcens  Acftiaco  Trium- 
ph©, currum  Augufti  comitatus 
eH  iinillreriore  funali  cquo,  cum 
Marcellus,  0<ftavia:  filius,  dex- 
teriore  veheretur  :  Which  Paf- 
fage  of  that  Hiftorian  Alexander 
ab  AleXvindro  undertakes  to  ex- 
plain, but  is  miftaken  in  it  ;  for 
he  fays,  that  the  equi  funales  are 
fo  call 'da  funalibusj  i,  e.  a  faci- 


bus  triumphalibus,  &:c.  from  the 
triumphal  Torches,  which  their 
Riders  carry'd  in  their  Hands  : 
But  of  this  fee  Salmaiius  in  his 
Plinian  Exercitations,  Tom.  2. 
pag.  899.  where  he  treats  of  thefe 
Matters  at  large.  The  feveral 
Figures  of  the  Currus  quadriju- 
ges  may  be  feen  in  the  Confular 
and  Imperial  Coins,  which  we 
find  reprefented  in  Urfinus,  Go- 
lizius,  and  in  Panvinius  de  Lu- 
dis  Circeniibus  :  but  above  all 
fee  Schefferus,  who  not  long  ago 
publillied  a  Treatife  upon  this 
Subje(ft,intituled  de  re  vehiculari 
Veterum.  Tertullian  in  his  Book 
de  Spedaculis, acquaints  us.  That 
Romulus  was  the  iirft,  who 
brought  the  Qu ad  riga50r  Chariot 
with  four  Horfes.in  ufe  among  the 
Romans :  Pliny  makes  mention 
of  Currus  fejuges ,  Chariots 
drawn  by  fix  Horfes,  and  fays, 
that  the  firft  of  them  among  the 
Romans  was  in  the  time  of  Au- 
guftus,  to  whom  the  Senate  de- 
creed a  Chariot  with  fix  Horfes, 
as  a  triumphal  Honour,  of  which 
neverthelefs  the  Modefty  of  that 
Prince  would  not  permit  him  to 
accept. 

1384.  The  armed  Cars,]  Of 
them,  fee  Book  HI.  v.  <^i5. 

1385.  Caftled  Elephants]  Be- 
caufe  they  carry'd  Towers  on 
their  Backs.  Lucretius  call  them 
Lucas  Boves ;  and  Faber  fays, 
that  Lucas  is  there  put  for  Lu- 
canas,  as  we  find  Campas  for 
Campanas  in  Plautus  :  Then  he 
adds,  that  Elephants  were  fo 
call'd,  becaufe  the  firft  time  the 
Romans  had  i&en  any,  was  in 
the  War  againft  Pyrrhus,  and  at 
Lucanus,  now  call'd  Lugano,  a 
Town  in  the  Milaneze,  Pliny, 
lib.  8.  cap.  6.  Elephantas  Italia 
primum  vidit  Pyrrhi  Regis  hel- 
lo, &  boves  Lucas  appejUvit  m 

Lu- 


a"- 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  5-79 

The  Moors  firft  taught  them  to  endure  the  Blows 

And  break  the  Ranks,  and  Order  of  the  Foes. 

Thus  Rage  invented  ftill  new  Arms  for  Fight ; 

New  dreadful  Weapons  ftill,  and  fit  to  fright : 
1390  Some  train'd  the  furious  Bull,  and  fome  the  Boar  : 

Before  the  P^ rt h i ^ k  Ranks  did  Lions  roar, 
\i        With  armed  Guides  fent  out  to  fcour  the  Plain, 

And  fright  their  Foes  :  but  thefe  Defigns  were  vain  : 

Becaufe,  when  hot  in  fight,  they  fiercely  fall 
1395  On  either  fide,  and,  common  Foes  to  all, 

Con^ 
NOTES. 


Lucanis      vifas  ,     anno     urbis 
CCCCLXXII.    This  confirms 
the  Opinion  of  Faber  :  ButVarro, 
lib.  6.  de  Lingui  Latina,  has  this 
PafTage  :  Luca  bos  Elephas,   cur 
ita  fit  dida  duobus  modis  inve- 
nio  fcriptum  :  Nam  in  C.  JEAii 
Commentario  a  Lybicis  Lucas, 
Sc  in  Virginii   Commentario  a 
Lucanis  Lucas,  ab  eo  quod  no- 
ilri     maximam    quadrupedem  , 
quam  ipfi  habebantjvocarenc  bo- 
vem  'j     6c    in    Lucanis    Pyrrhi 
beJio    primum    vidiflent     apud 
hoftes   filephantes,    id  efb,  qua- 
drupedes    cqrnutas,    (nam    qu«! 
dentes  multi  dicunt  funt  cornua) ' 
Lucam  bovemappeJlaire:  Ego  ar-j 
bitror  potius  Lucas  a  luce,  quod! 
longe  relucebant ;  propter  inau- 
ratos    regios  clypeos  quibus  eo- 
rum  turn    ornat  a:  erant   turres. 
But  this  reafon  of  Varro's  feems 
but     weak:      And    it     is  cer- 
tain, that  P)  rrhus  firft  made  ufe 
of  them  in   Lucania,  and  after- 
wards Hannibal  in  Africa,againft 
the  Romans.  Lucretius  calls  them 
i|ikewife    Anguimanos  ,     Snake- 
handed  !  for  the  Probofcis  of  the 
Elephant  is  call'd  a  Hand,  in  Ci- 
Cero  2.  de  Natura  Deorum  :  but 
that  Hand  is,  like  a  Serpent,  vo- 
luble and  pliable.    Milton, 

■  Th'  unwieldy  Elephant, 
To  make  them  Mirth,  us'd  all 

his  Might,  and  wreathed 
His  licl^e  P^obofcis, — » 


13S6.  The  Moors]  The  Afri- 
cans, but  more  paiticularly  tha 
Carthaginians,  who,  as  I  faid 
before,  under  their  Leader  Han- 
nibai,fought  againlt  the  Romans. 

1390.  Some  train'd,  <&:c.]  Here 
I  the  Poet  teaches,  that  in  their 
I  Wars,  they  likewife  made  ufe  of 
pulls,  Boars,  and  Lions,  to  help 

I  them  to  fight  their  Battels,  but 
I  that  thefe  untradiable  Beafts  often 
'did  them  more  hurt  than  good  ; 
for  when  the  Armies  were  en- 
gag'd  in  heat  of  Adion,  thefe 
lavage  Animals  rag'd  not  on  the 
Enemy  alone,  but  turn'd  back 
upon  their  own  MafterSjand,  tear^ 
ing  th?m  to  pieces,  put  all  into 
diforder.  See  the  Note  on  Boole 
in.  V.  (5i4, 

1 39 1.  The  Parthian  Ranks] 
The  Parchians  were  a  People  of 
Afia,  who  long  en  joy 'd  the  Em- 
pire of  the  Eaft.  The  Countrey 
they  inhabited  was  calPd  Par- 
thia,  and  lay  between  Media  to 
the  Weft,  and  Afia  to  the  Eaft  ; 
and  between  Perfia  to  the  South, 
and  Hyrcania  to  the  North  j 
It  was  call'd  Parthia,  fays  Sre- 
phanus,  from  thefe  People,  who 
were  origmally  Scythians,  and 
fied  ouc  of  Scythia  to  the  Medes, 
who  call'd  all  Fugitives  Parthi, 
and  Parchya;i ,  and  thus  the 
Countrey,  where  they  fettled, 
was  from  them  call'd  Parthia, 
It  has  now  feveral  Names.  Mer- 
cator  cajls  it  Arach  :  Alphonfus. 

E  e  e  e  2  Ha^JAi 


^8.o  LUCRETIUS,  Book  V. 

Confus'dly  Enemies,  or  Friends  engage, 
Shaking  their  dreadful  Heads,  and  fir'd  with  Rage  : 
The  Horses,  frighted  with  the  dreadful  Roar, 
Ran  o'er  the  Plain,  and  would  obey  no  more  : 

1400  The  Beasts  leap'd  ontheir  Friends,  and  tore  their  Face, 
Or  iiez'd  behind,  and  with  a  rude  Embrace, 
They  bore  their  wond'ring  frighted  Friends  to  Ground  j 
Whiift  Teeth,  and  cruel  Paws  did  doubly  wound. 
The  Bulls  grew  wild,  and  with  de(trud:ive  Force 

1405  They  tofs'd,  or  trod  the  Men,  or  gor  a  the  Horse  : 
Whole  Ranks  and  Troops  fell  by  the  furious  Boar  ; 
Their  Arms,  yet  whole,  blufh'd  vvith  their  Matters 
For  tho'  the  Horses  turn'd,  tho'  oft  did  rear,    (Gore.- 
And  ftand  a  loft,  and  paw'd  the  yielding  Air  : 

141  o  Yet  all  in  vain  they  ftrove  to  fhun  the  Wound, 

Their  Nerves  ail  cur,  they  ftruck  the  fliaking  Ground : 
Thus  what  feem'd  tame  at  home,  grew  wild  again. 
And  fierce,  when  fcouring  o'er  the  warlike  Plain  : 
Their  Rage  was  fir'd  byTuxMULT^WouNDS^  and  Noise,' 

1415  Refus'd  to  hear  their  former  Masters  Voice, 
But  fled,  much  mifchief  done,  as  furious  Bulls, 
When  the  weak  Ax  defcends,  nor  breaks  their  Skulls  ; 
They  ftart,  and  fright  the  Priest,  and,  bell'wing  loud. 
Run  frantick  round,  and  gore  the  pious  Crowd. 

1420  *Tis  fafer  far  to  fay  that  this  was  done 

In  fome  of  all  the  Worlds,  than  fix  on  one  : 


Yet 


NOTES. 


Hadrianus,  Jexdi ;  and  Niger, 
Coraflau  :  For,  confifting  of'di- 
vers  Provinces,  it  comes  likewifc 
to  have  fundry  Names.  The 
Parthians  were  remarkable  for 
their  Drunkennefs ,  and  From 
them  came  the  Proverb,  Parthi 
quo  plus  biberint,  eo  plus  fitiunt. 
The  more  the  Parthians  drink, 
the  more  they  are  adry  ;  nay,  to 
be  able  to  drink  a  great  deal  is 
efteem'd  honourable  among 
them  :  Their  Wine  was  made  of 
the  Fruit  of  the  Palm-tree,  and 
their  chief  Food  was  Grafshop- 
pers.  Tertujlian  fays,  they  are  To 
addi(f^ed  to  Venery,  that  they 
mix  promifcuouily  with  their 
own  Sifters  and  Mothers:  Theft 
is  with  them  unpuniili'd  :    They 


neither  bailt  Temples,  nor  ere6k-^ 
ed  Statues  to  the  Gods ;  bu^ 
worfliippsd  their  King  for  their 
Deity  :  However  they  offer'd  Sa- 
crifices in  the  Mountains  to  Ju- 
piter, and  to  Sol,  Luna  and  Tel- 
lus,  the  Sun,  Moon  and  Earth. 
They  held  Lying  to  be  the  molt 
heinous  of  all  Crimes. 

141 2.  Thus  what,  <3<rc.]  In  like 
manner  an  Engliili  Poet. 

As  Lionsj  tho'  they  once  v/ere 

tame. 
Yet  if  iliarp  Wounds  their  Rage 

inflame. 
Life    up  their   flormy    Voices, 

roar. 
And  rear  th^  Keepers  they  obey'd 

beforCo  Wal/h. 

1423. 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS. 

Yet  I  can  fcarce  believe  but  that  they  knew, 
Before  their  fad  Experience  prov'd  it   rue. 
The  Ills  of  thefe  :  but  that  the  weaker  Side 
I1425  The  various  Methods  of  Cokfusion  try'd. 
Not  hoping  to  fubdue,   but  bring  fierce  Woes 
And  Grief^  and  Pain  upon  the  Stronger  Foes. 


S8i 


But  more:  The  Garments,  by  theANTi£NTS  woi*n, 
Were  few  d  with  tender  Twigs,  or  pinn'd  vCith  Thorn, 
1430  Before  they  learnt  to  Weave:  the  Wheel,  the  &q,unpj 
Whilft  rigid  Iron  lay  within  the  Ground,       -   i--  f '  ■ 
Were  all  unknown  ;  thole  Things  did  firft  begin 
When  chat  appear'd  ;  and  Men  learn *d  firft  to  fpin  : 
Becaufe  the  Wits  of  Men  are  finer  far, 
[435  And  fitter  to  invent  than  Women's  are; 

Till  laugh'd  and  jeer'd  at  by  the  ruder  Swains,        '7 
They  taught  the  Women,  and  manur'd  the  Plains,^ 
And  hardened  all  their  Limbs  with  rougher  Pains.     3 
Nature  firft  taught  them  how  to  plant  and  sow? 
[440  For  they  obferv'd  that  falling  Seeds  did  grow: 

They 
NOTES, 


1428.  But  more,  &c.]  In  thefe 
:i.  v.he  tells  us,  That  in  regard 
\:o  the  more  civiliz'd  Arts,  their 
firft  Care  was  to  cloath  them- 
felves,  which  they  did  at  iirft 
vith  the  Skins  of  Beaftsj  tagg'd 
:ogether  with  Thorns,  nor  few'd, 
lor  were  the  Arts  of  Spinning,  or 
)f  Weaving  yet  difcover'd  :  Nor 
ndeed  was  it  pofllble  they  ihould 
3C  fo,  before  the  Ufe  of  Iron, 
V  ithout  which  the  Tools  for 
spinning  and  Weaving  coald  not 
DC  made  :  Nor  was  Spinning  firft 
riracfiis'd  by  Women  ,  but  by 
Men  ;  they  being  the  more  in- 
iuftrious  and  inventive  Sex : 
i:ill  at  length  the  fturdy  Peafants 
jreproach'd  thefe  male  Spinfters 
for  their  elfeminate  Lazinefs, 
langh'd  them  from  the  DiftaflF, 
and  brought  them  to  follow  the 
more  laborious  Occupations. 

All  Arts  are  generally  diftin- 
pifli'd  mto  two  Sorts :  I.  The 
illiberal  or  manual:  II.  The 
iiberal  or  ingenuous  :  Of  the  firft 
i'^rt  the  Number  is  almoft  with- 
out Number  ;  yec  both   Kinds. 


tho'  very  imperfecTtly,  are  re- 
duced each  to  a  feptenary  Divi- 
fion,  and  exprefs'd  in  the  follow- 
mg  Diftich  : 

Lingua,  Tropus,  Ratio,  Nume- 
rus,  Tonus,  Angulus,  Aftra  : 
Rus,    Nemus,    Arma,     Faber, 
Vulnera,  Lana,  Rates. 

The  firft  of  whichVerfcs  exprefs- 
es  the  Liberal  Sciences,"  viz. 
Grammar,  Rhetorick,  Logick^ 
Arithmetick,  Mufick,  Geometry, 
and  Aftronomy  :  The  fecond, 
the  Illiberal  *,  as  Agriculture, 
Hunting,  Arts  military  and  fa- 
brile,  Chirurgery,  Spinning  and 
Weaving,  and  Arts  Nautical  : 
Of  the  firft  Inventours  of  which, 
fee  Pliny,  Lib.  7.  cap.  5(^.  Poly- 
dore  Virgil,  and  Garzone  in  bis 
Piazza  Qniverfale  :  And  as  to 
the  different  Efteem  and  Pra- 
(ftice  of  thefe  Arts  among  the 
Greeks,  and  Romans,  you  may 
confult  Aldus  Manutius  in  Qua:- 
fit.  per  Epiftol.  lib  2.  cap.  ^. 
1439.  Nature,  &c.]     In  thefe 

I?.  V. 


582 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V. 


They  faw  them  fixt,  and  bound  to  fteady  Roots, 
Jhen  rife,  and  fpread,  and  promife  noble  Fruits : 


Ther 


NOTES, 


1  f .  Y.  the  Poet  teaches,  that  Na-  i 
ture    herfelf   taught    them    to 
plant '.    for   they    had  obferv'd 
that  the  Acorns,  Berries,  &c. 
that  dropt  off  the  Trees,    pro- 
duc'd  new  Shoots  ;  and  this  put 
them  upon  endeavouring  to  make 
them  do  the  like  :  Every  one  ac- 
cording to  his  Capacity  added 
fome  improvement  to  the   Cul- 
ture of  the  Fields  and  Gardens : 
And  thus  by  degrees  they  arriv'd 
io  the  perfection  in  which  we  now 
admire  tliem,  by  the   beautiful 
Order,  and  regular  Difpofition 
of  Greens,  Flowers,  and   Fruits. 
The  Antiquity  of  Agriculture 
can  not  certainly  be  concefted  by 
any  other  Art  ;  fince  the  three 
firft  Men  in  the  World,  were  a 
Gardiner,  a  Ploughman,  aiid  a 
Grazier  :  Tho'  this  be  an  unque- 
ftionable  Truth,  yet  the  Anti- 
ents  differ'd  in  Opinion  concern- 
ing the  iirft  Inventour  of  it  :  but 
this  variety  of  Opinions  might 
arife   from   the  feveral   Perfons 
that  firft  introduc'd  it  into  feve- 
ral Countreys :  Varro,  lib,  3.  de 
R.  R.  confelTes  it  to  be  the  ixioft 
antient  of  all  Arts ;  The  Egyp- 
tians faid,  it  was  firft  found  out 
by  Ofyris,  or  Maneros,  Jofephus 
attributes  it  to  Cain,  as  he  doss 
Pafturage  to  Abel.  Antiqu.  lib.  i. 
cap.  3.     The    Greeks   aicrib'd  it 
to  Ceres,  and  the  Italians  to  Sa- 
turn.     Pliny,  lib.    17.    cap.   9. 
fays,  that  King  Augeas  was  the 
iirft  who  invented  manuring  of 
Ground  byStcrcoration,  and  that 
he  firft  inftruded  the  Greeks  in 
that   Arc,   as  Hercules   did  the 
Italians  :  who    neverthelefs  im- 
mortaliz'd,  and  made  a  God  of, 
their  King  Stercucius,  the  Son  of 
Faurius  ;  if  he   were  not  rather 
the  fame,  as  fome  will  have  him 
%o  he,  with  Evander>  the  Arca- 


dian, who  firft  introduc'd  thi 
Worlliip  of  Faunus,  that  is  t( 
fay,  of  Pan,  or  univerfal  Na 
ture,  into  Italy,  and  taught  th( 
Latines  the  Art  of  manuring 
Ground,  for  which  he  was  ho 
nourM  by  the  Name  of  Stercutius 
Tertullian  in  Apologet,  calls  bin 
Sterculus  or  Sterculius  *,  and  Ser 
vius  on  TEneid.  8.  Sterquiliniu; 
whom  he  afferts  to  be  the  f^m 
with  Pitumnus,  Brother  of  Pj 
lumnus:  By  Macrobius  he  i 
caird  Stercutus,  which  he  prove 
to  be  one  of  the  Names  of  Sa 
turn  :  Saturnum  Romani  etian 
Stercutum  vocj^nt,  quod  primu 
ftercorefoecunditatemagris  com 
paraverit.  Saturnal,  lib.  i.  cap.  7 
But  as  no  other  Art  can  difput 
Antiquity  with  this  of  Agricul 
turcjio  neither  can  any  lay  Clain 
to  an  equal  fliare  of  Dignity  :  I 
is  indeed  as  Columella,  lib.  i 
cap.  I.  calls  it,  res  fine  dubita 
tione  proxima,  &  quafi  confan 
guinea  Philofbphiie  ,  withou  ' 
doubt  the  next  Neighbour,  am 
the  neareft  of  Kin  to  Philofophy 
Varro  fays  the  Principles  of  i 
are  the  fame  with  thofe  that  En 
nius  makes  to  be  the  Principle 
of  the  whole  Univerfe  :  Earth 
Water,  Air,  and  the  Sun  :  Am 
Cicero  dc  fenecftute.  fpeaking  0 
the  Pleafures  of  a  Husbandmar 
fays  of  them,  that  they  feem  t 
him  to  approach  very  near  t 
the  Pleafures  of  a  Philofophei 
mihiquidem  ad  fapienfis  vitan 
proxime  videntur  accedere.  T 
be  a  Husbandman,fays  our  excel 
lent  Cowley,  is  but  a  Retrca 
from  the  City,  to  be  a  Philofo 
pher  apart  from  the  World 
or  rather,  a  Retreat  from  th 
World,  as  it  is  Man's,  into  th 
World,  as  it  God's.  There  ism 
Qche?  ftfr?  of  Lif^,  th$t  aifords  f 


3ook  V. 


LUCRETIUS. 


S85 


Then  fome  began  to  graft  ;  and  till  the  Field, 
And  found  the  Trees  a  better  burden  yield, 
445  When  drefs'd  with  Care,  and  in  a  richer  Soil; 
The  Fruits  increas'd,  and  did  reward  their  Toil : 
They  forc'd  the  cumbering  Wood  to  narrow  Bounds,^ 
Enlarging  ftill  their  Corn,  and  Pasture  Grounds : 

The 
N  O  T  £  5. 


lany  Branches  of  Praife  to  a 
'anegyrift  •  the  Utility  of  it  to 
Man's  felf ;  the  Ufefulnefs,  or 
ather  Necefllty  of  it,  to  all  the 
eft  of  Mankind  :  It's  Innocence, 
:'s  Pleafure,  it's  Antiquity,^  it's 
)ignity  ;  Under  all  which  Heads 
hat  Authour  has  treated  of  it 
1  his  admirable  Eflfay  of  Agri- 
ilture,  to  which  I  refer  the 
.eader. 

144.3.  Some  began  to  graft  -,3 
ucrctiiis.  Stirpes  committere 
imis :  by  which  he  exprefles  on- 
one  of  the  feveral  ways  of  In- 
tion,  and  what  we  call  to  graff 
eft-wife  :  Virgil  in  the  fecond 
ieorgick  teaches  the  feveral 
V^ays,  by  which  Trees  are  pro- 
agated,  either  naturally,  or  ar- 
ficially.  They  may  be  pro- 
uc'd  three  feveral  Ways  by  Na- 
ire : 

r.  Of  their  own  Accord  :  as 
le  Broom,  the  Withy,  the  Pop- 
ir,  the  Olier,  Sec.  are. 

II.  By  their  Seed  that  drops 
y  Chance  :  I  fay,  by  Chance  *, 
)r  there  is  a  certain  way  of  fow- 
ig  that    belongs    to  Art  :  the 

rees  that  grow  of  fortuitous 
;ed,  are  the  Chefnut,  the  Oak, 
le  Beech,  3cc. 

III.  By  their  Root:  for  the 
herry-tree,  Horn-beam,    Lau- 

:l,  &c.  will    flioot    out   young 

'rees  from  their  Roots. 

The  fame  Poet  teaches,  that 
rees  may  be  propagated  feven 
veral  Ways  by  Art,  and  the 
iduftry  of  Men  : 

I.  By  Avulfion  :  That  is  to 
y,  by  plucking  up  young  Shoots, 


Roots  and  all,  from  the  Bodies 
of  Trees,  and  planting  them  in 
the  Ground.  ■  '    ' 

II.  By  Planting  the  Stocks, 
that  is  to  fay,  the  loweft  and 
thickeft  part  of  the  Trunk,  to- 
gether with  the  Roots :  or  by 
taking  the  Stock  without  any 
Root,  and  either  cutting  it  into 
a  iliarp  Point  at  the  lower  End, 
or  fplitting  it  at  the  bottom, 
and  then  planting  it  :  but  the 
general  way  is  to  fplit  it  in  form 
of  a  Crofs  :  and  therefore  Vir- 
gil calls  fuch  Stocks  quadriiidas : 


■  Hie  ftirpes  obruit  arvo- 

Quadrifidafque  fudes,  &   acuto 
robore  vallos. 

Georg.  2.  V.  24., 

III.  By  Propagation  :  which 
is  chiefly  us'd  in  Vines  :  and  this 
4s  done  by  bending  the  Shoots  or 
Branches  in  the  fliape  of  a  Bow, 
without  cutting  them  off  from 
the  Mother-Tree,  and  laying 
down  the  Top  of  them  into  the 
Ground.  The  Branch  fo  bent  is 
call'd  Propago,  a  Layer.  Mil- 
ton defcrib'es  this  way  of  propa- 
gating the  Indian  Fig-treejwhichj 
fays  he. 

In  Malabar  or  Decan  fpreads  her 

Arms 
Branching  fo  broad    and    long, 

that  in  the  Ground 
The  bended  Twigs  take  Root, 

and  Daughters  grow 
About  the'  Mother-Tree  ;  a  pil- 

lar'd  iliade 
High  over-arch'd,  and    echoing 

Walks  between. 

IV.  By 


LUCRETIU  S. 


Book  \ 


more  Twigs  into  the  Ckfc  ;  In- 


Jh^  Tyrant  Wood,  that  all  th?  Plains  did  fill, 
1450  Was  now  confin'd  unto  the  barren  Hill : 

And  left  the  Vales  to  Olive,  Corn,  and  Vine, 
Thro'  whichfmooth  Streams  in  fair  Mb^hder^  twine 
Now  kifs  the  tender  Roots  with  wanton  Play, 
Now  flow  again,  enriching  all  their  Way  5 
1455  ^^^^  beauteous  Pride  did  all  the  Valleys  fliow,      1 
So  taking  pretty,  as  our  Gardens  now,  / 

Where  fruitful  Trees  in  decent  Order  grow. 
'"'^    Thro'  all  the  Woods  they  heard  the  charming  Noil 
Of  chirping  Birds  5  and  ti-y'd  to  frame  their  Voice, 

Ar 
N  O  T  £  S. 

IV^  By  taking  little  Trees  or 
Plants,  together  with  the  Earth 
that  covers  them  about  the  Root, 
and  tranfplanting  them  into  ano- 
tiher  Place. 

v.  By  cutting  off  a  Sucker  from 
a  Tree,  and  planting  it,  even 
tho'  it  have  no  Root. 

VI.  By  cutting  the  Stem  of  the 
Tree  without  any  Root  to  it, 
but  in  the  middle,  and  into  fe- 
veral  Pieces,  and  planting  them. 
This  way  is  chiefly  pracxis'd  in 
the  Propagation  of  the  Olive 
Tree. 

VII.  When  a  Branch,  or  Twig, 
of  one  Tree  is  inferted  into  ano- 
ther Tree,  and  that  too  of  a  dif- 
ferent Kind,  and  paffes  into  the 
Nature  of  it  :  This  is  the  true 
Grafting  •,  which  is  pradis'd  in 
two. Manners:  One,  which  the 
Latines  call  InStio,  i.  e.  Graft- 
ing within  a  Cleft  made  in  the 
Top  of  the  Stock;  which  is  the 
ordinary  Way  now  us'd,  and  pro- 
perly caiL'd  Grafting  :  the  other, 
inoculation,  call'd  likewife  Bud- 
ing ,  and  grafting  Scutcheon- 
wife:  Pliny  adds  a  third  way, 
which  he  calls  Emplafi:ratio ; 
which  is  generally  confounded 
with  Inocu^latioti  :  yet  there 
fcems  to  be  this  difference  be- 
tween thefe  three  Ways  of  Graft- 
ing :  Tixat  cali'd  Iniition,  v^^as 
done  by  cleaving  the  Trunk  of 
the  Tree,    and   putting   one  or 


oculation,  by  making  a 
ture  between  the  Bark  aiid  ~tl 
Trunk,  and  including  in  it  tl 
Graff,  or  Twig:  And  laftJ 
Emplaftration  ,  by  taking  o 
pare  of  the  Bark  of  the  Stocj 
and  fubftituting  in  its  Place  tl 
Bud  of  another  Tree,  exadly  < 
the  like  Bignds,  fo  as  to  fill  v 
the  Space  of  the  Bark  that  is  t. 
ken  away :  This  is  manifeft  froi 
Pliny,  lib.  k^.  cap.  i^,  18,  & 
Whence  it  is  evident,  that  th 
Art  of  Grafting  has  been  var 
ouily  pradtis'd  in  different  Age; 
And  our  Gardiners  at  this  D? 
differ  from  the  Method  ofVi 
gil,  who  teaches  to  make  the  A  '. 
perture  in  the  very  Knot  c 
Joint  of  the  Stock  ;  whereas  the 
make  it  either  below  or  abovi 
in  that  part  of  the  Bark  that 
brighceft  and  fmoothefl. 

1452,    Meanders]    See  abovi 
V.  308. 

1458.  Thro'  all,  &c.]  Mufic  \ 
too,  like  all  the  other  Arts,  whe 
fir  ft  invented,  was  rude  and  ur 
poliHied  i  nor  was  it  more  i 
firfe  than  an  Imitation  of  tl 
Chirping  and  Singing  of  Bird 
Then  having  obferv'd,that  Reed 
when  iliaken  by  a  gentle  Gal 
fent  forth  a  whifpering  Murmu 
they  made  themfelves  Pipes  < 
Reeds :  with  thefe  the  penfi\ 
Shepherds  were  wont  to  foot 
their  Cares ,  and ,  when  th 
Neighbourhood  met  to  be  mcrr] 

the 


Book  V. 


LUCRETIUS, 


sSi 


1 460  And  imitate:  Thus  Birds  inftruded  Man, 

And  taught  them  Songs,  before  their  Art  began  : 
And  while  foft  evening  Gales  blew  o'er  the  Plains, 
And  fliook  the  founding  Reeds,  they  taught  the  Swains  : 
And  thus  the  Pipe  was  fram'd,  and  tuneful  Reed  j 
465  And  whilft  the  tender  Flocks  fecurely  feed, 

The  harmlefs  Shepherds  tun'd  their  Pipes  to  Love^ 
And  A M^ R  r  L  L  IS  founds  in  ev*ry  Grove. 
Thus  Time,  and  thus  fagacious  Men  produce 
A  thouland  Things,  or  for  Delight,  or  Use, 
470  Thefecharni'd  the  Swains,  and  thefe  were  wont  topleafe 
^     When  Feafts  were  done  ;  for  then  all  feek  for  Eafe : 

Then 
NOTES. 

From  whence  our  Tranflatour 
took  the  Thought :  at  leaft  he 
had  no  hint  of  it  frOm  his  Au- 
thour  :  Amaryllis  is  a  ficftitioua 
Name,  us'd  by  the  Antients  In 
their  Paftoral  Poems,  and  con- 
tinu'd  down  to  this  Day.  It  is 
deriv'd  from  the  Channels  they 
made  to  convey  Water  into  their 
Meadow  Grounds,  or  to  draiti 
them,  if  too  wet :  for  fuch  a 
Conduit     the    Greeks    call'd   -^ 

14^8.  Thus  Time,  &:c.]  This 
and  the  following  Yerfe  air^  re- 
jieated  below  v.  1535. 

147 1.  For  then  all  feek  for 
Eafe.]    Lucr* 


ley  delighted,with  their  uncouth 
-irs,  the  whole  Company  and 
lemfelves.  In  thefe  merry  Af- 
mblies  they  fiirit  began  to 
lugh  and  jeft  at  one  another, 
id  to  trample  the  Ground  with 
nequal  Steps :  and  this  laid  the 
rft  Foundation  of  Dancing, 
^hus  they  diverted  themfelves, 
id  knew  no  better  :  nor  do  our 
lore  artful  and  melodious  Airs 
elight  us  more,  than  thefe  un- 
armonious  artlefs  Strains  of 
leirs  did  them  :  But  new  things 
Iways  pleafe,  and  we  grow  wea- 
•f  of  the  old  :  Thus  Men  began 
y  loath  their  Acorns,  and  to  in- 
ulge  their  Appetites  with  more 
slicious  Food  :  Thus  they  de- 
)is'd  their  grafly  Beds,  and  in- 
ented  eafy  Couches  and  Beds  of 
>own :  Thus  they  laid  afide 
leir  Skins  of  Beafts,  and  by  De- 
rses  cloath'd  themfelves  in  Pur- 
le.  This  is  contain'd  in  48.  v. 
^i4«52.  Soft  ev'ning  Gales,  &c.] 
"he  Weftern  Winds,  fays  the 
oet,  whittling  among  the  Reeds, 
lught  them  to  make  Pipes  of 
le  Stalks :  But  of  the  firft  In- 
ention  of  Pipes,  fee   Book  IV. 

•  595-  and    Ovid.    Metam.  1. 

•  705- 

i4^7.Amaryllis]  Virgil  Eclog.  i. 

ormofam  fefonare  4oces  Ama- 
xylhda  fylvas* 


•Ibjam  tiim  fiirit  drrink  _ 


cordj 

which  is  the  Reading  of  all  the 
Copies :  but  Faber  fays,  it  ought 
to  be  dtia  cordi  :  a  judicious  E- 
mendatidn,  which  our  Tranfla- 
tour hits  follow'd.  Yet  Voffius 
on  Catullus,  p.  167.  correds  this 
Paflage  of  bur  Poet,  and  fays  ic 
ought  to  be  read,  omnia  chords  : 
For  after  Men,  fays  he,  have  in- 
dulg'd  and  fill'd  themfelves  with 
eating,  nothing  is  more  delight- 
ful than  Mufick,  which  at  tha^ 
time  is,  tcc  'arotv'lotj 


F  f  f  f 


all  Things. 
1472.  Theft 


u 


Lu  c  R  E  r  t  us. 


BookV 


Then  underneath  a  loving  Myrtle's  Shade,  | 

Clofe  by  a  purling  Stream  fupinely  laid. 

When  Spring  with  gawdy  Flow'rs  the  Earth  has  fpreac 

147$  And  fweeteft  Ros£s  grow  around  their  Head  • 

Envy'd  by  Wealth  and  Pow'r,  with  fmall  Expena 
They  oft  enjoy'd  the  vaft  Delight  of  Senfe  : 
Then  LAUGHING,  merry  Jests,  and  Countrey  Play; 
And  Tales  began  ;  as,  once  upon  a  Day  ! 

2480  Then  pleafant  Songs  they  fung,  and  wanton  grown, 
Each  pluck'd,  and  bound   his  Flow'rs,  and  made 
And  with  uneven  Steps  they  danc'd  around ;  (Crowi 
Their  heavy  Leaps  ftill  fhook  the  trembling  Ground: 
While  all  the  idle  Crowd,  that  flock'd  to  view, 

i  48 5  Laugh  much,  becaufe  the  Tr  i  cks  feem  ftrange  and  new 
And  thus  they  pafs'd  the  Day  in  gay  DeHght ; 
And  watch'd  and  fed  their  tender  Flocks  by  Night,' 
No  need  of  Sleep  *.  that  Want  the  Songs  fupply  : 
The  Noife  chac'd  Morphevs  from  their  willing  Eye 

1490     Thefe  now  our  Wantons  ufe  5  with  Toil  and  Paii 
They  learn  to  dance  in  Measure  :  all  in  vain  : 
For  thefe  can  reap  no  Joy,  no  more  Content, 
Than  whatthofe  earth-born  Swains  did  firftrefent.' 

Fo 

i^  0  T  E  S. 


1472.  Then  underneath,  6^c,3 
'Thisj  and  the  five  foIlowingVe'r- 
fes  are  repeated  from  B.II.  v.  31. 
Cowley  from  Anacreon : 

Underneath  this  myrtle  Shade, 
On  flow'ry  Beds  fupinely  laid, 
With  od'rous    Oils   my    Head 

o'erflowing, 
And  around  it  Rofes  growing  ; 
What   Ihould   I  do,  but  drink 

away. 
The  Heat  and  Troubles  of  the 

Day,  Sec, 

Compare  Creech's  Tranilation 
of  this  PafTage  with  the  Original 
of  Lucretius,  and  with  thefe 
Verfes  of  Cowley,  and  judge 
from  whence  he  took  it. 

1481,  Each  pluck'd  and  bound, 
<lic«3  Lucxecius ;  i 


Turn    caput ,   atque     humer< 

plexis  redimire  corollis, 
Floribus,  Sec. 

Where  the  Poet  alludes  to  th 
Luxury  of  his.  own  Age,  wher 
in  their  Feaftings,  they  us'd  t( 
trim  up  their  Bowls  withFlowcK 
and  to  wear  Garlands  of  Rofe 
on  their  Heads,  and  round  theii 
Necks:  and,  in  a  manner,  t( 
wallow  in  them.    Tibullus : 

Et  capite  Sc  coUo  mollia  fert; 
gerat. 

But  of  this  Cuftom  fee  at  Urg( 
Book  III.  V.  B96. 

1489.  Morpheus]  The  Sun^  01 
rather  the  Servant,  of  Somnus 
the  God  of  Sleep :  See  Book  IV 

V._102<5, 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS,  ^87 

For  while  we  know  no  better,  but  pofTefs 

1495  A  PRESENT  Good,  it  does  extreamly  pleafe: 
The  later  Good  our  various  Thoughts  employs  j 
And  we  contemn  the  Guft  of  former  Joys. 
Thus  Man  defpis'd  their  antient  eafy  Food, 
Their  Acorns,  and  their  Apples  of  the  Wood  : 

i5ooWhenCLOATHSwerefound,andotherCov'RiNGsrpreadp 
They  fcorn'd  their  Skins  of  Beasts,  and  graffy  Bed  ; 
The  Skins  of  Beads ;  which,  furethe  first  that  founds 
Not  long  enjoy 'd,  but  by  a  treach'rous  Wound 
He  fell:  fo  highly  then,  the  now  defpis'd, 

505  Contemn'd,  negledied  Skins  of  Beafts  were  priz'd. 

Thus  Men  did  fight  for  Skins:  Thofe  rais'd  their 
But  Gold  and  Purple  now  are  Caufe  of  Wars  :  (Cares^ 
The  Fault  is  ours  ;  for  they  could  only  find 
Thefe  Skins,  as  Cloaths  againft  the  Cold  and  Wjnd  ? 

5 1  o  But  now  what  harm,  if  none  go  proudly  dreft 
In  Cloth  of  Gold,  or  an  embroider'd  Veft: 
Since  Meaner  Garments  yield  as  much  Defence 
'Gainft  Wind  and  Cold^  as  much  preferve  the  Sens^.' 
Then  wretched  Man's  Endeavours  are  in  vain^ 

5 1 5  They  fruitlefsly  confume  their  Years  in  Pain, 

Not 

1^  o  r  E  s. 


[495.  It  does  extreamly  pleafe:]' 
^o  the  fame  purpofe  Dryden,  in 
le  Tragedy  of  Aurenge-Zebcj 
lys  finely  : 

ris  not   for  Nothing,  that  we  t 

Life  purfue  ; 
t  pays  our  Hopes  with  fome- 

thing  ftill  that's  new  : 
ach  Day's  a  MiftrefSj  unsnjoy'd 

before  : 
.ike  Travellers,    we're   pleas'd 

with  feeing  more. 

1502.  Which  fu re,  &c.]  Faher 
lys,  that  the  firft  Garment,  the' 
ut  a  worthlefs,  undrefs'd  Skin  of 

Beaft,  fo  pleas'd  thefe  Earth- 
|orn  Men,  that  it  was  the  Caufe 
f  his  Death,  who  firft  invented 
nd  wore  it, 

1^06.  Thus  Men,  &c.]  But 
lis  Fighting  and  Murder  for  the 
Icin,  fays  the  Poet  in  14.  v.  may 
'  ?;  in  fome  meafurej  excus'd :  be- 


caufe  before  they  had  found  ous 
the  Art  of  Weaving,  Skins  were 
all  the  Coverings  they  had  to  de- 
fend their  Bodies  from  the  Cold  : 
But  what  Excufe  is  there  for 
Men,  who  deftroy,  and  lay  all 
things  wafte,  with  Wars  and  Ra- 
pine, that  they  may  /liine  iri 
Gold,  and  cloach  themfefves  in 
Purple  ?  This  neverthelefs  they 
doj  tranfported  with  an  infacia- 
bleThirli:  of  Avarice  and  Ambi- 
tion, and  becaufe  they  are  igno- 
rant of  that  true  Pleafure,  which 
Epicurus  taught  ;  and  which  is 
not  fo  greedy  after  Delights,  as 
content  with  NecelTaries  ; 

I5I4«  Then,  SccJ]  For  Man 
is  feldom  contented  with  a  Com- 
petency, and  never  knows  whe^ 
he  has  enough  :  nor  when  to  pu5 
aftoptowhat  Ovid  calls  excel- 
lently well  :  Amor  fceleratusha- 
bendi.  Thus  Manilius  begins  his 
fourth  Boole  \ 

f  f  X  f  a  §uiii 


LUCRETIUS.  Book  V 

Not  knowing  how  to  ufe,  or  how  to  meafure 
Their  boundiefs  Wish,  nor  Height  of  real  Pleafure; 
.This  drives  them  on  into  a  Sea  of  Cares, 
And  the  deftrudive  Rage,  and  Storms  of  Wars. 
1520      The  Sun,  ftill  running  round  his  yearly  Race,       ^ 
Shew'd  all  the  Seasons  turn'd  by  conftant  Caufe,     . 
By  certain  Order  ruFd,  and  fteady  Laws : 
Some  liv'd  in  Castles  then,  fome  built  a  Town, 
And  Land  divided,  each  enjoy 'd  his  own: 
1525      Then  mighty  Shies,  driv'n  by  the  labVing  Wind,  ^ 
Flew  o'er  the  Seas,  and  diftant  Nations  join'd  ;         ^ 
]^hilft:  Leagues  and  Bonds  the  neighb'rin^  Towns  I 
combined  : 

The 
NOTES* 


Quid  tarn  follkitis  vitain  confu- 

minius  annis, 
Torquemurque    metu,   cajcaque 

cupidine  rerum  ?      \ 
JEternifq;  fenes  curis,  dum  quse- 

rimus,  zevum 
Perdimus;  &  nuUo  votorum  fine 

beat! 
yicfluros  agimus  femper,  nee  vi- 

vitnus  unquam  ; 
Pauperiorqlie  bonis  quifque  ell, 

quo  plura  requirat, 

Kec  quod  habet  memorat  ;  tan- 
tum  quod  noil  habetj  op  cat. 

Which  our  Tranflatour  has  thus 
render'd. : 

■^hy  fliould  our  Time  run.  cut 
in  ufekfs  Years 

Of  anxious  Troubles^  and  tor- 
menting Fears  ^ 

Why  Hiould  deluding  Hopes  di- 
fturb  our  Eafe,  ' 

Vain  to  purfue,  yet  eager  tQ  pof- 
fefs  ^ 

With  no  Succefs,  and  no  Advan- 
tage crown'd, 

Why  fuould  we  ftill  tread  pn  th' 
unfinifh'd  Round  i 

^rown  grey  in  Cares,  purfue  the 
'  fenfelers  Strife, 
And   feeking  how  to  live,  €on- 
lusie  a  Life  I 


The  more  we  have,  the  spieane 

is  our  Store, 
The  unenjoying  craving  Wretd 

is  poor. 

I  $20.  The  Sun.  ike."]  Men  be 
ing  convinced  by  a  long  Expt 
rience,  that  the  Seafons  of  tl: 
Year  return  in  a  certain  Ordei 
and  that  nothing  is  imbroil'c 
nothing  arrives  by  Chance,  [Fo 
the  Ataras  that  at  firft  fortui 
ouily  jumbled  together, are  com 
pos'd  in  fuch  a  manner,  both  b; 
the  Laws  of  their  own  Motio.i 
and  by  the  Powerof  Nature,  tha 
unlefs  fome  Caufe  from  withou 
Iliould  hinder  and  djfturb  them 
they  will  for  ever  obferve  th 
fame  Motions]  they  at  lengtl 
embrac'd  a  conftant  and  fettlec 
Way  of  Life  :  To  this  end  the; 
conftituted  Republicks,  and  efta 
blifli'd  Commerce  betweenfevera 
Nations.  Then  Poets,  the  Au 
thours  of  Hiftory,  were  born 
and  iaftly  the  Arts,  that  are  fub 
lervienc  to  Life  ,  or  condu- 
cive to  Pleafux-e,  were  founc 
out  :  For  the  Names  of  the  In 
ven tours  of  them  are  ftill  pre 
fcrv'd,  and  known, 

1525.  Then  mighty  Ships,  &c.' 
The  Nations,  who  are  fam'd  foi 
the   Invention    of    Navigation 
are,   firft  the  Phceniciars ;  from 
whom  ie  came  to  the  Egyptians 


BookV. 


LUCRETIUS, 


and   from  them  to  the  Greeks; 

among  whom  the  firft  that  fail'd 

are  faid  to  be  the  Cretans.     But 

as  to  the  firft  Building,  and  Life 

3f  Ships,  not  to  mention  Noah's 

Ark,  Clemens  Alexandrinus  a- 

"cribes  the    Invention  to  Atlas, 

he  Libyan-,  T^ll'chylus,  to  Prome- 

I  heus  ;  and  Diddorus,  Siculus,  to 

STcptune:  The   Invention  like- 

i'iro  of  Sails  is  afcrib'd   by  the 

jame   ^fchylus    to  Prometheus 

'  Ifo :    by  Diodorus  to   JfEolus  •, 

>y  Pliny  and  Paufanias  to  Dc^da- 

us,  and  his  Son  Icarus :  by  Caf- 

jiodorus,  lib.  5.  Variar.  and   by 

jiyginusto  Ifis  ;  who,  for  that 

I  leafon,  on  the  Reverfe  of  fome 

f  the  Roman  Coins,  is  repre- 

;nted,  holding   in  her  Hand  a 

I  ail,fweUing  with  theWind:  It  is 

!rtain  that  the  Latines  ftyl'd  her 

»ca  Pelagia,  as  being  the  Prefi- 

ent   of  Navigation  :    To  con- 

rm  which  we  find  in  Gruterus^ 

.    312.    the  following    Infcrip- 

on, 

DIIS  MANtBUS  SAC; 
SER.  SULPITIO  AUG.  L. 

ALCIMO  ^DITUO 
AD  ISIDEM  PELAGIAM. 

>f  the  Original  and  firft  EfTays 
f  Navigation,  Claudian  in  the 
reface  to  the   Rape  of  Profer- 
jine  : 

ivent^  fecuit  primus  qui  nave 

profundum, 
Ec  rudibus  remis  folicitavit  a- 

quas  ; 
ranquillis  primurn   trepidis  fe 

credidit  undis, 
Xittora  fecurq  tramite  fumma 

legens. 
'tox  longos  tcntare  finus,  &lin- 

quere  terras, 
,Et  leni  ccepic  pandere  vela  No- 

I      to  ! 

ft  ubi  paulatim  pr^eceps  auda- 

cia  crevi^, 
Cordaque  languentem    dedidi- 

cere  metum  ; 


Jam  vagus  erupitpelago,  ccelum- 
que  fecutus, 
^geas  hyemes,  loniumque  do- 
mat. 

I52<^.    And    diftant    Nations 
join'd  •,]  Thus  too  ManiUas,  lib. 

I.  v.  87. 

Turn  vagus  in  caecum  penetrav it 

navita  pontum. 
Fecit  Sc  ignotis  itiner  commercia 

terris. 

Which  Creech  thus  renders  : 

Thro'  Seas  unknown  the  Sailer 

then  was  hurl'd  ; 
And  gainful  Traffick  join'd  the 

diftant  WQrld. 

The  Original  of  TrafHck  is  ge- 
nerally afcrib'd  to  the  Phoenici- 
ans :  fome  indeed  ,  particular- 
ly' Phornurus .  or  Cornutus  , 
de  Naturd  Dcorum,  and  Cx- 
far,  lib.  6.  de  Bello  Gall,  at- 
tribute it  to  Mercury,  whom, 
for  that  Reafon  Arnobius  calls, 
Nundinarum,  Mercium,  Com- 
merciorumque  mutator.  lib.  3. 
adv.  Genres.  And  that  Mer- 
chants us'd  to  facrifice  to  him,  as 
to  the  God  of  Gain,  and  Preli-, 
dent  of  Negotiation  and  Com- 
merce, is  confirm'd  by  Ovid. 
lib.  4.  Faftor.  v;here,  fpeaking 
to  Mercury,  he  fays, 

Te,  quicunque  fuas  profitentu? 
vendere  merces, 
Thure  datO|,tribuas  utfibilucr^ 
rogant. 

This  too  is  confirm'd  by  that  an- 
tient  Infcription,  that  was  found 
at  Metz.  in  the  Year  1589.  and 
is  recorded  by  Philippus  Tho- 
mafinus  de  Denariis,  pag.  274. 

MERCURIO  NEGOTIATO- 
RI 

SACRUM 
NUMISIUS  ALBINUS 
EX   VOTO. 

x<2S.  Jhca 


S^o 


L  U  C  R  E  T  lU  S: 


Book  V 


Then  Letters  found ;  and  the  Poetick  Rage 
Firft  told  the  noble  Actions  of  the  Age : 

hi  O  T  E  S. 


Bu 


1528.  Then  Letters  found  ;] 
Cicero  fays.  That  the  Invention 
of  Letters  has  circumfcrib'd,  in  a 
few  litteral  M^rks,  the  Sounds 
of  the  Voice,  Which  feem'd  infi- 
nite :  Sonos  Yocis,  qui  infiniti  vi- 
debantur,  paucis  literarum  notis 
terminavit.  Tufcul.  i.  Suidas 
calls  it,  y^iJLiJ.txliv,m  (piAoo-o^/ctv, 
the  grammatical  Philofophy, 
and  afcribes  the  Invention  of  it 
£0  Prometheus  ;  others  to  the 
Phoenicians :  Thus  Lucan  : 

Phoenices  primi,  fam<e  fi    credi- 

tur,  aufi 
3V4anfuram  rudibus  vocem  figna- 

re  iiguris. 

Which  Paflage  Breboeuf,  the 
French  Interpreter  of  that  Poet, 
applying  it  to  Cadmus,  who 
from  the  Phoenicians  brought 
inofl:  of  the  Letters  of  the  Greek 
Alphabet  into  Greece,  has  ren- 
der'd  in  thefe  excellent  Verfes. 

Ceft  de  lui  que  nous  vient  cetf 

art  ingenieux  I 

De  peindre  la  parole,  &  de  par-| 

ler  aux  yeiix  ;  I 

Et  par  les  traits  divers  de  figures 

tracees, 
Donner  de  la  couleur^Sc  du  corps 

aux  penfees. 

Which  I  the  rather  chufe  to  take 
notice  of,  becaufe  they  are  fine- 
ly render'd   into  our  own  Lan 
guage  by  a  Perfon  of  Quality, 
and  not  till  now  made  publick. 

He  that  ingenious  Art  did  firil 

defcry 
Of  painting  Words,  and  fpeak- 

ing  to  the  Eye  ; 
And,  by  the  various   Shapes  of 

Figures  wrought. 
Gave  Colour,  and  a  Body  to  a 

Thought. 

But  as  to  the  firid  Characlerizers 
of  Speech,  fee  the  learned  D  Jgref- 
iip;vaf.  Jcfeph  Scaiiger  de  Liter, 


antiqu.  upon  Eufebius  :  and  Pe 
tit.  in  obfervat.  lib.  2.  c.  i.  T( 
which  I  add  thefe  anonym ou 
Verfes,  as  they  are  recorded  bj 
Crinitus,  and  Giraldus,  and  frorr 
them  tranfcrib'd  by  Gerard,  Joh 
Voffius,  lib.  I.  de  Arte  Gram 
mat. 
Primus  Moyfes  Hebraicas  exara 

vi  t  literas  : 
Mente  Phoenices  fagaci  condide 

runt  Atticas  : 
Quas  Latini  fcriptitamus  edidil 

Nicoftrata  : 
Abraham  Syras,  &  idem  reperii 

Chaldaicas  : 
Ifis  arte    non  minore    protulit 

^gyptias  : 
Gulfilas  promfit  Getarum  quas 

videmus  literas. 

But  the  Origine  of  Letters  is; 
with  greater  Appearance  ol 
Truth,  referred  by  others  to  A- 
dam  himfelf :  For  is  it  not  high- 
ly improbable,  that  he,  who  was 
to  tranfmit  all  Learning  and 
Knowledge  down  to  his  Pofteri- 
ty,  Ihould  want  the  neceflfary 
Conveyances  and  Inftruments  for 
fo  great  a  Work  ?  And  this  Opi- 
nion is  confirm'd  by  the  early 
Mention  that  is  made  of  Letters, 
even  in  the  Days  of  Seth,  who 
was  his  Son  ;  and  who  no  doubt 
receiv'd  them  from  him.  I  know 
not  of  what  Weight  it  may  feena, 
but  I  can  not  omit  to  take  No- 
ticej  that,  in  the  Vatican  Libra- 
ry at  Rome,  there  is  extant,  to 
this  Day,an  antient  Picture  of  A- 
dam,  with  a  Hebrew  Infcription  1 
over  his  Head*,  which  indeed  i 
makes  nothing  to  our  prefent 
purpofe  :  but  under  his  Feet 
there  is  another  in  Latinp,  con- 
ceiv'd  in  thefe  Words  :, 
ADAM  DIVINITITS  EDO- 
CTUS,  PRIMUS  SCIENTI- 
ARUM  ET  LITERARUM, 
INVENTOR=  See  Lomeier.  ^e 
Biblioth=  p,  iQ=  O.f 


Book  V;  LUCRETIUS.  Hi 

O  F    T  H  E 

Several  "Ways  of  Wr  i  t  i  n  g, 

Praftis'd  by  the 

ANTIENTS 


AVI  NG  given  this  ihort  Account  of  the 
fiiH  Invention  of  Letters,  it  m^ay  not  be 
•amifs  in  this  Place  to  give  fome  Account 
likewife  in  a  Ihort  Digreflion,  how  ,thofe 
Cbaradters  of  old  preferv'd  themfelves'from 
Deaths  And  indeed  there  is  fcarce  any 
Matter,  capable  of  receiving  the  Marks  of 

otters,   that  fome  or  other  of  the  Antients  have  not  made 

Ce  of  for  that  Purpofe. 

The  firft  Letters  that  we  read  of  were  engrav'd  in  Stone : 
''itnefs  the  two  famous  Pillars  of  Enoch,  one  of  which 
as  yet  remaining,  even  in  the  Days  of  Jofepbus !  And 
imblicus  confeiTes,  that  he  took  the  Principles  of  his  my- 
ica:  Philofophy  from  the  Pillars  of  Mercury.  Pliny,  in 
s  Natural  Hiftory,  lib.  7.  cap.  5.  acquaints  us,  that  the 
abylonians,  and  the  Alfyrians  engrav'd  their  Laws  in  Pil- 
rs  of  Buck,  in  codlis  latenbus.  And  we  know  that 
oies  writ  his  on  Scone  :  Horace  too  makes  mention  of 
1  is  fort  of  Writing>Qn.Stones ;  •  ' 

Non  incifa  notis  marmora  publicis. 

The  Roman  .Laws  of  the  twelve  Tables  were  ingraven 
Brafs :  and  fo  too  was  the  League  made  with  the  La- 
les,  as  Livy  wicnefles,  Decad.r.  Lib.  i.  And  Talu«,  of 
hom  are  reported  many  ridiculous  Stories,  was,  upon  no 
I  her  Ground,  feigu'd  by  the  Cretans,  to  be  a  Man '  made 

^ ""  of 


j9^  I  U  C  R  E  T  I  US.  Bbok  V 

of  Brafs  by  Vulcan,  but  becaufe  he  carry 'd  about  Crete  the 
Laws  that  were  graven  in  Brafs,  and  put  them  feverely  in 
execution. 

Paufanias,  in  Boeoticis,  makes  mention  of  all  the  Books  o: 
Heliod,  that  are  Intitui'd,  "E^ycav  xj  ii/^ep&y,  written  in  Plate 
of  Lead  :  which  fore  of  Plates  Suetonius,  in  the  Life  of  Ne- 
ro, calls  chartam  plumbeam,  leaden  Paper;  Bat  this  Cu 
{torn  was  in  ufe  even  be/ore  the  Days  of  Job  ;  who  him 
felf,  chap.  1 9.  cries  out :  Oh  that  my  words  were  graver 
with  an  iron  Pen,  and  Lead  in  the  Rock  for  ever;  whicl 
the  Interpreters  explain,  that  he  would  have  the  leadei 
Plates  placed  upon  Rocks  or  Pillars. 

They  us'd  alfoofold  to  write  on  Leaves  or  Plates  of  Ivo 
ry  ;  and  hence  the  Books  were  calfd  Libri   Elephantini 
and  not,  as  fome  imagine  from  their  Bignefs  and  hug( 
Bulk.    Thus  Martial.  Lib.  14.  Epigram.  5. 

Languida  ne  triftes  obfcurent  lumina  ceraf, 
Nigra  tibi  niveum  licera  pingac  ebur. 

Waxen  Table-Books   Were  very  antient;  Fot  Proetti 

fent  a  Letter  in  one  of  them  by    Bellerophon,  as  Home 

tells  us,  Iliad.  6.    Thefe  Table-Books  were  made  of  Wood 

cover'd  with  Wax,  on  which  they  writ  with  an  Inftrumen 

of  Iron  or  Brals,  and  therefore  they  were  call'd  Pugillares 

a  pungendo,  as  Aldus  Manutius  obferves,  De  qusefitis  pe 

Bpift.  lib.  2-.  Epift.  I.  Georgius  Longus ;  de  annulis  figna 

tofijs,  cap.  8.  defcribes  them  to  be  of  a  triangular  Form 

but  Laurentius  Pignorius  de  fervis,   p.   116.  fays,  Pugil 

larium  forma  fuit  oblonga  &  quadrata,  eminenti  quadan 

'  xnargine  circumcirca  conclufa,  ut  vidimus  Romse  in  veter 

'area  fepulchrali  in  hortis  Cyriaci  Mattheii.    The  fame  Pig 

t^iorius  in  the  fame  Book,  p.  1 1 7.  defcribes  likewife  th( 

Form  of  the  Roman  Graphium,  or  Stylus ;  with  whicl 

they  us'd  to  write  in   thefe  waxen  Table- Books :  It  wa 

firli  made  of  Iron,  but  that  being  dangerous  to  ftab  with 

and  too  frequently  abus*d  in  that  Practice,  was,  in  afte 

times",^    forbid   at  Rome ,    and    publickly    prohibited   t( 

be  Vvorn,    as   Cafaubon   notes  on  Suetonius,  lib»  i.   cap 

8?-.  and  then  Styles  of  Bone  wexe  in  Ufe :    Thefe  wen 

made  iharp  at  one  end  to  cut  the  Letters,  and  flat  at  th< 

othei 


I 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  ^9; 

othef,  ro  deface  them  ;  whence  thePhrafc,  ftylurh  verterc: 
This  Stylus  was  ufually  carry  d  in  a  licde  Cafe,  call'd  Gra- 
phiarium,  as  Beroaldus  obferves  on  the  fame  Place  of  Sue- 
tonius. As  for  Slates,  and  Plates  of  Wood,  it  cannot  be 
doubted  but  that  they  were  us'd  to  wrice  upon. 

*  tancirollus  tells  us.  That  the  Longobards,  now  by  Cor- 
ruption call'd  Lumbards,  at  their  firft  coming  into  Italy, 
made  Leaves  to  write  on,  of  thin  Shavings  of  Wood,  lome 
of  which  he  had  feen  and  read  in  his  Days  The  Antients 
writ  Jikewifc  on  the  Leaves  of  Palm-trees,  fee  Pliny,  lib.  13, 
:ap.  1 1,  and  thence  Letters  are  call'd  Phoenicean,  not  froifi 
:he  Countrey,  but  from  <po7vi^,  a  Palm-tree.  Yet  Guiland- 
lus  de  Papyro,  makes  a  mighty  Buftle  to  prove,  that  Palm- 
eaves  were  never  us'd  to  write  upon  ;  he  believes 
;hat  Phoenicea,  vvbich  Pliny  there  ufes,  is  not  the  fame  with 
3o?w?„  and  would  have  tis  read  malvarum,  inftead  of  pal- 
liarum.  It  is  indeed  true,  that  they  did  antiently  write  ort 
he  Leaves  of  Mallows  likewife,  as  appears  by  Ifidorus,  and 
he  following  Epigram  of  Cinna,  which  that  Auchouf  cites  : 

H«c  tibi  Arateis  miiltiitn  invigilata  lucernjs 
Carmina,  queis  ignes  movimiis  zethereos, 

Lagvis  in  aridulo  malvas  defcripta  libello^ 
Prufiaca  vexi  munera  navicula. 

^ut  this  was  not  frequent :  for  the  Leaves  of  Mallows  are 

00  foft,  to  be  proper  for  that  Ufe.  The  Names  of  thofe 
vho  were  expell'd  the  Senate  at  Athens,  were  v^ritten  on 
^eaves,  tho'  of  what  Kind,  is  uncertain :  but  from  thence 
he  Sentence  againft  them  was  call'd 'E^tpi-Mor^opnajs- ;  and 
he  Names  of  thofe  banifh'd  by  the  People,  vvere  written 
»ti  Shells :  But  at  Syracufe,  the  Names  of  fuch  fentenc'd 
llitizens  were  written  on  the  Leaves  of  the  Olive- Tree  - 

nd    thence  it  was   call'd  ns'JctAtcr^*^',  ^tt^   tv  'ars?a^«   hala/' 

jLnd  the  Cumsean  Sybil  in  Virgil  was  wont  to  make  ufe  of 
'bis  fort  of  Paper : 

1  Fata  canir,  foliifque  hotals  Sc  carmina  mandar. 

iEn.  3.  v.  444. 

I  Upon  which  Horteniaus  cites  Varro  to  prove,  that  it  was  pe- 
culiar to  that  Sybil,  to  defcribe  the  Oracles  in  the  Leaves  of 
*alm- trees:  But  Cerdanus  believes  it  to  have  bieen  the  ge- 

^  S$S  neral 


f  94  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V. 

neral  Cuftotn  of  thofe  Times,  and  that  they  did  not  yet 
write  on  the  Barks  of  Trees,  or  on  the  Reed  calFd  Papy- 
rus, or  on  Parchment. 

Pliny  makes  mention  in  feveral  Places  of  Books  made  of 
Linnen :  Thefe  were  publick  Records,  and  call'd  by  fomc ,., 
Libri  lintei,  by  others,  Linteae  Mappse,  and  Carbafina  Vo- 
lumina,  Silken  Volumes;  Claudian. 

Quid  carmine  pofcat 


Fatidico  cuftos  Romani  carbafus  aevi. 

And  Symmachus  Epiftolan  lib.  4.  Monitus  Cumanos  linte«< 
texta  fumpferunt :  And  Pliny  fays  the  Parthians  us'd  to  in- 
terweave Letters  in  their  Cloaths. 

The  Antients  likewife  were  wont  to  write  on  the  thir 
kind  of  Skin,  that  grows  between  the  outmoft  Bark  anc 
the  Body  of  the  Tree :  And  the  Paper,  which  the  Chinefes 
and  fome  Indians  ufe  to  this  Day,  feems  to  be  made  0 
that,  or  fomething  like  it :  And  from  thence  a  Book  wa 
call'd  Liber. 

Having  try'd  all  thefe  Experiments,  at  length  they  fel 
10  ufe  Paper,  which  they  call'd  Papyrus,  from  a  Reed  0 
that  Name,  that  grew  in  the  Fens  and  marlhy  Grounds  ii 
Egypt,  and  of  which  Paper  was  made  :  They  likewife 
call'd  it  Charca,  from  a  Town  of  that  Name  in  tb< 
Marflies  of  Egypt,  where  it  grew.  Herodotus  in  Terpfi. 
chore  fays.  That  even  in  his  Days  the  lonians  call'd  Paper 
Skins  ;  becaufe  in  times  paft  they  were  fain  to  fupply  tb< 
Want  of  Paper  with  Skins,  which  fliews  the  Errour  o 
Pliny,  in  faying,  that  neither  Paper  nor  Parchment  wen 
Qs'd  before  the  Time  of  Eumenes ;  from  whofe  City  Per^ 
gamus,  Parchment  firft  came,  and  thence  was  call'd  Per 
gamena :  But  of  the  Invention,  Ufe  and  Improvement  0 
Paper  and  Parchment,  fee  at  large  Melch.  Guilandin.  « 
his  Treatife  de  Papyr.  I  only  add,  that  the  Diphthera 
©f  the  Greeks  were  only  Skins  of  Beafts  :  and  that,  in  whicl 
Jupiter  is  feign'd  to  keep  his  Memorial  of  all  Things,  wa 
made  of  the  Skin  of  the  Goat,  that  gave  him  fuck:  Am 
many  are  of  Opinion,  that  the  famous  Golden  Fleece  wai 
nothing  but  a  Book,  written  on  a  Sheep's  Skin.  Diodorui 
the  Sicilian  affirms  in  his  fecond  Book,  that  the  Annals  ol 
Perfia  were  written  on  fuch  Skins  :  and  many  more  Au- 
thorities might  be  produc'd,  if  they  were  needful. 


: 


Book  V.  LUCRETIUS.  ^9^ 

1 5 30  But  all  beyond  lies  hid  in  difmal  Night, 

And  only  leen  by  fearching  Reason's  Light,     (began  ; 
Thus  Ships,  thus  Cloaths,  thus  Wine,  and  Oil 
And  Towns,  the  Comforts,  and  Support  of  Man  • 
But  better'd  all,  to  due  perfedion  brought 

1535  ^y  fearching  Wits,  from  long  Experience  taught. 
Thus  Time,  and  thus  fagacious  Men  produce 
A  thoufand  Things,  or  for  Delight,  or  Use; 
For  cne  Thing  known  does  vig'rous  Light  impart 
For  farther  Search,  and  leads  to  Height  of  Art. 

NOTES, 


ThePoeticlc  Rage,  Sec.']  At 
length  the  Poets,  fays  Lucretius, 
began  to  celebrate  in  their 
Hymns  the  noble  Actions  of  the 
Heroes  of  thofe  Days  :  And  this 
Cuftom  is  at  this  Time  obferv- 
ed  amongft:  the  Indians,  whofe 
Songs  are  the  only  Hiftories  they 
have  :  Laftly  the  Poet  teaches, 
that  all  the  other  Arts  were  in- 
vented and  improv'd  by  the  Sa- 
gacity and  Experience  of  Men  ; 
infomuch  that  'tis  hard  to  fay, 
which  of  them  was  firft  found 


Thus  Time,  &c.]  This 


out. 

and  the  following  Verfe  are  re- 
peated from  above,  v.  141^7. 

1538.  For  one,  &c.  ]  Thus 
too  Manilius,  fpeaking  of  the 
Invention  of  Arts,  fays. 

Semper  enim  ex  aliis  alias  profe- 
minat  ufus.  Lib.  i.  v.  90. 

Which  Creech  paraphrafes  thus : 

New  Hints  from  fettled  Arts 
Experience  gains, 

Inftrucfls  our  Labours,  and  re- 
wards our  Pains  : 

Thus  into  many  Streams  one 
Spring  divides, 

And  thro'  the  Valley  rouls  re- 
frelhin^  Tides. 

Confonant  to  which  is  this  of 
Columella,  lib,  lo. 


Ipfa  novas  artes  variaexperientia 

rerum, 
Et  labor  ofbendit  miferis  j  ufus- 

que  magilter 
Tradidit. — 

And  Theocritus  in  Idyl.  21.  af^ 
cribes  the  Invention  of  ail  Arts 
to  Want  and  Neceffity  : 

'ATTov'iX,  Aio(pav?s,  inovA  raV  ts^- 

vets'  lyei^iy 

To  which  may  not  improperly 
be  apply'd,  what  Philoftratus,  ia 
the  Life  of  Apollonius,  as  ciced 
by  Photius-  reports  of  the  Tem- 
ple of  Hercules  at  Gades;  where, 
among  other  Altars,  there  wa^ 
one  dedicated  to  Penury  and 
Art ;  to  intimate,  That  as  Pe-s- 
nury  ftirs  up  Art,  fo  Art  drives 
away  Penury  j  as  Hercules  put 
to  Flight,  and  fubdu'd  Monfters, 
the  Incitements  of  his  Valour, 
See  Riccard.  Brixian.  and  Ca- 
faubon  explaining  this  PafTagi? 
of  the  Prologue  to  Perfius  j 


Magifler  artis,   ingeniique 

gitor 
Venter,  — — 


Ut. 


g    1 


ANIMAD. 


[597  3 


\NIMADVERSION, 

By  Way  of 

Rec  apitulation> 

On  the  Fifth  Book  of 

'.  U  C  R  E  T  I  U  S. 


HAT  Lucretius  in  this  Book  aflerts  from 
V.  60.  to  V.  461.  that  the  Sun,  the  Earth,  the 
Sea,  in  a  Word,  the  whole  Frame  of  this 
World  has  not  exifted  from  all  Eternity,  nor 
wiH  continue  to  all  Eternity,  is  believ'd  in 
general  by  all  pious  Men,  and  Iburd  Philo- 
iphers  :  but  his  proving  this  AlTertion  by  fome  probable, 
sid  by  many  ftrong  and  unqueftionable  Arguments,  that  in- 
ed  feems  peculiar  to  Lucretius  only :  for  certainly  no 
jonger  Proofs,  no  more  cogent  Reafons  [l  always  except 
Holy  Scriptures]  are  any  where  to  be  found :  This  makes 
wonder  the  more,  how  fo  excellent  a  Wit  could  infert 
tbfe  foolifli  Verfes  from  v.  168  to  v.  166.  in  which  he  eh- 
cavours  to  evince,  chat  God  did  not  create  the  World  :  For  he 
ljlieves,that  God  is  not  generous  enough,  or  rather  is  too  fpight- 
f^land  envious,  to  do  any  Thing  for  the  fake  of  Man  ;  and 
(Jifies,  that  whatever  he  does,  he  does  for  the  fake  of 
Inffplf,  of  his  one  Eafe  and  Quiet ;    if  any  Man  fhould 


598  ANIMADVERSION, 

give  fuch  a  Charadter  of  Epicurus,  Lucretius  would  trea  i; 
him  as  an  impudent  Babbler.  In  the  next  place  he  imagine?  i 
that  neither  God  nor  Man  can  have  any  Notice  or  Know 
ledge  of  any  Things,  but  by  the  Means  of  Images.  Am 
who  is  this  God  ?  Is  it  not  he  whom  the  Mind  of  Man  pet 
ceives,  whom  all  Nations  acknowledge  and  adore  ?  In  th 
next  place,  who  can  bear  with  him,  while  he  enumeratet 
the  Faults,  as  he  calls  them,  of  the  World  ?  All  of  then 
falfe,  and  foolifhly  invented:  And  were  thefe  Defedts  ii 
the  new  and  infant  World  ?  Lucretius  himielf  denies  the"| 
wera;  and  therefore  is  the  more  to  blame,  to  impute  t\^ 
Decays  and  flaws  in  a  Building,  worn  out  with  Age,  to  ih 
Fault  of  the  Archited. 

From  V.  461.  to  V.  5  5  r.  he  defcribes  the  Rife  or  Birth  ( 
the  World ;  And  among  all  the  Phyfiologers,  there  is  not 
Defcription  of  it  more  likely  to  be  true,  nor  more  lively  an 
beautiful.  The  Atoms  are  mov'd  by  their  own  weigh  1 
they  meet,  this  makes  them  rebound,  and  according  to  tt 
difference  of  the  Stroke  and  Weight,  the  refilition  is  mad 
into  different  Places,  where  they  combine  and  grow  inr 
Bodies. 

Having,  as  he  imagines,  freed  the  Deity  from  all  Cai 
and  Trouble,  and  kept  him  in  Eafe  and  Quiet,  while  tl" 
World  was  making,  he  proceeds,  and  from  v.  550.  to  v.  82. 
delineates  the  Order  :  and  becaufe  he  does  not  affign  any  or 
certain  Caufe  of  the  Motions  of  the  Heavens,  of  Eclipfes,  « 
Day  and  Night,  with  that  pofitivenefs  as  fome  others  d( 
he  feems  to  fome  to  waver  in  his  Opinions :  But  I  infii 
that  fuch  a  Conflancy,  as  they  they  call  it,  in  an  Epic(i 
rean  Phyfiologer,  would  be  very  ridiculous  :  for  he  pn 
nounces,  that  all  things  are  made  and  done  by  Chance 
and  that  no  Man  can  determine  one,  to  fay,  certain  Caufe,  ( 
thefe  Phasnomenons,  fince  they  may  be  explain'd  in  fever; 
Manners.  Nor  (liould  I  indeed  think  a  Man  worthy  < 
Blame,  who  afTigns  feveral  Caufes,  while  among  the  re 
the  only  true  and  certain  Caufe  is  propos'd.  Nor  can 
imagine  a  Man  could  ad  more  agreeably  to  his  Principle 
or  defcribe  Chance  better:  refolving  all  Philofophy,  all  01 
Search,  and  Inquiry  into  thofe  Matters,  into  a  naked  Ma 
BE :  nay,  often  fcarce  (landing  within  the  comprehenfi^ 
Bounds  of  PoiTibility :  But  to  pafs  by  all  the  Contradidioi 
that  lie  in  the  very  Principles,  and  Beginning  of  his  Hyp 
thesis,  let  us  fuppofe  thefe  Infinite  Atoms,  moving  in  tb 
Infinite  j  and  grant  they  could  ftrike,  and  take  hold,   ar 

)       fquee: 


on  the  Fifth  BOOK.  ^'99 

fqueeze  out  the  lefTer  and  more  agile  Parts  into  Seas,  Hea- 
ven, Moon,  Stars,  8cc.  I  ask,  why  this  mighty  Mafs  of 
Earth  as  its  Nature  requires,  does  not  conftantly  defccnd  ? 
Why  is  it  fix'd  and  fteady  ?  Lucretius  anfwers ;  Becaufe  it 
lies  in  congeneal  Matter,  and  therefore  prefles  not :  but  ftill 
the  Queftion  returns:  Why  does  not  this  congeneal  Matter 
fall,  (ince  it  has  Weight,  the  Epicurean  Property  of  Atoms, 
and  that  other  fit  Matter  fpread  below  it  ?  The  De- 
mand conftantly  returns.  Befides,  this  Matter  was  fqueez'd 
out  of  the  Earth  by  the  defcending  heavier  Particles,  and 
therefore  the  Mafs  may  prefs,  and  defcend  thro*  it :  Well 
then  ;  if  this  Earth  can  not  be  fram'd,  neither  can  any  of  the 
other  Elements  ;  fince,  according  to  his  Defcription,  the  latter 
depends  on  the  former.  And  fince  he  refufes  to  ftand  to  any 
one  Caufe  of  the  Motion  of  the  Sun,  or  Stars,  it  would  be 
endlefs  to  purfue  this  flying  Bubble,  and  follow  him  thro' 
all  the  Mazes  of  Conceit  and  Fanfy.  Nor  will  I  add  any 
thing  concerning  what  he  alledges  of  the  Magnitude  of  the 
Sun,  Moon,  and  Stars,  having  faid  before,  that  that  Opi- 
nion is  too  vulgar  to  be  regarded. 

Read  the  reft  of  this  Book,  and  commiferate  a  Man  of  fo 
excellent  Parts,  who  could  forget  himfelf,  and  play  the  Fool 
fo  egregioufly :  But  it  is  a  Fate  upon  all,  who  deny  a  di- 
vine Providence,  to  reafon  fooliflily  in  Ethicks,  andab/urdly 
in  Phyficks.  Yet  in  the  Defcription  he  gives  us  of  the 
State  of  the  firft  Men,  of  their  Manners  and  Way  of  Life, 
we  have  a  perfedt  Ima^e  of  the  Manners  of  all  the  prefenc 
barbarous  and  favage  Nations :  and  in  thefe  Earth-born 
Men  of  Lucretius,  you  will  eafily  difcover  the  Cannibals^ 
Brafileans,  and  feveral  others  of  the  People  of  the  Weft  Indies, 


The  E  N  D  of  the  Fifth  Book. 


[601  ] 


T-  Lucretius  Carus 

O  F    T  H  E 

Nature  of  Things. 


BOOK    VI. 


The  Argument  of  the  Sixth  Book. 

HE  firft  57.  Verfes  of  this  fixth 
and  laft  Book  of  Lucretius 
contain  the  Praife  of  Athens, 
in  which  City  the  Great  Epi- 
curus was  born  ,•  together 
with  an  Encomium  of  that 
Philofopher,  11.  From  v.  37. 
to  V.  96.  the  Poet  explains  the  Argument  of  this 
Book,  in  fuch  a  manner  as  might  reafonably  be 
expeded  from  an  Epicurean.  IIL  From  thence  to 
V.  451.  he  proceeds  to  dive  into  the  very  Nature 
of  the  Things,  we  call  Meteors  ;  and,  that  Men 
might  learn  not  to  be  difmay'd  at  the  Thunder  of 
angry  Jupiter,  he  teaches,  that  Thunder  is 
made  either  by  theCollifion,  or  Corrafion,  or  DiC- 
ruption  of  Clouds,  when  contrary  Winds  fight 
againft  one  another :  Or,  by  the  Force  of  Winds, 

H  h  h  h  either 


602  A  R  G  U  M  E  N  T. 

* 

either  ftruggling  within  the  Bowels  of  the  Clouds, 
or  driving  them  with  violence  againft  each  other : 
Or^  that  it  is  only  the  Hiding  of  Flames,  that  fall 
from  a  dry  Cloud  into  a  wet :  Or^  laftly,  that 
Thunder  is  but  the  crafting  noife  of  Bodies  of 
Bail  and  Ice,  that,  meeting  violently  in  the  Air, 
are  dafh'd  to  pieces.  As  for  the  Lightning,  which 
the  Latines  call'd  Fulgur,  he  fays  it  is  nothing  but 
Fire,  forc'd  out  of  Clouds,  either  by  their  Col- 
lifion,  or  other  Motion :  Or  the  Seeds  of  Flames, 
that  are  driven  out  of  Clouds  by  the  Force  of 
Winds.  And  then,  as  to  the  Thunderbolt,  that 
other  fort  of  Lightning,  which  the  Antients 
call'd  Fulmen_,  he  teaches.  That  it  confifts  of  a 
fubtile  and  firy  Nature ;  That  it  is  conceiv'd  and 
bred  in  thick  and  high  built  Clouds  ^  That,  be- 
ing grown  to  maturity,  it  burfts  out  of  the 
Clouds  by  the  Force  of  Wind^  that  either  breaks 
through  them,  dafhes  them  to  pieces,  or  beats 
from  without,  with  great  Violence^  againft  them : 
That  it  confifts  of  Atoms  fo  fubtile  and  minute^ 
that  it  is  borne  along  the  Air  with  wondrous  Ce- 
lerity :  and  that  it  is  moft  frequent  in  the  vernal 
and  autumnal  Seafons  :  Then  he  concludes  this 
Difputation  with  deriding  the  fuperftitious  Do- 
drrine  of  the  Thufcans,  and  others,  who  held. 
That  Thunder  and  Lightning  are  not  the  EfFeds 
of  natural  Caufes^  but  proceed  merely  from  the 
Will  of  the  ofFendedj  angry  Gods,  and  that  Ju- 
piter himfelf  is  the  Darter  of  Thunder.  And 
becaufe  a  Prefter^  or  firy  Whirlwind,  which  is 
indeed  a  fort  of  Lightning,  and  all  other  Whirl- 
winds are  certain  Kinds  of  Meteors_,  the  Poet, 
from  V.  4;i,  to  v.  46 o^  difputes  IV.  concerning 
them  \  and  explains  the  Nature,  Caufes,  Motions, 
and  Differences  of  them.  V.  From  v.  45:9.  to  v. 
5g2,  he  treats  of  Clouds  and  of  Rain.  Clouds 
■  he  fuppofes  to  be  made  either  of  the  roughelt 
and  moft  dry  Particles  of  the  Air  \  or  of  the 

Steams, 


ARGUMENT.  6oj 

Steams^  Vapours,  and  Exhalations^  that  arife  from 
the  Earth  and  Waters.    And  as  to  Rain,    he  fays 
it  is  generated,  either  by  Compreffion,    as  they 
term  it,  or  by  Tranfmutation :  By  Compreffion, 
if  the  Force  of  the  Winds  fqueeze  the  Water 
out  of  the  Clouds ;    By   Tranfmutation,    if  the 
Clouds  themfelves  are  changed,  and  diftil  in  fall- 
ing Drops  of  Water.    VI.  In  regard  to  the  other 
Meteors,  as  the  Rainbow,  Snow,  Wind,  Hail,  and 
Froft,  he  difputes  briefly  of  them,  or  rather  only 
mentions  them,  from  v.  y  31.  to  v.  ^41.  VII.  From 
V.  5' 40.  to  V.  609.  he  treats  of  the  feveral  forts  of 
Earthquakes,  and  of  the  Caufes  of  them :  which 
he  afcribes,  either  to  Hollow  Parts  of  the  Earth, 
which,  falling  in,  caufe  it  to  tremble  ^   or  to  the 
tremulous  Motion  of  the  Waters,  which  he  fup- 
pofes  the  Earth  to  fwim  in  ;  or  to  fubterraneous, 
and  other  Winds ;  which  either  fhake  the  Earth 
in  feveral  Parts,  or  drive  it  to  and  fro.  Vlil.  From 
V.  608.  to  V.  646.  he  treats  of  the  Sea ;  and  teaches, 
that   the  reafon  why  it  does  noc   increafe^  not" 
withftanding  the  immenfe  Quantity  of    Water 
that  is  continually  flowing  into  it,  is,  either  be- 
caufe  of  the  Vaftnefs  of  the  Sea  itfelf  ^  or  becaufe 
the  Heat  of  the  Sun  dries  up  its  Waters  ;  or  be- 
caufe the  Winds,  brufliing  over  them,  bear  much 
of   them   away  ;    or  becaufe  the  Clouds  draw 
much  Moiffcure  from  theiii  ,•  or,  laftiy,  becaufe 
of  the  Drynefs  of  the  Earth  itfelf,  which  fucks  in, 
and  imbibes,  the  Waters  of  the  Sea.    IX.  From 
V.  645".  to  715'.  he  inquires  into  the  Caufes  of 
the  Fires  that  are  ejected  out  of  iEtna  ;    and  im- 
putes them  either  to  the  Violence  of  the  Wind, 
or  to  the  exeituation  of  the   Waters  of  the  Sea  ; 
which,  entring  beneath  into  the  Cavities  of  the 
Mountain,  extrude  and  force  out  the   Seeds  of 
Flame,  that  are  engender'd  and  colleded  there,, 
through  the  Apertures,  that  are  on  the  Top  of 
jt»    X.  From  V.  714.  to  v. 75^.  he  treats  of  the 
1^  h  h  h  z,  mwjaX 


^04  '       ARGUMENT. 

annual  Increafe  of  the  Nile  ;  and  afcribes  it  ei- 
ther to  the  Etefian  Winds,  that  blow  full  againft 
the  Stream  of  that  River  ;  and  thus,  hindring  its 
Courfe,  caufe  the  Waters  to  overflow :   or  to 
Heaps  of   Sand,  which  the  Sea  drives  to  the 
Mouths  of  it,  and  thus  choaks  them  up :  or  to  the 
Rains,  and  Snows,  that  fall,  and  are  melted,  near 
the  Fountain  of  the  Nile.    XI.  From  v.  7;4.  to 
V.  851.  he   difputes  of  the  Averni,   and  other 
Trafe  of  the  Earth,  that  are  noxious,   and  even 
deadly,  to  Birds,  Men,   Deer,    Crows,  Horfes, 
&c.  XII.  From  v.  850.  to  v.  894.  he  teaches,  why 
the  Water  of  fome  Wells  and  Springs  is  hot  in 
Winter,  and  cold  in  Summer.    Xlll.  And  thence 
to  V.  1006.  he  explains  at  large  the  attradlive 
Power  and  Virtue  of  the  Loadftone.  XIV.  Laftly, 
from   v.  1006.  to  the  End  of  the  Book,  he  dif- 
courfes  briefly  of  the  Caufe  and  Origine  of  Plagues 
and  Difeafes ;  and  concludes  his  Poem  with  an 
elegant  Defcription,  taken  from  Thucydides,  of 
the  Plague  that  rag'd  in  Athens,  and  almofl:  laid 
wafte  and  defolate  the  whole  Countrey  of  Attica, 
in  the  Time  of  the  Peloponnefian  War. 


T.  LUCRE- 


I  60S  ] 


r.LuCRETlUsCARUS. 


THENS  firftgave  us  Laws,  and, 

chang'd  our  Food  ; 
For  Acorns,    tender  Fruit  andl 

Corn  beftow'd 
On  wretched  Man  :   Each  was  a ' 

mighty  Good  ! 
But  then  She  taught  us  how  to  live  at 
Eafe, 
5   She  taught  the  Joys  of  Life,  and  Ihew'd  us  Peace, 

When 
NOTES. 

dance  o£  all  things  necefiary  to 
lead  a  happy  and  quiet  Life,  and 
that  nevetthelefs  they  wafted  their 
Days  in  Cares,  and  Sorrows,  and 
Anxieties,  apply'd  himfelf  to  in- 
quire into  the  Origine  of  this 
great  Evil;  and  at  length  dil'co- 
ver'd,  that  the  VelTel  it  felf,  thac 
is,  the  Mind  of  Man  was  the 
Caufe  of  this  Calamity  :  For,  as 
whatever  things  we  put  into  a 
ftinking  VeiTel  are  foon  corrup- 
ted and  tainted  wich  the  fame  ijf- 
fenfive  Odour ;  In  like  manner, 
if  the  Mind  of  Man  be  unlincere^ 
and  not  found,  he  will  never  be 
able  fo  to  govern  himfelf,  as  may 
be  moft  conducive  to  his  own  fe- 
licity :  In  the  iirft  place  therefore 
he  fays,  that  Epicurus  was  th^ 
Man  whoiirftpurg'd  andcleans'd 
the  Minds  of  tholsj  whom  he  in- 
truded 


Lucretius,  who ,  throughout 
is  whole  Poem,  is  profufely  la- 
ifh  in  Praife  of  Epicurus  *,  be- 
ins  this  fixth  and  laft  Book  with 
be  Praifes  of  Athens :  which 
;^ity,  he  declares,  Men  ought  to 
onour  and  revere,  not  only  be- 
iufe  Humanity,  Learning,  Re- 
gion, the  Tillage  of  the  Earth, 
le  life  of  Corn,  Laws,  and  ci- 
il  Societies  are  believ'd  to  have 
iken  Rife  there,  and  to  have 
een  from  thence  diftributed 
tnongft  all  the  Nations  of  the 
larth  :  [Cicero  Orat.  pro  Flac- 
3.  Ab  Athenis  enim  humanitas, 
o(ftrina,  religio,  fruges,  jura, 
jges  orta,  atque  in  omnes  terras 
liftributaputantur:]  but  chiefly, 
;ecaufe  it  was  the  Place  that  gave 
lirth  to  Epicurus,  who,  when  he 
bferv'd  Men  flowing  in  Abun- 


6o6 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI 


When  Epjcv Rvs  rofe  j  when  He  began. 
That  Oracle  of  Truth,  that  more  than  Man  ; 
The  Fame  of  whofe  Inventions  ftitt  furviv'd,  ' 

And  rais'd  an  everlafting  Pyramid,  ^ 

I  o  As  high  as  Heav'n  the  Top,  as  Earth  the  Bafis  wide.  , 
For  He,  obferving  fome  that  could  lupply 
Contented  Nature's  thrifty  Luxury, 
Happy  in  Honours,  and  in  Wealth's  Embrace, 
And  doubly  happy  in  a  noble  Race, 

1 5  Still  groan'd  at  home ;  with  Cares  and  Fears  opprefs' 
Each  found  a  fad  Difturber  in  his  Breaft, 
Imagin'd  ftrait,  fome  Fault  lay  hid  in  Man, 
Whence  this  Corruption  of  the  Joys  began  .* 


Becaui 


NOTES. 


ftrucfled  in  Wifdom,  to  whofe 
Affedioni  he  put  Stops  and 
Bounds  of  Reftraint ;  from  whofe 
Minds  he  expeli'd  Terrour ;  to 
whom  he  reveal'd  the  chief  Good, 
and  fliew'd  the  eafy  and  direcft 
Road,  that  leads  to  the  Attain- 
ment of  it  •,  to  whom  he  taught 
the  Means  to  obviate  all  Evils ; 
and  laftly,  whom  he  prov'd  to 
be  tormented  with  vain  Anxie- 
ties, and  to  tremble,  and  be  dif- 
quieted  with  caufelefs  and  empty 
Fears.  And  this  is  what  the  Poet 
fays  in  the  firft  37.V.  of  this  Book, 
'i.  Athens]  The  moft  famous 
and  antient  City  of  Greeccj  fi- 
tuate  on  the  Sea-Coaft  of  Attica  : 
and  built  by  Cecrops,  A.  M. 
2407.  and  from  him  call'd  Ce- 
cropia  :  As  to  its  Name,  Athens, 
the  Fables  fay,  that  a  Conteft 
arifing  between  Neptune  and 
Minerva,  which  of  them  iliould 
give  the  Name  to  that  City,  the 
Gods,  to  compofe  the  difference, 
were  pleas'd  to  decree,  that  the 
City  ihouU  be  call'd  by  the 
Kame  of  either  of  them,  who 
ihould  confer  the  greateft  Benefit 
ion  Mankind  :  The  Gods  were 
affembled  in  Judgment,  and  Nep- 
tune darted  his  TTrident  againft 
the  Earth,  which  opening  was  de- 
liver'd  of  a  Horfe,  a  warlike  Ani- 
mal :  Minerva  ftruck  her  Spear 
into  the  Ground^  and  ypitarts 
an  Olive-Tree,  the  Embiem  of 


Peace  ;  the  Gods  decided  it  : 
favour  of  Minerva,  who  nam' 
the  City  Athene,  from  her  ow 
Name  'A9^m,  for  fo  the  GreeJ 
call'd  her. 

Firft  gave,  Sec."]  Juftin.  li 
2.  Cicero  pro  Flacc.  Diodor 
Sicul.  lib.  13.  Plin.  lib.  7.  ca 
^d,  fay,  that  the  Athenians  we 
the  firft  who  taught  Men,  th 
fed  before  upon  Acorns,to  plouj 
the  Earth,  and  to  fow  Corn  :  ai 
that  they  were  the  firft  likewii 
who  made  Laws,  and  compell 
Men  to  quit  their  favage  way  < 
Life,  and  to  enter  into  civil  S> 
cieties* 

6.  Epicurus]  Of  whom  B. 
V.  88.  and  the  BeginningofB.il 

p.  And  rais'd,  &c.3  This  ar 
the  following  Verfe  are  tra 
fcrib'd  out  of  Cowley's  Ode  c 
the  Death  of  Mrs.  Phillips.  . 
Pyramid  is  a  Figure  broad 
bottom,  and  fmaller  and  Hiarp 
by  degrees  upwards,  till  it  er 
in  a  Point  like  our  Spire-Ste«plt 
It  is  fo  call'd  from  Ilyfj  Fir 
becaufe  Flame  afcends  in  th 
Figure. 

1 7.  Imagin'd  ftrait,  Sec."]  Th 
and  the  following  Verfe  run  th 
in  the  Original. 

Intellexit  ibi  vitium  vas  efficc 

ipfum, 
Omniaque  ilUus  vitio  corrumpi 

intus.  ,^, 

Whe 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  CpT 

Becaufe  his  Wish  is  boundlefs,  vaft  his  Mind  ; 

20  The  Goods  ran  thro',  and  left  no  Sweet  behind  : 
Or  elfe  fome  ill  Opinion  ftill  deftroys 
The  enrring  Good,  and  ftill  fours  all  his  Joys. 
Then  He,  the  mighty  He,  by  pow'rful  Rules, 
And  true  Philosophy  reform'd  our  Souls, 

15  He  purg*d  away  all  vain  and  empty  Care,  (fear. 

And  taught  what  Man  fhould  hope,  what  Man  (hould 
The  End,  at  which  our  A(£^ions  aim.  He  ihow'd, 
And  taught  an  eafy  Way  to  find  the  Good  .* 
What  we  from  CHANCE,or  Nature's  Force  may  fear,^ 

30  And  taught  us  how  t'  avoid,  and  how  to  bear,  >• 

And  prov'd  that  Man  is  fondly  vex'd  with  Care.      S 

I^or 
NOTES, 

20.  The  Goods  ran  thro',  Sec."} 
Lucretius  here  alludes  to  the  Fa- 
ble of  Danaides,  or  Daughters  of 
Danaus  ;  of  whom  B.  III.  v.  1005, 
The  Allufion  is  clear  in  the  Ori- 
ginal, tho'  obfcure  in  this  Trans- 
lation. 

26,  What  Man  Hiould  hope,] 
For  Epicurus  would  have  had 
Men  fet  Bounds  to  their  Defires, 
and  content  themfelves  with  what 
the  necetlities  of  Nature  requir'd  : 
for  he  faid,  that  the  Things,  that 
are  neither  necefTary  nor  natural, 
are  infinite  in  Number,  and  fie 
only  for  Fools. 

What  fear.]  He  delivered  the 
Minds  of  Men  from  fear,  by  pro- 
ving the  Soul  to  be  mortal,  by 
talcing  away  all  belief  of  Provi- 
dence, and  overthrowing  all  Re- 
ligion :  for  he  taught  that  the 
Gods  need  not  be  fear'd  becaufe 
they  can  not  be  angry ;  and  that 
no  Senle  remains  after  Death. 
An  Opinion  no  lefs  weak  than 
impious. 

29.  Chance,  or  Nature's  Force]- 
Epicurus  held  that  all  the  Ills,  to 
which  Mortality  is  fubjecft,  hap- 
pen from  Chance,  or  are  the  Ef- 
fects of  Nature  :  And  that  all 
the  Calamities  that  attend  us,  of 
what  Kind  foever  they  be,  muit 
be  afcrib'd  to  one  of  thofe  two 
Caufes :  All  is  Chance  or  Na- 
ture ;  there  is  no  third  to  fly  to  : 

for 


Where  by  Vas,  the  Veflel,  the 
'oet  means  the  Mind  of  Man  j 
or,  in  like  manner  as  a  Veflel, 
hen  it  is  once  imbu'd  with  an 
nfavoury  Odour,  corrupts  all 
rie  Liquors  it  receives  :  So  Men 
DO,  fays  the  Poet,  becaufe  they 
ave  admitted  into  their  Minds 
be  Fear  of  the  Gods,  and  thcj 
)read  of  Punifliments  after  1 
)eath,  do  therefore  lead  their 
.ives  in  tormesiting  inquietudes, 
/bile  anxious  Cares  fluctuate  in 
deir  uneafy  Breafts  :  From  which 
!^ares  and  Terrours  they  might 
eliver  their  Minds ,  if  they 
zould  once  confider  and  believe 
hat  the  Gods  are  not  the  Au- 
hors  of  Things,  and  thatl)eath 
o  them  ifi  nothing  :  an  impious 
^flertion,  but  the  main  Drift  of 
•ur  Poet. 

19,   His  Wifh    is   boundlefs] 
)ryden  from  Juvenal,  Sat.  10. 

uch  is  the  gloomy  State  of  Mor- 
tals here, 

Ve  know  not  what  to  wiih,  nor 
what  to  fear ; 

Lv'n  he,  who  grafp'd  the  Words 
exhaufted  Store, 

fet  never  had  enough  j  but 
wifh'd  for  more  ; 

lais'd  a  top-heavy  Tow'r  of 
monftrous  Height ; 

Vhich,  mould'ring,  cruHi'd  him 
underneath  the  Wejght ; 


CoS  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

For  we,  as  Boys  at  Night,  at  Day  do  fear 
Shadows,  as  vain,  and  fenfelefs  as  thofe  are  : 
Wherefore  that  Darkness,  that  oerfpreads  our  Souls 

35  Day  cant  difperfe,  but  thofe  Eternal  Rules, 
Which  from  firm  Premifes  true  Reason  draws. 
And  a  deep  Infight  into  Natures  Laws. 

And  therefore  I'll  proceed.     Since  then  the  Sky 
And  all  that  iSj  or  can  be,  fram'd  on  high, 

40  Is  MORTAL,  once  was  made,  and  once  muft  die  j 
Since  this  is  prov'd,  now  Til  go  farther  on. 
And  finifii  this  fo  happily  begun. 

The  various  Wonders  of  the  Lower  Air 
Perplex  Men's  doubtful  Thoughts  with  vexing  Care,  ^ 

43  And  make  the  Wretches  bend  with  flavifli  Fear  :  ^ 
For  Ignorance  of  Caufes  heaves  the  Mind 
To  Powr's  above  j  as  Birds  foar  high,  when  bline 


7 


? 


JV 


NOTE  S. 


for  the  God  of  Epicurus,  as  Ter- 
tullian  more  than  once  obferves, 
pene  nemo  eft,  is  next  to  No- 
Body. 

32.  For  we,  Scc.2  You  will 
find  thefe  6.  v.  in  the  fecond 
Book,  V.  58.  See  there  the  Note 
upon  them. 

38.  And  therefore,  See.']  Hi- 
therto has  been  only  the  Praife 
ofEpicurus  and  of  Athens.  Now 
follows  in  58.  V.  an  Explication 
of  the  Argument  of  this  Book. 
He  fays,  that  having  in  the  pre- 
ceding Book  treated  of  the  Be- 
ginning of  all  Things,  and  of  the 
celeftial  Motions,  he  will  now 
difpute  of  Meteors,  and  of  the 
other  wondrous  Effeds  of  Na- 
ture, which  Men,  who  are  igno- 
rant of  the  Caufes  of  them,afcribe 
t©  the  Gods  :  whence  proceed, 
Religion,  the  vain  dread  of  Pow- 
ers above,  groundlefs  Fears,  idle 
Apprehenfions,  tormenting  An- 
xieties, &:c.Thefe  are  the  Ruin  of 
true  Piety,  and  the  reafon  that 
vain  Superftition  reigns  in  the 
Minds  of  deluded  and  miftaken 
Man. 

42.  So  happily  begun. 3  Here 
our  Tranllatour  has  wholely  0- 


mitted  the  three  following  Vei 
fes  of  his  Authour  j 

Quandoquidem  femel   iniigner 

confcendere  currum 
Vincendi  fpes  hortata  eft,  atqu 

obvia  curfu 
Qu£e  fuerant,  funt  placato  cor 

verfa  furore. 

And  indeed  Lambinus  utterly  n 
jecfts  them  :  and  the  other  Inter 
prefers  read  them  fo  variouflj 
and  give  them  fuch  different  Ex 
plications,  as  evidently  Hiew. 
that,  upon  the  whole  Matterjthe 
knew  not  well  what  to  make  0 
them  ;  And  for  thefe  Reafons 
refolv'd  not  to  add  them  in  th 
Text  of  this  Tranflation. 

43.3  Wonders  of  the  lowe 
Air]  He  means  the  Meteors 
Thunder,  Lightning ,  Storm; 
Whirlwinds,  Rain,  Snow,  Hai] 
&c. 

47.  As  Birds  foar  high  whei 
blind.]  This  Similitude,  tho'  i 
be  not  in  the  Original,  is  fo  per 
tinently  apply'd  in  this  Place 
that  Lucretius  himfclf,  were  h 
living,  would  judge  it  worthy  o 

hi"i»  A   ,TT 

48.  W 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS,  6q^ 

We  fee  Effects  ;  but  when  their  Causes  lie  y 

Beyond  the  Ken  of  vulgar  Reason's  Eye,  C 

50  We  then  afcribe  them  to  the  Deity.  ^ 

For  ev'n  thofe  few  exalted  Souls,  that  know 
The  Gods  muft  live  at  Eafe,  nor  look  below  ; 
If  they  look  up,  and  view  the  World  Above, 
And  wonder  how  thefe  glorious  Beings  move,' 

5  5  They  are  intrap'd,  they  bind  their  flavifh  Chain, 
And  fink  to  their  Religious  Fears  again  ; 
And  then  the  World  with  heav'nly  Tyrants  fill, 
Whofe  Force  is  as  unbounded  as  their  Will. 
Deluded  Ignorants  !  who  ne'er  did  fee 

60  By  Reason's  Light,  what  can,  what  can  not,  be  : 
How  all  at  laft  muft  yield  to  fatal  Force; 
What  fteady  Bounds  confine  their  nat'ral  Courfe  : 
And  therefore  err.     If  you  refufe  to  fly 
Such  Thoughts,   unworthy  of  the  Deity  ; 

65  But  think  they  a(5l  fuch  Things,  as  break  their  Eale' 
And  oppofite  to  Joy  and  Happinefs  ; 
Then  thou  Ihalt  furely  fmarc,  and,  fanfying  ftill 
The  Gods  are  angry,  fear  a  coming  111  : 
Tho*  no  revengeful  Thoughts  their  Minds  imploy  j 

70  No  Thirst  to  punifh  Man  difturbs  their  Joy.* 
Yet  thou  doft  think  their  happy  quiet  Age 
Still  vext  with  waking  Cares,  and  vi'lent  RageJ 

Nor  (halt  thou  vific  on  the  Sacred  Days 
Their  Shrines  with  quiet  Mind,  or  ling  their  Praife.' 

75  Befides,  the  Images,  the  Forms,  that  rife  f 

From  their  pure  Limbs,  a.nd  ftrike  thy  Reason's  Eyes,  > 
And  conftantly  prefent  the  Deities  ;  3 

Thofe 
NOTES. 

thours  of  them.    See  B.  V.   v. 


4S.  We  fee,  &c.]  This  and  the 
wo  following  Verfes  are  in  B.  I. 
.  185.  and  theyihouldbe  repea- 
ed  again  below  after  v.  91.  of 
his  Tranflation ,  for  Lucre- 
iusdoesfoin  the  Original,  but 
i^reech  has  nevertheless  omitted 
hem  in  that  Place. 

51. For  cv'n,  &:c.]  This,  and  the 
en  Yerfes  that  follow  it,  are  like- 
nCc  repeated  from  B.  V,  v.  87. 
^  57.  Heav'nly  Tyrants,  &c.] 
)evere  and  cruel  Gods;  whom 
jach  Wretches  as  are  ignorant  of 
he  Caufes  of  Things,  fear  and 
idore,  as  if  they  were  ths  Au- 


94. 

60.  By  Reafon^s,  &c.]  This 
and  the  two  next  Verfes  are  in 
Book  I.  V.  99.  as  weiJ  as  B.  V. 
V.  97. 

71.  Yet  thou,  &c.]  Horace  in 
like  manner : 

Namque  Deos  didici  fecu- 


rum  agere  jevum, 
Nee  fi  quid  miri  faciat  Natura, 

Docs  id 
Trifles  ex  alto  cceli  demittere 

te(fio. 

I  i  i  i  78.  Thofe 


6id:        Lucretius:         Bookvi 

Thofe  Images  will  ftUl  difturb  thy  Mind, 
Strike  deep,  and  wound,  and  leave  Despair  behind : 
^o  And  then  how  fad  thy  Life  !  What  pungent  Cares 
Will  vex  thy  wretched  Soul  ?  What  anxious  Fears  ? 

But  now  to  chafe  thefe  Phantoms  out  of  fight 
By  the  plain  Magick  of  true  Reason's  Light  j 
Tho'  I  have  fung  a  thoufand  Things  before, 
85  My  lab' ring  Muse  muft  ling  a  thoufand  more  :       (flie: 
How  Thunder,  Storm,  and  how  fwift  Lightnin'( 
Singeing  with  firy  Wings  the  wounded  Skies  I 
L^ft  fuperftitious  you  obferve  the  Flame, 
If  thofe  quick  Fires  from  lucky  Quarters  eame  ; 

O 
f<  6  t  E  S, 


78.  Thofe  Images,  Sec."]  For 
Epicurus  foolillily  believ'dj  that 
a  God,  who  forefees  all,  protects 
all,  and  provides  for  all,  muft  be 
indeed,  a  terrible  and  dreadful 
God  :  Infomuch,  that  the  Image 
of  fuch  a  God  can  never  enter  into 
the  Mind  of  Man,  but  Anxiety, 
Fear,  and  Terror  will  be  the  im- 
mediate Etfed. 

82-  But  now,  &c.]  It  is  next 
to  incredible  to  believe,    to  how 
great  a   degree  wilful  Ignoj-ance 
and  Dulnefs  prevail'd  among  the 
Antients :    and  that  too,  even  in 
the  midft  of  Athens,    the  chief 
Seat  of  Learning.    Plutarch,  in 
the  Life  of  Nicias,  tells  us  •,    that 
they  could  not  difcover  the  Rea- 
fon  of  the  Eclipfes  of  the  Moon, 
but  thought  it  a  Portent  that  fore- 
boded fome  great  Difafter.    For, 
fays  he,    Anaxagoras,    who  Hrft 
treated   of  the  celefbial    Phasno- 
fncnons,  durft  not  Difcourfe  of 
them  in  pubiick,  but  only  in  pri- 
'V'ate,    and  with  fome  particular 
Friends :      For  neither  Natural 
Philofophers,  nor  thofe  they  call'd 
Mstsco^oaoVks",    i.  e.  fuch  as  ar- 
gu'd  concerning  Meteors',were  fuf- 
fer'd  among    them  :  they  being 
look'd    on  as   Men,    who  endea- 
Vour'd  to  limit  the  Divine  Power, 
and  to  derogate  from  it,  by  af- 
(SVibing  allThings  to  natural  Cau- 
fes  :  For  which  Reafon  Protago- 
ras' was  bant fli'd,  and  Anaxago- 
ms  ehfot^ri  'wm  P'rifon ;  but  Pedi- 


cles,   with  much  ado,   procur' 
him  to  be  fet  at  Liberty  :    Socn 
tes  was  taken  off,  meerly  for  th 
Name  of  a  Philofopher  ;    for  h 
was  averfe  to  Studies  of  that  Na 
ture.     At  length,  the  Authorit 
of  Plato,  as  well  by  reafon  of  th 
Probity  of  his  Life,    as  for  tha 
he  fubjedl:ed  natural  Ejffecfts,    t 
more   potent  and  divine  Caufei 
wip*d  off  the  Scandal  from  thol 
Studies,  and  open'd  a  way  to  tn 
Do<fi:rineof  the   Mathematicki 
Thus  Plutarch  v  who,  in  the  Lif 
of  Pericles,farther  teaches  us,wha 
great  Advantages  that  Atheniaj 
General  gain'd  by  his  Acquaint 
ance   with  Anaxagoras :    For  hi 
there  informs  us,-  That  he  deli 
ver'd  his  Mind  from  all  Superfti 
tion,  which  flrikes  a  Terrour  in- 
to thofe,  who  are  ignorant  of  tb 
Caufes  of  the  celeftial  Meteors 
and  tremble  at  the  Things  aboye 
which   Confternation,    adds  th( 
fame  Author,  the  Knowledge  0! 
natural  Caufes  takes  away  j  and 
inftead  of  that  frightful  and  dif 
quieting  Superftition,    infpircs  £ 
fecure  and  quiet  Religion,  toge- 
ther with  good  Hope.    Thus  w< 
fee  to  what  t^nd  the  Endeavours 
of  Lacretitis,   in  the   following 
Difputation,  and  how  much  they 
ought  to  be  efteem'd. 

89.  Lucky  Quarters]  This  re- 
lates to  the  Difcipline  of  theThuf- 
cans  :  Of  which  Gicero  in  the  fe- 
con4  Vrook  de  Divinat.    Coelum 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS. 


611 


in  fexdecim  partes  diviferunt  E- 
rufci :  facile  id  quidem  fait,  qua- 
uor,  quas  nos  habemus,  dupli- 
are  :  poft  idem  iterum  facers,  ut 
r  eodicerent,  fulmenqua  ex  par- 
e  veniflfet.  The  Tbufcans  divi- 
ed  the  Heaven  into  fix  teen  Parts  : 
:  was  indeed  eafie  for  them  to  do 
3,  by  doubling  the  four  we  have, 
nd  then  doing  the  fame  again  : 
hat  they  might  know  by  that 
leans,  from  what  Pare  comes  the 
iightening  :  But  the  fame  Quar- 
»rs  were  fometimes  reckon'd 
icky,  Ibmetimes  unlucky, Lucky, 
3  in  this  of  Virgil : 

— — — —  Subitoque  fragore 
ntonuit  lepvum.  JPin.  2.  v.  692. 

Unlucky,  as  in  this  of  the  fame 
oet, 

Bpe  malum  hoc  nobis,  fi  mens 

non  Ijcva  fuilTet, 
)e  coelo  ta(ftas  memini  praedicere 

quercus : 
ep^    finiftra    cava  pr^^dixit  ab 

iJicecornix.  Edog.  i. 

'hus  the  left  fide  was  ambigu- 
ifly  taken  by  the  Romans  j  of- 
n  as  a  good  Omen,  often  as  a 
jd  :  and  the  Right,  in  like  man- 
er,  was  fometimes  a  lucky  O- 
len,  fometimes  unlucky.  But 
hence  came  the  fame  Part  to 
ave  fo  different,  nay,  contrary 
Power  ?  Was  it  becaufe,  in  the 
iterpretation  of  their  Aufpices, 
ley  fometimes  had  regard  to  the 
lace  and  Site  of  the  Gods,  by 
horn  thofe  Bodings  were  given 
lem,  and  fometimes  to  that  of 
le  Augurs,  whoask'd  thofe To- 
;ns  of  the  Gods  ?  For  the 
iight  of  the  Giver  is  the  Left 
r  the  Asker  or  Receiver  : 
ome  favour  this  Opinion,  and 
round  their  Belief  on  the  Tefti- 
lony  of  Plutarch  lib.  de  Qujefti- 
nibus  Romanis  :  But  Cicero 
Jggefts  another  Reafon,  for  lib, 
.  de  Divin.  he  fays,  that  the 
ireeks  and  Barbarians  take  the 
)mens  from  theRight  to  be  beft, 
5  the  Romaics  do  thofe  from  the 


in  the  Affair  of  Divination,  be 
^a.id  to  fpeak  often  after  their  own 
manner,  often  after  that  of  the 
Greeks.  However,  it  is  certain, 
that  amongfl  the  Romans,  in  au- 
fpiciis,  qua:  finiftra  funt,  bene 
eventura  putantur;  the  Aufpices 
on  the  left  were  thought  to  fore^ 
bode  good  Succefs  :  as  Alexandei! 
ab  Alexandro  in  his  Gen.  dier. 
lib.  5.  cap.  13.  &  Tiraquel.  on 
that  place  prove  at  large  ;  with- 
out omitting  the  Reafon  of  it  : 
for  they  acquaint  us,  that  in  tak- 
ing their  Aufpicia  ex  coelo,  their 
Aufpices,  or  Omens  from  Hea-' 
ven,  which  was  the  chief  kind  of 
all  ;  and  on  which  they  molt  de- 
pended ;  the  Thunder  or  Light- 
ning that  came  from  Heaven,  was 
fuppos'd  to  come  from  the  righe 
Hand  of  God,  when  it  was  on 
the  left  of  the  Aufpex,  or  Sooth- 
fayer  :  as,  on  the  contrary,  when 
it  happen'd  on  his  right  Side,  they 
believ'd  it  to  come  from  the  lefc 
Hand  of  God  ;  becaufe,  they  air- 
ways took  it  for  granted,  that 
his  Face  was  turn'd  towards  th^ 
Aufpex.  Thus  too  Donatus,  on 
the  intonuit  l^evum  of  Virgil, 
which  I  cited  before,  fays,  Qiiod 
dixit  I*evum,  debet  profperum  in? 
telligi :  cujus  ratio  hxc  efl  ;  la;- 
va  in  alijs  contraria  ligniiicant  ; 
in  facris  autem  fignis  idcircb 
profpera  accipiuntur  qujc  \x\21. 
lunt,  quia  facrificantis,  vel  pre- 
cantis  latus  l?2vum  dexteruni  eft 
ejus,  qui  poftulata  largitur  :  So 
likewife  in  the  Omens  taken  from 
the  Voices  of  Birds,  the  Rule 
was,  that  thofe  on  the  left  were 
always  lucky;  femper  cantus  Of- 
cinis,  quum  finifter  eft,  fecundif- 
fimus  fuic,  fays  Alexander  ab 
Alex,  in  the  Place  above  cited  : 
Indeed  he  makes  fome  Excepti- 
ons to  this  Dodrine,  but  deli- 
vers it  in  general  to  be  true,  And 
here  we  may  obfer-ve  by  the  way, 
that  of  the  Birdsj  from  which  the 
Antients  took  their  Auguries, 
fome  were  call'd  Ofcines,  and 
from  the  Voices  of  th?fe  they 
drew  their  Divinations  \  and 
others  Pra:petes,  from  the  man^ 


th?  Rom^.118  mayj|n9r  of  whofe  fiighc    they    took 


6iz  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VL 

90  Or  with  fad  Omen  fell,  and  how  they  burn 
Thro'  clofeft  Stones,  and  wafte,  and  then  return. 
And  you,  my  fweeteft  Muse,  come  lead  me  on 


I'n 


NOTES, 


their  Omens :    Crows,  Swallows, 
Kites,  Owls,  and  fuch  like  Birds, 
were  counted  inaufpicious ;  and 
others  ,    as   Vultures ,    Eagles  , 
Swans,  &c.    in  fome  cafes  por- 
tended good  luckj  in  others  bad  : 
but  even    this  depended  too    on 
which  fide  the  Bird    was;    and 
fome  Birds  were  held  to  be  lucky 
on  one  fide,  and  unlucky  on  the 
other.  A  Raven  was  lucky  on  the 
I.eft,  a  Crow  on  the  Right :  Cor- 
nix  h  finiftri,  Corvus  k  dextri, 
ratum  facit,  fays  Cicero,  de  Di- 
vin.  lib.  I.     But  which  Auguries 
did  the  Antient  Greeks  and  La- 
tines  take  to  be  left,  which  fight  ? 
For  both  of  them,tho*  they  f^oke 
differently,  yet  meant  the  fame 
thing:  that  is   to  fay,   the  ori- 
ental Omens,  or  thofe  that  came 
from  the  Eaft,  did  to  both  of 
them  feem  to  be  the  beft,    for 
this  Reafon,  becaufe  the  Begin- 
ning'  of   Light  and   Motion    is 
from  that  Part  of  the  Heavens  : 
and  yet  what  the  Greeks  call'd 
right  Omens,  the  Romans  call'd 
left.     Concerning  the  Greeks  it 
is  manifeft  from  Homer,  Iliad. 
12.  v.   239.  where    Hec'tor   fays, 
that  he    values  not 


the 


augural 
Birds,  whether  they  go  to  the 
Right  towards  the  Aurora  and 
the^Sun  ;  or  to  the  left  towards 
the  dusky   Weft  : 

EiT      iTTi     oit}    iccai    '2D©?     >ioo 

>  •  r     '  r, 

'Ob 

As  to  the  Romans,  it  is  evident 
from  Varro,  who,  Epift.  Quxil. 
lib.  e,.  fays,  A  Deorum  fede  cum 
ih  Meridiem  fpec'^es,  ad  finiftram 
funt  partes  mundi  exorientes,  ad 
dexteram  occidentes :  facftum  ar- 
bitror,  ut  finiftra  meliora  aufpi- 
cia,  quam  dexterajelTe  exiftimen- 


tur.  Feftus  Pompeius  quotes  thi 

PalTage,  and  mentions  others  o 

the  Antients  of  the  fame  Opini 

on  :  which  Pliny,  lib.  2.  cap.  54 

confirms  in  thefe  Words ;  L^eva 

profpera  exifttmantur,  quonian 

licv^    parte    mundi    ortus    eft 

Now  the  reafon  of  the  differen 

Appellation  is,  becaufe,  in  takin: 

their  Auguries,  the  Greeks  turn'* 

themfelves  towards   the  North 

the  Romans  towards  the  Soutt 

But  to  inquire  why  they  did  fo 

would  engage  me  into  too  long  . 

Digreffion. 

$>o.  Sad  Omen]  See  below,v.375 

92.  And  you,  &c.]    The  Poe 

invokes  his  Mufe  in  thefe  4.  v 

of  which,  our  Tranflatour,  no 

having    fully    rendered    them 

obliges  me  to  give  the  Original. 

Tu  mihi  fupremsB  pra:fcripta  ac 

Candida  calcis 
Current!    fpatium    prajmonftra 

callida  Mufa, 
Calliope,  requies  hominum,  Di- 

vumque  \i«oluptas  ; 
Te  duce  ut  infigni  capiam  cum 

laude  coronam. 

Whence  we  fee,  that,  notwith- 
ftanding  what  fome  imagine, 
that  Lucretius  never  finifli'd  his 
Poem,or  at  leaft  writ  moreBooks 
that  are  loft,  he  never  propos'd 
to  himfelf  to  write  above  fix; 
and  that  he  is  now  haftening  ad 
pr«efcripta  Candida  fupremar  cal- 
cis :  which  Seneca  helps  us  to  ej* 
plain  :  For  that  A.uthour,  Epift. 
19.  teaches.  That  what  in  the 
Circus  was  in  his  Days  call'd 
Meta,  the  Goal,  the  Antients 
call'd  Calx,  becaufe  the  end  of 
the  Courfc  was  often  mark'dvvith 
Chalk.  Calliope  was  one  of  the 
Mufes,  fo  scaird  from  kix?\.o^^ 
Beauty,  and  o^/,  ott^,  a  Voice  : 
She  was  Mother  of  Orpheus,  and 

Pre- 


3ookVI.  LUCRETIUS.  6ij 

Vm  eager,  and  'tis  Time  that  I  were  gone  ; 
Come  lead  me  on,  and  fliew  the  Path  to  gain 

95  The  Race,  and  Glory  too,  and  crown  my  Pain. 
Firftthen,  the  dreadful  Thunder  roars  aloud. 
When  FIGHTING  Winds  drive  heavy  Cloud  on  Cloud  : 
For  where  the  Heav'n  is  clear,  the  Sky  feren^,^  ,,  /  ,  • 
No  dreadful  Thunder's  heard,  no  Lightning  feen; 

00  But  where  the  Clouds  are  thick,  there  Thunders 
The  furious  Infant's  born,  and  fpeaks,  and  dies,   (rife  ^ 
Now  Clouds  are  not  fo  thick,  fo  clofe  combin'd        9 
As  Stones  ;  nor  yet  fo  thin,  and  fo  refin'd  •* 

As  riling  Mists,  or  fubtile  Smoke,  or  Wind,:,,        O 

■..,•-;,..,  .For 
NOTES, 


•refident  of.  HeroickYerfe.    See 
.  I.  V.  932. 

93.  I'm  eager,  Sec.  ]  This 
'"erfe  our  Tranflatour  ieems  to 
ave  been  fond  of:  for  he  repeats 
:  from  B.I.  V.  930.  where  it  is 
lac'd  with  as  little  Authority 
irom  Lucretius,  as  it  is  here. 

96.  Firft  then,  dec."]  Lucre- 
ius  begins  his  Difputation  of 
/leteors  ;  and  iirft  of  Thun- 
lers :  the  various  Motions  and 
differences  of  which  he  explains 
evieral  ways  :  And  I.  in  thefe 
3.  V.  teaches,  that  the  Noife  of 
Thunder  is  made  by  the  Collilion 
tf  Clouds,  that  are  driven  and 
lafli'd  againfl:  one  another  by 
id  verfe  Winds.  And  if  it  be  ob- 
ededj  that  Clouds  are  rare  and 
hin  Bodies,  and  therefore  very 
mproper  and  unlikely  to  make 
b  great  a  Noife,  the  Anfwer  is, 
hat  the  Clouds  do  not  equal 
)tones  and  Wood  in  Denfity ; 
ibr  on  the  other  hand,  arefo  rare 
IS  Mift,  or  Smoke  :  for  then  m- 
leed  they  would  vaniHi  away  : 
>utthey  are  however  of  a  middle 
Mature  between  both,  and  denfe 
mough  to  contain  Hail  and 
>now. 

I  Diogenes  Laertius  fays  this  was 
:he  Opinion  of  Epicurus  and  A- 
^axagoras  :  and  we  read  in  Sto- 
l^^us,  that  Democritus  and  the 
'toicks  too  were  of  the  fame  Be- 
icf :  Nor  docs  Seneca  oppofe  it, 
l-ap.  30-    Nat.  Qu;eII.  where   he 


fays,  Quid  enim  non  que^iiad- 
modum  illifa;  manus  plaufum 
edunt,  fie  illifarum  inter  fe  nubi- 
um  fonus  poteft  efCe  magnur, 
quia  magna  concurruht  ?  BimQ 
even  the  Hands  clapt  together 
make  a  Noife,  why  iliould  not 
the  Noife  of  Clouds  dailiing  a- 
gainfl:  one  another  be  great,  fee- 
ing they  are  great  Bodies  that 
meet,  and  ftrike  one  another  ? 
And  to  one  that  objected,  Nubes 
impingi  montibus  nee  fonum 
fieri,  that  Clouds  ftrike  againft 
Mountains,  but  make  no  Noife, 
he  anfwers  :  Non  quomodocun-^ 
que  nubes  ijhfa:  funt,  fonant, 
fed  fi  apte  funt  compofitje  ad  fo- 
num edendum.  Averfa:  inter  fe 
manus  coliifa;  non  plaudunt ;  fed 
palma  cum  palma  collasa  plau- 
fum facit,  the  Clouds  do  not. 
make  a  Sourd  in  what  manner, 
foever,  they  are  dafli'd  againft 
one  another,  but  only  when  they 
are  compos'd  in  a  due  manner  to 
make  a  Noife  :  The  Backs  of  our 
Hands  ftruck  one  againft  anc= 
ther,  do  not  make  that  Sound  of 
Applaufe,  as  when  we  clap  one 
Palm  againft  the  other.  This  was 
the  Opinion  of  many  of  the  An- 
ticnts,  and,  if  we  will  give  Cre- 
dit to  fome  of  our  Philorophers 
at  this  Day.  it  is  next  to  Truth. 
98.  The  Sky  ferene,]  For  the 
Epicureans  deny'd  that  it  ever 
thunders,  when'the  Sky  is  clear  : 
and  therefore   Horace  when    he 

was 


6ij^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI. 


J  05  For  then  the  upper  Clouds,  like  weighty  Stone, 
Would  fall  abruptly,  and  come  tumbling  down  : 
Or  elfe  difperfe,  like  Smoke,  and  ne'er  inclofe 
The  hanging  Drops  of  Rain,  nor  Hail,  nor  Snow«.^ 
They  give  the  Crack,  as  oer  a  Theatre 

iioVaft  Curtains,  fpread,  are  ruffled  in  the  Air  j 


0 


N  O  T  £  5. 


was  ahout  to  leave   tliat  foolifli 
Wifdonij  as  he  caHs  it,  fays, 

Namque  Diefpiter 


Igne  corufco  nubila  dividens, 
Plerumque,  per  puruni  tonantes 
Egit   cc^uos,   volucremque   cur- 
rum. 

109.  They  give,  &:c.]  In  thefe 
^.v.  he  explains,  by  a  Compari- 
fon,  the  Noife  that  Clouds  make 
when  they  are  dafli'd  by  Winds 
againft  one  another,  and  at  the 
fame  time  brings  a  fecond  Ex- 
plication of  Thunder.  For  one 
Single  Cloud  driven  by  the  Wind, 
is  lometimes  rent  afunder  by  the 
violence  of  the  Blaft :  nor  iliall 
we  condemn  this  Interpretation, 
if  we  compare  the  Noife  that  a 
Cloud  fo  torn  makes,  with  the 
rufflmg  of  Curtains  that  are 
hung  up.,in  a  large  Theatre  ;  with 
that  of  Paper  when  you  tear  it 
haftily,  or  of  Cloaths  hung  a- 
broad,  and  ruffled  by  the  Wind. 

Nardius  obferves  that  what  Lu- 
cretius ill  this  Place  advances, 
that  the  Noife  Okf  Thunder 
may  be  made  by  the  mutual 
Confrication  of  Clouds ,  that 
juftle  againft  one  another ;  like 
the  Noife  made  by  Sails  or  Cur- 
tains ruffling  in  the  Wind,  and 
the  like,  is  altogether  improba- 
ble, and  agrees  but  ill  with  his 
own  Doctrine:  For  having  v.  102. 
aflign'd  a  middle  Confiftency  to 
the  Clouds,  he  baniflies  from 
them  that  Drynefs  and  Solidity, 
which  of  necelfity  all  fuch  bodies 
mult  have,  as,  by  their  Collifion 
excite  a  Sound,  that  can  be  per- 
teiv'd  Ironi  far:    Egiides,  tha: 


fort  of  Noife,  which  is  made  ir 
the  Clouds,  is  not  like  the  mu 
tual  Arietation  of  folid  Bodies 
For  then  one  only  Noife  anfwer: 
to  one  only  Blow  :  but  the  Roai 
of  Thunder  lafts,  and  is  repea- 
ted :  Nay,  fometimes  the  Cloucj 
grumbles  for  a  confiderable  fpac{ 
of  Time  :  and  lince  the  Poet  pre- 
tends, that  this  is  done  by  con- 
trary Winds  that  violently  drive 
the  Clouds  againft  one  another  ; 
we  add,  that  when  two  oppofite 
Winds,  fuppofe  the  North  and 
i  the  South,  contend  with  each  0- 
I  ther,  no  Thunder,  but  roaring 
I  Blafts  only  are  then  heard  :  And 
;  this  laft  Obfervation  is  ftrong  a- 
gainft  Lucretius  :  for  it  never 
thunders  except  when  the  Clouds 
move  flowly,  at  leaft  not  when 
the  Rack  drives  with  Violence  : 
and,  which  is  chiefly  to  be  confj- 
der'd,  the  Clouds  grumble,  and 
burft  out  in  Thunder,  when  they 
are  not  agitated  by  Winds. 

O'er  a^Theatre]  The  Roman 
Theatres  were  uncover'd  at  Top  j 
and  to  keep  off  the  Sun  or  Rain 
from  the  Spectators,  Curtains 
were  fpread  over  them  :  as  ap- 
pears by  what  Lucretius  himfelf 
fays,  BooklV.  V.  75.  Propertius 
too  mentions  thefe  Curtains,  lib. 
2.  Eleg. 

Nee  finuofa  cavo  pendebant  vel4 
theatro. 

Quintus  Catulus  was  the    firft , 
who  jntroduc'd  the  ufe  of  them,' 
when  he  dedicated  the  Capitol  j 
and      Lentulus      Spinter      iirft 
brought   up  the    Life  of  filken 
Curcainsj   in   the    Apollinarian 

Gamesis 


6i^ 


Book  Vr.        LUCRETIUS. 

Or  torn,  (for  fuch  a  Sound  is  often  known 
From  Thunder's  Crack)  they  give  a  mighty  Groan  j 
Or  as  fpread  Cloaths,  or  Sheets  of  Paper,  fly 
Before  the  Wind,  and  rattle  thro*  the  Sky. 

15      But  Clouds  meet  not  diredJy  ftill,  but  flidcj 
And  rudely  grate  each  others  injur'd  Side  : 
And  hence  that  buzzing  Noise  we  often  hear,' 
That  with  harsh  Murmurs  fiHs  the  lower  Air  j 
Continues  long,  but  with  a  fofter  found  ; 

10  At  length  it  gathers  Strength,  and  breaks  the  Bound.' 
But  more,  the  Thunder,  arm'd  with  pointed  Flam^^ 
May  feem  to  fhake  the  World,  and  break  the  Frame ; 

When 
^  O  TB  $. 


ames.  This  we  have  from 
liny,  lib.  25.  in  thefe  Words  : 
ela  in  Theatris  tantum  um- 
ram  fecere,  quod  primus  omni- 
tn  invenit  Q.  Catulus,  cum  Ca- 
tolium  dedicaret.  Carbafina 
;inde  vela  primus  in  Theatrum 
uxifle  fertur  Lentulus  Spinter, 
pollinaribus  Ludis.  Of  thefe 
;urtains  fee  more,  B*  IV.  v.  75. 
1 1 5.  But  Clouds,  Sec."]  In  thefe 
V.  he  gives  us  a  third  Explica- 
on  of  the  Noife  of  Thunder. 
)nietimes  the  Noife  of  Thunder 
like  a  crafliing,  or  crealcing 
)und  •,  and  this  happens  when 
le  Clouds  do  not  meet  full  But, 
>  we  call  it,  but  only  rudely 
iftle  and  Ihock  the  Sides  of  one 
lother  in  an  oblique  manner, 
rom  whence  proceeds  that  clan- 
)ur,which  Lucretius  calls  aridus 
_nus,  a  dry  Sound  ;  and  our 
'ranflatour,  ver.  118.  a  harih 
lurmur.    Thus  Milton  : 


— The  Clouds, 

iftling,  or  pufh'd    by    Winds, 

rude  in  their  fliock, 

ine  the  flant  Lightning,  &c. 

119.  Continues,  &:c.]  Dryden 
j  Tro'ilus  &  Creflida  defcribes 
|>is  fort  of  Thunder-Clap. 

j  comes  like  Thunder,  grum- 

j  blmg  in  a  Cloud 

•fore  ?he  dreadful  Break,  &c. 


121.  But  more,    &C.3    Thefe 
8.  V.  contain  the  IVth  Explica- 
tion.   Wind,  fays  he,  pent  up  ia 
a   Cloud,    rages  to   get    free  i 
Thence    proceeds    a    grumblin 
Noife,  till  theWind  having  bur__ 
its  Paflage,    makes    a    dreadful 
Roar  ;  Pliny,  lib.2.cap.4,3.  favours 
this    Opinion,  and    fays;    pofle 
Ipiritum  nube  cohibitum  tonare^ 
naturi  ftrangulante  fonum  dum 
rixetur,  edito  fragore  cum  erum-i' 
pat,  ut  in  membrand  fpiritu  in- 
tentl.  That  Wind,  while  it  con- 
tinues iliut  up  in  a  Cloud,  may 
Thunder  :  becaufe  fo  long  as  Na- 
ture choaks  the  Sound,  it  makes 
a  grumbling  Noife,    but  when 
the  Wind  frees   it  paflage,  and 
breaks  out,  it  gives  a  horrid  Clap: 
as    when  we   break  a    Bladder, 
blown  hard  with  Wind,    If  you 
are  difpos'd  to  laugh,  fee  Ari- 
ftophanes  in    Nubibus,    A<^   i. 
Seen.  4.  Moreover,  this  was  like- 
wife  the  Opinion  of  Strato,  and 
Diogenes,    but  chiefly  of  Leu- 
cippus,  Empedocle?,  and  Arifto- 
tle,  who  allow  nothing  but  this 
to    be    the  caufe  of   Thunder. 
Moreover,  this  fort  of  Thunder 
which  Lucretius  explains  by  the 
burfting  of  a  blown    Bladder, 
may  yet  better  be  explained  by 
the  Report  of  our  Cannon,  ele- 
gantly defcrib'd  by  Pontanus  in 
Meteor,  in  thefe  Verfes, 


6i6 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI 


When  e*er  a  fierce,  and  ftrong,  and  furious  Wind^ 
In  narrow,  thick,  and  hollow  Clouds  confin'd, 

115  Breaks  i;hro*  the  Prifon  with  a  mighty  Noife, 
And  flioots  at  Liberty  with  dreadful  Voice  : 
Nor  is  this  ftrange,  when  one  poor  Breath  of  Air, 
That  ftartsfrom  broken  Bladders,  founds  fo  far. 
Again :  *Tis  Reafon  too  that  Noise  fhould  rife 

130  When  vi'lent  Storms  rage  o'er  the  lower  Skies  , 
For  thoufand  Clouds  appear,  rough,  clofe  combined. 
And  thick,  and  able  to  refift  the  Wind  : 
Thus  Noise  muft  rife,  as  when  the  Woods  they  woun^ 
The  vext  and  injur'dBouGHS  figh  forth  a  mournful  Sounc 

135      And  Winds  oft  cut  the  Clouds,  and,  palling  thro*. 
With  murm'ring  Sound  fill  all  the  Air  below: 

F( 
NOTES, 


Ut  cum  frmata  manus  tormento 

exclufit  aheno 
Fumantenti  pilaoij  verfatque  vo- 

iubile  iaxum, 
Incluii  erumpunt  ignes  nigranti- 

bus  auris  j 
Fit  tremor,  horrendumque  fonat; 

turn  plurimus  ante 
Sternit    iter   fragor,    Sc  gemitu 

faxa  ida  refultant ; 
Disje(rt^que     ruunt     rproftratis 

moenibus  arces. 

And  by  Milton  in  Paradife  Loft, 

E.  yi. 

Jmmediate  in  a  Flame, 


But  foon  obfcur'd  with  Smoke, 
all  Heav'n  appear'd. 

From  thofe  deep-throated  En- 
gines belch'd,  whofe  Roar 

Embowel'd  with  outrageous 
Noife  the  Air, 

And  all  her  Entrails  tore,  dif- 
gorging  foul 

Their  deviliili  Glut,  chain'd 
Thunderbolts  and  Hail 

Of  iron  Globes,  Sec. 

Kow  tho'  thefe  Implements  of 
Mifchief  were  whokiy  unknown 
to  the  Antients  ',  yet  Epicurus  in 
Laertius,  lib.  10.  ufes  almoft  the 
fame  Comparifon,  and  fays,  That 
Thunder  may  be  made  by  Wind 
fhm  up  in  iioJIow   Clouds,  even 


in  like  manner    as   our  y/effe 
burft  with  NoifCj  when  they  ai 
heated  by  included  Fire.    Mor 
over,  Anaximander  and  Metri 
dorus  feem  to  have  been  of  tl 
fame    Opinion  ;    For  they  hel 
Thunder  to  be  a  Wind  conceiv** 
and  inclos'd  within  the  Bowels  c 
a  thick  Cloud;  and  which, breaJ 
ing  out  with  Violence,  makes  tl 
Noife    we    call   Thunder :    an 
that  the  Lightning  is  caus'd  fc 
the  Breaking  of  the  Cloud  :    I 
like  manner,  added  Anaximenc 
who  fubfcrib'd,^  to  this  Belief,  i 
the  Sea,  when  dafli'd  and  broke 
with  Oars,  fparkles  and  fliines. 
129.  Again  :  &C.3   In  thefe  ( 
V.   is  contaia'd  Explication  \ 
We  fee,   fays    the  Poet,   fom 
Clouds,   whofe  branchy    Edgi 
refemble  the  Boughs  of  Tree 
growing  out  on  all  fides  from  tl 
Body :    and  if  Winds  get  in  ; 
mong  them,    why    Ihould  the 
not  caufe  Thunder  ?    For  whe 
a  rough  Blaft  of  Wind  blov 
thro*  a  thick  Foreft,  the  ihake 
Branches  claih  againft  one  anc 
ther,  and  make  a  rattling  Noif 
135.  And  Winds,  &C.3  In  thei 
6.  v.    he   gives  Explication  Vl 
The  Clouds,  fays  the  Poet,  ma 
like  wife  be  broken  to'pieces  b 
the  W'inds,  when  they  beat  bar 
upon  them  :  and  none  can  doub 
^  bv 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  617 

For  that  the  Winds  may  break  the  Clouds^  and  fly^ 
Thro*  all  Refiftance  in  the  lower  Sky, 
'Tis  eafy  to  difcover,  fince  they  break, 

140  And  twift  our  Trees  :  yet  here  their  Force  is  weak. 
Befides  -,  vaft  Waves  of  Clouds  feem  touVd  above. 
And  in  confus'd  and  tumbling  Order  move  : 
Thefe,  meeting,  ftrike,  and  break,  and  loudly  roar. 
As  Billows  dafliing  on  the  trembling  {hore. 

145      Orelfe  hot  Thunder  falls  on  Rain,  or  Snow, 
And  dies,  and  hifTes,  as  it  pafles  thro* : 
As  v^hen  we  quench  a  glowing  Mass,  the  Fires 
Fly  off  with  Noise,  with  Noise  the  Heat  expires 
But  if  the  Cloud  be  dry,  and  Thunder  fail, 

150  Rifes  a  crackling  Blaze,  and  fpreads  o'er  all; 
As  when  fierce  Fires,  prefs'd  on  by  Winds,  do  (ieze 
Our  Laurel  Groves,  and  wafte  the  Virgin  Trees  ; 

The 
hi  O  T  E  S. 


hnt  that  Winds  can  lliatter  the 
Clouds,  fince  we  ofcen  fee  that 
they  tear  up  the  ftouteft  Trees, 
and  tofs  their  broad  Roots  into 
the  Air. 

14.1.  Befides,  &c.i  Explica- 
tion VII.  in  thefc  4.  v.  If  you 
like  not  thefe  Reafons,  imagine 
the  Air  to  be  an  immenfe  Sea, 
and  the  Clouds  its  Waves  :  Let 
them  dafli  againft  one  another  : 
and  they  roar  no  lefs  than  the 
VsxtBillowsofa  boifterousOcean, 
when  they  infult  the  Shores  that 
bound  them. 

145.  Or  elfe,  &c.]  Some  Phi- 
lofophers  taught  that  Thunder 
was  caus'd  by  the  falling  of  Stats 
into  a  wet  Cloud  ,  and  their 
ftruggling  with  the  Moifture  ; 
Now  Lucretius  for  the  Vlllth 
Caufe  of  Thunder,  in  the  Room 
of  their  Scars,  fubftitutes  the 
Flame  of  Lightning,  which,  fall- 
ing from  a  dry  Cloud  into  a  wet, 
hiiles  like  red  hot  Iron,  when 
plung'd  into  the  Smithy.  This 
was  particularly  the  Opinion  of 
Anaxagoras. 

H9-  Butif,  &C.3  Explication 
IX.  That  he  may  be  fure  to  omit 
none  of  the  Caufes  of  Tlmnder  ; 


he  now  in  thofe  6.  v.  fets  the  ve- 
ry Clouds  on  fire ;  and  pretends, 
that  as  Laurels  and  other  things 
crackle  in  the  Flames,  Clouds 
may  do  fo  too. 

152.    Laurel]    Pliny,   lib*   15. 
ca^.  ult.  fays  that  Cato  diftin- 
guiili'd  between  two  forts  of  Lau- 
rel ;  the  Delphick,  and  the  Cy- 
prian :    this    laft  has  a    iliort , 
blackifh  Leaf,  turning  up  at  the 
Edges  and  indented  :  The  other, 
a  very  large  Leaf,  and  bears  very- 
large  Berries,    that    turn   from 
green  to  red  :  with  this  the  Vic- 
tors at   Delphi,  and  thofe  that 
triumph'd  ac   Rome  were  wont 
to   be  crown'd.     Pompeius  Ler- 
naeus  added  a  third  fort  of  Lau- 
rel, which  he  call'd  Muftas,qu6d 
Muilaceis  fubjiceretur.     Lucre- 
tius here  calls  it  Delphica  laurus, 
the  Laurel  being  a  Tree  facrci  to 
Apollo,  becaufe,  as   Pliny,  Nat. 
Hift.  lib.  15.  cap.  30.  fays,  ma- 
ny very  fine  Laurels  grew  on  the 
Mountain   Parnaflus ;    and    be- 
caufe, as  the  Interpreter  of  He- 
fiod    fays,  cAHftyei  tD^^"  c/v^aaicf^cr- 
^a\-.     Dryden    from     Chaucer's 
Tale  of   the    Flower    and    the 
Leaf. 

K  k  k  k  The 


6i8  LUCRETIUS.  BookVL 

The  Leaves  all  crackle ;  SiiE,  that  fled  the  Chafe 


Of  Ph  or  b  V  5  Love,  ftill  flies  ch^  Flames  Embrace. 
N  O  T  £  5. 


Or 


P'he  Laurel  is  the  Sign  of  Labour 

crown'd, 
Which  bears  the  bitter  Blaft,nor, 

iliaken,  falls  to  Ground  : 
From  Winter  Winds  it  fuffers  no 

Decay  j 
For  ever  frelh  and  fair,  and  ev'ry 

Month  is  May  ; 
Ev'n  when  the  vital  Sap  retreats 

below  ; 
Ev'n  when  the  hoary  Head  is  hid 

in  Snow  j 
The  Life  is  in  the  Leaf,  and  ftill 

between 
The  Fits  of  falling  Snow  appears 

the  ilreaky  Green. 

Virgin-Trees  :]  Becaufe  Daph- 
ne flying  from  Apollo,  to  whofe 
Love,  ilie  would  not  confent,  was 
chang'd  into  a  Laurel.  See  the 
next  Noce. 

153.  The  Leaves  crackle]  Pli- 
ny, lib.  15.  cap.  30.  Laurus  ma- 
nifefto  abditac  ignes  crepitu. 
The  Laurel,  by  its  crackling  in 
the  Flames,  fliews  its  natural 
deteftation  of  Fire. 

She  that,  &c.]  This  alludes  to 
the  known  Fable  of  Phoebus  and 
Daphne,  who  was  feiga'd  to  be 
the  Daughter  of  the  River  Pcneus 
in  Theflalia,  becaufe  the  Banks 
of  that  Stream  abound  with 
Laurels.  With  this  Nymph  ^ 
Phcjebus  fell  in  Love,  and  (ht^  re- 
fufing  to  yield  to  his  Defires,who 
would  have  oflfer'd  Violence  to 
her,  fled  from  him,  and  in  her 
Flight  arriving  on  the  Banks  of 
her  Father's  Flood,  and  implo- 
ring his  affiftance,  was  chang'd 
Jnto  a  Laurel :  Her  Transforma- 
tion is  defcrib'd  at  large  by  Ovid. 
Metam.  i.  and  finely  tranilated 
By  Dryden,  as  follows : 

Scarce  had  flie  finifli'd,  when  her 

Feet  ilie  found 
Benumb'd  with    Cold,  and    fa- 

Aen'd  to  the  Ground  : 


A  filmy  Rind  about  her  Body 
grows  J 

Her  Hair  to  Leaves,  her  Arms 
extend  to  Boughs : 

The  Nymph  is  all  into  z  Laurel 
gone : 

The  Smoothnefs  of  her  Skin  re- 
mains alofte  : 

Yet  Phoebus  loves  her  ftill,  and, 
Cafting  round 

Her  Bole  his  Armsj  fome  little 
Warmth  he  found  : 

The  Tree  ftill  panted  in  th*  un- 
finiih'd  Part, 

Not  wholely  vegetive,  and  heav'd 
her  Heart. 

He  fix'd  his  Lips  upon  the  trem- 
bling Rind, 

It  fwerv'd  afide,  and  his  Embrace 
deciin'd  : 

To  whom  the  God  :  Becaufe  thou 
canft  not  be 

My  Miftrefs,  I  efpoufe  thee  for 
my  Tree ; 

Be  thou  the  Prize  of  Honour  and 
Renown  \ 

The   deathlefs   Poet  ,    and  the 
Poem,  crown  : 

Secure  from  Thunder,  and  unr 
harm'd  by  Jove  ; 

Unfading,  as  th'  immortal  Pow- 
ers above  : 

And,  as  the  Locks  of  Phoebus  are 
unfliorn, 

So  fliall    perpetual    Green    thy 
Boughs  adorn ; 

The  grateful  Tree  was  pleas'd 
with  what  he  faid  ; 

And  fliook  the  fliady  Honours  of 
her  Head. 

155.  Ot 


I 


Book   Vl.  LUCRETIUS.  619 

155     Or  elfe  vaft  Hills  of  Hail,  and  Rocks  of  Ice, 
May  break ;  and,  tumbling,  rattle  thro*  the  Skies  : 
For  when  rough  Storms  conjoin  the  Parts  of  Hail, 
Or  fcattcr'd  Ice,  their  Weight  muft  make  them  fail. 
Quick  Lightning  flies,  when  heavy  Clouds  rufli  on,' 
160  And  Itrike  as  Steel  and  FLiNa%  or  Stone  and  Stone  : 

Fcr 
N  O  T  B  S- 


155.  Or  elfe,  &:c  ]  In  thefe 
4.  V.  is  contain'd  the  Xth  and  laft 
Caufe  of  the  Noife  of  Thunder  : 
When  it  thunders,  Hail,  and 
many  little  Fragments  of  Ice  fall 
in  fome  places,  but  chiefly  in  the 
Northern  Climates  :  Therefore 
that  Noife  may  well  be  afcrib'd 
to  the  Breaking  into  Shivers  of 
congeal'd  and  frozen  Clouds. 

To  this  laft  Opinion  fubfcribes 
our  Countreyman  Hobbes,  who 
holds  Thunder  to  be  the  break- 
ing of  a  Cloud,  congeal'd  to  Ice  ; 
and  that  breaks  by  the  ftruggling 
of  inclos'd  Air.  The  Stoicks  held 
it  to  be  a  Noifc  occafion'd  by  the 
Collifionof  two  hollow  Clouds  ; 
and  that  the  Lightning  proceeds 
from  their  Attrition  :  This  I 
hinted  before  ;  and  mention  it 
in  this  Place  again  only  to  fay, 
that  Des  Cartes  differs  not  much 
from  the  Opinion  of  thefe  Phi- 
lofbphers :  for  he  conceives  Thun- 
der to  be  caus'd,when  feveral  Hat 
Clouds,  tabulatorum  inftar,fays 
he,  like  fo  many  Floors,  are  dri- 
ven with  Violence,  the  higher  on 
thofe  below  them,  and  clatter  one 
upon  another ;  and  the  Light- 
ning to  proceed  from  the  Nature 
of  Exhalations,  that  are  included 
in  the  Interftices,  or  Spaces  be- 
tween the  Clouds,  and  which, 
by  their  falling  upon  one  ano- 
ther, is  cruili'd  out,  and  explo- 
ded with  Violence.  But  much 
more  confonant  to  Truth,  nay, 
indeed  true,  is  their  Opinion, 
who  hold  Thunder  to  be,  a  hot 
and  dry  Exhalation,  of  a  ful- 
phurousand  nitrous  Matter,  con- 
traded  and  iliut  up  in  a  cold  and 
moift  CiQud  i  whence  ftruggling 


I  to  get  free,  it  kindles  itfelf  by 
the  Agitation,  and  violemly 
breaks  forth  from  its  Confine- 
ment. And  according  to  this 
Opinion  Cowley  fays  finely, 

Why  Contraries  feed   Thunder 

in  the  Cloud  ; 
What  Motions  vex  it,  till  it  roar 

fo  loud.       David.  3. 

159.  Quick,  &c.]  Hitherto  of 
Thunder  :  He  comes  now  to  in- 
quire into  the  Caufes  of  Light- 
ning, which  may  be  flruck^ouc 
of  harden'd  Clouds,  dafli'd  a- 
gainft  one  another  :  in  like  man- 
ner as  Fire  is  out  of  Iron,  Flint, 
or  Wood  :  for  we  ought  to  be- 
lieve that  fome  Seeds  of  Fire  are 
lurking  in  the  Clouds,  as  well  as 
in  thofe  other  Things  j  fays  Lu- 
cretius in  thefe  6.  \. 

But  before  we  proceed  any  far^ 
cher,  it  will  be  neceffary  to  ob- 
ferve ,  that  under  the  general 
Name  of  Thunder,  three  feveral 
Things  are  comprehended  :  I. 
The  Noife  :  which  the  Greeks 
call'd  B^^vri,  the  Latines  Toni- 
tru,  in  Englifh,  Thunder.  II. 
The  Corufcation,  by  the  Greeks 
call'd  'As^-TTii,  by  the  Latines 
Fulgur,  which  anfwers  to  what 
we  call  the  Lightning.  III.  What 
the  Greeks  call  Ki^t^vvlg,  the  La- 
tines Fuiraen,  and  we  a  Thun- 
derbolt. I  know  that  the  An- 
tients,  efpecially  their  Poets,  no 
lefs  than  we  at  this  Day,  often 
confounded  thefe  three  Things, 
taking  one  of  them  for  the  other, 
tho'  they  are  different,  as  will 
more  plainly  appear  by  what  iliait 
be  faid  by  and  by,  when  I  come 
CO  explain  the  Difftrencc  between 
K  k  k  k  2  %he 


620  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VLi 

For  then  fmall  Sparks  appear,  and  fcatter'd  Light 
Breaks  fwifdy  forth,  and  wakes  the  fleepy  Night : 
The  Night,  amaz'd,  begins  to  hafte  away. 
As  if  thofe  Fires  were  Beams  of  coming  Day. 

And 
N  O  T  £  5. 


the  Fulgur  and  Fulmen  of  the 
Antients.  I  now  return  to  Lu- 
cretius, who  held,  that  as  in 
Stone,  Iron,  and  Wood,  there 
are  Seeds  of  Fire,  which  by  At- 
trition may  be  forc'd  out,  and 
ilruck  into  Sparkles  :  So  in  the 
Clouds  likewife  there  are  Seeds 
of  Fire,  that  by  the  Attrition  of 
thofe  Clouds,  caus'd  by  the  vio- 
lent Force  of  the  Wind,  may  be 
itruck  out  into  Lightning  :  For 
tho'  the  Clouds  be  moift,  yet 
Fire  may  neyerthelefs  be  genera- 
ted and  produced  by  their  Attri- 
tion :  This  Seneca  feems  to  con- 
iirm,  Nat,  Qujcft.  lib.  2.  cap. 
25.  &  26,  where  he  fays.  That 
neither  is  Fire  produced  without 
fome  Moifture ,  nor  are  the 
Clouds  wholely  watry,  but  con- 
tain a  Part  that  may  take  Fire, 
in  like  manner  as  we  often  fee 
the  fame  piece  of  Wcjod  burning 
in  one  Part,  and  Iputtering  out 
Moifture  in  another :  eo  modo, 
quo  fxps  in  lignO  alia  pars  ardec, 
alia  fudat.  Nor  is  this  Opinion 
contradi<fted  by  Pliny,  who,  lib. 
2.  cap.  42.  fays,  PoiTe  &c  attritu, 
dum  in  pr^eeeps  fertur,  ilium, 
quifquis  eft,  fpiritum  accendi  ; 
polfe  &  conflictu  nubium  elidi, 
lit  duorum  lapidum  fcintillanti- 
bus  fulgetris.  And  Seneca,  in 
the  Place  above  cited,  adds  the 
Example  of  the  Wood  of  Laurel, 
and  of  Ivy,  which  by  Attrition 
produce  Fire.  Thus  too  Demo- 
critus  in  Stob<eus  Eclog.  Phyf. 
fays.  That  Lightning  is  the  Col- 
lifibn  of  Clouds ;  by  which  Co!- 
liffon,  the  Corpufcles,  that  arc 
the  efficient  Caufes  of  Fire,  be- 
ing by  various  Confrications,  got 
together,  and  kindled  in  one  Bo- 
^y,  arCj^  as  it  wert:,  ftrain'd  shro* 


the  many  Pores  and  Apertures 
of  the  Clouds. 

Therefore  what  the  Latines 
call'd  Fulgur,  is  nothing  elfe 
than  Light  emitted  from  the 
Flame  of  Fulmen,  and  diffus'd 
through  the  Air.  Yet  Pliny, 
lib.  2.  cap.  43,  Seneca,  lib-  2. 
cap.  16.  dc  18.  and  Ariftotle,  lib, 
2.  de  Meteor,  cap.  ^.  will  have 
the  Fire  of  Fulgur  to  be  more 
loofe  and  rare,  inafmuch  as  it  on- 
ly cleaves  the  Cloud,  and  va- 
nifhes  into  Air  :  but  the  Fire  of 
Fulmen  to  be  more  comprefs'd 
and  clofe  ;  becaufe  it  breaks  the 
Cloud  with  Violence,  and  feme- 
times  dailies  againft  the  Earth. 
But  this  feems  probable  only  in 
the  Corufcations  without  Thun- 
der :  but  can  not  be  in  thofe  that 
are  attended,  cumTonitu  ac  ful- 
mine  :  For  fuch  Corufcation« 
break  the  Cloud  to  pieces,  and 
can  not  be  faid  to  cleave  it,  but 
rather  to  fcatter  and  difperfe  it 
on  all  fides,  while  the  Fulmen 
itfelf  is  direded  to  one  part  only. 
And  thus  the  very  moment  that 
the  Matter  of  Fulmen  is  kindled, 
the  Fulgur  or  Corufcation  is  pro- 
duc'd  ;  but  this  Fulgur  is  mo- 
mentary, becaufe  the  Flame  of 
the  Fulmen  is  fo  too  :  and  if  the 
Fulgur  have  fometimes  any  du- 
ration, the  Flame  of  the  Ful- 
men muft  of  neceflity  continue 
the  longer.  This  is  manifeft  in 
our  Cannon  :  which  being  iir'd 
in  the  Night,  a  Corufcation  from 
the  Fl^me  of  the  Powder  is  dif- 
fus'd all  around  :  whence  Men 
that  ftand  at  a  Diftance  eafily 
guefs,  that  they  iliaU  foon  hear 
the  Report.' 

1(52.    And    wakes    the   fleepy 
Nighty  <5cc,]    This  and  the  twQ> 

jiext 


LUCRETIUS. 


6zt 


Book  VL 

65     And  firft  we  see  the  Light,  and  then  we  hear 
The  Noises  :  thefe  but  flowly  reach  the  Ear  j 
Becaufe  the  Images  of  Things  do  fly 
More  fwift  than  Sounds,  and  quickly  ftrike  the  Eye: 
One  Inftance  clears  it  ;  for,  obferve,  and  fee, 

70  Whene'er  a  cruel  Ax  does  wound  a  Tree, 

The  Tree  ftrait  fighs :  but  if  at  Diftance  fhown,^ 
We  SEE  the  Stroke  before  we  hear  the  Groaw  r 
So  whillt  the  Noise  moves  flow  the  winged  Light 
Flies  Aviftly  on,  and  ftrikes  the  diftant  Sight: 

75  Tho*  both  arofe  at  once,  that  moves  the  Eyes, 
Before  the  flow-tongu'd  Thunder  fpeaks,  and  dies,' 

But 
N  O  T  JB  5. 

is  to  the  Ears,  is  true  beyond  any 
Contradidion ;  and  the  Inftance 
Lucretius  brings  to  prove  this 
Ailertion  is  juft  :  for  nothing  i$ 
more  certain,  than  that  we  fee 
the  Motion  of  the  Hatchet,  lifted 
up  the  fecond  Time  to  ftrike,  be- 
fore we  hear  the  Sound  caus'd 
by  the  iirft  Blow,  even  tho'  wc 
are  plac'd  but  at  a  fmall  diftance 
from  the  Striker.  The  reafon  of 
which  is,  becaufe  the  Materia  fub- 
tilis  in  lucid  Bodies,  which  is  the 
Medium  by  which  we  fee,  con- 
fifts  of  Particles,  that  are  much 
lefs,  and  more  folid  than  thofe 
of  the  Air ,  the  Medium  by 
which  we  hear  :  And  confequent- 
ly  the  Motion  of  that  fubtile 
Matter  is  more  quick  than  thae 
of  the  Air  :  becaufe  more  Strength 
is  requifite  to  overcome  the  Refi- 
ftance  of  a  greater  Body,  than 
that  of  a  lefs  :  Befides,  the  grea- 
ter Body  lofes  much  of  its  Mo- 
tion, in  conquering  the  Refiftance 
of  the  Body  it  meets :  Therefore 
the  Air,  whofe  Particles  are  in- 
tricate, and,  like  thofe  of  all  o- 
thcr  fulphurous  Bodies,  twifted 
and  intangled  in  one  another ; 
and  in  their  Magnitude  far  fur- 
paffing  thofe  of  the  fubtile  Mat- 
ter, whofe  very  Name  fuppofes 
fomething  the  moft  minute  that 
can  be  conceiv'd  ;  therefore,  1 
fav,  the  Air  can  not  move  with 


flit  Verfes  our  Tranflatour  has 
dded  to  his  Authour,  The 
riioiight  feems  to  be  taken  from 
Waller's  Sea-Fight. 

155.  And  firft,  &c.]  But  if 
!'hunder  and  Lightning  be  both 
lade  by  the  fame  Collifion  of 
le  Clouds,  why  do  we  fee  the 
lightning  before  we  hear  the 
i'hunder  ?  Becaufe,  fays  he  in 
hefe  12.  v.  Light  is  fwifter  than 
ound  :  For  common  Experience 
vinces,  that  the  Species  of  a  vi- 
•ble  Thing  is  fooner  convey'd  to 
be  Eyes,  than  the  Noife  it  makes 
5  to  the  Ears.  Thus  Ariftotle, 
lb.  2.  Meteor,  fpeaking  of  Light- 
ing, fays,  y'm"^  j  jjl^'  r  'S^Mym, 

^Ti^v  24^  TO  r  o-^jv  ^lipov 
'  (X)to"»>*  The  Corufcation  is 
nade  after  the  Stroke,  and  after 
he  Thunder  ;  but  it  is  feen  firft, 
lecaufe  the  Senic  of  Seein<:'  is 
wifcer  than  that  of  Hearing  : 
^nd  in  the  fame  place  he  brings 
a  Inftance  of  Men  rowing  a  Boat 
a  the  Water,  and  fays,  that  they 
.re  feen  lifting  up  their  Oars  the 
econd  time  out  of  the  Water,  by 
hat  time  the  Noife  of  the  firft 
>troke  is  heard. 

That  the  Action  of  Light  is 
uicker  than  that  of  Sound  ;  and 
hat  Light    is    therefore  fooner 


onvev'rl  trt  ^^,o  c         ^u      c        j    ^^Xs  tne /iir  can  not  move  with 
^oave)  4  to  the  Eyes,  than  Sound  l.^y^l  Swiftnsfe;  as  does  the  Ma- 
teria 


^22 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V] 


But  more;  a  Cloud  feems  fir*d,  a  Tempest  brings 
Swift,  trembling  Flames  upon  his  dreadful  Wings  ; 
When  (hut  within  a  Cloud,  it  feorns  the  Bound, 

[180  And  ftrives  to  break,  and  whirls,  and  tumbles  round ; 
And,  whirling,  hollows  out  the  watry  Frame, 
At  laft  grows  hot,  takes  Fire,  and  breaks  in  Flame  : 
For  Motion  caufes  Heat  :  Thus  Balls  of  Lead, 
From  Engines  thrown,  have  melted  as  they  fled : 

^85  The  Wind  grows  hot,  when  loos'd  from  cold  Embraa 
Of  prefling  Clouds,  and  gets  a  larger  Space ; 
Strait  fcatters  Sparks  of  Fire,    which  fwiftly  fly. 
And  fpread  quick  Lightnings  o'er  the  lower  Sky  : 
Then  the  grave  Murmur  comes  :  the  Light  appears 

P90  Before  the  heavy  Sound  can  reach  our  Ears. 

Now  this  is  done,  when  Cloud  lies  heap'd  on  Cloud 
Thence  Lightning  flies,  and  Thunder  roars    aloud 

No 
N  O  T  £  5. 


teria  fubtilis,  whofe  Particles  be- 
ing extreamly  minute,  and  folid,) 
and  inflexible,  muft  therefore 
move  more  nimbly,  and  retain 
their  Motion  longer.  And  this 
is  the  Reafon  that  the  Senfe  of 
Seeing  is  quicker  than  that  of 
Hearing. 

177.  But  more,  &c.]  In  thcfe 
14.  V.  he  fays;  That  if  Thunder 
be  caus'd  by  the  Winds  breaking 
and  tearing  the  Clouds ;  Light- 
ning is  likewife  made  by  the 
fame  Winds,  that  by  the  Swift- 
nefs  of  their  Motion  grow  hot, 
and  kindle  into  Flames,  as  they 
are  agitated  and  whirl'd  about  in 
the  Bowels  of  the  Clouds.  Thus 
Creech  interprets  this  Paflage, 
and  fays  that  GafTendus,  and  all 
that  follow  him,  are  miftaken 
in  their  Interpretation  of  it. 
Now  to  confirm  this  Opinion 
of  Epicurus,  we  may  obferve, 
that  feveral  of  the  Antients  feem 
to  have  been  of  the  fame  Senti- 
ment :  For  Heraclitus,  as  Seneca, 
jib.  2.  cap.  5<5.  witnefles,  held, 
that  this  Fulguration  is  like  the 
Attempts  of  our  Fires,  when  they 
begin  to  kindle,  and  refembles 
the  &rfb  uncertain  Fiajne,  no>v 


dying,  now  riling  again  at  ever^ 
Puff  of  the  Bellows.  And  w 
learn  from  Plutarch  de  Placit 
Philofoph.  lib.  3,  cap.  3.  tha 
Metrodorus  believed,  that  thi 
Corufcation  is  produc'dj  when 
Cloud  is  alTaulced  and  dafli'd  t( 
pieces  by  the  Wind.  And  thef 
Opinions  are  like  theirs,  wh< 
hold.  That  Motion  is  the  Cauf 
of  Heat  :  For  we  fee  man^ 
Thines  grow  hot  by  Motion,  a: 
Wheels,  the  Axletrees  on  whicl 
they  are  hung,  &c. 

183.  Thus  Balls,  &c.]  Thisi; 
no  truer  than  what  Virgil  write: 
of  the  Arrow  of  Aceftes, 

Quitamen  jcthereas  telum  cpn- 

torfit  jn  auras, 
Oftentans  artem  pariter,  arcum 

que  fonantem  : 

volans  liquidis  in  nu- 


bibus  arlitarundo, 
Signavitque  viam    flammis,    te- 

nuefque  receffit 
Confumpta  in  ventos  :  caelo  feu 

faepe  refixa 
Tranfcurrunt,  crinemq-,  volant^ 

fydera  dttcuut.    iEn,  5.  v.  520. 


3ook  VI.  LU  C  R  ETIU  Si  ^2} 

Nor  muft  you  think  this  falfe  ;  becaufe  the  Etb, 
When  plac'd  below,  fees  Clouds  more  broad  than  high : 

95  For,  look,  and  fee,  the  lab'ring  Winds  can  bear 

Vaft  Mountain-CLouD«,  and  whirl  them  thro'  the  Air: 
The  labnng  Winds  then  move  butflowly  on. 
And,  as  opprefs'd  with  Burdens,  figh  and  groan.' 
Or  when  upon  a  Mountain's  loky  Head, 

00  We  fee  the  higher  Clouds  oer  lower  fpread: 

And,  tho'the  Winds  all  hufii'd,  they  ceafe  to  move' 
Yet  ftill  the  low  are  prefs'd  by  thofe  above  :  ' 

Then  you  may  guefs  their  Bulk  ;  how  high  they  rear! 
How  vaft  thefe  real  Castles  built  in  Air  I 

05  How  great,  how  ftrong  their  Hollows,  where  the  Wind 
Shut  up,  grows  fierce,  and  fcorns  to  be  confined. 

But 
N  O  T  £  5.  • 

fends  Where  indeed  they  are  better  ap- 
P^y'd  than  here  :  For  how  come 
the  Winds,  that,,in  the  preceding 
Verfe,  whirl'd  the  Clouds  thro* 
the  Air,  which  implies  a  violent 
and  fwift  Motion,  to  be  able  to 
move  but  ftowly  in  this,  and  to 
groan  under  the  Weight  of  their 
Burthens  ?  Dennis  fpeaking  of  a 
Row  of  Oaks,  as  he  calls  them, 
fays  finely,  ' 

The  Tempeft  fees  their  Strength, 
and  fighSj  and  pafTes  by, 

1203.  How  high  thicy  rear  !]  Sic 
R.  Blackmore  gives  a  lively~De- 
fcription  of  thefe  Mountain- 
Clouds  in  the  foJlowing  Verfes : ' 

When  on  their  March  embat-" 

tcl'd  Clouds  appear, 
What  formidable  Gloom  their ' 

Faces  wear ! 
How  wide  their  Front  !  How 

deep  and  black  their  Reer  ! 
How  do  their  threatening  Heads 

each  other  throng  ! 
How  flow  the  crowding  Legions 

move  along ! 
The  Winds,  with  all  their  Wings, 

canfcarcely  bear 
Th'  impending  Burden  of  th*  op- 

preflive  War. 

205.  Ths  Wind,  &c.]    Thus 

aftet 


and 


/ho,  fliooting  upwards 
his  Shaft  to  iliow 
n  Archer's  Art,  and  boaft  his 
twanging  Bow  : 

:haf'd  by    the  Speed,   it  fir'd, 
and  as  it  flew. 

Trail  of  foll'w  ing  Flames  af- 
cending  drew  ; 
indling    they    mount, 
mark  the  iJiiny  Way, 
crofs  the  Skies  „  as   falling 
Meteors  play, 

nd  vanifli  into  Wind,  or  in 
a  Blaze  decay.  Dryd. 

195.  Nor  muft,  &c.]  In  thefe 
.  v.  he  anfwers  the  Objedions 
"  thore,  who  pretend  that   the 
louds ,     tho'  they   are    broad, 
:t  can  not  be  deep  or  thick  e- 
)ugh  to  contain    within    their 
5wels,   fuch  vaft   Hollows,  as 
uld  be  capable   to   inclofe  fo 
uch  Wind  :  To  which  he  adds 
Imething  of  the  Winds  grumb- 
iig  within  the  Clouds,  and  then 
irfting  out  into  Flames. 
97.  The  lab'ring,  &c.]  For  this 
id  thefoliowingVerfejOurTranf- 
cour  has  no  Authority  from  his 
uthour :    but  has    tranfcrib'd 
lem  from  the  Bifliopof  Roche- 
er's  Plague  of  Athens,  and   re- 
mits them  again  almoft  Word 
r  WordjY.  109?.  of  this  Book, 


624. 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V 


But  roars  thro*  all  the  Clouds;  as  Beasts  difdain    " 
,The  Dens  Cofifinement,  and  the  flavifh  Chain,  | 

And  roar  to  get  their  Liberty  again  : 
aio  And,  feeking  "Way,  ronls  round  the  watry  Frame, 
And  gathers  num  rous  Seeds  of  fubtile  Flame, 
And  ihefe  it  whirls,  until  the  fhining  Streams 
Break  thro*  the  Cloud,  and  fliew  their  feeble  Beams 
But  more,  thefe  glaring  Fires,  thefe  Flames,  may  ri 
ai5  And  fall  to  Earth  thro'  all  the  fpacious  Skies, 

Becaufe  the  Clouds  hold  num  rous  Parts  of  Light  : 
For  if  they're  dry,  their  Colour's  firy  bright  : 
For  they  muft  catch,  and  hold  defcending  Rays, 
And  thus  look  firy  red,  and  often  blaze  : 
aio  Thefe,  prefs'd  by  Winds,  to  narrow  Place  retire. 
And  fcatter  Seeds  that  frame  the  glaring  Fire. 

But  farther;  Lightning  often  feems  to  glide 
When  Clouds  grow  rare  ;  for,  as  the  Winds  divid 

T 
N  0  T  £  5. 


after  our  Poet  Virgil  fays  of  the 
Winds, 

llli  indignantes  magno  cum  mur- 

mure  jnontis 
Circuiti  tlauftra  fremunt,  — 

This  way  and  that  th'  impatient 
Captives  tend, 

And,prefling  for  Reliefjthe  Moun- 
tain fend  : 

214.  But  more,  &c.]  In  thefe 
8.  V.  he  propoi\?s  another  Caufe 
of  Lightning,  and  fays,  that  not 
only  the  Seeds  of  Fire,  agitated 
and  whirl'd  about  in  the  Clouds, 
may  be  kindled  into  Flames,  but 
the  Clouds  themfelves  contain 
many  Corpufcles  of  FirCj  which 
they  receive  from  the  Sun,  or 
from  elfewhere  :  and  this  is  evi- 
dent from  the  bright  and  flamy 
Colour  of  fome  Clouds :  Now 
thefe  Corpufcles ,  or  Seeds  of 
Fire,  being  forc'd  out  by  the 
"Wind  that  drives  and  comprelTes 
the  Clouds  together,  make  the 
Lightning.  Ariftotle  fays,  th^at 
feveral  adher'd  to  this  Opinion, 
which  neverthelefs  he    confutes, 


lib.  2.  Meteor.  Empedocles  he 
that  this  Fire,  that  catches  in  t 
Clouds,  is  kindled  by  the  Beai 
of  the  Sun  :  but  Anaxagoras  v. 
have  it  defcend  from  the  highi 
^ther,  which  he  holds  to 
Fire. 

222.  But  farther,  &c.]  Hefi 
in  the  laft  place,  that  the  See 
of  Fire  that  are  in  the  Clouc 
are  driven  out  by  the  Streng 
and  Violence  of  the  Wind :  B 
now  in  thefe  4.  v.  he  fays,  that 
they  are  not  driven  but  in  th 
manner,  yet  they  muft  of  ISI 
ceffity  fall  down,when  the  Clou 
grow  thin,  and  break^and  open 
themfelves :  and  that  from  ther 
proceeds  the  mild  and  gent 
Lightning,whof(;  Splendour  dazl 
the  Eyes,  tho'  no  Thunder  inra 
the  Ear. 

By  this  Breaking,  or  rather  R 
refadion  of  the  Clouds,  and  t 
falling  down  o£  the  Atoms  th 
make  the  Lightning  without  ai 
Thunder  or  Noife ,  the  Po 
feems  to  inllnuate  the  Opinion 
Clidemus,  who,  as  Ariftotle  fay 
believ'd  Lightning  not  to  be  re 
Fire,  but  only  an  empty  Specie 

th 


Book  VL        LUCRETIUS.  61^ 

The  Clouds  tnuft  lofe  their  Seeds  ;   Thofe  fhow  tho 
225  But  without  Thunder  filently  expire.  (Fire 

But  now  what  Seeds  the  Thunders  Parrs  compofe. 
Their  Stinks,  their  Marks,  and  fulphrous  Odour 

fliows : 
For  thefe  are  figns  of  Fire,  not  Wind,  or  Rain  ;        7 ' 
Nay,  oft  they  burn  our  Towns,  and  Men  complain  •* 
igo  Of  heav'niy  Fires,  and  angry  Gods,  in  vain.  j 

Now, 
N  O  T  £  5. 

j  :h4t  is  to  fay,  that  the  Cloud,  be- 1  both  fignify  Lightning,  and  the 
lingagitated,  and  as  it  were  ftrucJc  I  fole  Difference  is  in  the  EfFeds 

ind  beaten  in  the  humid  part  of  j  they  produce  :  Our  Tranllatour 
j  t,  brightens  in  like  manner  as  too  does  the  like  :  nay,  fomc- 
j  :he  Sea  foams  and  turns  white,  if  ^'-'-      ''      '      '"^     .    — 

t  be  beaten  with  a  Rod.  To  this 

Jurpofe  too  Anaximenes  in  Sto- 

)«us  alledges  the  Example  of  the 

5ea  turning  bright  when  the  Oars 

;ut  the  Waves.    Thus  likewife 

K'enophanes  faid,  that  the  Cloud 

>y  its  Motion  conceives  the  Splen- 
dour,   that  lightens  :  And  laftly 

Animaxander  favour'd  this  Opi- 

lion,  when  he  faid,  that  Light- 
ning is  only  the  Wind  that  turns 

bright  by   forcing  its  way  thro*  

the  blacknefs  of  the  Cloud.  j  And  V.  he  inveighs  againft  the 

226.  But  now,  dec.']   Hitherto  I  Superftition  of  fuch,  as  afcribe 
the  Poet  has  treated  of  the  Cor-   Thunder  to  Juffiter  j  and  againft 


times  ufes  the  Word  Thunder 
for  Lightning,  particularly  in 
this  Verfe  ;  tho'  Thunder  pro- 
perly means  only  the  Noife.  This 
Diftindion  was  neceflary  to  be 
obferv'd  in  Order  to  the  better 
underftanding  of  the  following 
Difputation ;  in  which  the  Poec 
treats  of  many  Things  relating 
to  Lightning  :  L  Of  its  Nature  : 
II.  How  it  is  generated  ;  IIL  Of 
Its  Motion :  IV.  In  what  Seafons 
of  the  Year  it  is  moil  frequent  t 


rufcation  of  Lightning, which  the 
Latines  call'd  Fulgur  :  he  is  now 
going  to  difpute  concerning  the 
Fulmen,  by  which  the  Antients 
meant  the  Lightning,  that  falls 
and  does  mifchief  upon  Earth, 
and  which  in  Engliili  is  call'd  a 
Thunderbolt :  The  French  call 
it  Carreau  de  Foudre  :  which  an- 
fwers  exadly  to  our  Denomina- 
tion of  it :  The  Greeks  call'd  it 
Kspstyvoi- ;  and  Ariftotle  defines  it 
in  thefe  Words  :  to  o  aVe^^ctv 
cci'ctxupojQgv  /Sotei^  dig  ct'x6i  'f  yiig 


the  Thufcans,  who  drew  their 
Auguries  from  Thunder  and 
Lightning:  This  Difputation 
continues  to  v.  43  r.  and  iirfl  in 
thefe  18.  v.  he  difputes  of  the 
Nature  of  Lightning,  and  teaches 
that  it  muft  conliit  of  a  firv 
Subftance,  becaufe  it  finges  anci 
burns  whatever  it  touches,  fets 
Fire  to  Houfes,  dec.  But  that  it 
pierces  thro'  Walls,  that  it  melts 
Gold,  Brafs,  and  other  Mecals, 
that  it  draws  out  the  Liquor  and 
leaves  the  VelTel  intire,  mull  be 
afcribed  to  the  Swiftnefs  of  its 
Motion,   and  the   Tenuity  and 


i  he  Lightning,  if  it  continues  its    Subtilenefs  of  its  Fire, 
^ourfeto,  and  da_flies  upon  thej     227.  Their  Stinks,  &c  ] 


Earth,  is  call'd  a  Thunderbolt ; 
I  Lucretius,  even  in  this  Difpuca- 
|*»on,  confounds  the  Words  Ful- 
|gur  and  Fulmen,  ofcen  ufing  one 
*prthe  other;  and  indeed  they 


For 


things  that  are  blafted  by  Light- 
ning not  only  feem  burnt,  but 
ficain  a  fulphurous  Smeil. 


hill 


234.  And 


6i6 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI. 


Now  thefe  celeftial  Fires  are  fram'd  above, 
Of  Parts  refin'd,  and  thin,  and  ape  to  move  : 
Too  ftrong  to  be  oppos'd,  they  fcorn  a  Bound, 
And  pafs  thro'  clofeft  Walls,  as  Voice  and  Sound  : 

155  They  fly  with  Eafe  thro' Stone,  thro' Gold, and  Brass  : 
And  in  one  Inftant  naelt  the  ftubborn  Mass  : 
Nay,  oft  the  Cask  intire,  the  Licluors  flow,  9 

Becaufe  the  pointed.  Flames,  with  fecret  Blow,      ^ 
Widen  the  Vessels  Pores  in  paffing  thro' :  J 

2,40  Which  yet  the  Sun,  with  all  his  Beams  and  Rage, 
And  all  his  Fires  can't  do  within  an  Age  : 
So  quick  thefe  Parts  muft  move,  fo  fwifc  they  run. 
So  much  excel  in  Force  the  vigorous  Sun. 

Nov? 

N  O  T  £  S. 


i?3f4.  An<S  pafs.  Sec,"]  While  the  | 
Poet  here  takes  notice  of  the  1 
wonderful  Effects  of  Lightning, 
he  obfervcs  the  feveral  forts  of  it. 
Ariftotle  allows  only  two  ;  one, 
which  he  calls  )LciL'?rv6o^\i^y  fmoky, 
which  occafions  the  fwarthy  Co- 
lour of  the  Things  it  blafts :  the 
other,  ^ct^TT^^Vj  clear,  to  which 
he  afcribes  its  penetration.  But 
Pliny,  lib.  2  .  c.  51.  adds  a  third 
fort,  which  he  calls  ficcus,  dry  : 
whofe  Nature,  fays  he,  is  tindced 
wonderful,  lince  by  thst  VefTels 
are  exhaufted  of  their  Liquors, 
and  drawn  dry,  while  the  VefTels 
themfelves  remain  untouched  : 
Since  Gold,  and  Silver,  and  Brafs 
are  melted  by  it,  while  the  Bags 
that  contain  them  are  not  i'o 
much  as  finged,  nor  even  the 
Wax  which  feals  them  in  the 
leaft  melted,  nor  the  Impreifion 
diforder'd  :  Nay,  what  is  yet 
jnore  ftrange  than  all  this ,  Mar- 
tia,  Romanorum  Princeps,  fays 
he,  i(fla  gravida,  partu  exanima- 
to,  ipfa  citra  uUum  aliud  incom- 
modum  vixic  :  Martia,  a  Roman 
Princefg,  was  ftruclc  with  Light- 
mng  when  ilie  was  big  withChild : 
which  kili'd  the  Child  within 
Jier  ;  bisit  ihs  feseiv'd  no  ©thex: 


hurt  whatever.  To  which  we  may 
add  what  Seneca  fays,  that  it 
melts  the  Sword  without  doing 
any  hurt  to  the  Scabbard  •,  and 
all  the  Iron  of  a  Spear,  without  fc 
much  as  fcorching  the  Wood  : 
that  it  breaks  the  Veflfel,  and 
hardens  the  Wine,  fo  that  it  will 
continue  as  it  were  in  a  Lump, 
and  not  run  away  :  but  that  this 
Stiffnefs  or  Congelation  of  the 
Liquor  lafts  not  above  three 
Days,  nee  citra  triduum  rigor 
ille  durat,  &:c.  lib.  2.  cap.  31. 
And  cap.  52.  of  the  fame  Boolr, 
he  fays,  Yalentiora,  quia  refi- 
ftunt,  vchementius  diflipat ;  ce- 
dcntia  nonnunquam  fine  injuria 
tranfit :  cum  lapide,  ferroque,& 
duriffimis  quibufque  confligit , 
quia  viam  neccffe  eft  per  ilia  im- 
petuqu^eratj  itaque  facit  viarn, 
qud  effugiat  :  teneris  &  rariori- 
bus  parcit,  quamquam  &  flam- 
mis  opportuna  videantur,  quia 
tranfitupatente  minus  farvit :  &c. 
But  here,  fince  Lucretius  gives  us 
this  Opportunity,  we  will,  \vith 
Nardius,  propofe  feveral  Que- 
ftions  and  Problems,  relating  to 
Thunder  and  Lightning,  and 
give  the  Anfwers  and  Soiutioos 
of  thesn. 


P  R  O- 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


6ij 


PROBLEMS 

■'  CONCERNING 

Thunder  and  Lightning. 


HY  is  a  Man  debilitated,  and  depriv'd  of 
ail  his  Strength  by  Lightning,  even  before 
he  is  at^ually  ftruck  by  it  ?  This  was  the 
Obfervation  of  Thages,  the  Thufcan,  as 
Ammianus  Marcellin.  Hb.  1 3.  witnefles. 
Becaafe  the  Blaft  is  quicker  than  the 
Bolt :  and  therefore  every  Thing  is  fliaken  and  blafted,  be- 
fore it  is  ftruck.  But  that,  which  blafts,  is  pernicious,  and 
colled:ed  out  of  the  Averni,  fays  Pliny,  lib.  z.  cap.  54. 

2.  Why,  as  'tis  reported,  is  not  he  ftruck,  who  either  tirft 
fees  the  Lightning,  or  hears  the  Thunder?  Plin.  loc.  cir, 

Becaufe  he  provides  for  his  Safety  by  his  Flight :  and,  as 
Seneca  fays,  No  Man  ever  fear'd  Lightning,  without  avoid- 
ing it.  Nemo  unquam  fulmen  timuit,  nifi  qui  effugit.  Nat, 
Quaeft,  lib.  %. 

3.  Why  does  one  fort  of  Lightning  pierce,  another  dafti  to 
pieces,  and  another  burn  ?     Senec,  loc.  citat. 

This  depends  on  the  Quality  of  the  Thing  that  is  ftruck, 
and  on  the  Matter  of  which  the  Lightning  is  compos'd: 
which  Matter,  if  it  be  fubtile,  and  chance  to  light  on  a  thin 
and  unrefifting  Body,  pierces  it  through  and  through  :  if  the 
Matter  be  more  denfe,  and  meet  with  a  more  folid  Body,  ic 
enters  it  indeed,  but  in  the  Penetration  dafhes  and  tears  it  to 
pieces :  when  the  Matter  is  bituminous,  it  clings  to  eombu- 
ftible  Bodies,  and  burns  them. 

4.  Why  does  it  lighten  more  without  Thunder,  in  the 
Night,  than  by  Day  }  Plin.  lib.  i.  cap.  54. 

It  lightens  likewife  in  the  Day-time  ;  but  the  Corufcatlons 
are  drown'd  by  the  fuperiour  Light  of  the  Sun,  un'efs  they 
b?  Vift  indeed,' 


628  LV  €  R  E  TIU  S.  Book  VI. 

5.  "Why  is  it  feen  to  lighten  without  Thunder  ?  Plin.  lib.  x, 
cap.  54. 

It  does  thunder,  but  at  too  great  a  Diftance  to  be  heard  : 
but  if  no  ObjetSt  intercept  the  Flame,  it  may  be  feen  at 
the  moft  renwte  Part  of  the  Horizon. 

6.  Why  is  Man  the  only  Animal,  that  Lightning  does  not 
always  kill  outright,  tho*  it  ftrikes  any  other  Creacure  dead 
in  a  Moment  ?  Plin.  lib.  cit. 

The  Matter  of  Lightning  may  be  lefs  noxious  to  Man  than 
to  Brutes :  Or  perhaps,  becaufe  his  Lungs  are  fofter  and 
more  lax,  whence  coming  to  breathe  without  any  forcible 
Endeavour,  without  (training,  more  feldom,  and  at  longer 
Intervals,  he  does  not  fo  eafily  refpire  and  iuck  in  the  am- 
bient Infedion  :  thus  too  it  happens  to  the  Seel-lifli,  or  Sea- 
Calf. 

7.  Why  do  all  Things,  that  are  ftruck  with  Thunder,  al- 
ways fall  down  and  lie  on  the  contrary  Part.^  Plin.  loc. 
citat. 

The  Violence  of  the  Blow  tumbles  them  down  in  that 
manner. 

8.  Why  is  a  Man,  who  isilruck  with  Lightning,  when  he 
is  awake,  found  with  his  Eyeswmking,  or  half  clos'd  ;  and 
a  Man  ftruck  when  alleep,  with  his  Eyes  broad  open  ?  Piin. 
loc.  citat. 

This  Obfervation  is  not  always  true.  But  when  it  does 
happen,  the  reafon  is,  becaufe  the  Bodies,  blafted  by  Light- 
ning, grow  ftiff  in  an  Inftant,  and  continue  exadkly  in  the 
fame  Site  they  were  in  before  :  The  Man  awake,  with  Eyes 
winking  and  half-fliut  for  Fear  :  the  Sleeper,  waken'd  by  the 
fuddain  Noife. 

9.  Why  was  it  not  permitted  to  burn  the  Body  of  a  Man 
thus  (lain  ?  Plin.  loc.  citat. 

Becaufe,  tho*  they  held  that  the  purging  Fire  of  the  fune- 
ral Pile  cleans'd  the  Soul  of  its  contracSted  Filth,  yet  they 
defpair'd  that  fo  great  Pollution  would  ever  be  admitted  into 
their  Society.  And  this  too  was  the  Reafon  why  the  Greeks 
burnt  not  the  Bodies  of  fuch,  as  laid  violent  Hands  on  their 
own  Perfons,    Servius  in  iEneid.  3.  Quintil.  Declam.  10, 

I  o.  Why  did  they  efteem  it  a  piece  of  Religion  to  bury 
them  in  the  Earth  .>  Philoftrat.  in  Heroic. 

Left  Beafts  and  Birds  of  Prey  fliould  mangle  and  devour 
the  Body  ,  or  the  Ferry-man  of  the  Stygian  Lake  refufe  to 
waft  oyer  the  wandering  Souls.  Plin,  loc.  cit . 

31.  Why 


jDokVI.         LUCRETIUS,  62^ 

E  1 1 .  "Why  are  the  "Wounds  of  the  Thunder-ftriick  colder 
'  an  the  reft  of  their  Body  ?     Piin.  ibid. 

Becaufe  the  Heat  in  the  other  Members  is  only  fuffocatedi 
►jit  quite  confum'd  in  the  wounded  :  for  all  fufFocated  Things 
I  ng  retain  their  Heat :  but  fuch  as  corrupt   and  wafte  by 

•grees,  grow  ftiff  and  cold  immediately. 

1 2,  Why  were  Men  blafted  with  Lightning  never  remov'd. 
It  bury'd  in  the  very  Place  where  they  were  ftruck,  where- 
cr  it  happened  to  be  ? 

Becaiife  the  Law  of  Numa  forbade  Funeral  Rites  to  be 
id  to  a  Man  kiird  by  Lightning :  which  would  have  been 
fome  Meafure  done,  if  the  Body  had  been  remov*d,  and 
rry'd  from  the  Place  where  it  lay. 

13.  Why  did  they  bury  the  Body  of  fuch  a  Man,byheap- 
g  up  Dirt  over  it  ? 

Becaufe  they  believ'd  that  to  touch  it  would  offend  the 
ods; 

14:  Why  were  the  Augurs  permitted  to  handle  fuch 
Ddies  ? 

Becaufe  HoUnefs  becomes  the  Holy.  Sacros  facra  de- 
nt. 

1 5.  Why  were  the  Places  that  were  blafted  by  Lightning, 
:dg'd  in  and  inclos'd  around  ? 

Left  a  facred  Thing  fhould  be  trampled  on  unawares* 

16.  What  means  Lucan  by  this  Verfe, 

Inclufum  Thufco  vener^turcefpite  fulmei?  ? 

Becaufe  the  Place  was  immediately  efteem'd  SacredJ 

17.  For  what  reafon  was  it  thought  foP 

They  believ'd  that  God  feem'd  to  confecrate  it  to  him- 
If, 

1 8.  What  then  was  their  Opinion  of  a  Perfon  who  wa^ 
ill'd  by  Thunder  > 

They  fcem  to  have  had  the  fame  Opinion  of  him  too  : 
)r  Artemidorus  held  that  a  Man,  kill'd  in  that  manner,  was 
ot  polluted,  but  ought  to  be  worfliip'd  as  a  God. 

19.  Why  is  the  Money  melted,  and  the  Bag  untouched  : 
nd  in  like  manner  the  Sword,  while  the  Scabbard  receives 
0  Damage .>  Seneca  in  Quaeft.  Nat.  lib.  i.  Q..  31. 

Becaufe  of  the  fubtile  Force  of  the  Lightning,  which  pafle^ 
hrough  fome  Things ;  tho*  fuch  as  are  denfe,  and  refift 
£s  Force,  it  inftantly  tears  to  pieces. 


€30  LUCRETIUS.  Book ). 

20.  Why  are  Metals  melted  by  Lightning  in  a  mome  s 
time,  while  the  Workmen  receive  no  Damage  ?  Sen.  J  • 
citac. 

Becaufe  of  the  Arfenical  Spirits,  that  are  in  the  Lightnii : 
For  even  the  Coiners  of  Money  can  render  Metals  fluid  vi  i 
a  very  fmali  quantity  of  Arfenick, 

21.  Why  does  the  Wine  ftay  in  a  broken  Veflel  ?  Ser . 
ibid. 

Becaufe  it  is  congeaPd  by  the  nitral  Spirits. 

22.  Why  does  not  that  Stiffnefs  laft  above  three  Daysr 
Becaufe  the  remaining  fulphurous  Spirits,  favour'd  by  1 

ambient  Air,  at  length  overcome  the  nitral. 

Why  is  the  Wine  hurtful,  and  even  pernicious  ?  Ser 
lib.  cir.  Q.  3. 

By  reafon  of  the  Virulence  of  the  Arfenick,  that  the  W: 
has  conceived  :  For  Wines  will  retain  fomething  of  Sulph 
as  we  know  by  Experience  in  Rhenifh  Wines. 

Why  is  the  Venom  of  Serpents  taken  away  by  Lightnin 

Becaufe  Lightning  confumes  it :  Thus  the  Poyfon  of  Sea; , 
mony  abates  by  the  bare  Steam  of  Sulphur  :    Which,  con 
nu'd  for  fome  time,  totally  takes  away  its  cathartick  Virtu« 

Why  are  fome  Things  turn'd  black  by  Lightning  ? 

Becaufe,  being  burnt,  they  retain  the  footy  Marks  of  t 
Fire. 

Why  are  fome  thifigs  difcolour*d  ? 

Becaufe  there  is  a  lefs  Portion  of  Sulphur  in  the  Ligl 
ning,  and  a  greater  of  fome  other  Combuftible :  For  Fi 
^lone  gives  Iron  a  violet  Colour,  and  the  Foils  that  arep 
Sander  precious  Stones  are  colour'd  by  Fire  only. 

To  all  which  I  add  what  Nardius  relates  of  the  Wife  of 
certain  Apothecary  at  Florence,  who  had  been  blafted  wii 
|Lightning,  but  was  ftill  living  in  his  Days,  and  who,  after  th: 
Misfortune  had  happen'd  to  her,  became,  of  a  very  cold  Ten 
peramenr,  as  Ihe  had  been  before,  to  be  of  a  Conftitution  1 
cxtreamly  hot,  that  flie  could  fcarce  endure  to  wear  ar 
Cloaths,  tho'  ever  fo  thin  :  Of  which  he  gives  this  Reafor 
Becaufe,  lays  he,  that  moft  fubtile  Fire  confum'd  immed 
ately  the  fuperfluous  Humidity  that  had  been  longftagnatin 
in  her  Members,  apd  imprinted  and  left  behind  \t  fome  of  ii 
own  firy  Quality. 


LUCRETIUS. 


^Jt 


ook  VI. 

Now,  how  this  Force  begins,  how  Thunder  flies 

45  With  that  quick  Strength,  how  thefe  fierce  Motions  rife; 
That  break  our  ftrongeft  Tow*rs,  our  Towns  infeft, 
Demolifh  Houses,  ruin  Man  and  Beast, 
That  fplit  our  Trees,  and  rage  o'er  all  the  Wood, 
I  will  explain,  and  make  my  Promife  good. 

50      Firft  then  j  'tis  certain  Thunder  feems  to  fly    ; 
From  dark,  thick  Clouds,  and  thofe  built vaftly  high: 
For  when  the  fmiling  HeavVs  ferene  and  clear, 
Or  thinly  clouded,  we  no  Thunder  hear: 
But  now  ev'n  Senfe  aflures  no  Smiles  adorn, 

55  No  Sky's  ferene,  while  mighty  Thunder's  born  : 
But  athick  Cloud  o  er-fpreads  Heav  ns  threat  ning  Face^ 
As  if  the  Shades  of  Hell  had  lefc  their  Place, 
And  fill'd  the  arched  Skies  :    fo  thick  the  Night, 
So  dark  the  horrid  Clouds,  and  fo  affright  I 

So      Befides  j  at  Sea  dark  Clouds  do  often  fs.II, 
As  Streams  of  flowing  Pitch,  and  fpread  o'er  all, 

Faif 
NOTES, 

fays  Ariftotle,  lib.  2.  Meteor, 
cap.  ult.  For  of  this  dry  Exha- 
lation Wind  is  made  in  the  Air, 
Earthquakes  within  the  Earth  : 
Showers,  Tempefts,  Thunder  and 
Lightning  in  the  Clouds. 

25^.  Butafhick,  45CC.3  Thefe 
4.  V.  Lucretius  has  before  in 
Book.  IV.  V.  172. 

260.  At  Sea,  &c.]  Sir  R.  Black- 
more's  excellent  Defcription  of  a 
Storm  at  Sea,  will  illuftrate  this 
PalTage  of  Lucretius  : 

Now  gathering  Clouds  the  Day 
begin  to  drown  ; 

Their  threatening    Fronts    thro' 
aJI  th'  Horizon  frown  : 

Their  fwagging  Womb*  low  in 
the  Air  depend, 

Which  ftruggling  Flames,    and 
in-bred  Thunder  rend  : 

The      ftrongeft     Winds     their 
Breath  and  Vigour  prove. 

And  thro'  the  Heav'ns  th'  un- 
wieldy Tempsfts  /lioYe  : 

O'ercharg'd  wirh  Stores  of  Hea* 
v'ns  Artillery, 

They  groan,  and    pant,  and  la- 
bour up  the  Sky  ; 

Loud 


•24.4.  Now  how,  &c.]  In  in- 
liring  into  the  Caufe  of  Thun- 
sr  it  muft  bt  obferv'd,  that  it 
ever  thunders  but  when  the  Sky 
;  over-caft  with  thick  Clouds : 
or  unlefs  the  Clouds  were  thick, 
nd  high-built,  fo  great  a  quan- 
ity  of  Rain  or  Hail  could  not 
ill  at  the  fame  Time.  There 
ire  in  thofe  Clouds  you  may 
:tiagine  a  Wind  agitated  and 
'hirl'd  about  in  a  turbulent  Mo- 
ion,  growing  hot  with  that  Mo« 
ion,  and  forcing  out  of  the 
Clouds  many  Seeds  or  Atoms  of 
'ire :  And  that  at  length  the 
Vind  itfelf  takes  Fire,  eicher  by 
cs  o\yn  Motion,  or  by  thofe  iiry 
^articles,  and  breaks  out  with  a 
lorrid  Roar;  and  that,  by  that 
'iolent  Eruption,  it  fo  fhakes 
md  tears  the  Parts  of  the  Clouds, 
hat  they  are  all  fhiver'd  into 
■Tail,  or  diffoWd  into  a  Shower 
)f  Rain.  This  is  contained  in 
ji.'v. 

252.  For  when,  &c.]  The  fame 
Matter  compoles  Wind,  Thun- 
ler.  Lightning,  and  Earthquakes, 
hat  IS  to  fay,  a  dry  Exh^Ution, 


6^z  LUCRETIUS.  BookV 

Far  from  the  darken'd  Sky  ;  and,  fwoln  with  Rain,  • 
And  Storms,  they  draw  behind  a  dreadful  Train 
Of  Thunder-Cracks,  which  rage  oer  all  the  Main. 

j|€5  Ev*n  we  on  Earth  all  (hake,  with  Terrour  aw'd, 
We  feek  for  Shelter,  nor  dare  peep  abroad. 
Therefore  thefe  Clouds,  that  fpread  o'er  all  the  Sky,' 
Muft  needs  be  thick,  and  all  built  vaftly  high  : 
For  elfe  they  could  not  ftop  defcending  Light, 

$70  Nor  check  the  Rays,  and  bring  fo  thick  a  Night  ; 
Nor  fijch  great  Floods,  nor  fo  much  Water,  yield. 
As  fwell  our  Str  eams,  and  fpread  o'er  ev*ry  Field. 

Thefe  Winds  and  Fires,  when  fpread  o'er  all  the  Sk 
Make  Thunders  roar,  and  the  wing'd  Lightning  f 

%1$  For  I  have  taught  before  that  Clouds  contain 
A  mighty  Store  of  Fire,  and  much  they  gain 
From  the  Sun's  Heat,  and  the  defcending  Rays, 
Thefe  when  the  Wind  has  forc*d  to  narrow  Place,' 
And  fqueez'd  fome  Sparkles  from  the  watry  Framj 

280  And  clofely  mixes  with  the  gather'd  Flame^ 

NOTES. 


Loud  Thunder,   livid    Flames, 
and  Stygian  Night, 

Compounded  Honours,  all  the 
Deep  affright  : 

Rent     Clouds,      a    Medley    of 
Deftrucflion  fpout  ^ 

And  throw  their  dreadful  En- 
trails round  about : 

Tcmpefts  of  Fire,  and  Catarads 
of  Rain 

tlnnat'ral  Friendlhip  make  t*  af- 
flid  the  Main  : 

This  Orb's  wide  Frame  with  the 
Convulsion  fliakes. 

Oft  opens  in  the  Storm,  and  of- 
ten "cracks  : 

Horrour,   Amazement  and  De- 
fpair  appear 

In  all  the  hideous   Forms  that 
Mortals  fear. 

166.  Seek  for  flielter,]  Sueto- 
nius fays  of  Tiberius,  that  he  was 
frighted  at  the  Nolle  of  Thun- 
der, that  he  ran  to  hide  himfelf 
in  Caves  and  Cellars. 

268.  Muft  needs,  &c.]  It  is 
therefore  evident,  that  there  can 


be  no  Thunder,  except  in  thic 
and  deep-beily'd  Clouds,  that  tl 
Matter  that  compofes  it  may  1 
included  within  them  :  For  vvhi 
Pliny  fays  to  the  contrary,  d 
tilianis  prodigiis  Pompeiano  e 
municipio  M.  Herennium  decu 
rionem  fereno  die  fulmine  icftun 
fuilTe  ;  and  Horace,   who.  Cat 
min.  lib.  i.  fpealdng  of  Jupiter 
fays,  that;  he  plerumque  per  pu 
rum  tonantesegit  equos,  volu- 
cremque  currum  :  Thefe  Inftan- 
ces,  I  fay,  are  no  farther  to  b( 
credited,  than  that  Thunder  ma; 
perhaps    have    fometimes     beer 
heard,    and   Lightning    feen  b} 
Perfons,    over  whofe  Head    tht 
Sky  was  clear  :  but  then  fome  o 
ther  Part  of  the  Horizon  mufl 
have  been  cover'd  with  Clouds 
from  which    the  Thunder  and 
Lightning  broke  out. 

273.  Thefe  Winds,  dec.']  Thfi 
Poet  having  taught,  that  Light- 
ning is  generated  in  thick  and 
high-biiilc  Clouds  \  he  now  in 
thefe   22.  V.  farther  iliews,  that 

the 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  (5jj 

It  whirls,  and  then  within  the  Cloud  retires  • 
And,  tumbling,  forges  there,  and  points,  the  Fires  : 
This,  by  the  rapid  Whirl,  or  neighbVing  Rav, 
Is  fir'd ;  for  Flame  is  rais'd  by  either  Way. 

285  Thus  when  the  Wind,  grown  hot,  (till  whirls  around^' 
Or  when  the  furious  Flame  breaks  o*er  the  Bound, 
Then  Thunder,  fit  for  Birth,  difToIves  the  Cloud,' 
And  fhews  the  glaring  Fires,  and  roars  aloud: 
The  Heav'ns  then  crack,  as  if  the  Orbs  would  fall,' 

290  And  feeble  Fear,  and  Tremblings  fieze  on  all : 

Then  Show*rs,  as  if  the  Air  were  chang'd  toRAiN,^ 
Fall  fwiftly  down,  and  threaten  Floods  again. 
So  great  the  Thunder-Storms>  as  if  they  came 
From  the  revengeful  Clouds  to  quench  the  Flame,' 

295      Sometimes  external  Winds  the  Clouds  divide. 
And  break  wide  Caverns  in  their  injur'd  Side. 

Thro! 
N  O  T  JB  5. 


:he  Fires  and  Winds,  contained 
within  the  Clouds,  oft  produce 
Lightning,  which  is  follow'd  by 
I  roaring  Noife,  a  Trembling  of 
:he  Earthj  and  a  violent  Shower 
)f  Rain,  For ,  iirft,  fays  he, 
the  Clouds  contain  many  Seeds 
dF  Fire :  Secondly,  the  Wind 
drives  and  compels  thofe  Clouds, 
IS  it  were,  into  high  Mountains, 
ind  by  that  means  fqueezes  out 
if  the  Clouds  thofe  Particles  of 
Fire,  by  whofe  Contad,  or  at 
eaft  by  the  Violence  of  its  own 
Motion,  the  Wind  itfelf  is  kin- 
iled  into  Flame  :  Thirdly,  when 
:hat  Wind  is  thus  kindled,  the 
Lightning  grown  mature,  cleaves 
:he  Clouds,  and  glares  around  in 
Ireadful  Flailies  :  Laftly,  the 
rhunder  roars,  the  Earth  trem- 
sles,  Mortals  are  fiez'd  with  Con- 
iernation  and  Difmay,  and  the 
R.ain  falls  with  fuch  Violence,  as 
f  the  Heavens  were  defcending 
n  the  Shower. 

287.  Then  Thunder,  &c.  ] 
iVlilton  in  Parad ife  Regain'd  , 
I^.IV. 

: —Either  Tropick  now 

■Gan  thunder  :  at    both  Eni$  of 

H«aY'n  the  Clouds 


From  many  a  horrid  Rife  abor-*^ 

tive  pour'd  ^^ 

Fierce    Rain ,    with    Lightning 

mix'd  ;  Water  witb  Fire 
In    Ruin   reconcil'd :    l3readful 

was  the  Rack 
As     Earth     and     Sky    would 

mingle. 

And  Sir  R.  Blackmore  : 

Heav'ns  chriftal  BattlementSj  to 
pieces  daili'd, 
In  Storms  of  Hail  were  down- 
ward hurl'd  : 
Loud    Thunder   roar'd,    red 
Lightning  flafh'd, 
Anduniverfal  Uproar  fiil'd  the 
World  : 
Torrents  of  Water,  Floods  of 

Flame 
From  Heav'n  in  fighting  Ruins 
came  : 
At  once  the  Hills,  that    to    the 
Clouds  afpire  ; 
Were  wafii'd  with  Rain,  and 
fcorch'd  with  Fire. 

295.  Sometimes,  8cc.2  In  thefe 

4.  V.  he  fays,  that  if  the   Wind, 

that  is    pent    up  in  the  Cloud, 

can  not  break  thro',  it  may  be 

M  m  m   m  affifted 


i 


6^4.  LUC  RET  lU  S.  Book  VI^ 

Thro*  thefe the  infant  Thunder  makes  its  way: 
Thefe  Winds  call  forth  the  Flames,  and  they  obey, 
^nd  fometimes  too  a  Wind  unkindled  flics  j 

Soo  But  kindles  in  its  Paffage  thro'  the  Skies  ; 
Lofing  fome  heavy  Parts  it  us'd  to  bear, 
Which  could  not  fwifcly  cut  the  middle  Air; 
And  gath'ring  others  of  convenient  Frame, 
Which  join,  and  fly  with  them,  and  raife  the  Flame  : 

305  As  Balls  of  Lead,  when  (hot  with  mighty  Force, 
Their  ftubborn,  their  ungentle,  Parts  divorce. 
And,  foften'd,  melt  in  middle  of  their  Courfe. 

Sometimes  the  Fury  of  the  Stroke  may  raife 
Quick  Sparks  of  Fire,  and  make  a  mighty  Blaze : 

3 10  For  by  the  Stroke  fmall  Streams  of  Light  may  fpringi 
Both  from  the  ftriking,  and  the  injur'd,  Thing  : 
As  from  cold  Flint  and  Steel  bright  Sparks  appear  j 

'       They  fly  the  Blow,  and  leap  to  open  Air. 

And  thus  the  CloudS,  if  of  convenient  Frame, 

31 5  May  well  be  kindled,  and  diffolve  in  Flame  : 
Nor  can  the  Winds  be  cold,  becaufe  they  move 
Thro*  fiich  vaft  Space,   ftill  tumbling  from  above  : 
For,  if  not  kindled  by  the  Flames  they  meet. 
Yet  fure  they  mufl  come  warm  with  mingled  Heat^ 

Tht 
JV  0  T  £  5. 


affifled  by  other  Winds  from 
without :  and  by  whatever  Means 
the  Cloud  beopen'd,  the  Flame, 
that  is  ripe  for  Birth,  will  necef- 
farily  fall  down. 

299.  And  fometimes,  &c.] 
Lucretius  adds  two  other  ways, 
by  which  Lightning  may  be 
fiaus'd  :  the  iirlt  in  9.  v.  For  un- 
kindled Wind,  breaking  out  of 
a  Cloud,  may  grow  hot  ahd 
ffake  Fire,  by  the  Swiftnefs  of  its 
Motion,  and  the  Length  of  its 
Courfe  :  Nor  is  this  in  the  leaft 
incredible,  ilince  a  Ball  of  Lead, 
driven  with  mighty  Force,  will 
melt  as  it  flies.  Thus  the  Poet  : 
and  tho'  the  Inftance  he  brings, 
might  be.  coufirm'd  by  feveral 
Authorities  of  the  Antient  Poets 
find  Hiftorians,  yet  it  ought  to 
be  reckon'd  among  the  Fables  of 
Antiquity ;  J^feverthekfs  no  Man 


will  deny,  but  that  many  Things 
take  Fire  by  the  fwiftnefs  of  their 
Motion. 

305.  As  Balls  of  Lead,  &c.] 
This  inftance  the  Poet  brought 
before  V.  183.  See  the  Note  upon 
k. 

308.  Sometimes,  &c.]  The  fe- 
cond  in  thefe  12.  v.  If  the  Wind 
beat  furioufly  upon  any  Thing  | 
the  Seeds  of  Fire  may  flow  toge- 
ther upon  the  Stroke,  as  well  out 
of  the  Wind,  as  out  of  the  Thing 
it  ftrikes :  Thus  the  Wind  takes 
Fire,  and  Lightning  is  made. 
But  that  fuch  a  Confiuxion  o< 
the  Seeds  of  Fire  may  be  made  in 
that  manner,  is  evident  from  the 
ftriking  of  Flint  and  Iron  :  And 
the  Obje<i^ion  of  the  Winds  be- 
ing cold  (tho'  even  that  can  by 
no  means  be  granted,  by  realon 
of  the  i\^'iftnefs  of  their  Motion)is 

vf 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  6jf 

310     The  Thunder's  Force  comes  thus :  For,  while  it  lay 
Confin'd  in  Clouds,  it  ftrove  to  break  away: 
At  laft  prevails,  and  flies  with  mighty  Force  ; 
And  hence fo  great  the  Strength,  fofwift  the  Course! 
,  .     As  mighty  Weights  from  ftrong  Balist^e  thrown, 
315  Which  break  the  Walls,  and.fliake  the  frighted  Town. 
Befides ;  its  Parts  are  fmall,  and  quick  the  Blows, 
And  therefore  meets  with  nought  that  can  oppofe : 
No  Stops  can  hinder,  and  no  Lets  can  ftay  : 
The  clofeft  Pores  will  yield  an  open  Way  : 
330  And  hence  it  flies  with  fuch  a  mighty  Force  ; 

And  hence  fo  greatthe  Strength,  fo  quick  the  Course^ 

Befides  5  all  Weights  by  Nature  downward  go  ; 
But  when  that  Motion  is  increas'd  by  Blow, 
The  Swiftness,  and  the  Force  niuft  needs  increafe, 
335  And  break, whatever  dares  xefifl:,  with  Eafe. 

Laftly; 
N  O  T  £  ^. 


©fno  Weight :  for  the  Nature  of 
Iron  is  fuU  as  cold,  yet  Fire  will 
fparkle  out  when  we  ftrikeit. 

320.    The    Thunder's,    &c.  ] 
Hitherto  he  has  treated  of  the 
Nature  and  Generation  of  Thun- 
der ;    he    comes    now   to  argue 
cfits  Swiftnefs,  and  Violence  of 
Stroke  ;  which,  fays  he,  may  be 
gather'd  and  explain'd  from  what 
nas  been  faid  already  :  For  Wind, 
iliut  up  in  a  Cloud,  rages  and 
grows  hot ',  ftruggle.s  on  ail  fides 
to  get  out  of  its    Prifon  ;   and 
therefore, where  it  findsa  PaiTage, 
it  muft  of  neceffity    burffc    out 
with    mighty    Force    and    Vio- 
lence :  in  6.  v.    Befides,  it  con- 
fifts  of  fmooth  and    fmall  Par- 
I  tides,  and  therefore  pafles  thro' 
[the  void  and  empty  PafTages  of 
the  Air"^:  in  6.  v.  Add  to  this  its 
Weight,  and  that  too  very  much 
increased  by  Blows  :  in  4.  v.  And 
laftly  in  8.  v.  That  it  falls  from 
a  great    Diftance,  and   therefore 
every  Moment  increafes  the  Swift- 
nefs of  its  Motion  :  perhaps  too 
it  is  help'd  forward  by  the  Air  : 
And  what  wonder  that  a  heavy 
Body,    burfting  out    with  Vio- 
ilen^CQUt  Qf  a  dole  Prifon,  and 


iTiov'd  forward  by  other  B6die.s, 
falls  impetuoufly,  and  daflies  to 
pieces  all  it  meets  in  its  way  f 

324.  Baliftaz]  The  Balifta  was 
a  warlike  Engine,  which  the  An- 
tients  made  ufe  of  in  their  Wars 
to  ilioot  Darts  or  Stones  :  It  wjjs 
call'd  Balifta  from  UctMo;,  I  caft. 
.^^26.  Befides,  (Sec]  In  thefe  6, 
'v,  he  proves  the  fwiftnefs  of 
Lightning,  from  the  tenuity  of 
the  Atoms,  of  which  it  confifts. 
See  B.  II.  V.  3^5.  where  the  Poec 
has  already  prov'd,  that  Light- 
ning is  composed  of  fmooth  and 
fubtile  Principles  :  which  is  the 
Reafon  that  nothing  can  with- 
ftand  the  Violence  of  its  Stroke. 

332.  Befides,  &c.]  In  thefe  4.. 
V.  the  Poet  argues  for  the  fwift- 
nefs of  Lightning,  and  the  vio' 
lence  of  its  Blow,  from  the  De- 
fcent  that  is  natural  to  all  heavy 
Bodies ;  to  which  if  any  exter- 
nal Force  be  added,  they  defcend 
with  yet  greater  Velocity  :  But 
Lightning  is  a  heavy  Body  ;  and, 
falling  from  above,  is  impeil'd 
by  the  Force  of  the  Wind  5 
Therefore  it  is  not  ftrange,  that 
it  overturns  .and  tears  to  piecci 
whatever  oppofes  its  PalTage. 
Mm  mm  3       n^^LiiXlyt 


6i6 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI 


Laftly  ;  fo  vaft  a  Space  fince  Thunders  run. 
Their  Swiftnefs  muft  increafe  in  tumbling  down  : 
For  Motions  ftill  increafing  run  their  Race, 
And  all  by  odd  Proportions  mend  their  Pace  : 

N  O  T  £  5: 


Oi 


33<^.  Laftly,  &c.]  In  thefe  8,  v. 
he  brings  his  laft  Argument  for 
the  Celerity  and  impetuous  Force 
of  Lightning,  from  the  great 
Diftance  firom  whence  it  comes  ; 
and  fays  of  it,  as  Virgil  of  Fame, 
that 

Mot>ilitate  viget,  virefqile  acqui- 
riteundoj  ^n.  4.  v.  175. 


<— — — Ev*ry  moment  brings 
New  Vigour  to  her  Flight,  new 
Pinions  to  her  Wings. 

It  was  antiently  obferv'd  by  thofe 
who  made  it  their  Study  to  in- 
quire into  natural  Things,  That 
the  Motion  of  all  Moveables  is 
the  fwifter>  the  nearer  they  ap- 
proach to  the  Place  for  which 
they  are  defign*d  :  infomuch  that 
they  move  fwifteft  of  all,  when 
they  are  almoft  at  their  Journeys 
End.  Thus  a  Stone  gives  a  hea- 
vier Blow  to  a  Plate  of  Brafs  or 
Tin,  for  Example,  when  it  falls 
upon  it  from  a  great  Height, 
than  it  does,  when  it  drops  from 
a  lefs  I>iftance  :  according  to  the 
variety  of  which  Diftance,  Ex- 
perience evinces,  that  the  Effed: 
varies  likewife  ;  and  that  the  de- 
fending thing  gains  a  Surplufage 
of  Gravity,  tho' not  of  Weight. 
This  neverthelefs  is  deny'd  by 
Simplicius,  in  his  Comment  up- 
on Ariftotle  de  Coelo,  lib.  i. 
cap.  85.  where  he  derides  this  In- 
creafe of  Gravity,  and  declares 
it  a  vain  Fidion  :  But  we  may  ask 
him.  Why  that  Stone  defcends  ? 
Js  it  not  by  reafon  of  its  Weight  ? 
And  fince  nothing  is  done  with- 
out Caufe,  why  does  it  defcend 
fwifter  this  Moment  than  it  did 
the  lail  ?    It's  fwiftnefs  muit  in- 


creafe either  by  fome  external  01 
internal  Caufe  :  which  laft  can  b( 
only  a  more  intenfe  Gravity  :  tb 
firft,  Lucretius  afcribes,  as  w< 
have  feen  already  in  the  foregoinj 
Argument,  to  the  additional  am 
like  Seeds,  that  the  defcendinj 
Stone  meets  in  its  paflage,  anc 
that  help  to  drive  it  down  witi 
greater  Swiftnefs.  And,  accord 
ing  to  the  Docftrine  of  Epicurus 
a  more  proper  Solution  of  thi 
Problem  can  not  be  given.  O 
thers  again  afcribe  it  to  a  certain 
I  know  not  what,  Quality,  tha 
the  Medium,  through  which  i 
pafTes.  imparts  to  it  :  and  tha 
ftill  prefles  it  more  and  more 
Others  impute  it  to  the  natural 
fympathetical  and  attra<ftiv 
Power  of  the  Centre ;  to  which 
fay  they,  all  heavy  Bodies,  th 
nearer  they  approach,  move  th 
fwifter  :  According  to  which  O 
pinion,  which  is  indeed  confonan 
to  many  other  Experiments  ir 
Nature,  Cowley  fings. 

And  now  the  violent  Weight  0 

eager  Love 
Did  with  more  hafte  ib  near  it: 

Centre  move.  David.  3 

And  if  it  can  not  be  deny'd,  Thai 
the  Air,  tho'  it  be  light  in  its  owi 
Nature,does  neverthelefs  defcend 
and  infinuate  itfelf  into  the  Pore 
of  the  Earth,  as  compell'd  by  i 
certain  NeceiTity  fo  to  do,  by  rea- 
fon of  the  Impurity  it  has  con- 
traded,  then  this  Queftion  is  ea 
fy  to  folve ;  For  the  defcendin^ 
Stone  may  be  faid  to  be  borne 
through  the  Air,  as  a  Boat  tha) 
goes  down  the  River  with  th( 
Stream  :  And  both  of  them,  the 
Air  as  well  as  the  Stone  move  tin 

fw  iftei 


Book  VI. 


L  U.C  R  E  r  lU  S. 


6ij 


J 40  Or  all  the  Seeds  diredt  their  vi'lent  Courfe, 
And  ftrike  one  pare  with  their  united  Force: 
Or  elfe,  as  thro'  the  Air  they  fwiftly  rove. 
Meet  Parts  which  ftrike,  and  make  them  fwifter  move. 
And  when  the  Pores  rec^ve  the  fubtile  Fire, 

^5  The  Force  flies  thro*,  the  Thing  remains  intire  : 
But  when  it  ftrikes  the  Substance,  then  the  Mafs 

■\\..  Is  broken:  Thus  it  melts  ftrong  Gold  and  Brass: 
Becaufe  its  Parts  are  thin,  aqd  fwiftly  fly, 
And  enter  in,  and  foon  diflblvethe  Tie*    . 

;5o  ;Now  Spring  and  Autumn  frequent  Thunders  hear^ 
They  (hake  the  rifing,  and  the  dying  Year: 
For  Winter  yields  not  Heat  enough ;  the  Wind 
Flies  cpld  :  In  Summer,  Clouds  are  too  refin  d  t 
But  in  thefe  middle  Quarters  all  conc^r; 

55  All  Caufes  join  to  make  the  Thunder  roar  5 

;    Becaufe 

N  0  T  £  5. 


wifter  when  they  are  near  the 
Centre:  For  the  Air  is  there 
lore  thick  and  impure ;  and 
>nfequently  has  a  greater  Pro- 
enfity  to  tend  downwards  :  Be- 
des,  when  it  is  arriv'd  on  the 
^pniines,  as,  I  may  fay,  of  it's 
ourneys  End,^it  is  fwallow'd  up, 
iid  ingulph'd  af .  by  a  certain 
iolence,  and  j;5?\parts  the  fame 
ot  to  its  Companion  in  the 
ail. 

340.  Or  all,  &C.1  For  the  Seeds 
£  Thunder,  like  thofe  of  other 
Things,  wander  undetermin'd  to 
ny  certain  Place,  but  being  dri- 
en  by  that  length  of  Violence, 
re  determined,  and  mov'd  in  a 
irec't  Line. 

344..  And  when,  &c. "]  But 
jghtning  does  not  break  inPieces 
1  that  it  falls  upon  :  for  all  rare 
odies  remain  fafe  and  unhurt, 
ecaufe  the  fubtile  Fire  finds  a 
ee  Paflage  thro'  their  Pores  : 
:  dilTolves  folid  Bodies,  as  Brafs, 
lold,  &c.  becaufe  it  ftrikes  into 
leir  folid  Corpufcles,  and  being 
nee  enter'd  into  their  Pores,  and 
ot  finding  a  Palfage  out,  it  dif- 
)ins  the  very  PrincigleSj  melts 


Metals,  and  reduces  Stones  into 
Powder. 

350.  Now  Spring,  dec.']  In 
thefe  22.  V.  the  Poet  folves  the 
fourth  Queftion  which  we  pro- 
pos'd  above  in  the  Note  on  v. 
226.  and  inquires  into  the  Rea- 
fon,  why  it  thunders  more  fre- 
quently in  the  Spring  and  in  Au- 
tumn, than  either  in  Winter  or 
Summer  ?  [  But  this  muft  be  ta- 
ken to  be  meant  only  of  fome 
Countries  of  Italy  ]  And  the 
reafon  is,  fays  he,  becaufe,  fince 
Thunder  is  of  a  firy  Nature,  and 
breaks  out  of  thick  Clouds,  it  is 
then  moft  to  be  expecfled,  when 
the  Weather  is  warm,  and  not 
altogether  free  from  Cold  :^  For 
where  there  is  no  Heat,  'tis  in 
vain  to  look  for  Fire,  and  where 
there  is  too  much  Heat,  it  fuffers 
not  the  Clouds  to  thicken.  But 
in  the  Spring,  and  in  Autumn^ 
the  Cold  and  the  Heat  are  blend- 
ed together :  Thence  proceed 
Clonds,  Winds,  Fire,  and  at; 
length  Tumults  and  Tempefts  in 
the  Air,  and  from  thein  Thun- 
der and  Lightning. 

H 


^38 


LU  C  RET  1  U  S. 


Book  V 

Becaufe  thofe  Seafons  Heat  and  Cold  engage  ^ 
Both  neceflary  Things  for  Thunder's  Rage  ; 
That  Parts  may  difagree,  andraifea  War, 
And  Fires,  and  rapid  Whirls  difturbthe  Air. 

.360  For,  firft  the  Spring  within  its  Limits  holds 
The  coming  Heats,  and  the  retiring  Colds  : 
And  therefore  thefe  two  Parts,  thus  oppofite, 
When  joined,  andmixt,  muft  ftrive,  and  fiercely  fight. 
But  then  in  Autumn,  Summer's  Flames  retreat, 

3^5  And  coming  Winter  fights  the  flying  Heat. 
Thefe  are  the  troubled  Seasons  of  the  Year  ; 
The  Times  that  Elements  go  forth  to  War  : 
What  Wonder  then  if  frequent  Thunder  flies,' 
If  frequent  Storms  difturb  the  lower  Skies  5 

370  Since,  fighting,  all  in  doubtful  Wars  ingage. 

Here  HEAT^and  FLAMES,there  Cold  and  Waters,  rage 

And  hence  we  know  the  Nature  of  the  Flame  j 
And  how  it  works,  .and  whence  the  Fury  came : 
But  not  by  reading  Thvscu^v:  Books  inquire 

375  The  Gods  Defign  by  this  celestial  Fire  j 
Obferve  the  moving  Flame,  and  thence  prefage 
The  Kindness  of  the  Gods,   or  coming  Rage  : 


N  O 

In  this  Opinion  Seneca  agrees 
with  Lucretius  ;  and  fo  too  does 
Pliny,  lib.  2.  cap.  50.  where  he 
teaches,  that  it  never  thunders 
in  Winter  and  Summer,  except 
in  as  much  as  mitiore  hyeme, 
&  ieftate  nimbofd,  Temper  quo- 
dammodo  vernat,  vel  autumnat ; 
in  a  mild  Winter,  and  in  a  clou- 
dy Summer,  the  Weather  is  nei- 
ther violently  cold,  nor  violently 
hot,  but  partakes  in  fome  mea- 
fure  of  the  middle  temperatures 
of  the  Spring,  or  of  Autumn. 
And  he  Itrengthens  this  Argu- 
ment, by  inftancing  in  fome 
Countries,  where  by  reafon  of  the 
extreara  Cold,  as  in  Scythia,  or 
of  the  violent  Heat,  as  in  Egypt, 
it  never  thunders  at  all.  But  of 
thefe  Matters  you  may  confult 
P.  Gaflend.  in  lib.  10.  Laert.  de 
Meteorolog. 

370,  Doubtful  WaFS,3  I^  the 
Spring,   and  in    Auuimnj  He^t 


r  E  s, 

and  Cold  contend  for  Mafterf' 
In  Summer  Heat  governs,  p 
Cold  in  Wintei^.  '  ; 

372.  Andheffife,&c.3Here«l 
Poet  infults  the  College  < 
Augurs  and  Soothfayers  at  Row 
who  pretended  to  teach  Diviii 
tion,  as  if  it  had  been  a  Science 
This,  fays  he,  is  to  know  the  N. 
ture  of  Thunder,  6cc.  a  Scien 
not  to  be  met  with  in  your  Booi 
that  are  made  up  of  nothing  bi 
trifling  and  falfe  Conjectures. 

374.  Thufcan  Books]  Tl 
Books  that  treated  of  Divinatic 
were  composed  by  the  Thufcar 
a  People  of  Italy,  whom  Tag 
had  inftrutfled  in  that  Art  t  froi 
him  thefe  Books  were  call 
Tagetici ;  and  Macrobius  fa 
they  were  handed  about  in  h 
Days.  Of  this  Tages  Cicero  giv 
us  the  following  Account.  Tag 
quidam  dicitur  in  agro  Tarqu 
nienlz ,    ^unj  serra  ^raretur,  < 

fulc 


jBook  VI.  LUCRETIUS,  C^f 

Or  if  the  Clouds  in  lucky  Quarters  fwell ; 
And  Thunder  break,  and  with  fad  Omen  fell : 

And 

u  o  r  B  $. 


ulcus  altius  ciTet  imprefTus,  ex- 
itilTe  repent^,  &:euin  afTatusef- 
"c,  qui  arabat.  Is  autem  Tages, 
ic  ia  libris  eft  Hecrufcorum, 
>uerili  fpecie  dicitur  vifus,  fed 
enili  fujfle  prudenti^.  Ejus  af- 
>edu  cum  obftupuifTec  bubulcus, 
lamoremq;  majorem  cum  admi- 
atione  edidifTec,  concurfum  ^ik 
ad  urn,  totamque  brevi  tempore 
n  eum  locum  Hetruriam  conve- 
iiTe  :  turn  ilium  plura  locutum 
lultis  audientibus,  qui  omnia  e- 
js  verba  exceperinc ,  literifq; 
landavcrint  :  omnem  autem 
racionem  fuifTe  earn,  qua  Ha- 
iifpicina  Difciplina  contineretur, 
am  poftea  crevifle  rebus  novis 
ignofcendis,  dc  ad  eadem  iila 
rincipia  referendis.  Lib.  2.  de 
Uvinatione.  As  they  were  plough- 
ig  in  the  Tarquinian  Field,  and 
le  Share  ftriking  deep  into  the 
r round,  one  Tages  is  faid  to  have 
:artcd  on  a  fuddain  out  of  the 
^arthjind  to  fpeak  to  the  Plough- 
lan  :  This  Tages,  as  we  find  in 
tie  Thufcan  Books,  is  faid  to 
ave  had  the  Look  of  a  Boy ;  but 
He  Prudence  and  Wifdom  of  old 
.gc.  The  Peafant  difmay'd  at 
le  Apparition,  cry'd  out  aloud, 
id  People  flock'd  about  him, 
ifomuch  that  in  a  little  time 
le  whole  Countrey  of  Etruria 
ere  got  together  in  that  Place  : 
'hen  Tages  fpoke  a  great  deal 
I  the  Hearing  of  many  Perfons, 
ho  writ  down  all  his  Words  : 

he  SubjedofhisDifcourfe  was 
ily  the  Dodrine  of  Divination  : 
hich  afterwards  got  footing  in 
>e  World  by  new  Additions  of 

nowledge,  built  en  the  Princi- 

es  he  had  taught  them  :  Ovid. 

letam.  lib.  15.  v.  553. 


Cum  Tyrrhenu?  arator 
tulcm  glebam  msdiis  afpcxitin 


arvis 


Sponte  fuS  primum,  nulloque  a- 

gitante,  moveri: 
Sumere  mox  hominis,  terrazque 

amittere  formam ; 
Oraque  Venturis  aperire  recentia 

fatis : 
Indjgenar  dixere  Tagen,  qui  pri« 

mus  Etrufcam 
Edocuit  gentem  cafus  aperire  fu« 

turos. 

See  like  wife  Lucan,  lib.  x.  v.  530, 
$87, 606, 

-^79*  Omen]  This  Word,  as  we 
find  in  fome  Authours,  feems  noc 
to  have  had  originally  fo  exten- 
five  a  Signification,  as  we  gene-* 
rally  give  it.    Feftus  explains  it. 
Omen  quafi  Orimen,  quod  ore 
fiat  augurium  :    Now  Auguries 
were  drawn  either  from  Tokens 
given  by  the  Gods,  or  by  Men  s 
and  thofe  given  by  Men  were  pro- 
perly call'd  Omens.    Cicero  iays. 
That  the  Pythagoreans  did  noc 
only  obferve  the  Voices  of  the 
Gods,  but  of  Men  likewife,  which 
laft  they  call'd  Omens :    Neque 
foliim  Deiim  voces   Pythagorei 
obfervabant ;    fed   etiam  homi- 
num,  quse  omina  vocabant,  fays 
he,  in  lib.  i.  de  Divinat.  Apuleius 
de  Deo  Socr.  fays ;    Ita  eft  apud 
Platonem ;  ne  quifquam  arbitre- 
tur,  omina  eum  vulgo  loquentutn 
capt^ife  :  And  foon  after  he  adds; 
Videmus  plerifque  ufu    venire 
qui  nimia  ominum  fuperftitions 
non  femper  fuopte  corde,  fed  al- 
terius  verbo  reguntur  :  Yet  other 
Authours  reftrain  not  the  figni- 
cation  of  this  Word  to  the  Voice, 
or  Utterance  of  the  Mouth  only, 
but  extend  it  to  ail  the  Adtions  of 
Life  J  making  it  to    fignify  the 
fame   with    the  av^^oho,  of  the 
Greeks,  who  by  that   Word  un- 
derftood  the  foreboding  Signs  or 
Tokens  of  profperous  or  improf- 
perous  Events  :  Thus,  to  begin 

with 


^4^  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

380  And  hence  we  know,  how  its  quick  Forces  pafs 

^Thro'  clofeft  Stones,  and  melt,  or  break,  the  Mass  .• 

Wha 
N  O  T  fi  5- 


with  Ca:far3  we  read  that  Au- 
guftus,  contrary  to  his  Cuftom^ 
had  put  on  his  left  Shoo  fir  ft,  the 
Day  that  he  narrowly  efcap*d  be- 
ing kiird  in  a  Mutiny  of  the  Sol- 
diers :  And  Lampridius  recounts 
among  the  Signs  of  Alexander's 
future  Empire,  That  the  Picture 
of  the  Emperour  Trajanus,which 
hung  over  his  Father  Philip's  ge- 
nial Bed,  fell  down  upon  it,  while 
his  Mother  was  in  Labour  of  him 
in  the  Temple  :  And  this  Omen 
Feftus  and  other  Authours  call 
caducum  aufpicium.  Spartianus, 
in  the  Life  of  Hadrian,  fays,  that 
while  he  was  fpeaking  in  Praife 


of  Nero,  cap.  19.    And  Tibulln 
elegantly  of  thefe  Stumblings ; 

O  quoties  ingrelTus  iter  mihi  trj 
ftia  dixi 
Offenfum  in  porta  flgna  dcdil 
fe  pedem ! 

And  fuch  were  the  Omens  the< 
regarded  in  going  to  a  Place  :  bt 
they  likewife  drew  Auguries  froi 
Accidents  at  their  Departure  ;  i 
if  any  one  who  went  with  an  It 
tention  to  go  to  a  certain  Plac 
return'd  on  a  fuddain  unexpe^ 
ediy,  and  without  executing  h 
Deiign :  but  this  took  place chiej 


of  Antonius,    a    Prastexta,    [a  I  ly  in  Sacrifices.    Apollonius  coi 
r2.«,„«  ...^ —  u„  .u,.  rf^L:ij c  cerning  the  Ceremonies  of  tl 

Goddefs  Trivia^  or  Diana  isthi 
render'd  : 

Sacrifque  peracfi 


Gown  worn  by  the  Children  of 
Noblemen]  dropt  down  of  its 
own  Accord,  and  covered  his 
Head  ;  and  that  a  Ring  on  which 
his  Figure  was  ingrav'd,  fell  off 
his  Finger,  of  its  own  Accord 
likewife  :  Ovid  too  believ'd  in 
Omens,  whenhefaid, 


Omina  funt  aliquid ;  modo,  cum 
decedere  vellet, 
Adlimen  digitos  reftitit  i6ia. 
Kape. 


Pliny  too  {peaks  of  thefe  Remo- 
ra's,  thefe  Obftacles,  and  hin- 
dring  Omens,  which  he  calls  of- 
fcnfiones  pedum  ;  &  Plautus, 
aufpicia  &  religionem  :  Ante 
aufpicium  commoratum  eft  : 
In  Amphit.  And  in  another 
Place  :  An  religio  tibi  objecfta  ? 
Of  like  Nature  is  that,  which  was 
offer'd  to  Otho,  going  againft 
ViceJIius  ;  when  fonie  advis'd  him 
to  defer  the  Expedition,  becaufe 
the  Bucklers  were  not  ail  ready  . 
This  Tacitus  relates  in  thefe 
"Words :  Fuere  qui  proficifcenti 
Othoni  moras  reiigionemquc  non 
conditorum  anciliiim  aixerrent. 
See  Suetonius  likewife  in  the  Life 


Rurfusabire  pyra  moneo:  coi 

vertere  nullus 
Te  retro  ftrepitufque  pedum,  fr 

mitufque  caninus 
Cogat  *,  nam  facri  fiat  labor  b 

ritus  omnis. 


where  he  feems  to  imply,  thi 
the  folemn  Myfteries  wei 
render'd  of  no  Effed  by  a  Noif 
or  any  other  Interruption.  V; 
lerius  Max.  lib.  3.  cap.  5.  Nefi 
crificium  Alexandri  aut  concufl 
thuribulo,  aut  edito  gemituin 
pediret  :  But  this  was  chiefly  o\ 
ferv'd  in  facred  Rites  ;  yet  P] 
thagoras  gave  the  like  Precautio 
by  a  perpetual  Symbol :   ^aS 

(pc-S^.  Of  which  he  adds  the  Re; 
Ton:  For  the  Furies  are  palTin 
j  along.  And  of  greater  Momen 
but  not  unlike  this,  is  the  A< 
monilhment  of  the  Authour( 
human  Salvation  :     Qni   aratr 


i 


manum   applicuit,  ne  refpiciat 
Moreover,  as  they    nam'd  the 


Omen, 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS.  6^i 

What  drives  fwift  Lightning  on,  what  makes  ic  flow. 
And  all  the  Harm  celestial  Flames  can  do. 

For 
NOTES, 


Omens ,    religionem  objc<ftam , 
fo  on  the  other   Hand  we  learn 
from   Plautus,  that  when    they 
lad  a  Mind  to  give  a  favourable 
nterpretacion    to     an    Omen , 
hey   caJI'd  it,   religionem   ^  fe 
ejicerc,   and   the    Greeks,  ^tto' 
ro^TTHV    This  might    be  con- 
irm'd  by  many  Examples ;  but 
/e  have  one  illuilrious  indeed  in 
he  Perfon  of  Julius  Caefar,  who, 
t  his  landing  in  Africa,  as  he 
!ap'd  afliore,  happened   to    fall 
own,  and  to  avert  the  unlucky 
)men  of   that    Accident,  cry'd 
ut,  I  have  thee,  Africa.    Sue- 
jnius  t  Cum  Caefar  Africa  o- 
3m  rappuliflet,  8c  in  terram  in- 
iIturuscorruifret,dixit,ut  infau- 
:um  ex  cafu  omen  averteret,Te- 
eoteAfrica.Andlche  fame  Caelar 
I  ways  difcover'd  an  undaunted 
rreatnefs  of  Soul,  and  his  Mind 
as  fo  much  fuperiour  to  thefe 
uperftitions  ,      that      we    no 
here  read  that  any  Omen  what- 
ver  could  deter  him  from  any 
ncerprize,  or  make  him  delay 
le  Execution  of  any  Defign  he 
ad  refolv'd  to   attempt.    The 
ime  Suetonius  tells  us,  that  tho' 
he  Vidim  had  efcap'd  from  the 
iltar,  he  would  not  put  off  his 
■xpedition  againft    Scipio    and 
aba.    Licet,  fays  he,  immolan- 
aufugiflet  hoftia,  profe<f^ionem 
Iverfus  Scipionem  oc  Jubam  non 
iftulit.  To  which  Seneca  alludes 
I  Confolat,  ad  Marciam,  where 
I  fays,  tarn  cito  dolorem  vicit, 
uam  omina  folebat.  Moreover  : 
'he  left   Parts  of  the  Body,  as 
le  left  Hand,  the  left  Foot,  &c. 
re  in  many  Authours,  efteem'd 
nlucky  :  but,  on  the  contrary, 
puleius  reprefents  them  as  O- 
lensof  good  Succefs  :  and  fpeak- 
ig  of  the  Icfc  Hand,  fays :  Quar- 
»?  ajquitatis  oftend«b«t  indici- 


um, dcformacam  manum  iini- 
ftram  porrecfla  palmula ;  quae 
genuina  pigritia,  nulla  cailiditate, 
nulla  folertia  prxdita,  videbatur 
a^quitati  magis  aptior  quam  dex- 
tera.  And  Macrobius  in  Satur- 
nal.  lib.  i.  cap.  9.  Ideo  Apollinis 
fimulacra  manu  d extra  Gratias 

Sortant,  arcum  cum  fagittis  fini- 
:ra  ;  quod  ad  noxam  lie  pigrior, 
&  falutem  manus  promptior  lar- 
giatur  ;  Which  the  following 
Paifage  of  Catullus  at  once  illu- 
ftrates  and  explains  : 

Haec  ut  dixit.  Amor  finiftra  a- 

manti 
Dextram    fternuit    approbatio- 

nem. 

After  which  he  add  s : 

Nunc    ab    aufpicio    bono  pro- 

fecfti, 
Mutuis    aiiimis  amant,    aman- 

tur. 

But  thefe  Omens  properly  re- 
late to  the  A<f^ions  of  human 
Life  ;  And  the  Antients  had  be- 
fides  Ibmemore  occult  and  fecrec 
Omens ,  which  they  took  from 
Things,  from  Days,  from  Names, 
and  even  from  Places  and  Cloaths : 
To  Things  feem  to  relate  the  O- 
mens  that  were  taken  to  be  un- 
lucky, as  Shipwrecks,  and  the  Re- 
mains of  them  :  and  thole  Things 
chiefiy  which  from  fome  unfor- 
tunate Accidents  have  given  Rife 
to  Proverbs ;  as  Aurum  Tolofa- 
num,  and  Equus  Sejanus  :  which, 
becaufe  they  are  fo  well  known, 
I  purpofely  forbear  to  explain  : 
But  I  can  not  omit  a  remarkable 
PafTage  in  Virgil,  which  makes 
much  to  our  Piirpofc,  and  which 
that  Poet,  who  was  deeply  real 
in  the  Augural  and  Pythagoreaa 
N  n  n  n  Dc<5kine^ 


L  U  C  R  E  TI  U  S> 


Book  VI 


DocirinCj  has  fecretly  veil'd  with 
this  Superftition.  For  to  avoid 
openly  to  affert,  that  thore  Gifts 
oFTEneas  to  Dido,  as  being  fav*d 
from  the  Deftrui3:ion  of  Troy, 
were  unlucky  to  her,  he  has  infi- 
nuated  that  they  were  fo  by  a 
Circumlocution,  in  the  following 
Verfes : 

Munera  pr;eterea  Iliacijs  erepta 

ruinis 
Ferre  jubet,  pallam  fignis  auro- 

que  rigentem, 
Ornatus  Ar^iwx  Helen^e,    quos 

ilia  Mycenis, 
Pergama  cum  peteret,  inconcef- 

foique  Hymenaos, 
Extulerat,  Ledas  matris  mirabi- 

ledonum.  ^n.  i.  \,  6^1, 

And  foon  after  j  v.  ^83. 

Dona  ferens   pelago,  &  flammis 
reftantia  Troj«. 

This  Statins  underftood,  and  has 
imitated  lib,  2.  Thebaid* 

Kecmirumt  nam  tu  infauftos, 

donante  marito, 
Ornatus  Argiva  geris,  dirumque 

monile 
Hermiones.  Longa  eft  feries,  fed 

nota  malorum 
i^erfequar,  undenovis  tarn  farva 

potentia  donis. 

The  Bcltof  Pallas  too  flrengthens 
this  Opinion  :  For  i^neas  would 
have  fpar'd  the  Life  of  the  pro- 
strate Turnus,  had  not  that  un- 
lucky Token,  which  Turnus  had 
taken  from  the  ilain  Palias,  calPd 
afreili  to  his  Remembrance,  and 
renew'd  his  Grief  for,  the  Lofs  of 
liis  deareft  Friend  : 


-=-- Stetft  acer  in  armis 

^neas,  volvens  oculos,  dextram- 

que  repreflit : 
£t  jam   iamque   magis  cundan- 

€em  fleclcre  fermo 
Cceperat  ^  inf^elix   humero  Clim 

spparuit  ingciis 


Balteus,  &  notis  fulferunt  cineu 

la  bullis  ^ 

Pallantis  pueri,  vi<ftum  quem  vul 

nere  Turnus 
Straverat,  atque  humeris  inim: 

cum  Infigne  gerebat. 
I  lie  oculis  poftquam  fxvi  mom 

menta  doloris, 
Exuviafque  haufit ;  furiis  accer 

fus,  &:  ira 
Terribilis :  Tune  hie  fpoliis  ii 

dute  meorum 
Eripiare  mihi  ?  Pallas  te  hoc  vu 

nere,  Pallas 
Inimolat,  &  pcenam  fcelerato  € 

fanguine  fumit. 

And  Homer,  in  like  manner,  d( 
fcribes  Achilles  fwelling  wit 
Rage  and  Fury ,  at  fight  < 
the  Arms  that  Hecftor  had  take 
from  Patroclus,  As  to  the  Day 
fuch  as  were  noted  for  any  Qve; 
throw  in  Battel,  or  any  the  lilt 
unfortunate  Event,  were  call' 
religiofi,  nefafti,  and  atri ;  of  a 
which  fee  Agellius,  lib.  i.  cap.  i\ 
who  there  fully  handles  this  Mai 
ter  :  To  which  I  will  only  ad 
this  Paflage  out  of  Tacitus,  lib. 
Hiftor.  Funefti  ominis  loco  ai 
ceptum  eft,  quod  maximum  Poi 
tificatum  adeptus  Vetellius  c 
CeremoniisXV.  Cal.  Aug.edixi 
fet,  antiquitriSinfaufto  die  Crc 
merenfi  Allienliq;  dadibus.  0 
Names,  fome  were  Omens  of  Pre 
fperity  and  Diuturnity;  other 
of  the  contrary  :  CraiTus,  Vak 
rius,  Macrobius,  Lucius,  Lucri 
were  Names  foreboded  Good 
Plautus  in  Perf.  Luc.  Nomen  at 
que  Omen  quantivis  eft  preti) 
Dor.  Si  te  eam  mihi  quoque  Lu 
cridem  confido  fore  re.  Furius 
Hoftilius,  Macer,  were  ill  Names 
Martial,    lib.   5.    Epigram.  2i 

Qiiineftum  pro  Decimo,  pro  Crai 
fo,  Regule,  Macrum 
Ante  falutabat  Rhetor  Apol 
lonins. 

See  like  wife  Feftus  in  Lacu  Lu 
crino.  Nor  may  we  omit  Aul 
Gellius,  who  Lib-,    i.  cap.   28 

fays : 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS. 

Forifthefe  Bolts  were  thrown  by  Gods  above, 
{85  Or  if  they  were  the  proper  Arms  of  Jove  j 


64; 


N  0  r  B  S. 


Why 


ays  :  Cavenda  igitur  non   im- 
>ropriecas  fola  verbi,  fed  etiam 
►ravitas  animi,    ii  ^luis  fe  nunc 
enior  Advocatus  adolefcenti  fu- 
ter efTe  dicat.    Places  were  held 
o  be  ominous,  cither  from  their 
>Tames,  or  for  their  having  been 
olluted  with  dead  Bodies,  or  o- 
herwife:  Plautus  in  Menjechm. 
;  lad   regard  to  the  Name  t    Ne 
i  aihi  Damnum  in  Epidamno  du- 
j  ,s.     And  Petronius  :   Epidamni 
I  "Nomina  quaere.  As  to  any  Thing 
hat  foreboded  ill  in  the  Places 
hemfelves,  we  find  a   remarka- 
ble Teftimony  in  Tacitus,  An- 
nal.  lib.   i.    where  Germanicus 
>urges  by  Sacrifices   the    Places 
I  vhere  Varus  had  encamp'd  with 
lis  whole  Army  :  Quid  Tiberio_> 
ays  he,  baud  probatum,  feu  cun- 
ila .  Germanic!   in  deterius  tra- 
henti ,    five  exercitum    imagine 
:<eforum  infepultorumque  tarda- 
cum  ad  pritlia,  8c  formidolofio- 
rem  hoftium   credebat.    Neque 
Imperatorem  auguratis  &  vetu- 
ftimmis    Casremoniis  pr«ditum 
attrecftare   feralia    debuilTe.    Of 
Cloaths  or  Garments  we  have  an 
In/lance  in  Q.  Curtius,  who  be- 
liev'd  them  ominous,  and  even  to 
portend  the  Change  of  Empire  in 
Alexander,  inafmuch   as    he  af- 
fe<f^ed  and  took  delight  to  wear  a 
foreign,  or  Perfian  Drefs  :     To 
which  the    judicious  TertuUian 
feems  to  allude :   Vides,  fays  he, 
quafdam  &  capillu  m  croco  ver- 
tere :  Pudet  eas  etiam    nationis 
fu«,  quod    non    Germania    aut 
Gallia  procreate  fint.     Ita  patri- 
am  capillo  transferunt.     Male  ac 
peflime  fibi  aufpicantur  f^ammeo 
capite.  Whereby  flammeo  capite, 
he    means  that   perpetual    Fire, 
which  in  another  Place  he  calls 
ignem  jugem.    St.  Jerome  in  like 
manner.     Ne  caput  gemmis  one- 
f§s,  n%  ^apillum   irir^fesj  ^  ^i 


aliquid  de  Gehenna  ignibus  au- 
fpiceris.  This  PafTage  is  in  the 
Epiftle  to  La;ta,  and  no  doubt 
copy'd  after  TertuUian.  as  many 
other  Paflages  in  that  Father  are. 
384.  For  if,  &c.]  Here  the 
Poet  takes  away  the  Thunder 
from  Jupiter,  and  the  other  Gods, 
who  feem  to  him  not  to  imploy 
it  fo  prudently  as  it  were  to  be 
wifli'd  they  did  :  and  at  the  fame 
time  he  overthrows  the  whole 
pocftrine  ofjithe  Tliufcans :  for, 
if  it  be  not  the  Gods  who  dare 
the  Thunder,  there  can  be  no  Di- 
vination by  Thunder  :  And  if 
they  do,  why  do  they  let  the 
Wicked  efcape,  and  often  deftroy 
the  Innocent  ?  What  docs  it  avail 
the  Thunderer  ,  to  launch  his 
Bolts  upon  uninhabited  Defarts  ? 
What,  when  he  throws  his  uner- 
ring Shafts  into  the  middle  of  the 
Sea  ?  Or  upon  the  bare  Tops  of 
Mountains,  which  he  does  very 
often  ?  And  laftly,  why  is  there 
no  Thunder  without  Clouds  ? 
Why  does  he  ftrike  down  his  own 
Temples,  and  thofe  of  his  Under- 
Gods  ?  All  this  the  Poet  has  in- 
cluded in  47.  v.  in  which  there 
are  many  Things  fpoken  fatiri- 
cally,  and  many  by  way  of  Deri^ 
fion. 

Gods  above]  For  the  Thufcaa 
Books  taught,  that  Jupiter  gave 
leave  to  nine  Gods  to  dart  Thun- 
der down  upon  the  Earth,  Plin. 
lib,  2.  cap.  52.  Arnobius,  p.  122. 
Diis  novem  Jupiter  poteltatem 
jaciendi  fui  fulminis  permifit. 

385.  The  proper  Arms  of  Jove  ;3 
Why  Jupiter  is  faid  to  be  the  Au- 
thour  of  Thunder  and  Light- 
ning, Pliny-,  lib.  2.  cap.  20,  gives 
this  Phvlical  Reafon  :  The  Fires 
of  the  three  higheft  Planets,  fays 
he,  falling  to  the  Earth,  bear  the 
Name  of  Lightning  :  but  chiefly- 
that  of  the  three  ,  which  is  plac'd 


644-  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

Why  do  the  daring  Wicked  ftill  provoke, 
Why  ftill  (in  on,  lecure  from  Thunder's  Stroke  ? 
Why  are  not  fuch  (hot  thro*,  and  placd  on  high,       Z 
As  fad  Examples  of  Impiety,  > 

390  That  Men  may  fin  no  more,  no  more  defie  ? 

An 
N  O  T  £  5. 


between  the  two  others,  that  is  to  I 
fay,  of  Jupiter  :  becaufe,  partici- 
pating of  the  exceffive  Cold  and  I 
Moifture  of  the  Circle  of  Saturn, 
which  is  above  him,  and  of  the 
immoderate  Heat  of  Mars,  that 
is  next  under  him,  he,  by  that 
means,  difcharges  the  Superfluity 
of  either  :  And  hence  it  is  com- 
monly faid.  That  Jupiter  is  the 
Darter  of  Lightning.  But  Seneca, 
much  better  than  our  Poet,  and 
with  more  Analogy  to  Truth, 
takes  not  away  the  Thunder 
from  Jupiter,  when  he  fays,  that 
Jupiter  indeed  is  not  the  Darter 
of 'Thunder  :  but  all  Things  are 
order *d  in  fuch  a  manner,  that 
even  the  Things,  that  are  not 
made  by  him, are  not  made  with- 
out Caufe  and  Reafon,  which  are 
his  :  The  Force  and  Power  of 
them  is  his  Permifllon  :  For  tho* 
he  make  them  not  now  himfelf,he 
wasthe  Caufe,that  they  are  made; 
Interim  hoc  dico,  fulmina  non 
mitti  i  Jove,  fed  fie  omnia  dif- 
pofita,  utetiam  ea,  qua:  ab  iilo 
non  fiunt,  fine  ratione  non  iiunt, 
quitilliuseft:  Vis  eorum  illius 
permiflio  eft  :  nam  etfi  Jupiter 
ilU  nunc  non  facit,  fecit  ut  fie- 
rent ;  fingulis  non  adeft,  fed  fig- 
num,  8c  vim,  &  caufam  dedit 
omnibus.  Thus  Seneca  in  lib,  2. 
ISTat.  Qu?jfl:.  48.  who  is  miftaken 
only  in  the  true  Name  ofthefirft 
Divine  Caufe.    Horace  ; 

Tu  parum  caftis  inimica  mittes 
Fulmina  lucis. 

And  according  to  the  Doctrine 
of  the  Tagetick  Books  ,  nothing 
was  ever  blafted  with  Fire  from 
Heaven^  but  what  had   before 


been  ftain'd    with  fome  Pollu 
tion. 

^S6.    Why  do,  &c.]    Senec 
propofes  this  Queftion  in  a  fc\ 
Words  :  Quare  Jupiter,   aut  ft 
rienda  tranfit,  aut  innoxia  ferit 
And  the  laft  Exceptions,  whic 
Lucretius  brings  againft  Provi 
dence,  are  drawn  from  that  com 
mon  Obfervation ;  Good  Men  ar 
oppreft  with  Trouble,  and  Mi 
fery,  fubjecfl  to  all  the  Rage  am 
Violence  of  the  Wicked  ;  whilf 
the  Impious  fwell  with  the  Glo 
ries,  and  revel  in  the  Delights  oi 
Life :  This  has  been  the  Subjecf 
of  many  follicitous  Difquifitions 
Difputes  have  been  multiolied 
and  fome  have  been  as  induitriou! 
to  vindicate  the  Methods  of  Pro- 
vidence from  all  feeming  Irr^gu- 
iarities,as  others  to  defame  them 
Some  have  fent  us  to  look  for  Re- 
tribution in  another  World,  and 
indeed  this  is  an  eafie  way    oi 
folving.  the  Difficulty,  and  with 
little  Pains  deducible  from  the 
immortality  of  the  Soul,  which  I 
have  already  aflerted.     But  be- 
caufe to  look  beyond  the  Grave, 
requires  a  fliarp  and  fteddy  Eye, 
I  fliall  obferve  the  Reafons  ofthc 
Philofophers,  and   propofe  what 
Plutarch  has  excellently  deliver'd. 
And  here  we  muft  take  notice, 
that  only  that  part  of  the  Objec- 
tion, which  concerns  the  prospe- 
rity and  impunity  of  the  Wick- 
ed, feems  formidable,  and  con- 
cluding ;  for  all  thofe  Men  we  ge- 
nerally call  Good,  as  their  own 
Confcience  will  tell  them,  defcrve 
thofe  Afflidions  which  the  moft 
miferable  have  endur*d.Andupon 
this  the  Poets,  Orators,  and  Hi- 
ftorians  have  been  very  copious.^ 


3ook  VI.  LUCRETlVS.  64? 

And  why  does  heedlefs  Lightning  blaft  the  Good, 
And  break  his  Bones,  or  cruddle  all  his  Blood  ? 

Why 
NOTES. 


<rt  fjLU 

dare  to  fay  no  Gods  dired  this 

i  Whole, 

'>r  Villains  profperous  diftracft 

my  Soul. 

s  Ariftophanes:  and  Diago- 
j  1  refolved  to  be  an  Atheift,  as 
J  iipiricus  delivers  ,  becaufe  he 
« i  not  fee  Vengeance  fall  pre- 
:  icly  on  the  perjur'd  Perfon, 
;  i  confume  himj  Velleius  Pater- 
<j  us  produces  the  long  and 
«i  let  Reign  of  Orcftes,  as  a  con- 
i  cing  Proof,  that  the  Gods  di- 
ll ied  him  to  murther  Pyrrhus  ; 
J  \  approv'd  the  Acftion  :  and 
}  irtial  has  contraded  all  the 
I  ce  of  the  Argument  into  one 
"  igram. 


jlos  cfle  Deos,  inane  Coelum 
^  ^irmat  Selius,  probatq;  quod  fe 
fium,   dum  negat  hjec,  videt 
teatum. 

icneca  in  his  Treatife ,  Cur 

1  Whs  bene  &  Bonis  male,  cum 

'  ffl  Providentia,    talks  much  of 

i  M  Privilege  of  Sufferings,  that 

ffli<ft  argues  Care,  and  Kind- 

i  and,  in  fliort,  thinks  this  a 

It  Commendation  of  Vertue, 

,;,  T|'  Immortal  Pow'rs  have  Sweat 
'ar  Virtue  plac'd. 

ut  this  is  not  the  way  to  an- 

r.0.1  l«r  the  Demands  of  an  Epicu- 

^   '"1,  tofatisfiehis  Doubts,  who 

rather  be  accounted  a  happy 

'^^  ant,  than  a  miferabic  Son  of 


the  Deity,  who  would  not  be 
fond  of  Torments,  that  he  might 
iliow  fpedaculum  Jove  dignum, 
virum  fortem  cum  mali  fortuni 
compofitum  :  who  cannot  think 
that  Fears  and  Jealoufies  are  the 
neccflary  Produ<fis  of  irreligious 
Opinions;  but  makes  fuch  the 
only  Means  of  obtaining  Happi- 
nefs,  and  perfetft  Serenity  of  Mind  : 
who  is  moft  delighted  with  the 
moft  pleaiing  Phylick,and  would 
think  him  cruel,who  makes  ufe  of 
Saws  and  Lances,  when  a  gentle 
Cordial  would  reftore  the  Patient 
to  his  Health  ;  we  muft  therefore 
look  for  other  Anfwers,  and  Plu- 
tarch prefents  us  with  enough, 
fome  of  which  have  a  peculiar 
Force  againft  the  Epicureans; 
who  confefs  Man  to  be  a  free  A- 
gent,  and  capable  to  be  wrought 
on  by  Example  and  Precept. 

Firit  then,  Quick  Vengeance 
does  not  blaft  the  Wicked,  that 
they  themfelves  might  learn  Le- 
nity, and  not  be  greedy  to  re- 
venge Injuries  on  others :  rlh©* 
-r^v  dyti^c^v  to  ojwojo^^vou  06w  • 
'tis  the  end  of  goodMen  to  be  li'ke 
God,  fays  Plato ;  and  Hierocles 
places  the  Life  of  the  Soul  in  this 
Imitation  :  Here  God  fets  forth 
himfelf  an  Example,  and  any- 
noble  and  generous  Mind  wpuld 
rejoyce  to  have  the  Moft  Excel- 
lent for  a  Pattern  of  his  A(flions  t 
Lucretius  follow'd  Epicurus,  be- 
caufe he  thought  him  fo,  and  the 
reft  of  his  Admirers  make  his 
fancy 'd  Virtues  the  Ground  of 
their  Refpea.  This,  taken  by  it 
felf,  I  confofs,  is  but  a  weak  An* 
Iwer,  fince  one  Thunder-bolt 
would  fecure  them  from  doine 
Mifchief,  whilft  Mercy  and  For^ 
bearance  often  exafperate  ;  and» 
becaufe  God  holds  his  Tongue,, 
they  thmk  he  is  even  fuch  a  one  a< 
themfelves  :  bus  if  we  confider  jc 

as 


6^6  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V] 

Why  GooD^iiid  Pious  Men  thefe  Bolts  endure  ? 
And  Villains  live,  and  fee  their  Fall  fecure  ? 

Whl 
N  0  T  £  ^. 


*sa  Confequ«nt  of  another  Rea- 
^n,that  is  drawn  from  the  Good- 
nefs  and  Kindnefs  of  the  Deity, 
then  it  proves  ftrong,  and  fatis- 
fa<ftory. 

The  fecond  Reafon  follows : 
God  doth  not  prefently  punifli 
wicked  Men,  that  they  may  have 
time  to  become  better  ;  and  here 
Plutarch  brings  Examples  of  fuch, 
whofe  Age  was  as  glorious  as  their 
Youth  infamous  :  if  Miltiadev 
fays  he,  had  been  deftroy 'd,  whilft 
he  a<fted  the  part  of  a  Tyrant  ; 
ifCimonin  his  Inceft,  or  The- 
miftocles  in  his  Debaucheries  , 
what  had  become  of  Marathon, 
Erymedon  and  Dianium,  what 
oFthe  Glory  and  Liberty  of  the 
Athenians?  for  as  the  fame  Au- 
thor obferves,    «9gy  ou  f^zyelxou 

SC  h%vr/let  TO  a(pQS^^v  bt  cwtcu^, 

y.a^ifmos-  mSti^  6ASr«V  great 
Spirits  do  nothing  mean,  the  ac- 
tive Principles  that  compofethem 
will  not  let  them  lie  lazily  at  reft, 
but  tofs  them  as  in  aTempeft, 
before  they  can  come  to  a  fteddy 
^nd  fettled  Temper.. 

Thirdly,  the  wicked  are  fome- 
times  fpar*d  to  be  Scourges  to  o- 
thers,  and  execute  juft  Judgment 
on  Men  of  their  own  Principles  : 
this  is  the  Cafe  of  Tyrants  and 
outragious  Conquerous  ;  fuch 
was  Phalaris  to  the  Agrigentines, 
fuch  Pompey  and  C«far  to  the 
Romans,  when  Vicfioryhad  made 
^m  fwell  beyond  their  due 
Bounds  ;  and  Pride  and  Luxury 
fled  from  other  Countries  upon 
the  Wings  of  their  Triumphing 
Eagles  :  Such  Alexander  to  the 
Perfian  foftnefs,  and  ,  if  we  look 
9broad,tcn  thoufand  Inftances  oc- 
^ur,  and  prefs  upon  us  y  Qedre^ 


nus,  Pag.  334.  tells  us,  that  whi 
a  Monk  enquired  of  God,  wl 
he  fuffer'd  cruel  Phocas,  tre 
ckerous  to  his  Emperour  Mam 
tins,  and  an  implacable  Enemy 
the  Chriftians,  to  obtain  the  £i 
pire,  and  enjoy  Power  as  large 
his  Malice  ?  a  Voice,  ctog^rc 
gave  this  Anfwer  to  his  Deman 

TCOV    )LCthl)tSv]ot)V     <M      Tjf      <BfpM 

becaufe  I  could  find  none  wo 
to  fcourge  the  wickednefs  of  l 
Citizens:  and  Alaricus  dedai 
^a  \^iMv%s  T*  cK«  'srofsy/*. 
d^d   riff   )tct.9'  sjto^MV  hyx&i  / 

"Boo/^cLicav^of^Maov  tffoMV'  'tisr 
of  my  own  accord  that  I  atten 
this,  butfomething  will  not 
me  reft,  but  urges  me  on,  ; 
criesy  Go  fack  Rome  :  and  i 
requires,  that  they  fhould  not 
only  free  from   Puniihment,  1 
likewife  enjoy  Wealth,and  Pov 
and  all  the  Opportunitiesand 
ftrumentsof  Mifchief :  and  i 
Anfwer  is  equal  to  the  Objed 
in  its  greateft  latitude,  and  gi 
Satisfadion  to  all  thofe  numer 
little   Doubts,  which  lie  in 
great  Objecftion,  as  it  was  p 
pofed 
Fourthly,  The  impious  are 


I 


I 


prefently  confumM,  that  the  I 
thod  of  Providence  may  be  m  ! 
remarkable  in  their  Puniflimi . 
The  Hiftory  of  BefTus  and  A  • 
barzanes  in  Curtius  is  an  ex  • 
lent  Inftance  of  this;  and  amor  l» 
others,  Plutarch  gives  us  a  7" 
morableoneof  Belfus,  who,  Vm 
ving  kill'd  his  father,  an  J 
long  time  conceal'd  it,  went  ;* 
Night  to  Supper  to  feme  Frie  »>! 
whilft  he  was  there,  with  '* 
Spear  he  pulPd  down  a  Swall  '^ 
Neft,  and  kill'd  the  young  Os, 
and  the  Rsafoji  of  fu^h  a  ftn ;« 
*        ■  Ac '9 


1 


look  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


647 


95     Why  do  they  throw  them  oer  a  defart  Plain, 
Why  thro'  the  empty  Woods,  and  toil  in  vain  ? 
Is  it  to  try  their  Strength  ?  or  elfe  in  Plav 
The  Wantons  (port,   and  throw  J •  r £'s  Bolts  away  ? 
Or  why,  the  fenielefs  Rocks,  they  idly  wound  ? 

DO  Why  blunt  their  Father's  Bolts  againft  the  Ground  ? 
Why  does  he  fuflfer  this  ?  why  not  prepare. 
And  keep  his  ufcful  Arms  for  Times  of  War  ? 
Left  fome  Gigantick,  impious  Rebels  rife. 
And  unprovided  he  (hould  lofe  the  Skies. 
5     Why  when  the  Heav'n  is  clear,  no  Thunder  flics? 
What,  when  thick  heavy  Clouds  o'eripread  the  Skies  ? 

Does 
NOTES. 


iUon  being  demanded  by  the 
I  lefts,   his  Anfwer  was  j  *«   :>^ 


>^c 


.^ 


KCtldi^ 


occaiv  cag  cCTreK" 


111 


1  ')\\!^  r  'orct'?*^  ;  do  not  they 
tr  fal(e  Witnefs  againft  me, 
I  cry  out,  that  I  kill'd  my  Fa- 
t|  r  ?  Which  being  taken  notice 
and  difcover'd  to  the  Magi- 
ate,  the  Truth  appeared,  and 
was  executed. 

!l  great  many  other  Reafons 

ufually  mention'd,  but  thefe 

the   principal,   and  fuppofe 

Liberty  of  the  Will  i  for  if  a 

|in  follow   Fate  blindly,  he  is 

ven  on,  not  perfwaded  to  a<ft  : 

e  be  an  Automatonjand  move 

Wheels    and  Springs,  bound 

h  the  Chain  of  Deftiny  ,  'tis 

dent  that  Fate  is  the  Caufe  of 

his  Mifcarriagesj  and  the  Man 

more  to  be  blamed  for  wicked 

:ionSj  than  a  Clock  for  irre- 

ar  Strikings,  when  the  Artift 

I  gns  it  fhould  do  fo.     No  Ex- 

Dle  can  prevail  en  him,   no 

'mifes  entice,  no  Threatnings 

ght  him;  being  as  unfit  to 

•  r  himfelf,   or  determine  his 

\  A<rtions,  as  a  Stone  in  its  de- 

.  and  a  piece  of  Iron  may 

b^aid  to  ad  as  freely  as  a  Man, 

■  le  be  led  on  by  Fate,  and  its 

tion  as  fpontaneous,  if  Liber- 

vonfifted  in  a  bare  Abffnc?  of 

1  >edimenti. 


Uit 


395.  Whydo,  &C.3  In  theft 
10.  V.  he  argues,  fecondly,  That 
Thunder  is  the  Effe<Ji  of  natural 
Caufes,  and  not  made  by  the 
Gods :  for  if  it  were,  they  would 
not  be  fo  lavifli  of  their  Bolts,  as 
to  throw  them  into  folitary  De- 
farts  !  Had  not  Jupitef  better 
keep  them  in  ftore  to  deftroy  his 
Enemies,  in  time  of  Need  f 

405.  Why  when,  &c.j  The  PoeC 
in  thefe  8.  v.  argues,  thirdly,^ 
That  Thunder  comes  not  by  the 
Will  of  the  Gods,  but  is  made 
by  the  Laws  of  Nature  :  for  o- 
therwife,  why  does  it  never  come 
without  Clouds  and  Noife  {  Why- 
does  it  fall  alike  upon  the  Seas 
and  Earth  ?  "What  Crime  have 
the  Waters  been  guilty  of,  that 
they  are  thus  punifh'd  ? 

The  Heav'n  is  clear,]  To  what 
has  been  faid  of  this  already  in 
the  Note  on  V.  ($8.  and  the  Ex- 
ample we  gave  v.  26^.  in  the  Per- 
fon  of  M.  Herennius,  the  Decu- 
rion,  who  was  kill'd  by  Thunder 
in  a  clear  Day,  we  add  this  of 
Lucan.  lib.  i. 

Emicuit  caelo  taciturn  fine  nubi- 

bus  ullis 
Fulmen. 

And  this  Diftich,  which  we  find 
in  Twlly,  de  Diyinat. 

Auc 


•648 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book\! 


Does  he  defcend  to  take  the  furer  Aim,' 
At  nearer  diftance  then,  and  dart  the  Plame  ?    (thef  • 
Why  ftrike  the  Floods  ?    What  mean  fuch  Bolts  i 
'410  Is  it  to  check  the  Fury  of  the  Seas  ? 

Poor  weak  Defign  !  The  troubled  Waters  roar. 
And,  vex'd  by  whirling  Flames,  ftill  rage  the  more. 

Befides:  this  Jov  e  is  willing  Men  fhou'd  fly 
Thefe  Bolts,  or  not :  if  willing,  tell  me  why 
'41 5  The  Thunder  is  too  Subtile  for  our  Eye  ? 
If  not ;  why  does  he  (how  the  threatening  Light  ? 
And  why  o'erfpread  the  Heav  ns  with  Clouds  and 

Night  ? 
And  make  a  Noise,  and  give  us  Time  for  Flight? 
Befides:  how  can  thefe  Flames  at  once  be  thrown 
410  To  difTrent  Parts  ?  Or  is  it  never  done  ? 
Does  JoyE  at  once  but  throw  a  fingle  one  ? 

F(i 
NOTES. 


Aut  cum  terribili  perculTus  ful- 

mine  civis 
Luce  ferenanti  vitalia  lumina  11- 

quit. 

For  they  held  that  Thunder,  in  a 
clear  and  unclouded  Sky,  was  an 
evincing  Proof  of  a  Deity,  and  a 
certain  Prefage  of  feme  extraor- 
dinary Event :  Cicero,  in  great 
Indignation  againil:  the  Atheifts 
of  his  Days,  and  fpeaking  of  this 
Accident,  cries  out  :  Negemus 
omnia,  comburamus  annales,  A- 
dla  ht^c  efle  dicamus ;  quidvis  de- 
nique  potius,  quam  Deos  res  hu- 
nvanos  curare,  fateamur  ?  Lib.  de 
pivinat. 

409.  Why  ftrike,  &c.3  Why 
does  he  throw  his  Bolts  on  any 
Thing  that  is  not  guilty  of  fome 
Crime  ?  Thus  Cicero,  lib.  2. 
de  Divinatione.  Quid  enim  pro- 
ficit,  cum  in  medium  mare  ful- 
men  jacit  Jupiter  f  Quid  cum  in 
altiflimos  montes  ?  Quod  ple- 
rumque  fit.  Quid  cum  in  defer- 
tas  folitudines  ?  Quid  cum  in  ea- 
rum  gentium  oras  ,  in  quibus 
h«c  ne  obfervantur  quidem  ? 
And  to  the  fame  purpofe  Arifto- 
^haaes,  "Nt^iA.  If  Jupiter's  Belts, 


fays  he,  are  aim*d  againft  the]  ■ 
jur'd,  how  comes  it  topafs,  t  J 
neither  Simon,  Cleonymus,  i  • 
Theodorus  are   blafted  by  t:  : 
celeftial  Flame  ?  They,  who    : 
perjur'd  with  a  Witnefs !  V\ 
does  his  own  Temple,  why  c  . 
Sunion,  the  Promontory  of  . 
tica,  and  why  do  mighty  Oa 
rather  feel  the  Effect  of  the  Fii 
No  doubt,  becaufe  they  are 
perjur'd. 

413.  Befides,  &C.3  In  thefe 
V.  he,  by  way  of  dilemma,  p 
pofes  two  other  wonderful  An 
ments  to  deprive  Jupiter  of 
Thunder.  Either  he  would  h. 
us  avoid   his  Bolts,  or  he  woi 
not :    If  he  would,  why  is 
Thunder  fo  fubtile,  and  fo  fw  , 
that  we  can  not  perceive  it  co  • 
ing,    and  get  out  of  its  wa  • 
And  if  he    would  not,  why  di 
he  give  us  notice  before  hand  : 
its    coming,  by  overcafting  1 
Air  with  gloomy  Clouds,  by  1 
grumbling  of  his  Thunder  i  & 

419.  Befides,  &:c.]  In  thefe  5  . 
he  argues  fixthly,  That  Thi* 
der  muft  be  the  Effe(ft  of  Natu , 
fince  it  thunders  in  feveral  Pla  5 
at  the  fame  time  :  a  Task  t 
laborit » 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  64^ 

Fond  Fancy  1  For,  as  Rain,  fo  Lightning,  flics 
To  many  Parts  at  once,  and  breaks  the  Skies. 
Nay  more  :  Why  does  he  beat  the  Temples  down,  7 
415  Thofe  of  his  Fellow-Gods,  and  of  his  own?  '> 

Why  docs  he  hurt,  and  break  the  facred  Stone  ?       3 
Why  break  the  curious  Statue,  fpoil  the  Grace, 
And  wound  with  iiry  Bolts  the  facred  Face  ? 
Why  does  he  feldom  ftrike  the  humble  Plain, 
430  But  blunt  his  Fires  on  Hills  and  Rocks  in  vain  ? 

And 
N  O  T  £  5* 

laborious  for    any  one  Jupiter.  I  lie vc,  that  Thunder  is  produc'd 
But  let  us  hear  Seneca  delivering   by  natural  Caufes,  fince  for  the 


:he  Opinion  of  the  Antients  up 
)n  this  Matter  :  They  did  not 
)elieve,  fays  he,  that  a  Tupiter, 
ike  him  we  worlhip  in  the  Ca- 
jitol,  darted  his  Thunders  with 
lis  Hand  :  but  they  meant  the 
Mind  and  Spirit,  who  is  the  Ma- 
cer.  Lord  and  Ruler  of  this 
vlundane  Syftem,  to  whom  every 
■"Tame  agrees :  TheThufcans  too 
herefore  held  that  Thunder  is 
ent  by  Jupiter,  becaufe  nothing  I 


moft  Part  it  falls  on  the  higheft 
Mountains.  Doft  thou  not  fee, 
fays  Artabanus,  the  Unkle  of 
Xerxes,  that  God  ftrikes  with  his 
Lightning  the  largeft  Animals 
nor  fuffers  them  to  grow  infolent, 
and  that  he  leaves  the  lefs  unhurt ; 
Doft  thou  not  fee  that  his  firy 
Darts  always  throw  down  the 
moft  lofty  Edifices,  and  the  tal- 
left  Trees  ?  For  God  takes  de- 
light to  deprefs  and  humble  the 


5  done  without  him.     Ne  hoc  haughty.  Herodotus,  lib.  6,  And 


uidcm  crediderunt,  Jovem,  qua- 
em  in  Capicolio,  &c  in  c^eteris 
.'dibus  colimus,  mittere  manu 
"ulmina  ;  fed  euudem,  quern  nos 
ovem,  intelligunt,  cuftodemre- 
^oremque  univerfi,  animum,  ac 
piritura,  mundani  hujus  operis 
omiiium,  &  artijficem,  cui  no- 
nen  omne  convenit.  Idem  Etruf- 
is  quoque  vifum  eft  :  &  ideo  ful- 
aina  ^  Jove  mitti  dixerunt,  quia 
ne  iilo  nihil  geritur.  L.  2.  Q;  45, 
424.  Nay  more,  &c.3  IntSiefe 
V.  he  argues  feventhly  to  this 
•urpofe  :  If  Thunder  were  di- 
eted by  the  Will  of  the  Gods, 
;  it  credible  they  would  beat 
own  their  own  ftately Temples  ? 
Vould  they  dafh  to  pieces  fuch 
laborate  Statues,  the  very  Ma- 
:er-pieces  of  Polycletes  ?  A  poor 
iiean-fpirited  Revenge !  The  Poet 
|peaks  this  by  way  of  Ridicule. 

429.  Why  does,  arc]  In  thefe 
!wo  yerfes  he  argues  eightly  : 
phat  i(  is  but  reafonable  to  be- 


Horace  agrees  with  Lucretius 

Feriant  altos 
Fulmina  montes : 

Of  which  Seneca  gives  a  Phyfical 
Reafon,  and  fays  ;  That  the  Tops 
of  the  Mountains,  being  oppolite 
to  the  Clouds,  are  expos'd  to 
ftand  the  Brunt  of  every  Thing- 
that  falls  from  Heaven  ;  fo  thac 
they  intercept  the  Lightning  in 
its  Courfe. 

Thus  Lucretius  concludes  his 
Difputation  concerning  this  ama- 
zing Meteor;  which  made  na 
fmall  Part  of  the  Religion  of  the 
Antient  Romans,  whofe  many 
fuperftitious  Opinions,  concern- 
ing Thunder  and  Lightning  will 
not  improperly  find  a  Place  here  ; 
and  therefore  I  prcmife  my  k\f^ 
that  the  Reader  will  not  be  dil- 
pleas'd  to  fee  them  at  one  view,  as 
I  find  them  coileAed  by  Nardi- 
us,  p.  452.  in  his  27th  accurate 
Animadverfion  on  Lucretius. 
O  o  o  0  THE 


/ 


6^o 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI 


THE 


Siiperftitious  Opinions 


O  F    T  H  E 


ANTIENTS 

CONCERNING 

Lightning  and  Thunder 


H  E  Romans  denv*d  thefe  fuperftitious  Of 
nions  from  the  Thufcans,  and,  foon  imbibii 
the  Precepts  of  this  new  Religion,  they  cor 
rnitted  them  to  the  Care  of  certain  Prieft: 
who  neverthelefs,  difmay'd  at  the  Enormi 
of  fome  Lightnings,  did,  at  the  general  R 
queft  of  the  People,  repair  to   the  Thufcan  Augurs,  fro 
whom  they  had  their  firft  Inftrudlions,  to  be  informed  wh 
thofe  dreadful  Sheets  of  FJame,  and  Burfts  of  horrid  Thu; 
der  portended :  For  the  Thufcans,  as  Diodorus  Siculus,  lib. 
cap.  9.  witneffes  of  them,  having  imploy'd    much   Time 
fearching  into  the  Caufes  of  natural  Events,  and  in  the  Stuc 
6f  Theology,  were  of  all  Men  the  moft  knowing  in  the  I 
terpretation  of  Lightning  :  infomucb,  fays  he,  thar^  even  ! 
this  Day,  almoft  the  whole  World  admire  their  depth  of  Sc 
cnce,  and  apply  to  them  to  be  inftrudfced  in  the  Art  of  inte 
|)reting  that  celeftial   Fire.    Verrius,  the  Grammarian,  r 
iates,  that  thefe  Thufcan  Diviners  were  fent  for  to  Rom 
dnd,,  being  difaffeded  to  the  Romans,  wilfully  ordcrd  undi 
Sacrifices,  and  fuch  as  were  difpleafing  to  the   Gods  t  ar 
that,'  by  their  treacherous  Advice,  the  People  of  Rome  wej 
on  unfonanately  to  remove  the  famous  Statue    , 
"    ""  "^  Horatii 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS,  6^i 

Horatius  Cochles  to  a  certain  Place,  where,  being  furrounded 
by  high  built- Houfes,  the  Sun  might  never  fhine  upon  It: 
bur,  their  Treachery  being  diCcover'd,  they  were  accus'd  be- 
fore the  People,  and,  being  convided  of  the  Perfidy,  were 
put  to  Death  :  And  upon  this  Occafion  was  made  this  fenary 
yerfe. 

Malum  confilium  confultori  peflimum  eft, 

which  was  fung  about  by  the  Boys  in  all  the  Streets  of 
Rome.  This  Accident  of  the  Thufcan  Augurs  increas'd 
the  Credit  of  the  Books  of  the  Sybils,  which,  according  to 
Servius  on  Mn,  6.  were  kept  in  the  Temple  of  Apollo,  as 
well  as  of  thofe  of  the  Marfians,  and  of  the  Nymph  Bygois, 
who  had  writ  the  Art  of  Divination,  as  pra6tis'd  by  the 
Thufcans. 

We  have  already  fpoken  in   the  foregoing  Notes  of  the 
Matter,  of  which   the  Antients  held  Lightning  to  confift, 
ind  of  the  manner  of  its  Generation,  which  'tis  needlefs  to 
•epeatin  this  Place  :  we  likewife  have  faid  already,  that  the 
La  tines  often  confounded  fulgur  and  fulmen  :  and  how  rhey 
:ame  to  do  fo,  Feftus  teaches  in  thefe  Words  :  Fulgere  Prifcl 
pro  ferire  dicebant,  unde  fulgur  didiumeft;  fulguratum  id, 
quod  eft  fulmine  idtum.     And  they  belie v'd  there  was.  no 
Dther  difference  between  them,  than  only  that  of  more  or 
lefs,  which  among  Logicians  makes  no  difference  whatever 
Df  the  Species :  And  we  find  a  remarkable  Paffage  in  Sene- 
:a,  who,  after  an  accurate  Diiputation,  concludes,  by  deter- 
mining the  Difference  between  fulgur  and  fulmen,    as  foi* 
ows :  Ergo,  fays  he,  &  utramque  rem   ignem  effe  conftar, 
5c  utramque  rem  inter  fe  meando  diftare.    Fulguratio  eft 
fulmen  non  in  terras  ufque  perlatum  &  rurfus  licet  dicas, 
ulmen   effe  fulgurationem  ufque  in  terras  perdudam.  Noti 
id   exercendum   verba  haec  diutius  pertra^fto,  fed  uc  i(ta 
ognata  effe,  &  ejufdem  notse,  ac  naturae  probem.     Fulmeq 
:ft  quiddam  plus,  quam  fulguratio :  vertamus  iftud  ;   ful- 
»uratio  eft  pene  fulmen.    Nat.  Qus^ft.  lib.  z.  cap.  ii.   And 
n  Quaeft.  57,  of  the   fame  Book:    Er,  ut  brevicer  dicam, 
iays  he,  quod  fentio,  fulmen    eft  fulgur  intentum. :  And  lib. 
:itat.  Quseft.  16.  Quid  ergo  inter  fulgurationem  8c  fulmen 
ntereft.^  Dicam:  Fulguratio  eft  late   ignis  explicitus :  Ful- 
men eft  co^dus  ignis,  8c  impetu  fadus. 


6^2  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V] 

The  Poets,  according  to  their  Cuftom,  fliadow'd  th( 
Nature  of  either  Fire  under  the  Veil  of  Fables,  which  ne 
verthelefs  Servius  accurately  explains,  upon  the  followin 
Paffage  of  Virgil,  which  I  am  oblig'd  to  tranfcribe  at  iengti 
for  the  better  Underftanding  of  what  follows  : 

Infula  Sicaniam  juxta  latus  ^oliumque 
Erigitur  Laparen,  fumantibus  ardua  faxisJ 
Quam  fubter  fpecus,  8c  Cyclopum  exefa  caminis 
Antra  iEtnaea  tonant,  validique  ipcudibus  idus 
Auditi  referunt  getnitum,  ftriduntque  cavernis 
Stridlurje  chaiybum,  8c  fornacibus  ignis  anhelat : 
yulcani  domus  8c  Vulcania  nomine  tellus. 

^n.  8,  V.  41^ 

^hich  is  thus  render'd  by  Dryden : 

Sacred  to  Vulcan's  Name,  an  Ifle  does  lie 
Between  Sicilians  Coaft  and  Lipare ; 
Rais'd  high  on  fmoking  Rocks  j  and  deep  below 
In  hollow  Caves  the  Fires  of  ^tna  glow. 
The  Cyclops  here  their  heavy  Hammers  deal : 
Loud  Strokes  and  Hiflings  of  tormented  Steel 
Are  heard  around  :  the  boiling  Waters  roar. 
And  fmoking  Flames  thro'  fuming  Tunnels  foar. 

This  Paflage  ''of  Virgil  is  explain 'd  by  Servius,  as  follows 
By  Vulcan,  fays  he,  is  meant  Fire,  which  is  call'd  VuIcanuJ 
quafi  Volicanus,  becaufe  it  flies  thro'  the  Air  :  For  Fire  i 
generated  in  the  Clouds:  And  for  this  reafon  too  Home 
fays,  that  Vulcan  was  precipitated  from  the  Air  upon  Earth 
becaufe  all  Lightnings  fall  from  out  the  Air :  and  becauli 
it  often  lightens  in  the  Ifland  Lemnos,  therefore  Vulcan  i 
faid  to  have  fallen  upon  that  Ifland.  Vulcanus,  ut  diximus 
ignis  eft,  8c  didlus  Vulcanus,  quafi  Volicanus,  quod  pei 
aerem  volar,  ignis  enim  nubibus  nafcitur.  Unde  etiam  Ho 
merus  dicit  eum  de  mare  prajcipitatum  in  terras,  quod  o»;ine 
fulmen  ab  aere  cadit :  quod  quia  crebro  in  Lemnum  infulair 
jacitur,  ideo  in  eam  dicitur  Vulcanus  cecidifle.  Thus  Ser- 
vius: and  this  Fall  of  Vulcan  is  defcrib'd  by  Milton  in  the 
following  Verfes, 

1,       .,  i    .!«  Ir 


l3ook  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  6^ 

m                 In  Aufonian  Land 
Men  call*d  him  Mulciber  :  and,  how  he  fell 
From  Heav'n,  ihey  fabled,  thrown  by  angry  Jove 
Sheer  o'er  the  chriftal  Battlements.     From  Morn 
To  Noon  he  fell,  from  Noon  to  dewy  Night  j 
A  Summer's  Day  :  and  with  the  fetting  Sun 
Dropt  from  the  Zenith,  like  a  falling  Star, 
On  Lemnos,  th*  ^gean  Ifle. — — • 

The  fame  Servius,  on  the  above- cited  Paffage,  teaches,  that 
'^ulcan  is  faid  to  be  lame,  becaufe  Flame,  by  Nature,  is 
everftrait :  Claudus  autem  dicitur  Vulcanus,  quia  per  na- 
jram  nunquam  redtus  eft  ignis.  And,  what  is  more  than  all 
lis;  Virgil  fays,  the  Thunder  is  forg'd  in  fubterranean 
)averns : 

Hie  tunc  ignipotens  coelo  defcendit  ab  alto : 
Ferrum  exercebant  vafto  Cyclopes  in  antro,- 
Brontefque,  Steropefque,  &  nudus  membra  Pyracmon: 
His  informatum  manibus  jam  parte  polita 
Fulmen  erar,  toto  genitor  quae  plurima  coelo 
Dejicit  in  terras,  pars  imperfecta  manebat: 
Tres  imbris  torti  radios,  tres  nubis  aquofae 
Addiderant,  rutuli  tres  ignis  &  alitis  Auftri.' 
Fulgores  nunc  terriftcos,  fonitumque,  metumque,' 
Mifcebant  operi,  flammifque  fequacibus  iras. 

Mn.  8.  V.424;, 

Hither  the  Father  of  the  Fires,  by  Night, 
Thro'  the  brown  Air  precipitates  his  Flight ; 
On  their  eternal  Anvils  here  he  found 
The  Brethren  beating,  and  the  Blows  go  round  : 
A  Load  of  poindefs  Thunder  now  there  lies 
Before  their  Hands,  to  ripen  for  the  Skies  : 
Thefe  Darts  for  angry  Jove  they  daily  caft, 
Confum'd  on  Mortals  with  prodigious  Wafte : 
Three  Rays  of  writhen  Rain,  of  Fire  three  more'j 
Of  winged  Southern  Winds  and  cloudy  Store 
As  many  Parts  the  dreadful  Mixture  frame  ; 
I      And  Fears  are  added,  and  avenging  Flame. 

Dryd. 

1  lie  Phyfiology  of  which  is  thus  explain'd  :  Vulcan  is  faid 
)  have  a  Forge  in  thofe  Places,  between  Mount  ^cna  and 


6i4-  LUCRETIUS.  Book  Vl 

the  Illand  Lipare,  that  is  to  fay,  between  Fire  and  Wind 
becaufe  thofe  two  Things  are  very  pro|>er,  nay  neceflarii 
for  Smiths  :  Phyfiologia  eft,  cur  Vulcanus  in  ipfis  locis  ot 
ficinam  habere  fingatur  inter  -ffitnam  &  Lipatim,  fcilice 
propter  ignem  6c  ventos,  quae  apta  funt  fabris;  fays  Nar 
dius,  in  Prolufione  de  Igne  Subterraceo,  The  feveral  Office 
of  his  Servants, 

Brontefque,  Steropefque,  8c  nudus  membra  Pyracmon,' 

their  very  Nam^s  in  part  declare:  For  Brontes  was  fo  cair4 
^  r?  g)f ov?^>,  from  Thunder :  Sreropes,  ^nv  '^  ^ipvTrli^f  froD 
l^ightning:  and  Pyracmon,  ^VtS  wu^^V  ^  7§  axyugjf^,  be 
caufe  be  never  ftirs  from  the  burning  Anvil :  And  Virgi 
himfelf  more  particularly,  Georg.  4.  v.  170. 

Ac  veluti  lentis  Cyclopes  fulmina  maiHs 
Cum  properant :  alij  taurinis  follibus  auras 
Accipiupt,  redduntque :  alij  ftridentia  tingunt 
iffira  lacu ;  gemit  impoiitis  incudibus  iEcna  : 
Illi  int^r  fefe  nugna  vi  brachia  tollunt 
In  numerum  ;  verfantque  tenaci  forcipe  ferrUm. 

'As  when  the  Cyclops,  at  th*  Almighty  Nod, 
New  Thunders  haften  for  their  angry  God  ; 
Subdu'd  in  Fire  the  ftubborn  Metal  lies : 
One  brawny  Smith  the  preiling  Bellows  plies. 
And  draws,  and  blows  reciprocating  Air  j 
Others  to  quench  the  hiifing  Mafs  prepare  : 
With  lifted  Arms  they  order  ev'ry  Blow, 
And  chime  their  founding  Hammers  in  a  Row  : 
With  labour*d  Anvils  ^tna  groans  below. 
Strongly  they  ftrike  ;  huge  Flakes  of  Flame  expire  : 
^With  Tongs  they  turn  the  Steel,  and  vex  it  in  the  Fire. 

Dryd 

Moreover:  On  the  antient  Marbles,  Thunder  is  figur'd 
Mrith  twelve  Rays,  difpos'd  into  a  Circle  j  the  Rays  noi 
ftrait,  but  bending  into  feveral  Angles  ;  each  of  which  end; 
in  three  fliarp-pointed  Fangs :  Such  too  is  the  Figure  of  thij 
Virgilian  Thunder :  Of  whofe  Form  Cerdarius  thus  :  It  ge 
nerally  thunders,  either  when  it  hails,  or  in  great  Showerj 
of  Rain,  or  when  the  Air  is  hot  and  fultry,  or  laftly,  wher 
ih^.  Winds  blow :  Now  by  Rain,  Imber  tortus,  Virgil  mean; 

Hail 


A^\  t'  by  aquofie  hubcs,  greit  Showers  of  Rain :  by  ignis; 
he  li^atcd  fiiltry  Air,  and  by  Aiifter  Blafts  of  Wind :  Fot 
rcmpdts  are  tnofc  frequent  when  Aufter,  the  South  Wind, 
)Jows,   than  when  any  other. 

After  this,  not  ufclefs,  but  neceflary,  Digreflion,  it  is  time/ 

0  return  and  keep  clofe  to  our  Subjedk :  Firft  then :  The 

^rt  and  Dodrine  of  Thunder,  according  to  Seneca,  is  di- 

ided  into  three  Parts :     t.  Inveftigatioh.    il.  Interpretation. 

II.  Exoration.    The  firft  Part  relates  to  the  Form :  the  fe- 

ond,  to  Divination  :  the  third,  to  the  Propitiation  and  Paci- 

catioB  of  the  Gods;  of  whom,  fays  he,  we  ought  to  pray  for 

pcd  Things,  and  to  deprecate  from  us  all  manner  of  Evil  : 

3  pray,  that  they  would  make  good  their  Promiles :  todepre- 

ate,  that  they  would  remit  their  Threats  :    befides,  to  im- 

•recate  and  draw  down  Thunder  On  the  Heads  of  our  Ene- 

lies  :  which  laft  I  add  to  Seneca  ;  not  to  give  occafion  tD 

he  learned  Muretus,  to  take  in  ill  part  the  OmifTion  of  it. 

The  Form,  I  interpret  to  l^e  the  Species  and  Nature  of  the 

lightning,  together,  with  whatever  elfe  can  conduce  to  the 

^hyfical  and  perfe<St  Knowledge  of  it :  in  the  dilquifition  of 

vhich,  according   to   the   Thufcans/  its  Rife,    that  is  to 

iy,  whether  it  burfts  out  of  the  Earth,  or  breaks  from  the 

ikies,  defervedly  claims  the  firft  to  be  inquired  into.    Now 

be  Thufcans  held  that  the  earthly  Lightning  darts  in  a  ftraic 

Ant ;  the  aerial,  obliquely.    It  was  believ'd  to  be  of  great 

vioment  too,   from   what  part  of  Heaven  the  Lightning 

ame;  whither   it  directed  its  Courfe,  and  where  it  fell. 

•or  we  muftnot  forget  what  Pliny,  lib. 2.  cap.  54.  teaches  j 

ifhat  the  Thufcans  of  old  divided  and   quarter'd  out  the 

-leavens  into  fixteeu  Parts,  which  they  call'd  Temples,  as  is 

•/bferv'd  by  Varro  de  Lingua  Latina,  lib.  3.     Nor  did  they 

ay  any  fmall  Strefs  upon  this  Circumftance :  whether  the 

Thunder  ftruck  down  the  ftrongeft  Buildings,  and  over- 

jurn'd  the  Towers  and  Caftles  of  Kings  ;  or  whether  it  was 

weak,  and   vanifh'd  inoffeniive  in  the  Air.    Its  Force  and 

/"iolence  too  was  likewife  confider'd  :    that  is  to  fay,  whe- 

herit  ftruck  in  an  Inftant,  or  linger'd  in  its  Flight ;  and,  in 

bme  Meafure,  gave  warning  of  the  Blow  :  They  likewife 

3bfervM  the  Size  and  Magnitude  of  it  :  w  hich  they  mea- 

ar'd  and  determin'd  by  the  Events  and  Effeds  it  produced. 

iefides,  by   the   Confent  of  all,  there  are  properly  three 

brts  of  Lightning,  which,  according  to  Seneca,  are,  I.  That 

vhich   pierces.     II.   That  which    fhakes  to  pieces :    And 

11,  That  which  burns :  According  toSeryius,  which  blafts, 

which 


6>6  LUCRETIUS,  Book  VI 

which  burns,  which   cleaves;    and   according  to   Feftus 
which  burns,  which  blafts,  which  pierces :  and  from  heno 
it  came  to  be  call'd  trifujcum,  three-fork'd  :  untefs  we  hac 
rather  afcribe  that  Epithet  to  the  three  Kinds  of  Lightnin] 
mehtion'd  by  Pliri)?,    i.  e.    the  dry,    the  humid,    and  th\ 
-bright ;  which  were  fo  call'd  from  their  Effedts :   For  th 
dry  does  not  burn,    but  difllpate  :    the  humid  does    no 
-burn,  but  infufcates:  and  that,  which  they  call'd  the  bright 
is  indeed  of  a  wonderful  Nature,  as  we  fhall  fee  by  and  by 
I  go  now  to  that  fortof  Lightning  that  infufcates,  or  render 
fwarthy  the  Things  it  ftrikes :  Now  this,  fays  Seneca,  eithe 
ftains,  or  colours:  which  is  thus  diftinguifti'd  :  Thatisfai* 
to  be  ftain'd,  whofe  Colour  is  tarnifh'd,  not  chang'd  :  Tha 
to  be  coloured,  whofe  Colour  is  chang'd  from   what  it  wa 
-before;  as  cerulean,  or  black,  or  pale,  Scd    They  obferv' 
befides,  the  manner  of  the  Lightning  s  coming,  and  the  Nun 
•ber  of  the  Flafhes  and  Claps  ;  whether  even  or  odd  :  an( 
-whether  alone,  or  with  Hail  or  Rain  :  They  had  regard  be 
fides  to  the  Quality  of  it,  whether  it  were  refplendent  an 
glittering ;    which,    perhaps,  is    that  which  Suidas  call 
white  ;  or  fwarthy  an^d  obfcure :  And  it  was  of  the  greate! 
Importance,   whether  it  thundered  in  a  clear  or  cloudy  Sky 
whether  in  the  Night,  or  by  Day  :  whether  in  the  Morninj 
or  the  Evening,  or  at  Noon  :  Andfo  much  for  the  Diagnc 
ftick  Part :  We  come  now  to  the  Prognoftick  or  Divining. 
The  Prognoftick  Dodl:rine  of  Lightning  was,  no  doub 
contain'd  in  their  Fulgural  Books,  and  the  Prieft,  or  Interpni 
,  ter  of  Lightning,  was  call'd  Fulgurator.  The  Antients  afcribH 
to  Lightning  and  Thunder    a  Power  of  foreboding  futui 
Events,  fuperiour  to  all  other  ominous  Portents  :  For  wha'j 
€vei=  any  other  Omens  might  have  portended  as  a  fix'd  ani 
certain  Event,  was  all  taken  away  and  held  to  be  of  no  EfFenf 
if  Thunder  chanc'd  to  intervene :  but  not  on  the  contrary :  ft 
whatever  Thunder  had  portended  was  unalterable,  and  coty] 
not  be  chang'd  by  the  Intervention  of  any  other  Omen  wh|t 
«ver.    It  is  not  certain,  who  they  were  that,  did  at  firft 
•ftinguifti  Lightning  into  two  forts  ;  Brutum  &  Fatidicunl 
Brute  and  Fatidick,  or  Fate-fortelling,  as  they  afterwartj 
call'd  them  :    for  they  held,  that,  whatever  was  the  Cauj^ 
of  Lightning,  it  was  always  deftin'd   to  forebode  fome  fi  . 
ture  Event  :  whether  it  proceeded  from  a  fortuitous  CoM' 
lifion  of  the  Clouds,   as  the   Latines  believ'd:  or  whetb< 
the  Clouds  fufTer'd  that  Collifion,  by   the  Command  of  ^j 
Deity,  that  Lightning  might  be  ftruckoutof  them  by  thJ 

Mearl 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS.  6^7 

VIeans,  which  was  the  Belief  of  the  Thufcans,  who  like- 
vife  held,  that  Lightning    does  not  portend,  becaufe  it  is 
jnade,  but  is  n:iade  on  purpofe  that  it  may  portend   fome- 
Ihing.    But  Pliny,  lib.  2,  cap.  43.   fays,    That  no  doubt 
iortuljlb  Lightnings  do  fometimes  happen  j  which,  either 
I oreboirnoching  at  all ;  or  at  leaft  if  they  do,  the  Know- 
j,edge  of  what  they  portend  comes  not   to  us.     Hence  they^ 
vere  call'd  Brute  Lightnings,  as  coming  on  noDefign,  and, 
s  I  may  fay,  upon  no  Errand  whatever.    Thefe,  fays  Se- 
eca,  ftrike  the  Mountains,  fall  into  the  Seas,  and  do  no 
lanner  of  Harm :  But  the  Lightnings  that  are  call'd  Fati- 
ick ,  come  from  their  own  Stars,  and  are  deftin'd  to  fore- 
ode  fome  unavoidable  Event :    Of  thefe,  fays    Csecinna, 
lere  are  thre»  forts :  which  he  calls  Confiliarium,  audrori- 
uis,  and  flatus:  The  Confiliarium,  or  Counfel-giving,  pre- 
edcs  the  Ad:ion,  but  comes  after  the  Thought :  as  when' 
/e   are  confidering  in   our  Minds,  whether  we  fliall  do  a 
jicain  thing  or  nor,  and  are  perfwaded  to  do  it  by  a  Flafh 
f  Lightning,  or  diffuaded  from  the  Attempt :    That  of  Au- 
lority  comes  after  the  Adiion  is  done,  and  forebodes  whe- 
ler  the  Event  will  be  profperous  or  unlucky  :    That  which 
e  calls  Status,  of  Station,  is  when  Lightning  happens  at  a 
me  when  we  are  in  total  Inadlion,  neither  doing,  nor  even 
linking  of  any  thing  :  this  either  threatens,  or  promifes,  or 
dmoniflies  :  therefore  he  calls  it  Monitorium,  Monitory  : 
le  makes  no  mention  of  a  fourth  forr,  which  was  call'd  Exe- 
'^;  ucivum,   the   Executive,  and  that  inflids  Punifhments  on 
*  rranfgrefTours :  of  which  anon. 

But  before  we  proceed  any  farther,  it  will  be  necefTary, 
>  know  from  whom  thefe  Thunders  were  fent  :  The  Thuf^ 
an  Books,  as  Pliny  wicneffes,  taught,  that  nine  Gods  had 
le  Privilege  of  darting  thefe  firy  Bolts,  and  that  there  are 
leven  kinds  of  them  ;  of  which  Jupiter  launches  but  three: 
X  thefe  eleven  forts  the  Romans  retained  but  two  :  and 
fcrib'd  the  diurnal  to  Jupiter,  the  nodlurnal  to  Pluto :  The 
rft  Manubia,  as  they  call'd  it,  that  is.  Thunder- bolt  of 
upiter,  gently  forewarns,  and  is  mild  :  this  he  fends  at  his 
wn  Pleafure,  Vv^heneverhe  will :  He  indeed  fends  a  fecond - 
lut  by  the  Advice  of  his  Council,  which  confifts  of  twelve 
Tods,  whom  he  fummons  for  that  purpofe.  This  Shaft  does 
)mctimes  do  Good  :  but  in  fuch  a  manner  that  the  Good 
:  does  is  always  attended  with  fome  Hurt  ;  Its  Chaflife- 
nts  avail,  but  punifh.  The  fame  Jupiter  fends  alfo  a  third 
t  'j  biu  nor  wiihout  the  Advice  and  Confent  of  ihe  Gods, 
P  p  p  p  whom 


6^r  LUCRETiVS.  Book  V| 

whom  they  callDij  Majores,  Dij  Valentes,  ScDij  Potcntei 

;^£o)  ijLiydhQi^  Srso]  xpMffdi,  ^  Ssol  ^vvM,  This  Bolt  deftroy 
whatever  it  meets  ;  it  changes  and  overturns  the  State  cj 
Things,  as  well  publick  as  private :  For  Fire  fuffers  nothin 
to  remain  in  the  fame  Condition  in  which  it  finds  ityK^hesj 
plunder  the  Armoury  of  Jupiter,  (Acron  in  Horat.)  alKarc! 
referving  to  him  the  red  and  bloody  Thunderbolts,  they  a 
iign  the  white  and  black  co  Minerva 


Sclt  triile  Minerva 


Sydus  •  Mn,  8.  265. 

Hence  Minervales  Manubi2e>  fays  Servius  on  that  PafTage 
Virgil,  by  the  Power  of  which  the  Grecian  Fleet  was  driv< 
on  the  Rocks  of  the   Mountain  Capharcus,   and  perifh 
there.     Nor  is  Pallas  idle. 

Prima*'  corufcanti  fignum  dedit  ^gide  Virgo, 
Fulmineam  jaculata  facem  '  Place.  Argonaut 

And  (he  is  the  more  to  be  fear'd,  becaufe  not  content  wi 
her  own,  but 


Fulmine  irati  Jovis 


Armata Sen.  Trag.  Agamemn,^ 

arm'd  with  the  Thunder  of  angry  Jove,  fhe  threatens  foi 
and  exterminates  her  Enemies.  This  Privilege  Juno  e 
vies  her, 

Ipfa  Jovis  rapidum  jaculata  e  nubibus  ignem, 
Disjeciique  rates,  evertitque  sequora  ventis* 

^n.  I.  V.  4 

For  Minerva  could  come  at  the  Thunder,  when  flie  woul 
as  ftie  herfeif  boafts  in  ^fchines  in  Eumen, 

'£v  oS  Kspco'vos"  '^.  V ■   '■ 

I  alone,  of  all  the  Gods,  know  the  Keys  of  the  Magazirf 
"where  the  Thunder  is  kept.  And  Servius,  ex  Ac^io,  obfervt , 
that  Juno  loo  had  her  Thunder  :  Hence  fhe  upbraids  Jupit 
for  dartifig  her  Thaaderbolts : 

'  M' 


Book  VL         LUCRETIUS.  6^^ 

.  .  Mea  fulmina  torques.    Scad  us. 

i  Thus  we  have  three  thundering  Gods  i  Mars  was  the  fourth, 
and  his  Bolts  are  red-hot  and  burning  :    thofe  of  Saturn, 
I  cruel  and  execrable,  nor  are  Pluto's  more  mild:    What  can 
I  we  expedl  from  Vulcan  and  the  Souths  Wind,  which  is  faid 
\  to  be  pollens  fulminibus,  potencin  Thunderbolts? 
I      The  Romans,    loath    to  weary   fo  many  Gods,  gave  the 
i  Thunder  but  to  two  :  They  aiTign'd  the  DayrLightning  to 
Jupiter,  who  was  call'd  Diefpiter,  i.  e.  the  Father  of  the 
.  Day :  and  the  Night-Lightning  to  Pluto  :    The  Lightning 
'  which  they  caird,  Fulmen  pervorfum,  becaufeic  was  uncer- 
tain whether  it  happen'd  in  the  Night,  or  by  Day,  they  gave 
fometimes  to  the  one,  fometimes  to  the  other.    Befides  this, 
they  had  L  their  Poftularia  Fulmina,  which  fignify'd  the 
Breach  of  Vows,  and  the  profane  Negledl  of  religious  Sa» 
crilices:     IL  Monitoria,  by  which  they  were  taught  what 
:o  avoid.     IIL  Peftifera,  Lightnings,  which  portended  Death 
md  Banilhment.     IV.  Fallacia,  which  were  fatal  under  an 
ippearance  of  Good:  Thefe  gave  the  Confulftiip  to  Perfons, 
:o  whom  that  Office  would  be  fatal  ;  and  an  Inheritance  to 
thofe  who  were  to  be  ruin'd  by  getting  it.    V.  Deprecanea, 
which   brought  a  (hew   of  Danger  where  there   was  none, 
VI.  Peremptalia,   which   utterly  deftroy'd    the    threatning 
ii  Tokens  of  other  Lightnings.     VIL  Atteftata,  that  confirm'd 
|:he  Pfomifesof  former.    VIII.  Atterranea,  that  happen'd  in 
:lofe  Places.    IX.  Obruta,  by  which  Things  that  had  been 
[truck  before,  were  ftruck  again,  before  they  had  been  purg'd 
by  Sacrifice.    X.  Regalia,  which  fell  upon  the  Courts  of  }u^ 
ftice,  or  other  publick  Buildings,  or  Places,  belonging  to  a 
free  City.  Concerning  the  Duration,  they  fay.  That  Light- 
tiings  are  either  I.  Perpetua,  whofe  Tokens  belong  to  the 
whole  Life :  nor  does  this  fort  denounce  one  fingic  Thing 
Dnly,  but  embraces  the  whole  Context  and  Series  of  w^hat* 
ever  is  to  happen  in  the   future  Age  of  a  Man.     Thefe  are 
the  Lightnings  that   happen  next  after  the  Enjoyment  of  a 
patrimonial  Eftate,  and  in  any  new  Circumftance  or  Condi- 
tion of  any  Man,  or  City.    .11.  Finita,  whofe  Prognoftlcations 
jSxtend   only  to  a  certain  Day.     III.  Prorogativa  fulmina, 
lare  thofe  whofe  Threats  may  be  delay'd  to  be  executed,  but 
can  never  be  wholely  averted,  or  taken  away :  And  fuch 
of  thefe  as  they  call'd  Privata,  becaufe  they  related  only  to 
particular  Ferfons^  they  held  could  not  be  delay *d  formor^ 
^ ^  ?  P  P  P  ^  '"  ?^-*^ 


66o  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

than  ten  Years,  except  from  the  Day  of  firft  Marriage,  oi 
the  Birth -Day  :  nor  the  Publica,  which  regarded  Commu 
nities,  and  civil  Societies,  for  above  thirty  Years,  except  ii 
the  Dedication  of  Towns. 

Moreover  :  We  faid  before,  that  the  Lightnings,  whic 
fly  in  a  diredt  Line,  burft  out  of  the  Earth  :  Thefe  the  Thu 
Leans  call'd  Infera,  they  are  moft  frequent  in  the  Wimei 
and  are  held  to  be  the  moft  fatal  and  execrable  ;  becaui 
they  come  from  a  fmall  Diftance,  and  out  of  a  troublon 
Matter.  The  Syderial  and  General,  which  dart  obliquel3 
and  from  thence  are  call'd  Oblita  Fulmina,  are  not  alwa^ 
lucky,  and  the  moft  unlucky  of  them  are  thofe  that  go  froi 
iWeft  to  North :  Thus  it  is  of  the  higheft  Importance,  frot 
-whence  the  Lightning  comes,  and  which  way  it  dired:s  i 
Courfe.  The  moft  lucky  is  that  which  returns  towards  the  E: 
ilern  Parts  of  the  Heavens :  Therefore  when  they  come  froi 
that  Part  of  Heaven,  and  incline  the  fame  way  again,  the 
portend  the  greateft  felicity  :  We  read  that  an  Omen  of  th 
fort  was  given  to  Sylla  the  Didtator.  The  others  in  th; 
part  of  the  World  are  lefs  profperous,  if  not  abfolutely  ui 
iucky.  They  held  it  unlawful  to  interpret,  or  even  to  inquii 
into  fome :  unlefs  they  were  fent  as  Lidications  of  futu: 
Lvents  to  a  Gueft,  or  a  Parent :  The  Lightnings  that  hai 
pen'd  on  the  lefc  were  efteem'd  lucky,  becaufe  the  Eaft  is 
the  left  part  of  the  World  :  The  coming  of  it  was  not 
much  regarded,  as  its  return:  whether  Fire  rebounded  fro 
the  Stroke,  or  whether  the  Work  being  perfected,  or  tl 
Fire  confum'd,  the  Blaft  returned  back.  The  Greeks  in  g 
neral,  and  fome  of  the  Latines,  held  the  Lightning  on  tl 
right  to  prefage  good  Fortune :  Of  this  we  have  frequei 
Fxamples  in  Xenophon,  fome  in  Homer,  and  many  in  tl 
Latine  Poets :  However  they  all  agreed,  that  none  portendc 
good  Fortune,  except  thofe  that  happen'd  in  the  Day:  fo 
afmuch  as  the  nodlurnal  were  unlucky,  from  whatever  pa 
of  Heaven  they  came.  There  is  a  Verfe  of  Ennius  records 
by  Cicero  de  Divinat.  lib.  a.  which  makes  ro  our  preil^ 
Purpofe : 

Cum  tonult  Ixvum  bene  tempeftate  fcrena. 

And  tho',   as  Capitolinus  tells  us  in  the  Life  of  M.  Antonim 
Pius,  the  Lightning  was  innoxious,  that  in  a  clear  Sky  f« 
into  the  Court   of"  his  Palace,  yet  it  was   ominous,  and 
Prefage  of  Deatii  to  Tirus.  Diodorus  Siculus,  and  Suctopii 

'       '  hot 


Cook  VI.         LUCRETIUS,  66i 

)och  witnefs  in  general,  that  in  thofe  Days  Lightnings  were 
i)fcen  fecn  in  a  ferene  and  unclouded  Sky  :    but  thole  Hifto- 
lianshave  neither  of  them  thought  fit  to  particularize  any 
)fthem. 

Befides :  They  had  great  Regard  to  the  Number  of  the 
?la(hes :  and  an  even  Number  leems  to  portend  good  For- 
une,  rather  than  an  odd  :  at  leaft,  it  betokens  neither  Ca- 
amity  nor  Death :  But  if  the  Lightning  fell  on  Temples,  or 
^ublick  Buildings,  or  if  Men  were  blafted  by  it,  in  either 
)t  thofe  Cafes,  it  was  judg'd  to  fignify  fome  great  Misfor- 
ane  :  To  a  free  City  it  threaten'd  a  Kingly  Power  :  and  to 
)thers  the  Subverlion  of  their  prerentState,or  total  Deftru(5l:i- 
)n.  And  this,  as  Cicero  in  Vatin.  obferves,  was  the  reafon, 
hac  from  the  firft  Building  of  the  City,  it  was  not  permit- 
ed,  but  even  held  irreligious,  to  hold  any  Aflembly  of  the 
^eople,  or  to  continue  the  Sittings  of  their  Courts  of  Juftice, 
vhenever  it  happen'd  to  thunder.  And  Livy,  lib.  5.  Decad.  3. 
elates,  that  Marcellus,  being  created  Conful,  was  removed 
rem  that  Office,  becaufe  it  had  thundered,  when  he  enter'd 
ipon  the  Confular  Dignity  :  what  would  have  been  done, 
f  a  Tempeft  of  Wind  and  Hail  had  accompany'd  the  Thun- 
ler  ?  Which  Accident  was  held  to  forebode  Calamity  :  And, 
iven  at  Rome,  as  the  fame  Livy,  lib.  i  o.  Decad.  4.  affirms, 
L  Tempeft  only  did  fometimes  make  the  Senate  break  up 
\  heir  Affemblies :  For  the  Minds  of  Men  had  already  imbib'd 
he  fuperftitious  Credulity,  that  Lightning  portended  future 
Events,  and  gave  Tokens,  not  of  particular  Things  only, 
uit  denounced  in  a  fucceffive  order  the  whole  Series  of 
"iiture  Fates :  and  that  too  by  Decrees  more  plain  and  evi- 
lenr,  than  if  they  had  been  written  in  themoft  vifibleCha- 
iders  :  This  Seneca  teaches,  Nar.  Qua^ft.  32.  lib.  2. 
i^iiny  too  feems  to  have  been  tainted  with  the  fame  Superfti- 
tion,  for  lib.  2.  cap.  53.  he  fays  in  exprefs  Terms,  That  the 
Science  of  the  Interpretation  of  Lightnings  was  improved  to 
diat  Degree,  as  was  evident  from  innumerable,  both  pub- 
lick  and  private.  Examples,  that  it  foretold  what  (hould 
happen  even  on  a  fix'd  and  certain  Day,  and  whether  the 
'i Lightning  foreboded  the  delay,  or  the  total  Obftrudlion  of 
Fates,  already  foretold,  or  reveal'd,  or  gave  Tokens  of 
others,  that  lay  till  then  conceal'd  :  Wherefore  let  them  be, 
as  it  has  pleas 'd  Nature  to  make  them,  certain  to  fome, 
doubtful  to  others,  approv'd  by  fome,  and  condemn'd  by 

)ihers.    Thus  Pliny, 

k 


Uz  LUCRETIUS.  Book  Vi 

Ic  now  remains,  that  we  fay  fomething  of  their  Expi  I 
tlons,  by  which  they  endeavour'd  to  avert  the  immine' 
Dangers  that  threatened  them.  In  the  firft  Place,  the  fuJg 
ral  Books  pronounce.  That  a  Place  ftruck  with  Lighcnir 
ought  neither  to  be  regarded,  nor  trod  upon  :  For  whic 
Reafon,  fays  Ammianus  Marcellinus  in  Jul.  ic  was  lawful 
Jiide  or  bury  the  Lightning  ;  but  a  Crime  againft  the  Go 
to  uncover  it.  Now  the  Lightning  was  then  faid  to  be  bury' 
when  an  Altar  was  ere(5led  over  the  Place  where  it  b 
fallen :  And  this  Altar  had  a  Hole  in  the  Top  of  it,  open  t< 
wards  Heaven ;  and  was  call'd  Puteal,  or  Capitium :  I 
iVulpianus,  Operculum.  The  Place  itfelf  Nigidius  Figul 
calls  Bidental,  becaufe  two  Sheep  were  facrific'd  there  ;  aft 
which,  fays  he,  ic  was  immediately  deem'd  Holy.  Ar 
Auguftus  confecrated  and  dedicated  to  Apollo  the  Area  in  tl 
Palace  he  had  bought,  becaufe  Lightning  had  fallen  in  ii 
But  Bidental  fignifies  fometimes  the  Sacrifice  like  wife,  ar 
fometimes  too  the  Perfon  that  was  ftruck  :  as  in  Perfii 
Satir.  2.  v.  27. 

Trifte  jaces  lucis  evitandumque  Bidental. 

Moreover,  to  this  Cuftom  of  burying  the  Lightning,  Lues 
alludes,  lib.  i. 

Difperfos  fulminis  ignes 


Colligir,  8c  terras  moefto  cum  murmure  condit. 

^nd  the  antient  Interpreter  of  Juvenal,  on  this  Verfe, 

Atque  aliquis  fenior,  qui  publica  fulgura  condit. 


Sat.e 


fays.  That  Lightning  is  then  faid  to  be  bury'd,  when  th 
Prieft  has  colleded  together  the  fcatter'd  Fires,  by  which  w 
may  reafonabiy  conjedture,  that  they  meant,  when  he  ha< 
collected  together  what  was  fcorch'd  by  the  Lightning  ;  an< 
confecrated  the  Place  by  a  certain  Prayer,  pronounc'd  with 
low  Voice  to  himfelf,  and  by  heaping  up  Earth  upon  it.  Thu 
it  had  far'd  but  ill  with  the  Parthian  Magicians,  if,  as  Pliny 
Jib.  37.  cap.  9.  fays  they  had  try'dtofind,  by  digging  for  it,  th 
Gem^  which  is  call'd  Ceraunia,  and  feme  take  for  a  real  Thuri 
derbalt,  becaufe  it  is  never  found,  but  in  Places  blafted  witl 
Lightning  fince  it  was  not  permitted  even  to  look  upon  fuel 
Fkces.   1  Beii^es^   we  Ie§<rn  froni  Fe^us,  t^iar,  by  an  old  Law  0 

y        *"'  ^        "  '  -  -  ..-  -    ^\^m 


m 


jBook  VI.  LUCRETIUS,  66i 

Numa,  it  was  forbid  to  burn  the  Body  of  a  Man,  who  had 
,>een  kill'd  by  Thunder,  or  to  allow  him  the  Rites  of  Fu- 

leral.  Every  Man,  who  was  flain  by  Thunder,  was  bury'd 
:  n  the  Place  where  he  was  ftruck  :  except,  as  Quintilian,  and 

bmejother  learned  Men  obferve  out  of  Feftus,the  Place  belong'd 

0  the  Publick.  Such  Men  had  this  Privilege,  that  the 
*riefts  were  permitted  to  gather  up  their  fcatter'd  Members  : 
This  we  have  from  Seneca,  who  befides,  fpeaking  of  fuch  as 
ipprehenu  and  tremble  at  the  Danger  of  Thunder,  has  this 
emarkable  PalTage  :  Non  maximum  ex  periculis,  fed  fpecio- 
iflimum  fulmen  eft.  Male  fcilicet  erit  adum  tecum,  d 
mfum  mortis  tuse  celeriras  infinita  praeveneric,  (i  mors  tua 
rocurabitur,  li  tu  nunc  quoque  cum  expiras,  non  fuperva- 
nXf  fed  alicujus  magnse  rei  fignum  es.  Lib.  2.  Nat,  Quaeft- 

1  calce.     The  Earth  was   heap'd    up,   not  dug  into   the 

Ground,  as  Cornutus  is  of  Opinion,  till  it  rais'd  a  Monument 

igh  enough,  to  give  Notice  of  the  Place   to  Paffers    by; 

lutarch  in  Symp.  4.  Probl.  2.  afferts.  That   the  Bodies  of 

ien  blafted  with    Lightning,  never   putrify  :   for    many, 

lys  he,  neither  burn  them,  nor  bury  them,  but  fuffer  them 

)  lie  where  they  were  ftruck  ;  and  hedge  in  the  Place,  that 

lofe  uncorrupting  CarcalTes  may  remain  as  a  Spedlacle  of 

admiration  :  And  for  this  reafon  they  foolifhly  thought  fuch 

erfons  to  be  honoured  by  Jupiter.    But  Seneca,  Nat.  Quaeft. 

b.  2.  with  more  Confonance   to  Truth,  fays,  that  Bodies, 

ill'd  by  Thunder,  crawl  with  Worms  in  a  few  Days :  and 

dds  befides,  that  they  were  bury'd  with  the  Lightning  : 

Vhence  the  faying,  Male  tecum  agitur,   (i  cum  fulminc 

onderis :  The  Places  were  hedg'd  about,  that  they  might 

ot  be  trod  on  unawares ;  and  the  Bodies  were  interr'd  to 

void  the  ftench  of  their  Corruption  :    For  it  is  known  by 

Experience,  that  as  well  Men  as  Beafts,  are  for  the  moft 

art  futfocated  by  the  Blaft  of  Lightning,  not  burnt  with  the 

'ire  :  and  when  the  innate   Heat  of  the  Animal  decays,  the 

amaining  Moifture  is  prone  to  Corruption.     Yet  fome  Per- 

ons,  ftruck  with  Lightning,  were  not  bury'd,  but  only  co- 

er'd  with  a  white  Garment  ;  as  well  becaufe  they   believ'd 

QC-h  Bodies  did  not  putrifie;  as  that  they  might  be  feen  by 

he  People :  who,  neverthelefs,  were  not  permitted  to  look 

t  them,  except  at  fome  Diftance  :  for  none  were  permitted 

D  come  within  the  Inclofure,  but  the  Priefts. 

I  (hall  pafs  by  many  things  relating  to  Thunder,  but  can 
lot  omit  one,  which  Pliny  mentions,  lib.  28.  cap.  25.  where 
le  fays  :    Fulgetras  Poppyfmis  adorare,  confenfus  eft  genti- 


um : 


^64  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V] 

um :  All  Nations  agree  in  adoring  the  Thunderbolts,  b 
prefTing  their  Lips  dole  together,  and  then,  by  drawing  in  tb  | 
Air  by  force,  to  make  fuch  a  Sound  as  Horfemen  general] 
do,  to  encourage  and  put  forward  their  Horfes  :  for  fuch 
Noife  the  Word  Poppyfmus  (ignifies  :  and  this  was  the  Ci 
ftom  both  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  in  their  expiator 
Sacrifices  :  Some  of  the  Learned  add  likewife  the  Clappin 
of  Hands,  which  others  neverthelefs  take  to  be  only  t\ 
Noife  that  is  made,  by  clofing  the  Palms  of  the  Hands,  ar 
hiiling  between  the  Thumbs.    But  to  proceed  : 

When  the  Portents  and  Prodigies  were  uncommon,  < 
more  than  ufually  frequent,  they  confuked  the  Thufcan  Ft 
guratores,  or  the  Sybilline  Books,  and  the  City  was  expiate 
by  publick  Sacrifices,  and  Supplications,  and   by  the  Cer 
monies  they  call'd  Ledtifternia,  i.  e.  bringing  their  Beds,  c 
which  they  lay  down  to  ear,  into  the  Temples,  where  th( 
us'd  to  feaft  themfelves  in  Honour  of  the  facred  Rites ; 
alfo  by  votive  Games,  Livy  in  Decad.  4,  lib.  i  o.  gives  ; 
Example  of  the  Purgation  of  the  City,  after  the  fall  of  Ligt 
iiing,  in  thefe  Words  :  Ob  ea  Decem-Viri  jufli  adire  libr( 
edidere  quibus  Diis,  8c  quot  Hoftiis  facrificaretur :  Et  a  fi  • 
fninibus   complura  loca  deformata,  ad  aedem  Jovis  ut  fu 
plicado  diem  unum  efTet.     Ludi  denique    votivi  Q.  Fuh 
Conf.  per  dies  decern  magno  apparatu  fadi.     For  to  difti  1 
guifh  to  which  God  the  Sacrifice  was  due,   was  not  fo  eafi 
difcern'd  by  the  Romans,  but  that  they  equally  facrific 
fometimes  to  Jupiter  and  Pluto,  when  the  Lightning  ha 
pen'd  at  a  doubtful  Time,  that  is  to  fay,  either  in  theMor 
ing  or  Evening  Twilight;    and  this  Lightning,  as  we. fa; 
before,  they  call'd  Pervorfum,  Joannes  Magnus,  in  his  ¥ 
ftory,  lib.  3.  cap.  8.  relates  a  ridiculous  Cuftom  of  the  Got 
and  Vandals ;  and  which  is  likewife  confirmed  by  his  Kir 
man  Olaus  Magnus  :  They  tell  us,  that  thofe  People,  wh' 
they  heard  the  Noife  of  Thunder  in  the  Clouds,  were  wc 
to  flioot  Arrows  up  into  the  Air,  to  exprefs  their  earneft  D 
iire  to  aiTift  their  own  Gods,  whom  they  belicv'd  to  be  the 
cngag'd  in  Battel  with  other  Gods:  and  that,  not  content ? 
with  this  foolifli  Superftition,  they  had  Mallets  of  an  unufu. 
Weight,  bound  about  with  Brafs,  and  which   they  held  , 
great  Veneration,  on  purpofe  that,  by  their  Help,  as  by  t  f 
imitative  Thunder  of  Claudian,    they   might  exprefs  t  ji 
Noife  they  heard  in  the  Heavens,  and  which   they  believ; 
was  made  by  Mallets  likewife :  And  they  held  it  very  me  « 

torio 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  66f 

torious  to  be  thus  prefenr,  and  affift  in  the  Battles  of  theic 
Gods. 

It  remains  only  to  fpeak  of  the  Lightnings,  which  the 
Antients  call'd  Alicia,  and  thefe  were  either  commanded  and 
compell'd  from    Heaven,  or  allur'd  and  obtained  by  Holy^ 
Rites  :  Pliny  tells  us,  That  Lightning  may  either  be  compell'd, 
or  implor'd  from  Heaven,  by  certain  holy  Rites  and  Sup- 
plications ;  That  there  was  an  old  Tradition  in  Etruria,  thac 
it  had  been  obtained  by  holy  Rites,  when  a  Monfter,  they 
'  call'd  Volta,  enter'd  into  the  City  Volfinii,  after  having  firft 
I  depopulated  the  Countrey  round  it :  And  the  fame  Authour, 
'  on  the  Teftimony  of  Pifo,  whom  he  calls  an  Authour  of  Cre- 
1  dit,  fays  :  that  Porfenna,  King  of  the  Thufcans,  drew  down 
Thunder  from  Heaven  :  and  that,  before  him,  Numa,  had 
often  done  the  like  :  he  adds,  that  Tullus  Hoftilius,  endea- 
vouring to  imitate  them,  and  either  not  knowing,  or  for  not 
'  obferving  the  due  Rites,  was  himfelf  ftruck  dead  by  a  Thun- 
( derboit.    Extat  annalium  memoria,  facris  quibufdam  8c  pre- 
f'cationibus,  vel  cogi  fulmina,  vel  impetrari:  VetusfamaHe- 
I  cruri?2  eft,  impetratum  ;  Vollinios  urbem,  agris  depopulatis. 
1  fubeunte  monftro,  quod  vocavere  Voltam.     Evocatum  8<   a 
'  Porfenna  luo  Rege,  8c  ante  eum  a  Numa  fa?pius  hoc  fadtita- 
!  rum,  in  primo  Annal.  fuorum  tradic  L.  Pifo,  gravis  Author  : 
'quod  imitatum  parum  rite  Tullum  Hoftilium,  icftum  fulmine. 
iLucofque  8c  aras,  8c  facra  habemus :  inter  qu^  Statores,  8>c 
iTonantes,  Sc  Feretrios,  Elicium  quoque  accepimus  Jovem.- 
Plin.  lib.  1.  cap.  52.     He  concludes  with  making  this  Re- 
mark :  Varia,  fays  he,  in  hoc  vitas  fententia,  8c  pro  cujufque 
mimo.    Imperari  Naturae  audacis  eft  credere :    nee   minus 
bebetis,  beneficiis  abrogare  vires.    Thus  Pliny.    In  relation 
:o  Numa,  Livy  relates  the  Matter  at  large,  in  Decad.  i. 
Lib.  I.  where,  among  many  other  Things,  he  tells  us,  thac 
Numa,  in  order  to  allure  down  Thunder- bolts  from  the  divine 
Minds,  ereded  an  Altar,  on  the   Aventine  Hill,  to  Jupiter 
Elicius  :  Ad  ea  (fcil.  fulmina)  elicienda,  ex  mentibus  divi- 
liis,   Jovi  Elicio  aram  in  Avcntino  dicavit ;  deumque  con- 
I'uluit  auguriis,  quse  capienda  eflent.  And  that  nothing  might 
ibe  wanting  to  this  Fable,  Valerius  Antias,  as  cited  by  Ar- 
lobius,  adverf.  Gent.  lib.  5.  fays,  that  King  Numa,  not  ha- 
zing the  Science  of  procuring  Lightning,  and,  by  the  Advice 
)f  the   Nymph  ^geria,  being  defirous  to  know   it,   gave 
i  Jhains  and  Fetters  to  twelve  chafte  young  Men,  and  plac'd 
'  "m  in  Ambufcade,  near  a  certain  Water,  in  which  Faunus 
i  Martius  Picus  were  wont  to  bathe,  with  Orders  to  fur- 

xQ.  q  q  q  prize 


6GG  LUCRETIUS.  Book  Vtl 

prize  and  bind  them  :  This  they  did,  and  extorted  from  them 
the  Art  of  alluring  Jupiter,  of  whom  Numa  by  this  mean: 
learnt  the  Arc  of  drawing  downThunder- bolts  out  of  Heaven 
The  Greeks  however  will  not  allow  this  Honour  to  be  firf 
due  to  Numa,  but  afcribe  it  to  Prometheus  :  who,  as  Serviu 
on  the  6th  Eclogue  of  Virgil,  relates,  by  redding  long  o; 
the  Top  of  Mount  Caucafus,  difcover'd  the  Art  of  allurini 
down  Lightning,  and  taught  it  to  Men  :  from  whence  th 
Fable  of  his  having   ftoln   Fire  out  of  Heaven.     Laftly 
thefe  Elicia  Fulmina  were  of  three  forts :    I.  Hofpitalij 
which  Seneca  mentions  in  lib.  2.  Nat.  Quseft.  and  thefe  b 
Sacrifices  compel,  or  rather,  to  ufe  their  milder  Exprellior 
invite  Jupiter  from  Heaven  :  But  if  his  Godfhip  fhould  haj 
pen  to  be  unwilling,  or  in  an  angry  Mood,  they  invite  hii 
to  their  own  Coft  :  and  this,  fays  the  fame  Seneca,  was  th 
Misfortune  of  Tullus  Hoftilius,  the  third  King  of  the  R( 
mans,    whom   we  mention'd  before.     IT.  The  Auxiliari; 
which  were  alfo  calFd  Advocata,  but  thefe  always  came  f( 
the  Good  of  thofe  that  call'd  them.    III.  The  Imprecatori 
which  can  not  be  reckon'd  in  the  Number  of  Auxiliar 
Lightning :  for  no  Man  defires  Deftrudtion,  or  imprecate 
Thunder-  bolts  on  his  own  Head.  After  all,  Pliny,  lib.  28.  c. ; 
obferves  out  of  old  Auchours,that  it  was  a  very  difficult  Ta; 
to  allure  down  Lightning  by  Supplications  and  Sacrifices.  Ar 
fo  much  for  the  Superftition  of  the  Antients,  in  regard 
Thunder  and  Lightning. 


431  .  Afj 


Book  Vi:  LUCRETIUS.  66j 

Aod  henct  'tis  known,  hpw  firy  Whirl-Winds  rife, 
How  they  defcend,  and  cut  thp  threat'ning  Skies  ; 
For  often  dark  and  heavy  Clouds  increafc. 
And  Pillar- LIKE  defcend,  and  reach  the  Seas, 
435  While  all  around  the  troubled  Ocean  raves, 

Fierce  Winds  ftill  blow,  and  raife  the  boiling  Waves.' 
And  all  the  Ships,  in  Reach  of  Danger  tofs'd, 
Are  whirl'd  with  rapid  Turns,  and  wreck'd,  and  loft. 
This  happens  when  the  tumbling  Winds,  that  lay 
440  Confin'd  in  Clouds,  too  weak  to  force  a  Way, 

Do 
NOTES, 


431.  And  hence,  &c.]  Hither- 
to the  Poet  has  been  treating  of 
Thunder  and  Lightning  :  and  is 
now  about  to  difpute  of  another 
Kind  of  Meteor,  calPd  Whirl- 
winds :  And  for  the  better  under- 
ftanding  of  this  Difputation,  it 
will  be  necelTarya  with  Ariftotle, 
lib.  5.  Meteor,  and  with  Pliny, 
lib.  2.  cap.  4.8.  to  diftinguifli  be- 
tween the  feveral  forts  of  Whirl- 
winds, which  the  Antients  call'd 
by  feveral  Names,  according  to 
their  feveral  Natures :  as  Ecne- 
phias,  Prefter  and  Typho  :  For 
iince  all  thefe  Things,  Thunder, 
Lightning,  Ecnephias,  Prefter, 
Typho,  and  Thunderbolts,  are 
only  feveral  Winds,  we  ought  to 
diftinguifli  between  them,  Firft 
then,  if  the  Wind  be  thin  and 
fubtile,  and  if  it  be  blown  and 
fcatter'd  piece-meal  here  and 
there,  it  produces  Thunder  and 
Lightning.  If  it  be  more  denfe 
and  thick,  it  begets  the  Tempeft, 
which  the  Greeks  call 'Exvs(f{ctV, 
i,  e.  a  Storm  without  Rain,  a 
Hurricane,  as  Pliny  fays,  lib.  2. 
cap.  48.  But  if  the  Wind  burfting 
out  of  the  Bowels  of  a  Cloud, 
meet  with  other  Winds,  breaking 
out  of  other  Clouds  likewife, 
and  without  Fire,  it  comes  to  be 
that  fort  of  Whirlwind,  which 
the  Greeks  call'd  tl'(p^,  of  which 
there  are  two  forts,  call'd  by  the 
Latines  Vortex  &  Turbo  :  Vor- 
;6x,  if  it  ma^e  a  ^reaj:  and  roar- 


ing Npife  :  Turbo,  if  it  make 
none  at  all,  or  but  a  whiftling 
one.  But  if  the  Wind,  when  it 
breaks  from  the  Clouds,  takes 
Fire,  and  kindles  into  Flame,  it 
makes  a  Prefter,  call'd  by  the 
Greeks  'BrpHS'if,  which  fignifies, 
inflaming,  fwelling,  and  making 
hot,  quafi  comburens  contacfta, 
pariter  &  proterens,  fays  Pliny, 
ia  the  Place  lafl:  cited  :  If  the 
Wind,  after  it  breaks  from  the 
Clouds,  do  not  take  Fire  ;  but 
burfts  out  in  a  Flame,  it  makes 
the  Lightning,  which  the  Greeks 
call  Kc-^yvoi",  a  Thunderbolt  : 
And  laftly,  if  the  Wind  can  not 
break  the  Cloud,  but  forces  and 
drags  it  down  upon  the  Earth,  or 
Sea,  it  then  makes  the  Whirl- 
wind, which  the  Latines  call'd 
Columna,  a  Pillar.  And  of  thefe 
Whirlwinds  the  Poet  difputes  in 
the  following  29.  v.  and  feems  to 
call  the  Columna,  Vortex,  and 
Turbo,  all  of  them  certain  Pre* 
fters.  And  iirft  in  thefe  21.  V. 
he  explains  the  Caufe  of  a  firy 
Whirlwind,  call'd  a  Prefter  : 
which,  fays  he,  is  a  Wind  impe- 
tuoully  whirl'd  about,  and  that 
takes  fire  by  the  continuance  and 
vehemence  of  the  Agitation,  If 
this  Wind  burft  cut  of  the 
Clouds,  and  move  violently  in  a 
ftrait  Line,  It  kindles  into  Light- 
ning only  :  but  if  the  Cloud  be 
fo  tough,  that  it  can  not  break 
thro'3  but  bears  it  down  into  the 

Q,  Si  H  *1  ^  §s*a 


668 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V: 


Do  drive  it  down  j**  for  then,  by  flow  Degrees,  n 

As  if  fome  Hand,  or  Arm  above  did  prefs,  S 

The  Pillar-Glouds  defcend,  and  reach  the  Seas:   J 
When  this  divides,  the  rufhing  Winds  engage 

445  The  Flood,  and  make  the  Waters  boil  and  rage  : 
For  then  the  whirling  Winds  defcend,  and  bear 
The  thick,  tough,  heavy  Clouds  thro*  all  the  Air, 
But  when  they  reach  the  Sea,  they  break  their  Bound 
And  mingle  with  the  Waves,  and,  whirling  round, 

450  With  dreadful  Noife,  the  furious  Billows  raife. 
And  light  the  Waters  with  a  mighty  Blaze. 

Sometimes  the  whirling  Wind  might  whisk  the  Air 
And,  gathering  Parts  of  Clouds  that  wander  there. 
Might  hollow  out  itfelf  a  watry  Frame, 

455  All  like  a  Prester,  but  without  the  Flame  : 

From  thefe,  as  Wombs, fierce  Whirl-winds  taketheii 
And  impioufly  torment  their  Parent  Earth :  (Birch, 

But  fince,  at  Land,  the  Hills  muft  flop  their  Way, 
Thefe  Storms  are  oft'ner  feen  at  open  Sea. 

Now 

N  o  r  E  s» 


Sea ,  and ,  there  impetuoufly 
whirling  round  in  the  Waves,  at 
length  takes  Fire,  it  becomes  a 
Prefter,  the  fure  Deftrudtion  of 
Sailors. 

452.  Sometimes,  &c.]  Prefters 
are  feldom  felt  at  Land,  but 
chiefly  infeft  the  Sea.  There  is 
another  fort  of  Whirlwind,  which 
is  not  firy :  and  this  too  is  a  Wind, 
that  turns  and  whisks  about  with 
violence  in  a  Cloud,  and  tumbles 
down  with  that  Cloud  upon  the 
Earth  ;  where  breaking  out  with- 
out being  kindled  into  Flame,  it 
whirls  and  tumbles  down  all 
Things  where  it  lights  :  Neither 
is  this  fort  of  Whirlwind  frequent 
at  Land  j  for  the  Hills  hinder  its 
Defcent,  and  break  its  force  : 
but  at  Sea  the  poor  Sailors  often 
feel  its  violence. 

Of  this   fort    of   Whirlwind, 
Pliny,  lib,    2.  cap.  48.  Sin  vero 
flatus  repentini  deprelTo  finu  ar-  f 
cTtius    rotati  nubem    effresjerint, ' 
lineigne,  hoc    eft,  line  fulmine,! 
Vorticem  faciui^t ;   which  agrees  I 


with  what  Lucretius  fays  of  it 
But  whatever  he  fays  of  their  be 
ing  moft  frequently  felt  at  Sea 
they  are  very  common  in  Flo 
rence,  and  in  feveral  other  Couti 
tries. 

But  before  wc  leave  this  Subje<fi 
of  Whirlwinds,  it  will  not  be 
improper  to  give  a  fliort  Account 
of  the  Caufe  of  Wind  :  The  Ori- 
ginal of  which  is  reckon'd  among 
the  hidden  Secrets  of  Nature  ; 
Ariftotle  will  have  it  to  proceed 
from  the  Earth  *,  and  defines  it  tc 
be  a  dry  earthy  Exhalation  :  Me- 
trodorus  and  Animaxanderheld, 
that  it  proceeds  from  the  Water  t 
of  the  lame  Opinion  too  is  Vitru- 
vius,  who,  lib.  i.  cap.  6-  fays  : 
Ventus  eft  aeris  fiuens  unda,  cum 
incerta  'motus  redundantia  ;  na- 
fciturque  cum  fervor  olfendit  hu- 
morem  &  impetus  fervoris  ex- 
primit  vim  fpiritus  flantis :  This 
he  illuftrates,  by  the  Example  of 
^olipila:,  Windballs :  and  iDes 
Cartes  pretends  to  demonftrate 
the  Truth  of  this  Opinion  in  the 

fame 


Book  VL  LUCRETIUS.  669 

460      Now  Clouds  combine,  and  fpread  o'er  all  the  Sky,^ 
When  little  rugged  Parts  afcend  on  high,  > 

Which  may  be  twin*d,  tho'  by  a  feeble  Tie.  3 

Thefe  make  fmall  Clouds,  which,  driv'n  on  by  Wind^ 
To  other  like,  and  little  Clouds  are  joined, 
^65  And  thefe  encreafe  by  more,  at  laft  they  form 

Thick  heavy  Clouds,  and  thence  proceeds  a  Storm. 

And  thus  the  lofty  Hills  may  feem  to  yield 
More  Mists  and  Vapours  than  the  humble  Field  ; 

Becaufe 
N  O  T£^. 


ame  manner.  ^And  Salmafius, 
ib.  de  Anno  Climader.  afTerts 
he  fame  Opinion,  in  the    very 
Vords  of  Vicruvius.     There  is  a 
hird  Opinion,  which  feems   to 
ave  been  more  antient  than  ei- 
her  of  the  former,  and  according 
D  that.  Wind  is  nothing  but  Air 
ut    in    Motion :     Apuleius  de 
lund.  is  of  this  laft  Opinion. 
Tec  enim,  fays  he,  aliud  eft  ven- 
us,  nifi  multum  &  vehemens  in 
num  coadli  aeris  flumen  :  but 
his  is  not  fatisfa<ftory  :  for,  by 
ot  affigning  the  firft  Caufe  of 
bat  Motion,  it  leaves  the  Matter 
^  fufpenfe ,    and  undetermin'd. 
rhemoft  probableOpinion  there- 
3re  is,  That  Wind  is  an  earthy, 
r  w  atry  Exhalation,  mix'd  with 
iline  Spirits)  and  other  Vapours, 
rawn  or  forc'd  out  of  the  Earth 
r  Sea,  by  the  Power  of  the  Sun, 
'  of  iubterranean    Fires,  which 
:ing  rarefy *d  by  Heat,  or  con- 
ens'd  by  Cold,  and  impell'd  for 
iie  moft  Part  by  a  tranfverfe,  but 
imetimes  by  a  dire<fl  Motion, 
xagicates,  the  Earth,    Air  and 
ea.     But  of  this  Subje<ft  fee  par- 
cularly  my  Lord  Bacon's  Trea- 
ife  de  Ventis  :  Des  Cartes  in  the 
Mace  above  cited  :    GafTendus's 
inimadverfionsonEpicurus.  Fro- 
lend.    in  Meteor.    Kircher.  in 
lund.  fubterran.  &  Ifaac.  Vof- 
us,  de  motu  Marium   &  Ven- 
orum. 
460.  Now  Clouds,  &:c.]    The 
•oet  is  now  going  to  treat  of  the 
isncr^tion  of  Clouds ;  which,  he 


fays,  may  be  produced  three  fe- 
veral  Ways  :  And  firft  in  thefe 
7.  v.  he  teaches,  that  certain 
rough  and  hooky  Atoms,  that  are 
flying  to  and  fro  in  the  Air,  meet 
and  join  together  :  Thefe  form 
the  thin  Clouds  firft,  and  thefe 
thin  Clouds,  condenfing  and  join- 
ing with  one  another,  make  the 
thick  and  heavy  Clouds, 

Anaximenes,^Plutarch,  and  S6- 
neca  held  the  Clouds  to  be  made 
of  the  very  Concretion,  or  Con- 
gelation of  the  Air  itfelf :    The 
firft  of  them  indeed  believ'djthat 
all  Things  proceed  from  the  Air  : 
And  Plutarch  de  Placit.  Philof. 
I.  3.  c.  4.  calls  the  Clouds  ctsp©' 
-arctJtt^'TMlets",  thickningsof  the  Air-- 
and  Epicurus  in  Laertius,  d'sp©' 
'srixiicreis-y  accumulations,  or  heaps 
of  Air  :  But  Seneca,  lib.  2.  c.30. 
Spiffitudinem  aeris  crafli  :  The 
Thicknefs  of  grofs  Air  ;    For  he 
will  not  allow,  that  clear  andun- 
muddy  Air  can  thicken  and  grow 
into  Clouds  :    becaufe  it  is  too 
fubtile,  and  free  from  Vapours  ; 
by  virtue  of  which  only  it  can 
condenfe  into   Clouds.    Macro- 
bius  ;  Aer  terreni  firigoris  exha- 
latione  denfatus,  in  nubem  cogi» 
tur.     In   Somn.  Scipionis,  lib.  u 
cap.  22. 

4^7.  And  thus,  &c.]  In  thefe 
9,  V.  he  obferves,  that  Clouds  fre- 
quently feem  to  rife  from  the 
Tops  of  high  Mountains  :  the 
reafon  of  which,  he  fays,  is  this  : 
becaufe  ibmc  thJA  Mifts  aad  wa- 

try 


'^7^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V] 


4 


Becaufe  when  thin  and  little  Mists  arife, 
ij.70  Not  thicken'd  yet,  and  wander  o'er  the  Skies, 
AH  too  refin*d,  and  fubtile  for  our  Eyes  ; 
The  Winds  do  drive  them  to  the  Mountain's  Head, 
And  there  the  thin  and  airy  Coverings  fpread  ; 
Which,  thick'ning  round  the  Top,  there  firft  appear, 
'475  And  feem  to  rife  from  that,  and  fill  the  Air. 

But  farther  on;  the  Seas  give  vaft  Supplies, 
From  thefe  the  greateft  Stores  of  Vapours  rife  : 
For  Cloaths  grow  wet,  expanded  near  the  Shore,' 
And  Drops  arife,  and  ftandin  ev'ry  Pore: 
480  And  therefore  from  the  deep  and  fpacious  Floods, 
Great  ftores  of  Mists  giay  rife,  and  fram^the  Cloud 

Befides 
N  O  T  £  S. 


try  Steams,  that  are  too  fubtile 
to  be  feen,  are  driven  up  thither 
by  the  Wind  ;  where  joining  to- 

f  ether,  and  growing  thick,  they 
ecome  vifible.  Moreover  :  our 
Tranflatour  has  omitted  the  two 
laft  Verfes  of  this  Argument, 
which,  in  the  Original,  are  as 
follows. 

Kam  loca  dedarat  furfum  vento- 

fa  pate  re 
Kes  ipfa,  &  fenfus,  montes  cum 

afcendimus  altos. 

And  indeed  they  are  of  no  great 
Moment  *,  and  therefore  I  have 
foreborn  to  tranflate  and  infert 
them  in  the  Text  of  this  Verfion. 
What  they  fay  is  only  this  :  For, 
when  we  afcend  a  high  Moun- 
tain, the  Thing  itfelf  and  Senfe 
demonftrate,  ventofa  loca  fur- 
fum patere,  i.  e.  that  the  Winds 
tend 'to  the  htgheft  Places,  and 
reign  there.  This  is  the  Inter- 
pretation Creech  himfelf  gives 
them  in  his  Latine  Edition  of 
Lucretius. 

47(5.  But  farther,  &c.]  In  thefe 
6.  V,  Lucretius  propofesa  fecond 
Reafon  of  the  Generation  of 
Clouds:  and  thatMatter  may  not 
be  wanting  to  compofe  fuch  vaft 
Bodies  of  Clouds,  asarerouling 
up  ar^d.down  'xi\  the  hix,^  l^e  rgif- 


esVapours  and  Exhalations  froi 
the  Sea  :  and  then  in  10.  v.  fro: 
the  Rivers  and  other  Waters 
nay  even  from  the  Earth  itfel: 
not,  that  he  believes  any  eartl 
Particles  afcend,  as  GaiTendus  i 
terprets,  but  becaufe  the  Eart 
being  moiften'd  with  Dews  ar 
Rain ,  feems  to  fmoke ,  at 
breathe  forth  watry  Exhalatior 
which  the  Particles  of  Heat,  th 
are  continually  defcending  fro 
above,  meet  in  their  Afcent,  ai 
prefs  them  into  Clouds.  T. 
laft  Verfe  of  this  Argument 
likewife  omitted  by  Creech  in  t\ 
Verlion  :  It  runs  thus  in  the  ( 
riginal  : 

Nam  ratio  cum  fanguine  abe 
humonbus  omnis. 

And  indeed  the  Interpreters  Icnc 
not  well   what  to  make  of  it 
fome  place  it  above,  after  v.  41 
others  below,  after  v.   531. 
either  of  which  Places  it  feems 
have  but  as  little  to  do  as  hen 
fo  that  upon  the  whole  Matt£ 
their  Opinion  feems   beft,    wl 
will  not  allow  it  to  be  genuir 
and  therefore  abfolutely  re)e<ft 
478.  For  Cloaths,  &c.]    Tl 
the  Poet  has  mention'd  befoi 


'Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  Cjt 

Befides ;  the  Earth,  and  Rivers,  urg*d  by  Hear 
Oft  breathe  fofc  Mists,  and  num  rous  Vapours  fweac: 
Which  join,  and  make  thick  Clouds,  and  ftop  the  Light - 
485  And  ftain  the  glorious  Skies  with  Tuddain  Night : 
For  the  warm  vig'rous  Rays,  with  conftant  blowis. 
Still  beat  them  on  the  Back,  and  prefs  them  clofe. 

And  more  :  external  Matter  gives  Supplies,' 
And  Seeds  of  Clouds,  which  fpread  o*er  all  the  SkiesJ 
o  For  I  have  prov'd  the  Mass  immenfe,  the  Space 
Is  infinite,  and  knows  no  loweft  Place  : 

And 
NOTES, 

ftill  defcending  from  the  Hea- 
vens, in  a  confus'd  and  turbulent 
manner.  And  indeed  this. Inter- 
pretation feems  more  confonant 
to  Reafon  than  the  other  :  there- 
fore inftead  of,  For  the  warm  vi- 
g'rous Rays,  &c.  read.  For  the 
defcending'  Parts,  &c. 

488.  And  more,  SccJ  Inthefe 
14.  V.  as  a  third  Caufe  of  Clouds, 
he  fetches  the  Seeds  of  them  from 
the  infinite  Space,  and  from  the 
other  Worlds.  For  Lucretius, 
after  Epicurus,  believ'd,  that  the 
Atoms,  which  afiemble  in  the 
Concretion  of  Clouds,  came  not 
only  out  of  the  Air,  Water^  and 
Earth,  but  out  of  the  Void  like- 
wife  :  For  having  taught,  B.  I. 
Y.1005.  &  feqq.That  the  Space  in 
which,  out  of  which,  and  thro' 
which  the  infinite  Atoms  are 
continually  flying,  is  immenfe  and 
infinite  likewifej  what  wonder  is 
it,  if  they  fupply  from  that  inex- 
hauftible  Magazine,  a  fufficient 
quantity  of  Seed,  for  the  PrcH 
du<ftion  of  Clouds  ? 

External  Matter]  That  is  to 
fay,  Matter  that  comes  not  only 
from  the  Sea,  nor  only  from  the 
Earth,  nor  only  from  the  Air, 
but  from  without  ;  i.  e.  from  the 
immenfe  and  infinite  Space  of  the 
Univerie. 

490.  I  have  provM]  See  B.  T, 
V.  ^60.  Sc  feqq.  6c  1050.  8c  feqq. 
where  the  Poet  has  brought  ma- 
ny Arguments  to  prove  the  Uni- 


38^.  For  the  warm,  &c.]  This 
md  the  following  Yerfe  in  the 
Driginal  run  thus : 

Irget  enim  quoque  figniferi  fu- 

per  Ktheris  a:ft:us, 
?.t  quafi  denfando  fubtexit  cxru- 

la  nimbis : 

[n  his  Interpretation  of  which 
ve  may  obferve,  that  Creech  has 
'ollow'd  the  Opinion  of  GaiTen- 
^us,  and  fome  others,  who  in- 
:erpret  ittheris  xftus  to  mean  the 
j  S.ther  itfelf,  whofe  Heat  conden- 
fes  the  Clouds :  And  this  »iuft 
DC  explain'd,  fay  they,  to  be  in- 
;ended  of  the  Antiperiftafis,  by 
reafon  of  which  the  Region  of  the 
Clouds  grows  cold.  But  ourTran- 
datour,  in  his  Latine  Edition  of 
Lucretius,  has  changed  his  Opi- 
nion, and  fays,  that  this  Anti- 
periftafis of  theirs,  as  they  call  it, 
IV ill  avail  them  nothing  :  and 
that  they  alledge  a  Caufe,  by 
which  the  Clouds  may  indeed  be 
attenuated,  but  never  condens'd  : 
And  Lucretius  himfelf,  a  few 
Verfes  lower,  urges  the  Heat  of 
the  Sun  for  one  of  the  Reafons  of 
the  Liquefaction,  and  DifToluti- 
on   of  the  Clouds  into    Rain : 

Aut  diirdvuntur  folis  fuper  icSa 
calore : 

lays  he,  v.  513.  And  therefore 
Creech  explains  jetheris  a;ftus  to 
mean  the  Uttle  Bodies,  that  ars 


€72 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  Ml 


And  how  the  Atoms  thro*  the  Vacuum  rove. 
How  quick  they  meafure  Space,  and  how  they  move* 
Slow  Time  admires,  and  knows  not  what  to  call 
495  The  Motion,  having  no  Account  fo  fmall. 

What  wonder  then,  that  fuddain  Storms  fhould  rife; 
And  hafty  Night  fpread  o'er  the  lower  Skies  ; 
Since  from  the  Mass  fuch  vaft  Supplies  are  hurl'd 
Thro'  ev'ry  Pore,  and  Paffage  of  the  World  ; 
500  And  linger  here,  and  join:  or  break  the  Chain, 
And  fly  thro'  the  divided  Skies  again  ? 

Now  fing,  my  Muse,  how  Rain  is  fpred  o'er  all^ 
How  wat'ry  Clouds  are  join'd,  and  Showers  fall. 

Fir 
-NOTES. 


verfe  to  be  infinite,  and  that  it 
tas  no  Centre. 

493.  How  quick,  &c.]  See  B.  II. 
v.  1 34.J  &c. 

494.  Slow  Time,  &c,]  This 
and  the  following  Verfe  are  tran- 
fcrib'd  from  Cowley  :  and  repeat- 
ed  in  this  place,   from  B.  IV. 

V.  226.  n      r^L   r 

502.  Now  fing,  &C.J  Thele 
30.  V.  contain  a  iliort  Difputation 
of  Rain.  Many  Seeds  of  Water 
rife  up  together  with  the  Seeds  of 
the  Clouds,  and  grow  bigger  to- 
gether with  the  Clouds,  in  like 
manner  as  the  Blood,  and  other 
Humours  increafe  in  proportion 
with  our  Bodies.  For  a  Cloud 
jnay  be  fuppos'd  to  be  a  Body, 
that  contains  the  Rain,  which 
may  be  compared  to  the  Blood  in 
the  Bodies  of  Animals.  To  thefe 
Seeds  of  Water  and  Clouds,  add 
thofe  Particles  of  Water  that 
the  Clouds,  like  Fleeces  of  Wool, 
which  they  feem  to  refemble, 
draw  from  the  Rivers  and  Sea. 
And  thus  when  the  Clouds  are 
full  of  Water,  if  they  areprefs'd 
cither  by  the  force  of  the  Wind, 
or  their  own  weight,  Water  muft 
of  neceffity  be  fqueez'd  out,  and 
drop  from  them  :  This  in  17.  v. 
Then  he  fays  in  4.  v.  that  if  the 
Winds  rarefy  the  Clouds,  the 
Rain  will  likewife  drop  from 
them  :  and  if  the  Ucat  of  the  Sun 


pierce  the  Clouds,  they  will  flo 
like  melted  Wax.  That  a  vi« 
lent  hafty  Shower  is  occafion'd  b 
a  violent  Compreflion  of  tl 
Clouds  :  in  4.  v.  and  laftly  in 
V.  that  conftant  Showers  happe; 
when  many  Clouds  are  heap' 
upon  one  another,  and  when  tl 
Earth  refolves  into  Vapours  tl 
Rain  it  has  receiv'd,  and  fends 
up  again  into  the  Region  of  tl 
Clouds. 

Ariftotle  and  his  Followei 
who  held  that  the  Elemen 
change  from  one  into  anothe 
and  fo  make  a  Circle  of  Gener 
tion,  define  Rain  to  be  Air  co] 
verted  into  Water,  and  diftillir 
from  a  Cloud  in  Drops.  Epici 
rus  held  that  Rain  might  be  g 
nerated  two  feveral  Ways  :  1. 1 
Tranfmutation.  II.  By  Con 
preflion.  By  Tranfmutation  ;  b 
caufe  fuch  is  the  Nature  of  tl 
Air,  that  it  changes  by  Condei 
fation  into  Water  :  and  fuch  t( 
is  the  Nature  of  a  Cloud  ;  th. 
by  the  retreat  and  abfence  < 
Heat,  and  by  the  acceffion  < 
Cold,  its  Parts  are  fo  tranfpos 
and  vary'd,  as  renders  them  mo 
apt  to  flow  and  fall  :  This  is  e: 
emplify'd  by  Vapours  gatherir 
together  in  a  Limbeck,  and  the 
failing  in  Drops.  By  Compre 
lion,  when  by  Wind  or  Cold  tl 
Cloud  ii  comprefs'd,  and  tl 
vaporoi 


I 


iBookVI.        LUCRETIUS.  67^ 

'  Firft,  with  the  Clouds  moift  Streams  of  Vapours 

505  From  ev'ry  Thing  ;  and  fpread  o'er  all  the  Skies:  (rife. 

And,  as  in  Man,  the  Moisture,  Sweat  and  Blood 

Grow  with  the  Limbs,  increaling  with  the  Cloud. 

And  oft  as  Winds  do  whirl  them  o'er  the  Main, 

The  Clouds,  like  Wool,  do  dip  themfelves  in  Rain 

y.o  To  Ihake  their  Fleeces  o'er  the  Earth  again. 

The  Rivers,  Lakes,  and  Pools,  when  ftirr'd  by  Hear,' 
Breathe  forth  foft  Mists,  and  numerous  Vapours  fweac. 

Thefe  rife,  and  fet  in  Clouds  ;  and  there  combin'd. 
Or  by  the  ambient  Cold,  or  driving  Wind, 
15  They  thence  defcend,  becaufe  the  Winds  divide. 
Or  elfe  the  Clouds  contradl,  their  injur'd  Side  j 
Or  elfe  the  upper  Clouds  prefs  thofe  below. 
And  fqueezc  the  Water  out,  and  make  it  flow. 
And  when  the  Wind  makes  thin  the  watry  FrAMe,^ 
10  Or  Rays  cut  thro'  it  with  a  vig'rous  Flame, 

The 
NOTES. 


aporous  Corpufcles  within  the 
loUows  of  it  are  crowded  toge- 
ler  ;  and  thus,  by  that  acceflion 
r  Weight,  or  by  the  force  of  the 
'/ind,  are  driven  and  fqueez'd 
ut  of  the  Cloud,  in  like  man- 
zi'  as  Water  out  of  a  Spunge. 
rem  whence  it  appears,  that  the 
)rops  of  Rain  are  form'd  by  Co- 
iition,  rather  than  by  Diviiion  : 
id  that  Rain  is  not,  as  it  is  vul- 
arly  taken  to  be,  a  watry  Mafs 
Vus'd  from  a  Cloud,  as  Water 
LI  r  of  the  Rofe  of  a  watering  Pot, 
or^asTrepfiades  in  Ariftophanes, 
oriding  this  Opinion,  fays,  does 
:  proceed  from  Jupiter's  making 
v^atsr  thro'  a  Sieve  :  For,  if  there 
ere  any  fuch  Stagnation  of  Wa- 
.r  in  a  Cloud,  it  would  fall  from 
leuce  in  a  Torrent,  or  as  Water 
oes  from  Spouts,  rather  than  in 
)rops.  Moreover,  there  are  rec~ 
on'd  three  Kinds  of  Rain  :  Stil- 
cidium,  Imber,  and  Nimbus  : 
he  firft  is  a  mifty  Rain  :  The 
cond  more  intenfe,  and  com- 
>^s'd  of  larger  Drops,  a  fober 
ain  :  The  third,  a  violent, 
ouring  Rain  ; 
^ondus    fays  J 


which,    as   Fro- 
falls   dccumanis 


Guttis :  Apuleius  de  Mundo 
funis  up  the  whole  Matter  in  a 
few  Words  :  Tot  diverlitatibus, 
fays  he,  pluvije  cadunt,  quot  mo- 
dis  aer  nubium  conditionibus  co- 
gitur. 

505.  From  ev'ry  Thing]  Hip- 
pocrates agrees  with  Lucretius  in 
this  Opinion,  and  lib.  de  Aer. 
Aqu.  &  Loc.  fays  exprefsly,  that 
there  is  Moifture  in  all  Things. 

508.  And  oft.  Sec.']  Here  the 
Poet  teaches  in  5.  v.  that  while 
the  Clouds  are  driven  by  Winds 
over  the  Surface  of  the  Sea,  or  o- 
ther  Waters ,  they,  like  Wool, 
hung  in  damp  Places,  imbibe  and 
fuck  in  the  Moifture. 

513.  Thefe  rife,  6^c.  ]  In 
thefe  6.  v.  the  Poet  mentions  one 
of  the  Ways,  by  which  Rain  di- 
ftills  from  the  Clouds :  that  is,  by 
Compreflion  :  when  the  Clouds, 
comprefs'd  by  the  Foicc  of  the 
Wind,  or  by  the  great  Quantity 
of  Water,  contain'd  within  their 
Bowels,  let  drop  the  Rain  ;  as 
W^ater  is  fqueez'd  out  of  a  Spunge, 
by  preffing  it. 

515*.  And  when,  Src."]     Thefe 

4.,  V.  contain  the  other  Way^  by 

R  r  r  r  which 


674  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

The  Rain  breaks  forth,  the  injured  Cloud  appears 
Like  melted  running  Wax,  and  drops  in  Tears. 

But  when  the  Wind  with  higher  Clouds  agrees. 
And  their  united  Force  begins  to  fqueeze, 
525  When  both  do  prefs  the  Cloud,  fwoln  big  with  Raii^ 
Then  Storms  defccBd,  and  beat  the  humble  Plain. 

Then  conftantSHOw'RS,  when  wat'ry  Clouds,  that  lie  J 
On  one  another's  Back,  receive  Supply  ^ 

From  ev'ry  Quarter  of  the  lower  Sky.  i 

530  And  when  the  thirty  Earth  has  drunk  the  Rain, 
And  throws  it  up  in  Vapours  back  again. 

And  when  the  adverfe  Sun's  bright  Beauties  flow^ 
And  ftrike  thick  Clouds,  they  paint  the  Gawdy  Bow. 

An 
N  O  T  £  S. 


tvhich  Epicurus,  and,  after  him, 
Lucretius,  held,  that  Rain  might 
be  made  :  to  wit,  by  Tranfmu- 
tation,  that  is  to  fay,  when  the 
Clouds,  being  ftruck  and  rare- 
fy'd,  either  by  the  Force  of  the 
Wind,  or  the  Heat  of  the  Sun, 
diftil  in  Rain,  as  is  explain'd  a- 
bove,  V.  502. 

523.  But  when.  Sec."]  Thefe4. 
v.  that  give  the  Reafon  of  a  vio- 
lent Storm  of  Rain,  are  fuffici- 
encly  explain'd  in  the  Note  on 
V.  502.  and  fo  likev'Sfife  are  the  five 
that  follow  them,  and  affign  the 
Caufeof  conftant  Showers. 

532.  And  when,  &c.]  In  thefe 
2.  V.  he  tells  us,  that  a  Rainbow 
is  made  by  the  Beams  of  the  Sun, 
ftriking  upon  an  oppoiite  and  wet 
Cloud. 

Lu<:retius  fays  not  any  thing 
of  the  various  Colours  of  the 
Rainbow  -,  a  Sub je<ft  v</hich  ne- 
Terlefs  has  imploy'd  many  of  the 
Philofophers  :  and  concerning 
which,  there  are  two  Things 
chiefly  to  be  inquir'd  into  ;  their 
Kumber,  and  their  Order  :  As 
to  the  firfl,  Ariftotle  difcerns  on- 
ly three  diilincS:  Colours :  (poiv/- 
xeior,  a  light  Red,  or  Saffron,  as 
fomefinterpret  it :  x^ct-poi^,.  Green, 
and  <sT(>p(pvpi^,  Purple,  or  Vio- 
let, or  Cerulean  :  and  thence  he 
€ail'd  she  Rainbow  three-eolour'd ; 


but  Ptolom^eus  calls  it  fevei 
colour'd,  becaufe  of  the  mingU 
Colours  that  intervene  amor 
thofe  three  chief  Colours.  Othe 
call  it  many-colour'd,  as  if  tl 
Number  of  its  Colours  coul 
fcarce  be  diftinguifli'd  :  When! 
yirgil}  ^n.  4..  v.  701. 
Mille  trahit  varies  adverfo  fo 

colores. 
A  Rainbow  is  only  the  Picture 
the  light  of  the  Sun,  in  anopp- 
lite  Cloud,  moift  or  wet,  and  ju 
ready  to  be  dilTolv'd,  and  fi 
down  in  Rain  :  It  is  in  itfelf  < 
no  colour  :  and  the  various  C< 
lours  that  appear,  are  but  R 
flexions  of  the  Light  of  the  Su 
received  differently,  according 
the  Cloud  is  more  or  lefs  denf« 
this  is  evident  by  artificial  Rail 
bows.  And  yet  this  Shadow,  th 
alraofl  Nothing,  does,  by  Ri 
fle(flion,  fometimes  make  an< 
ther  Rainbow,  tho'  not  fo  difliii' 
and  beautiful.  Sir  R.  Blackmo 
defcribes  a  Rainbow  poeticali 
and  like  a  Philofopher  too  j 

Thus  oft  the  Lord  of  Nature,  i 

the  Air, 
Hangs  Ev'ning  Clouds,  his  fab' 

Canvafs,  where 
His    Penfil,  dipt    in    Heav'iil 

Colours,  made 
Of  intercepted  Sun-beamS;  mix' 

with  Shads 

C 


i 


H 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS.  6j^ 

And  how  the  other  Meteors  rife  and  faH, 
535  What  Stamps  the  figur'd  Snow,  and  moulds  the  Hail.^ 

And 

hi  o  r  E  s. 


Of  temper'd  TEther,  and  refraA- 
cd  Light, 

Paints  his  fair  Rain-bdw  charm- 
ing to  the  Sight. 

There  are  only  four  chief  Co- 
lours in  a  Rain-bow.    I.  A  light 
red.     II.    A  yellow,    or  fafFron. 
[II.    A  green.      IV.    A   purple. 
Thefe  Colours  change  their  Site 
md  Order,   according  to  the  dif- 
erence  of  t!ie    Rain- bow  :    for 
:here  are  two  diftincft  forts   of 
R.ain-bows  ;    Iris  primaria,  and 
ris  fecundaria  *,  the  primary  and 
ecundary  Rain-bow  :     The  pri- 
nary  Rain-bow  is  that  which  for 
he  mofi:  part  appears  alone,  and 
n   which  the  ruddy  Colour  is 
'Utmoft,  or  higheft  ;  the  yellow 
lext,  the  green  the  third  Colour, 
nd  the  purple  the  inmoft,    or 
oweft  :  But  the  Iris  fecundaria, 
»r  fecundary  Rain-bow,  is  that 
vhich  never  appears  alone,  but 
Iways  above,  and  larger  than,  the 
»rimary,  and  has  the  fame  Co- 
ours,  but  more  faint,  and  quite 
nverted  :  that  is  to  fay,  in  the  fe* 
ondaryRain-boWjthe  purple  Co- 
our  is  the  outmoft,  or  higheft, 
he  next  to  that  the  green,  the 
hird  the  yellow,  and  the  ruddy 
he  inmoft  or  lowcft.  This  Rain- 
>ow  is  not  fo  diftin(ft  and  beau- 
iful  as  the  other,  of  which  it  is 
leld  to  be  only  a  Refle<ftion.     It 
s  agreed   by  all,  that  there  are 
wo  Caufes  of  the  colours  of  the 
Iain-bow  ;    the  Sun  ,   and  the 
ifatry  Cloud  plac'd   againft  it : 
tut  they  do  not  explain  this  in 
he   fame   manner.     Metrodorus 
n  Plutarch  de  Placit.  Philof.  1.  3, 
.  3.  believes,  that  the  Rednefs  of 
he  Rain-bow  proceeds  from  the 
lieams  of  the  Sun,  and  the  ceru- 
ean  Colour   from    the  Cloud. 
Seneca  afTents  to   this  Opinion, 
ind  ad^Sj  that  thepther  Colours 


are  only  a  mixture  of  thefe  two 
AriftoCle  3.  Meteor,  will  have 
the  Cloud  to  be  in  the  Nature  of 
a  Mirrour,  from  which  the  Beams 
of  the  Sun,being  varioiifly  refledl- 
ed,  produce  the  various  Colours  : 
the  light  red,  becalife  they  are 
reHecfled  from  that  part  of  the 
Cloud  that  is  neareft  to  his  Orb  j 
the  green,  becaufe  they  are  re- 
flected from  the  part  that  is  far- 
ther off;  laftly,  the  purple,  be- 
caufe they  are  fcarce  reflected  at 
all,  by  reafon  of  the  yet  greater 
Remotenefs  of  the  Cloud  ;  nor 
does  he  diftinguifli  the  yellow 
from  the  red,  only  becaufe  ie 
grows  whitiili,  by  reafon  of  the 
Vicinity  of  the  green.  Scaliger 
believes  the  Cloud  to  confift  of 
the  Particles  of  the  four  Ele- 
ments, and  therefore  will  have 
the  upmoft  parts  of  it  to  turn 
red,  when  they  receive  the  Light 
of  the  Sun,  becaufe  they  are  liry  ; 
the  next  to  become  yellow,  as 
being  aerial,  and  the  third  to 
grow  green,  as  holding  of  the 
Earth.  As  to  the  Figure  of  the 
Rain-bow,  it  is  round ;  but  it 
would  be  too  tedious  to  relate  the 
various  Opinions  why  it  is  fo. 
Of  this  confult  P.  Gaflendus  on 
the  tenth  Book  of  Laertius.  Anii- 
mad.    de  Meteorolog.    p.   1123. 

534..  And  how,  &c.i  Lucretius 
fays  nothing  in  particular  of  the 
Caufes  of  Snow,  Wind,  Hail, 
Hoar-froft,  Ice,  Sec.  but  only 
takes  notice  in  thefe  7.  v.  thae 
whoever  contemplates  on  thele 
Things,  and  confiders  the  Clouds 
and  Showers,  and  at  the  fame 
time  reflecfts  on  the  various  Fi-? 
gures  and  Motions  of  the  Prin^ 
ciples,  will  eafily  be  able  to  com^ 
prehend  the  Caufes  of  thefe  an4 
the  other  Meteors ,  which  he 
leaves  unexplain'd. 

53s,  The  Hgur'd  Snow,  &€»3 
3i  r  r  r  2  PUuyj 


676  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

And  why  the  Water's  Pride  and  Beauty's  loft, 
When  rig'rous  Winter  binds  the  Floods  with  Frostj 
'Tis  eafy  to  conceive,  if  once  we  know  -J 

The  Nature  of  the  Elements,  or  how  > 

340  Their  tighting  Pow'rs  muft  work,  or  what  they  do.  j 

And  next  of  Earthquakes. 

Firft  then  you  muft  fuppofe  the  Earth  contains  7 
Some  Seeds  of  Winds,  fpred  o*er  its  hollow  Veins  5  • 
And  there,  as  well  as  here,  fierce  Vapour  reigns :      ^ 

An( 

N  O  T  £  5. 


Pliny,  lib.  17.  cap.  2.  calls  Snow, 
the  Foam  of  celeftial  WaterS5\yhen 
they  dafli  againft  one  another; 
which,  fays  Cowley,  is  ingeni- 
ouily  exprefs'd  for  a  Poet,  tho' 
but  ill  defin'd  for  a  Philofopher. 
Ariftotle,  and  after  him,  moft 
of  our  modern  Philofophers  hold 


which  is  faid  to  be  always  fexai 
gular,  fee  Kepler,  who  has  wri 
ten  a  particular  Treatife  upo 
that  Subje(fl. 

Moulds  the  Hail,]  Hail  is  ja( 
thing  elfe  but  Rain  congeaPd  i 
its  Fall :  And  this  Congelati 
on  or   Concretion  is  made  n( 


it  to  be  generated  of  a  moift,  but   far  from  the  Earth,  becaufe  Ha 


rare  and  thin  Cloud,  which,  be- 
ing condens'd  by  cold,  does,  as  it 
falls  down,  that  it  may  the  more 
eafily  cut  thro'  the  Air,  divide 
itfelf  into  Flakes,  like  Fleeces  of 
Wool ;  To  which  the  pfalmift 
alludes,  Qui  dat  nivem,  ficut  la- 
Pfal.  147.  He  gives  Snow, 


nam 


like  Wool :  Yet  Bodinus ,  in 
Theatro  Natura;,  is  of  Opinion, 
that  the  Royal  Pfalmi/l  refem- 
bles  Snow  to  Wool,  becaufe  of 
the  Warmth  it  affords  to  Plants, 


is  never  feen  upon  the  high  Moui 
tains,  which  are  often  cover' 
with  Snow  :  Belides  ;  Hail,  tl 
nearer  to  the  Earth  the  Cloud  i 
out  of  which  it  falls,  is  the  mo 
triangular  or  pyramidal  in  its  F 
gure  :  the  higher  the  Cloud,  ar 
the  more  remote  from  the  Eart 
the  rounder  the  Hail :  The  re 
fon  of  which  is,  becaufe  thofe  Ii 
equalities,  or  Angles,  are  woi 
away,  and  rounded  by  the  lengi 
of  its  Palfage,  and  Defcent  thr 


iand  vegetables  in  the  Cold  oH  the  Air  :  And  itscongeal'd  Har< 
Winter,  as  woollen  Garments  do  I  nefs  proceeds  from  the  Antipei 
^o  Men,  rather  than  for  its  fleecy  j  ftafis  of  the  lower  Region  of  tl 


Similitude.  The  whitenefs  of 
Snow  is  deriv'd  from  its  efficient 
Caufe,  which  is  Cold  ;  and  alfo 
from  the  copious  Mixture  of  aeri- 
al Spirits.  Anaxagoras  affirm'd 
it  to  be  black  :  and  in  Armenia 
it  is  of  a  ruddy  Colour  :  which, 
as  Euftathius  on  the  fecond  Iliad 
obferves,  is  caus'd  by  the  ter- 
reiirial  Particles,  or  Atoms  of 
the  Soil  of  that  Countrey,  which 
abounds  with  Minium  :  For  thofe 
Particles,  mixing  with  thofe  of 
the  Air,  tinge  the  Snow,  and  give 
jt  that  Hue.  Of  the  wonderful 
^ontex^ure  and  Figure  of  Snow, 


Air  :  and  this  too  is  the  rcafc 
why  Hail  falls  more  frequent 
in  Summer  than  in  Winter  •,  ar 
feldom  in  the  Night,  unlefs  t 
Night  be  warm,  See  more  in  Fr 
mondus,  Meteorolog.  lib.  5.  cap. 
1  will  only  add  Ariftotles  iHior 
but  true,  Definition  of  Snow  ai 
Hail :  Snow,  fays  he,  is  a  Cloi 
congeal'd,  and  Hail  congeal 
Water. 

541.  And  next,  &c.]  Before  v 
enter    on    this     Difputation 
Earthquakes,  it  may  not  be  am 
to  take  notice  of  the  feveral  foil 
of  them*    Apuleius,   lib.  i.    I 

Mund; 


hook  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


6j7 


45  And  many  Lakes,  and  Pools,  and  fpacious  Caves, 
And  fecret  Rivers  there  roll  boift'rous  Waves  : 
For  Nature's  Laws  eommand,  and  Reason  s  prove. 
The  Parts  below  refemble  thofe  above  : 

Thefe  Things  fiippos'd ;  when  thofe  vaft  Courts  be- 
50  Shall  fail,  the  upper  Earth  muft  tremble  too:       (low 
For  Hills  muft  fink,  and  from  the  mighty  Fall 
Quick  Tremblings  muft  arife,  and  fpread  otr  all: 

No 
NOTES. 


[undo,  reckons  up  feven  feveral 
rts  of  Earthquakes.  I.  The 
rft  is  term'd  Epidintes,  feu  In- 
inator,  from  l-TTDiMvca,  I  incline, 
xaufe  it  moves  fidelong  ;  and, 
us,  ftriking  at  oblique  Angles, 
erturns  Things  by  inclination, 
fideward.  II,  The  fecond  is 
ll'd  Braftes,  feu  effervefcens, 
om  ^^'(o}  •  I  boil  ;  the  iimili- 
de  of  boiling  Water,  becaufe  it 
ars  ail  above  it  in  a  dire<ft  Line. 

I.  The  third,  Chafmatias,  from 
io-iucCu:y  I  gape,  becaufe  it  makes 
i  Hiatus  er  Chafm,  in  which 
e  Place  it  forces,  is  fwallow'd 
).  IV.  The  fourth,  Rhecfles, 
ompvayw,  I  break,  becaufe  it 
rces  its  way  by  a  Rupture  •,  tho' 
opens  not  fo  wide  a  Chafm  as 
c  former.  V.  The  fifth  fort  is 
ird  Oftes,  from  &s-/^&j  I  thruft 
itli  Violence  :  and  this  both 
akes  and  overturns.  VI.  The 
vth,  Palmitias,  from  'zzrcjMto, 
Hiake,  or  throb  ;  this  iliakes 
e  Ground  and  Buildings,  but 
)t  fo    as    to    overturn    them. 

II.  Thefeventh  is  call'd  My- 
raatias ,  or  Mycetias ,  from 
-•y.<x.(T/y.ouy  I  bellow,  becaufe  it 
akes  a  roaring  Noife.  But  Am- 
lanus  Marcellinus,  and,  after 
m,  Coelius  Rhodiginus ,  al- 
w  but  four  Kinds  of  Earth- 
>akes. 

Thales  and  Democrltus  afcribe 
e  Caufe  of  Earthquakes  to  Sub- 
^ranean  Winds,  that  undermine 
-  Bowels  ofthe  Earth,  and  then 
''ce  out  their  PaiTage  :    The 


Stoicks  attribute  it  to  Moifture, 
rarefy'd  into  Air  ;  which  ftrug- 
gling  for  room  to  get  free,  and 
meeting  with  the  thick  and  tough 
Body  of  the  Earth,  iliakes  it  by 
its  ftruggling.  Others  hold  that 
Earthquakes  proceed  from  in- 
clos'd  Air,  or  Spirits  arifing  from 
combuftible  Matters,  as  Sulphur, 
Nitre,  Allum,  Sal-Armoniack, 
Bitumen,  or  the  like  ;  which  be- 
ing fet  on  Fire,  and  confequently 
rarefy'd,  caufe  the  fame  Effeds, 
as  Gun-powder  does  in  Mines. 
See  Fromond.  Meteorolog.  lib.  4, 
cap.  I,  2,  3.  and  Kircher  in  his 
Mund.  Subterran.  lib.  4,  cap.  2. 
where  thofe  Authours  treat  of 
thefe  Matters  at  large.  I  now  re- 
turn to  Lucretius,  who,  in  or- 
der to  give  a  right  Explication 
of  Earthquakes,  flrft  fuppofes  fe- 
veral Things,  which  I  think  no 
Man  ever  doubted  :  And  iirft, 
fays  he,  in  8.  v.  you  muft  fuppofe 
the  Earth  to  be  full  of  Hollows, 
that  thefe  Caverns  are  full  of  Va- 
pours, into  which  the  Wind  can 
eafily  rufli  :  In  the  next  Place, 
that  there  are  many  Lakes,  many 
broad  Pools  of  Water,  and  Ri- 
vers too, rolling  their  Waves  with- 
in the  Bowels  of  the  Earth.  Thefe 
Things  being  granted  •,  the  Poet 
afligns  the  firft  Caufe  of  Earth- 
quakes to  the  Earth  itfelf ;  and 
in  8.  V.  more  tells  us,  that  one 
Caufe  of  Earthquakes  may  be 
this :  When  any  of  thofe  fubter- 
ranean  Cavities  are  decay'd  by- 
length  of  Time ;  and  'tis  certain 
they  will  decay  ;  the  upper  part 

of 


6j^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V 


No  wonder  this :  while  Carts  go  flowly  on, 
Or  fwifter  Coaches  rattle  o  er  the  Stone, 
555  Altho*  the  Weight's  not  great,  the  HojjsEsfeel, 
And  Ihake  at,  ev'ry  Jumping  of  the  Wheel. 


N  O  T  JB  S: 


of  the  Hollow  will  fall  down :  nor' 
<;an  it  be  doubted,  but  that  a 
Trembling  of  the  Earth  muft  be 
caus'd  by  fuch  a  concuffion,  fince 
we  fee,  that  when  Coaches  or 
Waggons  go  along  the  Streets, 
the  Houfes  on  either  fide  are 
iliaken. 
This  was  the  Opinion  of  Anaxi- 
menes,  who  in  Seneca,  lib.  6.  fays, 
that  the  Parts  of  the  Earth,  which 
^oifture  has  loofen'd,  or  fubter- 
ranean  Fire  undermin'd  and  con- 
fum'd,  or  the  Violence  of  W  ind 
has  fliaken,  or  that  the  length  of 
Time  has  brought  to  moulder 
and  decay,  may  fall  in.  But  Ari- 
itotle  and  Plutarch  fay,  that  A- 
naximenes  held,  that  thefe  fall- 
ings .  in  of  the  Earth  could  not 
proceed,  except  from  Drynefs  and 
Moifture.  Epicurus  in  Seneca, 
lib.  6.  cap.  2o.  fpeaks  of  this  firft 
Caufe  of  Earthquakes,  in  thefe 
"Words  :  Fortafle  aliqua  parte 
terrce  fubito  decidente  terra  ipfa 
percutitur,  &  inde  motum  capit  : 
EortalFe  aliqua  parte  terra,  velut 
columnis  quibufdam  ac  pilis,  fu- 
ilentatur,  quibus  vitiatis  ac  rece- 
dentibus,  tremitopus  impofitum: 
EortafTe  calida  vis  fpiritus  in  ig- 
nem  verfa  &  fulmini  fimilis  cum 
magna  ftrage  obftantium  fertur. 
Perhaps,  fays  he,  fome  part  of 
the  Earth  faJling  down  on  a  fud- 
dain,  the  Earth  itfeif  is  iliaken, 
and  thence  is  caus'd  the  Motion  : 
Perhaps  in  fome  parts  the  Earth 
is  fupported  as  with  Pillars,which 
being  decay'd,  and  giving  way, 
the  luperimpos'd  Weight  trem- 
bles :  Perhaps  the  hot  Force  of 
Wind  is  chang'd  into  Fire,  and, 
borne  about  like  Lightning, 
2?iakes  a,  wide  Dgflru^ior^  Qf  all 


Things  that  refift  its  Para 
And  in  the  fame  Authour,  lib. 
cap.  5).  Anaxagoras  holds  almc 
a  like  Caufe  of  Earthquak 
which^  he  fays,  are  the  Effed 
Lightning. 

553.  While  Carts,  &C.3  Sem 
Nat.  Qu»ft.  lib.  6,  cap.  22, 
quando  magna  onera  per  vii 
vehiculorum  pluriumtradta  fui 
(perhaps  per  Yicos  vehiculori 
plurium  ordine  tracfta  funt) 
rotjc  majori  nifu  in  falebras  in 
derunt ,  terram  concuti  ienti 
Afclepiodorus  tradit,  cum  p€t 
e  latere  montis  abrqpta  cecid 
fet,  a»diiicia  vicina  tremore  c 
lapfa.  Idem  fub  terris  fieri  ] 
teft,  ut  ex  his,  quse  impende 
rupibus  aliqua  refoluta  mas 
pondcre  Sc  fono  in  fubjacenu 
cavernam  cadat ,  eo  vehemen 
us,  quo  aut  plus  ponderis  I 
buit,  aut  venit  altius :  & 
commovetur  omne  tecftum  ca^ 
tx  vailis.  When  heavy  Lo« 
are  drawn  in  Carts  along  t 
Streets  ;  if  the  Wheels  happert 
plunge  into  a  Hole,  you  will  f 
the  Ground  tremble.  Afck^i 
dorus  relates,  that  a  Rockjbrea 
ing  off  from  the  fide  of  a  Mou 
tain,  iliook  down  the  neighboi 
ing  Buildings  as  it  fell.  The  fai 
Thing  may  happen  in  the  H< 
lows  under-ground  :  if  any 
the  impending  Rocks  break  « 
with  mighty  Weight  and  Noi! 
and  tumble  down  into  the  fub; 
cent  Cavern,  and  that  too  wi 
more  violence  and  impetuofii 
the  greater  thcWeight  is,  and  t 
higher  it  falls  ;  then  all  t 
Bulk  of  Earth,  that  covers  th 
Cavity,  will  bg  niOY''4  4' 
^re?^bl€:« 


Jook  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  €79 

Or  elfe  from  arched  Caves  great  Stones  may  fall,7  ^ 
And  ftrike  the  under  Waves,  and  trouble  all ;  C 

Thofe  agitate,  and  fhake  th*  inclofing  Ball  :  ^ 

j  60  For  when  the  LiauoR,  as  Experience  proves. 
Is  troubled,  all  the  Vessel  fliakes  and  moves. 

Befides  ;    when  Winds  below,  with  mighty  Force 
Againft  refifting  Caves  diredt  their  Courfe, 

The 
N  O  T  £  5.  ^ 

Earthquakes,  when  the  Earth 
opens  and  gapes,  Water  for  the 
moft  part  breaks  out,  almoit  in 
the  fame  Manner,  as  it  works  it 
felf  into  a  Ship  that  has  fprung  a 
Leak.  But  Lucretius  believes 
that  the  Earth  iliakes,  by  realbn 
of  huge  Pieces  of  it,  that  break 
off  and  fall  down  into  a  Cavern 
of  Water  :  as,  for  Example,  a 
Veflel  full  of  Water  can  not  re- 
main without  Motion,  if  the  Wa- 
ter it  contains,  fludtuate  ;  till 
that  Water  ceafes  its  Agitation, 
and  be  at  reft.  Thus  he  feems 
to  fpeak  after  the  Opinion  of 
Thales,  who  held  that  the  Earth 
floats  in  Water, 

562.  Befides,  &C.3  In  thefe  20. 
V.  he  propofes  the  Wind  as  a 
third  Caufe  of  Earthquakes,  and 
fays,  that  the  Wind,  ruiliing  into 
the  Caverns  of  the  Earth,  makes 
it  incline^and,  as  it  were,  drives  it 
forward  :  But  fince  the  Blaft  is 
not  continued  on  [for  if  it  were 
the  whole  Earth  would  fly  before 
the  driving  V^iolence]  and  iince, 
fometimes  meeting  with  oppofiti- 
on,  it  is  repell'd,  and  goes  back, 
the  Earth,  after  feveral  fluctua- 
ting Motions,  fettles  again  in  its 
antient  former  Seat.  But  by  this 
fluctuation  of  the  Earth,  Build- 
ings are  Iliaken  and  tumbled  to 
the  Ground. 

To  this  fortof  Earthquake  may 
bereferr'd,  that  amazing  Prodi- 
gy, which  Pliny,  from  the  Au- 
thority of  the  Thufcan  Books  re- 
lates of  two  Mountains  in  the 
Countrey  of  Modena,  which, 
Lucius  Marcius  and  Sextus  Ju- 
lius being  Confults,  met,  and 
bmced     againft     each     other , 

making 


^7.  Or  elfe,   ^c]    Another 
auie  of  Earthquakes,  and  which 
;  afcribes  to  Water,  is  contain'd 
thefe  5.  V.  to  this  Effecft.     If 
vaft    quantity   of  Earth    fall 
)wn  into  a  great  Pool  of  Wa- 
r,  it  will  caufe  an  Agitation  in 
at  Water,  and   that  Agitation 
ay  caufe  a  ftaggering  or  reeling 
the  Earth,  that  contains  that 
ater,  as  in  a  VelTeL 
>emocritus,  as  Ariftotle,  lib.  2. 
Rebus  Superis  witnelTes,  was 
Opinion,  that  the  Earth,  fince 
abounds  with  Water,  and  ad- 
its into  its  Bowels  a  great  quan- 
:y  of  Rain,  is  mov'd  and  fliaken 
/  it :  For,  becaufe  the  Cavities 
in  not  contain  all  the   Water, 
le  Earth    fwells    and   increafes 
th  it :    and  thus  the  Water, 
Ircing  its  way  into  the  Earth, 
ufes  an   Earthquake  :  and   the 
Urth  growing  dry,  and  attracft- 
g  the  Water  from  the  Places, 
I  at  are  full,  into  thofe  that  are 
ipty,  is  mov'd  by  the  Water, 
at   changes    place,   and  glides 
pm    one  into    another.    Thus 
picurus      in    Seneca  ,    lib.    6. 
jp.  20.  Ergo,  ut  ait   Epicurus, 
Vteft  terram   movere    aqua,    fi 
lirtes  aliquas  eluit    &  abrafit, 
libus  dehit  pofle  excavatis  fu- 
meri,  quod   mtegris  ferebatur. 
ihus  in  A.  Geliius,  lib.  2.   cap. 
the  Poets  feign,    that  Nep- 
me,  that  is,  Water,  is  the  Mo- 
r  and   Shaker  of   the  Earth  : 
o  this  likewife  may  be  referr'd 
e  Opinion  of  Thales,  that  the 
irth  is    fupported   by  Water, 
id  fometimes  runs  adrift,  and 
»ats,like  a. Ship,  got  loofc  from 
r  Anchor,     And  indsgd ,   in 


68o  LUCRETIUS.  BookV 

The  Earth  that  way  inclines:  then,  fixe  before, 
565  Our  Houses  nod  ;  the  higher  nod  the  more  : 

The  hanging  Beams  ftart  from  the  tott 'ring  Wall 

"We  fly  our  Houfes,  and  we  dread  the  Fall. 

And  yet  fome  think  the  World  will  ne  er  decay  ; 

The  fcatter'd  Seeds,  diflblv'd,  flie  all  away ; 
570  Tho'  thefe  few  fighting  Winds  with  eafe  difplace 

The  heavy  Earth,  and  turn  the  weighty  Mass. 

For  did  thefe  ftill  rufh  on,  no  Force  could  ftay 

The  coming  Ruin  j  all  would  foon  decay  : 


Bi 


NOTES. 


making  a  dreadful  Noife,  and 
cafting  out  Smoke  and  Fire  into 
the  Air,  and  then  retiring  :  he 
adds,  that  this  was  feen  by  rna- 
ny  Romans  from,  the  ^milian 
Way.  Namq^ue  montes  duo  in- 
ter fe  concurrerunt  crepitu  mag- 
no  alTultantes  ;  inter  eos  flam- 
ma  fumoque  in  coelum  exe- 
unte  interdiu  ;  fpecflante  e  via 
Emilia  magna  Equitum  Ro- 
manorum  familiarumque  Sc 
viatorum  multitudine,  Plin.  lib. 
2.  cap.  83.  Moreover:  The  fort 
of  Earthquake,  which  Lucretius 
here  fpeaks  of,  is  that,  which  they 
call  Epiclintes,  or  Inclinator  : 
and  is  compar'd  to  the  nodding 
Motion  of  a  VelTel  in  the  Water. 
But  AriHotle  allows  only  two 
forts  of  Earthquakes  :  which  he 
calls  a  Trembling,  and  a  Pulfi- 
on  :  The  Trembling  is  compar'd 
to  the  fliaking  that  liezes  us  in  a 
Fit  of  an  Ague  :  The  Pulfion,  to 
the  Beating  of  the  Arteries  : 
Kow  becaufe  this  laft  feenis  to  be 
a  Succuffion  of  the  Earth,  while 
it  is  iliaken,  or  an  intermitting 
and  perpendicular  Motion  :  And 
becaufe  the  Trembling  feems  to 
be  without  IntermiiTion,  and  a 
lateral,  or  fidelong  Motion  j 
t'lerefore  fome  bethought  theni- 
felves  of  this  fort  of  Earthquake, 
■which  they  call  an  Inclination, 
v/hile  the  Earth  inclines  and  nods 
towards  the  Horizon,  This  in- 
clining Earthquake  is  mention'd 


by  Milton  in  Paradife  Loft,  B.\ 
As  if,  fays  he. 

Winds  under-groundj  or  Wat< 

forcing  Way 
Side  long,  had  pufli'd  a  Mounta 

from  his  Seat 
Half  funk  with  all  his  Pines.— 

572.  For  did,  Sec."]  To  tl 
purpofe  Ovid  fpeaking  of  t 
Winds,  fays  ; 

His  quoque  non  paflim  mun- 
fabricator  habendum 

A  era  perniilit.     Vix  nunc  ob 
ftitur  illis. 

Cum  fua  quifque  regant  divei 
flamina  tradu, 

Quin  lament  Mundum. 

Met.  I .  V.  5 

Nor    were  thefe  bluft'ring  Bl 

thren  left  at  large. 
O'er  Seas  and  Shores  their  Fu 

to  difcharge  : 
Bound  as  they  are,   and  circUi 

fcrib'd  in  Place, 
They  rend  the  World,  refifti 

where  they  pafs.  Dr) 

And  Virgil  yet  more  clofely 
the  Senfe  of  Lucretius  i  fays,  tl 
^olus 

Lu(ftantes  ventos,  tempeftatefq 

fonoras 
Imperio  premit,  ac  vinclis&ci 

cere  fr*^nat,  Bin,  I.  v. « 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  6Si 

Buc  fince  they  prefs  but  now  and  then,  their  Courfe 
575  Now  here,  now  there,  now  fly  with  mighty  Force, 
^       And,  then  repell'd,  return  with  weaker  Wings, 
The  Earth  oft  threatens  Ruin,  feldom  brings : 
Inclining  only  from  its  ufual  Plain, 
Then  turns,  and  fettles  in  its  Seat  again  : 
580  And  therefore  Houses  nod,  and  feem  to  fall  • 
High,n3oft;  low,  lefs;  theloweft,  lead  of  all. 
Buc  more ;  the  Earth  may  fhake,  when  Winds  begin 
(Or  rais'd  without  in  Air,  or  bred  within) 
To  rage  thro*  hollow  Caves,  and,  whirling  round,o  \ 
585  Endeavour  ftill  to  force  the  narrow  Bound,  > 

At  laft  break  thro*,  and  leave  a  gaping  Wound.  5^ 

Thus  ^ G ^Ef  thus  P HOEN  ici^u  Towns  did  fall. 
The  greedy  Earth  gap'd  wide,  and  fwallow'd  all : 

Beiides 

NOTES. 


"Ti  faciat,   mare  ac   terras,  cce- 

lumq;  profundum 
^ippe  feranc  rapidi  fecum,  ver- 

rancque  per  auras.  v.  6-^. 

iVTith  Pow'r  imperial  curbs  the 

ftruggling  Winds, 
ind  founding  Tempefts  in  darlc 

Prifons  binds : 
i^hich  did  he  not,  their  unrelift- 

ed  Sway 
sT^ouId  fweep  the  World  before 

them  in  their  Way  : 

arthj  Air,  and  Seas  thro'  empty 

Space  would,  roul, 

nd  Heav'n  would  fly  before  the 

driving  Soul.  Dryd. 

582.  But  more,  &c.]    In  thefe 

: .  V*  he  fays,  that  this  Inclina- 

on  and  fluctuating  Motion  of 

lie  Earth,  is  often  attended  with 

I  violent  Beating,  and  Succuflion 

*ic  :  for  if  the  Wind  break  thro' 

,:e  Caverns ,    and    cleave    the 

jarth,  then  Cities,  Iflands,  Sec. 

gether  with   all  their   Inhabi- 

nts,are  ingulph'd  and  fwallow'd 

>  in  the  hideous  Chafm  :  But  if 

e  Wind  do  not  break  ,thro' 
1  sm,  there  is  then  only  a  Trem- 
;ing,  or,  as  it  were,  a  fliudd'ring 

che  £»rth,  which  i^  caws'd  by 


the  chilling  Wind,  that  is  dif- 
fus'd  thro'  all  its  Pores.  Now 
tho'  there  feem  but  little  or  no 
danger  to  be  apprehended  from  a 
bare  Trembling  of  the  Earth  on- 
ly, yet  it  may  be  join'd  with  the 
other  forts  of  Earthquakes  :  Nor 
can  any  one  be  certain,  but  thac 
the  Trembling  may  be  often  re- 
peated, and  that  too  v;ith  ftiU 
more  and  moreViolence,fo  astoo- 
verthrow  the  Buildings,  and  make 
the  Earth  gape  a  lit  tie.  Seneca  fays, 
thac  Epicurus  held  Wind  to  be 
the  chief  Caufe  of  Earthquakes, 
Nullam  tamen  placet  Epicuro 
caufam  efTe  majorem,  quam  fpi* 
ritum.  Nat.  Qiiseft.  lib.  ^* 
cap.  20. 

587.  -Sgs]  The  Name  of  fe- 
veral  Towns.  I.  in  Macedonia, 
not  far  from  the  River  Halyac- 
mon,  and  where  the  Kings  of 
Macedonia  were  bury'd,  Plin* 
lib.  4..  c.  10.  II.  In  Cilicia,  oa 
the  Banks  of  the  River  Pyramus, 
now  Malmifl:ra ,  Plin.  lib.  5* 
cap.  27.  III.  In  j^olia,  Plin. 
lib.  5.  c.  50.  IV.  In  Euboea, 
now  call'd  Negroponte.  and  from 
which  Strabo  lays  the  ^g^an  Sea 
took  its  Name.  V-  In  Lydia* 
VI.  In  TEtolia.  VII.  In  Locris, 
S  f  f  f  Steph, 


6Bz 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI. 

Befides,  a  thoufand  Towns,  a  thoufand  Ifles, 
590  Whilft  cruel  Eddies  dimpled  into  Smiles, 

Have  fail'n,  all  fwallow  d  by  the  greedy  Main, 
And  poor  Inhab'tants  ftrove  for  Life  in  vain. 
But  if  the  Vapour's  cold,  too  weak  the  Wind 
To  force  a  Way,  if  by  ftrong  Bounds  confined, 


NOTES. 


* 


Steph.  But  Lucretius  fpeaks  ofj  Town,  is  confirmed  by  Poflido- 
JE^x  in  Achaia,  and  which  islnius,  who  in  Strabo  writes,  That 
commonly  call'd  ^gira,  Plin. la  City,  fituate  above  Sidon,  was 
lib.  4.  c.  5.  And  the  Earthquake  j  totally  fwallow'd  up  by  an  Earth- 
which  the  Poet  here  mentions,  is! quake,  and  that  near  half  of  Si 
perhaps  the  fame,  of  which  Ari-  f  don  itfelf  was  thrown  down.  Bu 


ilotle,  lib,  2.  Meteor,  c.  8.  and 
fome  others  of  the  Antients  make 
mention,  and  fay,  that  two  great 
Towns,  noc  far  from  ^gira,  and 
whofe  Names  were  Helice  and 
Bura,  were  fwallow'd  up  by  an 
Earthquake :  Of  which  Ovid. 
Mecani.  1 5,  v.  2513, 

Si  quseras  Helicen  &  Buran,  A- 

chaidas  urbes, 
Invenies  fub  aquis ;  &  adhuc  of- 

tertdere  nautss 
Inclinata   folent    cum  moenibus 

oppida  merfis. 

Phoenician  Towers]  Lbcretius 
mentions  Sidon,  a  City  of  Phce- 
nicja,  one  of  the  Provinces  of  Sy- 
ria ;  and  which  was  built  by  the 
Tyrians,  who  at  firft  inhabited 
the  midil  of  the  Countrey,  where 
being    afflided    with    continual 
Earthquakes,  they  left  their  A- 
bodesj  and  built  a  new  City  near 
the  Sea-fliore.  and  call'd  ic  Sidon, 
from  the  great  Plenty  of  Fiili, 
with  which    the    Sea  abounded. 
3For  Sidon  ia  the  Phoenician  Lan- 
guage fignifies  a  Fiili.  Tyriorum 
gens  condita  a  Phcenicibus  fuir, 
terr^e  mocu  vexati,  reli(flo  patri£e 
JToIo,  AlTyrium  ftagnum   primo, 
inox  mari  proximum  littus  inco- 
luerunt,  condita  ibi  urbe,  quam 
a  pifcium  ubertate  Sidona  apel- 
faverunt.     Nam  pifcem  Phosnices 
Sidon  vocant.     Juftin,    lib.     18. 
And  whst  Lucreeius  fsys  of  this 


notwithftanding  thefe    Authori 
ties,  Faber  believes,  that  fome  o 
ther  Earthquake  is  meant  in  thi 
Place.  For,  fays  he,  that  Paflag* 
of  Juftin  is  taken  erroneoully 
For  Juftin  is  not  (peaking  of  tha 
Earthquake,  which  threw  dowi 
the  Town  of  Sidon  :  but  of  that 
which  did  great  Mifchief  to  th 
Phoenicians,    not  on  the  Coal 
where  Sidon  ftood,    but  in  th 
Countrey  of  the  Idumeans  :    Fc 
the  Phoenicians  of  Juftin  are  tl 
Idumeans  :  and  Herodotus,  PI 
ny,  and   Dionyfius  the   Africai 
Witnefs,  that  they  were  origina 
ly  Inhabitants  of  the  Coaft  of  tt 
Red  Sea  :  To  which  he  adds,  th«  ] 
by  the  Stagnum  AiTyrium  of  Ji 
ftin,  is  meant  that  very  Seac 
Lake,  which  in  Holy  Scripture . 
call'd,  the  Lake  of  Gennefaretl 
Sidon  is  the  Port  in  the  Meditei 
ranean,  now  call'd  Sayde. 

58?.  Beiides,  &rc.2  Pliny,  HI 
2.  cap.  80.  mentions  twelve  C 
ties  of  Alia,  that  v/ere  deftroy' 
by  an  Earthquake,  all  in  on 
Night.  The  like  happen'd  n(j 
many  Years  ago  to  the  City  i( 
San  Severoin  Apulia,now  Puglii 
and  part  of  Ragufa  was  latdl 
fwallow'd  up. 

5^c.  Whilft  cruel,  &c.]  Ifch 
Verfe  were  left  out,  the  Senfe  <j 
Lucretius  would  not  be  interruj 
ted,  nor  imperfed: :  Therefi)i| 
Creech  might  have  left  it  whei 
he  found  ic :  Cowley,  David. 

Tht 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIVS.  68; 

595  ^^  Tpreads  oerall  the  Pores  the  Earth  contains," 
And  brings  a  fliivVing  Cold  thro'  all  the  Veins  ; 
As  when  Frost  comes,  it  brings  a  trembling  Chill, 
And  makes  our  Members  (kikc  againft  our  Will  j 
Then  Men  begin  to  fear,  and  wifely  dread, 

600  And  fly  the  Tow'rs  that  nod  their  threat'ning  Head  : 
Or  elfe  they  think  the  Earth  will  fail;  the  Ground 
Will  gape,  and  all  fink  thro'  the  mighty  Wqimd. 

Ev'n  thofe,  who  think  the  "World  muft  ftill  endure. 
Eternal  ftill,  from  Fate  and  Age  fecure, 

(605  Yet  often,  waken'd  by  the  prefent  Fear, 
Start  all,  and  think  the  Diffolution  near  : 
They  think  the  Earth  will  link,  the  "World  will  fall  5 
And  Ruine  and  Confufion  fpread  o'er  all. 

Now  I  muft  (ing,  my  Muse,  why  greedy  Seas 

(5io  Devour  the  "Water  ftill,  yet  ne*er  increafe  ; 

For  it  feems  ftrange,  that  'Rivers  ftill  fliould  flow,' 
And  run  for  numerous  Years  as  much  as  now  ; 
And,  tho*  they  daily  bring  a  mighty  Store,  y 

The  fpacious  Ocean  fhould  increafe  no  more,  j> 

615  But  ftill  be  bounded  with  the  former  Shore  ; 


And 


NOTES. 


The  Terrour  of  tKeir  Brows,  fo 

rough  e'er  while. 
Sunk  down  into  the  Dimples  of  a 

Smile. 

'^,96.  A  Aiv*ring  Gold]  Lucr. 
Difpertitur,  ut  horror.  Which 
Celfus,  lib.  3.  cap.  3.  fpeaking  of 
Feavers,  explains :  interpreting 
Horrour  to  be  a  trembling  of  the 
wjiole  Body,  Horrorem  voco, 
Jays  he,  ubi  totum  corpus  intre- 
mit. 

503.  Ev'n  thofe,  &C.3  In  thefc 
6.  V.  he  in fults  over  thofe,  who 
believe  the  World  eternal  and 
immortal  ;  even  tho'  they  per- 
ceive the  Earth,  that  great  {)art 
of  it,  to  be  thus  fliaken  and  im- 
pair'd  ;  nay,  tho'  they  themfelves 
fear  the  Diflblution  and  Ruin  of 
the  whole  Frame. 

609.  Now,  &c.]  Since  fo  many 
and  fo  great  Rivers  are  continu- 
ally difcharging  their  Waters  into 


the  Sea,  why  does  it  not  increaft, 
and  overflow  its  Bounds  ?  Lucre- 
tius anfwers  in  II.  V.  I.  That 
the  Gulph,  into  which  the  Ri- 
vers  difembogue  their  Streams,  is 
fo  vaft,  that  all  their  Waters,  to- 
gether with  the  Rain,  Snow, 
Hail,  &c.  feem  not  to  add  one 
Drop  to  the  Sea  :  II.  In  9.  v. 
That  the  Sun  drinks  up  a  great 
deal  of  its  Moiilure  :  III.  hi 
5.  v.  That  the  Winds  bruih  o^ 
and  carrv  away  no  fmall  quanti- 
ty :  IV.  in4.  V.  That  the  C  loads 
take  fomeaway  :  And  V.  in  8.  v. 
That  as  the  Rivers  run  into  the 
Sea,  fo  they  are  reconvey'd  from 
thence  thro'  the  hidden  Veins  of 
the  Earth,  back  to  their  own 
Springs  :  Thus  the  Waters  roul 
in  a  revolving  Courfe,  and  there- 
fore no  wonder  the  Sea  does  noc 
increafe. 

Thus  too  the  Authour  of  Ec- 

clefiaf.folves  this  Queftion:  Om- 

?  f  f  f  ^  Vi\^ 


684  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

And  yet  it  is  not  ftrange :  for  these,  the  Rain, 
And  all  the  Moisture  that  the  Clouds  contain. 
Scarce  feem  a  Drop,  compar'd  to  fpacious  Seas  j 
No  wonder  then  the  Waves  do  ne  er  increafe. 

'4lo     Befides;  the  Sun  draws  much ;  the  firy  Ray 
Defcends,  and  forces  many  Parts  away  : 
For  Senfe  affures,  that  when  the  bufy  Beams 
Prefs  moiftend  Clouds,  the  Vapours  rife  in  Streams 
Therefore  from  fpacious  Seas  the  Rays  muftbear 

'^15  More  watry  Parts,  and  fcattcr  thro'  the  Air: 

But  now,  tho*  here  and  there  few  Parts  arife,  7 

Yet  a  vaft  fpacious  Mass  of  Water  flies  / 

From  the  whole  Sea,  and  fpreads  o'er  all  the  Skies.  J 

And  then  the  Winds  take  fome,  with  wanton  Play 

<53o  They  dip  their  Wings,  and  bear  fome  Parts  away  : 
This  Senfe  declares  5  for  often  after  Rain,  r> 

In  one  fhort  Night,  if  Winds  fweep  o*er  the  Plain,  > 
The  Dirt  grows  hard,  the  Ways  are  dry'd  again.      3 
Befides;  as  Winds  drive  on  the  low- hung  Clouds, 

635  And  make  them  skim  the  Surface  of  the  Floods, 
They  take  fome  Drops  away  ;  and  thefe  compofe 
And  fall  to  JEarth,  in  Hail,  in  Rain,  and  Snows. 

And  fince  the  Earth  is  rare,  and  full  of  Pores,' 
And  Waves  ftill  beat  againft  the  neighb  ring  Shores, 

640  As  Rivers  run  from  Earth,  and  fill  the  Main, 
So  fome  thro'  fecret  Pores  return  again  : 
Thefe  lofe  their  Salt,  and  thro' fmali  Channels  fpread. 
Then  join  where-e'er  the  Fountain  fhews  her  Head : 
Hence  Streams  arife,  in  fair  Me^kd er  s  play, 

645  And  thro'  the  Vallies  cut  their  liquid  way.  ; 

Now 
NOTES, 

ma.  fiumina  intrant  in  mare,  &  I  creafe,  the  Poet  has  given  alreaijT; 
mare  nbn  redundat,  quoniam  ad  j  B.  V.  v,  300. 

629.  And  then  J  &c.]  This  Rea- 
fon  too  we  have  feen  before,  in 
B.  V.  V.  302.  and  v.  432. 

<538.  And  fince,&:c.3  Thislaft 
and  true  Reafon,  why  the  Sea 
does  not  increafe,  the  Poet  has 
likewife  given  already,  B.  V. 
v.  306, 

6^2.  Thefe  lofe,  Sec,"]  This  and 
the  three  following  Verfes  are  re- 
peated from  B.  V.  v.  30$.  Con- 
fult  the  Place,  and  Notes  upon  it. 

^44^  Meanders}  Of  this  we  have 

Ipoken 


locurn,  unde  exeunt  flumina  re- 
vertuntur  5  ut  iterum  fluant. 
Ecc!.  I.  And  for  this  reafon 
Homer  and  the  other  Poets  call 
Oceanus,  not  only  the  Origine 
and  Parent  of  all  Seas,  Rivers, 
Fountains,  Lakes,  dec.  but  the 
Gulph  and  Tartarus  of  them  all 
likewife  :  For  all  Rivers  flow  in- 
to that  Abyfs,  and  from  thence 
again  derive  their  Origine. 

670.  Befides,  &c.]  This  fecond 
E-eafoDj  why^the  Sea  does  not  in^ 


Book  Vi:  LUCRETIUS.  6Sf 

Now  next,  why  ^  r  n  ^  burns,  and  why  the  Flame 
Breaks  forth  in  Whirls,  and  whence  the  Fury  came  : 
For  fure  *iis  fond  to  think  that  Flames  arife, 
Direded  by  the  angry  Deities, 
^5 0  To  wafte  fair  S icur,  and  burn,  and  fpoil 
The  Farmer's  Hopes,  and  Fruits  of  all  his  Toil, 
Whilft  all  the  neighb'ring  Nations  ftood  amazed/ 
Opprefs'd  with  anxious  Fear,  and  wildly  gaz'd  : 
TheHEAv'N,  allfpread  with  Flames,they  flock*d  to  viewj 
$55  And  wonder'd  what  vex'd  Nature  meant  to  do. 

But 
NOTES, 


poken  at  large  in  the  Note  on 
B.  V.  V.  308. 

6^6.  Now  next,  &c.3  Lucretius 
lavJng,  as  he  thinks,  fufficiently 
xplain'd  the  Caufes  of  Meteors, 
>t  Earthquakes,  and  offome  of 
he  Pha:nomenons  of  the  Sea,  he 
low  endeavours  to  Hiew  the  Cau- 
es  of  the  other  Wonders  of  Na- 
ure,  which  he  fufpeds  may  create 
Belief  of  the  Gods,  and  of  di- 
ine  Providence.    And  firit    in 
9,  v.  he  difputes  of  the  Fires  of 
vlount  ^tna,    which;,    fays   he, 
ho'  they   fometimes  burft    out 
vith  great  Violence,and  lay  wafte 
he  llland  of  Sicily,  ou^ht  not 
leverthelefs  fo  much  to  iurprize 
IS,  as  to  make  us  fooliflily  be- 
ieve  they  furpafs  the  Strength  of 
!^ature.     Some  may  fay  that  the 
i^lames  are  vaft  indeed,  and  their 
^orce    wonderful,    becaufe  they 
ee  no  other  like  them  ;  but  in 
nany  Things  we  are  deceiv'd,  by 
udging  over-haft  ily  of  them.    If 
ve  contemplate  the  infinite  Uni- 
ferie,  there  is  nothing  that  can 
3e  faid  to  be  great,  nothing  that 
^eferves  our  Admiration  :     For 
from  that  Univerfe  may  flow-  to- 
gether, on  a  fuddain  an  infinite 
quantity  of  the  Seeds  of  Fire,  or 
)f  Wind,  and  they,  gatheriiig  to- 
gether in  a  Body  in  Mount  ^tna, 
3r  in  any  other  Mountain,  may 
Illume  Strength    and   Violence, 
|nay  caufe  Earthquakes,  may  at 
ength  burft  out,  and  fcatter  far 
and  wide.  Smoke,  Flame,  Aihes, 
ind  Coak  of  Fire.    But  thefe  E- 


ruptions  are,  as  it  were,  the  Di- 
feafes  and  Convulfions  of  this 
World  :  And  as  the  Seeds  of  Di- 
feafes  may  be  derived,  and  flow 
out  of  this  World  into  Man, 
[for  we  are  often  in  Fcavers,  our 
Teeth  ake,  dec/]  fo  may  they 
likewife  out  of  the  Univerfe  into 
this  World  :  For,  to  make  a  Com- 
parifon,  a  Man  is  in  refpecft  to 
this  World,  what  the  World  is 
in  refpecft  to  the  Univerfe. 

\Stna]  Of  i^tna,  the  greatefl 
Mountain  of  Sicily  ,  and  now 
calPd  Mongibello,  befides  what 
is  contained  in  this  Difputation, 
and  the  Notes  upon  i^,  fee  B.  I. 
y.  742. 

d[5o.Sicily3  An  Ifland  of  Italy, 
and  the  largeft  of  all  the  Ifland s, 
in  the  Mediterranean  Sea  :  being 
according  to  the  modern  Geo- 
graphers, at  leaft  700  Miles  in 
l-ompafs.  See  the  reft  B.  I. 
V.  737. 

(554..  Spread  with  flames]  That 
Mount  S^tna  throws  out  Fire, 
Flames  and  Aflies,almoft  all  Au- 
thours  witnefs  ;  but  chiefly  St. 
Auftin^  lib.  3.  de  Civitate  Dei, 
cap.  31 ,  in  thefe  Words  ;  Legi- 
mus  apud  eos,  ^tiiejs  ignibus  ab 
ipfo  montis  vertice  ulque  ad  lit- 
tusproximum  ciecurrentibus  ira 
fervifl^e  mare,  ut  rupes  exureren- 
tur,  &c  pices  navium  folverentur. 
Hoc  utique  non  leviter  noxium 
fuit,  quamvis  incredibiliter  mi- 
rum.  Eodem  rurfus  ignium  xftu 
tanta  vi  favilla;  icripferunt  opple- 
1  tarn  qSq  Siciliam;  ut  Cataneniis 

yrbisL 


6S6 


LUCRETIUS. 


BookV] 


But  if  you  look  about  on  ev'ry  fide, 
Confider  that  the  Whole's  immenfely  wide  ; 
Then  view  the  arched  Skies,  and  fee  how  fmall,      n 
And  mean  a  Portion  of  the  fpacious  All  ,  ^ 

<66o  How  little  Man,  compar  d  to  Earth's  vaft  Ball  !    j 
You  then  will  find  your  Fears  and  Cares  decreafe, 
Your  Jealoufies,  and  Admiration  ceafe. 
For  who  admires  to  fee  a  Patient  fweat. 
Or  hear  him  groan,  when  fcorch'd  by  Feaver  s  Heai 

J$65  Or  when  the  Foot,  or  Eye  is  vex'd  with  Pains, 
Or  any  hot  Disease  fpread  o'er  the  Veins  ? 
And  this,  becaufe  there  lie  vaft  Stores  of  Seed 
In  Heav'n,  and  Earth,  all  fit,  all  apt  to  breed 
Such  ftrange  and  vexing  Pains  ;  or  elfe  encreale 

[670  The  noxious  Flame,  and  feed  the  ftrong  Disease: 
So  you  may  think  the  Mass  fends  great  Supplies, 
And  ftores  of  Seed  thro*  all  our  Earth  and  Skies,' 

Sufficien 

N  O  T  £  5. 


urbis  tecfia  obruta,  &  opprefla  di- 
ruerintj  qua    calamitate  permoti 
mifericopditer  ejufdem  anni  tri- 
butum    ei    relaxavere    Romani. 
"We  read,    fays  he,  that  Mount 
JEtna  has  caft  out  Fires  with  fuch 
Violence,  that  they  have   flown 
even  to  the  Sea-fide,  heated  the 
Waters  of  the    Sea,    burnt    the 
Hocks,  and  melted  the  Pitch  of 
the  Ships  :  This,  tho*  incredibly 
wonderful,  muft  have  done  much 
Dammage.    They  write  befiides, 
that  theCountrey  round,  is  fome- 
times  overwhelm'd  with  the  vafl: 
quantity  of  Cinders    it  throws 
out :  and  that  the  Roofs  of  the 
Houfes  at  Catana  [a  City  ten 
Miles  diftant  from  ^tna]  were 
broken  down  by  the  Weight  of 
the  Cinders,  that  fell  upon  them  : 
infomuchthat  the  Romans,  com- 
miferating  the  Condition  of  the 
Inhabitants,    forgave    them  the 
Tribute  of  that  Year.  Thus  too, 
the  Mountains,  Vefuvius  in  Na- 
ples, Hecla  in  Illand,  and  Qin't 
-in  Peru,  fometimes  cjed    Coals 
and   Flames.    Cicero  fays,   thaCl 
Mount  ^tnahas  caft  out  fomuch 
Smoke  among  the  Flames,  gj  has 


darkened  the  Couiitrey  round  t 
that  degree,  that  the  Inhabitant 
for  two  Days  together  could  nc 
know  one  another.  Nos  autei 
tenebras  cogitemus  tantas,  quar 
t£B  quondam  eruptions  JEtnx< 
rum  ignium  flnitimas  Region 
obfcuravifTe  dicuntur,  ut  per  b 
duum  nemo  hominem  homo  at 
nofceret,  lib.  2.  de  Natur^  Dec 
rum.  And  Pliny  the  young< 
winefTes  in  his  Epiftles,  that  h 
Unkle,  the  preat  Pliny,  was  fvk 
focated  by  the  Smoke,  Stones  an 
Cinders ,  that  Vefuvius  ha 
thrown  out.  Appian,  lib.  $.  <3 
Bello  civili,  adds  horrid  Noife 
and  Lucretius  takes  notice  of  ^ 
thefe  Things,  and  more,  as  ^ 
fliall  fee  by  and  by. 
666,   Or  any,  &c.]    Lucxel 

Exiftit  facer  ignis,  &  urit  corpo| 

re  ferpens 
Quamcunque     arripuit   partCJlj 

repitque  per  artus. 

Where  the  Poet  defcribes  the  Dll 
feafe  which  the  Latines  call  Sace 
Ignis  ;  the  Greeks,  '£pycr/Vs>iOts; 
and  wCa  Su  Ar^hony's  fire.  C^' 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS^  687 

Sufficient  to  raife  Storms,  to  ihake  the  Frame,^ 
Raife  /Etk^'s  Fires,  and  cover  Skies  with  Flame  : 

575  For  that  appears,  when  Seeds  of  Flame  combine. 
As  Rain,  and  Clouds,  when  Drops  of  Water  join: 
You'll  fay  the  Fire's  too  ftrong,  the  Flame  too  great: 
A  vain  ObjeiSiion  this,  and  Fanfy's  Cheat : 
Thus  he,  that  views  a  River,  Man,  or  Tree, 

$80  Or  elfe  whatever  'tis  he  chance  to  fee, 

Strait  thinks  them  great,  becaufe,  perhaps,  he  knowi 
No  larger  Streams,  no  greater  Things  than  thofe : 
Yet  thefe,  and  all  the  fpacious  Skies  controul. 
Are  fmalJ,  and  nothing  to  the  ftiighty  Whole.^ 

585      Now  why  the  Flames  break  forth 

Firft  then,  this  ^th  ^s  Cave's  a  mighty  one ; 
A  fpacious  Hollow,  and  all  arch'd  with  Stone  : 


Thi? 


f^  O  T  E  S. 


us,  lib.  5.  CAp.  20.  calls  it  an 
dcerous  Difeafe  :  Sacer  ignis, 
ays  he,  malis  ulceribus  annume- 
•ari  debet.     Virgil.   Georg.    3. 


Contacf^os  artus  facer 


ignis  edebac, 

But  of  this  Difeafe,  fee  at  large 
Celfus  in  the  Place  above-cited, 
md  Paulus  ^gineta,  lib.  4.  cap. 
20. 

<?74,  And  cover  Skies  with 
Flame  0  Of  the  firy  Eruptions  of 
^tna,  Virgil,  ^neid.  3, ^v.  571. 

(Interdumque  atram    prorumpit 

ad  sethera  nubem, 

iirbine  fumantem  piceo,  &  can- 

dente  favilla : 
lAttollitque  globos  flammarum, 

&  fydera  lambit  : 
Jjoterdura  fcopulos  avulfaque  vif- 

cera  mentis 

Erigit    erudans  ,    liquefadaque 

faxa  Tub  auras 
Cum  gemitu  glomerat,  fundoqj 

exseliuit  imo. 

Thus  render'd  by  Dryden  : 


By  Turns,  a  pitchy  Cloud  ihc 

rouls  on  high, 
By  Turns,  hot  Embers  from 

her  Entrails  fly. 
And     Flakes     of     mounting 

Flames,  that  lick  the  Sky  :  _ 
Oft  fromiher  Bowels  mafly  Rocks 

are  thrown, 
And,  iliiver'd  by  the  Force,  come 

piece-meal  down : 
Oft  liquid  Lakes  of  burning  Sul- 
phur flow  ; 
Fed  from  the  firy  Springs,  that 

boil  below. 

But  of  thefe  Eruptions,  fee  at 
large  Cluveriua,  de  Sicili^,  lib.  i, 
cap.  2. 

685.  Now  why,  &C.3  In  thefe 
30.  v.  the  Poet  explains  the  Rea- 
fon,  why  the  Flames, that  are  ga- 
ther'd  together  in  the  Cavities  of 
Mount  ^tna,  burfl:  out  with  Co 
great  Violence  :  He  fays,  That 
the  Eruption  is  caus'd  by  the 
Force  of  Wind  :  That  the  Seeds 
of  that  Wind  come  from  the  in- 
finite Univerfe,  and,  gathering  to- 
gether in  the  Mountain  ^c- 
na,  drive  out  either  the  Flames, 
that  lurk  within  the  Bowels  of  the 
Mountain^or  thofe  they  ftrike  and 

force 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI 


■690 


This  fwells  with  Winds,  which  whirl  and  tumble  there 
(For  Wind  is  nothing  elfe  but  trpubled  Air^ 
When  thefe,  by  whirling  round  the  arched  Frame, 
Grow  hotj  and  from  the  Flints  ftrike  Sparks  of  Flame 
Then,  proud,  and  furious  too,  and  rifing  higher. 
Break  forth  at  Top,  in  Smoke,  and  Sparks  of  Eire : 

B] 
NOTES. 


fbrce  out  from  the  vet-y  Stones 
of  ic  :  Or  elfe,  that  Wind  ruflies 
in  at  the  Hollows,  that  are  at  the 
Foot  of  the  Mountain,  and  whofe 
Entrances  are  open,  when  the 
ebbing  Sea  leaves  the  Shore  (for 
the  Sea  waflies  the  Foot  of  the 
Mountain)  and  blows  out  the 
flames.  Laftly,  he  fays,  that 
Winds  are  bred  in  the  very  Hol- 
lows of  the  Mountain.  And  then 
he  tells  us,  he  gives  many  Rea- 
fons,  that  among  them,  one  at 
leaft  may  be  true  and  certain. 

By  the  Wind  that  rages  within 
the  Caverns  of  ^tna,  may  be 
underftood  the  fulphurous  and 
bituminous  Exhalations,  which 
are  continually  generated, and  agi- 
tated within  thofe  Hollows ;  and 
which,  when  they  can  no  longer, 
by  reafon  of  their  great  quantity, 
be  contain'd  within  them,  break 
their  Prifon,  and  burft  out  in 
Elames.  Thus  Trogus  in  Servius 
on  the  third  ^neid  :  Nam  Si- 
cilia  terra  cavernofa  &  fiftulofa  : 
Quo  fit,  ut  ventorum  flatibus  pa- 
teat  ;  unde  ignis  concipitur  :  In- 
trinfeci\s  fulphur  habet  &  bitu^ 
men  ;  in  quaz  ubi  ventus  per  fpira- 
menta  cavernarum  incubuit,  diu 
lucflatus  ,  ignem  concipit :  Sic 
^tncE  durat  incendium. 

6B9.  For  Wind,  &c.]  There 
are  three  Opinions  concerning  the 
Wind.  1.  Ariftotle,  Meteor,  lib. 
2.  and  Theophraftus,  as  Olym- 
piodorus,  in  i.  &  2.  Meteor, 
witneilcs,  held  the  Matter  of 
Winds  to  be  an  Exhalation  ari- 
fing  out  of  the  Cavities  of  the 
Earth.  And  this  Opinion  mofl: 
of  the  Philofophers,  fince  them^ 
have  follow 'd,  il.  Others  afcribe 


the  Origine  of  Winds  to  the  Wa 
ter  :  as  Metrodorus,  who  in  PIu 
tarch  de  Placit.  37.  defines  Win< 
to  be  an  Ebullition,  or  violen 
furging  of  a  watry  Vapour  ;  ani 
Vitruvius,  who,  lib.  3.  C  <5.  call 
the  Wind,  Aeris  fluens  unda,  cun 
incertd  motus  redundantia.  II] 
And  others,  held  the  Wind  to  b 
only  an  Agitation  of  the  Air.  O 
this  Opinion  was  Hippocratej 
lib.  I.  de  flatibusjwhere  he  calls  i 
a  violent  Flux  and  Motion  of  th 
Air.  And  with  him  agree  Ani 
maxander  in  Plutarch  3.  de  Pla 
cit.  Philofoph.  7,  Anaxagoras  ii 
Laertius,  Seneca,  lib.  5.  c.  i.  6 
6.  and  Lucretius  in  this  Place 
But  the  Opinion  of  Ariftotle  i 
chiefly  followed  :  And  'tis  gene 
rally  held,  that  in  thofe  Conca 
vities  of  the  Earth,  when  the  Ex 
halations,  which  Seneca  calls  fub 
terranean  Clouds, overcharge  th( 
Place,  the  moift  Vapours  turr 
into  Water,  and  the  dry  int€ 
Wind  :  and  thefe  are  the  fecrei 
Treafures,  out  of  which  God  i< 
faid  in  the  Scripture  to  bring 
them.  This  too  is  what  the 
Poets  meant,  when  they  feign'd. 
that  ^olus  kept  the  Winds,  im- 
prifon'd  in  a  vaft  Cave.  Thus 
Virgil, -S^n.  i.  v.  ^6. 


. 1  Hie  vafto  Rex  TEoIus 

antro 

Ludantesventos,  tempeftatefque 
fonoras 

Imperio  premit,  ac  vinclis  Sc  car- 
cere  fr«nar. 

Upon  which  Seneca  feems  too 
critical,  when  he  fays,  non  intel- 
lexit,  nee  id  quod  claufum  eft, 


Book    VL  LUCRETIUS.  689 

By  the  fame  Force,  ev'n  weighty  Mount  a  ms  rife, 
695  And  whirling  Rocks  cue  thro'  the  wounded  Skies« 
But  more :  this  hollow,  firy  Mountains  Side 
The  Sea  ftili  wafhes  with  impetuous  Tide, 
And,  pafling  thro*  the  Pores,  the  Flame  retires,^ 
The  prefling  Waters  drive  the  yielding  Fires, 
700  And,  force  them  out  5  thefe  raife  large  Clouds  of  Sand,' 
And  fcatter  Stones,  and  Ashes  o  er  the  Land. 

And 
NOTES. 


«fie  adhuc  ventum,  nee  id  quod 
ventiis  eft,  pofTe  claudi :  nam  quod 
in  claufo  eft,  quiefcit,  Sc  aeris 
itatio  eft  :  omnis  in  fuga  ventus 
eft.  For  tho'  it  get  not  out,  it 
is  Wind  as  foon  as  it  ftirs  within, 
and  attempts  to  do  fo.  Juvenal 
in  his  fifth  Satire  defcribes  very 
well  the  South  Wind  in  one  of 
thefe  Dens : 


the  Flames  yield  to  the  driving 
Flood,  which  compels  them  ta 
belchthemfelves  out  at  thebreath- 
ing  Holes  on  the  Summit  of  the 
Mountain.  Our  Tranflatour  has 
totally  omitted  the  two  laft  Ver- 
ges of  this  Argument,  which  in 
the  Original  are  as  follows : 


In  fummo  funt  ventigeni  crateres, 

utipfi 
Nominitant,  nos  quas  fauces  pet*- 

hibemus  Sc  ora. 


"■  Bum  fe  continet  Aufter, 
Dum  fedit,  &ficcat  madidas  in 

carcere  pennas. 
See  more  above  in  the  Note  on  u  e.  On  the  Top  of  the  Moun- 
V.  452.  where  we  have  already   tain,  there  are  certain  Crateres, 
fpolcen  of  the  Caufe  of  Wind  for  fo  the  Greeks  caU  them,    Ba- 

f94..  By  the  fame  Force,  &C.3   fons  or  Cifterns,  but  we,  the  La- 


Milton  in  the  firft  Book  of  Pa- 
radife  Loft : 


^ As  when  the  Force 

Of    fubterranean    Winds    tran- 

Iports  a  Hill 
Torn  from  Pelorus,  or  the  iliat- 

ter'd  Side 
Of  thundering  ^tna,  whofe  com- 

buftible 
And  fuel'd  Entrails  thence  con- 
ceiving Fire, 
Sublim'd  with  min'ral  Fury,  aid 

the  Winds,  ^ 

And  leave  a  finged  Bottom,  all  in- 
I    volv'd 
In  Stench  and  Smoke. 

696.  But  more,  &c.]  In  thefe 
S.  v.  the  Poet  fubjoins  another 
peculiar  Caufe,  why  ^tna  vo- 
'snits  Flame  :  and  fays,  that  the 
>ea  wafhes  the  Foot  of  the  Moun- 


tines,  call  them.  Fauces  and  Ora^ 
Mouths    and    Jaws.    Now    the 
Apertures  of  ^tna  were  call'dL 
Crateres,   becaufe   thro'    them 
Winds    are  almoft    continually 
iHuing  out  of  the  Bowels  of  the 
Mountain  :  Of  this  no  Man  can 
doubt,  if  any  Credit  may  be  gi- 
ven to  Strabo,    who,  in  lib.  6» 
has  thefe  Words  •"Oy?€^'5>^ir/?ov 
eivou  r  ToTTov,  ii^'  opoilov  •  *EiKcl(^m 
re  f^iiSl  JCAlcLm^^mcu  rl  Ivvoi^ 
c*cfl<sre,  ^^  rf   dvliTrYola.S'  tc^v  ^ 
pxx.SaS'  dvi/UioY^  K)    <f  3rsp^«oTn']^, 
viv  '^d^ottTTcit.v Icvv  svMyov  'OToppsjQsr, 

ctv    2!j.Si5<fi9ccpan  'sr^v    ctvappJ9^?>'a« 

'StTflCAfV,     OTToloV    '5rctp£Av!(p9w    'Zc>^'Te* 
£9V*    TO    p^  i^V  iKXHTTOOVf    'TToTiTf^ 


ain  J  and  entering  into  the  Ca-    -      ,^.-    .^, i,  ww,vw,--.;> 

'iCKs  where  the  Fire  is  conceiv'djj  "^oTs  ^  vrng-y  «V  elW^v  «  /y^ 

T  C  t  c  Wi 


690  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V|| 

And  thus  my  Muse  a  Store  of  Caufes  brings  j 
For  here,  as  in  a  thoufand  other  Things, 
Tho*  by  one  fmgle  Cause  th'  Effect  is  done, 
705  Yet  fmce  'tis  hid,  a  thoufand  muft  be  (hewn, 
That  we  may  furely  hit  that  fmgle  one. 
'  As  when  a  Carcass  we  at  Diftance  view 
"We  all  the  various  Means  of  Death  muft  fhew, 
•  That  in  the  Number  wf  may  fpeak  the  true : 
710  For  whether  he  was  kill'd  by  ftrong  Disease, 
Or  Cold,  or  Sword,  tho't  was  by  oneof  thele, 


We 


NOTES. 


yivi§^  r  rt^MCMCTH-ov '  that  is  to 
fay,  For  that  Place  can  neither  be 
approach'd,  nor  look  upon,  and 
that  he  conjecflur'd,  even  that  no- 
thing could  be  thrown  in  it,  be- 
caufe  of  the  oppofite  Blaft  of  the 
Winds  and  Heat,  that  come  from 
the  Bottom  :  which,  'tis  proba- 
ble comes  from  far,  before  it  ap- 
proaches the  Mouth  of  the  Cra^ 
ter  :  But  if  any  thing  were  calt 
in,  the  Figure  it  had,  when  in- 
jeded,  would  be  chang'd  long  be- 
fore it  was  thrown  out  again  :  Be- 
fides,  that  it  is  not  abfurd  to  fay, 
that  if  the  Matter  for  fome  time 
fail,  the  Wind  and  Fire  ceafe  for 
fome  time  likewife  :  but  that  that 
Intermiffion  is  not  fo  great,  that 
any  Man  can  approach  near,  and 
place  himfelfagainft  that  Force. 
Apuleius    likewife     retams    the 
Greek    Word,    and    calls     the 
jMouths  or  Apertures,  by  which, 
Flames,  Smoke,  Stones,  Coals  of 
Fire,  &c.  belch  out  of  this  Moun- 
tain, Crateres :  Ex^tnse  cervici- 
bus  quondam  effufis   crateribus 
fer  declivia,  incendiodivino,  tor- 
s-entis  vice,  flammarum  flumina 
concurrerunt.  Apul.lib.  de  Mun- 
do,  pag.  75.     Now  what  Lucre- 
tius fays  in  thefe  two  Verfes,  is : 
That  the   Wind  enters  into  the 
Caverns,  apt  only  at  the  Aper- 
tures in  the!  Foot  of  the  Moun- 
tain J    but  is  generated  ia  she 


Mouths,  and  breathing  Holes  or 
the  Top  of  it.  Nor,  indeed,  is 
this  in  the  leaft  improbable,  fincf 
nothing  is  more  certain,  than  that 
Air  ruilies  on  all  fides  to  Flame, 
and  thatWind  is  thence  generated. 
Thus  Creech  himfelf  upon  this 
Paffage. 

702.  And  thus,  &c.]  In  thefe 
13.  V.  the  Poet  makes  an  Excufe 
for  his  having  aflign'd  fo  man^ 
Caufes  :  but,  fays  he,  this  is  the 
fafeft  Way  of  proceeding  ir 
doubtful  Things  :  and  among 
them  all,  fome  one  may,  perhaps 
fatisfy  the  Reader  :  and  laftly 
he  confirms  this  Method  by  a  Si- 
militude. We  may  obfcrve  that 
Lucretius  takes  no  notice  of  the 
Snows,  that  are  continually  lying 
on  the  Top  of  this  Mountain  ; 
It  is  neverthelefs  very  extraordi- 
nary, that  Snow  and  Fire  ^iliouk 
inhabit  fo  near  each  other  :  and 
many  of  the  Antients  mention  it 
as    fuch :    particularly    Pindar 

cap.   II. 

I.  Rapt. 


Od.  I.  Pyth.  Solinus, 
and  Claudian,  who,  in 
Prof^rp.  fays  J 


Sed  quamvis  nimio  fefvens  exu- 
beret  jeilu, 

Scit  nivibus  fervare  fidem  5  pari- 
terque  favillis 

Durefcit  glacies,  tanti  fecura  va- 
poris, 

Arcano  defenfa  gelu ,   fumoque 
fideli 

Lambit  contiguas  innoxia  flam- 
ma  pruinas. 

ThuJ 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  691 

We  can  not  tell ;  and  thus  it  muft  be  done  / 

In  other  Things,  a  thousand  Reafons  fhewn,'  ?" 

When  Sense  determines  notour  Choice  to  one.       ^ 
715     In  Summer  Nile   overflows  ;  his  Waters  drown 
.     The  fruitful  Ear  pt's  Fields,  and  his  alone  : 

Becaufe 
NOTES, 


Thus  too  Silius  Italicus,  lib.  14. 

Summo  cana  jugo  cohibet,  mira- 

bile  di<iiu, 
Vicinam  flammis  glaciem,  xtcv- 

noque  rigore 
Ardentes  horrent  fcopuli ;    flat 

vcrticecelfi 
Collis  hyems,  callidaque  nivem 

tegit  atra  favilla. 

And  this  Defcription  of  the 
Keighbourhood  of  Fire  and  Snow 
upon  Mount  ^tna,  Cowley  has 
imitated  from  thofe  Poets,  in  his 
Pindarick  Ode  to  Hobbes. 

So  Contraries  on  ^tna*s    Top 

confpire  ; 
Here  hoary  Frofts,  and  by  them 

breaks  out  Fire  : 
A  fecure  Peace  the  faithful  Neigh- 
bours keep  : 
Th'  embolden'd  Snow  next  to  the 

Flame  does  fleep. 
Tacitus  fays  the  fame  of  Mount 
Libanus,  and  ufes  the  like  Ex- 
preffion.  Praecipuum,  fays  he, 
montium  Libanumjmirum  didu, 
tantos  inter  ardorcs  opacum,  fi- 
dumque  nivibus ;  fliady  in  the 
jnidft  of  fuch  great  Heats,  and 
faithful  to  the  Snow  :  but  thefe 
Expreffions  are  too  poetical  for 
Profe,  and  become  the  Poets,  bet-r 
ter  than  the  Hiftorian.  See  like- 
wife  Seneca,  Epift.  79. 

715.  In  Summer,  &C.3  From 
the  Summer  Solftice  to  the  Au- 
tumnal Equinox,  the  River  Nile 
fwells  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  it 
overflows  the  Countrey  of  Egypt, 
and  5  covering  the  Fields  with  a 
ilimy  Mud,  manures  and  renders 
them  fruitful,  the'  without  it 
they  Avould  be  barren,  and  pro- 
duce nothing.  A  manifeft  and 
wonderful  Monument  of  Divine 
Providence!    ^gypti  in^ol*?  a- 


quarum  beneficia  percipientes,  a- 
quam  colunt,  fays  Julius  Firmi- 
cus  de  Err.  Prof.  Rel.  The  E" 
gyptiansj  perceiving  the  great  Be- 
nefits of  this  Inundation,  worfliip 
the  Water.  Lucretius,  according 
to  his  Cuftom,  affigns  natural 
Caufes  for  the  overflowing  of  this 
River:  And  iirft  in  10.  v.  fays, 
that  the  Etelian  Winds,  which 
blow  from  the  North,  repel  and 
drive  back  the  Stream  of  the 
River,  that  comes  from  the  South, 
and  are  the  Caufe  that  it  fills  up 
its  Channel,  and  overflows  its 
Banks.  Now  if  it  iliould  be  ob- 
jeded,  that  the  Etefian  Wind, 
for  Winds  are  light  Bodies,  is  too 
weak  to  ftop  fo  great  a  Weight  of 
Waters,  he  adds  in  5.  v.  that  the 
Sands,  which  the  Sea,  being  agi- 
tated by  thofe  Winds,  cafts  into 
the  Mouths  of  the  Nile,  choak 
them  up,  and  thus  caufe  the  In- 
undation. To  thefe  he  adds  two 
other  Caufes :  the  Rains  that  fall 
at  the  Sources  of  the  River,  in 
3.  V.  and  the  melting  of  the 
Snows,  in  2.  v.  For  all  thefe 
Caufes  confpiring,  will  make  the 
Nile,  or  any  other  River,  over- 
flow. 

Thales  Milefius  held  the  firft  of 
thefe  to  be  the  true  Caufe  of  the 
overflowing  of  the  Nile  ;  nor 
does  Philo  the  Jew,  lib.  i.  de  vit. 
Mof.  nor  Pliny,  lib.  5.  cap.  9, 
difapprove  of  his  Opinion.  Eu^ 
thymenes  likewife  in  Seneca,  1,  4, 
Nat.  QuKit.  c.  2.  afcribes  the 
Caufe  of  the  overflowing  of  this 
River  to  the  Etefian  Winds :  for 
he  believes  that  the  Nile  increafes 
by  means  of  the  Waters  of  the 
[.  Atlantick  Sea,  which  the  Etcfias 
drive  into  the  Channel  of  the 
River.  Thefe  are  his  Words : 
T  t  t  t  3  indQ 


6^%  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VL 

Becaufe  the  Mouth  of  that  wide  River  lies 
Gppos'd  to  North  :  for  when  th'  Etesias  rife 
From  heavy  northern  Clouds,  and  fiercely  blow 
'7ioAgainft  the  Streams,  thefe  ftop,  and  rife,  and  flow. 
For  Northern  Winds  blow  full  againft  the  Streams, 
^Their  Spring  is  South,  it  boils  with  Mid-day  Beams ; 

Then 
NOTES, 


Inde,Xfrom  the  Atlantick  Sea] 
enim  Nilus  fluit  major,  quamdiu 
BtefiJB  tempus  obfervant;  tuna 
enim  ejicitur  mare  obftantibus 
ventis  :  cum  refederint,  pelagus 
conquiefcit,  minorque  difcedenti 
inde  vis  Nilo  eft ;  CKterum  dul- 
cis  man  fapor  eft,  8c  fimiles  Ni- 
loticaj  bellu£B.  But  this  Reafon 
is  good  for  nothing.  For  fome- 
times  the  Nile  increafes  before  the 
JEtelias  blow,  and  decreafes  even 
while  they  are  yet  blowing  :  Nay, 
tho*  they  blow  exacftiy  contrary 
to  the  Streams  the  Nile  never- 
thelefs  runs  into  the  Sea.  Be- 
£des  ;  why  does  not  the  like  hap- 
pen to  other  Rivers  that  run  a- 
gainft  the  Etefian  Winds  ?  But 
the  Truth  is,  thofe  Winds  are 
unable  to  keep  back,  much  lefs  to 
repel,  the  Current  of  that  River. 
In  Summer]  For  the  Nile  ne- 
ver begins  to  fwell  till  after  the 
Sun  has  entcr'd  into  Cancer : 
v.'hich  is  about  the  eleventh  of 
June.  Thus  Manilius,  lib^  3, 
V.  6^0, 

Nilufque  tumefcit  in 


arva, 

Hie  rerum  ftatus  eft,  Cancri  cum 
fydere  Phoebus 

Jolftitium  facit,  &  fummo  ver- 
fatur  Olympo. 

The  Reafon  of  which  we  will  give 
by  and  by. 

The  Nile  overflows,  when  with 

exalted  Ray, 
In  Summer  Solftice,  Phcebus 

bears  the  Day 
Thro'    Cancer's     Sign  ,    and 

drives  the  higbeft  Way. 

Cxetch. 


718.  Etefias]  Ariftotle,  lib.  2. 
de  rebus  fuperis  :  oih  *Rliaiou 
'srnaai  /u^' T^'oTTctf,  ^  y.vns  Itti' 
roMv-  The  Etefians  blow  aftei 
the  Solftice,  and  the  rifing  of  the 
Dog-Star  :  And  this  Wind  con- 
tinues generally  for  eleven  or 
twelve  Days.  They  are  call'd  E- 
teflas,  from  the  Greek  Word 
'st(^, which  fignifiesaYear,aswho 
Ihould  fay  Annual,  becaulethey 
blow  conftantly  at  a  certain  Sea- 
fon  of  the  Year  :  Strabo  calls  them 
Subfolanos,  Eaftern  Winds ;  But 
Pliny,  lib.  2.  cap.  47.  Poft  bidu- 
um  exortus  Canicular  Aquilones 
conftantius  perflant  diebus  qua- 
draginta,  quos  Etefias  vocant. 
When  the  Dog-Star  has  been  two 
Days  rifen,the  Northern  Winds, 
call'd  Etefias,  blow  conftantly  for 
fourty  Days  together.  And  Lu- 
cretius himfelf  fays,  v.  720.  The 
Etefias  bear  the  northern  Va- 
pours ;  which  iliews  the  Miftake 
of  Fay  us,  who  takes  it  for  a  South 
Wind. 

722.  Their  Spring,  &c.]  Many 
of  the  Antients  defpair'd,  that 
the  Source  of  the  Nile  would  ever 
be  difcover'd  :  Hence  Ammianus 
Marcek  lib.  22.  Origines  fontium 
Nili,  ficut  adhuc  fadum  eft,  po- 
ftcric  quoque  ignorabunt  a'tates  : 
Hence  too  thoie  Complaints  o£ 
the  Poets,  TibuJi.  lib.  i. 

Nile  Pater,  quanam    pofTum  te 
dicere  caufa, 
Autquibusin  terris  occuluille 
caput  .^ 

Claudianus,  Epigr. 

Secreto  de  fonte  cadens,  qui  fem- 
psr  inani 

QuKrendus 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


69} 


Du«rendus  ratione  licet  *,  nee  con- 1  Equinoxial  Line.    And  Voflius, 
tjgit  ulli  I  de  ^tat.  Mund.  and  in  Melam 


ioc  vidilTe  caput : 
teAe  creatus. 

iad  Lucan,  lib.  10. 


Lrcanum  Natura  caput  non  pro 

didit  ulli, 
lee  licuit  popuUs  parvunj    te, 

Nile,  videre. 

nd  again, 

— — — — Ubicunquc  videris, 
nxretiSiSc  nulli  contingit  gloria 
"genti 
c  Nilo  fit  la:ta  fuo— — — 

ence  Homer  calls  the  Nile 
inr'iA  ^oloLf^ioif,  the  River  fent 
>\vn  from  Heaven.  And  Dio- 
rus,  lib.  I.  tells  us,  that  the  In- 
bitantsofMeroecall  it  in  their 
mguage    Aftapoda,  that  is  to 


fertur  fine  |  obferves,  that  before  the 


Difco- 


dark  or  obTcure.     Herodo- 

s,  after  he  had  travell'd  four 

onths  in  fearch  of  the  Fountain 

this  River,  ftopt  in  his  Jour- 

y,  being  told  by  the  Egyptians 
jatit  flow'd  from  beyond  the 
iland      of     Mero.        Ptolomy 

liladelphus    fent    Perfons    on 

irpofe  to  difcover  the  Source 
I  it,  but  without  effe<ft,  as  Stra- 
witnefTes,  lib.  17.  and  Lucan 
:.s,  that  Alexander  the  Great 
lit  on  the  fame  Errand,  but  his 
jefTengershad  the  like  Succefs. 
:  iny,  lib.  6.  c.  6.  fays,  that  Ne-  ceal'd  its  Spring  : 
fent  two  Centurions,  and  that 

len  they  came  back,  he  heard 
;  sm  fay  :     Ad  ulteriora  quidem 

rvenimus,  ad  immenfas  palu- 

'S,  quarum  exitum  nee  incolas 

iverant,  nee  fuperare  quifquam 

teft.    The  facrcd  Authors  be- 

v'd  the  Nile  to  arife  in  the  ter- 

ftrial     Paradife.      Pomponius 

ela  thinks  it  rifes  at  theAntipo- 

«5.  Euthymenes  in  Seneca,  lib.  4. 

•  2.  and  in  Plutarch  4.  Placit.  i. 

lings    it  out  of  the  Atlantick 
a 


very  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  many 
of  the  Antients  were  fo  ignorant, 
as  to  believe,  that  the  Nile  de- 
riv'd  its  Source  from  the  utmoft 
Eaft,  even  from  India  itfelf. 
With  which  Errour,  not  to  men- 
tion many  others  of  the  Antients, 
Virgil  feems  to  have  been  taint- 
ed :  as  appears,  Georg.  4.  v.  290, 

Quaque  pharetratae  vicinia  Per- 

fid  is  urget, 
Et  viridem  ^gyptum  nigra  foe- 

cundat  arena, 
Et  diverfa  ruens  feptem  dilcurrit 

in  ora,      - 
Ufque  coloratis  amnisdevexus  ab 

Indis. 

Thus  various  were  the  Opinions 
of  the  Antients,  and  none  of  them 
true  ;  for  the  Nile  is  now  know  a 
to  arife  on  the  South  of  a  great 
Lake  call'd  Zambre,  at  the  foot 
of  the  Mountains,  calPd  th^ 
Mountains  of  the  Moon,  Lunsc 
Montes,  which  arc  in  the  Pro- 
vince of  Guyoma,  a  Countrey 
inhabited  by  the  Ethiopian  A- 
byflines.  And  one  of  the  Titles 
of  Prefter  John  is,King  of  Guyo- 
ma, where  Nile  begins  :  but  of 
this  the  Antients  were  totally  ig- 
norant, infomuch  that  it  was  rec- 
kon'd  among  the  famous  Pro- 
prieties of  that  River.that  it  con- 
'"  '  "  ■  j:  Fontium  qui 
celat  origin'es.  And  indeed  th^ 
Nile  is  incomparably  the  mofe 
famous  River  in  the  whole 
World,  whether  we  confider  the 
Largenefs  of  itjand  the  Length  of 
its  Courfe,  for  it  runs  about  900 
German  Miles,  or  the  Things 
that  it  produces,  and  its  miracu- 
lous overflowing,  and  returning 
again  within  its  Banks.  Seneca, 
lib.  4.  Nat.  Qua' ft.  cap.  11.  fays 


cap.  II 
it  brings  botli  Water  and  Earth 
too,  to  the  thirfty  and  fandy  Soil : 
Pliny  from  a  Mountain  of  | for, flowing  thick  and  troubled,  it 
e  lower  Mauritania  :  and  Pto-j  leaves,  as  it  were,   all  its  Lees  in 
ny  from  two  Lakes  beyond  the  I  the  Clefts    of  the  parch'd    and 

§2ping 


694 


LUCRETIUS. 


BookV 


Then  cuts  its  way  thro*  Sah-burnt  Negroe's  Land, 
And  hiffes,  paffing  o'er  the  firy  Sand. 
715      Or  elfe  the  troubled  Sea,  that  rolls  to  South, 
Brings  heaps  of  Sand,  and  choaks  the  Rivers  MoutI: 

The 

N  o  r  B  S' 


gaping  Ground,  atid  fpreads  the 
dry  places  with  the  Fatnefs  it 
brings  with  it ;  and  thus  does 
good  to  the  Countrey  two  ways, 
both  by  overflowing  and  manu- 
xing  it  :  For  this  reafon  Herodo- 
tus calls  it  *Ep7*?JJtor,  the  Hus- 
bandman.   Tibullus. 

Te  propter  nullos  tellus  tua  po- 
ftulat  imbres ; 

Arida    nee    pluvio   fupphcat 
herba  Jovi. 

And  Lucan  fays  that  Egypt  has 
no  need  of  Jupiter : 

^ Nil  indiga  mercis 

Aut  Jovis ;  in  folo  tanta  eft  (i- 
ducia  Nilo. 

And  one  in  A.thena;us  yet  more 
bold,  calls  it  the  Egyptian  Jugi- 
ter,  'AiyMiz  Zzv  Noas  *  Nay, 
the  Egyptians  themfelves  call'd  it 
ctvl/yUo/^oLS-  T?  HfcLm  ,  the  River 
|:hat  emulates  and  contends  with 
Heaven  :  And  even  in  the  Scrip- 
ture itfelf  it  is  call'd  abfolutely 
Nachal  Mifraim,  the  River  of 
;jEgypt  :  From  whence  the  Word 
Nile  may  not  unnaturally  be  de- 
yiv'd,  Nahal,  Naal,Neel,  Neil; 
^s  Bahal,  Baal,  Beel,  Bel,  ^^hi^  ' 
And  Pomponius  Mela,  lib.  5, 
cap.  10.  reports  that  the  Foun- 
tam  of  Nilus  is  call'd  Nachal  by 
the  Ethiopians.  The  learned 
Mauflacus,  upon  Plutarch  de 
Fiuv.  and  Mont,  nominibus,  has 
collected  the  feveral  Names  that 
were  given  by  the  Antients  to 
this  River.  It  was  firft  of  all 
caird  Oceanus,  or,  (but  as  he 
fays,  barbaroully )  Oceames  : 
then  A^tosj  or  AquiU;  and  Me- 


las,  from  its  Depth  or  Profu 
dity,  becaufe  all  deep  Wate 
feem  black ;  or  from  Melas,  t" 
Son  of  Neptune  :  Afterwards  J 
gyptus,  cither  from  ^gyptt 
the  Son  of  Belus,  or  of  Vulc 
and  Leucippes,  who  threw  hii 
felf  into  it ,  or  'Si%c  to  ouy 
^idmv,  from  fattening  of  Goat 
From  whence  likewife  the  wh( 
Countrey  of -^gypt  feems  to  I 
fo  nam'd.  The  Hebrews  call 
Gehon,  and  Schior,  the  laft 
which  fignifies  black,  or  tro 
blous,  and  from  hence  perha 
came  its  Ethiopian  Name,  Sir 
It  was  alfo  call'd  Nas" ;  or  Ni 
and  Triton ;  and  laft  of  all  1^ 
lus,  either  from  what  we  fa 
before,  or  from  Nilus,  the  Hi 
band  of  Garmathones,  a  Que 
of  Egypt;  or  elfe  from  Nil 
the  Son  of  Cyclops,  or  Nile 
or  Nilefius,  Egyptian  Princt 
or  laftly,  and  rather  than  all  t 
other,  ^Ct^  to  ncu  vM)i  a^yi 
from  bringing  new  Mud  or  Slin 
By  the  Latins  it  was  peculiai 
call'd  Melo,  as  is  evident  fro 
the  Teftimonies  of  Ennius,  I 
ftus,  Servius,  and  Auionius. 

723.  Sun-burnt  Ncgroe*s  Lan 
He  means  ^Ethiopia,  in  the  Sou 
Parts  of  which  Countrey  theN 
arifes.    Manil,  lib,  i.  v.  44. 

Gentes,  in  quas  &  Nil 


inundat. 
Qua    mundus     redit,   dc  nigi 
fuperevolat  urbes. 

72$.  Or  elfe,  &c.]  This  real' 
is  mention'd  likewife  by  Pom{ 
niusMela;  and  that  too  with 
feeming  Approbation  of  it. 

730,  " 


liook  VI.  I  U  C  R  E  T  1  U  Si  ^9f 

I      Thefeftop  the  headlong  Floods;  they  ftrive  in  vain  f} 
To  force  a  Way,  but  weary 'd  turn  again,  > 

And  break  their  Banks,  and  flow  o*er  all  the  Plain.    3 
I  30     Or  elfe  Rain  makes  it  fwell;   th'  Etesias  bear 
The  Northern  Vapours  thro'  the  Southern  Air  : 
The  fe  thicken'd  round  '     ~ 

Or  elfe  the  Sun 
Thefe  fwell  the  Ri 

Next 
N  O  T  JB  5. 


vapours  thro  the  southern  Air  : 
and  the  Hill,  the  Rain  compofe.  7  • 
melts  ExHtopi^n  Snows  ;         ^ 
iver,  and  the  Water  flows.  3 


7^0,  Or  elfe,  Sec.']  There  were 
iree  Parties,  who  favour 'd  this 
pinion.  I.  Democritus ;  who 
:ld,  that  Exhalations  arife  from 
le  melted  Snows  in  the  northern 
;iimates,  and  being  driven  by 
e  Etefian  Winds  into  Ethiopia, 
ey  dafli  againft  the  Mountains, 
here  they  ftopand  thicken  into 
a  in.  This  Opinion  Lucretius 
re  approves.  II.  The  Philo- 
phers  of  Memphis,  now  cali'd 
rand  Cairo,  who,  as  Diodorus 
itnelTes,  held  that  the  Nile 
»ws  out  of  the  temperate  Sou- 
ern  Zone  :    and  that,  fince  it 

Winter  in  thofe  Countries 
len  it  is  Summer  with  us,  that 
iver  fwells  by  reafon  of  the  fre- 
iei\t  Rains  that  fall  near  its 
)untain,  during  the  Winter  of 
iofe  Southern  Regions.  III.  A- 
tharchides,  who,  as  the  fame 
iodorus  reports,  held  that  the 
ile  is  increas'd  by  the  great 
ains  that  are  continually  fall- 
g  all  the  Summer  long  in  the 
ountains   of   Ethiopia.    And 

ftrengthen  the  ProbabiHtyof 


this  Opinion,  he  urges,  that  dur- 
ing the  whole  Summer,  it  rainS 
about  the  River  Hydafpes,  fnows 
on  Mount  Caucafu$,  and  hails  in 
many  Parts  of  India. 

733.  Or  elfe,  &c.]  This  Opi- 
nion is  afcrib'd  to  Anaxagoras, 
who  believ*d,that  the  Kile  fwells 
by  means  of  the  Snows  that  are 
melted  during  the  Summer  in 
the  Mountains  of  Ethiopia.  But 
that  this  Belief  is  erroneous,  He- 
rodotus gives  thefe  Reafons :  Be- 
caufe  thofe  Countries  are  very 
warm,  and  confequently  exempt 
from  Snows :  Nay,  even  the  very 
Air  is  always  hot :  Befides,  the 
Sun  is  very  remote  from  thofe 
Regions,  when  the  Snows  muft 
be  melted  to  fwell  that  River, 

Ethiopian]  Ethiopia  is  a  vaft 
Region  of  Africa,  that  borders 
upon  Egypt :  The  Countrey  of 
the  Abyflines.  It  lies  beneath  the 
Torrid  Zone,  extended  from  the 
Tropick  of  Cancer  to  beyond  the 

1  Equator.  The  River  Nile  cuts 
its  way  almoft  thro'  the  middle 
of  it,  as  it  does  thro'  ^gypt. 


T  O 


€5^  LVCRETIV  S.  Book  V 

O  F    T  H  E 

Annual  Inundation 

OF    THE 

River  NILE. 


H  E  conftant  and  annual  Increafe  of  the  N 
has  long  and  much  imploy'd  the  Thoughts 
the  Studious  :  and  that  too  not  without « 
Ton  ;  for  many  Things  occurred,  that  def( 
vedly  claim'd  their  Admiration.  Amoi 
others,  not  the  leaft  is  this,  that  it  conftai 
ly  overflows  about  the  middle  of  June,  or  rather  a  Day 
two  after  ;  fome  pofitively  fix  it  to  the  time  of  Sun-rifing 
the  feventeenth  of  that  Month  :  befides,  it  gives  before-hai 
fuch  certain  Tokens,  to  what  Height  the  Flood  will  ri 
that  they,  whofe  Bufinefs  it  is  to  difcover  it,  are  never  d 
ceiv'd  in  their  Conjedtures,  whether  they  weigh  the  Sand 
a  Balance,  or  meafure  the  future  Inundation  by  a  Ru 
which  they  call  a  Nilofcope.  The  Event  is  certain,  t\ 
Caufe  doubtful :  For  it  is  controverted,  whether  the  fwe 
ing  of  the  River  is  occafion'd  by  its  Mouths  being  fto 
and  choak'd  up ;  or  by  the  Rains  that  fall  in  ^thiopi 
and  by  the  melted  Snows  of  the  Mountains  of  th 
Countrey  ;  or,  laftly,  by  the  Water  of  the  Sea,  driven  in 
the  Channel  of  the  River,  by  the  Etefian  Winds :  And  he 
we  may  not  omit  an  Egyptian  Erudition,  which  we  find 
Horus  Apollo,  touching  the  Symbols  of  the  Nile :  Tres  per: 
Hydrias,  nee  plures,  nee  pauciores  pingunt,  quod  triplex  e 
eorum  fententia  fit  inundacionis  caufa  effecirix :  unam  q« 
dem  iEgyptiae  terra;  afcribunt,  qu3e  ex  kCe  aquam  prodi 
cit :  alteram  Oceano,  ex  quo,  inundationis  tempore,  aqi 
in  .ffigyptum  exaeftuat :  tertiam  imbribus,  qui,  per  id  tempu 
quo  intumefcit  Nilus,  ad  Aultrinas  ^thiopise  partes  contii 


Book  VI.         LUCRETIUS.  697 

gunt.    The  Egyptians,    fays  he,    make  three  Water-pots,' 

neither  more  nor  lefs,  becaufe  in  their  Opinion  there   are 

three  efficient  Caufes  of  the  Inundation  :  One  of  them  they 

afcribe  to  the  Land  of  Egypt,  which  produces  Water  out  of 

itfelf :  another  to  the  Ocean,  out  of  which,  at  the  Time  of 

:he  Flood,  the  Water  furges  into  Egypt :  the    third  to  the 

[lains,  which,  at  the  time  when  the  Nile  fwells,  happen  in 

he  Southern  Parts  of  Ethiopia  :  As  to  the  firft  of  thefe  Rea- 

bns,  it  is  evidently  falfe :  for  the  parch'd  and  thirfty  Soil  of 

igypt  gapes  indeed  for  Moifture ;  but  in  no  part  of  the 

yountrey  does  the  Land  ooze  out  Water :  Nor  can  we  judge 

nore  favourably  of  the  fecond,  when  we  confider  the  Dif- 

srence  between  the  Sea- Water,  and  that  of  the  River  Nile  : 

ind  as  for  the  Rain,  which  they  aflign  for  the  third  Caufe, 

i/e  will  fpeak  of  that  by  and  by :    Mean    while  we   will 

bferve,    that   thofe  Mounds  of   Sand,    with  which  they; 

am  up  the  River,  are  foon  borne  down,  and  wafh'd  away  by 

le  never-ceafing  Courfe  of  the  Stream  :  and,  what  is  chiefly 

)  be  confider'd,  if  any  Let  or  Oppofition  whatfoever  were 

|ie  Caufe,  thar  the  Nile,  by   retrogreflion,  overflow'd  its 

anks,  the  Waters  of  that  River  would  be  obferv'd  to  rife 

rft  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Gountrey,  that  is  to  fay,  from 

le  Mediterranean  to  Cairo,  rather  than  on  the  contfary,  in 

le  more  Inland  Parts  of  it :  but  that  it  does  fo,  is  allow'd. 

y  the  unanimous  Cenfent  of  all.     We  muft  therefore  travel 

at  of  Egypt,  for  the  Caufe  of  this  Inundation.     No  doubt 

ut  a  plenteous  Acceflion  of  Waters  fwells  the  River,  before 

wafhes  the  Land  of  Egypt :  And  this  it  was  that  perfuaded 

>me  to  believe  [fee  the  Note  on  v.  733.]  that  the  Nile  in- 

-eafes  by  means  of  the  Snows,  that  melt  in  Ethiopia.     And 

rdeed  they  are  certainly  miftaken,  who  hold  with  Herodo- 

s,  that  it  never  fnows  in  that  Countrey :  For  they  go  con- 

ary  to  Experience  and  Obfervation :   Neither  are    thofe 

l-hers  to  be  credited,  who  afferr,  that  at  the  Seafon  when 

le  Nile  inundates    the  Land  of  Egypt,  it  is  the  Depth  of 

jointer  in  Ethiopia.     For  who  can  believe  that  the  Snow, 

ihich  was  congeal'd  by  Cold,  can  be  diffolv'd  by  Cold  like- 

iife?     This  would  be  repugnant  to  the  Laws  of  Nature, 

iho  has  ordain'd,  that  Things  congeal'd  by  Cold,  flial]   be 

elted  by  Heat.     The  third  Caufe  is  aflign'd  to  Rain,  [fee 

le  Note  on  v.  730.]  and   to  this  adhere  the  Authours  of 

•eaieft  Note,  tho'  it  has  been  long,  and  ftrenuoully  oppos'd 

ij^  fome  of  no  mean  Reputation  :  They,  who  call  it  in  Que- 

|ion,    objed  the   great  Heat  of  the  Countrey,    and  the 

U  u  u  u  Scarcity 


698  LUCRETIUS,  Book  VI. 

Scarcity  of  Vapours:  but  there  are  fever  al  Things,  of  which 

thele  Perfons  ought  not  to  be  ignorant :  The  firft  is,  that,  ir 

thofe  Countreys,  there  are  two  Winters,  and  as  many  Sum- 

mers,  in  the  Year  ;  tho'  of  unlike  Effed:  indeed,  if  compar'c 

with'ours.     The  Winter  is  more  fevere  with  us  5  but  not  fc 

mild  with  the  -Ethiopians,  as  not  to  produce  Snows  in  th( 

Mountains,  together  with  conftant  Rains,  that  continue  fo 

fourty  Days ;  as  is  afiirm'd  by  the  Natives,  as  well  as  b] 

Travellers  into  thofe  Parts.  This  Truth  Democritus  learnt  il 

his  Travels,  and,  as  by  Tradition,  deliver'd  it  down  to  Po 

fterity,  till  at  length  it  became  known  in  Italy,  by  the  Car 

of  our  Lucretius.     Befides  :  In  Summer,  the  Sun  is  neare 

to  Ethiopia,  than  it  is  to  us ;  and  his  Rays,  tho'  trouble 

fome  to  the  Inhabitants,  yet  fuffer  themfelves  to  be  overca) 

by  a  very  thick  Mift,  that  hangs  over  a  certain  M®untaii 

which  Mariners  call  Serra  Leone,  perhaps  from  the  Noife  : 

makes  :  for  it  generally  roars,  and  from  the  dusky  Mifl  a 

moft  continually  darts  out  Lightning,  together  with  dreac 

ful  Thunder,  that  is  heard  fourty  Miles  around.    And  a  M2 

fter  of  a  Ship,  as  he  was  failing  to  the  Illand  St.  Thoma 

obferv'd,  that  all  this  happen'd,  when  the  Sun  ftruck  perpei 

dicularly  on  ^Ethiopia.     Let  fuch  then,  as  objed  the  Heat  ( 

the  Countrey,  make  the  moft  of  that  weak  Argument :  n( 

will  they  fare  better,  who  deny  Vapours  to  that  Regio: 

For  they  ought  to  refledt  on  the  Lakes  and  Rivers, that  Afri( 

contains  ;  and  to  have  fome  regard  to  the  Ocean  that  wafht 

its  Coafts  :  all  which  may  furnifh  an  immenfe  quantity 


Matter  for  future  Rain  ^  and  then  efpecially,  when  the  Sui 
retiring,  permits  the  inferiour  Elements  to  extend  their  ow 
Bounds:  The  Mediterranean  too  conduces  fomething  to  ii 
creafe  the  ftore,  by  gratefully  fending  into  Ethiopia  a  va 
quantity  of  Clouds,  which  the  Winds,  that  arife  in  Greeo 
bear  thither:  This,  Profper  Alpinus,  who  was  himfelf  a 
Eye-witnefs  of  it,  relates  in  thefe  Words.  Cayri,  in  tot 
fere  augumenti  fluminis  tempore,  Etefiae,  periiantes  fingul 
fere  diebus  ab  orto  fole,  ufque  ad  meridiem,  multas  nub 
fiigras,  craflas,  pluviofas  in  altiffimos  ufque  Libya?,  iEthii 
piseque  montes,  propellunt  atque  afportant :  in  quibus  Moi 
tibus  ha^  concrefcentes,  in  pluvias  vertuntur,  quae,  ab  his 
Nilum  cadentes,  funt  cauf^  ipfius  augumenti.  Obfervati 
quotidie  Cayri,  dum  fiumen  hoc  augetur,  qua  die  mult 
nubes  fupra  ^gyptum  verfus  Meridiem  a  feptentrionalibi 
ijs  ventis  afportat^  tranfierint ,  mukOm  flumen  auger: 
at^ue  ex  contrario^  clara  apparente  die,  nullifque  nubibi 


Book  VL        LUCRETIUS.  699 

in  CO  coelo  apparentibus,  pariim  crefcere  :  Et  h2ec  eos  nun- 

quam  fallic  obfervatio.  Lib.  i .  de  Medic,  ^gypr.    At  Cairo, 

fays  he,  during  almoft  the  whole  Time  of  the   fwelling   of 

the  River,  the  Etcfias  blow  aimoft  every  Day,  fr©m  Sun- 

rifing  till  Noon,  and  bring,  and  drive  before  thetn,   many 

black,  thick  and  rainy  Clouds  into  the  high  Mountains  of 

^  Libya  and  Ethiopia  :  In  which  Mottntains,  thefe  Clouds  ga- 

j  :hering  together,  are  turned  into  Rains ;  which,  falling  from 

:hence  into  the  Nile,  are  the  Caufe  of  its  Increafe  :  It  is  ob- 

ferv'd  every  Day  at  Cairo,  that  fo  long  as  this  River  is  in- 

!  :reafing,  on  what  Day  .foever  many  Clouds  are  brought  by 

:hofe  Northern  Winds,  and  carry  d  over  iEgypt  towards  the 

5outfa,  the  River  that  Day  fwells  very  much  :  and,  on  the 

:ontrary,  that  in  a  clear  Day,  when  no  Clouds  appear  in 

he  Sky,  it  increafes  but  little.    And. this  Obfervation  never 

"ails  them.    It  is  credible  enough,  that  when  the  Clouds  are 

:ome  into  Africa,  they  are  refolv'd  into  Rain  ;  not  that,  as 

Lucretius  thought,  it  is  fqueez'd  out  of  them,  as  Water  out 

)f  a  fpunge  ;  but  becaufe,  by  reafon  of  the   Cold  of  the 

i  ^lace,  the  included  Fire  of  the  Clouds  flies  away,  or  is  ex- 

iinguifti'd,-   and  thenjthe  Vapours  grow  thick,  and  return 

"i  nto  their  former  Nature.    But  on  what  Day  the  Rains  be- 

!»in  to  falJ,  and  how  much  time  the  Waters  take  up  in-theit 

i  Courfe,  while  they  are  flowing  into  the  Nile,  has  not  been  in- 

i:juir'd  into,  or  at  leaft  is  doubtful:  But  this  in  our  Age  we 

know  for  certain,  that  thefe  Things  happen  in  the  Kingdom 

)f  Guyoma,  which  is  fubjedl  to  the  Emperour  of  the  Abyilines, 

^ence  the  great  Hofpitality  of  the  Egyptians  to  the  Abyf- 

•ines,  that  come  to  fojourn  among  them  ;  not  fo  much  out  of 

Gratitude,  as  for  Fear  of  a  Famine  and  general  Inundation  : 

For  the  Monarch  of  Ethiopia,  whom  we  commonly   call 

Prefter  John,  commands  the  Cataradts    of  the  Nile :    for 

which  reafon  the  Emperour  of  the  Turks  pays  him  a  yearly 

Tribute,  on  Condition,  that  he  do  not  divert  the  Waters  of 

the  Nile,  nor  fufFer  them  to  come  in  too  great  a  Quantity, 

either  of  which  would  be  the  Deftrudtion  of  Egypt.     Hence 

in  the  laft  Age  fprung  up  a  cruel  War,  as  Natalis  Comes  re-? 

jlates.     In  the  Year  1570.  fays  he,  Selim  Emperour  of  Con- 

jftantinople,  who  was  then  at  War  with  the  Venetians,  re«? 

iceiv'd  an  unfortunate  Piece  of  News :  For  David,  the  Great 

iKing  of  Ethiopia,  whofe  Empire  extends  from  the  Equino- 

'dtial 5 aimoft  to  either  Tropick,  fince  many  Kings  are  fubjedt  to 

jhim,had  begun  to  deftroy,  by  an  Inundation  of  the  River  Nile^ 

lite  City  Qf  Cairo^  and  all  the  neighbouring  Countrey  of  the 

!  U  U  u  u  %  Tufks^ 


700  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VL 

Turks,  together  with  many  other  Cities  thereabouts :  The 
reafon  of  this  Hoftilify  was,  becaufe  Selim  ow'd  him  400000 
Crowns  for  two  years  Tribute  :  for  he  paid  him  zooooo  a 
.Year :  Now  the  Gountrey  of  Egypt  has  not  Rain  enough  tc 
render  the  Land  fertile  ;  for  it  rains  there  very  feldom,  anc 
the  Soil  is  of  all  others  the  moft  fruitful ;  and  owes  its  Fer- 
tility to  the  Waters  of  the  Nile,  which  are  in  the  Power  o 
the  King  of  the  Abyflines,  who  can  fend  them  down  in  wha 
Quantity  he  pleafes,  and  either  refrefh  the  thirfty  Land  wit! 
a  gentle  Flood  ;  or,  by  cutting  certain  Dykes,  pour  in  fuel 
an  Inundation,  as  will  lay  wafte  the  whole  Countrey.  Nov 
the  Sultan,  becaufe  he  would  not  pay  the  Tribute,  that  wa 
due,  levy'd  a  great  Army,  and,  invading  Arabia,  put  all  t 
Fire  and  Sword.    Thus  Natalis  Comes,   Hiftor.  lib.  23 
But  more  prudently  Oliris,  who,  if  we  may  give  credit  t 
Diodorus  Siculus,  lib.  6.  cap.  2.  when  he  was  in  the  Moun 
tains  of  Ethiopia,  mounded  up  the  Banks  on  either  fide  th 
Nile,  that  the  Inundation  might  not  be  too  great ;  and  mad 
Sluices  to  let  in  only  fuch  a  Quantity  of  Water,  as  would  b 
neceffary  for  the  Fertility  of  the  Land :  The  Increafe  of  th 
Nile  therefore  is  more  due  to  Rains  than  melted  Snows 
whatever  Anaxagoras  fay  to  the  contrary  :  And  indeed  th 
true  Caufe  of  the  overflowing  of  the  Nile  is  only  the  grez 
Rains,  that  conftantly  fall  in  -Ethiopia,  from  about  the  b( 
ginning  of  June,  to  the  Month  of  September:  This  is  teft 
fy'd  by  Alvarez  Fernandus,  and  many  others  of  late  Date 
And,  in  Confirmation  of  their  Opinion,  it  is  obferv'd,  that  th 
River  Niger  fwells  at  the  fame  time,  and  never  fails  to  ir 
creafe,  when  the  Nile  does  :  And  that  the  Rains,  which  fa 
in  Ethiopia,  are  the  Caufe  of  the  fwelling  of  the  River  N 
ger,  is  certain  beyond  Difpute  :  Nor  was  this  unknown  t 
Pliny,  who,  lib.  5.  cap.  8.  fays,  Nigro  fluvio  eadem  natui 
qux  Nifo.    Befides :  the  Reed  Papyrus  grows  on  the  Bank 
of  both  thofe  Rivers,  and  they  produce  the  fame  Sorts  ( 
Animals.     See  Galfendus,  p.  1084.  on  the   tenth  Book  ( 
I>iogenes  Laertius. 

Profper  Alpinus  propofes  two  Problems  concerning  tl: 
Nile,  but  defpairs  of  the  Solution  of  either  of  them  :  I.  Wh 
that  River  conftantly  fwells  the  feventeenth  of  June  at  Sur 
rifing  ?  II.  How,  by  weighing  the  Earth,  or  Sand  of  the  R 
ver,  the  Inhabitants  foretel  the  Meafure  and  Degree  of  i 
Increafe  ?  Fof,  fays  he,  in  the  Month  of  June,  feveral  Da] 
hefore  the  Sun's  acceflion  to  the  Tropick,  they  take  feme  < 
the  Sand  of  the  Rirer,  that  has  been  kept  and  dry'd  for 


iook  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  701 

ivhole  Year  before ;  they  weigh  this  Sand  in  Scales,  and,  by 

idding  or  Cubftrading,    make  the  Number  of  the  Weights 

j  nfwer  exadly   to  the  Drachms   of  the    Sand  :    for  Ex- 

jmple,    let  us  fuppofe  the  Sand   to  weigh  three  Drachms, 

j/hich  they  lay  by,  and  keep  in  a  dry  Place,  clofe  {hut  up 

n  all  fides  :  this  they  weigh  every  Day,  and  obferve  it  no- 

ling  increased  or  diminifli'd  in  Weigh'r,  till   the  fcventeenth 

>ay  of  Juae  ;  on  which  Day  they  find  its  Weight  augmented  : 

id  from  the  Weight,  more  or  lefs  increased,  they  foreknow 

at  the  River  will  be  more  or  lefs  augmented  Hkewife  :  and 

om  the  Knowledge  of  the  exad:   Increafe  of  the  Weight, 

ey  know  for  certain  before-hand,  how  many  Cubits  the 

iver  will  fwell  that  Year :    The  Caufe  whereof,  fays  the 

tne  Alpinus,  I  can  not  conceive,  can  be  difcover'd  by  na- 

ral  Principles.     His   very  Words  are   as  follows:    Nam 

enfe  Junio,  ante  folis  ad  Tropicum  accelfum,  multis  diebus 

gyptij  terram  illiufce  fluminis  toto  integro  anno  adfervatam, 

ficcatam,  arefadlamque  accipiunt,  quam  lance  expendunr, 

:iuntque  ut  ponderum  Numerus,  addentes,  ac  fubtrahentes, 

(  achmis  fedulo  refpondeat :  ut  exempli  gratia,  terra  fit  tri- 

;  n  drachmarum  pondere,  quam  in  loco  ficco,  undique  con- 

<  ifo  reponunt,  8c  confervant :  quotidieque  librantes,  ipfam 
«  fervant  nihil  audam,  nihilque  imminutam  pondere  effe,  uP- 

<  e  ad  diem  decimam  feptimam  menfis  Junij,  in  qua  die  audam 
i  b  pondere  inveniunt ;  ex  cujus  pondere,  muitilm  vel  parum 
;dto,  multilmvelparumflumen  illud  audum  iri  praenofcunt : 
;  diligentique  peraudli  ilHus  ponderis  notitia,  quotis  eciam 
I  abitibus  ipfum  fit  augendum,  certo  praenofcunr.  Quorum  cau- 
i;  naturalibus  principiis  pofle  cognofci,  nullomodo  fieri  pofie 
oitror.  However,  it'is  not  forbid  to  inquire  into  this  Mat- 
t  :  Now  Seneca  acquaints  us;  that  in  the  tenth  and  eleventh 
'  ^ar  of  Queen  Cleopatra,  the  Nile  did  not  increafe  at  all; 
Mich,  he  alfo  tells  us,  on  the  Authority  of  Callifthenes,  had 
Ippen'd  in  former  Ages  for  nine  Years  together:  Of  this 
<vid  was  not  ignorant,  when  he  fung  : 

Dicitur  -^gyptus  caruifTe  juvantibus  arva 
Imbribus,  atque  annis  ficca  fuilfe  novem." 

It  this  fuffice  for  the  Inconftancy  of  its  Increafe:  and  as  to 
t!  uncertainty  of  the  Time,  there  was  a  remarkable  Delay 
c'i  it  in  the  Reign  of  the  Emperour  Theodofius ,  which 
i  recorded  by  Nicephorus  and  .^ozomen^  Nor  can  that  be 
imputed  to  the  want  of  Rain  :    For  the  Nile,  not  long  after 

fwell'd 


702  LUCRETIUS.  Book  V 

fweird  to  fuch  a  Degree,  that  the  higheft  Parts  of  Egypt  we 
covered  with  the  Inundation :  Now  tho'  thefe  Events  happ< 
but  feldom,  yet  they  are  fufficient,  if  not  to  deftroy,  at  les 
to  render  fufpeded,  that  generally  believ'd   Conftancy 
Time :  Let  us  neverthelefs  grant  Alpinus,  what  he  for  fev 
years  fucceifively  obferv^d  with  great  Diligence  and  Sedulit 
the  rather,  becaufe  it  is  not  civil  to  diftruft,  or  derogate  fro. 
the  Teftimony  of  an  Eye-Witnefs :  The  Queftion  is :  Wj 
the  Nile  begins  every  Year  to  increafe,  for  themoft  part, 
a  certain  Day  ?  The  Caufe  muft  proceed  from  the  confta 
and  certain  Return  of  the  Seafon,  which  the  invariable  Cc 
ftitution  and  Revolution  of  the  Heavens  have  prefcrib'd  ther 
For,  fince  the  Sun  is  at  that  time  at  his  remotefc  Diftar ; 
from  ^Ethiopia,  nothing  can  hinder  the  Vapours  from  co 
ing  to  a  Confiftency,  nor  from  condenfing  into  Rain,  becai 
the  ambient  Air  is  changed  from  Hot  into  Gold,  at  leaft  h 
loft  its  EtTervefcency.     And  the  Winds,  that  blow  from  i 
North,  can  not  there,  as  they  frequently  do  with  us,  haft 
the  Winter  ;  for  in  that  fcorching  Climate,  the  Matter  of  i 
Winds  is  foon  diffolv'd,  and  their  piercing  Nature  qualify 
immediately.    And  fo  much  for  the  Solution  of  the  firft  Pi 
blem :  The  other  is  not  fo   difficult,   tho'  at  firft  fight  t 
Caufe  of  it  feem  obfcure.    For  the  Sand,  that  has  been  lo 
kept  for  the  fake  of  making  the  Experiment,  being  gro^ 
thorough  dry,  and,  as  I  may  fay,  thirfty,  does,  when  it 
expos'd  to  the  furrounding  Air,  attradl  to  itfelf  the  Moiftu 
with  which  that  Air  is  newJy  grown  damp,  and  the  Wei| 
of  the  dry  Body  is  increas'd  in  proportion  to  the  Degreef ' 
its  Dampnefs :  And  that  the  near  approaching  Waters  of  i 
Nile  taint  the  Air  with  humidity,  the  Sagacity  of  the  Bii 
in  Egypt  is  a  pregnant  and  convincing  Proof:  For  they  i 
ver  lay  their  Eggs,  except  in  fuch  a  place,  as  they  perce: 
before-hand,  will  not  be  covered  by  the  Inundation.    IW 
indeed,  who  enjoy  a  perfed:ftate  of  Health,  are  lefs  fenfil 
of  fuch  fmall  Mutations  of  the  Air,  as  neverthelefs  bn ' 
Animals  feem  to  have  fome  Foreknowledge  of,  and  of  whi 
even  inanimate    Bodies  give^  foreboding  Signs.     The  Ge( , 
we  know,  often  gaggle,  and  the  Frogs  croak   in  uncertM 
Weather,  but  not  in  fettled  Fair,  which  Cinders  flicking  » 
the  Tongs  forefhew  :  The  very  Snuff  of  Lamps  gives  Bodit  J 
of  Rain,  and  that   too  (6  vifible,  that  even  our  drudgi! 
Maids  perceive  them  :  Virg.  Georg.  i«  v.  590. 


iiook  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


70? 


Nee  nod^iirna  quidem  carpentes  penfa  puell^e 
Nefcivere  hyemem,  tefta  cum  ardente  viderenc 
Scintillare  oleum,  8c  putres  concrefcere  fungos. 

It  of  this  fee  Aratus,  lib;  3.  var.  led.  cap:  ii.  and  chiefly 
icophraftus,  in  his  Book  de  Indiciis  Ventorum,  Serenitatis, 
,  Pluviae,  who  firft  of  any,  fays  P.  Vidtorius,  fully  adorn'd  this 
;  bjedt.  And  no  doubt  the  dry'd  Dirt,  and  Slime  of  which 
^  2  were  fpeaking,  would  have  imbib'd  fome  Portion  of  the 
Limidity,  the  Day  before  the  Nile  overflow'd,  had  it  not 
1  en  kept  fo  clofe  :  but  being  once  released  from  that 
1  iftody,  it  forthwith  rufhes  into  the  Embraces  of  the  defir'd 
i  oifture,  following  the  natural  Propenfity  of  dry  Bodies  to 
'  ;t. 


5      Next  of  ih'  Ar  e'r  n i  (ing,  and  whence  the  Name, 
And  whence  the  Rage,  and  hurtful  Nature  came. 
So  caird,  becaufe  the  Birds,  that  cut  the  Sky,  'j>  1 

If  o'er  thofe  Places  they  but  chance  to  fly,  S- 

By  NOXIOUS  Steams  opprefs'd,  fall  down,  and  dy:  3 

Death 
N  O  T  £  5. 


3  $.  Kext J  &C.3  Lucretius  does 
:  acknowledge  a  beneficent^  but 
:ly  denies  an  angry,  God  :  and 
he  takes  from  the  Gods  above 
!  Ph^nomenons  of  the  Hea- 
is,  and  of  the  Air,  fo  does  he 
)  from  the  Powers  below  fome 
tious  Things  that  pafs  for  Pro- 
ies  upon  Earth.    For,  fays  he, 
re  are  certain  places,  which  we 
i  Averni,  and  that  are  fatal  to 
ds  that  fly  over  them,  and  to 
er  Animals,    that  chance  to 
s  by  them  :  One  of  thefe  A- 
ni  is  at  Cumai,  another  near 
nerva's    Temple    in  Athens, 
I  a  third  in  Syria  :  Thefe  Pla- 
Men  believe  to  be  the    En- 
;  nces  of  the  Roads  that  lead  to 
11,  to  the  Palace  of  Pluto,  and 
:'  t  the  Mancsj  or  Souls  of  the 
■gad, pafs  that  way  to  the  fubttir- 
ean  Abodes.     Now  the  Poet, 
.the  may  more  fully  and  di- 
i<l^Iy  explain  the  Force    and 


ti 


Nature  of  thefe  Places,  teaches 
firft,  that  the  Earth  contains 
many  Seeds,  as  well  noxious  as 
wholefome ,  both  to  Men  and 
other  Animals  :  and  then  he 
brings  a  Heap  of  Examples,  to 
prove  that  the  Exhalations,  that 
flow  from  many  ThingS5are  hurt- 
ful and  deadly  to  many  Things  : 
Having  premis'd  this,  he  comes 
to  the  Queftion,  and  lays,  that  a 
noxious  Vapour  breathes  from 
the  Averni ;  and  either  that  poy- 
fonous  Steams  ftrike  with  fuddain 
Death  the  Birds  that  fly  over 
them  :  or  that  the  rifing  Exha- 
lation attenuates  and  drives  a- 
way  the  Air  to  that  degree,  that 
the  Birds  can  not  fupport  them- 

Ifelves,  nor  fuftain  their  Flight  in 
fo  void  and  empty  a  Space,  and 
that,  failing  into  that  "Void,  they 
forthvv'ith  expire.  This  is  con- 
tain'd  in  96.  v. 
737-  So  cali'd,  &c.]    In  thefe 

7,  Y. 


-yo4  LUCRETIUS.  BookV 

740  Death  meets  them  in  the  Air,  and  ftrikes  them  dead! 
They  fall  with  hanging  Wing,  and  bended  Head  j 

An 
NOTES, 

7.  V.  the  Poet  premifes  the   Ety-   they  ftruck  dead  the  Birds  th 
mology  of  the  Word  Averni,  or    flew  over  them.    Thus    Homi 
rather    the    Reafon    why    thefe    OdyfH  12. 
Places  were  fo  cail'd.    Virgil  too 
gives  the   fame  Reafon    of  the 


Name,  and  has  imitated  this  Paf- 
fage  of  Lucretius,  in  his  fixth 
^neid,  v.  237.  in  thefe  Verfes. 

Speluncaalta  fuit,  vaftoqueim- 
manis  hiatu/ 

Scrupea,  tuta  lacn  nigro,  nemo- 
rumque  tenebris  j 

Quam  fuper  haud  ullse  poterant 
impune  volantes 

.Tendere  iter  pennis  *,  talis  (cfc 
halitus  atris 

Faucibus  effundens  fupera  ad  con- 
vexa  ferebat ; 

Unde  locum  Graii  dixerunt  no- 
mine Avernum. 

Which  Dryden  thus  interprets : 

Deep  was  the  Cave,  and  down- 
ward as  it  went 
From  the  wide  Mouth,  a  rocky 

rough  Defcent: 
And  here  th'  Accefs  a  gloomy 

Grove  defends  •, 
And  here  th'  unnavigable  Lake 

extends-, 
O'er  whofe  unhappy  Waters,  void 

of  Light, 
No  Bird  prefumes  to  fteer  his 

airy  Flight : 
Such  deadly  Stenches  from  the 

Depth  arife, 
And  {teaming  Sulphur,  that  in- 

fe(fts  the  Slaes. 
From  hence  the  Grecian  Bards 

their  Legends  make. 
And  give  the  Name  Avernus  to 

the  Lake. 

For  the  Greeks  cail'd  it  "Aopy©^, 
from  the  privative  Particle  ctj  and 
opv(^,  a  Bird,  becaufe  the  noxious 
Vapours,  that  exhal'd  from  the 
AYe;:ni3  wsie  fo  poyfonousj  that 


KjTe  'ttUhou* 

i.e. 

Where  neither  DovCj  nor  ot 
Bird  can  fly. 

And  fo  much  for  the  Reafon 
the  Name  Avernus,  which 
tends  to  all  Places,  whofe  deac 
Exhalations  kill  the  Birds  th 
fly  over  them. 
741.  They  fall,  &c.]  Lucreth 

Remigii  oblit«B   pennarum  v( 
remittunt. 

For  the  Wings  do  the  fame  ( 
iice  to  Birds,  as  Oars  and  Si 
to  Ships,  which  are  faid  to  J 
with  Sails,  as  with  Wings :  Vi 
Mn,  3.  V.  $20. 

— Velorum  pandimus  al 

And,  on  the  contrary.  Bird:  i 
faid  to  fwim.  Virg.  ^n.  6»  v. 
fpealdng  of  Daedalus,  , 

Prajpetibus  pennis  aufus  leered* 

coelo, 
Infuetum  per  iter  gelidos  enji^ 

ad  Ardos. 

And  in  the  fame  Book,  v.  i9»k 
find  the  very  Exprelfion  of  I 
cretins,  Remigium  alarum  :  A 
yEn.  I.  v.  304.  fpeakingof  M 
cury. 


Volat  ille  per  aera  magilfr 

Remigio  alarum.  -^ 

But  not  only  Virgil  after  LucI 
tius ;  for  all  the  Antient  Po ' 

II 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  jo^ 

And  ftrike  the  poif'nous  Lake,  or  deadly  Field  : 
Such  Vapours  boiling  Springs  near  Cz>m^e  yield; 
In  At HEKSf  where  Ai / N i£ 2j  vJs  Temple ftands , 

There 
N  O  T  £  .9. 


us'd  this  Metaphor.  Ovid,  in  his 
Epidles  5  applies  it  to  Men's 
Arms  : 


-»Remi3  ego  corporis  utar. 


I'll  ufe  the  Bodies  Oars. 

I  See  more  Book  V.  v.  3 1 5. 
:  With  hangingWings,  and  bend- 
j  jd  Head  :]  Lucret.  MolU  cervice 
!  Drofufae :  A  fine  I  mage  of  a  faint- 

ngj  dying  Bird  ',  and  not  unhap- 

)ily  render'd  by   our   Tranila- 

our. 
743,  Such  Vapours,  dec.'}  This 

I  erfe  runs  thus  in  the  Original. 

i^alis  apud  Cumas   locus    eft, 

montemque  Vefevum, 
)ppleti  calidis  ubi  fumant  fon- 
tibus  aucflus. 

n  which  two  Verfes  the   Poet 
eachesj  that  there  is  fuch  a  Place 
c  Cumx,  and  on  the  Mountain 
efuvius.     Cum;E  was  a  City  of 
Campania,  not  far  from   Puteo- 
,  now  caird   PuzzuoIq,  in  the 
angdom  of  Naples  :  butofCu- 
vx.  there  are  no   Footfteps  re- 
gaining.   The  Lake  Avernus,  is, 
;»  this  Day  cali'd  Lago  d'  Aver- 
o,  and    lies   between    Baia  and 
uzzuolo.    Near  this  Lake  there 
re  now  to  be  feen  the  Remains 
f  two  Caves*;  one  on  the  South 
de  of  it,  ftill  cali'd  Grotta  di 
byila,  where  dwelt  the  Cumiean 
ibyl,and  feems  to  be  the  Mouth 
f  that  Paflage   under  Ground, 
hich  led  from  Avernus  to  Cu- 
iK,  but  is  now  ftopt  up  by  the 
iling  in  of  the  Earth ;  the  other 
that,  which  to  this   Day  leads 
om  Puzzuolo  to  Naples,  being 
,,Jg  thro' the   Mountain  Paulily- 
^im,  now  known  by  the  Names! 
\nt1gnana5    and    Conocchia.l 


Now  the  true  Nature  of  the  Lake 
Avernus  was  this :  The  Waters 
of  it  were  very  clear  and  deep  : 
whence  Herodotus,  lib.  4.  calls 
them  cerulean,   that  is    to   fay 
black  ;  for  all  deep  Waters  feem 
of  that  Colour.    This  Lake  was 
furrounded    with     fteep    rocky 
HiJls,  cover'd  with  thick  Woods, 
that  render'd  it  inacceflible,  ex- 
cept in  one  Place  only  :  This  we 
learn  from  Strabo,  lib.  5.     And 
Pliny,  lib.  31.  cap.  2.    acquaints 
us,  that  all  that  Trad  of  Land 
abounded       with     innumerable 
Springs  of  hot  Water,  mixt  with 
Sulphur,  Alom,  Salt,  Nitre,  and 
Brimftone  :    But  that  the  Va^ 
pours,  which  fteam    from    this 
Lake,  are  fatal  to  Birds,  is  by 
Strabo,  in  the  Place  abovecited, 
deem'd  a   Fable,  becaufe  of  the 
Clearnefs  and  Tranfparency  of 
the  Water  :    of  which  Ariftotle 
too    takes  Notice.    Vefevus,  or 
Vefuvius^is  a  Mountain  of  Cam- 
pania, not  far  from  Naples,  and 
that    vomits     out     Flame    urid. 
Smoke,  like  ^tna  in  Sicily.    Sir 
R.  Blackmore  defcribes  it  thus  : 

As   high   Vefuvius ,    when    the 

Ocean  laves 
His  firy  Roots  with  fubt^ranean 

Waves, 
Difturb'd  within,  does  in  Con- 

vullions  roar, 
And  cafts  on  high  his  undigeft'ed. 

Oar; 
Difcharges  malFy  Surfeit  on  the 

Plains, 
And  empties  all  his  rich  metal- 
lick  Veins, 
His    ruddy    Entrails;    Cinders, 

pitchy  Smoke, 
And    intermingled    Flames   the 

Sun- beams  choa/c. 

744.  In  AthenS;  &c.]  In  thefe 
X  X  X  X  7,Y. 


no6 


LUCRETIUS, 


Book  VI. 


745  There  never  Crow,  nor  boading  Raven  flies, 
Not,.tbo'  the  fat  and  oily  Sacrifice 
Albre  his  Smell,  and  call  his  willing  Eyes. 

N  O  T  £  S, 


Noi 


7  7  tlie  Poet  fays,'  tliere  is  ano- 
ther Tuch  a  Place  at  Athens,  at 
the  very  top  of  the  Tower,  near 
the  Temple  of  Pallas. 

Eft  &  Athens  is  in  moenibus,  ar- 

cis  iniplb 
Yertice,    Palladis    ad    {empiam 

Tritonidis  almae. 

Of  Athens,  fee  the  Note  on  the 
jirft  Verfe  of  this  Book. 

Minerva!    She  was    the  fame 
with  Pallas,  who  was  call  d  Mi- 
nerva, either    from    minari,    to 
threaten,  becaufe  flieis  painted  m 
Armour  :  or  from  memini,  1  re- 
member, becaufe  ilie  is  faidto  be 
the  Goddefsof  Memory,  or  rather 
from  the  old  Word  minervo,  1 
admonifh,  becaufe  ilie  gives  good 
Advice  to   Men,    as    being    the 
Goddefs  of  Wifdom,  and  of  Arts. 
She   was  cali'd   Pallas  from  the 
Greek  Word  -u^cIt^co,  I  iliake,  be- 
caufe flie  is  feign'd  to  be  born  out 
of  the    Brain    of  Jupiter,^  and 
^rm'd,  and  brand  ifhing  a  Spear. 
She  is  faid  to  be  the  firit  who  in- 
dented   Building,    and    even    tc 
have  built  herfelf  the  Tower  atj 
Athens,  which  was  call'd  ^-A^o-] 
^ov.Sy  becaufe  it    ftood    in  the| 
iiigheft  Place  of  the  City.    Hence 
Yirg.  Eel.  2,  V.  6i.  I 

. Pallas,  quas  condidit  arces, 

Ipfa  colat. 

She  refus'd  to  marry  with  Vul- 
can, and  kept  her  Virginity: 
"whence  the  fame  Virgil,  ^.n.  2. 
T.  51.  calls  her  innupta  Mmerva. 
She  was  likewife  call'd  Tritonis, 
©rTritonia5either  from  the  Greek 
^Ir^y  which  fignifies  a  Head,  be- 
caufe, as  we  faid  before,  Hie  was 
produced  out  of  the  Head  of  Jupi- 
ter :  or  becaufe,  in  the  time  of 
iCing  Ogygiusj  fiie  was  firft  feen 


in  the  Habit  of  a  Virgin,  on  th< 
Banks  of  the  Riv^rTritoniThis  i 
confirm'd  by  Pomponius  Mela 
lib.  I.  cap  .  7.  where,  fpeaking  0 
Triton,  th^  Name  ofa  Lake  an( 
River  in  Africa,  not  far  from  th 
Syrtis  Minor,  he  fays,  that  Mi 
nerva  was  call'd  Tritonis,  bt 
caufe,  as  the  Inhabitants 'believ- 
file  was  born  there  ;  and  ths 
they  celebrate  her  Birth-day  wit 
ludicrous  Sports,  of  Virgins  coi 
tending  with  one  another.  Undi 
fays  he,  Minerva:  cognomen  ir 
ditum  eft  ,  ut  incol^  arbitrar 
tur,  ibi  genit^  :  faciuntque  < 
fabul^  aliquam  -fidem,  quo 
quern  natalem  ejus  putant,  ludj 
cris  virginuni  inter  fe  decertar 
tium  celebrant.  Thus  too  Li 
can,  lib.  p.   v.  34.7. 

Torpentera  Tritonos  adit  ill« 

paludem  1 
Hanc  8c  Pallas  amat :  patrio  qu 

vertice  nata, 
Terrarum  primam  Libyen,  (nai 

proxima  coelo  eft, 
Ut  probat  ipfe  calor )    tQtv^ 

ftagnique  quieta 
Vultus  vidit  aqu^,  pofuitque 

margine  plantas  j 
Et  fe  diledi  Tritonida  dixit  i 

und^. 

Or  perhaps  the  Latine  Authou 
allude  to  the  Greek  Epithet  h 
Pallas,  who  Iliad.  2.  v.  157-  ^f 
elfewhere,  is  faid  to  be  di^vid^ 
untam'd,  void  of  Fear,  from  pi 
vative  ct  and  ^^Vy  to  trembl( 
74^.  Nottho',  &C.3  TheR 
ven,  fays  Lucretius,  has  fuch  i 
Averlion  to  that  Place,  that  A 
though  Sacrifices  are  offer'd  thei 
he  will  not  even  then  come  ne' 
it,  tho'  the  Smell  of  the  tempcir; 
Flem  feem  to  invite  his  Hung 

toEaft§»  „   ^- 

748.  Nc 


Book  VL  LUCRETIUS. 

Not  thac  he  fears  M  /  v  b  Jt  yJs  vain  Pretence, 
Or  banifli'd  from  her  Tiraiin  for  an  Offence  ; 

I  750  But  'tis  the  noxious  Vapour  drives  hicn  tlK'UCe. 
A  Place,  as  Story  teHs,  in  Syri^  lies. 
Which  if  a  Horse  goes  o'er,  be  groans  and  dies. 
As  if  by  fuddain  Stroke,  and  vi'ient  Blow, 
He  fell  a  Sacrifice  to  Gods  below  : 

755      Yet  thefe  Effects  agree  with  Nature's  Laws, 
And  ftrid:  Obfervers  may  difcern  the  Caufe  : 
Left  you  fliould  fanfy  thefe  the  Gates  of  Hell. 


N  O  T  B  ^. 


Thac 


748.  Not  that  he  fears,  S>(c.'] 
Lucretiuj  alludes  to  the  known 
Fable  of  the  Nymph  Coronis, 
vho,  flying  from  Neptune,  who 
vould  have  offer'd  Violence  to 
aer,  was  chang'd  by  Minerva  into 
1  Ravcn,  and  permitted  never- 
:helefs  to  attend  her  Train  :  But 
when  that  Goddefs  had  given 
Ericfthonius ,  ihut  up  in  a 
Basket,  in  Charge  to  Pandrofos, 
Herfe  and  Aglauros,  with  Orders 
lot  to  open  it^  the  Raven  faw 
:hem  tranfgrefs  the  Commands 
3f  Minerva,  and  acquainted  her 
with  it  :  For  which  Garrulity, 
(lie  baniflied  her  from  her  Pro- 
cection  and  Train.  The  Fable  is 
related  at  large  in  Ovid.  Me- 
cam.  2.  by  Coronis  herfelf,  who 
fays, 

Ada  Dsx  refero  :  pro  quo   mihi 

gratia  talis 
Redditur,  ut  dicar  tuteU  pulfa 

Minerva. 

; -Mea  poena  volucres 

Admonuiffe  potell,  ne  voce  peri- 

cula  qu.icranr. 

751.  A  Place,  &c.]  In  thefe 
4.  V.  the  Poet  fays,  there  is  a 
Place  in  Syria,  that  ftrikes  dead 
in  a  Moment  any  four-rfooted 
Beaft  :  But  Lambinus  believes 
the  Poet  fpeaks  of  the  Plutonium 
in  Hierapolis,  not  far  from  Lao- 
i.yicea:  which  is  a  Cave  fo  cali'd 
Jvom  Pluto,  becaufe  it  was    be- 

V  i  ro  he  i\\%  breathing  FJole 


of  that  infernal  God.  Strabo, 
lib.  13,  defcribes  it  to  be  a  Hole 
in  a  hollow  place,  under  the 
Brow  of  a  Mountain ,  wide 
enough  to  receive  the  Body  of  a 
Man  ;  but  immenfely  deep : 
That  it  is  prefent  Death  to  any 
Animal  that  goes  into  it :  Bulls, 
fays  he,  led  to  the  Place,  drop 
dead  immediately  :  he  adds  the 
like  of  Sparrows,  that  were  put 
in  at  the  Mouth  of  ic.  To  which 
we  add,  what  is  reported  of  the 
Cave,  cali'd  Panium,  at  the  Foog 
of  Mount  Libanus :  That  it  ex- 
hales a  Vapour,  that  caufes  like-^ 
wife  fuddain  Death. 

Syria]  Is  a  Province  of  Afia, 
and  the  largeft  of  that  Quarter 
of  the  Earth.  It  is  generally  di- 
vided into  four  :  Syria,  AiTyriaj 
Coslofyria,  and  Leucofyria. 

755.  Yet  thefe,  &c.]  Tn  thefe 
8.  V.  he  fays,  that  all  thefe 
Things  proceed  from  natural 
Caufes  I  Therefore  the  Poets 
falfely  taught,  that  thefe  Averni 
are  the  Gates  of  the  Roads  thaf 
lead  to  Hell :  which  Fables  they 
invented  only  toftrike  a  Terrouf 
into  eafy  Believers  :  and  he  pro- 
mifes,  that  he  will  explain  all 
thefe  Matters,  and  Hiew  the  na- 
tural Caufes^  of  thefe  feeming 
wonderful  Effecfrs. 

757.  The  Gates  of  Hell,]  The 
Latine  Poets,  when  they  treat  of 
the  Affairs  of  their  own  Cour-s 
trey,  make  that  Avernus,  of 
which  V.  743.  to  be  the  Gate  of 
^  5  :s  5  3  H^W  \ 


7o8 


LUC  RE  T  lU  S. 


Book  VI 


That  there  the  fmutty  Gods,  SLndM^tt  e  s  dwell ; 
And  thro'  thofe  Places  draw  the  wand'ring  Souls, 

760  As  Deer  fuck  Serpents  from  their  lurking  Holes  : 
But  that's  abfurd,  irrational,  and  vain : 
Come,  underftand  the  Caufe,  for  Vl\  explain. 
Firft,  Seeds  do  lie,  as  I  have  prov'd  before, 
In  Earth,  of  ev'ry  Shape  a  mighty  Store : 

765  Some,  vital  Parts  to  Men,  prolong  their  Breath,' 
Some  apt  to  breed  Disease,  and  haften  Death  : 
To  other  Animals  fome  Parts  are  good : 
Some  hurt,  fome  kill,  and  fome  give  wholefome  Food ; 
And  all  thefe  different  Effeds  arife 

770  From  difPrent  Motion,  Figure,  Shape,  and  Size. 
A  thoufand  hurtful  Parts  thro'  Ears  defcend, 
A  thoufand  pafs  the  Nostrils,  and  offend: 

NOTES, 


Hell  :   Virg.  ^ncid.   6.  v.  126. 

— .Facilis  defcenfus  Averni. 

And  ^neas,  with  the  Sybil,  de- 
Icended  that  way  :  But  when  the 
fame  Poets  defcribe  the  Affairs 
of  the  Greeks,  they  place  the 
Gates  that  lead  to  the  Infernal 
Manfions,  in  the  Caves  of  the 
Mountain  Ta'narus,  which  is  a 
Promontory  of  Laconia,  in  the 
molt  Southern  Part  of  Pelopon- 
nefus,  between  the  Laconick  and 
J4efleniack  Gulphs ,  and  now 
call'd  Capo  Maina  :  Orpheus  is 
faid  to  have  defcended  this  way  : 
Georg.  4.  V.  4.(57  :  and  fo  too  are 
Hercules  and  Thefeus  in  the  Here. 
Fur.  of  Seneca. 

758.  The  fmutty  Gods]  The 
infernal  Gods :  Lucretius  names 
Orcus,  whom  Silius  Italicus  takes 
for  Cerberus ,  and  others  for 
Charon  :  but  Cicero  de  Natura 
Deorum,  lib.  3.  cap.  a^.  for  Plu- 
to, the  Brother  of  Jupiter,  and  of 
Neptune ;  and  to  whom  by  Lot 
fell  the  Empire  of  Hell  :  He  ra- 
vifli'd  Proferpina,  the  Daughter 
of  Ceres :  He  was  call'd  Dis, 
as  well  as.  Pluton  ,  both  which 
Names   he  has    from     Riches : 


which  are  faid  to  be  dug  outo 
the  Bowels  of  the  Earth  :  for  h« 
was  call'd  Dis  by  the  Latines 
from  Divitiaj,  and  Pluton  by  th« 
Greeks,  from  'sr^ar©-',  which 
lignifies  the  fame  Thing. 

Manes]  Of  the  Manes,  and  the 
feveral  Acceptations  of  the  Word 
we  have  fpoken  at  large  in  oui 
Note  on  v.  52.  of  B.  IlL 

760.  As  Deer,  Sec."]  Pliny  fays 
that  the  Breath  of  Elephant; 
draws  Serpents  out  of  theis 
Holes;  and  that  the  Breath  ol 
Deer  burns  them.  Elephantorum 
anima  Serpentesextrahit,  Cervo- 
rum  item  urit.  Nat.  Hill.  lib. 
cap.  53.     But  if  this  be  falfe. 


II 


the  Raillery  of  Lucretius  is  not 
the  lei's  iharp  and  pleafant. 

7(^3.  Firfl  Seeds,  dec.  In  the 
following  49.  V.  the  Poet,  before 
he  demonftrates  that  all  thefe 
Things  happen  by  natural  Cau- 
fes,  puts  us  in  mind  of  what  he 
taught  in  the  firft  and  fecond 
Books  :  viz.  that  in  the  Earth 
are  contain'd  Atoms  of  many  va- 
rious.Shapes  :  and  that  by  rea- 
fon  of  the  diffimilitudje  of  their 
Nature,  and  the  different  Tex- 
ture of  their  Figures,  fome  of 
them  are  beneficial,  othors  per- 
nicious 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  709 

A  thoufand  hurt  the  Touch,  a  num'rous  Store 
Difturb  the  Eye,  the  Taste  a  thoufand  more : 
;775  Befides,  on  Man,  a  thoufand  Atoms  wait. 
And  HURTFUL  all,  and  carry  hafty  Fate  : 
Thus  often,  under  Trees  fupinely  laid. 
While  Men  enjoy  the  Pleafure  of  the  Shade, 
Whilft  thofe  their  loving  Branches  feem  to  fpread,     9 
3o  To  skreen  the  Sun,  they  noxious  Atoms  fhed,  > 

From  which  quick  Pains  arife,  and  fieze  the  Head.^ 

Near  Helicok,  and  round  the  learned  Hill, 
Grow  Trees,  whofe  Blossoms  with  their  Odour  kill - 
And  all  thefe  hurtful  Things  from  Earth  arife, 
85  Becaufe  the  Parent  Earth's  vaft  "Wombs  comprize 
Thofe  difF'rent  Stores  and  Kinds  of  poif'nous  Seed, 
Which,  fitly  join'd,  thefe  hurtful  Natures  breed  : 

The  Snuff  of  Candles,  this  is  often  known, 
Oftends  the  Nofe  with  Stench,  and  makes  us  fwooa 

Befides 
NOTES. 


i  cious  to  Men  :  but  that  (bme 
'them  are  hurtful  to  the  Eyes, 
hers  to  the  Ears,  others  to  the 
ongue,  &c.  all  which  he  con- 
rms  by  feveral  Examples, 
777.  Thus  often,  Scc.2  In  thefe 
V.  he  brings  Example  Ift  Of 

I  hings  that  are  hurtful  to  Man  : 

I  It  fays  nothing  of  the  Name  of 
e  Tree,  whofe  Shade  is  offen- 
e,  Pliny,  lib.  17.  cap.  12.  fays 
at  the  Shade  of  the  Walnut- 
ree  offends  the  Head,  and  chat 
>  Plants  will  thrive  under  it. 
lyus,  in  his  Note  on  this  Place, 

^:es  thefe  two  Verfes  of  Virgil, 

|:Iog.  10.  V.  75. 

I 

'.  rgamus;  folet  elTe  gravis  can- 
tantibus  umbra, 
niperi  gravis    umbra  ;  nocent 
&c  frugibus  umbrae. 

It  the  iliade  of  the  Juniper  is 

ry  grateful,  being  an  odorous 

':ee,  and   that   fuffers    nothing 

'nomous  to  grow  near  it:  but 

1:  meaning  of  Virgil  was,  that 

continue  long  in   the   iliade, 

ighc  be  dangerous,  becaufe  of 

:   cold :    and  feme    Editions 


read  not  cantantibus,  but  tiin- 
(ftantibus.  And  Lucretius  means 
the  fame  Thing,  and  not  the 
iliade  of  any  particular  TreCi 
The  jQiade  of  the  Box-tree,  how- 
ever, is  faid  to  caufe  the  Head-ach. 

782.  Near  Helicon,  &c.]  In 
thefe  <^.v.he  propofes  his  lid  Ex- 
ample :  What  Tree  he  means  is 
hard  to  fay  :  fom.e  fuppofe  it  to 
be  the  Box  ;  of  which  Pliny, 
lib.  16.  cap.  10.  but  befides  that 
the  floris  odore  necare,  which  are 
the  Words  of  Lucretius,  agrees 
but  ill  with  that  Tree,  why 
fliould  he  fend  us  to  Helicon  for 
a  Tree,  that  is  very  plentiful  in 
Italy.  Helicon  is  a  Hill  in  Boeo- 
cia,  not  far  from  Parnafl'us,  which 
our  Tranflatour  here  means  by 
the  learned  Hill  :  and  they  have 
both  of  them  equal  Title  to  that 
Appellation,  being  alike  facred 
to  Apollo  and  the  Mufes.  Of 
Helicon,  fee  more  in  the  Note  on 
V.  557.  B.  IV. 

788.  The  Snuff,  &c.]  Illd  Ex- 
ample, To  which  we  may  add 
what  Pliny  fays,  lib.  7.  cap.  7. 
that  it  often  caufes  Abortion  in 
Women. 

Gur 


7IO 


LUCRETIUS. 


BookV] 


790     Befides  a  thoufand  other  Things,    that  fieze 
The  Soul  within,  ofc  make  their  way  with  Eafe, 
And  fhake  the  vital  PowVs  with  ftrong  Disease. 

So  when  the  Belly's  fall,  go  fit,  and  ftay, 
And  wanton  in  hot  Baths,  ftrait  flies  away 

795  Thy  Life,  thy  Strength,  and  all  thy  Pow'rs  decay 

NOTES, 


I 

Fron 


Our  Tranflatour  has  omitted 
the  IVth  Example,  which  Lu- 
cretius brings  of  an  Ointment 
made  of  the  Teftides  of  the  Bea- 
vor,  which  by  itsnaufeous  Smell, 
fays  Pliny,  makes  Women  with 
Child  mifcarry :  But  Lucretius 
fays  only,  that  it  ftupilies  Wo- 
men, and  throws  them  adeep  : 
and  that  if  they  fmell  the  Odour 
of  it,  at  the  time  when  they  have 
their  monthly  Difeafe,  it  makes 
them  let  fall  whatever  they  hold 
in  their  Hands.  This  in  the 
Original  runs  thus : 

Caftoreoque  gravi  mulier  fopita 

recumbit, 
Et  manibus  nitidum  teneris  opus 

effluit  ei. 
Tempore     eo    fi     odorata    eft, 

quo  menftrua  folvit. 

7P3.  So  when,  &c.]  In  thefe 
3.  V.  he  brings  Example  Vth  Of 
Bathing  :  For,  fays  he,  it  is 
hurtful  to  continue  long  in  a  hot 
Bath,  immediately  after  eating  : 
The  Cuftom  among  the  Romans 
was  to  bathe  before  Supper  :  but 
the  riotous  us'd  to  bathe  them- 
felves  alfo  after  Supper  :  and  this 
they  did  to  procure  Digeftion  : 
See  Pliny,  lib.  29.  However  the 
Phyfician  in  Perfius  advifes  his 
Patient  not  to  bathe  after  eating, 
that  being  a  Cuftom  very  perni- 
nicious  to  Health  :  but  the  gluc- 
tonoiis  Youth  refufing  to  take  his 
Advice,  paid  dear  for  his  Obfti- 
nacy,  if  the  Effects  of  his  Bath- 
ing were  truly  fuch  as  they  are 
defcrib'd  by  that  Poet,  Sat.  3. 
Y.  50*  in  thefe  Yerfes : 


Turgidus  hie  epulis,  atque  alb 

ventre  lavatur, 
Gutture    fulphureas  lente  cxha 

lante  mephites  : 
Sed  tremor  inter  vina  fubit,  call 

dumque  triental 
Excutit  e  manibus  ;   dentes  ere 

puere  retedi ; 
Uncfta  cadunt  laxis  tunc  pulmen 

taria  labris,  6cc, 

Juvenal  too,  Satyr,  i.  v.  142 
mentions  the  Danger  of  this  Pra 
dice  of  bathine  with  a  full  Sto 
mach,  and  fays, 

Pcena  tamen  prscfens,  cum  tu  de 

ponis  amicf^us 
Turgidus,  dc  crudum  pavonen 

in  balnea  portas. 

Moreover  ;  we  may  farthe 
obferve  ,  that  at  their  Batb 
there  were  three  Cells  ;  the  cold 
the  warm,  and  the  hot :  all  whid 
were  Baths  of  Water  :  but  ii 
fome  of  their  bathing  Houfe 
there  was  a  fourth  Cell,  whid 
they  cali'd  Laconicum,  or  cell 
afla,  that  is  to  fay,  ficca  fine  lo 
tione :  C!L(piS^po,3T/:Qji,ov'  and  wher 
thefe  were,  the  Places  were  ra 
ther  call'd  Balnearia,  than  Balnea 
according  to  the  Property,  0 
which,  as  Marcilius  notes,  Tully 
lib.  3.  ad  Q^  Frat.  Epift.  i.  fpealo 
when  he  calls  them  ,  alfa  ii 
Balneariis.  Horace  likewife,  an( 
others  often  mention  the  Faint 
nefs,  that  iiezes  luch  as  bath 
themfelves  after  a  full  Meal, 

2>q6.  fxQX 


iSook  VI.  L  U  C  R  E  T 1  U  Si  7ir 

From  Charcoal  deadly  Smells  the  Brain  itigage. 
If  Draughts  of  Water  not  prevent  their  Rage. 

To  thofe  whom  Feavers  burn,  the  piercing  fmcll 
Of  vigVous  Wine  is  grievous,  Death,  and  Hell. 
j^o      Befides ;  obfcrve  what  Parts  the  Earth  contains^ 
I       And  how  much  poif'nous  Sulphur  fills  her  Veins. 
Laftly,  whilft  Men  purfue  the  hidden  Store, 
And  dig  in  Mines  of  gold,  or  iilverOrej; 
What  hurtful  Damps,  what  noxious  Vapours  rtfe! 
5o5  The  wretched  Miner  o'er  th;e  Metal  dies. 
What  noxious  Parts  from  golden  Mines  es^ale  1 
How  foon  they  fieze,  and  make  the  MiNERiSpale  ! 
With  what  quick  Force  they  kill  the  wretched  Slaves  ! 
How  foon  they  bury  them  in  pretious  Graves  I 
3io  Therefore  thefe  noxious  Parts  muft  often  rear. 
And  fcatter  Poison  thro'  the  upper  Air. 

Thus  hurtful  Parts  from  the  Avektu  rife^' 
And  with  ftrong  Poisons  fill  the  lower  Skies: 
And  thefe,  as  Birds  cut  thro*  the  liquid  Way," 
>  1 5  Sieze  them  j  and  then  fome  Parts  of  Life  decay  : 
Thus  they  amaz'd  on  the  Av  e^ki  fall, 
And  there  the  Poisons  work,  and  ruin  all : ' 
For  firft  they  make  them  giddy  ;  then  their  Wing 
Grows  weak  ;  they  fall  into  the  Poifon's  Spring  ; 
520  There  die;  there  leave  their  Souls  in  deep  Defpair,^ 
Becaufe  the  Poison's  fierce,  and  ftronger  there: 

Or 

jsi  o  r  E  s. 


^96.  From  Charcoal,  &c.]  Ex- 
ample Vlthin  2.  V.  and  Example 
VHth  in  2,  V.  Ukewife,  need  no 
Explication. 

8oo.  Befides,  &€,]  In  thefe  2.  v. 
which  contain  Example  Vlllth 
he  Poet  obferves,  that  Sulphur 
md  all  bituminous  Matter,  whofe 
>teams  and  Vapours  are  very  of- 
enfive  and  hurtful  to  Man,  are 
generated  in  the  very  Bowels  of 
he  Earth. 

8o2.  Laftly, &c.]  In  thefe  lo.v. 
he  Poet  brings  the  IXth  and  laft 
example  :  and  fays  that  the 
vlines,  in  which  Metals  are  dug, 
xhale  fuch  noxious  JDamps  and 
V^apours,  as  often  kill  the  Wret- 
he«,  who  are  condeip.n'd  to  that 


flaviih  Drudgery.  Thus  from 
thefe  Veins  of  the  ^arth,  as  well 
as  from  jche  other  Things  above 
mention'd ,  breathe  forth  poi- 
fonous  and  deadly  Exhalations. 

So6,  What  noxious,  &c.]  It  is 
obferved.  That  all  Metals  have 
not  the  fame  Smell.  Gold,  heat- 
ed in  the  Crucible ,  is  fweet  r 
Silver  not  fo  pleafing ;  melted 
Brafs  ftinks :  and  the  Steam  of 
melted  Iron  is  intolerable. 

8 1 2.  Thus  hurtful,  &c»]  Jn 
thefe  lo.  V.  he  concludes  by  way 
of  Similitude  from  the  Inftances 
above  given,  That  in  thefe  Pla- 
ces, which  are  call'd  Averni,  the 
Earth  exhales  virulent  and  dead- 
ly Viip.ours,  and  fends  out  iioxi- 

ous 


f 


Tiz 


CjR.ETIUS. 


Book? 


/.preire  the  conftant  rifing  Screams  difpkce 
The  neighb'ring  Air,  and  leave  an  empty  Space : 
Where,  when  the  Birds  are  come  with  nimble  Force, 

8^5  And  ftill  endeavour  to  purfue  their  Courfe, 

Deceivd  they  fall,  they  clap  their  Wings  in  vain  j 
For  no  refitting  airy  Parts  fuftain,  ^ 

Their  Weight  does  force  themonthepoifnous  Plain.  J 
And  while  they  helplefs  in  the  Vacuum  lie, 

830  Breathe  out  their  Soul  thro'  evry  Pore,  and  die. 

In  Summer,  Springs  are  cold  ;  for  Earth  contaii 
Some  Seeds  of  Heat  within  her  hollow  Veins  : 
But  when  rhe  Heat's  Increafe,  and  vig'rous  Ray 
Forces  aPaflage  thro*,  they  fly  away: 

835  Thus  as  the  Summer  comes,  and  Rays  begin 

To  cleave  the  Earth,  the  Streams  grow  cold  within 

B. 

NOTES: 


ous  Atoms,  which  kill  the  Birds 
as  they  are  flying  over  thofe 
Places. 

822.  Or  elfe,  &c.]  In  thefe 
9.  V.  he  adds  another,  but  ridi- 
culous, Caufe,  why  the  Birds 
dropdown  dead  into  the  Averni  : 
As  if  the  Vapours,  that  exhale 
from  thence,  change  the  Air  in- 
to Vacuum,  or  rather  totally  ex- 
pdl,  and  drive  it  away,  fo  that 
the  Birds  can  not  bear  themfelves 
up,  nor  fupporc  their  flight  in  a 
meer  Void. 

831.  In  Summer,  &c.3  There" 
are  many  Things  fo  excellently 
well  accommodated  to  the  ufe  of! 
Man,  that  they  are  alone  fufli-' 
cient  to  evince  a  bountiful  and 
gracious  Providence  :  Thus  in 
Summer  Well-water  is  cold,  as 
if  it  were  order 'd  fo  on  putpofe 
to  moderate  the  Heat  of  that 
Seafon  ;  and  on  the  contrary,  it 
is  warm  in  Winter,  to  refreili 
and  revive  us.  But  Lucretius,  in 
thefe  10.  V.  endeavours  to  elude 
this  Difficulty  :  and  gives  this 
natural  reafon  of  that  Change  : 
In  Summer,  fays  he,  the  Surface 
of  the  Earth  is  rarefy'd  by  the 
Heat  of  the  Sun  ;  and  the  Seeds 
of  FiirCj  that  are  contain'd  in  5he 


Earth,  break  out  into  the  Air 
but  in  Winter  the  fame  Seeds  a 
conftrain'd,  and,  being  bound  fa 
in  the  Earth  by  the  Cold  of  th 
Seafon  ,  are  comprefs'd  ar 
fqueez'd  into  Wells  ;  and  then 
proceeds  the  Warmth  of  the  W 
ter. 

Ariflrotle  fays  this  is  caus'd  by  j 
Antiperifl:afis,  i.  e.  Circumobi 
ftentia,  a  Reciprocation,  and  fu 
rounding  on  all  fides,  by  meai 
of  which,  where  Heat  is,  then' 
Cold  is  expell'd  :  where  Col 
thence  Heat  ;  And  Cicero,  aft( 
the  Opinion  of  the  Stoicks,  c: 
plains  it  thus :  Omnes  igili 
partes  Mundi ,  tangam  aucei 
maximas,  calore  fulta:  fuftinei 
tur  :  quod  primum  in  terras  n, 
tura  perfpici  poteft  :  nam  < 
lapidum  conflidu,  atque  trir 
elici  ignem  videmus  :  &  recen 
foffione  terram  fumarecalentcm 
atque  etiam  ex  puteis  jugibus 
quam  calidam  trahi,  8c  id  max 
mehibernis  fieri  temporibus,qu(: 
magna  vis,  tertx  cavernis,  cor 
tineatur  caloris ;  eaque  hiemef, 
denfior  :  ob  eamqj  caufam  cak 
rem  infitum  in  terris  contine,' 
ardius.  Lib.  2.  de  Nat.  Deorun 
Therefore^  fays  he,  all  the  fever. 

par 


Book  VL        LUCRETIUS.  7ij 

But  Cold  contracfls  the  Pores  to  lefler  Space,' 
And  binds  the  Seeds  of  Heat  with  ftridt  Embrace : 
And  thefe,  fqueez'd  from  the  Pores,  with  nimble  Wings 
^40  Pafs  into  lower  Wells,  and  warm  the  Springs. 

Near  A  mm  0 ks  Shrine,  as  Fame  has  loudly  told, 
A  Spring  runs  hot  by  Night,  by  Day  'tis  cold  : 

Jhis 
N  O  T  JB  ^. 


•arts  of  the  World  are  fupport- 

i  by  Heat :  this  is  evident  from 

le  Nature  of  the  Earth  itfelf: 

n  )r,  by  ftciking  and  rubbing  of 

:ones,we  urge  out  Fire, and  new- 

iig  Ground    exhales    a    warm 

noke  :  beiides,  we  draw  warm 

Izzet  out  of   our  Wells,   and 

lat  too,  chiefly  in  Winter  :  the 

afon  is,  becaufe  much  Heat  is 

•ntain'd  in  the  Caverns  of  the 

dcch  :  and  the  Earch   becomes 

ore  denfe,    and  contracted  in 

inter;    and   for    that    reafon 

eps  in  the  more  clofely  its  in- 

te  Heat  and  Fires.    There  are 

me   however,    who  controvert 

e  Truth  of  this  Matter,  and  af- 

t  it  to  be  only  a  vulgar  Errour, 

d  not  a  foiid  and  certain  Ob- 

rvation.     But  molt    are  of  a 

ntrary  Opinion,  and  affigntwo 

aufes  of  this  Effed  :   One  of 

em  they  call  privative  ;    the 

'  her,    pofitive :    The  firft    of 

cm  is,  by  reafon  of  the  depar- 

jre  of  the  Heat,  or  hot  Bodies, 

I  or  we  are  permitted  to  fpeak 

1  LIS  in  the  School  of  Epicurus, 

•  d  of  Ariftocle  too,  who  will 

It    allow,  that   Accidents  pafs 

J  )m  Subjecfl  to  Su bjedi]  out  of 

« i  Earth.     That  innate  Heat  of 

» ;  Earth  is  occalion'd  by  Subter- 

1  lean  Fires  -,  and  evaporates  in 

'  mmer,  attracfted  by  the  ambi- 

<:  Heat  :  for,  according  to  the 

J)rervation  of  Hippocrates,  like 

'  lings   refort  to  like,    and  na- 

^  ally  delight  to  be  together. 

Ui.  Near,  &:c.]    But  it  may 

^  objected,  that  tho'  the  divine 

ver  be  not  in  all  Springs  and 

-ils,  it  is  certainly  vilible  in 

Fountain,  that  is  at  the  Tem- 


ple of  Jupiter  Ammon,  of  which 
Curtius,  lib.  4.  Se<ft.  7.  fays  : 
Ammonis  nemus  in  medio  habec 
fontem,  aquani  folis  vocant.  Sub 
ortum  folis  tepida  manat ;  medio 
die,  cum  vehementiflimus  eft  ca- 
lor,  frigida  eadem  fluit ;  inclinato 
in  veiperum,  calefcit  j  media  node 
fervida  ex<Bftuat  :  quoque  pro^ 
plus  nox  vergit  ad  lucem,  mul- 
tum  ex  nodiurno  calore  decrefcit, 
donee  fub  ipfum  diei  ortum  af- 
fueto  tempore  languefcat :  In  the 
midft  of  the  Grove  of  Ammon, 
there  is  a  Spring  of  Water,  cail'd 
the  Water  of  the  Sun  ;  at  Sun- 
rifing  it  flows  out  luke-warm,  ac 
Noon,  when  the  Heat  is  moft 
violent,  it  comes  out  quite  cold  : 
In  the  Evening  it  grows  warm, 
again  ;  at  Midnight  itgufliesouc 
very  hot ;  and  as  the  Night  wears 
away ,  and  the  Morning  ap- 
proaches, the  Heat  it  had  in  the 
Night  decreafes,  till  about  the 
ufual  time,  at  break  of  Day,  it 
becomes  again  barely  warm.  This 
is  coniirm'd  by  Pliny,  lib.  2.  cap* 
103.  by  P.  Mela,  lib.  i.  cap.  8. 
in  thefe  Words  :  Ammonis  Ora- 
culum  fidei    inclyta:  j    Sc  fons, 

quem  folis  appellant :  Fons 

media  no(fte  fervet :  mox  &  pau- 
latim  tepefcens,  fit  luce  frigid  us  : 
turn,  ut  fol  furgit,  ita  frigidior  : 
fubinde  per  meridiem  maxime 
riget :  funt  deinde  tepores  ite- 
riim  *,  dc  prima  no(fi:e  calidus : 
atque,  ut  ilia  procedit,  ita  cali- 
dior  :  rursiis,  ut  eft  media,  per- 
fervet.  Nor  may  we  omit  the 
Teftimony  given  by  Ovid.  Me- 
tam.  lib.  15.  v.  308.  in  thefe 
Words : 


Y 


y  y  y 


Quid! 


714  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

This  Men  admire,    and  think,  when  Night  has  fpread 
Her  blackeft  Curtains  o'er  our  fleepy  Head, 
S45  The  Sun  below  does  caft  his  vig'rous  Beams, 

And  pierces  thro'  the  Earth,  and  warms  the  Streams 

Abfurc 
n  0  T  B  S, 


^ ^  Quid  ?  non  &  lymgha  fi- 

Dacque,  capitque  novas  ?  medio 
tua,  corniger  Animon, 

ITnda  die  gelida  eft  j  ortuque, 
obitaque  calefcit. 

See  IJkevvife  Pontanus  in  Me- 
teor. And  Ammianus,  lib.  5. 
But  this  too  3  fays  Lucretius, 
is  ailed g'd  in  vain,  and  figni- 
jies  nothing  :  For  tho'  they 
are  miftaken,  that  impute  the 
caufe  of  it  to  the  Sun,  who,  as 
they  pretend,  when  he  is  beneath 
the  Earth,  warms  thofa  Waters 
thro'  the  Body  of  the  whole 
Earth,  thick  as  it  is ;  yet  the 
reafon  may  be  ,  bccaufe  the 
Barth,  being  tontradled  by  the 
Cold  of  the  Night,  fqueezes  down 
and  tranfmita  the  Seeds  of  Fire 
into   the  Water, 


ther  either  of  them  be  true  or  no 
if  is  not  worth  while  to  inquire 
fince  the  Thing  itfelf  is  a  mce 
Fidlion  :  for  none  of  our  Hiftc 
rians  or  Geographers,  who  de 
fcribe  Fountains,  pretend  tha 
they  ever  faw  this.  Yet  we  ha> 
pretty  good  Authority  for 
Fountain,  that  was  difcover' 
not  long  ago  in  the  Woods,  nea 
Clermont  in  Auvergne  :  who 
Waters  freeze  hard  in  the  Monti 
of  July  and  Auguil -,  but  neve 
in  the  Winter.  Prope  urbej 
Claramontem  fons,  nuper  invei 
tus,  dicitur.  La  Cave  de  la  glace 
Qui  fons  certe  mirabilis  :  nai 
ejus  aqua ,  JuliOj  dc  Augufl 
menfibuSjgelu  vehementer  aftrii 
gitur,  minime  vero  hyeme,  fa 
certain  Eye-witnefs  of  it. 


a 

Ammon]  Jupiter  Ammon  ha 

hich  by  that  I  ^^  Oracle  that  was  in  great  K 

means  grows  warm  ;  but  the  fame  \  ^o^yn   with  the    Egyptians  ar 

Earth,beineloofen'dandfetatli-   Africans,  and  a  Temple  m  L 


being 
berty  by  the  Heat  of  the  Day,  re 
ceives,  and,  as  it  were,  fwallows 
them  in  again  :  and  thus  the  Wa- 
ters lofe  much  of  theHeat  they  had 
m  the  Night,  Befides,  that  very 
Water,  which  becomes  warm,  be- 
caufe  the  cold  and  chilling  Night 
depreffes  and  keeps  down  the 
Seeds  of  Fire,  grows  cold  again 
the  Day  ;  becaufe  the  Beams 


of  the  Sun,  darting  into  the  Wa 
ter,  and  rarefying  it,  open  a  free 
Paffage  for  thofe  Seeds  to  get  out 
Into  the  Air  :  For  the  Heat  of 
the  Sun  diiTolves  Ice  in  fuch  a 
manner  ',  sls  to  releafe  and  fet 
at  liberty  the  flender  Stalks  of 
Corn,  and  other  Things  of  like 
Kature,  which  by  the  Cold  of 
the  Night ,  were  detain'd  and 
bound  in  icy  Fetters.  This  is 
contain^  in  28.  v.    Thus  Lucre 


bia,  to  the  Eaft  of  the  Countn 
of  Cyrenaica,  to  the  Weft  of  ] 
gypc,  and  to  the  North  of  ti 
Garamantes  and  Nafamones, 
a  moift  and  Palm-bearing  So 
tho'  all  the   Countrey  round 
moft  dry  and  defart.    The  Oi 
gine  of  this  is  variouily  reportei 
the    moft  common   Opinion 
that  Liber,  or  Bacchus,  after  ' 
had  conquer'd  all   Alia,  and   v- 
leading  his  Army  thro'  the  D 
farts  of  Lybia,  was  in  danger 
perifliing,   he  and  all  his  Mt 
with  Thirft  :  In  this  Diftrefj^ 
Ram  appear'd  to  him,  and  wi 
his  Horn  Hiew'd   him  a   Foul 
tain  of  Water:  now  he  fuppo« 
this  Ram  to  be  his  Father  Jupit* 
and   therefore  ercded  a  Temd 
to  him,  and  gave  him  a  Ran| 
Head  and  Horns.    He  caJl'd  hii 


siusaRignstwoCsufesibutwhs-   Ammon  from  the  Sand,  wJm 


71  r 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS, 

Abfurd  and  vain  !  For  Rnce  the  furious  Ray,  y 

When,  roll'd  above,  it  makes  oar  warmeft  Dav,       > 
And  beats  the  open  Surface  of  the  Sea,  3 

550  Can  raife  but  little  Wamith  ;  when  rou I'd  below. 
How  pierce  the  Earth,  and  heat  in  palling  thto*  ? 
Since  Sense  aflures,  that  when  the  Rays  do  beat,     7 
Our  Houses  yield  us  a  fecure  Retreat  ;  > 

We  lie  within,  and  icorn  the  Summer's  HeAt.  3 

5  5    Then  what's  the  Caufe  ?  *Tis  this ;  A  spungy  Ground, 
And  iill'd  with  firy  Seeds,  lies  al!  around  : 
This  when  cold  Nights  contradb,  the  Seeds  of  Fire, 
Squeez'd  out,  flie  off,  and  to  the  Spring  retire. 
And  make  it  hot  :  but  when  the  vigorous  Ray 

5p  Peeps  forth,  and  opens  them  an  eafy  Way, 
They  leave  the  cold  Embrace,  and  foon  retreat 
To  Earth  again,  and  take  their  former  Seat: 
And  thus,  by  Day,  it  lofes  all  its  Heat. 

Befides, 
NOTES. 


\ 


Gredc'is  cljupi^,  or -^a^iu/noS' 
t  Plutarch,  lib.  de  Hide,  feems 
deny  this  Name  to  be  of  Greek 
tra(ftion,  and  fays  it  is  deriv'd 
'ni  the  Egyptian  Language  : 
Kence  feme  believe  that  Ham, 
Cham,  the  Son  of  Noah,  and 

0  was  the  firft  that  cultivated 
Land  of    Egypt,    was  wor- 

pp'd  under  that  Name  :  others 

1  have  Ammon  to  be  the  Sun  ; 
crob.  Saturnal.  lib.  I.  cap.  21. 

0  &  Hammonem,  quern  Deum 
m  occidentem  Libyes  exifti- 

nt,  arietinis  cornibus  fingunt, 
bus  maxim^  id  animal  valet, 
It  fol  radiis ;  nam  &  apiid 
^cos  ^7w  T?  Jdctfocx^of,  appel- 
ir.  And  to  ftrengthen  this 
inion,  the  Hebrew  Word 
lima  fignifies  the  Sun  and 
it  :  But  whoever  it  was  that 

there  woriliip'd  under  the 
pe  of  Ammon,    Alexander 

Great,  when  he  was  in  E- 
t,  went  to  this  Temple,  and 
He  the    Priefts    acknowledge 

1  for  the  Son  of  their  God. 
^7.  Abfurd,    &c.]     In    thefe 
.  the  Poet  confutes  their  O- 
a«j    whp  beljevMj  th^?  the 


Water  of  the  Fountain  of  A  m- 
mon  grew  cold  by  Day,  and  hot 
in  the  Night,  for  the  fole  reafon 
of  the  Departure,  or  Acceffion  of 
the  Sun  :  And  this  he  proves   to 
be  impoffible  by   an  Argument, 
k  majori,  as  they  call  it.     For,  if 
the  Sun  can  not  warm  the  open 
and  naked  Body  of  the   Water, 
when  he  lliines  upon  it   from  a- 
bove,  much  lefs  can  he  imparf 
his  Heat  to  the  Waters  thro'  the 
thick  and  clofe-compaxfled   Body 
of  the  Earth  :  For  the  Heat  of 
the  Sun  muft  of    neceffity  pafs 
through  the  whole   Body  of  the 
Earth,  to  warm   by  Night    the 
Waters  of  that  Fountain  :  And 
yet  we  fee  that  even  our  Houfes 
flielter  and   prote(ft  us  from  th« 
jSerceft  of  his  Beams. 

855.  Then  what's,  &c.]  In  thefe 
9.  V.  he  afcribes  the  firft  Caufe  of 
the  nocturnal  Heat,  and  diurnal 
Cold  of  the  Waters  of  the  Foun- 
tain of  Ammon  to  the  Seeds  of 
Fire  or  Heat,  that  are  in  the 
Earth  about  that  Fountain,  and 
beneath  the  Water  :  He  explains 
this  in  the  manner  that  follows  : 
The  Earth,  fays  he^  being  com* 

X  y  y  y  3  f  rer§'4 


7i6  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI; 

Befidcs,  the  Water  grows  more  rare  by  Day  ; 
S65  Its  Parts,  divided  by  the  piercing  Ray, 

So  lofe  their  Eire :  as  when  the  Beams  arife,  y 

And  warm  the  frozen  Streams  with  foft'ning  Kifs,    S* 

"They  melt  in  the  Embrace,  and  lofe  their  Ice.  3 

And  fome  cold  Springs  light  Flax,  held  o'er  tb 

Streams, 

870  The  Flax  takes  Fire,  and  fcatters  feeble  Beams  : 

/ 
NOTES, 


prefs'd  by  the  Cold  of  the  Night, 
Squeezes  out,  and  tranfmits  into 
the  Water,  thofe  Seeds  of  Heat ; 
by  means  of  which  the  Water 
grows  hot :  but,  being  loofen'd 
by  the  Heat  of  the  Day,  flie  re- 
ceives again  into  her  Bowels  thofe 
Very  fame  Seeds,  and  thus  the 
Water  becomes  cold. 

8<54..  Belides,  &c.  ]  In  thefe 
5.  V.  he  refers  the  fecond  Caufe 
to  the  heat  of  the  Sun  :  as  if  it 
were  poffible,  that  the  Water, 
which  in  the  Night  is  made  hot 
by  the  Seeds  of  Fire,  could  grow 
cold  again  in  the  Day,  by  reafon 
of  the  Beams  of  the  Sun  penetrat- 
ing into  the  fame  Water,  and 
rarefying  it  in  fnch  a  manner,  as 
to  open  a  free  PafTage  into  the 
Air  for  thofe  Seeds  of  Fire. 

S67.  With  foft'ning  Kifs,]  Here 
our  Tranflatour  had  his  Eye  up- 
on Cowley  :  who  fays ; 

So  the  Sun's  am'rous  Play 
Kilfes  the  Ice  away. 

S69.  And  fome,  &c.]  In  thefe 
25.  V.  he  mentions  a  Spring,  that 
will  both  extinguifli  a  lighted 
Torch,  if  it  beplung'd  into  the 
Waterj  and  light  it  again,  if  it 
be  mov'd  gently  to  touch  the  Sur- 
face of  the  Water  :  The  reafon  of 
which,  fays  he,  is,  becaufe  there 
are  in  that  Water,  or  in  the 
Barth  under  it,  many  Seeds  of 
fire,  which,  breaking  out  of  the 
Water,  ftick  to  the  Tow,  or 
Torch  newly  excinguifli'd,  and  fet 
Fire  to  them  again  :  Nor  is  it 
^iQX^  incredible,   that  Seeds  of 


Fire  ihould  force  their  way  out  c 
Water,  than  that  a  Spring  offref 
Water  Hiould  rife  up  in  the  mic 
die  of  the  Sea  :  And  we  evei 
Day  fee  Candles,  Torches,  Sc 
that  are  but  juft  put  out,  kind 
again,  even  before  they  come  1 
touch  the  Fire  towards  whit 
they  are  mov'd. 

Lucretius  mentions  neither  tl 
Name  nor  Place  of  this  miraci 
lous  Spring :  but  having  ihew 
that  there  is  nothing  wonderf 
or  divine  in  the  Spring  of  Jupit 
Ammon,    he   here    attacks   t! 
Fountain  of  Jupiter  of  Dodon; 
for  he  never  gives  any  Quarter 
that   God.    Now  not  far  fro 
Dodona,  a  City  of  Epirus,  the  | 
was  a  Grove  of  Oaks  facred 
Jupiter,  where  the  Oaks  are  ft  I 
to  have  pronounc'd  Oracles  ;  th 
others  fay  the  Anfwers  were  giv 
by  two  Doves    fitting  on  thij 
Oaks,  and  one  of  which  flew 
way  to  the  Temple  of  ApoHo 
Delphi,  the  other  to  that  of  J 
piter  Ammon,  where  they  CO 
tinu'd  their  old  Trade  of  E< 
tune-telling.     Pliny,  lib.  2.  C« 
103.  fays,    In  Dodone  Jovis  a 
tern  Fons,  cum  fit  gelidus,  &ii 
merfas  faces  extinguat,  fi  eictil 
da!  admoveantur,  accendit.  A I 
Gaflendus,  on  the  tenth  Book 
Laertius,  page  157.  fays,  that  r| 
far  from  Grenoble,  there  is 
ardent    Fountain,   that  will  uy 
Fire,  if  it  be  touch'd  with  a^igu 
ed  Torch,    and    continue   bui?i 
ing  for  more  than   a  few    Vii 
Pliny,  lib.  31.  cap,  2.  fays,  tli|. 
there  is   a  founrain    in    Ind» 
-      caj 


iookVI.         LUCRETIUS. 

A  Torch  is  kindled  too :  the  Flames  appear. 
And  nod  at  ev'ry  little  Breath  of  Air ; 
Becaufe  the  Water  Seeds  of  Heat  contains, 
And  many  rife  from  Earths  capacious  Veins, 
575  And  cur  the  Body  of  the  Streams,  and  flow. 
Too  weak  to  warm  the  Waves  in  pafling  thro'. 

notes: 


717 


Be£dcs  ; 


alPd  Lycos,  whofe  Water  will  I  Admotis  Athamanis  aquis  accen 

ic-ht  a  Candle  ;  and  he    reports        d6re  lignum 

he  fame  Thing  of  another  at    Narratur,    minimos  cum  Luna 


ichbatan,  which  Solinus  confirms 
o  be  true.  And  fince  we  are  on 
his  Subje<ft  of  wonderful  Foun- 
ains,  we  will  mention  fome  of 
he  many,  recorded  by  the  An- 
ients,  and  whofe  Effeas,  if  true, 
re  indeed  miraculous.  There  is 
Fountain  in  the  Ifland  Cea, 
hat  perfectly  ftupifiesthofe  that 
Irink  of  its  Waters  :  Plin.  lib.  31. 
;ap.  2.  Another,  near  Clitor  in 
Arcadia,  whofe  Water  caufes  a 
oathing  of  Wine,  Plin.  Loc.  citat. 
\nd  Ovid.  Metam.  i  $.  v.  322. 

Clitorio  quicunque  fitim  de  fonte 

levirit, 
Vina  fugit ;  gaudetque  meris  ab- 

ilemius  undis. 

On  the  contrary,  the  Water  of 
Lynceftis  in    Macedonia  inebri 
ates,  fays  the  fame  Poet,  lib.  citat. 

V.  329. 

Huic  fluit  effedu  difpar  Lynce- 

ftius  amnis. 
Quern  quicunque  pariim  modera- 

to  gucture  traxit, 
Haud  aliter    titubat,   quam  fi 

mera  vina  bibiiTet. 

And  Plin.  lib.  i.  cap.  103.  re- 
ports from  Mutianus,  that  there 
IS  a  Fountain  in  the  Ifland  An- 
dros,  whofe  Waters  have  the 
tafte  of  Wine,  and  inebriate  like- 
wife.  The  River  Athamas  in 
Phthia  kindles  Wood,  if  it  be 
thrown  in,  in  the  Wane  of  the 
Moon : 


receflit  inorbes. 

A  River  at  CoIoITjk  turns  Wood 
into  Stone.  Plin.  lib.  31.  cap.  2- 
And  Ovid  fays  the  Ciconians 
have  a  River,  that  petrifies  the 
Bowels  of  thofe  that  drink  of  it  : 
and  brings  a  ftony  Hardnefs  on 
all  things  that  touch  the  Waters  ^ 

Flumen  habent    Cicones,   quod 

potum  faxea  reddit 
Vifcera,  quod  tadis  inducit  mar- 

mora  rebus. 

Metam.  15.  v.  313. 

But  Pliny  fays  only,  that  a  ftony 
Bark  grows  over  Wood,  thrown 
into  this  River  :    and  that  the 
Lake  Velinus,  npw  Lago  di  Pie 
di  Luca,  the  Rivers  Silarus  and 
Surius  turn  Wood  or  Leaves  into 
Stone.  Nat.  Hift.  lib.  2.  cap.  103. 
A  Fountain  at  Perperenein  Lydia 
turns  Earth  that    is    moiften'd 
with  its  Waters  into  Stone,  Pliny, 
lib.  31.  cap.  2.    There  are  two 
Fountains  at  Orchomenus  in  Eu- 
boea ;   the  Water  of  one  of  them 
confers  Memory  :     that   of   the 
other  caufes  Forgetfulnefs,  Plin, 
loco  citat.    Mutianus  witnelTes, 
that  there    is    one    at   Cyzicus, 
which  delivers   from    the  uneafy 
Paflion  of  Love.     A  Pool  at   Sa- 
mofata  breeds  a  fort  of  Slime, 
that  burns  when  put  into  Water, 
and  is   extinguilli'd  with  Earth. 
Plin.  lib.  -2.  cap  104..   Whatever 
thrown  into  the  Lake  Sides 


IS  tnrown  mto  the  JLaice  iictes  or 
Ovid.  Metam.  1 5.  v.  311. 1  Sideris  in  India,  inilantiy  finks 

to 


7iB 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  V 


Befides ;  their  own  quick  Force  will  make  them  inov 
And  pafs  the  yielding  Waves,  and  join  above ; 
As  little  Streams,  that  cut  their  fecret  Way, 

880  And  rife  up  fweet  i'th*  Bottom  of  the  Sea  ; 
Beat  off  the  Salt,  and  the  refilling  Flooi> 
To  thirfty  Sailors  proves  a  mighty  Good  : 
Juft  fothefe  Seeds  of  Fire  might  rife  and  flow,' 
And  cut  the  yielding  Waves,  and,  pafling  thro',        j 

885  Strait  ftrike,  and  kindle  oily  Torch,  or  Tow ; 


N  O  T  E  S- 


Becau! 


to  the  bottom.  Idem,  lib,  31. 
cap.  2.  The  Waters  of  a  Foun- 
tain at  Zajna  in  Africa,  render 
the  Voice  harmonious,  Idem, 
lib.  31.  cap.  2.  There  is  a  Lake 
at  Troglodytac,  the  Water  of 
which  grows  bitter,  and  then 
again  fweet,  three  times  every 
Day,  and  as  often  every  Night. 
Plin.  lib.  31.  cap.  2.  And  many 
other  wonderful  Stories  are  rela- 
ted of  other  Rivers  and  Waters : 
but  I  may  not  omit  to  mention 
what  many  now  living  have  ex- 
perimented, and  Icnow  to  be 
true:  There  are  two  Baths  or 
Fountains  at  Baia,  not  far  from 
Naples,  into  one  of  which,  when 
a  Dog  is  thrown,  he  is  imme- 
diately depriv'd  of  Senfe,  and 
feems  to  be  dead  :  but,  thrown  in- 
to the  other,  he  comes  to  himfelf, 
and  revives  in  as  little  time. 
And  from  thence  the  Place  is 
call'd  Grotto  del  Cane. 

877.  Belides,  &c.]  In  thefe 
17.  V.  Lucretius  argues,  that  the 
Reafon  why  the  Water  of  this 
Fountain  kindles  Tow,  &c.  may 
be  this  :  Thofe  Seeds  of  Fire,  ri- 
ling up  to  the  Surface  of  the  Wa- 
ter, may  there  be  condensed,  and 
gather'd  together  in  fuch  a  man- 
her,  as  to  kindle  any  Combufti- 
bles,  that  are  apt  to  take  Fire,  if 
they  be  advanc'd  to  them.  Thus 
too  Fountains  of  freili  Water 
bubble  up  in  the  mid  ft  of  the  Sea  : 
and  as  thofe  Seeds  of  freili  Water, 
rifing  up,  join  into  one  Body,and 
flow  in  4  Stream  of  frefl^  Water  j 


Co  too  thefe  Seeds  of  Fire,  rifin 
upland  combining  into  one,  im 
eafily  create  a  Flame.  Thus 
Candlcjuewly  extinguifh'd,  if  pi 
to  a  burning  Taper,  or  to  Fir 
catches  again,  and  is  lighted  eve 
before  it  touch  the  Flame. 

879.  As  little  Streams,  dec. 
Thus  Alpheus,  a  River  of  Pelc 
ponnefus,  ^fter  it  flows  into  tli 
Sea,  is  faid  to  preferve  its  Wa 
ters  unmix'd  with  thofe  of  th 
briny  Flood,  and,  flowing  in  on 
continu'd  Courfe,  to  dive  inti 
the  Earth,  and  break  out  agaii 
at  the  Head  of  the  Fountain  An 
thufa,  in  the  Weft  of  the  Illan' 
Ortygia.  Virg.  ^n.  3.  v.  69^ 
fpeaking  of  Ortygia, 

Alpheum  fama  eft  hu( 


Elidis  amnem, 
Occultas  egiffe  vias  fubter  mare 

qui  nunc 
Ore,  Arethufa,    tuo  Siculis  con 

funditur  undis. 
And  this  the  Antients  would  hav« 
to  be  true,  becaufe  in  the  Olym 
pick  Games,  which  were  cele 
brated  at  Elis  every  fifth  Sum 
mer,  the  Garbage  of  the  Victim: 
being  thrown  into  Alpheus  ir 
Greece,  was  reftor'd  thro'  thi 
Mouth  of  Arethufa  in  Ortygia 
Plin.  lib.  2.  cap.  107.  Quidain 
fontes  odio  maris  ipfa  fubeunt 
vada,  ficut  Arethufa,  fons  Syra- 
cufanus,  in  quo  redduntur  ja<fta 
in  Alpheum.  But  Strabo-  lib.  6, 
explodes  this  Fiction.  This  how- 
ever gave  occalion  to  the  fabu- 
lous Loves  of  Alpheiis  and  Are- 
thufa 


ook  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


719 


Becaufe  thofe  Parts  are  of  convenient  Frame; 
Hold  Seeds  of  Fire,  and  fie  to  raife  a  Flame  : 
Thus  take  a  Torch,  but  lately  dead,  and  ftrive 
To  light  the  Snuff  again,  and  make  it  live, 
JO  It  kindles  long  before  it  comes  to  touch  ; 
And  fure  Experience  fhews  a  thoufand  fucb,' 
Which  light  at  distance,  ere  they  reach  the  Flame: 
And  thus  this  Fountain  adts  ;  the  Cause  the  fame. 
Now  fing,  my  Muse,  for  'tis  a  weighty  Caufe,      01 
?5  Explain  the  Magnet,  why  it  ftrongly  draws,  >• 

And  brings  rough  Iron  to  its  fond  Embrace :  3 

This 
NOTES. 


Ufa.  Pliny  reports  the  like  of 
e  Rivers  Lycus  and  Erafinus  ; 
s  firft,  in  Lydia,  the  other  in 
'cadia  :  which  is  likewife  con- 
tn*d  by  Ovid.  Metam.  lib.  15. 
273. 

:  ubi  terreno  Lycus  eft  epotus 

tiiatu, 

iftit  procul  hinc,  alioque  re- 

lafcitur  ore. 

modb  combibitur^redo  modb 
l^urgite  lapfus 

hdditur  Argolicis  ingens  Erali- 
1  nus  in  arvis. 

1US  Lycus ,  fwallow'd  up,  is 
I  feen  no  more  ; 

t  far  from  thence  knocks  at 
I  another  Door  : 

lus  Erafinus  dives,  and,  blind 

in  Earth, 

ms  on,  and  gropes  his  way  to 

Pecond  Birth  ; 

irts  up  in  Argos  Meads,  and 
iQiakeshis  Locks 

ound  the  Fields,  and  fattens 
the  Flocks.  Dryd. 

I394.  Now  fing,  &c.]  Thefol- 

|«ing  156.  V.  contain  a  Difpu- 

fion  concerning  the  Loadftone. 

id  here  too/aysCreechjthe  Drift 

the  Poet  is  the  fame  as  in  all 

other  Difputacions;  which  has 

;  been  hitherto  obferv'd.     For 

:rcules  is  faid  to  have  found 

It  this  Stone  ;  and  no  doubt  his 

>dihip  is  wcil-pkas'd  that  Men 


lliould  hold  themftlves  oblig'd 
to  him  for  fo  great  a  Benefit  •,  and 
that  the  Virtues  of  that  Stone  are 
afcrib'd  to  him.  Jupiter  has  al- 
ready loft  his  Fountains,  and 
why  fliould  the  Poet  give  Quar- 
ter to  the  Son,  fince  he  never 
would  fpare  the  Father  ? 

In  the  three  firft  of  thefe  Ver- 
fes,  the  Poet  tells  us,  he  is  going 
to  dilpute  of  the  Virtue  or  Power 
of  the  Loadftone  :  which,  tho' 
Lucretius  acknowledge  but  one, 
is  known  neverthelefs  to  have  2 
twofold  Power,  or  two  different 
Virtues,  which  are  thus  diftin- 
guiih'd :  I.  The  Power ,  by 
which  it  attrads  the  Steel  to  it-, 
felf:  IL  The  Power,  by  which 
it  directs  both  itfelf  and  the  Steel 
towards  the  Poles  of  the  World  : 
The  firft  of  thefe  is  call'd  its  at- 
tra<flive  Power,  the  fecond,  its 
Diredive.  As  to  the  firft  of 
them,  tho'  it  may  feem  a  very 
hard  Paradox,  nay,  even  an  Ab- 
furdicy,  to  alTert,  that  Attradion 
is  unjuftly  afcrib'd  to  the  Load- 
ftone, and  that  we  Ipeak  not  pro- 
perly, when  we  fay,"thatit  draws 
and  actrads  Iron,  yet  we  Hiould 
not  want  great  Authority,  nor 
even  Experiment  itfelf,  to  con- 
firm this  Affertion  :  For,  in  the 
firft  Place,  Renatus  Des  Cartes, 
in  his  Principles  of  Philofophy, 
has  thefe  exprefs  Words  :  Pr«te- 
rea  magnes  trahit  ferrum,  five 
patius  magaes  Sc  ferrum  ad  in- 

vicem 


L  U<:  R  E  T  lU  S. 


72.0 

vicem  accedunt  *,  neque  enim  ul- 
la  ibi  tra<flio  eft:  This  top  is 
folemnly  determin'd  by  Cabius  : 
Nee  magnes,  fays  he,  trahit  pro- 
prie  ferrum,  nee  fetrum  ad  fe 
magnetem  provocat ;  fed  ambo 
pari  conatu  ad  invicem  conflii- 
unt  :  And  with  thefe  Authours 
agrees  the  Aflertion  of  Docftor 
Ridley,  Phyfician  to  the  Empe- 
pour  of  Ruflia,  and  who,  in  his 
Tra<ft  of  magnetical  Bodies,  de- 
fines magnetical  Attradion  to  be 
a  natural  Incitation  and  Difpoii- 
tion,  conforming  to  Contiguity  ; 
or  a  Union  of  one  magnetical 
Body  with  another,  and  not  a  vio- 
lent and  forcible  Attratftion,  and 
hauling  of  the  weaker  Body  to 
theftronger.  And  this  is  like- 
wife  the  Dodlrine  of  Gilbertus, 
vfho  terms  this  Motion  a  Coi- 
tion, which,  fays  he,  is  not  made 
by  any  attractive  Faculty,  either 
of  the  Loadftone,  or  the  Iron, 
but  by  a  Syndrome,  or  Concourfe 
ofbothofthem  :  a  Coition  always 
of  their  Vigours,  and  of  their 
Bodies  likewife,  if  not  obftruded 
by  their  BuUc  or  fome  other  Im- 
pediment :  and  therefore  thofe 
contrary  Actions  ,  which  flow 
from  oppofite  Poles  or  Faces,  are 
not  fo  properly  Expulfion  and 
Attradion,  as  fequela  6c  fuga,  a 
mutual  following  of,  and  Flight 
from,  each  other. 

Moreover ;  the  foregoing  Opi- 
nions are  confirm'd  by  feveral 
Experiments :  For,  I.  if  a  piece 
of  Iron  be  faften'd  to  the  iide  of 
a  Bowl,  or  Bafon  of  Water,  a 
Load  ft  one,  fwimming  freely  in 
a  Boat  of  Cork,  will  prefently 
make  to  it.  II.  If  a  Steel,  or 
Knife,  untouch'd,  be  offcr'd  to- 
wards a  Needle  that  is  touch'd, 
the  Needle  moves  nimbly  to- 
wards it,  and  ftrives  to  unite  to 
the  Steel,  that  remains  without 
Motion.  III.  If  a  Loadftone  be 
fil'd  very  fine,  the  Powder,  or 
Duft  of  ir,  will  adhere  and  cleave 
to  Iron  that  was  never  touch'd. 
in  like  manner  as  the  Powder  of 
Iron  does  likewife  to  the  Load- 


BookV 


ftone.  And  IV.  laftly,  if 
Loadftone  and  Steel  be  plac'd 
two  Skiffs,  or  fmall  Boats  mat 
of  Cork,  and  within  the  Orbs  < 
their  Adivities,  neither  of  the 
will  move,  while  the  other  ftan* 
^ili ;  but  both  of  them,  if  I  m. 
ufe  the  Expreffion,  hoift  fail,  ar 
fteer  to  each  other  j  infomui 
that  if  the  Loadftone  attract,  :] 
Steel  too  has  its  Attraction ;  b 
caufe,  in  this  Adion,  the  Allu 
ency  is  reciprocal ,  and  ,  beii 
jointly  felt,  is  the  reafon,  th 
they  mutually  approach,  and  ri 
into, each  others  Arms.  Th 
therefore,  upon  the  whole  Ma 
ter,  more  moderate  Expreffio 
than  are  often  us'd,  would  mo 
fuitably  exprefs  this  Adioi 
which  neverthelefs  fome  of  t 
Anrients  have  deliver'd  in  tl 
moft  violent  Terms  of  their  La 
guage  :  Thus  St.  Auftin  calls  tl 
Loadftone,  mirabilem  ferri  ra 
torem  :  and  Hippocrates,  Ai9( 
oTi  r  a'lhipov  df>7roit>cu  '  Lap 
qui  ferrum  rapit  :  Galen,  diipi 
ting  againft  Epicurus,  ufes  ti 
Term,  i^neiv,  which  feems  lili 
wife  too  violent :  Ariftotle  aioj 
among  the  Antients  fpeaks  mo 
warily,  and  calls  it,  AiO(^  oi 
T  cr/<rMpov  XM'«,  the  Stone  th 
moves  the  Iron,  and  him  Aqu 
nas,  Scaliger,  Cufanus,  and  othe 
have  follow 'd. 

I  return  now  to  Lucretius,  ar 
muft  firft  obferve,  that  01 
Tranllatour  has  omitted  tl 
third  and  fourth  Verfes  of  th 
Argument,  in  which  the  Poet  e) 
plains  how  this  Stone  came  to  I 
call'd  the  Magnet :  Thefe  Verf 
riin  thus  in  the  Original : 

Qiiem  MagneM  vocant  patrio  c 

nomine  Graii ; 
Magnetum  quia  fit  patriis  in  f 

nibus  ortus. 

i.  e.  which  Stone  the  Greeks  ca 
the  Magnet,  from  the  Name  < 
the  Countrey  :  becaiife  it  is  pr( 
duc'd  and  found  in  the  Countrey 

inhabite 


Book  VL 


LUCRETIUS. 


inhabited  by  the  Magnetes.  This 
Countrey  is  a  Region  of  Lydia, 
and  call'd  Magnefia,  whence  the 
Inhabitants  had  their  Name. 
Ariftotle,  by  way  of  Excellence, 
calls  it  barely,  ^/G^^,  the  Stone  : 
Some,  Hcrculeus  Lapis  ,  either 
becaufe  Hercules  firft  difcover'd 
it  :  or  from  the  City  Heraclea, 
where  it  is  faid  to  be  found  :  or 
laftly  from  its  great  Strength,  or 
wonderful  Power.  The  Italians 
call  it  Pietra  d*  Amante,  the  lov- 
ing Stone  :  the  Name  of  the 
Loadftone,  by  which  it  is  com- 
monly known  among  us ,  is  a 
Word  of  Saxon  Extrad:ion  :  but 
the  French  know  it  only  by  the 
Name  of  L'  Aimant,  the  Lover  : 
And  this  modern  Name  agrees 
with  what  Orpheus  fings  in 
Claudian,  Epig.  4.  That  Iron 
ru flies  to  the  Loadftone,  as  a 
Bride  to  the  Embraces  of  the 
Bridegroom. 

Pronuba  fit  natura  Deis,  ferrum- 

que  maritat 

Aura  tenax. 

Flagrat  anhela  filex,  &  amicam 

faucia  fentit 
Materiem  i    placidofque  chalybs 

cognofcit  amores  : 
Jam  gelidas  rupes,  vivoque    ca- 

rentia  fenfu 
Membra  feris :  jam  faxa  tuis  ob- 

noxia  telis, 
Et  lapides  fuus  ardor  agir,  fer- 

rumque  tenetur 
IJlecebris,  Sec. 

Now  Lucretius,  the  better  toex- 
, plain  the  attracftive  Virtue  ofthis 
I  Stone,  premifes  four    Heads,  or 
i;hief  Pofitions,   which,    tho'    he 
bas  prov'd  them  already,  yet,  be- 
kaufe  of  the  great  difficulty    of 
:he  Task  he    is  now    going   to 
Undertake,  he  thinks   fit  to  in- 
culcate here  again,  I.   That  cer- 
i:ain  Corpufcles    are    continual- 
'  y  flowing  out  of  all  thmgs ;  in 
■  6.  V.  II.  That  no  concrete  Body 
s  fo  folid,  as  not  to  contain  fo.Tie 
mpty  little  Spaces  *,    in  23.   v. 
II.  That  the   Corvsufdes,  that 


721 

I  are  emitted  from  things,  do  not 
agree  with  all  things  alike,  and 
in  the  fame  manner,  and  produce 
not  the  fame  Etfeds  on  them  : 
in  14.  V.  IV.   That  the  void  lit- 
tle Spaces  are  not   alike  in    all 
Things,  but  differ  in  Size  and 
Figure,  and    therefore    can  not 
be  fit  for  all  Bodies  indifferently  : 
in  13.  V.  This  beine  premis'd,  he 
endeavours  to  tell  the  reafon  why, 
or  the  manner  how,  the  Load- 
ftone attrads  Iron,  or  the  Iron 
is  conveyed  to  the  Loadftone  : 
which    confifts    in    this.    Many 
Particles  flow  from    the  Load- 
ftone, and  diflipate   the  Air  ail 
around  it  :  and  thus  many  void 
little  Spaces  are  made  :  But  when 
the  Iron    is   plac'd  within    the 
Sphere  of  that    diflipated    Air, 
there  being  a  great  deal  of  empty 
Space  between  that  and  the  Load- 
ftone, the  Corpufcles  of  the  Iron 
leap  more    freely  forward  inta 
that  Void,  (for  the  Seeds  of  alt 
Bodies  fly  forward  on  a  fuddain 
into     empty    Space  )     and  for 
that  reafon  are  carry'd  towards 
the  Loadftone  :  now  they  can  not 
tend  that  way,  without  dragging 
along  with  them  their  coherent 
Seeds,  (for  the  Seeds  of  Iron  are 
moft  intricately  intangled,  and 
twin'd  together)  and  confequent- 
ly  the  whole  Mafs  of  Iron  :  in 
1 7. v.  But  becaufe  the  Iron  moves 
any  way,   upwards,  downwards, 
acrofs,  or  in  any  obliquity,  with- 
out the  leaft  diftind:ion,  accord- 
ing as  it  is  plac'd  to  the  Load- 
ftone, he  teaches  in    $.  v.    thac 
this  could  not  be,  but  by  reafon 
of  the  empty  Space  that  is  made 
by  Corpufcles  that    flow    from 
the  Magnet,  arid  into  which  all 
Bodies,  that  otherwife  tend  only 
downwards,    are  protruded  in- 
difcriminatelyjby  the  Strokes  and 
Blows  of  other  Bodies.    And  this 
is     in    general    what    Lucretius 
teaches   concerning    the    Load- 
ftone :  we  will  examine  his  Ar- 
guments apart,  in  the  Order,  he 
has  obferv'd  in  the  difpofition  of 
them 

Z  z  2  z  8^7.  This 


722  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VL 

This  Men  admire  ;  for  they  have  often  feen 
Small  Rings  of  Iron,  fix,  or  eight,  or  ten, 
Compofe  a  fubiile  Chain,  no  Tye  between  : 
^00  But,  held  by  this,  they  feem  to  hang  in  Air, 
One  CO  another  fticks,  and  wantons  there  ; 
So  great  the  Loadstones  Force,  fo  ftrong  to  bear 

In 
N  O  T  E  S. 


897.  This  Mertj  SccJ]  In  thefe 
6.  V.  he  takes  notice  of  the   iirft 
Power  and  Virtue  of  the  Load- 
ftone  :  and  fays.  That  it  draws 
five,   or    more  iron  Rings,  ad> 
hering  one  to  another.    This  is 
the  Virtue  of  the  Magnet,  which 
is  caird  the  Attradive :  but  of 
the  other,  the  Diredive,  he  fays 
nothing:  nor  indeed  do  any  of 
the   Antients  treat  of  this  lalt 
Power  of  the  Loadftone  :  The 
Moderns  alone  have  inquir'd  in- 
to that  Matter  :  and  that  too, 
only  iince  the  Invention  of  the 
Magnetick  Needle  :    which,  ac- 
cording to  fome.  was  firft  difco- 
ter'd  a  little  more  than  five  Ages 
ago:  that  is  to  fay,  A.  D.    1200. 
At  which  time  Guyotus,  a  Na- 
tive of  Provence  in  France,  writ 
a   Poem,  which  he  call'd  Mari- 
neta ,    in    Praife  of  this  Inven- 
tion :  And  hence,  fay  the  French 
Authours,  the  Flower  de   Luce, 
which  is  the  Arms  of  France,  is 
every  whcre,cven  among  the  bar- 
barous Nations,    reprelented    at 
one  of  the  ends  of  that  Needle.  Pe- 
trus  Peregrinus,  another  French 
man,  about  three  hundred  Years 
ago,  writ  a  Treatife  of  the  Mag- 
net, and  of  a  perpetual  Motion 
to  be  made  by  it :  which  Trea- 
tife has  been  preferv'd  by  GafTe- 
$us  :  Paulus  Venetus,  and  Alber 
tus  Magnus,  who  fiourifli'd  about 
five  hundred  Years  ago,  both  of 
them,  mention  this  Verticity  of 
the  Loadftone  ;  and  cite  for  it  a 
Book  of  Ariftotle's,  intitul'd,  De 
Lapide  :  but  Cabeus  and  others 
faclier  judge  that  Book  to  be  the 
Work  of  fome  Arabick  Writer, 
%ho  liv'd  not  manyJTears  before 


the  Days  of  Albertus.  And  in- 
deed it  is  very  probable,  that  the 
Knowledge  of  the  Loadftone? 
polary  Power  and  Direction  to 
the  North  was  unknown  to  the 
Antients  :  and  Pancirollus  juftly 
places  it  among  the  modern  In- 
ventions •,  tho'  Levinus  Lemnius, 
and  Coelius  Calcagninus  are  of  a- 
nother  Belief:  but  their  ftrongeft: 
Argument  is  only  the  following 
Paifage  in  Plautus : 
Hie  ventus  jam  fecundus  eft ; 
cape  modo  verforiam. 

Now  the  Word  verforiam  they 
interpret  to  be  the  Compafs :  but 
according  to  Pineda,  who  has 
particularly  difcufs'd  this  Mat- , 
cer,  and  to  Turnebus,  Cabeus 
and  feveral  others,  it  rather  fig- 
nifiesthe  Rope  that  helps  to  turn 
the  Ship,  or  that  makes  it  tacl? 
about ;  for  the  Compafs  fliew« 
that  the  Ship  is  turn'd,  rathet 
than  contributes  to  its  Conver- 
lion.  As  for  the  long  Expedi- 
tions and  Voyages  of  the  Antients. 
which  may  feem  to  confirm  the 
Antiquity  of  this  Invention,  it  is 
not  improbable,but  they  were  pcr- 
form'd  by  the  help  of  the  Stars, 
by  the  flight  of  Birds,  or  by  keep- 
ing near  the  Shore  :  for  thus  the 
Phoenician  Navigatours,  and  Il- 
ly Ifes  too,  might  fail  about  the 
Mediterranean  *,  and  thus  like- 
wife  might  Hanno  coaft  about 
Africa,  And  as  to  what  is  con- 
tended, that  this  Verticity  of  the 
Loadftone  was  not  unknown  to 
Salomon,  who  is  prefum'd  to 
have  had  a  Univerfahty  of  Know- 
ledge, it  may  as  well  be  averr'd, 


that  he  knew  she 


Art  of  Typo- 
graphy, 


7i| 


Book  Vr.  LUCRETIUS. 

In  order  to  the  Cause,  muft  firft  be  prov'd 
A  thoufand  things,  a  thoufand  Doubts  remov'd 
905  And  long  Deductions  made^;  do  you  prepare 
A  ftridt  obferving  Mind,  and  lift'ning  Ear. 

Firft  then  5  from  Objects  seen  thin  F'.rms  arife, 
In  conftant  fubtile  Streams^  and  (brike  our  Eyes : 

Thus 
NOTES. 


graphy,  of  making  Guns  and 
Powder,  or  that  he  liad  the  Phi- 
lofopher's  Stone,  tho'  he  fent  to 
Ophir  for  Gold.  It  can  not  in- 
deed be  deny'd,  but  that,  befides 
his  political  Wifdom,  he  was  ve- 
ry knowing  in  Philofophy  :  and 
perhaps  too,  as  fomc  believe,  from 
his  Philofophical  Writings,  the 
antieftt  Philofophers ,  efpecialiy 
Ariftotle,  who  had  the  affiftance 
of  the  Acqiiifitions  of  Alexander, 
colieded  many  Things  worthy  of 
Note:  yet  it  muft  be  granted, 
that  if  he  knew  the  Ufe  of  the 
Compafs,  his  Ships  were  very 
flow  Sailors,  fince  they  made  a 
three  Years  Voyage  of  it  from 
Eziongeber  in  the  Red  Sea  to 
Ophir,  fuppos'd  tobeTaptobana, 
or  Malaca,  in  the  Indies,  which 
is  not  many  Months  Sail ;  and 
iince  too  in  the  fame,  or  a  lefs, 
time,  Drake  and  Cavendifh  per- 
form'd  their  Voyage  round  the 
Earth. 

Moreover  :  fomc/are  of  Opi 
nion,  that  this  directive  Power  of 
the  Loadftone  depends  upon,  and 
is  deriv'd  from,  the  two  Poles  of 
the  Heavens :    Others  from  the 
Ardick  Pole  only :    Cardanus, 
J  from  the  Tail  of  the  Bear  :     Des 
I  Cartes,  from  I  know  not  what 
!  tradorious  Point,  as  he  calls  it, 
and  which  he  imagines  to  be  I 
know  not  where  too,  beyond  the 
Heavens :  Fracaftorius,  from  cer- 
tain magnetick  Mountains  under 
|he  Ar^tick  Pole :  Gulielmus  Gil- 
bertus,  from  the  Earth  it  felf, 
I  which,   as  one  huge   Loadftone, 
■conforms  and  brings  into  its  na- 
l^ivc  and  natural  Sitejthat  is  to  fay, 
!  |oyf'4?4s  ^he  North  an^  Sqiuh,  the 


Loadftone  itfelf,'  as  a  fmall  Earth, 
and  the  Iron,  as  its  Offspring. 
In  regard  to  the  attracflive  Vir- 
tue of  the  Loadftone,  the  Opi- 
nions likewife  are  different.  Tha- 
les,  Ariftotle  and  Hippias  af- 
crib'd  It  to  the  Soul,  with  which 
they  held  it  to  be  endowM,  But 
It  is  not  certain  what  Hands,  or 
what  Scnfes  Nature  has  given  to 
» this  Stone.  Cardanus  intimates 
that  It  is  only  a  certain  Appetite, 
or  Defire  of  Nutriment,  that 
makes  the  Loadftone  fnatch  the 
Iron  :  and  according  to  this  Opi- 
nion Claudian  Epig.  4. 

Ex  ferro  meruit  vitam,  ferrique 

rigore 
Vefcitur  :   has  dulces  epulas,  hare 

pabula  novit. 

And  Diogenes  Apolloniota,  lib.  2^ 
Nar.Quxft.  cap.  23.  confirms  the 
fame  Opinion,  when  he  fays,  that 
there  is  Humidity  in  Iron,  which 
the  Drynefs  of  the  Magnet  feeds 
upon.  Others  fly  to  Sympathy, 
and  certain  occult  Qualities.  The 
Opinions  of  Demoeritus,  Epicu^ 
rus,  and  Lucretius,  are  explained 
in  the  following  Notes. 

903.  In  order,  &c.]  In  thefe 
4.  v.  the  Poet  only  teils  us,  thae 
to  give  a  methodical  Account  of 
the  attradive  Power  of  the  Load- 
ftone, it  will  be  necefTary  to  take 
the  Matter  higher,  and  to  repeal 
fome  of  the  Maxims,  he  has 
taught  already. 

907.  Firft  then  •  &c.]  In  thefe 
13.  V.  he  premifes  I.  That  Cor- 
pufcles  are  perpetually  flowing 
from  all  Things  :  And  this 
he  has  taught  before.  Book  IV, 
V,  4.7.  &  (eqq. 

Z  z  ?  ?  a  J07.  Thus 


724 


LUCRE  T  lU  S. 


Book  VL 


Thus  Odours  fly  from  Gums  ;  a  gentle  Breeze 

9^°  From  Rivers  flows,  and  from  the  neighboring  Seas 
Sharp  Salts  arife,  and  fret  the  Shores  around  : 
Thus  all  the  Air  is  fill'd  with  murm'ring  found  ; 
And  while  we  walk  the  Strand,  and  pleas'd  to  view 
The  wanton  Waves  ;  or  fqueeze,  or  mingle  Rue, 

9' 5  Or  Salt,  or  bitter  Tastes  our  Tongues  furprize  :  7 
So  that  'tis  certain  subtile  Parts  arife  ^ 

From  all,,  and  wander  in  the  lower  Skies ;  J 

And  never  ceafe  to  flow,  becaufe  the  Ear, 
And  Eye,  and  Nose  ftill  fmelJ,  and  fee,  and  hear. 

910     Next  rU  repeat  what  I  have  prov'd  before. 
No  Compound's  perfect  solid,  free  from  Pore : 
For  tho'  'tis  ufeful  to  diretfl  our  Eye 
Thro'  all  the  Secrets  of  Philosophy, 
To  prove  that  solid  Seeds  can  never  join,  7 

92^5  Unlefs  fome  empty  Space  is  left  between  ^ 

It  has  its  proper  Force  in  this  Defign.  J 

1  hen  firft,  in    Caves  the  fubtile  Moifturc  creeps 
Thro' hardeft  Rocks,  and  even  Marble  weeps: 
And  Sweat  from  ev'ry  lab'ring  Member  flows, 

93^  Anddubborn  Hair  o'er  all  the  Body  grows  : 
And  Nature  drives  our  Food  with  curious  Art 
Thro'  all  the  Limbs,  increafing  ev'ry  Part : 
Strong  Flames  divide  the  rigid  Gold  and  Brass  j 
And  to  a  liquid  Subftance  break  the  Mafs  : 

935  Thro'  Silver,  Heat  and  Cold  ;  and  each  difdains 
And  fcorns  a  Prifon,  tho'  in  precious  Chains  : 
This  Sense  affures  ;  into  a  well-clos'd  Room 
The  Parts  of  Odours,  Sounds,  and  Heat  will  come: 
And  often,  as  our  fickly  Soldiers  feel, 

94^  The  moift  and  fubci'e  Air  creeps  thro*  their  Steel. 

Therefpri 


^  O  T  E  S, 


^09.  Thus  Odours,  &c.]  This 
and  the  ten  following  Verfes  are 
repeated  from  B.  IV.  v.  2:?o.  & 
feqq.  Confult  there  the  Notes 
upon  them. 

920.  Next,&<:.3  In  thefe  23.  v. 
he  premifes  Illy  That  no  Com- 
pound Body  is  fofolid,  as  not  to 
confift  of  feme  Void  :  that  is  to 
fay,  as  not  to  contain  fome  empty 
iittlc  Spaces.    And  this  the  Poet 


B.I 


has  demonftrated  at  large. 
V.  4.02.  &  feqq. 

953.  Strong  Flames,  dec."]  This 
and  the  three  next  Verfes  are  re 
peated,  Word  for  Word,  fron 
B.  I.  V.  33$.  tho'  Lucretius  varie 
them  in  the  Original :  But  th' 
Senfe  indeed  is  the  fame. 

939.  And  often,  &c.]  Thi 
andthe  following  Verfe  run  thu 
in  the  Original, 

' -Q^i' 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  72? 

Therefore  'cis  certain,  as  I  prov*d  before. 

No  Compound's  perfedk  solid,  free  from  Pore. 

Befides :  

The  Parts  chat  rife  from  Things,  not  all  alike. 
Nor  equally  agree  to  what  they  ftrike  ; 

945Forfirft,  the  beauteous  Sun  with  vigorous  Ray 

Melts  Snow,  and  Ice,  and  Wax,  and  hardens  Clay  : 
Thus  Leather  flirinks  in  Fircj  but  Gold  and  Brass 
DifTolve  ;  Flames  foften  all  the  rigid  Mafs: 
Thus  Water  ftrengthens  Steel,  grown  weak  by  Heat, 

^50 But  gently  foftens Skins,  and  boiling  Meat: 
Leaves  of  wild  Olives  yield  a  fweet  Repaft 
To  Goats  ;  to  Man  a  rough  and  bitter  Tafte  : 
Thus  Pigs  fly  fweeteft  Odours  ;  thofe,  that  pleafc 
And  tickle  Man,  offend  and  poifon  thefe ; 

J55  Yet  they  will  roul  in  Dung,  in  Filth  delight ; 
Tho'  fqueamifli  Man  can  fcarce  endure  the  fight, 
Befides  :  We  muft  rea^ember,  ■ 

Since 
NOTES. 


— —  Quin  ferri  quoque  vim  pe- 

netrare  fuevit, 
Jndique  qua  circum  corpus  lo- 

riea  coercic, 
vlorbida  vis  quajcunque  extrinfe- 

cus.  infinuatur. 

This  Paflage  has  puzzled  the  In- 

erpreters,    and  after    all,    they 

enow  not  well  what  to  make  of 

c  :  Creech  in  this  Tranflation 

las  followed  the  Opinion  of  none 

)f  them,  and  indeed  difapproves 

:hem  all  in  his  Latine  Edicion  of 

I  Lucretius  :    For,  fays  he,    what 

!:an  Lucretius  mean  by  a  Coat  of 

Mail  ?  No  Man  ever  believ'd  that 

:he  infecftious  Power  of  Difeafe 

5yer  pierc'd    thro'   a    Coat    of 

jVlail.     He  diilikes  alfo  all  the  o- 

|:her  Explications  given  by  the 

i'everal  other  Annotatours  to  this 

.  jPaflfage  :  which  at  length  he  cor- 

iretfts,  and  inftead  of  morbida  vis, 

ireads  fervida  vis ;  which  Ledion, 

ifays  he,  makes  all  things  plain 

and  eafy  :  For  often,  when  Men, 

irm'd    from  head  to  foot,  fcal'd 

the  Walls  of  a  City,  the  Refieg'd 

pour'd  down  upon  them  melted 


Pitch,  Sulphur,  fcalding  Water, 
dec.  the  Heat  of  which  pierc'd 
thro'  their  Armour,  and  made 
them  fenfible  of  it.  This  Expo- 
fition  feems  the  mofb  natural  of 
any  that  have  been  given  to  this 
Paflage,  and  agrees  beft  with  the 
preceeding  Part  of  the  Argument. 
But  he  is  evidently  miftaken  in 
the  Interpretation  he  gives  it  in 
this  Tranflati(Mi  ;  and  this  may 
ferve  for  one  of  the  many  Inftan- 
ces  might  be  given,  that  he  had 
not  ftudy'd  his  Authour  fo  tho- 
roughly, when'he  render'd  him  in-, 
to  Englifli,  as  afterwards,when  he 
cametopubliflihisLatine  Edition. 

943.  Befides :  The  Parts,  &c.3 
In  thefe  14.  v^  The  Poetpremifes 
IIIlyThat  the  Corpufcles,  which 
flow  from  Things,  do  not  agree 
with  all  things,  nor  aff*e<fl  them 
alike,  or  in  one  and  the  fame 
manner.  This  he  has  demon- 
ftrated  in  many  Places  of  the 
preceding  Books  :  but  chiefly  in, 
the  fourth. 

957.  Befides  :  We,&c.]  In  thefe 
I3.v.he  premifesIVly  That  there 
are  differ^t  little  Spaces^or  Pores 

of 


726 


LUCRETIUS, 


Book  V| 

Since  Things  compos'd  do  num*rous  Pores  comprize 
Thofe  muft  have  difTrent  Shape,  and  difF rent  Size  •' 

960  In  Animals,  are  various  Organs  found,  '7 

And  each  the  proper  Objects  gently  wound  •  S 

One  Taste,  another  Smell,  another  Sound.  S 

Some  Things  thro'  Stones,  or  Silver,  Gold, or  Bra^s, 
Some  move  thro'  Wood  alone,  and  others  Glass  : 

965  And  thofe  that  pafs  the  fame,  not  always  flow 
With  equal  Eale,  and  cut  their  Paflage  thro* : 
And  this  depends  on  the  Varieties, 
And  difF'rence  of  Pores  in  Shape  and  Size, 
Which  Things  of  difTrent  Texture  ftill  comprize. 

970      Thefe  Things  thus  prov'd,  I  now  will  fing  the  Caufe, 
Explain  the  Magnet,  (hew  thee  why  it  draws 
And  brings  rough  Iron  to  its  fond  Embrace. 

Firit,  from  the  Magnet  numerous  Parts  arife. 
And  fwiftly  move ;  the  Stone  gives  vaft  Supplies  ; 

975  Which,  fpringing  ftill  in  conftant  Streams,  difplace 
The  neighb'ring  Air,  and  make  an  empty  Space; 
So  when  the  Steel  comes  there,  fome  Parts  begin 
To  leap  on  thro*  the  Void,  and  enter  in. 


NOTES. 


©f  various  Figures  in  all    com- 
pound Bodies  :     From  whence  it 
comes  to  pafs,  that    all    things 
can  not  be  adapted  to,  nor  fit, 
and  agree  with,every  one  of  them : 
This  he  has  prov'd  before  in  the 
fecond  and   fourth   Books  :    and 
confirms  again  in  this  Place,  by 
«he  fame   Examples  he  there  al- 
iedg'd  in  Proof  of  this  Dotftrine. 
970.  Thefe  Things,  &c.']     In 
thefe  3.  V.  he  concludes;  andfays, 
That  thefe  Things    being    pre- 
3Biis'd,  it  is  eafy  to  difcover  and 
"underftand,  how,  and  for  what 
yeafon    the    Loadftone    attrads 
Iron.    And  this  is  what  he  is  go- 
ing next  to  explain. 

975.  Firft,  &C.3  Epicurus  ex- 
plain'd  two  feveral  ways  the  at- 
tracftive  Virtue  of  the  Loadftone; 
and  'tis  ftrange  Lucretius  has  p- 
initted  one  of  theni  :  or  rather 
5t  has  been  loit  out  of  the  Textj 
fince  what  Lucretius  has  fo  care- 
fully premis'd,  feems  more  pro- 
perly adapted  to  ^hat  Cau&jthaB 


to  the  other  that  remains,  If  yoi 
are  desirous  to  know  more  of  it 
fee  Gaflendus,  Tome  II.  p.  129 
where  you  will  find  many  things, 
by  which  this  Dodtrine  of  Epi<li|i  j 
rus  is  illuftrated,  and  fully  ex- 
plain'd.     But  to  proceed  :     LK-| 
cretins  having  premis'd  the  fdt*B| 
Propolitions    above    mention*^. ( 
undertakes  in  this  Place  to  ihe^l 
the  Reafon  why,  or  manner  hoW, 
the  Loadftone  attrads  the  If<mi,J 
and  the  Iron,  on  the  other  Hanf^^ 
is  carry 'd  and  niov'd  towards  tt 
Loadftone.  To  this  end,  in  thi 
14.  V.  he  teaches,    I.  That  maf 
Corpufcles  flow  as  well   from  tfeiel 
Loadftone,    as  from  the    IrorV^i 
but  the  greater  Qtiantity,  and  th«j 
more  ftrong,  from  the  Magnefi'S 
Whence  it  comes  to  pafs,  that  tl 
Air  is  always  difpers'd,  and  d  1*1*1 
ven  away  to  a  greater  diftantf 
round  about  the  Loadftone,  artl 
confequently,  that   fewer  empty | 
little  Spaces  are  made  around  th<;j 
Irojo,    And  becauf^,    when   tt ' 

-'  '^    ""         lm\ 


3ook  VI.  LUCRETIUS^  727 

Bur  fince  they're  twin'd,  the  foremoft  Parts  tnuft  bring 
^80  The  latter  on,  and  fo  move  all  the  Ring  : 

For  Parts  of  Steel  are  very  ftridtly  join'd. 

Scarce  any  Compounds  are  fo  clofely  twin'd. 

No  wonder  then,  that  when  the  foremoft  ftrove. 

The  other  Parts  fhould  ftir,  and  all  (hould  move  | 
?85  Which  ftill  they  do,  they  ftill  prefs  farther  on. 

Until  they  reach,  and  join  the  willing  Stone. 
The  Steel  will  move  tofeek  the  Stone's  Embrace, 

Or  up,  or  down,  or  t'any  other  Place, 

Which  way  foever  lies  the  empty  Space. 
90  Not  that  the  heavy  Steel  by  Nature  flies. 

But  Blows  without  will  force,  and  make  it  rife. 
Befides ;  the  Air,  before  the  Steel,  is  rare. 

And  emptier  than  it  was,  and  weaker  far  ; 

And  therefore  all  the  Air,  that  lies  behind 
95  Grown  ftrong,  and  gath'ring  like  a  fubtile  Wind^ 

Muft  force  it  on,  for  ftill  the  ambient  Air 

Endeavours,  ftill  contends  to  drive  it  near: 

But 
NOTES, 


ron  is  plac'd  within  the  Sphere, 
>  they  fay,  of  the  Air,  that  is  re- 
lov'd  and  driven    away,  there 
luft  be    a  great  deal  of  void 
pace  between  that  and  the  Load- 
one  ;  the  Corpufclcs  of  the  Iron 
y   the    more   freely   into  that 
r.pty  Space,  and  therefore  necef- 
rily  towards  the  Magnet:  But 
lofe  Corpufcles  of  the  Iron  can 
3t  hurry  that  way  in  a  great 
Kiantity,without dragging  along 
ith  them  the  Particles  that  ad- 
;re  to  them,  and  by  confequence 
le  whole  Mafs  of  Iron. 
987.    The  Steel,  &c.]    Thefe 
V.    Gaflendus  thus  explains  : 
lafmuch  as  the  Iron  tends  in- 
fcriminately    upwards,   down- 
ardsj  acrofs,    in  a  Word,  any 
ay,  according   as    it    is  plac'd 
)ove,  below,  on  one  fide,  &c. 
'the  Magnet  -,  the  Poet  teaches, 
lat  it  could   not  move  in  that 
anner,  but  by  reafon  of  the  In- 
4<ftion  of  the  Void  :  ir»to  which 
e  Corpufcles  of  the  Iron,  that 
3uld  oiherwife  move  downwards 


only,are  carry*d  indifferently,an(} 
without  the  leaft  Diftindiono 
Thus  Gaflendus  believes,  thae 
thefe  five  Verfes  relate  to  the  Ex- 
plication laft  above  propos'd  t 
But  I,  fays  Creech,  am  of  ano- 
ther Opinion  :  For  the  whole 
Matter  there  relates  to  the  Cor- 
pufcles of  the  Iron  leaping  for- 
ward into  the  Void,  that  is  made 
by  the  Effluviums  from  the  Load- 
ftone  :  But  here,  in  thefe  Verfes, 
the  little  Bodies  are  protruded 
into  the  Void  by  Blows  : 
therefore  they  more  properly  be- 
long to  what  follows.  Creech, 
in  Edit.  Lat. 

992.  Befides,  &c.]  Lucretius 
labours  hard  to  prove,  that  the 
Motion  of  the  Steel  is  help'd  for- 
ward by  the  Air,  becaule  of  its 
certain  continual  Motion  and  A- 
gitation.  And  firft  in  thefe 
10.  V.  he  fays,  it  is  affifted  by  the 
exteriour  Air,  which,  ilnce  it  is 
always  driving  forward,  and  thac 
too  with  more  Force,  the  more 
th«r€  is  of  is,  cannot  but  puihon 

(h9 


728 


L  U  C  R  E  T  I  US. 


Book  VI 


Bat  then  alone  can  move  it,  when  the  Space 
Is  free,  and  fit  to  take  the  coming  Mass. 

1 006  This  fills  the  Pores,  and  then  with  fubcile  Gales 
Drives  on  the  Steel,  as  Winds  great  Ships,  and  Sails 
Befides  ;  all  Compounds  hold  fome  Parts  of  Air  j 
For  ev'ry  Compound  is  by  Nature  rare: 
This  lurking  Air,  no  doubt,  wich  nimble  Wing, 

1005  And  conftant  Turns,  ftill  whirls  and  beats  the  Ring  : 
But,  once  determin'd  forward,  keeps  the  Courfe 
It  firft  receiv'd,  and  that  way  bends  its  Force. 

But  more  than  this  :  coy  Steel  will  fometimes  move 
And  fly  the  driving  Stone,  and  ceafe  to  love. 

loio  And  thus  Steel  Filings,  I  have  often  known. 
In  little  brazen  Pots  held  o*er  the  Stone, 
Will  ftrive,  and  leap,  as  eager  to  be  gone  ; 
Becaufe  the  little  brazen  Parts,  that  rear. 
Fill  all  the  Steel's  fmall  Pores,  and  fettle  there : 

An< 

N  0  T  £  5. 


} 


the  Iron  into  that  Place  where 
there  is  leaft  Air,  and  confequent- 
ly  moft  Void  :  which  muft  be 
towards  the  Loadftone.  Then 
in  6.  V.  by  the  interiour  Air, 
which  for  the  fame  reafon,  fince 
it  always  agitates,  moves,  and 
drives  forward,  can  not  but  be- 
gin the  Motion  towards  that 
Place,  which  is  render'd  moft 
void  and  empty. 

1008.  But  more,  &C.3  GalTen- 
dus  here  obferves,  that  Lucretius 
feems  to  have  feen  that  Experi- 
ment, in  which  the  Loadftone 
fometimes  manifeftly  repels,  or 
at  leaft  feems  to  repel,  the  Iron  : 
What  he  means  is  this  :  It  is  dif- 
cover'd,  that  there  are  in  the 
Loadftone  two  oppofite  Parts, 
[]vve  now  commonly  call  them 
Poles  ;  one  the  northern,  the  o- 
ther  the  fouthern, "]  to  one  of 
which,  if  one  End  of  the  Toron 
Keedle  be  niov'd,  it  is  drawn  and 
attradred  by  it  *.  and  if  the  fame 
End  of  the  Needle  be  afterwards 
apply 'd  to  the  other  Pole,  it  leaps, 
and  feems  to  be  rcpell'd  from  it : 
But  that  great  Man,  fays  Creech, 
indulges  himfeif  too  much  in  his 


own  Opinion  :  For  the  Poet  pre 
pofes    nothing    in    thefe   Verfe 
concerning  the  Flight  of  the  Iro: 
from  the  Loadftone,  nor  do. an 
of  the  following  Examples  fpea. 
fully  of  it  :    But   Lucretius  ha 
feen  little  Rings,  and  filings  c 
fegments  of  Iron,  when  put  int 
a  VefTel  of  Brafs,  move  and  daiw 
about,  if  a  Loadftone  were  af 
ply'd  to  the  bottom  of  the  Vel 
fel  :    and,    perceiving  this  to  b 
caus'd  by  the  interpoiitionof  th 
Brafs,  (tho'  the  fame  will  happe  I 
{if  Glafs,  Wood,  Stone,    or  an 
other  Subftance  be  interpos'd)  i ; 
thefe  12.  V.  he  gives  this  Reafo 
of  it.    That  fome  Corpufcles  ar 
emitted  from  the  Brafs  into  th 
Filings,  or  little  Bits  of  Iron,  an 
that  thefe  Corpufcles  fo  fill  u 
the  little  void  Spaces  of  the  Iror 
that  the  niagnetick  Corpufde 
which  come  afterwards,  and  ai 
tranfraitted  thro'  the  Brafs,  fine 
ing  thefe  little  empty  Spaces  a! 
ready  taken  up,  heave  and  driv 
forward  the  Bits  of  Iron  with  i. 
the  ftrength  they  can. 

ID  10.  Steel  Filings]  Lucrctiij 
call     them    Sarnothracia  ferrea 

whic] 


Book  VL  LUCRETIUS.  729 

1 01 5  And  (6  the  other  rifing  Streams,  that  come 
From  Magnets,  find  no  Way,  no  open  Room,' 
And  therefore  ftrike:  thus,  flying  thro*  the  Brass,  > 
They  rudeJy  beat,  and  drive  away,  the  Mass  j        S 
Which  otherwife  they'd  take  to  their  Embrace.         3 

1020     Befides,  no  wonder  this  alone  fliould  feel 

The  Loadstone's  Power,  and  that  move  only  Steel^ 
For  fome  their  Weight  fecures,  as  Gold  :  and  fome 
Their  Pores  ;  they  give  the  Streams  too  large  a  Room  9 
And  fo  they  find  an  eafy  paflage  thro* , 

1025  And  thus  the  Substance  ne'er  endures  the  Blow  : 
But  Steel,  when  brazen  Parts  fill  ev'ry  Pore, 
And  fettle  there,    when  it  can  take  no  more. 
It's  then  prepar'd  to  take  the  fubtile  Shove 
The  Loadstone's  Streams  can  give ;  and  fit  to  move* 

1030     Nor  is  there  Friendship  *twixt  thefe  two  alone  ^^ 
A  THOUSAND  Things  befides,  but  one  to  one,        ^ 
Agree :  Thus  Lime  will  faften  only  Stone  :  ^ 

Thiis 

NOTES: 


which  were  hollow  Iron  Rings, 
made  to  open,  and  in  which  they 
wore  their  Amulets :  At  firft  the 
Fiamen  Dialis  wore  them  :  An- 
nulo,  nili  pervio  caffoque,  ne  uti- 
tor.  At  length  Servants  took  up- 
on them  to  wear  them  :  and,  in 
the  Age  of  Pliny,  they  were  laid 
3ver  with  Gold  :  Servitia  jam 
Terrum  auro  cingunt :  alia  per 
fefe  mero  auro  decorant  :  cujus 
ilicentix  origo  nomine  ipfd  in  Sa- 
(nothrace,  id  inftitutum  decla- 
rat.  Plin.  Kat.  Hift.  Lib.  33. 
:ap.  I . 

1020.  Befides,  Sec.']  It  may  be 

,isk'd,  why  a  Loadftone  doss  not 

inake  the  Filings  of  other  Bodies 

nove  in  like  manner  ?  The  Poet 

caches  in  thefe  10.  v.  that  the 

eafon  is,  becaufe  they  are  either 

00  heavy  to  be  mov'd,  or  if  they 

re  light,  they  are  then  too  rare  ; 

nfomuch  that  the  Corpufcles  of 

he  Magnet  find  a  free  and  open 

'aflfage  through  them. 

1030.  Nor  is,  &C.J  Hitherto 
f  che  Motion  of  the  Iron  to- 


wards the  Loadftone,  or  of  its 
Flight  from  it.  Now,  as  to  its 
Adhefion  to  it,  he  tells  us  in  20.  v. 
that  it  ought  not  to  feem  ftrange, 
becaufe  there  is  a  like  Confent, 
and  Agreement  between  other 
Things  alfo,  which  refufe  to  be 
join'd,  or  conne<fled,  except  to 
one  certain  Thing  only.  Thus 
Stones  are  cemented  with  Plaifter 
and  Lime  :  Boards  with  Glue  ; 
and  that  too  fo  ftrongly,  that  ths 
Flanks  themfelves  will  break,  ra- 
ther than  the  Glue  disjoin :  Wa- 
ter mingles  with  Wine,  but  noc 
with  Oil  and  Pitch  :  Wool  is 
dy'd  with  the  Blood  of  the  Purple- 
filli  :  and  Gold  is  foulder'd  with 
Silver,  but  not  with  Lead  :  which 
neverthelefs  foulders  Brafs  to 
Brafs.  And  thus  the  Adhefion  of 
the  Steel  to  the  Loadftone  is  made 
in  this  manner  :  on  the  Surface  of 
the  Magnet  there  are  Hooks  ;  and 
on  the  Surface  of  the  Steel  little 
Rings,  which  the  Hooks  catch 
hold  of. 

5  A  1035*  Thus 


750 


LUCRETIUS. 


Bt)ok  vr. 


Thus  Glue,  hard  Boards;  and  we  may  often  view 
The  folid  Table  break  before  the  Glue  : 
1035  Thus  pure  and  Fountain-Streams  will  mix  with 
But  Oil  and  heavy  Pitch  refufe  to  join :       (Wine, 
The  Purple's  Blood  gives  Wool  fo  deep  a  Stain,   ^ 
That  we  can  never  wafli  it  out  again 


No  j  pour  On  ail  the  Sea,  'tis  all  in  vain. 
K!  O  r  E  S. 


SOULDER 


i<333.  ThusGluCjlLucr.  Glu- 
tine  taurino  :  For  the  ftrongeft 
Glue  was  made  of  the  Ears 
and  Genitals  of  Bulls :  Glutinum 
pr^ftantiffimum  fie  ex  auribus 
tauronini,  Sc  genitalibus.  Plin. 
Nat.  Hift.  lib. '28.  cap.  17. 

ro3(5.  Oil  and  heavy  Pitch3 
Both  of  them  refufe  to  mix  with 
Water  ;  but  differently  :  For 
Oil  rifes  above  the  Surface  of  the 
Water  j  therefore  Lucretius  here 
calls  it  leve  olivum ;  but  Pitch 
links  to  the  bottom. 

1037.  The  Purple's  Blood] 
The  Purple  of  the  Antients  was 


call'd  purpura  ;  it  was  found  in  a 
white. Vein,  running  thro'  the 
middle  of  the  Mouth,  which 
was  cut    out  and  boil'd  ;    and 


becaufe,  fays Ariftotle  de  Color,  it 

is,  as  it  were,ctAos"  epyov,  the  Work 
of  the  Sea;  and  Plato  in  Timarus 
defines  cc  Aap^^v,  to  be  red  ming- 
led with  white  and  black.  See 
Guil.  Tyrenlis,  Pontif,  lib.  15, 
Belli  Sacri,  cap.  i.  where  he 
fpeaks  of  Tyre.  The  Purple  of' 
Africa,  a  Countrey  nearer  to  the 
Sun,  was,  as  we  are  told,  for  that 
reafon,  of  a  violet  Colour  :  the 
Ingredients  of  which  confift  of 
much  white,  and  a  little  red  : 
but  the  common  Purple  now-a- 
days  is,  as  the  beft  Artifts  tell 
us,  a  Mixture  of  a  great  deal  of 


dy'dwiththeBloodofaShell-fim,   red,  and  a  little  black:  yet  the 

Tyrian  purple  is  generally  held 
to  have  been  more  inclining  to 
red,  which  is  a  certain  mixture 
of  white  and  black  ;  or  rather  to 
the  Blood,  us'd  in  dying,  fear  let :  But  this  fort  of  Purple, 
produc'd  the  Colour  nigrantis  \  ever  iince  the  fiOiing  for  the  Pur- 
rof^e  fublucentem,  which  Pliny  j  pura,  is,  by  the  taking  of  Tyre, 


fays  is  the  true  Purple,  tho'  there 
were  other  forts  too  of  it,  as  the 
Colour  of  Violet,  Hyacynth,  &:c. 
Of  this  invention,  fee  Plin.  lib, 
5>.  cap.  38.  and  Pancirollus.  The 
greatefl  Fifliing  for  thefe  Purples 
was  at  Tyre  ;  and  there  was  the 
chief  ManufacTture  and  Trade  of 
Purple.as  likewife  the  firft  Inven- 
tion of  it ;  which  is  attributed 
to  Hercules  TyrmSjwho,  walking 
Upon  the  Shore,  faw  his  Dog  bite 
one  of  thofe  Fifli,  and  oblerv'd 
his  Mouth  ail  Itam'd  with  that 
excellent  Colour,  which  gave 
Jiim  the  firft  Hint  of  teaching 
the  Tyrians  how  to  dy  with  it  ; 
^rom  this  Invention  of  this  Co- 


leur  is  is  call 'din  Greek  «r'A«f5'^5  t  vas,  by  the  Deleriptionj  whicl 


come  into  the  Power  of  the 
Turks,  has  been  totally  loft  : 
Not  for  want  of  Materials,  for 
the  Fiili  is  ftill  to  be  found  \  but 
becaufe  the  true  art  of  ordering 
it  is  no  longer  known.  Panci- 
rollus tells  us,  we  may  ghefs  at 
the  Colour  of  it  by  the  Italian 
July- Flower  :  and  that  it  was 
not,  as  fome  believ'd,  like  the 
Amethyft,  but  rather  like  the 
Ruby,  Pyropus,  Or  Carbuncle  : 
Some  will  have  it  to  have  refem- 
bled  the  Colour  of  the  Elemen- 
tal Fire  ;  and  others,  that  of 
what  they  never  faw,  the  Empy- 
rean Heaven.  •  But  to  ghefs  what 
rhe  Colour  of  this  true   Purple 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


the  Antients  have  left  of  it,  we 
may  call  to  mind,  that  Juvenal 
calls  it  ardens  purpura,  flaming 
Purple  :  And  we  find  in  Cicero, 
Qui  fulgent  purpura,  who  iluue 
in  Purple  :  wiiich  Statius  yet  in;i- 
proves : 

illius  e  rofeo  flammatur  purpura 
vultu  : 

And  many   the    like    Inftances 
might  be  produc'd  from  the  An- 
tients of  the  Refulgency  of  this 
Colour.  Some  mention  an  extra- 
ordinary way  of  dying  the  purple 
Colour  with  the  Blood  of  Apes  : 
and  the  Indians  make  Trial  of 
the   beft   common   Purple ,    by 
dropping  fome  Oil  on  a  piece  of 
purple  Silk,  which,  they  fay,  will 
not  ftain  it,    if  the  Purple   be 
good  :  but  thefe  two  Particulars 
I  mention  only  for  the   Sake  of 
their  Extravagancy.    Whatever 
the  Purple  of  the  Antients  was, 
our  Purple  is  made  of  what  the 
Druggifts  call   Turnefol,  which 
is  a  mixture  of  vermilion  and 
blue  ByiTe,  or  Cynnaber.     As  to 
the  antient  wearing  of   Purple, 
Lomazzo,lib.  3. cap.  14.  obfcrves, 
that  the  Kings  of  Troy,  and  the 
chief  of  the  Nobility,  were  wont 
to  drefs  themfelves  in  feveral  Co- 
jours  on  the  feveral   Days  of  the 
Week,  and  wore  a  particular  Co- 
lour on  each  Day  ;  and  that  the 
«hief  of  them   was  the  purple  : 
Thus  on  Sunday  they  wore  yel- 
low, on  Munday  white,  on  Tuef- 
day  red,  on  Wednefday  blue,  on 
Thurfday  green,  on  Fryday  pur- 
ple, and  on  Saturday  black.  Now 
the    reafon,    why    they    drefs'd 
themfelves  in  purple  on  Fryday, 
may  have  been,  becaufe  that  Day 
was  facred  to  Venus,  whofe  Bus- 
kins are  faid  to  have  been  red, 
between  which  and  purple,  there 
was  but  little  difference,  fays  the 
fame   Lomazzo  ,    in    the    Place 
-jihove  cited.  He  farther  obferves, 
•.iCap.19.  of  thefamefBook,thatthey 
wore  likewifc  feveral  Colours  on 
the    Feftivals    of    xhs    leveral 


7?I 

Months  of  the  Year:    Iji  thofe 
that  happen'd  in  Januairy,  they 
wore    white,    in    February  adi- 
colour,  in  March  tawny,  in  April 
dark-green,  in  May  light-green, 
in   June  xarnation,  in  July  red, 
in  Auguft  yellow,  in  September 
blu€,  in  0<fl:ober  violet,  in  No- 
vember purple,  and  in  December 
black.     Now  the  Month  of  No- 
vember was  under  the  Protection 
of  Diana  amongft  the  Romans, 
whoderiv'd  themfelves  ifrom  the 
Trojans,  and  that  Goddels,  like 
Venus,  wore  red,  or  rather  pur- 
ple, Buskins  :  and  therefore,  for 
the  like  reafon,  it  may  be  con- 
jecftur'd,  that  they  wore  purple 
on  the  Holydays  of  that  Month. 
Befides,  in   November  there  was 
a  Feftival  dedicated  to  Jupiter, 
and  therefore  they  might  proba- 
bly go  then  drefs'd  in  purple  : 
For   many  of  the  Roman  Cu- 
ftoms,  as  well  as  their  pretended 
Original,  were  deriv'd  from  the 
Trojans :  And  laftly,  that  Au- 
thour  takes  notice,  tihat  in  fuc- 
ceeding  Ages,  whenever  the  Em- 
perour  himfelf    went    into    the 
Field,  the  Standard  was  of  a  pur- 
ple Colour.     Thus  we  fee,  that 
Purple  was  antiently  the  Wear  of 
Princes  :     and  therefore  honeft 
Umbritius  in  Juven.  Sat.  3.  con- 
ceiv'd  fo  great  Indignation,  that 
the  meaner  fort  of  People  began 
to  cloath  themfelves  in  that  re- 
gal Colour,  that  he  alledges  it  as 
one  of  the  reafons  of  his  retiring 
from   Rome  :    Horum  ego  non 
fugiam  conchylia  ?    v.  81.     And 
Auguftus,  as  we  find  in   Sueto- 
nius, in  his  Life,  forbid  the  pro* 
mifcuous  ufe  of  it  :    for  which 
Tacitus  commends   that  Empe- 
rour,     and    at    the    fame  time 
gives  the  Reafon  of  that  Prohi- 
bition in  thefe  Words  :  Prjedare 
v«ro  prudenterque  Ca:far  ordines 
civium    vefte  difcrimiiiavit,    uc 
fcilicetqui  locis,  ordinibus,  dig- 
nationibus  anteftant,  cultu  que* 
q^ue    difcernerentur,    Annal.    2, 
Yet  at  length.  Liberty  prevail'd 
at  PvOme,  and  the  meaner  fort  if 
5  A  2  their 


11^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VL 


5o4oSoutDER  ignobly  weds  the  golden  Mass 

To  Silver  :  proper  Soulder  Lead,  to  Brass  : 
Befides  thefe  mention'd,  there's  a  thoufand  more : 
But  ftay ;  what  need  of  fuch  a  num'rous  Store  > 
Why  fhould  I  wafte  my  Time,  and  trouble  thee  ? 

5  045  Take  all  in  fhort :  Of  Things,  whofe  Pa;r.ts  agree, 
Whofe 

N  O  T  £  J. 


their  Money  could  reach  it, 
cloath'd  themfelves  in  purple  : 
and  liv'd  as  in  the  Spartan  Com- 
monwealthj  where,  by  the  Laws 
of  Lycurgus,  it  was  forbid  to  all 
alike,  that  anyone  Man  Hiould 
go  better  drefs'd   than  another. 

1038.  Never  waili  it  out  again  :] 
Thus  Waller  ; 

The  Fleece,  that  has  been  by  the 

Dyer  Hain'd, 
Never  again  its  native  Whitenefs 

gain'd.. 

T04.0.  Soulder^  What  the  Gold- 
fmiths  ufe  to  folder  Gold,is  call'd 
Sorax,  a  fort  ofChryfocol,  which 
is  a  kind  of  Mineral,  found  like 
Sand  in  Mines  of  Brafs,  Silver,  or 
Gold. 

1045.  Of  Things,  &C.3  Here 
Lucretius  tells  us  ,  that  the 
lundure  is  moft  ilrong,  and  the 
Union  molt  firm  andlafting,  be- 
tween Things,  whofe  parts  exacft- 
iy  correfpond  and  fquare  with 
one  another  :  Thofe  Things,  fays 
he,  whofe  Textures  mutually  an- 
fwer  to  one  another,  in  fuch  a 
3nanner,  that  the  Cavities  of  this 
.  Thjng  agree  with  the  Plenitudes 
of  that  i  and  the  Cavities  of  that 
.  with  the  Plenitudes  of  this,  may 
be  conjoined  moil:  eafily,  and 
in  the  ftrideft  manner:  and  fome 
Things  may  be  fo  join'd  to  o- 
thersj  as  if  they  were  faften'd  to- 
gether with  Hooks  and  Rings  : 
and  in  this  manner  it  is,  that  the 
Loadttone  feems  to  be  conneded 
to  the  Steel. 

Thus  pur  Poet  concludes  his 
f)ifpu£ation  concerning  this  v;on- 


derful  Stone  t  which  is  alone  fii^ 
ficient  to  humble  the  tow'ring 
Arrogance  of  prying  Man,and  to 
baffle  and  mock  his  vain  Pretence 
to  Knowledge  ;  fince  he  never 
could  attain  to  the  Difcovery  of 
what  it  is,nor  of  the  great  Power, 
that  the  Divine  Wifdom  has  be- 
ftow'd  upon  it  :  Well  may  it  be 
ftyPd  Herculean,  it  being  infu- 
perable  on  many  Accounts  :  The 
Antients  knew  fcarce  any  thing  of 
it  jand  the  modern  Philofophers, 
that  they  might  feem  to  be  igno- 
rant of  nothing,  pretend  to  ex- 
plain this  hidden  Secret  of  Na- 
ture ;  but  have  fail'd  in  the  At- 
tempt, and  have  only  involv'd  it 
in  yet  greater  Difficulties :  For 
what  is  more  abfurd,  or  more  re- 
pugnant to  common  Obfervati- 
on,  than  to  imagine  to  our  felves, 
that  the  whole  Earth  is  compact- 
ed of  folid  Iron,  or  than  to  call 
it  the  great  Loadftone,  whofe 
purer  Segments  do  now  and  then 
by  Chance  fall  into  our  Hands. 
Is  it  thus  that  we  philorophife, 
and  think  it  better  to  pervett 
than  fuffer  things  to  lie  hid  in  the 
infcrutable  Majefty  of  Nature  ? 
Lucretius  endeavour'd  to  difco- 
ver  the  Caufe  of  a  molt  noto- 
rious Effecf^,  viz.  Why  Iron  ruas 
to  the  Loadftone,  and  obftinate- 
ly  adheres  to  it  ?  But  fetting  Sail 
imprudently,  was  ihipwreck'd  in 
the  Port.  His  firft  Afl'ertion  is. 
That  the  Corpufcles  of  the  Load- 
ftone ftrike  and  chace  away  the 
Air  :  but  this  we  know  by  Ex- 
perience to  be  falfe  :  For  the  Wa- 
ter is  not  mov'd,  when  a  Load- 
ftone is  put  under  the  VefTel  that 

contains 


75? 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS. 

Whofe  Seeds,  oppos'd  to  Pores,  fecurelylie, 
The  Union,  there,  isftrong,  and  firm  the  Tie: 
Others  by  Rings  and  Hooks  are  join'd  in  one  : 
This  way  combine  the  loving  Steel  and  Stone. 
1050      Now  next  1*11  fing  what  Caufes  Plagues  create,? 
What  drives  a  Pestilence,  fwoln  big  with  Fate,  r" 
To  wafte,  and  lay  a  Nation  defolace.  O 

I've 
NOTES. 

why  does  it  incline  and  move 
one  way  rather  than  another  ? 
Befides  :  how  ill  does  what  Lu- 
cretius here  ailerts,  that  the  Air 
refides  in,  and  fills  up,  the  Pores, 
or  open  Paflages  of  concrete  Bo^ 
dies,  agree  with  his  Dodlrine  of 
a  Void,  which  he  endeavour'd 
before  to  perfuade  us  to  believe, 
and  which  he  grounded  on  thofe 
very  Pores  of  Bodies  ?  In  vain 
therefore  has  been  the  Search  of 
our  Poet  into  this  miraculous 
Secret  of  Nature,  fince  it  has  le  d 
him  unawares  into  Arguments, 
that  tend  to  the  Confutation  of 
that  Philofophy,  which  he  has 
been  labouring  to  eftablillv, 

1050.  Now,  &c.]  Hitherto  our 
Poet  has  been  disputing  of  t^e 
Things,  that  are  commonly  fai4 
to  be,  fecundiimnaturam,  natu- 
ral :  He  is  now  going  to  try  the 
ftrength  of  his  Philofophy  ia 
thofe,  which  by  the  Phyficiatis 
are  call'd,  pra^ter  naturam,  pre- 
ternatural ;  and  thefe  are  held  to 
be  three  :  I.  Difeafe.  H.  The 
Caufe  of  Difeafe.  IH.  The 
Symptom,  or^  the  Effed:,  Acci- 
dent, or  Paflion,  attending  any 
Sicknefs  :  For  Symptom,  in  the 
general  Acceptation  of  the  Word, 
hgnifies  whatever  happens  to  aa 
Animal  preternaturally  :  i.  e. 
Difeafe,  and  the  internal  Cauf^ 
of  Difeafe,  together  with  what- 
ever fupervenes  in  the  Difeafe, 
As  to  what  relates  to  the  Caufc 
ofDifeafeSj  and  their  Symptoms, 
Lucretius  takes  but  little  No- 
tice :    for  he  difdains    common 


rontains  it :    Neither^'  will  you 
ind  the  Air  to  be  mov'd,  if,  for 
Trial's  fake,  by  the  Exhalation 
hat    ftcems  from  a    Cenfer,  or 
he  Vapour  of  hot  Water,  you 
ender  it  fo  thick,  that  from  per- 
picuous  it  become  confpicuous  : 
or  the  Smoke  will  go  alike  for- 
ward, whether   you     apply   the 
.oadftone,  or  take  it  away  :  and 
1  f  no  Force  be  offered  to  the  Me- 
!  ium,  the  Loadftone    will    ftill 
rrongly  attracft  the  Steel :  There- 
)re  the  Place  is  not  made  empty, 
or  the  Air  expell'd  :  But  grant 
le  Space  to  be  void  :    Whence 
roceeds  that  great  fedulity  of 
f!  he  Steel,  to  fill  immediately  the 
Macant place?  If  it  be  anfwer'd, 
rom  the    eftabliili'd   Order  of 
Things,  to  the  end,  nothing  in 
le  Univerfe  may  be  void  of  Bo- 
y,  It  may  be  reply'd,  that  it 
len  overthrows  their  Opinion, 
ho  hold  the  Void  to  be  the  fe- 
Imd  Principle  of  natural  Things, 
efides ;  Corpufcles  flow  no  lefs 
lom  the   Iron,  than    from  the 
lagnet :  Therefore,  if  the  Ef- 
kviums  of  the  Iron  have  fiU'd 
ic  vacant  Space,  why  is  not  the 
Jdng  ftopt,  and  why  does  it  ha- 
Kn  onward  ?  If  it  be  anfwer'd, 
lat  it  is  driven  forward  by  ex- 
rnal  Air,  why  is  not  that  Pro- 
fion  perpetual,  even  while  the 
Ignet  is  away  ?     And  whence 
toceeds   this    Inconftancy,  that 
impels  the  Air  to  renounce  its 
itural   Gravity,  and  move  by 
Tcent  ?  Nor  is  the  internal  Air, 
[eluded  in    the    Ring,  of  any 
freater  moment  :  For  fince   the 
ron  emits  Corpufcles  oa  ali  fides, 


!  Difeafes  ;  and  is  going  to  treat  of 
vPlaeues  onlv,  and  to  inauire  in- 


'. Plagues  only,  and  to  inquire 


t.o> 


7H 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI. 


to  the  Ou(es  of  them.  And  here 
we  may  take  Notice,  that  Phyti- 
cians  allow  two  forts  of  Difeafes, 
which  they  call,  communes,  & 
fparfim  vagantes,  common  Difea- 
fes, and  fuch  as  wander  here  and 
there,  and  come  not  after  an  or- 
dinary manner  :  thefe  laft  Hip- 
pocrates  in   his  Language  calls 
c-TTo^hiL^c'  The  Difeafes  they 
call   common ,   are   thofe    that 
are  peculiar  and  naturally  inci- 
dent to  one  Place  or  Countrey  ; 
for  which  Reafon  they  are  like- 
wife  calPd  Endemij,  that  is  to 
fay,  regional ;  and,  becaufe  they 
often  fieze  many  Perfons,  popular 
or  vulgar  J   but  by    the  Greeks 
iTTih/MKoiy  i,  e.  publick  or  uni- 
verfal.    Now  if  thefe    Difeafes, 
Jbefides  that  they  fieze  many  Per- 
fons at    the  fame  Time,  and  in 
one   and  the  fame  Place,  have 
this  to  boot,  that  they  kill  many 
Perfons  likewife,  they  are  then 
call'd  a  Plague  ;  by  the  Greeks 
Tkoifxo^ ;  by  the  Latines  Peftis,  k 
pafcendo,  in  like  manner  as,  ac- 
cording to  Ifidorus,  Peftilentia  is 
faid,  quafi  paftulantia,  quod  ve- 
luti  incendium  depafcit,  becaufe 
|t  confumes  and  devours  like  a 
burning  Flame.     But  in  the  Art 
ofPhyhck,  Difeafes  likewife  ad- 
mit of  another  Diftintftion  ;  ta- 
ken from  their  longer  or  Hiorter 
Duration  :  for  fome  Difeafes  are 
lingering ,   and  of   Ions    Con- 
tinuance;  for  which  realon,  they 
3ire     caird      Chronicle  ,    from 
X^v(^,  Time  :  Others  difpatch 
the  Patient  in  a  little  time,  or 
elfe  he  recovers,   and  therefore 
they  are  call'd  acute  :  I  now  return 
to  Lucretius,  who  feems  to  im- 
ply, that  the  only  Tokens  of  an 
offended  and  angry  Deity,  that  he 
has  left  unmention'd,  are  epide- 
mical Difeafes  and  Plagues  :  And 
3f  there  be  nothing  wonderful  and 
divine  in  thefe  Things   neither, 
we  may  then  indeed  difclaim,and 
bid  adieu  to,  ail  Providence.  But 
our  Poet  tells   us,  that  there  is 
r*a  need  of  much  Ceremony,  nor 


to  beat  about  the  Bufh,  to  dif- 
cover    the  Caufes   of  Plagues  : 
For,  fays  he,  in  8.  v.  as  in  the 
Univerfe,  there  are  many  Cor- 
puicles  that  are  healthful  to  Man, 
and  other  Animals,  lb  there  are 
many  too  that  are  noxious  and 
deadly.    Now  when   thefe  noxi- 
ous Corpufcles,  whether  they  a- 
rife  out  of  the  Earth,  or  whether 
they  fall  down  from   the  Skies 
fill  the  Air,  it  grows  difeas'd  and 
infectious  *,  and  thus  Plagues  and 
Contagions  enter  into  the  Boweli 
of  Men  and  other  Animals,    ll 
we  will  not  allow  of  thefe  foreigi 
Corpufcles,  he  bids  us   in  7.  v, 
fearch  into  the  Air  itfelf,  and  W' 
Iliall  find  the  Caufe  of  this  grea 
Calamity  and  Deftru<9:ion  ;  Fo 
the  Air  of  different  Countreys  i 
different ,    and    that    which   i 
healthful  to  the  native   Inhabi 
tants,  is  unhealthful  to  Foreign 
ers,  who  are  not  us'd  to  it :  Am 
this,  fays  our  Poet,  in  9.  v.  i 
the  Reafon,  that  certain  Difeaf< 
are  peculiar  to  certain  Countrey: 
Then  he   teaches   in  7.  v.  tha 
when  the  Air  of  one  Region  i 
blown  into  another,  the  who! 
Air  of  the  Sky  muft  of  neceflit 
be   corrupted  :    And    thus,  fa) 
he  in  1 2.v.  the  Springs  and  Hert 
are  infecfted ;    or  the  corrupte 
Air  itfelf  proves  mortal.  Laftl) 
he  confirms  this  Difputation,  b 
the  Example  of  that  memorab 
Plague  which  happened  in  Athen 
durmg  the  Heat  of  the  Pelopor 
nefian  War,  and  defcrVbes  it  i 
large  in  16^.  v. 

Here  we  muft  oblcrve,  th; 
our  Tranflatour  has  not  full 
render'd  the  Beginning  of  th 
Difputation  ;  which  in  the  Ot 
ginal  is  as  follows : 
Nunc,  ratio  qua:  fit  morbis,  ^i 

unde  repent e 
Mortiferam  poffit  cladem   coi 

f^are  coorta 
Morbida  vis  hominum  generiji 

cudumque  catervis, 
Expediam. 

Ill  whif  h  Verfes  the  Poet  pr(>p 


?ookVI.  LUCRETIUS.  7^? 

I've  prov'd ,  that  num'rous  vital  Parts  do  fill 
The  Air  :  fo  num'rous  too  are  thofe  that  kill. 

1055  Thefe  Poysons,  whether  from  the  threat'ning  Skies^ 
Like  Clouds,  they  fall,  or  from  the  Earth  arife. 
When  {he's  grown  putrid  by  the  Rains,  or  fweats 
Such  noxious  Vapours,  prefs'd  by  fcorching  Heats,' 
Infedt  the  lower  Air,  and  hence  proceed 

tc6o  All  raging  Plagues  ;  thefe  all  Diseases  breed. 

A  Traveller,  in  ev'ry  Place  he  fees,  O; 

Or  hazards,  or  endures,  a  new  Disease  1  ^ 

Becaufe  the  Air,  or  Water  difagrecs. 


How 


N  O  T  £  S. 


»f  the  Caufes  of  thofe  Difeafes 


es,  that  he  is  now  going  to  treat  I  ter'd,  corrupted,   or  defii'd,  in- 
^     "^       "  ^    '-  —•"    "       feds  almoft  all  the  Animals  that 

breathe  within  the  Circuit  of  it.- 
But  whether  there  be  any  other 
common  Caufes  of  Difeafes,  or 
the  Air  alone  be  to  blame,  we 
will  examine  by  and  by. 

1 0^1.  A  Traveller,  Sec."]  In 
thefe  7.  V.  the  Poet  being  about 
to  advance  a  Pofition,  that  may 
feem  incredible  to  fuch  as  have 
had  no  Experience  of  it,  concern^ 
ing  the  difeas'd  and  noxious 
Power,  that  by  feme  Means  or 
other  is  imparted  to  the  Air,  and 
perceptible  to  none  of  the  Senfes, 
alledges,  by  way  of  Example,  the 
Inconveniences  and  Harms,  that 
happen  to  us  in  an  Air,  to  which 
we  have  not  been  accuftom'd, 
even  tho'  that  Air  be  not  in  the 
leaft  tainted  or  corrupted  :  And 
he  confirms,  that  the  Air  of  one 
Climate  is  different  from    that 


hat  are  mortal  both  to  Men,  pe- 
udumquecatervis,and  to  Beafts: 
»f  which  laft  our  Interpreter  has 
aken  no  Notice  ;  tho'  it  be  cer- 
ain,that  Plagues  are  not  peculiar 
o  Man  alone  ;  but  promifcuous 
nd  common  to  Beafts  likewife ; 
IS  fhall  be  iliewn  by  and  by  in  our 
Slote  on  v.  1087. 

1053.  I've  prov'd,  &c.3  In 
hefe  8.  v.  the  Poet  fays,  that 
he  Caufe  of  Difeafes  may  be 
ifcrib'd  to  the  very  noxious  Na- 
ureof  the  Airitfelf;  and  teaches, 
low  the  Air  comes  to  be  morbi- 
erous :  For,  fays  he,  many  A- 
oms,  that  bring  both  Difeafe  and 
^eath,  are  continually  flying  to 
ind  fro  in  the  Air  ;  as  many  o- 
hers  are  likewife,  that  are  health- 
ful and  vital,  or  conducing  to  the 
vlaintenance  and  Prefervation  of 
.ife  :  But  thofe  difeas'd  and  fick- 
y  Atoms  fail  from  without  into 
he  Air,    being  either  fent  from 


of  another  :  for,  no  doubt,  the 
Air,  that  furrounds  Great  Bri- 
tain, fays  he,  is   quite  different 


bove  out  of  the  Sky,  or  rais'd    from  the  Air  of  Egypt:  nor  is 
_    r  u        ^1      _  _^   -/-   .1       the  Air  in  Pontus  lefs  different 

from  that  of  Gades  and  Ethio- 
pia :  the  Truth  of  which  is  daily 
experienc'd  by  fuch  as  travel  into 
foreign  Countreys  :  And  from 
this  difference  of  Air  proceed  the 
different  Colours  and  Complexi- 
ons of  Men. 


ip  from  beneath  out  of  the 
larth,  whenever  it  has  contrad- 
d  any  filthy  and  unwholefome 
icench,  by  being  drench'd  with 
xceflive  and  unfeafonable  Rains, 
nd  pierc'd  by  the  fcorching 
>eams  of  the  Sun^  Hippocrates 
00  held  the  Air  that  furrounds 
s,  to  be  the  moft  general  and 
ommon  Caufe  of  ail  Difeafes  : 
or  the  Air, fays  he,  varying  from  j 


Ariftotle  too  argues 
to  the  fame  purpofe  in  his  Trea- 
tife,    De  aere,  aquis,  dc  locis. 


:s  propcF  Nature^  whilft  ic  is  al- 


aquis 

io<^3.  Becaufe,  a<:c]  This  Rea- 

I  fon  is  not  to  be  controverted  ;  for 

the 


llG  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

How  diff'rent  is  the  Air  of  Bi?  r  r^i  ks  Ifle, 
lo6y  From  that  which  plays  upon  the  wand'ring  Nile? 

What  different  Air  does  Pou  t  -vs  Snows  embrace, 

From  that  which  fans  the  Sun-burnt  Ikdi^  ks  Face  ? 
And  as  Men's  Shape,  or  Colour,  difagrees, 

So  ev*ry  Nation  has  its  own  Disease  : 
1070  The  Lepers  are  to  Egypt  only  known, 

Thofe  Wretches  drink  of  Ni  l  v's  Streams  alone  t 

A  T  H  E  H  i 

NOTES. 

and  change 


the  difference  of  Air, 
©f  Water,  are  often  prejudicial 
to  Travellers  into  foreign  Coun- 
treys :  The  banifli'd  Ovid  there- 
fore had  juft  reafon  to  complain, 
that 

Kec  coelum  ferimus,  nee  aquis 
aiTuefcimus  litis. 

To<^4.  How  diff'rent ,  &c.  ] 
This,  and  the  three  following 
Yerfes  run  thus  in  the  Original  : 

Nam  quid  Britannis  coelum  dif- 

ferrc  putamus, 
Et  quod    in   /Egypto    eft,  qua 

mundi  claudicat  axis  ? 
Quidve,  quod  in  Ponto  eft  dif- 

ferre  a  Gadibus,  atque 
Ufque  ad  nigra  viriim  percoda- 

que  Geciacalore? 

In  which  Verfes  the  Poet  con- 
firms by  Examples,  his  laft  Ai- 
fercion,  concerning  the  difference 
of  Air  in  different  Climates : 
and  inftances  in  the  Air  of  Egypt 
as  oppos'd  to  that  of  Great  Bri- 
tain j  from  whence  Egypt  is  di- 
it.int  the  whole  Extent  of  the 
Mediterranean  Sea;  Befides,  by 
Egypt,  which  is  a  Countrey  of 
Africa,  he  means  the  South  Part 
of  the  World,  and  by  Britain  the 
North :  by  Pontus,  which  is  a 
Countrey  of  Greece,  he  means 
the  Eaft  Part  of  the  World  -y  and 
by  the  Gades,  which  are  Illands 
in  the  occidental  Ocean,  v/here 
Europe  is  divided  from  Africa, 
he  means  the  Weft  Part  of  it  : 
for  he  chofe   to  mention  thofe 


four  Places,  becaufe  they  were 
the  mofte  noted,  that  in  his  Day: 
were  believ'd  to  be  the  farthef^ 
diftant  from  one  another :  thai 
is  to  fay,  two  from  the  North  u 
the  South,  Britain  and  Egypt 
which  is  the  Diftance  of  Lati- 
tude :  and  two  from  the  Eaft  tc 
the  Weft,  Pontus  and  Gades 
which  is  the  Diftance  of  Longi 
tude. 

10^5.  Nile]  Of  this  River  we 
have  fpoken  at  large  in  the  Nott 
on  V.  722.  of  this  Book. 

1066.  Pontus]  Pontus  is  a 
Countrey  of  Afia  the  lefs,  lying 
between  Bithynia,  Paphlagonia 
and  the  Euxine  Sea. 

10^7.  From  that,&c.]  Lucre- 
tius means  the  Air  of  Maurita- 
nia, or  Ethiopia ,  in  which 
Countreys  the  Natives  are  black. 

10^8.  And  as,  &c.]  In  thefe 
9.  V.  the  Poet  produces  Inftances 
of  certain  Countreys,  that  are 
obnoxious  to  certain  Difeafes,  by 
reafon  of  the  very  Nature  of  the 
Air  :  Thus,  fays  he,  the  Lepro- 
fie  is  frequent  in  Egypt  only  j  the 
Athenians  are  fubjecfl  to  the 
Gout,  dec. 

1070.  The  Lepers,  ^fc]  Ga- 
len feems  to  fubfcribe  to  this 
Opinion  of  Lucretius,  who  be- 
lieves, that  the  Leprofie  is  a 
Difeafe,that  infefts  the  Countrey 
of  Egypt  only  :  for  in  his  fecond 
Book  to  Glauco,  chap.  13.  he 
fays,  That  in  Alexandria,  a  Ci- 
ty of  Egypt,  many  are  afflicted 
with  the  Leproiie,  by  reafon  of 
the  Food  they  eat,  and  of  the 
Heat  of  the  Countrey  ;  But  in 
Germany 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS.  7j7 

Germany  and  Myfia  this  Difeafei  this  Difeafe,  which  was  peculiar 
is  very  feldom  known;  nor  has | to  Egypt,  hap^en'd  to^lieze  any 
it  fcarce  ever  appeared  among  the 
I  Scythians,  who  are  Drinkers  of 
Milk  :  Yet  it  is  very  frequent  at 
Alexandria/or  the  Reafon  above- 
mention'd  ;  for  they  feed  upon 
boil'd  Meal,    and    Lentils,  and 
Perwinkles,  and  eat  many  things 
that  are  dry'd   with  Salt  :  nay, 
bme  of  them  eat  AlTes  Flelh,  and 
"omc  other  things,  that  breed  a 
hick  and  mclancholick  Humour. 
^nd  the  Air  of  the  Countrey  be- 
ng  hot,  the  Motion  of  the  Hu- 
Tiours  is  driven  towards  the  Skin. 
,  Thus  Galen.    But  Celfus,  lib.  3. 
ap.  24.  is  more  in   the  right  as 
:  o  this  Difeafe  :  for,  tho'  he  fays 
ndeed,  that  it   is    almoA;    un- 
:nown  in  Italy,  yet  he  own«  it 
3  be  very  frequent  in  feveral  o- 
lier  Countreys*    In  the  laft  Age, 
lie  Leprolie  was  not  uncommon 
1  Germany  *,  and  A.  Pareus,  re- 


ites,  that  in  Spain,  and  all  over 
Lfrica,  there  are  more  Lepers 
lan  in  the  reft  of  the  World  ; 
nd  more  in  Guienne,  and  the 
outh  Parts  of  France,  than  in  all 
le  other  Parts  of  that  Kingdom, 
f  we  may  believe  Pliny,  lib.  ip. 
jap.  1 5.  it  was  altogether  un- 
I  nown  in  Italy,  till  the  Time  of 
'ompey  the  Great  ;  when  it  was 
rft  brought  thither,  but  foon 
ir'd  and  extinguifh'd.  Yet  Hi- 
:ory  informs  us,  that  it  broke 
ut  again  in  that  Countrey,  in 
le  Days  of  Conftantine  the 
rreatj,  who  was  himfelf  afflicted 
ith  it  ;  till,  having  refus'd  to 
lake  ufe  of  the  impious  Bath  of 
uman  Blood,  that  was  prefcrib'd 
)  him  as  a  Remedy  for  that 
►ifeafe,  he  was,  in  the  Lateran 
i^hurch,  bath'd  in  the  Fount  of 
My  Baptifm,  by  the  Roman 
lontif  Sylvefter,  and  cur'd  at 
|ice  of  either  Leprofie.  Nor  is 
I  unUkely,  but  that  the  Empe- 
i>ur  might  have  been  advis'd 
j»  that  cruel  Immerfion  in  the 
ilood  of  Infants,  by  fome  Egyp- 
an  or  other  5  efpecially  if  what 
'iny  fays  be  true  :    That  when 


of  the  Kings  of  that  Countrey, 
it  was  fatal  to  their  Subjects :  for^ 
to  cure  it,  they    were  wont  to 
bathe  their  Thrones    in  human 
Blood  :     ^gypti  peculiare   hoc 
malum,  &  cum  in  Reges  inci- 
dilTet,  populis  funebre  :    quippa 
in    balneis  folia  temperabantuc 
humano  fanguine  ad  medicinam 
earn.  Plin.   Nat.  Hift.   lib,   ip. 
leap.  16.  Mofes  in  Exod.  chap.  9. 
iv.  10.  calls  it  Ulcus  inflationum 
germinans  in  homine ;  which  Jun* 
&    Tremel.  explain,    erumpens 
multis  puftulis,    fprouting  out 
with    many    Blains,    Sec,    This 
Difeafe  is  one  of  the  Curfes  with 
which  the  Difobcdience  to  God 
is  threaten'd.    Deut.    chap.  j8. 
v.  27,  The  Lord  ihall  fmite  thee 
with  the  Botch  of  Egypt,  &c. 
which  like  wife  confirms  what  Lu- 
cretius here  fays  :  and    perhaps 
gave  occaiion  to  the   Calumny 
which  Trogus  Pompeius,   Dio- 
dorus  Siculus,  Tacitus,  and  other 
Heathens  caft  upon  the  Hebrews, 
that  they  were  expell'd    out  of 
^gypc  ft^r  being  fcabby  and  le- 
prous ;  which  miftake  was  eafy  : 
inftead  of  being  difmifs'd  for  ha- 
ving brought  thofe  Difeafes  upon 
the  Egyptians.    The  Latines  call 
it  Elephantialisjbecaufe  it  makes 
the  Surface  of  the  Body  rough 
with   black  wannifli   Spots,  and 
dry  parch'd  Scales  and  Scurf,  like 
the  Skin  of  an  Elephant.    It  is  a 
contagious  Difeafe,  and  incura- 
ble, if  not  taken  in  time  :  for  it 
fpreads  over  the  whole  Skin,  al- 
moft  like  a  Cancer. 

Egypt]  This  Countrey  was  fb 
caird  from  ^gyptus,  the  Bro- 
ther of  Danaus,  whom  the  fame 
^gyptus  flew,  and  reign'd  there 
fixty  eight  Years,  It  was  call'd 
before,  Melas,  Aeria,  A  era,  Ogy- 
gia,  Hephoeftia,  Melamboles,and 
by  feveral  other  Names.  The 
Hebrews  caird  it  Mifraim  and 
Chus.  It  is  divided  by  Mela 
into  two  Parts ,  Delta  and 
Thebais :  In  the  Time  of  Amaiis 
5  B  i« 


7 
J 


738  LUCRETIUS.  Book  Vt 

AVHEns,  the  Muses  Seat,  and  chief  Delight, 
Oflfends  the  Feet,  Ac  h ^t^  hurts  the  Sight  : 
And  thus  in  ev'ry  Land  a  new  Disease, 
1075  New  Pains  on  all  the  other  Members  (ieze. 
And  diff  rent  Air  is  ftill  the  Caufe  of  thefe. 

Thus  often  when  one  Countrey's  Air  is  blown 
Into  another,  and  forfakes  its  own  : 
It  fpoils  the  wholesome  Air,  where-e'er  it  goes, 
3080  And,  like  itfelf,  makes  all  unfit  for  us. 

Thence  Plagues  arife ;  and  thefe  defcend  and  paf 
Into  our  Fountains,  tender  Corn,  and  Grass, 

O 
JV  0  T  £  5. 


it  had  2000  Cities,  and  in  the 
Time  of  Pliny  3000.  It  is  bound- 
ed on  the  Eaft  with  the  Red  Sea ; 
on  the  Weft  with  Cyrene,  on  the 
Korth  with  the  Mediterranean, 
and  on  the  South  with  Habaflia. 

lo/r.  Nilus]  Of  this  River 
fee  above,  in  the  Note  on  v.  722. 

1072.  Athens]  Of  this  City  we 
liave  fpoken  in  the  Note  on  the 
firft  Verfe  of  this  Book. 

1073.  Offends  the  Feet]  In  like 
manner  as  the  Egyptians,  fays 
Lucretius,  by  reafon  of  the  Air 
of  their  Countrey,  were  fubjed 
to  the  Leprofie,  fo  too  were  the 
Athenians,  for  the  very  fame 
Caufe,  fubjetft  to  the  Gout. 

Achaia  hurts  the  Sight]  A  part 
of  Peloponuefus  was  call'd  by  this 
Name  5  as  was  likewife  the  whole 
Countrey  of  Greece  ;  from  one 
Achaus,  the  Son  of  Jupiter,  or 
^uthus,  who  reign'd  there.  What 
Lucretius  fays  of  the  Countreys 
being  hurtful  to  the  Eyes,  we 
snuft  take  his  Word  for.  I  know 
nothing  to  the  contrary. 

1074.  And  thus,  &c.]  What 
our  Poet  fays  in  thefe  3.  v.  may 
be  confirm'd  by  many  Examples : 
The  Air  of  Florence  is  prejudi- 
cial to  the  Brain,  but  very  bene- 
ficial to  the  Legs :  and  the  Air  of 
Pifa  is  diametrically  oppofite  to 
ghat  of  Florence,  notwithftand" 
Ing  that  thofe  two  Cities  are  not 
ss  moii  aboTe  jfoursy  Miles  di- 


ftant  from  each  other,  fays  Nai 
dius.  Thus  too  the  Air  of  Pa 
ris,  fays  Fayus,  is  very  dangerou 
to  Wounds  in  the  Head,  &c. 

1077.  Thus  often,  &c.]  I 
thefe  4..  V.  he  concludes,  that  a 
peftilential  Diftempers  procee 
from  the  Inclemency  of  the  Air 
which,  being  unhealthful  to  u 
creeps  unheeded  by  us  into  ou 
Limbs  and  Bodies,  in  like  mar 
ner  as  a  Mift,  or  Smoke ;  an 
where-ever  it  enters,  it  difturl: 
and  changes  all  Things,  and  cai 
fes  us  all  to  fall  iick.  Or,  th« 
when  that  infetfted  Air  comes  ir 
to  our  Country,  it  corrupts  th 
whole  Air  of  it ;  from  whenc 
arifes  a  regional  Diftemper,  whic 
fpreadsitfelf  thro' many  Places. 

1 081;  Thence  Plagues,  &c. 
In  thefe  12.  v.  the  Poet,  lei 
thofe  Seeds  of  Peftilence  Ihoul 
be  thought  to  be  grown  wear 
with  the  length  of  their  Journe> 
and  to  remain  pendulous  in  th 
la2y  Air,  affigns  them  fixt  an( 
certain  Stations,  where  they  fa. 
and  fettle  :  For,  fays  he,  fome  c 
them  fall  into  the  Waters,  other 
on  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth,  ani 
the  feveral  forts  of  the  Foods  c 
Animals  :  And  this  is  the  Rea 
fon^  why  a  Plague  fometimes  £ 
qually  fiezes  both  Men  and  Cat 
tie.  Thus  he  acknowledges  th 
Air  to  be  the  fole  Caufe  c 
Plagues* 

■Wh€thg 


Book  VL         LUCRETIUS.  7j^ 

Whether  P  l  A  g  UJ^  s    are  pro- 
mifcuous  and  qbpctmon  to  all 

Sorts  of  A  N  I  xM  A  L  s. 


U  R  Authours  of  beft  Credit  teftify,   that 

Murrains,    which  are    Plagues    in    Chattel, 

precede ,  accompany,    or  follow,  any  pefti- 

lential  Mortality  in  Men.    They    precede, 

when  noxious  andfickly  Vapours  exhale  from 

the  Earth ;  which  Vapours  the  Cattel,  as  they 

feed,  receive  lirft  into  their  Bodies^  and  are 

iez'd  with  a  deadly  Difeafe.     A  Mortality  of  this   Nature 

was.  obferv'd  to  happen  in   the  Kingdom  of  Naples,  in  the 

!fear  1617,  when,  after  exceffive  Rains,  that  had  continu'd 

y  for  many  Days  together,  without  almoft  any  intermilHon, 

ind  had  laid  under  Water  all  the  Plains  of  the  Countrey,  the 

Cattel  eat  the  Grafs,  as  it  fprung  up  out  of  the  Ground, 

while  it  was  yet  flimy,  and  full  of  Mud  :  this  caus'd  a  pu? 

trilaginous  Difeafe  in  their  Jaws  and  Throats,  which  foon 

fuffocated  and  kill'd  them  :  And  Neceillty  compelling  the 

Neapolitans  to  flaughter  fome  of  thefe  infe(5led  Cattel  for 

the  Butchery,  whoever  eat  of  the  Flefh  of  them,  were  feiz'd 

with  the  fame  Difeafe,  which  by  this  Means  fpread  itfelf  in 

a  ftiort  time  over  the  whole  Kingdom,  and  fwept  away  a 

vaft  Number  of  the  Inhabitants.    Pliny  too  mentions  a  like 

Peftilence,  which  fell  on  Beafts  one  Year,  and  on   Men  the 

next ;  quse  priore  anno   in  boves  ingruerat,  eo  verterat  in 

homines,  fays  he,  Nat.  Hift.  lib.  41.  cap.    9.    And  Siliu§ 

italicus,  fpeaking  of  a  Plague,  fays, 

Vim  primam  fenfere  canes ;  mox  nubibus  at|is 
Fluxit  deficiens,  penna  labente,  volucris  j 
Inde  feras  fylvis  fterni — « 

And  Ovid  to  the  fame  purpofe  fings ; 

Strage  canum  primb,  volucrumq;  aviumq;  boiimq; 
Inque  feris  fubiti  deprenfa  pocentia  motbi  eft. 


740  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI ' 

To  which  I  add  the  following    Verfes  of  Dryden,  dcfcribins 
the  Plague  at  Thebes,  in  his  Tragedy  of  OEdipus : 


The  raw  Damps 


With  flaggy  Wings  fly  heavily  about, 
Scattering  their  peftilential  Colds  and  Rheums 
Thro*  all  the  lazy  Air :  Hence  Murrains  follow 
On  bleating  Flocks,  and  on  the  lowing  Herds  : 
At  laft  the  Malady—— 
Grew  more  domeftick ;  and  the  faithful  Dog 
Dy'd  at  his  Matters  Feet  ;  and  next,  his  Mafter : 
For  all  thofe  Plagues,  which  Earth  and  Air  had  brooded 
Firft  on  inferiour  Creatures  try*d  their  Force, 
And  laft  they  fiez'd  on  Man, 

Befides ;  as  the  Murrain  in  brute  Beafts  often  precedes  the 
Plague  in  Man  ;  fo  too,  as  moft  Authours  have  rightly  ob 
ferv*d,  it  no  lefs  frequently  accompanies  it  5  and  the  rationa 
and  irrational  Animals  mutually  impart  the  Infedtion  to  on« 
another:  Thus  Thucydides,  fpeaking  of  the  Plague  0 
Athens,  which  our  Poet  is  going  to  defcribe,  fays ;  That  tb 
Birds  and  Beafts,  that  ufe  to  feed  on  human  Flefh,  tho'  ma 
ny  Bodies  lay  above  Ground  unbury'd,  either  avoided  tc 
come  at  them,  or,  if  they   tafted,  perifh'd :  Xct  ^  opvitt,  k 

Tij^TToS'c/i^,  ocra.  ccvGfflw'TrtoV  avr'Jg^,    -TroMoTy  a,Ta,<^cay     yiyvofxivcov,  >)  4; 

•zDf^o-  -fi,  V)  yivad/iiivA  (Tjs^DflpsTo.  Thucyd.  To  which  he  adds. 
That  by  the  Dogs  this  Effect  was  feen  much  clearer,  becaufe 
they  are  familiar  with  Men :  01  o  Kvvi^,  fays  he,  /uaMov  al^^i 
^cj-ctp^X^^  1?  >OTD|iai)'ov1©^5  24^  TO  ^i^vtTjoaTot'S^.  Boccace,  in  the 
Prooemium  to  his  Decameron,  fpeaking  of  the  violent  Plague 
thatrag'd  in  Italy,  in  the  Year  1348.  fays  exprefsly,  and  of 
his  own  Knowledge,  that  the  Nature  of  the  Peftilence  was 
fuch,  that  it  imparted  its  Contagion  not  only  from  Man  to 
Man  ;  but  that  if  the  Cioaths  of  a  Perfon  infeded  with  that 
Difeafe,  or  dead  of  it,  were  touch'd  by  any  Animal  of  ano- 
ther Species,  it  not  only  infed:ed  that  Animal  with  the  fame 
Diftemper,  but  kiU'd  him  in  a  very  fliort  time.  Then  he 
adds,  wiiat  he  had  been  an  Eye-wirnefs  of  5  That  the  tat- 
ter'd  Cloths  of  a  poor  Man,  who  dy'd  of  that  Peftilence, 
being  thrown  into  the  High- Way,  two  Hogs  came  up  to 
them,  and  after  they  had,  as  their  Cuftom  is,  tumbled  them 
about  with  their  Snouts,  taken  them  in  their  Teeth,  and 
iliaken  them  about  their  Cheeks,  they  in  a  very  little  time, 
^fter  fey eral  times  turtiing  round,  both  dropt  down  ^^^^,6  up- 
on 


Book  VI.         LUCRETIUS,  741 

ion  them,  as  if  they  had  eaten  Poifon.  Dico,  Tays  he,  che 
'di  tantaefficacia  B  la  qualita  della  peftilentia  narrata,  nello 
j  appiccarli  da  uno  all'  akro,  che  non  folamente  1'  huomo  a  V 
huomo,  ma  quefto,  che  e  molto  piii,  aflai  volte  vifibilmente 
fece,  cioe,  che  la  cofa  dell*  huomo  infermo  ftato,  b  mono  di 
ale  infermita,  tocca  da  un*  altro  animale  fuori  della  fpetie 
leir  huomo,  non  folamente  della  infermi  t  il  contaminaiTe, 
na  quello  infra  breviffimo  fpatio  uccidefle,  di  che  gli  occhi 

I  me  poco  davanti  e  detto,  prefero  tra  V  altre  volte 
fatta  efperienza,  che  elTcndo  gli  ftracci  d*  un  po- 
10,  da  tale  infermita  morto,  gittati  nella  via  pub- 
battendofi  ad  eili  due  porci,  e  quegli  fecondo  U 
le  prima  molto  col  grifo,  8c  poi  coi  dend  prefigli, 
alle  guancie,  in  piccola  hora  appreflb,  dopo  alcur 
mento,  come  fe  veleno  haveiTer  prefo,  amenduni 
nal  tirati  ftracci,  morti  caddero  in  terra.  Hippo- 
irthelefs  will  not  allow  contagious  Difeafes  to  be 
lis  and  common  to  all  forts  of  Animals  ;  for  he,  in 
e  de  Flatibus,  having  ask'd  this  Queftion,  Why 
Diftempers  liezc  not  aH  Animals  alike,  but  only 
Species  of  them  ?  immediately  anfwers  ;  That 
differs  from  another  Body,  one  Nature  from  ano- 
re,  and  one  Nutriment  from  another  Nutriment  : 
le  fame  things  alike  beneficial  or  hurtful  to  all  the 
scies  of  Animals ;  but  fome  things  agree  with 
lals,  better  than  they  do  with  others  !  Therefore, 
\ir  is  fill'd  with  fuch  Filth  and  Pollutions,  as  are 
human  Nature,  Men  only  fall  fick :  but  when  it 
md  oflenfive  to  any  one  of  the  other  Species  of 
:hen  the  Difcafe  fiezes  that  Species  only.  Thus 
es  ;  and  indeed  the  Propofition  he  advances  is  true, 
a  Difeafe  fiezes  one  Sort  of  Animals  only,  and 
the  other  fafe  and  unhurt :  But  when  feveral  Sorts 
abour  under  one  common  Difeafe  5  that  Difeafe 
',  proceeded  from  the  like  Caufes ;  and  therefore 
ires  in  fome  Refpedls  may  be  faid  to  be  alike  alfo : 
J  it  is,  that  contagious  Difeafes  in  brute  Animals 
precede,  fometimes  march  hand  in  hand  with  and 
follow,  peftilential  Diftempers  in  the  human  Kind. 
therefore  is  in  the  right  to  fay,  that  Plagues  are 
us  and  common 


irj 


m 


Hominuni  generi,  pecudumque  catervis.' 

Whether 


742^ 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VL 


Whether  the  Air  be  the  fole 
Caufe  of  P  L  A  G  u  E  s. 


U  C  R  E  T I U  S,  as  we  have  already  fecn 
is  of  Opinion,  that  all  infecftious  and  pefti 
lential  Difeafes  and  Plagues  owe  their  Ori 
gine  to  the  Inquinations  and  Corruptions 
the  Air :  But,  before  him,  Hippocrates  him 
felf  had  advanc'd  the  fame  Dodrine  :   fo 
in  his  Book  de  Flatibus,   after  a  long  Nai 
ration  of  the  EffecSls  that  the  Air  produces,  as  well  in   th 
great  World,  as  in  the  lelTer,  the  Body  of  Man,  he  at  lengt 
falls  on  the  Subjed:  of  Difeafes,  all  which  he  affirms  to  fc 
bred  and  generated  in  the  Bodies  of  Animals  by  Means  of  tl: 
Air:    Firft,  fays  he,  I  will  begin  with  the  moft  commc 
fevorous  Difeafe,    which  accompanies  in  fome  Meafure  s 
Difeafes  whatever.     For  there  are  two  forts  of  Fevers :  on 
that  [is  promifcuous  and  common   to  all,    and   is  call 
the  Plague :  the  other,  by  reafon  of  unhealthful  Diet,  is  p 
culiar  only  to  fuch  as  ufe  that  Diet :  but  of  both  thefe  Kin( 
of  Fevers,  the  Air  is  the  fole  Authour  and  Caufe  :  For  tl 
common  Fever,  or  Plague,  therefore  happens  to  all,  becau 
they  all  breathe  the  fame  Air :  and  'tis  certain,  that  the  lil 
Air,  being  alike  mingled  in  like  Bodies,  muft  beget  the  li] 
Fevers.     Thus  the  great  Hippocrates,  whofe  Authority  n 
verthefs  is  not  of  fuch  Validity,  as  to  command  our  Alfe 
to  this  Primacy  of  the  Air  in  all   manner  of  peftilential  E 
feafes:  for,  let  us  grant,  that   a  peftilent   Fever  may  1 
caused  by  the  Air  ;  will  it  follow  from   thence,  that  eve 
peftilent  Fever  is  fo  ?  and  that  they  all  proceed  from  the  / 
only  ?  In  the  firft  place,  the  Logicians  allow,  that  an  incj 
finite  Propofition,  when  the  Confequent  is  not  of  Neceflii 
is  not  of  the  fame  Force  with  an  univerfal :  therefore,  tl 
we  will  admit,  that  a  common  Fever  is  fometimes  caus'd 
the  Air,  there  is  not  any  Neceffity,  from  the  Teftimony 
ledg'd,  but  that  we  may  fubftituce  other  Caufes  of  a  pefj 
lent  Fever,  and  even  of  the  Plague   itfelf.     Galen,  in  jj 
Treatife  de  diff,  Febr.  obferves,  that  peftilential  Fevers  pil 
cccd  fometimes  frorn  a  great  abundance  of  Humours,  wbcj 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  745 

ever  thofe  Humours  have  acquir*d,  from  the  ambient  Air,' 
the  leaft  tendency  to   Corruption.     And   the  fame  Authour, 
fpeaking  of  the  above-cited  Opinion  of  Hippocrates,  fays  : 
He  was  miftaken  in  afcribing  the  Caufe  of  epidemical  Dil- 
^afes  to  the  Air  only  :  For,  when  a  Famine  raged  in  Aenus 
n  Thrace,  all  that  fed  upon  Roots,  loft  the  ufe  of  their  Legs  j 
ind  fuch  as  eat  Vetches,  were  iiez'd  with  violent  Pains  in 
heir  Knees.    I  have  known  too,  continues  he,  that  when> 
1  a  Famine,  People  have  been  forc'd  to  eat  Corn  that  was 
lalf- rotten,  they  have    fallen  into  a  common  Difeafe,  from 
hat  common  Caufe  :  and  fometimes  too,  when  a   whole 
^rmy  had  been  compell'd  to  drink  corrupted  "Water,  all  the 
ioldiers  have  been  alike  afflided  with  a  like  Difeafe.    Thus 
Jalen,  who  liv*d  himfelf  at  Rome,  when,  in   the  Reign  of 
lilarcus  Antoninus,  a  raging  Plague,  that  was  occafion* d  by; 
Famine,  defolated  that  City,  and  fwept  away  Multitudes 
f  the  Roman  Citizens.   This  therefore  may  fuffice  to  invali- 
ate  the  Prerogative,  which  Hippocrates  acknowledges  to  be 
ue  to  the  Air,  of  its  being  the  only  Promoter  of  Plagues :  fince 
is  evident,  that  unwholefome  Food,  and  vitiated  Waters, 
ave  no  fmall  fhare  in  caufing  Epidemical  Difeafes.    Let  us 
Dw  inquire,  what,  how  much,  and  how,  the  Air  contri- 
utes  to  the  communicating,  or  promoting  of  a  Plague. 
Tho*  the  Air  be  not  the  fole  Caufe  of  a  Plague,  yet  it 
innot  be  deny'd,  but  that  it  is  very  inftrumental,  as  well  in 
t\ii|ontinuing  its  Duration,  as  in  bringing  it  into  a  Countrey  : 
ut  an  univerfal  Plague,  generally  fpeaking,  can  owe  its 
>rigine  to  nothing  but  Contagion  :    For  it  muft  of  neceflity 
2  firft  introduc'd,  either  by  Contadt,  or  what  foments  and 
li  Jierifhes  the  Infedion.    Nor  is  it  in  the  leaft  repugnant  to 
irlilds,  that  a  particular  Plague  is  caus'd  by  the  ambient  Air  5 
Dtiilpovided  it  be  granted,  that  fuch  an  infedious  Air  comes 
cm  a  near,  not  from  a  far  diftant,  Countrey  :  the  want  of 
[flecfting  on  which  Diftindtion  has,  perhaps,  been  the  Caufe 
•  the  Miftake,  and  Variance  of  Opinions :  For  that  tainted 
ir,  being  agitated   by  the   Winds,  blended  with  the  im- 
^5Ctfcnfe  Mafs  of  pure  Air,  and  coming  from  a  great  Diftance, 
MM^  "0^  retain  its  antient  Pravity ;  but  the  Inquinations,  it 
JMid  contraded,  muft  be  intirely  broken,  difpersM,  and  dif- 
i^QijMv'd;  which  neverchelefs  it  can  not  wholely  lofe  in  a  fhorc 
ne,  and  coming  from  a  moderate  Diftance.     This  is  de- 
onftrated  by  the  Example  of  ftrong  Odours,  which  ftrike 
e  Senfe,  if  they  come  from  a  near  Place,  but   not  when 
7  come  from  one  that  is  far  diftant :  for  thofe  Vapours, 

being 


3ta 


744  LU  C  R  E  T  1  US.  Book  V] 

being  agitated  for  any  length  of  Time,  will  be  loft  and  de 
ftroy'd ;  and  their  moft  tenuious  Subftance  will,  accordini 
to  the  Cuftom  and  Nature  of  Mixtures,  convert  and  refolv 
into  its  proper  Element.  And  therefore  the  Air  fucceeds,  bu 
not  precedes,  a  Contagion  ;  and  may  propagate  a  Plagu 
peculiarly,  and  by  degrees  ;  but  not  bring  it  univerfally,  an< 
all  at  once,  into  a  healthful  and  uninfecfled  Countrey :  In 
(Word,  the  Sum  of  all  is,  that  the  Air  does  not  begin,  bv 
propagates  the  Contagion,  that  is  already  begun  ;  efpeciall 
when  it  is  tainted  with  the  Pollutions,  that  proceed  from  th 
Corruption  of  infedted  Bodies. 


Or  other  Food,  or  hang  within  the  Air, 
Held  up  by  fatal  Wings,  and  threaten  there  : 
1085  So,  while  we  think  we  live,  and  draw  our  Breath, 
Thofe  Parts  muft  enter  in,  and  foil' wing  Death. 
Thus  Plagues  do  often  fieze  the  laboring  Ox, 
And  raging  Rots  deftroy  our  tender  Flocks  : 
And  thus  the  Thing's  the  fame,  if  Winds  do  bear 
1090  From  other  Countreys  an  unufual  Air, 
And  fie  to  raife  a  Plague,  and  Fever  here  : 
Or  if  we  travel  all,  and  fuck  it  there. 

A  Plague,  thus  rais*d,  laid  learned  At  a  eh  s  wafte 
Thro'  ev'ry  Street,  thro'  all  the  Town  it  pafs'd, 

Blaftin 
NOTES. 

1089.  And  thus,  &C.3    In  this! from  this  Verfe  to  the  End  0 
and  the  three  following  Verfes,  the  Book,  the   Poet  gives  us 
the  Poet  fays,  that  we  incur  a  I  Defcription  of  that  memorabl 
like  Danger,  when  we  travel  in-  Plague,  which  broke  out  in  At 


to  a  Countrey,  whofe  Air  is  un- 


healthy, or  difagrees   with   our   loponnelian  War  ;  and  laid  waft 
Conftitution,    as  we  do,    when  j  that  whole  Countrey,  as  well  i 


Kature  introduces  into  our  Bo- 
dies a  tainted  and  corrupted  Air, 


tica,  in  the  firft  Year  of  the  Pe 


the  City  of  Athens,  the  Metro 
polls  of   it.    Thucydides,    wh 


or  any  other  new  Thing,  to  which  |  was  himfelf  both  a  Spectator  an( 
we  have  not  been  accuftom'd,  and  I  Sharer  of  it,  has  defcrib'd  it  ni 
that  is  hurtful  to  us.  |  lefs  accurately  than  elegantly,  h 

1093.  A  Plague,  &:c.]  Hither- 1  the  fecond  Book  of  his  Hiftory 
to  he  has  been  treating  of  the  I  Hippocrates  too,  who  was  like 
Corruption  of  the  Air,  or  the  |  wife  an  £ye-witnefs  of  it,  no 
Caufe  of  a  Plague :  which  is  a  |  only,  as  a  private  Man,  len 
Difeafe  that  gains  ground  in  fuch  jhis  Afliftance,  and,  for  the  pub 
a  manner,  that,  arifing  for  the  flick  Good,  extinguifh'd  and  pu 
moft  part  fromfmall  Beginnings,  jto  flight  that  raging  Peftilence 
it  increafcs  by  Degrees,  and  |  for  which  Reafoji  he  obtain'd  di 
fpreads  itfelffar  and  wide.  Now  [vine  Honours  of  the  Athenians 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


74^ 


ios^5  Blading  both  Man  and  Beast  with  poif  nous  Wind  - 
Death  fled  before,  and  Ruin  ftalk'd  behind. 
From  Ear PTs  burning  Sands  the  Feaver  came> 
More  hoc  than  ihofe  that  rais'd  the  deadly  Flame  : 
The  Wind,  that  bore  the  Fate,  went  flowly  on, 

I  loo  And,  as  it  went,  was  heard  to  figh,  and  groan. 

At 
NOTES. 


but  has  alfo  left  a  lively  Relation 
©fit  in  his  third  Book  de  Morb. 
Popul.  Our  Lucretius  embrae'd 
thtfame  Argument,  and,  in  the 
following  Defcription  of  that 
plague,  has  copy'd  after  thofe 
two  Authours,  but  more  parti- 
cularly after  Thucydides,  whom 
he  has  imitated  fo  happily,  that 
Macrobius  Saturnal.  lib.  6.  cap.  2, 
fays,thatVirgilhas  borrow'd  from 
him  in  his  fecond  Georgick,  as 
Ovid  molt  vifibly  has  in  his  7th 
Metamorph.  Now  inthefei2.  v. 
Lucretius  teaches,  that  the  Plague 
of  Athens,  which  he  is  now  be- 
ginning to  delcribe,  proceeded 
from  the  fame  Caufes,  he  has 
mentioned  already  :  but  Plagues 
generally  come  from  foreign 
Countries,  and  therefore  he  fays 
this  came  from  Egypt  to  Athens  ; 
yet  according  to  Thucydides,  it 
came  from  a  remoter  Diftance  j 
for  he  brings  it  from  Ethiopia, 
which  is  beyond  Egypt. 

Laid  learned  Athens  wafte] 
Lucretius  fays, 

Fjnibu*  Cecropiis  funeilos  reddi- 
dit agros. 

JFor  Athens  was  iirft  call'd  Ce- 
:ropia,  from  Cecrops,  who  built 
it,  and  was  the  firft  King,  and 
iLegiflatour  of  the  People  of  At- 
{rica,  whom,  fays  Suidas,  he  af- 
jfenabled  together,  and  divided 
them  into  twelve  Tribes  ;  but 
before  his  Days  they  liv'd  fcat- 
:er'd  up  and  down  in  Villages. 

1095.  Poif'nous  Wind  :]  This 
Lucretius  calls  morbifer  «ftus  : 
>ut  what  he  means  by  it  is  un- 
certain ;  tho'  he  f«ems  to  intend 


that  deadly  Heat  and  Strength 
of  the  Difeaic,  which,  like  a  rag- 
ing Fire,  conium'd  anddeftroy'd 
all  it  fiez'd  on.  Therefore  by  the 
NVord  ^ftus  may  be  underftood, 
either  the  Heat  of  the  Plague  ; 
fince  a  Plague  is  either  a  fever, 
or  never  without  a  Fever  :  or 
elfe  we  may  underftand  the  great 
Abundance  of  theinfe<ftious'Air  ; 
finco  the  Poet  has  above  imputed 
the  Caufe  of  the  Plague  to  the 
very  Corruption  of  tlie  Air  ;  and 
this  feems  to  have  been  the  Opi- 
nion of  our  Tranilatour  :  or 
laftly,  and  rather  than  any  of  the 
other  two  Explications,  we  may 
interpret  it  to  mean  the  vehement 
Heat  of  the  Air  ;  lince  iEthiopia 
and  Egypt ,  from  whence  the 
Plague  came  to  Athens ,  are 
Countreys  exceflively  hot. 

1097.  From  Egypt's,  6cc.  3 
Thus  too  Thucydides  *,  "Hp^ctro 
0  TO  ^  'ZTptoTOv,  &,V  >^h-t)y  ^ 
*Ai9iO'3*/cts'  4  <x^  'kiyMa,  sTreiU 

i(iw,  j{^  l^  tIw  BoLaiXia^  ylw  ^ 
'moT^viv  •  £$•  0  tIw  'A^mx'icov  iuomv 
^^cLTTivoucof  c/ysTTgcrg  •  It  began, 
by  report,  firft  in  that  part  of 
Ethiopia,  that  borders  upon 
Egypt,  and  then  fell  down  into 
Egypt  and  Libya  ;  and  into  the 
greateft  'part  of  the  Territories 
of  the  King  :  It  invaded  Athens 
on  a  fuddain. 

1099.  The  Wind,  &c.]  Lucre- 
tius has  given  no  Occaiion  for 
this  and  the  following  Verfe  ; 
which  are  borrow'd  from  the  Bi- 
Hiop  of  Rochefter's  Plague  of 
Athens,  where  in  Stanza  4.  we 
read, 

5  C  The 


746  LU  C  R  E  r  lU  s:  Book  VL 

At  laft,  the  raging  Plague  did  Am^tis  fieze. 
The  Plague;  and  Death  attending  the  Difeare. 
Then  Men  did  die  by  H^aps,  by  Heaps  did  fall. 
And  the  whole  QiXT  made  one  Funeral. 

Fifft,^ 
N  O  t  E  S. 


The  loaded  Wind  went   (lowly 


on. 


And,  as  it  pafs'd,  was  heard  to 
jSgh  and  groan. 

lioi.  At  laft,  &c.]  Hitherto 
the  Poet  has  been  treating  of  the 
Caufes  of  Plagues  in  general ; 
and  particularly  of  that  of  A- 
thens,  which  he  is  about  to  de- 
fcribe  :  How  the  Learned  in 
Phyfick  tell  us,  that  an  infectious 
Bifeafe  may  be  caught  three  fe- 
■v^ral  Ways  :  the  iirft  they. call, 
per  diftantiani,  by  which  they 
mean,  when  the  tainted  or  cor- 
rupted Air  is  breath'd  and  fwal- 
iow'd  by  fuch  as  are  at  fonie  di- 
ftance  fronathe  Perfonsinfeded  : 
thefecond,  per  contadum,  that 
is,  when  we  are  near,  and  touch 
thofe  that  are  viiited  with  the 
Plague.    Hence,  as  Ovid  fays, 

«—— ~Inque  ipfos  freva  medentes 
Brumpit  clades  j  obfuntque  au- 
<5toribus  artes. 

To  which  he  adds  foon  after ; 

Qub  propior  quifque  eft,  fervit- 

que  fidelius  aegrum, 
In  partem  lethi  citiiis  venit.^ — • — 

The  tl^ird  they  call,  per  fomi- 
tem,  by  which  they .  would  have 
tis  underftand,  when  the  vitia- 
ted, infetftious  Airis.a  long  time 
|>rererv'd  in  Cloaths,  Wool,  &c. 
1 103.  Then,  &c.  ]  To  the 
fame  Purpofe  Dryden,  defcribing 
the  pefolation  and  Havock  of  a 
Plaguej  fays  finely  : 

And  then  a  thoufand  Deaths  at 

once  advanc'd, 
An;d  ev'ry  Dart  took  PJace :  all 


That  fcarce  a  firil  Man  fell  :  one 

but  began 
To  wonder,    and  ftrait   fell    a 

Wonder  too  : 
A  third,  who  fboop'd  to   raift 

his  dying  Friend, 
Drop'd  in  the  pious  Ad*  Heard 

you  that  Groan  ? 
A  Troop  of  Ghofts  took  Flight 

together  there  : 
Now  Death's  grown  riotous,  and 

will  play  no  more 
For  (ingle  Stakes,  but  Families 

and  Tribes  ; 
With  dead  and  dying  Men  out 

Streets  lie  cover'd  ; 
And  Earth   expofes    Bodies.  M 

the  Pavements,  .:, ', 

More  than  flie  hides  in  Graves.jU* 
Between  the    Bride  and    Bridef- 

groom  have  I  feen 
The  nuptial  Torch  do  comm0a 

Offices 
Of  Marriage  ,    and    of  Death* 

Caft  round  your  Eyes, 
W'here  late   the  Streets   were  fo 

thick  fown  with  Men, 
Like  C2dmus  Brood,    they  jus* 

tied  for  their  Paflage, 
Now    look    for    thofe   ere(fled 

Heads,  and  fee  them. 
Like  Pebbles,  paving  all  our  pull- 
lick  Ways. 

Tragedy  of  OEdipws» 

Die  by  Heaps,]  For  it  is  the 
Nature  and  Property  of  a  Plaguflj 
grown  adult,  and  4n  the  Height 
of  its  raging,  that  many  Perfons 
iliould  be  vifited  by  it  at  once^ 
and  many  die  of  it  :  But  it  has 
been  difputed  by  Phyficians,  whe^ 
ther  it  can  be  cali'd  a  Plague  at 
its  firft  breaking  out,  and  while 
only  one  or  two  are  lick  f  it  J 
which  fome  pofitively  affirm,  but 

©ihers  as  ftrgnwoufly  deny.    ^^ 

can 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


747 


1 105      Firft,  fierce  unufuftJ  Heats  did  fieze  the  Head  ; 
The  glowing  Eyes,  with  blood-flior  Beams,  look'd  red 
Like  BLAZING  Stars,  approaching  Fate  forefliew'd  j 
The  Mouth  and  Jaws  wer« fiU'd  with  clotted  Blood  - 

The 

N  O  T  B  S. 


an  not  indeed  be  controverted, 
but  that  there  are  Definitions  of 
Things  grown  to  Perfedion  : 
Thus  Mankind,  while  yet  in 
their  InjfancyjCan  fcarcely  be  faid 
to  be  indued  with  Reafon.  In 
like  manner  a  Plague,  juft  break- 
ing out,  is  not  indeed  common, 
but  will  be  fo,  unlefs  it  be  timely 
prevented  :  However,  it  is  truly 
a  Plague,  tho*  but  ten  Perfons 
arefickofit,  nay,  ifbirtone. 

1 105.  Firft,  dec."]  Here  the 
Poet,  in  18.  V.  enumerates  the 
ieveral  and  chief  Symptoms  and 
Tokens,  that  were  dbferv'd  in 
thofe  that  were  vifited  v/ith  this 
Plague  of  Athens.  I.  An  extream 
Heat  in  their  Head.  II.  An  In- 
flammation of  the  Eyes.  IIL  Ul- 
cers in  the  Throat,  and  an  Ema- 
nation of   Blood    from    thence. 

IV.  A  roughnefs  of  the  Tongue, 
and  fuch  a  heavinefs,  that  they 
cou'd  fcarce  move  it ;  together 
with  Ulcers  ;  and  putrid  Blood 
flowing  from     thence    like  wife. 

V.  A   noifome  llinking  Breath. 

VI.  Fainting  Fits,  or  Swoonings. 
VJI.  Dejedion  of  the  Mind. 
VIIL  Groans  and  Complainings. 
1 X.  FrequentjConvuliiveyexings, 
or  Hickets. 

Fierce  Heats,  &c.]  Thus  too 
Thucydides :    U^u^rov  pSp  r?  xs- 

^0tA^>  Srjp^wctl  l%VfM,  ,  Kai  Tcov 
o(p9:tA^cvV  spf^ /,«<»'] a.,  >t^  (pAo70i(7{r 
Uiui^vz.  They  were  firft  taken 
with  an  extream  Heat  in  their 
Heads,  and  with  a  Rednefs  and 
Inflammation  of  the  Eyes.  Thus 
fays  that  Hiflrorian,  upon  whom 
the  Biflpp  of  Rochefter  has  para- 
iphras'4  ^s  foUQ'":'S3 


Vf»on  the  Head,  firft,  the  Di- 

As  ii  bold  Conquerour,  does 

fieze, 
Begins  with  Man*s  Metropo- 
lis; 
Seeur'd  the  Capitol,  arid  then,  ic 

knew. 
It  cou'd  at  Pleafure  weaker  Parts 
fubdue ; 
Blood  ftarted  thro' each  Eye  : 
,    The  Rednefs  of  that  Sky 
Foretold  a  Tempeft  nigh, 

1107.  Like  blazing  Stars,  &c.] 
This  Verfe  our  Tranftatour  has 
added  to  his  Authour. 

1 1 08;  The  Mouth,  «Stc.  ] 
In  like  manner  Thucydides, 
Kctc  TO,  cvTo^y  v\rz  <p&.fvy^^  k^  h 
■y^coasa,  c^9t)s"  cu/uolIcoS'h  s^v«  i.  e. 
And  inwardly  their  Throats  and 
Tongues  grew  prefently  Bloody. 
This  third  is  indeed  a  dreadful 
Symptom  ,  and  an  infallible 
Mark,  that  the  OEconomy  of 
the  whole  Body  was  vitiated, 
Mattheus  Villanus  relates,  thar 
in  the  Plague,  which  rag'd  in 
Italy, in  the  Year  1348.  they  wer^ 
affl idled  almofl;  in  the  fame  man- 
ner ;  and  that  when  they  were 
fiez'd  with  the  Difeafe,  they  ei^ 
ther  dy'd  fuddenly,  or  the  next 
Day,  or  liv'd  but  to  the  third  at; 
fartheft.  This  too  is  confirm'd 
by  GuidoCauliacus,lib.2.  cap.5» 
the  Pope's  Chirurgeon,  and  an 
Eye-witnefs  of  it  •,  who  heiides 
voluntarily  depofes  ,  that  the 
Mortality  was  lb  great  in  all  tha 
Places  infected ,  that  fcarce  a 
fourth  part  of  the  Inhabitant? 
were  left  alivs. 


748  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

The  Throat  with  Ulcers:  the  Tongue  could  fpeak 
no  more, 
I  u  o  But,  overflowed,  and  drown'd  in  putrid  Gore, 

Grew  ufelefs,  rough,  and  fcarce  could  make  a  Moan, 
Nay,  fcarce  enjoy'd  the  wretched  Pow'r  to  groan. 
Next  thro*  the  Jaws,  the  Plague  did  reach  the 
Breast, 

And 
NOTES. 

fays  Galen,  in  the  Place  above- 
cited,  hadimbib'd  a  great  abun- 
dance of  Humour  •,  yet  that  Hu- 
mour being  exceeding  hot,  hin- 
der'd  not  the  Tongue  from  being 
rough  and  fcurfy  ;  as  it  conftant- 
ly  was,  by  reafon  of  the  too  much 
Heat,  that  exhaled  from  the  Pxx- 
cordia. 

Scarce  could  make  a  Moan,] 
This  Thought  our  Tranflatour 
has  added  to  Lucretius,  and  taken 
it  from  the  B.  of  R.  who,  in  hi$ 
Plague  of  Athens,  Stanza  11. 
fays, 


Were  fH-l'd  with  clotted  Blood] 
Lucretius  fays, 

Sudabant  etiam  fauces  intrinfe- 

cus  atro 
Sanguine.  y 

i.  e.  And,  inwardly,  their  Jaws 
and  Throats  fweated  out  black 
Blood  :  where  the  Word,  Suda- 
bant, they  fweated,  is  not  fpoken 
figuratively,  but  properly  :  for 
the  Blood  was  forc*d  out  per  dia- 
pedefim,  i.  e.  by  Tranfcolation, 
or  Exudation  :  for  fo  they  gene- 
rally interpret  that  Wprd,  Now 
this  fweating,  or  oozing  out,  of 
Blood,  V7as  occalion'd  by  the 
weaknefs  and  decay  of  the  reten- 
tive Power,  that  refides  in  the 
fmall  Veins  :  befides,  the  whole 
Mafs  of  Blood  being  enormoufly 
vitiated,  it  ilimulated  and  urg'd 
Kature  to  that  Excretion. 

1109.  The  Tongue  cou'd  fpeak 
no  nioif.,'J  This  fourth  Symptom 
of  the  Athenian  Plague,  of  which 
Thucydides  is  filent,  Lucretius 
has  taken  from  Hippocrates,  de 
Morb.  popul.  lib.  5.  capp.  3.  10. 
II.  where  that  Authour  repre- 
fents  it  to  be  no  lefs  fatal  than 
the  former,  and  fays,  it  proceed- 
ed from  the  fame  Caufe. 

nil.  Grew  ufelefs]  Lucretius 
fays,  motu  gravis,  heavy  in  Mo- 
tion '.  Galen,  in  Com,  i.  takes 
Notice  of  this  Symptom,  and 
fays,  it  was  caus'd  by  the  Imbe- 
cjllity  of  the  animal  Faculty, 
and  the  exorbitant  Plenty  of  the 
Humours,  that  the  Tongue  had 
jmbib'd. 

Rough]    Tho'  the    Tongue, 


The  Tongue  did  flow  all  o'er 
With  clotted  Filth  and  Gore  ; 
As, does  a   Lion's,     when  fome 
innocent  Prey 
He  has  devour'd,  and  brought 

away. 
Hoarfnefsand  Sores  the  Throat 
did  fill. 
And  ftopt  the  Paflages  of  Speech 
and  Life  : 
No  Room  was  left  for  Groans 

or  Grief: 
Too  cruel  and  imperious  111, 
Which,  not  content  to  kill, 
With    tyrannous    and  deadly 
Pain, 
Doft  take  from    Men  the  very 
Power  to  complain  ! 

I II 3.  Next,  &c.]  What  Lu- 
cretins  reprefents  in  thefe  7.  v. 
Thucydides    relates  as  follows  ; 

Kod  'iv  ii  -sD-oMw  p/ ^'i'(i)  aalt^suv^Y  i 

IcyypS ,  xal  ottots  ?f   rUi  KapSJAV 
SM\eSi,ouL'i.  V,  at'^rps^g    T    cwtIlv,  ^ 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


749 


And  there,  the  Heart,  the  Seat  of  Life,  poflefs'd : 
III  15  Then  Life  began  to  fail :  ftrange  Stinks  did  come'  7 
From  evVy  putrid  Breast,  as  from  a  Tomb  :  > 

A  fad  Prefage,  that  Death  prepar'd  the  Room.      3 

The 
NOTES. 


i7r>i«crfltv  K)  aCrca  /jC^-  TcuhouTVoo^ct^ 

■i^ydxn^'  that  is  ro  fay  j     Not 

one  after,   the    Pain,    together 

vith    a    mighty    Cough,    came 

lown  into  the  Breaft  :  and,  when 

t  was  once   fettled  in  the  Sto- 

Tiachj  it  caus'd  Vomit  j  and  all 

nanner  of  bilious  Purgation,  that 

^hyficians  ever  nam'd,  came  up 

vith  great  Torment.     Lucretius 

akes  no   Notice,  neither  of  the 

ehement  Coughing,  which  no 

oubt  prpceeded    from  a  Con- 

,  ulfion  of  the  trachea,  or  Wind- 

ipe;     nor  of  the  other  Symp- 

1  oms  of  Sneezing  and  Hoarinefs, 

'hich  are  likewife  mention'd   by 

rhucydides,   "ETreixcc,  fays   he, 

TTiy'iyViTO. 

1 1 14.  The  Heart,]  He  means, 
be  Stomach  :  For  here  our 
>an(latour  has  litterally  fol- 
)w'd  his  Authour,  who  makes 
fe  in  this  Bklace  of  the  Word 
'or,  which  fometimes  lignifies 
le  Stomach  ;  as  the  kch^SU  of 
le  Greeks,  which  fignifies  like- 
ife  both  co.r  and  ftomachus. 
"hus  the  Scholiaft,  on  the  fore- 
loing  PafTage  of  Thucydides  , 
lys :  *0i   <m(iLhCMoi  Ic^i^oi    r  s"o- 

ov  r  <!jr(3vov  TV  ^jucLyii  '  1.  e. 
'he  antient  Phyficians  call'd  the 
omach  the  Heart,  and  a  Pain 
the  Stomach  a  Pain  in  the 
eart. 

1 1 1 5.  Strange  Stinks,  Sec.  3 
^hen  the  Difeafe  was  got  down 
to  the  Stomach,  there  follow 'd  a 
inkingnefs  of  Brcath,fays  Lucre- 
us,  like  the  Stench  that  exhales 
om  dead  Bodies :  Thus  too  the 

of  R. 


Then  down  it  went  into   the 

Breaft  ; 
There  all  the  Seats  and  Shops  of 

Life  polTefs'd  : 
Such     noifome   Smells    from 

thence  did  come, 
As  if  the  Body  were  a  Tomb. 

Now  thefe  offenfive  Smells  muft 
have  proceeded,  either  from  the 
Putrefaaion  of  the  Humours,  or 
of  the  Lungs  ;  or  rather  of  both  t 
which  feems  more  confonant  to 
Reafon,  as  well  as  to  the  Opi- 
nion of  Hippocrates,  who,  Epi- 
dem.    3.     5.    3.      relating     the 
Symptoms  of  this  Plague,  makes 
mention    of     many     putrify'd 
Parts  ;  Nor  can  it  be  doubted, 
but  that  the  infeded  Athenians 
were  then  troubled  with  a  Peri- 
pneumony,by  reafon  of  the  great 
Defluxion  of  vitiated  Blood, that 
fell   upon    the    Lungs.    Now  a 
ftinking  Breath  is  held  to  be  an 
ill  Symptom  in  all  Difeafes,  bu? 
worft  in   Epidemical  :    For,   if 
what  Gakn,    3.   de   Pr;:efag.  ex 
Pulfib.  cap.  4.  obferves,  be  true, 
that  whatever  is    vitiated,  does 
not  putrify,    but  that   noifome 
Smells  ard  a  certain  Mark  of  Pu- 
ti:efacn:iQn  ;  a  Rottennefs  of  Hu- 
mours, or  of  Parts,  muft  have 
been  added,   by  way    of  Qver- 
meafure,  to  this  fatal    Corrup- 
tion.    It  has  been  obferv'd,  that 
many,  who,   when  they  were  in 
Health,    had  llinking    Breaths, 
have  dy'd  a  fuddain  Death  :  the 
Reafon  of  which   was,    becaufe 
the    whole    Subftance    of  rheii; 
Lungs  was  by  degrees  putrify'd  : 
but,  what  a  long    Catarrji   can 
perform  in  the  Courfe  of  a  Man's 
Life,  a    Plagije  m^y  accompliih 
all  at  once,  by  reafon  of  its  grea- 

tC2 


7f(3 


LUCRETIUS.  Book  Vl 

The  Body  weak,  the  Mind  did  fadly  wait^ 
And  fear'd,  but  could  not  flie,    approaching  Fate  : 


iV  O  T  £  5. 


To 


ter  Efficacy  ?  and  therefore  a 
illnking  Breath  is  certainly  a 
dangerous  Symptom,  in  peftilen- 
dai  Difeafes. 

in§.  The  Mind,  &c.]  What 


Lucretius  here  Tays  of  the  genera 
Dread,  that  had  liez'd  the  Athe 
nians,  affords  us  an  Opportunity 
to  make  the  foilowing  Inqui- 
ry. 


Whether  Fear  promotes  and 
propagates  a  Plague. 

ONSTERNATIONandDejeaionol 

Mind   are  never   beneficial,   not    even   h 
Health ;  but  they  are  prejudicial  in  all  Di 
feafcs,  and  worft  of  all  in  a  Plague  :  Henc 
Lucretius  more  than  once  makes  mentio; 
of  it;  and  gives  us  a   Handle  to  inquire 
I.  Why  is  it  Co  ?  And,  Ildly,  Whether  whi 
fome  have  aflerted  be  true  5  viz.  That  the  Plague  is  caugh  j 
by  bare  Imagination  only  ?  To  begin  with  the  Laft :  They 
who  hold  the  Affirmative,  are  not  content  it  fhould  be  grant 
(cd  them,  that,  by  the  ftrong  Apprehenfion  of  the  Patient,  ai 
infectious  Difeafe  may  be  brought  upon  him  :  But  they  infii  j 
iikewife,  that  it  may  be  imparted  to  him  by  *VVitches,  0 
pther  ill-minded  Perfons :  thefe  Opinions  fpring  from  thi 
Belief;  that  our  Fanfy  can  affedt,  and  work  upon,  not  oft] 
!y  our  own  Body,    but  thofe  Iikewife  of  others.    Th^' 
Thirgs  might  pafs  for  idle  Tales,  were  it  not,  that,  unde 
the  Mask  atid  Difguife  of  Imagination,  were  conceaPd  tM 
Arts  of  the  fworn  Enemy  of  Mankind,  by  whofe  Perfuafloi 
and  AiTiftance,  Plagues  and  Sorceries  are  fometimes  propyl 
gated  in  the  World :  I  doubt  not  of  the  ill,  malicious  habi< 
of  Mind,  which   his   Votaries   may  have  contracted ;  buj 
that  alone,  without  his  more  powerful  Aid,  to  whom,  foj 
the  horrid  Sins  of  Mankind,  is  permitted  a  Power  tod(' 
Hurt,  is  unable  to  affed:  others,  j 

The  other  Opinion,  which   imputes  the  Infedlion  of  j| 
Plague  to  the  fcrong  Apprehenfion  of  the  Patient,  feems,  a 
firft  fight,  to  carry  with  it  a  greater  SembJarce  of  Truth 
I^Grno  Man  eve;;  controyencd  the  Su-engih  of  Imagination rr-' 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  7f  i 

in  regard  to  its  Operations  on  a  Man's  own  Body:  thus  we 
(hudder,  and  our  very  Blood  cruddles  within  us,  on  the  bare 
Remembrance  of  any  horrible  Adlion :   we  rejoice,  even 
when  the  Objed  of  our  Joy  is  abfent :  we  grow  angry,  tho' 
no  Man  provokes  us  :  lee  us  butfanfy  our  felves  applauded, 
we  exult  for  Joy  :  and  Nardius  relates,  that  he  knew  a  fanfi- 
*ui  filly  Woman,  who  foon  experimented  in  her  own  Body, 
he  Difeafes,  under  which,  fhehad  heard,  her  Acquaintance 
)r  Relations  were  labouring.    Siach  Things  have  certain- 
y  a  relifli  of  Hypocrify  or  Madnefs :  For  what  the  Stick- 
ers for  the  Strength  of  Fanfy  fooIijQxly  alledge,  of  I  knowr 
IOC  what  intentional  Form,  as  they  term  it,  that  is  able  to 
ntroduce  itfelf  into  any  Matter,  that  is  prepared  and  made 
eady  to  receive  it,  are  meer  Trifles,  and   fidlitious  pay- 
ireams  of  fuperftitious  Men  :  For  no  Man,  in  his  Senfes, 
ver  threatens,  or  heartily  wifhes,  ill  to  himfeif :  nor  does  he 
viifully  and  induftrioufly  endeavour  to  increafe  a  peftilen- 
lal  Difeafe  ;  but  he  hates,  abhors,  and  fears  it ;  which 
ift  is,  perhaps,  the  trueft  Cauie  of  the  Propagation  and 
Continuance  of  a  Plague. 
Fear  and  Sorrow  are  powerful  Agents,  and  produce  won-'" 
erful  EfTeds  in  the  Minds  of  Men :  For,  as  Galen  obferves, 
violent  Fear  kills  immediately  ;  and  one  that  is  lei's  Ve- 
ement,  but  of  long  Duration^  is  no  lefs  fatal.    Fear  dejedls 
he  Mind,  and  diminiflies  the   Strength  :  even  at  the  firft 
ffault  it  overwhelms  the  Spirit,  and  contradls  the  Blood, 
auling  a  Refrigeration  and  Chilnefs  of  the  exteriour  Parts 
f  the  Body :  For  thefe  Reafons,  in  fuch  as  are  fiez'd  with 
'ear,  the  Pulfe,  as  well  of  the  Arteries  as  of  the  Heart,  is 
ery  fmall,  and  extreamly  weak.  Vide  Galenum,  12.  Meth. 
ap.  5.  5.  deloc.  Off.  cap.  i.  4.  de  Ca.  PuK  cap.  5.  2.  dc 
ymp.  Caf.  cap.  2.  de  Tre.  Rig.  cap.  2.  2.  de  Sympi  ca. 
ap.  5.     And  the  faiiie  Authour,  in  his  Treatife  de  Pul.  ad 
fyr.  and  in  his  fourth  de  Caf.  Pul.  cap.  4.  accurately  di- 
:inguiflies  the  Difference  of  Pulfes,  according  to  the  Na- 
are  and  Quality  of  Fear  :  In   a  fuddain  and  violent  Fear, 
e  believes  the  Pulfe  to  be  quick,  quivering,  diforder'J,  and 
nequal :  in  a  Fear  of  long  Continuance,  he  holds  the  Pulfe 
3  be  little,  languid,  flow,  and  rare  :  This  laft  fort  of  Pulfe 
e  afcribes  like  wife  to  the  EfFecStof  Sorrow,  between  which, 
l^ys  he,  and  a  Fear  of  long  Duration  there  is  no  Difference  : 
Ipr  in  both  of  them  the  Strength   is  impair'd  ;   and  that 
liling,  the  Pulfes  can  nor  be  unlike :  becaufe,  according 
)  the  fame  Authour^  iii  thofe   whofe  Strength  is  infirm^ 

andy 


7J2  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI 

and^  by  reafon  of  their  Ignorance,  the  Affedions  and  Paf 
lions  of  the  Mindj  forceful  and  ftrong,  the  EfTence  of  thli 
Soul  may  eafily  be  dilfoly'd.     Now  that  by  the  Word  Souli 
he  means  the  Life  itfelf,  is  manifeft  from  what  he  fays,   12 
Meth.  cap.  3.  that  the  Eflence  of  the  Life  of  Man  is  cor- 
rupted by  the  Affections  of  the  Mind  ;  and  that  all  grea: 
Fears,  tho*  they  do  not  kill  outright,  yet  they  certainly  ren 
der  the  Spirit  infirm,  and  eafy  to  be  dilfoiv'd :  but  Sorrow 
and  Anxiety  are  hurtful,  becaufe  they  impair  the  Strength 
And  to  thefe  Opinions  of  Galen,  Lucretius  himfelf  fub 
ieribes  in  thefe  Verfes  : 

Veri^m  ubi  vehementi  magis  eft  commota  metu  mens, 
Confentire  animam  rotam  per  membra  videmus  : 
Sudoremque  ita,  palloremque  exiftere  toto 
Corpore,  &  infringi  linguam,  vocemque  oboriri, 
Caligare  oculos,  fonere  aureis,  fucddere  artus  : 
Denique  concidere  ex  animi  terrore  videmus 
Saepe  homines. lib.  3.  v.  153 

The  Interpretation  of  which  the  Reader  may  find  above 
Book  III.  V.  150. 

Thefe  then  are  the  Etfedls,  that  Fear  and  Imaginatior 
produce  in  the  Body,  they  fieze  on  :  and  if  an  infedlious, 
peftilcntial  Air  meet  with  a  Body,  thus  ill-difpos*d  already, 
that  Body  will  foon  imbibe  the  Contagion,  and  fall  fick  ol 
the  Difeafe,  being  unable  to  ftrugglc  againft  it,  by  reafon  oi 
the  Weaknefs  it  has  already  contraded.  Rightly  therefore 
has  Thucydides,  taking  Notice  of  the  two  greateft  Miferies 
of  the  Athenian  Plague,  the  ct9u/u/cc,  or  Confternation  ol 
Mind,  and  the  inevitablenefs  of  the  Contagion,  given  the 
Preference  to  the  Confternation  of  Mind,  and  affign'd  it  as 
one  of  the  chiefCaufesof  the  Mortality  that  rag'd  among  them. 
AeivorctTov,  fays   he,  3  tto.vTo^  yiv  i?  xctxa    yi  t\  (l^v(u.ia^  o-non  t); 

yvco(j.-n,  rcro/ViCcj  ij.^}^())i    'Zdf^'i<c\]o  o-(p£^    aoraV  ^   «X    ccvt^x,^*'  *   ^*  ^' 

But  the  greateft  Mifery  of  all  was,  the  Dejedtion  of  Mind  in 
fuch  as  found  themfelves  beginning  to  be  fick  :  for  they  grew 
prefently  defperate,  and  gaVe  themfelves  over,  without 
making  any  Refiftance.  And  in  the  laft  Age,  during  the 
Siege  of  Breda,  it  was  obferv'd,  that  the  Plague,  which  then 
rag'd,  either  abated  or  increas'd,  as  the  Minds  of  the  Sol- 
diers were  either  rais'd  with  Hope,  or  deprefs*d  with  Fear: 
So  great  are  the  Effedbs  of  Confternation  of  Mind  ! 

1120.    T€ 


BookVL        LUCRETIUS.  7^ 

H20  To  thefe  fierce  Pains  were  join'd  continual  Gare, 
Andlad  Complainings,  Groans,  and  deep  Despair; 
Tormenting,  vexing  Sobs,  and  deadly  Sighs,  ^  I 

Which  rais'd  Convulsions,  broke  the  vital  Ties  > 
Of  Mind  and  Limbs,  and  fo  the  Patient  dies,        3 

Yet 

J<l  O  r  B  S. 


1120.  To  thefe,  &:c.]  Thefe  fo 
many,  and  fo  intolerable  111$  or 
the  Body  were  attended,  fays  the 
Poet,  with  a  perpetual  Anguifli 
of  Mind,  which   occafion'd  un- 
manly Groans  and    Complain- 
i  ings :  Plutarch,  relates  of  Peri- 
:les,  that  tho',  with  unweeping 
^yes,  he  had  beheld  the  Funerals 
>f  fo  many  of  his  Friends  and 
lelations,  yet  the  Death  of  his 
inly  furviving  Son  extorted  from 
(im  fome  unwilling  Tears  :  and 
hat  the  Plague,  that  malignant 
timate,  had  by  little  and  little 
orrupted  the  Body  of  that  mag- 
animous  Man,    and    overcome 
is  Fortitude,    and  Strength  of 
lind  :    For,  while  he  was   lan- 
uifliing  under  that  Difeafe,  he 
'-lew'd  a  Friend,  that  came  to  vi- 
it  him,  fome  Charms  and  In- 
hantments,  that  hung  about  his 
^eck,  and  Women  had  ty^d  up- 
n  him  t  which  evidently  prove 
be   Diforder  of  his  Mind,  that 
3uld  be  prevailed  on,  to  conde- 
end  tofuch  Superftition.  Thus, 
lys  Plutarch,  in  his  Life. 
1 122.  Vexing  Sobs,  and  deadly 
ighs,3  Lucretius  fays.  Singultus 
■cquens,    a    frequent     Hicket  : 
nd  for  the  better  Underftand- 
>g  of  this  ninth   Symptom,  it 
ill  be  necefTary  to  recite    the 
7ords  of  Thucydides,  relating 
)  it,  and  that  are  as  follows  : 
vy'^   T   To?>    icT^eloaiv  z/nTrm^ 
:i'i?5  ojJctCTjMV  c/vStS&cra.    l%v^gi', 

)?$•    /uJ0      /UiloLTOLVTO,     Atofpv'Cra.v/ot, 

at  is  to  fay  :  Moft  of  them  had 
cewifean  empty  Hicket,  which 
ought  with  it  a  ftrong  Con- 
iKionj    and  in  fome  i:  ceas'd 


quickly  ;  but  in  others  was  long 
before  it  gave  over.     Now,  ac- 
cording to  the  common  Opinion 
of  Phyficians,   the  Hicket  is  a 
Convulfionof  the  Stomach  :  but 
Galen,  weighing  the  Matter  mora 
narrowly,  and  confidering,  that 
the  Mufcles  only  are  convuls'd  ; 
and  that  neither  the  Ventricle, 
nor  the  Mouth  of  it,  are  either 
Mufcles,  or  perform  the  Fundi- 
on  of  Mufcles,  fays,  in  his  third 
Book,   de  Symj)t.  Cauf.  cap.  4i 
that  the  Hicket  is  onlyadeprav'd 
Motion  of  the  Mouth  of  the  Ven- 
tricle, that  endeavours  to  expel 
what  is  offenfive  and  troublefome 
to  it ;  which  could  not  he  want- 
ing in  our  Cafe  :    for,  the  pefti- 
lent  Defluxion  falling  down  thro' 
the  Throat,  and  a  great  Quanti- 
ty of  bileous  Matter  regurgitat- 
ing   from  the    Liver,    into  the 
Stomach,  were  certainly  offenfive 
to  it,  and  fufficient  to  caufe  the 
Hicket,  which  was  of  longer  or 
fhorter  Continuance,  according 
to  the  greater  or  lefs  Quantity 
and  Protervity  of  the  offending 
Matter.    But  to  whom  are  we 
to  give  credit;  to  Lucretius,  who 
calls  it,  frequens  fingultus ;  a  fre- 
quent Hicket ;  or  to  Thucydi- 
des,   who    calls    it,    \vy^    nevi, 
an  empty  Hicket  ?    Lambinus, 
overcome,  perhaps,  by  the  diffi- 
culty of  the  Matter,  as  it  often 
happens  to  fuch  as  meddle  with 
the  Affairs  of  others,  very  bold- 
ly corrects    the    Hiftorian,  and 
gives  more  credit  to  a  Poet,  that 
liv'd  long  after,  than  to  an  Eyc- 
witnefs  that  writes  what  he  faw. 
The  learned  F.  Paulinus  comes 
nearer  to  the  Point,  and  believes, 
skat   the  Hicket   is  faid  to  be 
5  D  empty 


754 

II25 


LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

Yet  touch  the  Limbs,  the  Warmth  appear'd  not  great, 
It  feem'd  but  little  more  than  nat'ral  Heat  5 

The 
NOTES. 


empty  from  the  Caufe  that  pro- 
duces it,  that  is  to  fay,  Exinani- 
tion  :  for  both  Hippocrates  and 
Galen  allow,  that  there  are  two 
Caufes  of  Gonvulfion  ;  the  Re- 
pletion, and  the  Exinanition,  or 
Emptinefs,  of  the  Nerves  :    and 
the  laft  of  thofe  Authours  ad- 
inoniilies,that  a  Gonvulfion,  pro- 
ceeding from  the  Exinanition  of 
the  Nerves  is  the  worit  Symptom 
in  a  Hicket  :  but  in  this  Gafe  of 
the  Plague  of  Athens,  there  can 
not  be  the  leaft  Ground  to  fuf- 
ped  any  Emptinefs  •,  fince,  as  we 
faid  before,  there  was  a  copious 
and  continual  Defluxion  of  Hu- 
mours :  Befides,  it  is  notorious, 
that  there  are  other   Caufes  of 
Convuliions,  than  thofe  before- 
mention'd  ;  and  from  which  it  is 
more  probable,  that  the  violent 
and  laborious  Hicket  proceeded  : 
for  why  might  not  they,    who 
were  vilited  with  a  Plague,  have 
a  frequent  and  empty  or  fruitlefs 
Hicket  ?    The  firil  was  a  Token 
of  the  Pertinacy  of  the  molefting 
Caufe  ;  the  other,  of  the  ineffedu- 
al   Fatigation :     For,  as   Galen, 
5. de  Svmpt.  Gauf.  cap.  i.  wit- 
Hefles;  In   Vomits,  thofe  things 
are  thrown  up,  that  are  in  the 
Cavity  and  Space  of  the  Ventri- 
cle ;  in  Hickets,  thofe  that  ad- 
here to  the  very  Body  of  the  Ven- 
tricle, the  Difpofition  and  Moti- 
on being  both^alike.  As  therefore 
what  the    Phyiicians  call  Nau- 
fea,  is  a  vain  and  fruitlefs  Vo- 
mit, and  confequently  the  more 
fatiguing  *,  fo   too  is   a  Hicket, 
when  nothing  is  brought  up. 

112$.  Yet  touch,  &c.]  Inthefe 
18.  v.  the  Poet  takes  notice  of  fe- 
deral other  Symptoms  and  To- 
kens, that  happen'd  to  thofe,  who 
were  vifited  with  this  Plague, 
?irft,  fays  he,  the  exteriour 
pAf  6s  ©fsheiF  Bodies  were  not  hot 


to  the  Touch,  but  only  warm  ; 
yet  they  look'd  fomewhat  red, 
and  were  beflower'd  with  fmali 
Puftules,  as  is  the  Body  of  thofe 
that  have  the  St«  Anthony's  Fire : 
neverthelefs  they  burn'd  in- 
wardly  to  fuch  a  Degree,  that 
they  could  not  endure  to  wear 
the  flighteffc  Cloaths,  nor  any, 
the  thinneft  Covering  upon  them 
And  it  avail'd  them  nothing  to 
expofe  their  Bodies  to  the  Gold 
and  Wind,  nor  to  leap  into  Ri- 
vers, or  go  down  into  Wells ; 
nor  could  any  Quantity  of  Wa- 
ter quench  their  Thirft. 

Hippocrates,  in  3.  Epidem 
c.  34..  fpeaking  of  this  Plague 
fays,  that  the  Fever,  which  at- 
tended it,  was  ii)i  oijjg^  not  acute 
and  Galen,  9.  de  Sympt.  Gauf 
cap.  6.  fays  of  Pejftilential  Fever 
in  general,  that  they  are  not  vie 
lently  hot:  Now  the  Reaforis 
that  Phyficians  give  us,  why 
fome  Bodies,  in  pernicious  Dif 
eafes,  are  barely  warm  ;  and  thi 
extream  Parts  of  others  evei 
cold,  are  thefe  :  Some,  fay  they 
are  warm,  by  reafon  of  thei 
fmall  Provifion  of  natural  Heat 
or  becaufe  of  their  Age ;  as  ii 
the  Old,  in  whom,  according  ti 
the  Obfervation  of  Hippocrates 
6,  Epidem.  cap.  19.  Fevers  ar 
the  lefs  acute,  becaufe,  fays  he 
their  Body  is  cold  :  Others  an 
warm  in  Fevers,  by  reafon  c 
their  natural  Gonftitution  ;  ha 
ving  from  their  Birth  labour'tj 
under  a  W^ant  of  Spirits  anc 
Blood  :  Befides  ;  in  fome  Dii 
eafes,  the  like  Difpofition  is  ac  [ 
quir'd  :  fometimes  too  the  Hu 
mours,  ftagnating  in  the  outmoi{ 
little  Veflels,  hinder  the  inward^ 
ly  conceiv'd  Heat  from  break  i' 
ing  out  :  and  the  fame  Humour: 
whenever  they  are  heated,  d( 
according  to  the  difference  of  thei , 

Naturs 


I 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS.  7^^ 

The  Body,  red  with  Ulcers,  fwoln  with  Pains, 
As  when  the  Sacred  Fire  fpreadso'er  the  Veins. 
But  all  within  was  Fire  ;  fierce  FlamevS  did  burn, 
1 1 30  No  Cloaths  could  be  endur'd,  no  Garments  worn  ; 

But 
NOTES, 


Kature,  impart  a  different  De- 
gree of  Heat :  for  one  fort  of 
Heat  attends  an  aduft  Choler  ; 
another  a  putrifying  Phlegm  : 
Tepidity  is  likewife  caus'd  in  a 
malignant  Corruption,  by  rea- 
ibn  of  the  Inwardnefs  and  Pro- 
fundity of  th2  Fire,  and  the  Na- 
ture of  the  Difeafe,  which  threa- 
tens Death  to  the  Patient,  not  by 
manifeft  Symptoms,  but  by  a 
clandeftine  Corruption  of  the 
Vv'holc  Subftance.  The  extreani 
Parts  and  Members  of  the  Body 
are  cold  and  livid  in  thofe,  whofe 
vital  Faculty  is  utterly  decay'd, 
and  dying  away.  They  likewife 
are  cold  outwardly,  whofe  almoft 
total  natural  Heat  is  retir'd  to, 
and  gather'd  about,  their  in- 
flam'd  Entrails,  in  order  co  fuc- 
cour  decaying  Nature.  And  one, 
or  more  of  thefe  Reafons  concur- 
ring, will  caufethe  Patient  to  be 
either  barely  warm,  or  even  cold, 
outwardly,  and  to  the  Touch. 

112S.  The  facred  Fire3  Sacer 
Tgnisj  fays  Lucretius,  by  which 
Name  the  Latines  know  the  Dif- 
eafe ,  which  the  Greeks  call 
'Epfa/VgActr?  and  we  St.  Antho- 
ny's Fire,  of  which,  according  to 
Celfus,  there  are  two  forts,  thus 
defcrib'd  by  him.  Sacer  quoque 
ignis  malis  ulceribus  annumera- 
ri  debet ;  ejusduarfunt  fpecies : 
alterum  eft  fubrubicundum,  aut 
milium  rubore,  atque  pallore, 
cxafperatumqiie  pcrpuRulas  con- 
tinuas,  quarum  nulla  altera  major 
eft,  fed  plurim.^  pe.rexiguct'  :  Al- 
terum autem  efl,  in  lumm^  cu- 
tis exulceratione,  fed  fine  alt itu- 
dine,  latum,  fublividurn,  inas- 
qualiter  tamen,  &cc.  Celfus  de 
Re  medica,  lib.  6.  c^p.  28.  But 
in    this    P^lTage    of    pur    Au- 


thour,  we  are  to  underftand  the 
firftfortof  that  Difeafe,  which, 
as  defcrib'd  above  by  Ceifus,  i$ 
an  ulcerous  Eruption,  leddifli, 
or  mix'd  of  pale  and  red:  and 
painful  to  the  Patient,  by  reafon 
of  the  continued  Puftules  or 
Whelks,  not  one  of  which  is  big- 
ger than  another,  tho'  there  be 
an  infinite  Number  of  them,  and 
all  extreamly  fir.all.  Which  De- 
fcription  of  Celfus  feems  to  re- 
present to  us  the  Difeafe,  that 
Phyficians  commonly  call  Herpes 
milliaris,  from  the  Figure  and- 
Frequency  of  the  fmall  Blifters^ 
or  Wheals,  which,  rifing  on  the 
uppermoft  Sldn^and  ftanding  out 
but  very  little,  are  not  unlike  tp 
Millet  Seed,  fown  or  fcatter'd 
thick  upon  the  Ground.  The 
Difeafe,  which  they  call  Herpes 
only,  is  likewife  a  kind  of  St. 
Anthony's  Fire  ;  and  fesms  to  be 
the  fame  that  Pliny,  lib.  260 
cap.  II,  calls  Zofter,  and  Scri- 
bonius  Largus,  c.  10^.  Zona  : 
this  Difeafe  comes  on  the  middle 
of  the  Body,  and,  if  it  compafs 
it  about,  is  mortal  j  as,  in  the 
laft  Age,  according  to  J.  Langi- 
us,  Epill.  32.  it  prov'd  to  be  to 
the  Marquis  of  ]3randenbur^;h. 
Some  call  It  the  Shingles  i  fome, 
the  Running-worm  *,  and  fome, 
Wild-Fire.  But  the  tiryfipelas, 
that  afflicfted  the  infected  Athe- 
nians, tho'  but  a  cutaneous  Difr 
eafe,  muft  neverthelefs  havebeea 
very  troublefome  to  them,  both 
on  account  of  its  Filthinefs,  and 
becaufc  it  incommoded  them, 
either  ftanding  or  lying  down. 

1 129.  But  ail  within,  S^c."] 
Thucydides  in  like  manner  dc- 
fcribes  this  outward  Tepidity, 
and  inward  Burning  of  the  in- 
i         5^3  iX^.^i 


7f6 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VlJ 

But  all,  as  if  the  Plague  that  fir'd  their  Blood, 
Deftroy'd  all  Virtue,  Modefty,  and  Good, 
Lay  NAKED,  wifliing  ftill  for  cooling  Air, 
Or  ran  to  Springs,  and  hop'd  to  find  it  there  : 
1 135  And  fome  leapt  into  Wells  ;  in  vain:  the  Heat, 
Or  ftill  increased,  or  ftill  remain 'd  as  great. 


NOTES, 


In 


fecSed  inthefe  Words.  Jictj  to 
fjS0  i'i,cti'^i)i  cC'/lo^o)  aoofjLd}  ax 
^ya^v  Srsf/^ov  j^v,  are  X^^'^h  ctM* 

0  o*To?  arcos  c*t*/e/Oj  oos:i  fiviTZ 

TCJV  'STCLW  h^TrjcoV     IjJLOiliCaV     Xj  CTiV- 

31  >'U/^vov  ctV£X.^S^.  Their  Bodies, 
fays  he,  outwardly  to  the  Touch, 
were  not  very  hot,  nor  pale  ;  but 
reddilh,  livid,  and  beflower'd 
with  little  Pimples  and  Whelks  : 
yet  inwardly,  they  burn'd  to  that 
Degree,  as  not  to  indure  any  the 
lighteft  Cloaths,  or  linnen  Gar- 
ments to  be  upon  them,  nor  any 
Thing,  but  meer  Nakednefs. 
Thus  Thucydides  :  to  which  I 
add  what  Hippocrates,  Aph.  48. 
teaches.  That  in  Fevers,  which 
have  no  Intermiffion,  it  is  a  fatal 
Symptom,  when  the  outward 
Parts  of  the  Body  are  cold,  and 
the  inward  burning. 

1 131.  As  if,  &c.  ]  This 
Thought  our  Tranflatour  has 
not  copy'd  from  his  Authour, 
but  is  beholden  for  it  to  the  Bi- 
jfliop  of  Rochefter,  who,  in  his 
Plague  of  Athens^  Stanza  17. 
'  fays  J 

So  /Vrong  the  He^t,  fo  ftrong  the 
Torments  were, 
They,  like  fome  mighty  Bur- 
den, bear 
The  lighteft  Covering  of  Air  : 
All  Sexes,  and  all   Ages  do  in- 
vade 
The    Bounds    which   Nature 
lay'd, 
The  Laws  of  Modefty,  which  ilie 
her  felfhad  jnadej 


The  Virgins  bluili  not,  yet  un- 

cloath'd  appear; 
Undrefs'd  they  run    about,  yet 
never  fear  : 
The  Pain  and  the  Difeafe  did 

now 
Unwillingly,  reduce  Men  to 
That  Nakednefs  once  more, 
Which  perfea  Health  and  Inno- 
cence caus'd  before. 

1 1 35.  And  fome,  &c.]  Diodorus 
Siculus  in  the  twelfth  Book  of 
his  Hiftory,  fpeaking  of  this 
Plague,  fays,  that  the  Sick  felt 
fo  intolerable  a  Heat  within 
them,  that  many  caft  themfelves 
into  the  very  Wells  and  Foun- 
tains, hoping  to  cool  and  refre^i 
their  Bodies :  But  Thucydides 
relates  this  better,  and  more  con- 
fonantly  to  Truth.  ''Hjjfot, 
fays  he,  Tg  etV  1$  vSco^  "^^XC?' 
o-fpcTr     o/jraV    fi7r%Vy    X)    'sroMol 

^^^yJKei  TO  T  <SErA';OV   Xj  SAAOSOV  'zzro- 

rov '  That  is  to  fay.  They  would 
moft  willingly  have  caft  them- 
felves into  cold  Water :  and  many 
of  them,  that  were  not  look'd  to, 
pofTefs'd  with  infatiable  Thirft, 
ran  to  the  Wells  :  and  to  drink 
much  or  little  was  indifferent. 
This  infatiable  Thirft  with  which 
they  were  tormented,  is  finely  d^- 
fcrib'd  by  the  B.  of  R.  in  the 
Poem  a'povecited.  Stanza  16. 

The  Streams  did  wonder,  that  fo 

foon 
As  they  were  from  their  native 

Mountains  gone^ 


iookVI.         LUCRETIUS.  7^7 

In  vain  they  drank  ;  for  when  the  Water  came 
Toth'  burning  Breast,  it  hilVd  before  the  Flame: 
And  thro*  each  Mouth  did  Streams  of  Vapours  rife, 
1 140  Like  Clouds,  and  darken'd  all  the  ambient  Skies. 
The  Pains  continu'd,  and  the  Body  dead,  "^ 

And  fenfelefs  all,  before  the  Soul  was  fled  :  > 

"  i.S 

No 


Physicians  came,  and  faw,  and  fhook  their  Head 


NOTES, 


They    faw  themfelves  drunk  1 
up  -,  and  fear 

Another  Xerxes  Army  near  : 
Some  caft  into  the  Pit  the  Urn, 
And  drink  it  dry  at  its  Re- 
turn : 
Again  they  drew,  again  they 

drank  ; 
it    Rril  the  Coolnefs    of   the 

Stream  they  thank  ; 
ut  ftraic  the  more  werefcorch'd, 

the  more  did  burn, 
ind,  drunk  with  Water,  in  their 
drinking  fank  : 
Some  fnatch'd  the  Waters  up ; 
Their   Hands,  their  Mouths 
the  Cup  : 
They  drunk,  and  found  they 

flam'd  the  more, 
ind  only  added  to  the  burning 

Store, 
o  have  I  feen  on  Lime  cold  Wa- 
ter thrown  ; 
Strait  all   was  to  a   Ferment 

grown,    j| 
i.nd  fuddain  Seeds  of  Fire  toge- 

gether  run : 
The  Heap  was  calm  and  tempe- 
rate before. 
Such  as  the   Finger  could   in- 

dure  ; 
But  when  the  Moiftures  it  pro- 
voke. 
Then  did    it  rage,  and  fwell, 

and  fmoke, 
md  move,  and  flame,  and  burn, 
and  ftrait  to  Allies  broke. 

= The  Heat, 

)r    flill    increas'd,    or  ftill   re- 
main'd  as  great,     Lucretius 
'.ys, 

ifedabiliter  fitis  aridii  corpora 
m,er(^ns 


TEquabat   multum  parvis  humo- 
ribus  imbrcm. 

i.  e.  fo  great  and  fo unquenchable 
was  their  Thirft,  that  a  great 
Quantity  of  Water  feem'd  to 
them  to  be  but  a  little  Water  : 
But  fome,  in/lead  of  parvis,  read 
pravis ;  and  then  the  Senfe  muit 
be  this  :  The  Malignancy  of  the 
Humours,  which  were  the  Caufe 
of  their  Thirftinefs,  equal'd,  and 
at  length  eluded,  the  great  Plen- 
ty of  Water  they  drank  :  Hence 
it  came  to  pafs,  that  they,  who 
drank  but  little,  underwent  the 
like  Danger  with  thofe  who  drank 
a  great  deal  :  fpr  their  Thirft 
was  not  extinguifli'd,  tho'  they 
drank  ever  fo  much.  This  lafl: 
Interpretation  feems  to  agree 
beft  with  the  PafTage  of  Thucy- 
dides  next  above-cited. 

1 137.  In  vain,  &c.]  This  and 
the  three  following  Verfes  our 
Tranflatour  has  added,  by  way 
of  Paraphrafe,  to  his  Authour. 

1 141.  The  Pains,  &c.]  In  thefe 
3.  v.  he  teaches,  that  no  Remedy 
could  be  found  to  expel  this 
Difeafe  ;  fo  new  and  unknown 
till  then  was  this  raging  Pefti- 
lence.  Thus  too  Manilius,  fpeak- 
ing  of  this  Plague  j 

Qualis  ErecTtheos  peftis  populata 

colonos 
Extulit  antiquas  per  funera  pa- 

cis  Athcnas, 
Alter  in  alterius  lubens  citm  fata 

ruebat  ; 
Nee  locus  artis  crat  medicie  ;  neq 

YOta  Yakbant ; 


Cellera 


7^8 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI 


No  Sleep,  the  pain'd  and  weary'd  Man's  Delight : 
1145  Their  firy  Eyes,  like  Stars,  wak'd  all  the  Nighr. 
Befides  ;  a  thoufand  Symptoms  more  did  wait. 
And  told  fad  News  of  coining  hafty  Fate  : 

Diftradec 
N  O  T  £  5". 


CelTerat  officium  morbis,  &  fu-  [ 

nera  deerant 
Mortibus  &  lacrimse  :  feiius  de- 

fecerat  ignis, 
Et  coacervatis  ardebant  corpora 

niembris. 
Which   Sir    Edward  Sherburne 
thus  renders : 
Thro*  Eredhean    Lands   when 

that  Plague  ftray'd. 
And    Athens  wafte  by  peaceful 

Fun'rals  lay'd. 
When    each    contraded    others 

Death ;  then  Art 
No  Cure  could  find,  nor  PrayVs 

could  Help  impart : 
Care  to  the  Sick,  and  Fun'rals 

to  the  Dead, 
Ev'n  Tears  were  wanting ;  thofe 

no  Mourners  flied  : 
The  weary'd  Flame  did  from  its 

Office  ceafe, 
And  Heaps  of  fir'd  Bones  burnt 

the  dead  CarcafTes. 

ButifourPoetin  this  Place,  as 
|n  others,  imitates  Thucydides, 
then  this  is  not  his  meaning  :  for 
that  Hiftorian  only  fays,  that 
whatever  Remedy  was  apply 'd  to 
yirocure  Sleep  to  the  Sick,  they 
were  ftill  as  far  from  Eafe,  and 
the  Power  to  fleep  as  ever. 

1 1 44.  No  Sleep,]  Hippocrates, 
Epidem  6.  fays,  that  nothing  is 
more  deftrudive  of  human  Na- 
ture, or  impoveriflies,  and  waftes 
the  Spirits,  Blood,  and  Strength 
more,  than  watching,  and  want 
of  Sleep  :  truly  therefore  does 
Ovid  fing  ; 

Quod  caret  altern^  requie  dura- 
bile  non  eft  : 
yixc  reparat    vires,  fsiTaque- 
msmbra  novat. 

Heroidc  Epift,  ;« 


See  the  Note  on  Book  IV.  v.  905 
And  the  Phyficians  obferving  thi 
fatal  Symptom,  had  reafon,  a 
Lucretius  expreifes  it,  tacito  mul 
fare  timore,  to  mutter  to  them 
felves  for  fear  :  For,  being  at 
Stand  what  to  do,  they  went  a 
way  without  prefcribing,  and  lei 
their  Patients  in  Defpair  of  R( 
lief.  This  Symptom  too,  ani 
the  Effe<fts  of  it,  are  finely  de 
fcrib'd  by  the  BiHiop  of  Roch. 

No  Sleep,  no  Peace,  no  Reft, 
Their  wand'ring  and  affrighte 
Minds  pofTefs'd : 
Upon  their  Souls  and  Eyes 
Hell  and  eternal  Horrour  lies ; 
Unufual  Shapes,  and  Images, 
Dark  Pictures,    and  Refem 
blances 
OfThingstocome,  and  of  th 
World  below, 
To  their  diftemper'd  Fanfic 

flow, 
Sometimes  they   curfe,  fome 

times  they  pray 
The  Gods    atfPve,   the  God 
beneath  ; 
Sometimes    they   Cruelties  anc 

Fury  breathe  ; 
Not  Sleep,  but  Waking  now,  wa 
Sifter  unto  Death. 

Plague  of  Athens,  Stanz.  17 

114^.  Befides ;  &c.]  In  theA 
14.  V.  he  mentions  many  othe 
Tokens  of  Death,  that  happen'c^ 
to  thofe,  who  were  vifitsd  wit! 
this  Plague  ;  and  which  he  ha; 
chiefly  taken  from  Hippocrates 
in  Prognoft.  For  Thucydide: 
fcarce  mentions  any  of  them. 

1148-  I>i 


iook  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


7^9 


Diftradted  Mind,  and  fad  and  furious  Eyes  ; 
Short  Breath,  or  conftant,  deep,  and  hollow  Sighs, 

And 
IJ  O  T  E  S. 


1148.  Diftra<f^ed  Mind,]    Lu- 
retius  fays, 

'erturbata  animi  mens  in  moe- 
rore  metuque ; 

n  which  the  Poet  intimates,  a 
otal   Dejcdlion  of  Mind,    occa- 
'on'd  by  too  deep  a  Senfe  and 
i^pprehenfion  of  the  dangerous 
tate  they  were  in,  and  which  was 
levitably  follow M  by  Defpera- 
ion ;  and  all  this  was  only  the 
ecelTary  EfFe<ft  of  their  Difeafe  : 
'or  the  atrabileous  Blood,  that 
/as  engender'd  by    the    violent 
v.duftion,  irrigated  the  internal 
•arts  of  the  Difeas'd  :    and,  by 
tie  unanimous  Confent,and  con- 
tant  Obfervation  of  Phyficians, 
klelancholy,  Fear,    Sorrow,  and 
he  like,  are  the  necelTary   Con- 
bquences  of  fuch  Blood,  as  well 
s  of  any  other  melancholick,  ex- 
effive  Humour  ;  I  fay,  exceffive,: 
^or,  tho'  Men,  in   whofe  Bodies 
my  melancholick  Humour   pre- 
vails, are  naturally  inclin'd  and 
"abjecft  to  Grief  and  Fear  ;  yet,  if 
:hat  Humour  be  not  exceflive, 
Imd,  either  in  Quantity  or  Qiia- 
I  ity,  tranfgrefs  not  the  Bounds  of 
Nature,  it  never  fcduces  or  over- 
;hrows  the  Mind. 

Sad  and  furious  Eyes  j]  In  the 
Driginal  we  read. 

Trifle  fupercilium  •,  furiofus  vul- 
tus,  6c  acer. 

e.  Difconfolate  Eyes,  and  frown- 
ing Eye-brows,  together  with  a 
Scernnefs  and  Wiidnefs  of  Look. 
Thefe  Symptoms,  of  which  Thu- 
xydides  is  filent,  Lucretius  has 
iborrow'd  of  the  Coan  Didator, 
Avho,  in  Coac.  Pra:fag.  lib.  i. 
5e<ft.  2.  cap.  3,  teaches,  that  a 
5ood  Colour  in  the  Face,  with 
1  WiUnefa  of  Afpe^fij  is  an  ill 


Sign  in  acute  Difeafes ;  in  which 
too,    frowning  Eyebrows    are  a 
Mark    of   Frenfy.      But,  as  we 
fliall  hear  by  and  by,    the  Con- 
ftitution  of  the  whole  Face  was 
alter 'd  and  amifs ;   therefore  ic 
portended  fomething  worfe  than 
Frenfy.     But   tho*    a   frowning 
Forehead   prefage    a    Frenfy  in 
acute  Difeafes ;  becaufe  the  Blood, 
by  reafon  of  its  Corruption  is 
degenerated     into    a    plenteous 
Quantity  of  bileous  and  melan- 
cholick Humour  ;  yet  it  is  often 
obferv'd  in  fome,  even  when  they 
are  in  perfe(ft  Health  ;  nor  does 
it  portend  any  thing  dreadful  in 
them ;  tho'  fome  are  apt  to  be 
iliy  of  their  Converfation.    But 
the  Sternnefs    and  Wiidnefs   of 
Countenance,   mention*d  by  Lu- 
cretius, was  a  moft  certain   To- 
ken, not  of  an  imminent,  but  of 
a  prefent,  Frenfy,  occafion'd  by 
the  Inflammation  of  the  bileous 

I  Humour,  accompany'd  by  the 
Corruption  that  bred  it  ,  ei- 
ther in  the  Prsecordia,  or  in  the 
Brain,  that  already  fympathiz'd 
with  the  inferior  Parts. 

1149.  Short  Breath,  or  conftant, 
deep,  and  hollow  Sighs^]  Lucre- 
tius fays, 

Creber  fpiritus,  baud  ingenSj  ra- 
roque  coortus. 

For  the  better  underftanding  of 
which  we  muft  take  Notice ; 
that  the  Relpiration  in  Animals, 
which  is  truly  a  mixt  Function, 
it  being  both  natural  and  volun- 
tary, was  excellently  inftituted 
by  provident  Nature,  chiefly  for 
the  Refrefliment  of  the  Heart: 
For  when  flie  had  made  the  Heart 
the  chief  Seat  and  Refidence  of 
the  innate  Heat,  from  whence 
that  vivifying  and  lively  Power 
is,  thro'  the  Tubes  of  the  Veins 

and 


LUCRETIUS, 


j6o 

and  Arteries,  as  likewife  thro' 
invifible  Pores,  communicated 
to  the  Body  of  the  Animal,  it 
u'as  of  neceffity,  that  this  Mem- 
ber fliould  be  hot,  and,  in  fome 
Meafure,  inflam'd  itfeif,  that  it 
might  fupply  with  Warmth  all 
the  other  Members*  But  this 
inSammation  would  have  been 
fatal,  or,  according  to  the  Na- 
ture of  all  Fires,  a  moft  certain 
Suffocatioii  had  enfu'd,  had  ilie 
not  wifely  provided  againft  it, 
as  well  by  the  Introdudion  of 
cooling  Air,  as  by  the  Expullion 
and  Excretion  of  the  fuliginous 
Vapours,  engender'd  in  the 
Heart  ;  the  firft  of  which  is  per- 
form'd  by  Infpiration  •,  the  laft, 
by  what  we  call  Expiration.  But 
between  both  thefe  reciprocating 
and  alternate  Motions  two  Refts 
or  Intervals neceflarily  intervene : 
wherefore  the  chief  Differences  of 
Refpiration  are  diftinguifli'd,  in 
regard  to  the  Time  of  the  Mo- 
tion, into 

Quick,  Moderate,  Slow, 
In  regard  to  the  Kelts,  or  Inter- 
vals, into 
Thick,  Moderate,  Rare  : 

And,  in  regard  to  the  Extenflon 
of  the  Organs,  into 
Great,  Moderate,  Small. 

Now  the  Organs  of  Refpiration 
are  the  whole  Thorax,  but  chief- 
ly the  Midriff;  on  whofe  Mo- 
tion the  Lungs  are  extended  eve- 
ry way,  and  receive  the  external 
Air:  iDUt  when  the  Midriff  ceafes 
to  move,  the  Lungs  fall  down, 
and  breathe  out  the  fuperfluous 
Air,  together  with  the  fumid  no- 
cent  Exhalation  :  and  by  thefe 
alternate  Breathings,  the  Indem- 
nity of  the  ever-burning  Heart 
is  wifely  fecur'd.  Since  therefore, 
by  the  common  Confent  of  all, 
the  vital  Faculty  and  even 
Life  itfeif,  are  chiefly  due  to 
this  Member ,  it  is  confo- 
nant  to  Rcafon,  that  they,  who, 
by  Rules  of  Art,  are  to  judge  of 
she  Iflue  of  a  Difeafe.  and  ©f  £he 


Book  VI I 


State  of  their  Patients,  Hiould 
almoft  preferably  to  the  Motior  | 
of  their    Arteries,    obferVe   th< 
manner  of  their  Breathing,  whicl 
Nature  governs,  according  as  th( 
Heart  requires.   With  good  Rea 
fon  therefore  has  Lucretius,  enu 
meratihg  the  fatal  Symptoms  ol 
thofe  who  were  vilited  with  this 
Plague,  taken  Notice  of  the  Dif 
ficulty  and  Diforder  of  their  Re- 
fpiration, which  he  expreffes  af 
ter    the  Manner  of  Phylicians 
making  a   threefold  Diftindliof 
of  it.    Thefe  feveral  Diforders  o 
their   Refpiration    he   has    bor 
rovv'd  from  Hippocrates,  and  thi 
firft  he  takes  notice  of,  is,  crebei 
Spiritus,  a  Thicknefs  or  Frequen- 
cy of  Breathing,  which  is  fpoker 
in  regard  to  the  Refts  or  Inter 
vals  :  and  this,  fays  Hippocrates 
in  Prognoftic.  cap.  24..  denotes 
a  Pain,  or  an  Inflammation  in 
the  Parts  that  are  above  the  Praj- 
cordia  :  Secondly,    baud  ingens. 
not  great,    which  admits   of   a 
double  Interpretation^  either  that 
in  regard  to  the  Extenlion  of  the 
Organs,    their   Refpiration  was 
moderate,  and  in  due  Order  ;  or 
fmall  :    both  which  neverthelefs 
contradict  Hippocrates,  who,  in 
the  Place  above-cited,  fays  inex- 
prefs  Words,  that  their  Refpira- 
tion was  great  and  ftrong,  with 
long  Intervals  interpofing  :  How- 
ever, as  Galen,  in   Prog.  Com. 
obferves,  in  the  Torment  they 
fuffer'd,  their  Refpiration  might 
be  both  frequent  and  fmall,  Na* 
ture  already  growing  weak,  and 
tending  to  a   Decay  ;  and  their 
Organs    being    difOrder'd   with 
Inflammations.    Thus  too  Hip- 
pocrates himfelf,  in  Coacis  Pra2- 
notion.  teaches,  that  a  frequent 
and  fmall   Refpiration  betokens 
an  Inflammation  and  Pain  in  the 
princip2l   Parts  :    now    we  have 
heard  already,  that  they  were  af- 
flided  with  a  Peripneumony  and 
Frenfy  ;  wherefore  their  Refpira- 
tion, as  Lucretius  fays,  might  be, 
haud  ingens,  nor  great,  but  mo- 
derate^ Ota  even  in  the  other  Ex- 

treum, 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS, 


l6i 


1 1 50  And  buzzing  Ears  ;  and  much,  and  frothy  Sweat,' 
Spread  o'er  the  Neck  ;  and  Spittle,  thin  with  Heat,' 

But 
NOTES. 


tream,  fmall,  and  bdow  the  due 
Mediocrity,  The  third  and  laft 
Difference  of  their  difficult  Re- 
l^iratioti,  and  which  Lucretius 
expreiles  by  rare  coortus,  a  Rare- 
nefs  or  Seldomnefs  of  Breathing, 
relates  to  the  Time  of  the  Mo- 
tion, and  is  explain'd  by  Ga- 
len, in  Com,  t.  24.  Progn.  where 
he  teaches,  that  a  Rarenefs  of 
Breath,  that  is  to  fay,  when  the 
Refts  or  Intervals  are  long,  if 
the  Refpiration  be  great  and 
ftrong  in  regard  to  the  Extenfion 
of  the  Organs,  indicates  a  Deli- 
rium ;  if  fmall,  an  Extin<flion 
of  the  innate,  or  natural  Heat. 

II 50.  Buzzing  Ears,]    Lucre- 
tius fays, 

Sollicit^  porrOj  plenvX'que  fonori- 
bus  aures ; 

Thefe  were  Tokens  that  the  Hu- 
mours were  crept  upwards  by  the 
Ducfl  of  the  Arteries :  •  and  Hip- 
pocrates, in  Coacis  Pr^efagiis, 
teaches,  that  Sounds  and  Noifes 
in  the  Ears,  are  a  deadly  Symp- 
tom in  acute  Difeafes. 

. -Much  and   frothy  Sweat, 

Spread  o'er  the  Neck  ;]  Lucretius 
fays, 

Sudorifque  madens  per   collum 
Iplendidus  humor. 

And  this  too  he  borrow 'd  from 
iHippocrates ,     in    Progn.    who 
'there  teaches,  that  Sweats  are  ve- 
ry good  in  all  acute  Difeafes,  if 
they  happen  at  a  critical  Time, 
jand    intirely    allay    the    Fever : 
That  they  are  good  like  wife,  if 
:hey  come  from  the  whole  Body, 
md  make  the  Patient  the  more 
liRly   bear  his    Difeafe  :  but  if 
-hey  effe<fl  nothing  of  this,  they 
ire  not  in  the  leaft    beneficial  : 
rhas  cold  SweafSj  ijnd  fuc-h  as 


come  only  about  the  Head,  Faccj 
and  Neck,  are  the  worft  of  all, 
and,  for  the  moft  part,  very  dan- 
gerous Symptortis.  Befides ;  thofe 
that  labour  under  Impofthuma- 
tions,  efpecially  fuch  as  are  caus'd 
by  a  Pleurilie,  or  by  an  Inflam- 
mation of  the  Lungs,  are  fubjecfl 
to  fweat  about  the  Neck.  Thus 
Hippocrates  :  and  from  hence  we 
fee,  that  the  Peripneumony,  or 
Inflammation  and  Impofthume 
of  the  Lungs,  under  which  the 
infeded  Athenians  labour'd,  was 
the  Caufe  of  this  fatal  Symptom. 
1 1 51.  Spittle  thin  with  Heat, 
&c.]  The  Words  in  the  Origi* 
nal  are, 

Tenuia  fputa,  miniita,  ctoci  coil* 

tincfla  colore, 
Salfaque,  per  l^uces  raucas  vix 

edita  tuiii. 

Which  is  taken  almolt  Word  for 
Word  from  Hippocrates,  in  thd 
Place  laft  above-cited  :  where  he 
fays,  that  the  worft  forts  of  Spit- 
tle are  thofe  that  are  yellow,  ot 
of  a  reddifli  Colour;  or  that 
caufe  a  violent  Coughing,  and 
that  are  thin,  and  come  away  in 
little  Qiiantity.  Now  Lucretius 
calls  thefe  Spittles  tenuia,  thin, 
which  is  a  Mark  of  their  crudity, 
in  regard  to  their  Subflance  ;  nii- 
nuta,  that  is  to  fay,  fewer  than 
they  ought  to  be,  in  regard  to 
their  Qiiantity,  croci  contincfti 
colore,  yellowiih,  which  was  a 
Mark  of  their  bileous  Nature  5 
and,  falfa,  fait,  which  Quality 
was  due  to  the  Corruption  of  the 
Humours, or  to  a  mixture  of  fale 
and  ferous  Humidity  :  for  thefe 
are  the  Caufes,  that  Galen  him- 
felf,  2.  de  diff".  Feb.  cap.  6.  af- 
figns,  of  thefaltnefs  of  Humours* 
And  then  the  Poet,  to  iliew  us 
I  that  thefe  were  not  only  the  Ex- 
s  E  cremenss 


762 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI. 


But  fait,  and  yellow;  and,  the  Jaws  being  rough. 
Could  hardly  be  thrown  up  with  violent  Cough  : 
The  Nerves  contradled,  Strength  in  Hands  did  fail. 

And 

NOTES. 


erementsof  the  Brain,  that  are 
often  purg'd  away  by  {pitting, 
and  are  call'd  Spittle,  adds,  per 
fauces  raucas  vix  editatuffi,  i.  e. 
that  they  could  fcarce  be  thrown 
up,  by  Coughing,  thro'  their 
hoarfe- founding  Jaws :  for  it  is 
the  proper  Fundtion  and  folc  Bu- 
linefs  of  a  Cough,  to  ferve  the 
Members  that  are  imploy'd  in 
Kefpiration,  and  to  extrude  and 
throw  from  thence  vjhatever  is 
molefcing  to  them.;  And  the 
Hoarfnels  Lucretius  mentions, 
proceeded  from  the  Exafperation 
of  the  Larinx,  occaiion'd  by  a 
Defluxion  of  fait  Phlegm,  which 
likewife  fell  upon  the  Lungs,  and 
shen  caus'd  a  violent  Cough. 

1 1 54.  The  NerveSj  &cc,~}    Lu- 
eretius  fays, 

In  manibus  vero  trahier  nervi — 

This  Contrac'rion  of  the  Nerves 
©f  the  Hands  was  a  fure  Token 
of  prefent  Convulfions,  which, 
as  we  have  feen  alreadv,  proceed- 
ed, according  to  Thucydides, 
from  what  he  caWs  Mjyt,  )Li)yi)  an 
empty  Hicket.  See  above  in  the 
iNote  on  V.  1122.  Now  a  Con- 
"vulfion  is  an  involuntary  Con- 
^raiTtion  of  the  Parts,  that  com- 
^^nunicate  and  partake  with  the 
Nerves,  proceeding  from  a  pre- 
^-^rnaturai  Ciiufe.  But  whe:her 
fome  of  our  modern  Phyficians, 
who  diifer  from  the  Antients,  in 
afTigning  feveral  other  Caufes  of 
Convulhons,  than  rhofe  which 
thefe  laft:  ailow'd  of,  be  in  the 
i'ight,  it  is  not  our  Bufinefs  in 
this  Place  to  inquire.  Hippo- 
crates, 8.  de  Comp.  Med.  poil- 
$ively  afiierEs,  Thar  there  are  but 
%vrQ-C,mfQS  of  C^RTiUilon  v  vi-iJ^ 


Repletion  and  Inanition  :     And 
Galen  too,  firmly  avouches,  that 
no  third  Caufe  can  be  found  out: 
for  the  Siccity  or  Drynefs,  which 
the  fame    Authour  more    than 
once  affirms  to  be  the  Caufe  of 
Spafms,  is  included  in,  and    re- 
duc'd  to,  Inanition.    The  Hands 
therefore  of  the    Infecfted  were 
convuls'd,  by  reafon  of  the  Dry- 
nefs and  Inanition  of  the  Nerves, 
and  of  the  whole  inflam'd  Body, 
that  was  weaken'd  and  brought 
low  by  a  manifold  Evacuation  * 
Befides  ;    an    Eryfipelas,    from 
whence  proceeded  a  Phrenfy,bad 
iiez'd  the  Brain,  and  all  its  Mem- 
branes •,  hence  the  pernicious  Fil- 
thinefs  of  the  corrupted    Blood 
was  imparted  to  the  Marrow  of 
the   Spina,  or  Back-bone,    from 
the  firll  Knuckles  or   Joints    of 
which  arife  the  Nerves  of   the 
Hands  and  Fingers.     Thus  that 
Corruption,  falling  down,  doub- 
led  the   Difficulties,    irritating, 
and  filling,  or  choaking  up  the 
Ducfls  of  voluntary  Motion! 

Here  our  Tranilatour  has  o- 
mitted  tht;  latter  Part  of  the 
Verfe  above-cited,  in  which  his 
Authour  mentions  another  Symp- 
tom, that  attended  this  Difeafe  : 
viz.  a  Trembling  of  the  JointSj^ 

I  In  manibus  vero  trahier  nervi, 
3c  tremere  artus. 

Nov/,  according  to  the  Definition 
of  Phylicians,  Tremor  eft  Symf>- 
toma  in  adione  Isjfa  ',  and  this 
happens  when  the  voluntary  mo- 
tive Faculty  is  deprav'd,  by  rea- 
fon of  its  Difproportion  to  it{ 
own  Objecft,  \vhich  is  the  Body 
For,  fince,  in  the  Concretion  o 
Annuals,  the  Elemenes  ©f  Fartl 


And 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  76 

1 1 55  And  Cold  crepe  from  che  Feet,  and  fpread  o'er  all  : 

N  O  T  i7  5, 

and  Water  are  predominant,  and 
lince  they  are  for  that  Reafon  by 
Nature  heavy,  whatever  moves, 
would  by  natural  Inclination  al- 
ways defcend,  unlefs  the  motive 
Faculty  fuftain'd  and  kept  it  up  : 
and  if  that  Faculty  be  ftrong, 
and  in  due  Order,  all  Things 
are  perforni'd  aright,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  ftritjt  Command 
of  the  Will  :  but  if  that  Faculty 
be  wcaken'd  or  diforder'd  ;  then 
there  immediately  arifes  a  com- 
plicated Motion,  which  is  cail'd 


Ton;  inafmuch  a?,  by  Nature, 
they  are  both  thinofFloHi,  and 
abound  with  Nerves  ;  yec  they 
grow  cold  befides,  by  realbn  oV 
their  Diftance  from  thewixmzik 
Parts  of  the  Body  ;  the  Heat  re- 
treating to,  and  gathering  itfelf 
together  in,  the  Jireail,  in  al- 
moft  all  Fevers,  except  in  the 
bileous  and  burning  ;  and  unlefs 
too  the  Difeafe  be  nialagnant,  as 
this  at  Alliens  was.  Galen,  in 
his  Comment  on  Epid^  3.  teaches 
the  Caufes  of  this  Coldnefs  of 
a  Trembling;  and  that  proceeds  I  their  Feet  :  If  the  Difeafe,  fays 
from  the  motive  Faculty's  endea- 1  he,  be  malignant,  the  extreain 
vouring  to  lift  up  the  Member*  |  Parts  grow  cold,  by  reafon  of  the 
which,  at  the  fame  Time,  by  its  |  Decay  of  Strength,  and  the  Great- 
Own  natural  Inclination,  is  ftri-jnefs  of  the  Inflammation,  thac 
ving  to  fink  down.  Galen,  in  his  |  attracfls  the  whole  Mafs  of  Blood 
Treatife,  de  Trem.  Palp.  cap.  3,1  to  itfelf:  for  without  thefe,  the 
brings  a  very  evident  Example  of  Difeafe  is  never  mortal.  And  the 
this  alternate  Endeavour  of  the  f  fame  Awthour,  in  his  Commenc 
Faculty  and  Member  :  I  prefume,  |  on  thisAphorifm  of  Hippocrates, 
fays  he,  you  have  feen,  how  a  I  In  great  Pains  of  the  Belly,  a 
Man's  L^gs  will  tremble,  if  he  Coldnefs  of  the  extream  Parts  is 
ilrives  to  run  apace  with  a  weigh- 1  an  ill  Sign,  compiizes  this  whole 
ty  Burden  on  his  Shoulders  :  and  j  Matter  in  a  few  Words,  The 
how  his  Hands  too  will  tremble, .' Coldnefs  of  the  extream  Parts, 


if  he  attempts  to  lift  up,  and  car 
ry,  a  Weight  fuperiour  to  his 
Strength.  Thus  Galen  :  and  this 
ihews  the  Reafon  of  the  Tremb- 
ling of  the  Joints,  as  well  in  old 
Age,  as  in  Difeafes  :  Well  there- 
fore mi^ht     their     Limbs    and 


fays  he,  is  caus'd  by  the  Violence 
of  the  Inflammation  in  the 
Bowels:  Itproceeds  likewife  from 
the  Defetftion  and  Decay  of  the 
vital  Faculty  ;  which  happens 
whenever  the  natural  Heat  is  ei- 
ther extinguiHi'd,  or  fuffocated. 


Joints  tremble,  the  Strength  of  1  by  reafon  of  the  great  Quantity 
whofe  motive  Faculty, info  great  of  it,  then  chiefly,  when  it  be 
and  various  a  Confticft,  was  ex-  comes  cold  :  It  is  occaljon'd  be 
treamly  impair'd,  and  carry'd  fides  by  ?,ny  violent  Pain,  that 
headlong  to  utter  Deftrudion. 

1 1 55.  And   Cold,  &c.]    This 
Verie  runs  thus  in  the  Original :    Kacurc  is  contracted  into  itfelf, 

and  the  Blood  repairs  to  it,  aban- 


fiezes  the   middle  Parts  of  the 
Body  ;  and   by  means  of  which 


A  pedibufque  nilnutatim  fuccc-   doning  not    only 
dere  frigus  Parts  of  the  Bodv 

Kon  dubitabat.' 


the  extream 

;  as  the  Feet, 

the  Hands,  and   the  Head  ;  but 

the  whole  Skin  likewife  :    Thus 

The  Symptoms  grow  ftill   more   Galen  :  and  hence  we  lee,why  the 

•and  more  dangerous  :  for,  tho'it   natural.  Heat,  that  was  attack'd 

cannot  be  controverted,  that  the  |  by  fo  many  Enemies,  languiili'd 

Feet  are  cppl   »o,t  wirhout  Rqa- 1  and  decay'd,  minutatini;  as  Lu- 

^  5  E  2  <?,r?(;4^% 


LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

And  when  Death  came  at  laft,  it  chang'd  the  Nose, 
And  made  it  Sharp,  and  prefs'd  the  Nostrils  clofe  j 
HoIk)w*d  the  Temples,  forc'd  the  Eye-balls  in ; 

And 
N  O  T  £  5. 


cretius  cxprelTes  it,  by  little  and 
little,  till  at  length  a  Coldnefs 
of  the  extream  Parts  fucceeded  in 
its  Place  j  and  that  too,  perhaps, 
not  without  a  Lividnefs  of  Co- 
lour ;  both  which  are  fatal  To- 
kens in  all  acute  Difeafes. 

11^6.  And  when,  &c.3  Here 
the  Poet  begins  to  defcribe  the 
Symptoms  of  an  imminent  and 
near-approaching  Death,  which 
difcover'd  themfelves  in  the  Face 
of  the  InfecJled.  Now,  of  all 
the  feveral  Parts,  that  compofe 
the  human  Face,  the  Preference 
is  juftly  due  to  the  Nofe  and 
Noftrilsj  becaufe  of  the  Comeli- 
nefs  they  add  to,  or  detrad  from, 
the  whole  Structure  of  the  Face  : 
according  to  which  Opinion  Ho- 
race fung  long  ago  j 

Kon  magis  efie  vclim,  quam  pra- 

Yo  vivere  nafo 
Specftandum  nigris  oculis,  nigro- 

que  capillo. 

But,  tho%  as  Galen,  in  his  Book 
de  opt.  fee.  cap.  26.  truly  ob- 
ferves,  acuminated  Noftrils,  and 
hollow  Eyes  are,  in  fome,  To- 
kens of  Death  ;  but  natural  in 
pthers :  yet  in  the  difeas'd  Athe- 
nians, of  whom  our  Poet  is 
fpeaking,  they  were  preternatu- 
ral, and  proceeded  from  the 
Force  of  the  Difeafe,  which  had 
overpower'd  the  Strength  of  the 
JBody  :  Since  therefore  the  Coun- 
tenance of  the  Sick  was  very  un- 
like, and  different  from,  the 
Afpeci  of  the  Healthy,  tho'  hut 
in  one  part  of  it ;  we  may  well, 
with  Hippocrates,  in  Progn.  c.  5. 
©ail  it  a  moft  dangerous  Sym- 
ptom :  For  a  fliarp  Nofe  and  com- 
^irefs'd  Jso.itnlsj  on  :ni^ny  Ac- 


counts, portend  the  worft  that 
can  happen.  The  Nofe  itfelf  is 
composed  of  two  Subftances ;  the 
one  cartilaginous,  the  other  bony : 
The  bony  Part  of  it  remains  al- 
ways firm  and  unfliaken  ;  nor  is 
it  expos'd  to  any  Motion  or  Da- 
mage ;  but  the  cartilaginous  or 
griftly  Subftance  of  it  is  fubjed 
to  both :  for  in  the  firft  place, 
the  Wings,  or  round  Rifings  on 
either  lide  of  the  Nofe  are  mov*d 
naturally  by  their  own  Mufdes : 
of  which  you  may  confultat  large 
Julius  CalTerius,  in  his  accurate 
Treatife,  de  Fabrica  Nafi  •,  but 
with  this  Caution  never thelefsjuot 
to  take  the  two  Mufdes,  which 
he  lately  invented,  for  the  Jani- 
tores,  as  he  calls  them,  Porteys 
of  the  Nofe,  till  Ufe  and  Expe- 
rience convince  us,  that  we  can, 
whenever  we  lift,  comprefs  the 
Nofe,  and  contracft  or  ftraiten 
the  Palfages  of  it.  But  that  ex- 
tream Part  of  the  Nofe,  becaufe 
it  is  more  carneous,  and  contains 
more  Humidity  than  the  other, 
is  fooner  affeded  by  Difeafes  : 
and  what  great  Neceflity  foeveir 
urges,  the  innate  Power  of  Mo- 
tion is  taken  away  from  the  Muf- 
des, whenever  Nature  is  over- 
power'd, and  worn  out  by  Dif- 
eafe :  Hence  the  Noftrils  are  com- 
prefs'd  *,  and,  what  neceflarily 
follows,  the  Cartilage  and  Muf- 
cles  of  the  Nofe  being  grown  dry, 
the  globulous  Part  of  it  is  atte- 
nuated and  contracted. 

1 1 58..  HoUow'd,  dec.']  The 
Caufes  of  thefe  Events  we  learn 
from  Galen,  who,  in  Comnien?. 
Progn.  teaches,  that  fuch  Acci- 
dents proceed,  either  from  fome 
Caufe  that  waftes  and  corrup;;s 
the  carneous  P^rts  Qi  Ajiimah, 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  76^ 

And  chili'd,  and  harden'd  all,  and  ftretch'd  the  Skin; 
1 160     They  lay  not  long,  but  foon  did  Life  refign  • 
The  Warning  was  but  ihort,  eight  Days  or  nine. 

If 

NOTES. 


or  from  the  Weaknefs  and  De- 
cay of  the  naturalHeat,  which  can 
no  longer  extend  icfelf  into  the 
cxtream  Parts  of  the  Body  •,  but 
remains  in  little  Quantity  con- 
fin'd  to  the  Bowels  only.  Beiides ; 
it  always  happens  in  thefe  Cafes, 
that  fo  great  a  Portion  of  Blood 


varies  a  little  :  for  his  Words  are 

3S  follows  :  Kct/  TO  crccjjLO.,  oaoy  isi^ 

^I'/o     01     fcsT^eisoi        hoi'lcfjiot     %j 


and  Spirits  flows  not  to  the  ex-j*?^,  zri  Ix^^^^  t;  (TW/^sto?  * 
treara  Parts  of  the  Body,  as  did  j  that  is  to  fay  :  As  long  as  the  Dif- 
before,  when  Nature  was  fully  j  eafe  was  at  the  Height,  their  Bo- 
provided  with  them:  for  which!  dies  wafted  not,  but  refifted  the 
iveafon,  a  great  alteration  of  the  |  Torment  beyond  all  Expectation, 
natural  Habit  of  Body  is  appa-j  infomuch  that  moft  of  them  dy'd 


rcntly  difcern'd  in  the  Face  :  and 
thefe  are  the  Caufes,  that  the 
Eyes  firft  of  all  are  contracted 
and  hollow 'd  :  For,  being  of  a 
fofter  Subftance  than  the  other 
Parts,  they  fwell  and  protuberate 
when  they  are  fupply'd  with  a 
fufficient  Qiiantity  of  Spirits;  but 
for  want  thereof,  they  fink  in 
and  fubfide.  Add  to  this,  that 
the  Mufdes  of  the  Temples  are 
confum'd  and  wafted  away,  by 
the  Malignancy,  or  by  the  Diu- 
turnity,  of  the  Difeafe  •,  and  dif- 
abled  Nature  is  render'd  incapa- 
jbleto  repair  that  Lofs  :  Hence 
the  Temples  are  hollow'd,  and, 
I  the  jugal  Bone  being  prominent, 
the  Eyes  feem  to  be  funk  within 
;heir  Sockets. 

1 1 59.  Andchlll'd,  Scc.l  Thefe 
Effedls,  according  to  Galen,  pro- 
ceeded from  the  lame  Caufes  we 
mention'd  before  in  the  Note  on 
y.  1 1 55.  where  we  produc'd  the 
Authority  of  that  Authour. 

ii(f>o.  They  lay^  &c.]  In  thefe 
two  Yerfes  the  Poet  tells  us,  that 
they  dy'd  generally  the  eighth  or 
ninth  Day  after  they  were  taken 
f^l^;    fron^  which  Thucydi^es 


of  their  inward  Burning,  in  nine 
or  feven  Days,  and   whilft  they 
yet  had  Strength.  Whoever  delires 
to  be  fatisfy'd  of  the  Power  of 
thefe  critical  Days,  in  judging  of 
Difeafes,  may  confult  Galen,  de 
Crifibus  de  dieb.  decretor.  where 
his  Curiofity  will  be  abundantly- 
contented.     I  will  only  take  No- 
tice,   that  the  Peftilence,  which 
rag'd  in  Italy,  in  the  Year  1548. 
was  much  more   violent  at  the 
time  of  its  iirft  breaking  out  : 
I  for,  as  Guido  Cauiiacus  relates, 
they  dy'd    within  three   Days  af- 
ter they  fell   fick  :  and  the  Flo- 
rentine Hiftorian,  Mattheo  Yil- 
lano,  fpeaking  of  the  fame  Plague , 
fays  ;  e  morivano,  chi  di  fubito, 
chi  in  due,  e  chi  in  tre  di  :  i.  e. 
and  they  dy'd,  fome  fuddainly, 
fome  in  two,  and  fome  in  three 
Days.     And  the  Plague  that  dc- 
folated  the  fame  Countrcy  in  the 
Year    i6'^i.   was  fcarce   lefs  vio- 
lent •,  for  it  fnatch'd   them  away 
in  three,  or  four  Days  at  mol^, 
fay  the  Authours  who  have  writ- 
ten of  it. 


766  LUCRETIUS,  Book  VI, 

,    If  any  liv*d,  and  fcap'd  the  fatal  Day,  7 

And  if  their  Looseness  purg'd  the  Plague  away,  ^ 
Or  Ulcers  drain'd;  yet  they  would  foon  decay:  3 
1165  Their  Weakness  kill'd  them:  Or  their  poison'd 
Blood, 
AndSTRENGTHjWith  horrid  Pains, 'thro' Noftrils  fiow'd» 
But  thofe  that  felt  no  Flux,  the  ftrong  Difeafe 
Did  oft  defcend,  and  wretched  Members  fieze  : 

And 

NOTES- 


1162.  If  any,  &c.]  Here  the 
Poet  tells  us  in  13.  v.  that  if  any 
chanc'd  to  efcape,  as  indeed  feme 
of  them  did,  yet  even  they  were 
forc'd  to  compound  for  their 
Lives,  with  the  lofs  of  fome  of 
their  Members,  either  their  Eyes, 
or  their  privy  Parts,  or  Feet,  or 
Hands  :  for  the  whole  Virulence 
of  the  Difeafe,  falling  upon  thofe 
Parts  of  the  Body,  caus'd  fo  great 
a  Corruption,  that,  for  fear  of 
Death,  they  were  neceftitated  to 
fubmit  to  an  Amputation  of 
them.  Nay,  fays  he,  fo  great 
an  Oblivion  of  all  things  liez'd 
upon  fome,  that  they  knew  not 
even  their  own  felves,  nor  remem- 
ber'd  who'they  were. 

11(^3.  And  if,  &c.]  This  too 
Xucretius  has  taken  from  Thu- 
cydides,  who  fays :  'Et  iictrpJ^ojsv, 

If,  fays  he,  they  efcap'd  that 
(their  inward  Burning)  then  the 
Difeafe  falling  down  into  their 
Bellies,  and  caufing  there  great 
Exulcerations,  and  immoderate 
Loofenefs,  they  dy'd,  many  of 
them,  afterwards  thro'  Weak- 
nels. 

11^5.  Or  their  polfon'd  Blood, 
&C.3  A  Pain  in  the  Head  is  very 
firequent  in  ail  peitilential  Difea- 
fes  :  nay-,  fome  have  thought  fit 
to  place  it  among  the  forerunning, 
Tokens  of  an  arsoroaching  Plaque. 


But  the  Pain,  mentioned  by  Lu- 
cretius, proceeded  not  from  i 
cold,  or  vaporous  Caufe  ;  but 
from  too  great  a  Quantity  of 
corrupted  Blood  ;  which  opprcfs'e 
the  Head  with  its  Weight;  in- 
flam'd  it  with  its  Heat,  and,  by 
its  Malignancy,  diforder'd  the 
Membranes  of  the  Brain.  Hence 
Nature,  rowzing  up  to  her  own 
Relief,  endeavour'd  to  expel  the 
offenfive  Humour  thro'  the  Paf- 
fagesof  the  Noftrils,  which  are 
the  proper  Emun(ftories  of  the 
Head  :  But  fince  the  Blood,  be- 
fides  its  over-abundance,  was  re- 
pleniili'd  with  a  certain  Virulen- 
cy,  it  grew  cxtreamly  refracftorj 
and  rebellious  to  Nature,  and  the 
whole  Mafs  of  it,  all  at  once, 
flow'd  to  the  Place,  where  it  had 
found  an  open  Paflfage  ;  and  there 
di fcharg'd  itfelf,  even  as  a  rapid 
Torrent,  whofe  Mound  is  thrown 
down,  pours  out  all  its  Waters 
thro'  the  gaping  Breach  :  No 
Wonder  therefore,  that,  as  Lu- 
cretius fays, 

Hue  hominis  tota:  vires,  corput- 

que  fi achat. 

1167.  But  thofe.  Sec."]  The  Lofs 
of  their  Members,  which  Lucre- 
tius mentions  in  thefe  6.  v.  fol- 
lowing, is  defcrib'd  by  the 
Hiftorian,    in     thefe    Words  : 


Book  VL  LUCRETIUS.  J67 

And  there  it  rag'd  with  cruel  Pains  and  Smart  j 
1 170  Too  weak  to  kill  the  Whole,  it  took  a  Part  : 

Some  loft  their  Eyes,  and  fome  prolong'd  their  Breath,' 
By  lofs  of  Hands  :  fo  ftrong  the  Fear  of  Death  1 

The 
NOTES. 


hixovori '  Schol.)  ftfeiT'SVoj'Jo,  t&Tv 

r&TCDY  Sii(pivyovy  eiVt  o  o'  ^  '^^^ 
ifpSctAfdoTv.  Thucyd.  FortheDif- 
jafe,  fays  he,  which  iirft  of  all 
cook  the  Head,  ( fee  above 
V.  1 1 04.)  began  above,  and  came 
(Sown,  and  pafs'd  through  the 
whole  Body  :  and  whoever  over- 
came the  worft  of  it,  was  never- 
thelefs  mark'd  with  the  lofs  of 
fome  of  his  extream  Parts :  for 
breaking  out  both  at  their  privy 
Members,  and  at  their  Fingers 
and  Toes,  many  efcap'd  with  the 
lofs  of  thefe  only  :  There  were 
fome  likewife  that  loft  their  Eyes. 
Thus  Thucydides :  Yet  it  might, 
one  would  think,  have  been  ex- 
pe<fted,  that  they,  who  had  had 
fo  copious  a  Difcharge  of  cor- 
rupted Blood  thro'  the  Noftrils, 
would,  for  the  Future,  have  been 
exempted  from  any  frefli  At- 
tack :  but  Galenjiib.  i.  deCrifib. 
cap.  3.  folves  this  Difficulty; 
and  teaches  :  That  Bleeding  at 
Kofe  maybe  beneficial,  if  it  hap- 
pen at  a  due  Time  ;  but  that 
orherwife  it  is  rather  prejudicial. 
Now  the  corrupted  and  virulent 
Humours,  that  wander'd  all  over 
the  Bodies  of  the  Infecfied,  may, 
v'jth  reafon  he  believ'd  to  have 
fallen  upon  fome  of  the  Mem- 
bers, rather  than  upon  others; 
and  particularly,  as  Lucretius, 
after  Thucydides,  fays. 


.in  partes  genitales  cor- 


poris ipfas. 
Of  which  our  Tr^nflAtour  takes 


no  Notice.  But  the  Reafon,  why 
the  Corruption  fell  chiefly  on 
thofe  Parts,  is,  becaufe  of  the 
Familiarity  and  Sympathy  be- 
tween them,  and  the  Members 
that  ferve  to  Refpiration :  For, 
we  have  heard  already,  that  the 
greateft  Part  of  the  Difcas'd  la- 
bour'd  under  a  Peripneumony,or 
Inflammation  of  the  Lungs, 
which  had  occafion'd  a  violent 
Cough  ;  and  in  thofe  Cafes,  as 
Hippocrates  fays  feveral  Times 
of  his  own  Experience,  the  Mat* 
ter  generally  difcharges  itfelf  on 
the  privy  Parts  :  therefore  it  is 
not  ftrange,  that,  for  fear  of 
Death,  thofe  Wretches  furfer'd 
an  Amputation  of  their  Puden- 
da ;  and,  as  Lucretius  lings, 

Vivebant  ferro  privati  parte  vi- 
rili. 

Of  which  too  our  Tranflatour  is 
wholely  filent.  And  we  may 
ealily  believe,  that  the  Defluxion 
of  Humours  on  thofe  Parts,  oc- 
cafion'd  fuch  a  Corruption,  as 
reduc'd  Phyflcians  to  their  lall: 
Remedies,  Amputation  and  Fire, 
fince  Galen,  in  his  Comment  on 
Epidem.  3.  firmly  avouches^  that, 
even  where  there  is  no  peftilen- 
tial  Infedion,  if  an  Inflamma- 
tion, or  an  Eryfipelas,  fiezes  oni 
thefe  Parts,  they  very  foon  cor- 
rupt, and  affecf^  the  fuperiour 
Parts  of  the  Body  :  fo  that  we 
are  neceflitated,  fays  he,  to  cut 
away  the  Putrefaction,  and  to 
feer  the  Place,  as  being  the  Root 
of  the  Difeafc. 

1 1 7 1 .  Some  loft  their  Eyes,  &c,3 
Galen,  in  Com.  Epidem.  3.  al- 
cribes  the  Caufe  of  this  lofs  of 
M^mberSj    only   to  the    Putre- 

fa<ition 


768  L  U  C%  E  T  I  U  S.  Book  VI 

The  Minds  of  fome  did  dull  Oblivion  blot ; 
And  they  their  Adions,  and  themfelves,  forgot. 


I 


N  0  T  £  5. 


And 


laaion  of  the  Humours  •,  the  Na- 
ture of  which  is  to  corrupt  the 
Parts  on  which  it  fiezes.  Here 
Lucretius  is  carp'd  at  by  P.  Vic- 
torius,  in  var.  Lecftion.  for  not 
having,  as  he  pretends,  kept  clofe 
enough  to  the  Narration  of  Thu- 
cydides  :  He  is  excus'd  however 
by  Lanibinus ;  whom  Hierony- 
jrnus  Mercurialis,  lib.  3.  var. 
Ledion.  cap.  12.  accufes  of  be- 
ing a  Plagiary,  in  the  Defence  he 
makes  for  our  Authour. 

1 173.  The  Minds,  &c.]  Thu- 
cydides  in  like  manner.  T«5-  0 
X,  aviOm  i^cLju^ccvi  ^%ci'']/5tct  ctva- 
Soiv%^  Cvyidvl&L^'  Scholi )  t^v 
'nralvloov  ouoiio^.  )o  viy)/ox\(Tct.y  <r(^fflg 

That  is  to  fay  :  And  many  of 
them,  prefently  upon  their  Re- 
covery, were  taken  with  fuch  an 
Oblivion  of  all  things  whatfo- 
ever,  that  they  neither  knew 
themfelves,  nor  their  Acquain- 
tance. Tho'  the  lofs  of  Memory 
be  not  uncommon  in  acute  Dif- 
eafes,  yet  it  is  frequent  in  Chro- 
nical Diftempers,  that  are  of  a 
long  Duration.  It  is  related  of 
Bencdifftus  Florettus,  a  Perfon 
of  univerfal  Learning,  who  liv'd 
in  the  laft  Age,  that  having  long 
ftruggled  with  a  Difeafe  of  eight 
M  onths  Continuance,  he  at  length 
overcame  his  Adverfary  ;  but  in 
the  Conflicft  had  intirely  forgot 
the  Greek  Tongue,  of  which  he 
had  been  a  great  Mafter  ;  as  like- 
wife  the  Rules  of  metrical  Num- 
bers in  all  Languages  whatfoever. 
Kor  does  the  Memory  decay 
through  the  Means  of  Difcafes 
only,  but  of  old  Age  lilcewife; 
and  fometimes  too  it  is  loft  even 
in  the  Vigour  and  full  Strength 
of  Life,  either  by  external,  or 
internal  Caufes :  Well  there- 
fore may  we  declaim  with  Pliny, 


Memoria  nihil  arque  fragile  eft 
in  homine,  morborum,  &  cafiis 
injuria?,  atque  etiam  metus  feii- 
tiens ;  alias  particulatim,  aliiis 
univerfim,  cap.  24..  There  is  no- 
thing, fays  he,  in  Man  fo  frail 
as  his  Memory  ',  it  being  obnoxi- 
ous to  the  Injuries  of  Difeafes 
and  Accidents,  nay,  even  of  Fear  : 
fometimes  it  is  loft  in  Part,  fome- 
times totally.  We  need  not  there- 
fore be  aftonifli'd,  that  they, 
who  were  vifited  with  the  moft 
acute  of  all  Difeafes,  a  virulent 
Plague,  loft  their  Memory.  The 
only  Caufe  of  which  was  the  Cor- 
ruption of  the  Humours,  which 
had,  as  I  may  fay,  laid  violent 
Hands  on  Nature,  and  alienated 
the  Parts  from  their  due  Con- 
ftitution.  It  is  indeed  hard  to 
explain  the  Manner  how  this 
comes  to  pafs  :  but  it  is  almoft 
generally  held,  tho'  fome  few  are 
of  another  Opinion,  that  lofs  of 
Memory  proceeds,  not  only  from 
a  cold  and  humid  Diftempera- 
ture,  but  from  a  dry  likewife: 
for  Galen,  3.  de  loc.  aff.  relates 
of  his  own  Knowledge,  that  this 
Misfortune  happened,  through 
Drynefs,  to  a  certain  ftudious,  fe- 
dentary  Perfon,  and  to  a  fturdy, 
labouring  Peafant.  The  Biiliop' 
of  Rochefter,  in  the  following 
Verfes,  finely  defcribes  thefe  Mi- 
feries  ofthefurviving  Athenians ; 
who  had  been  viliced  with  tljat 
fatal  Peftilence, 

But  if  thro'  Strength,  or  Heat  of 

Age, 
The  Body  overcame  its  Rage  ; 
The  vanquifli'd  Evil   took  from 

them, 
Who  conquer'd  itj   fome    Parf^ 

fome  Limb  : 
Some  loft  the  life  of  Hands,  ot 

Eyes  *, 
Some,  Arms  J  fomej  Legs;  fome. 


Thighs. 


Some 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


T 175      And  tho*  the  fcacter'd  Bodies  naked  hy. 


7^9 


Yet  Beasts  refus'd  ^  the  Birds  fled  all  away,         > 

And  us*d  their  Wings  to  fhun  their  eafy  Prey  :         J 

They  fled  the  Stench  ;  whom  Tyrant  Hungerprefs'd,? 

And  forc'd  to  tafte,  he  prov'd  a  wretched  Guest  -  ^ 

1 80  The  Price  was  Life  :  It  was  a  coftly  Feaft  1  ^ 

Few 
NOTES, 


Some  all    their  Lives    before 
forgot ; 

Their  Minds  were  but  one  dar- 
ker Blot : 

Thofe  various  Pidlures  in  the 
Head, 

And  all  the  num'rous  Shapes 
were  fled  : 

And  now  the  ranfack'd    Me- 
mory 

Languifli'd   in  naked  Pover- 
ty, 
i     And  loft  its  mighty  Treafury  ; 
I  They  pafs'd  the  Lethe  Lake,  al- 
tho'  they  did  not  die. 

Plague  of  Athens,  Stan.  13. 

1 175.  And  tho',  &c.]  Inthefe 
i2.  v.  the  Poet  defcribes  the  great 
I  Corruption,  that  attended  this 
jPeftilence  :  and  which,  fays  he, 
iwas  fo  exceffivc,  that  even  the 
Birds  and  Bcafts  of  Prey,  but 
:rpecially  the  Dogs,  who  had  taft- 
?d  of  the  dead  Bodies ,  dropt 
down  dead  immediately  :  Nay, 
To  noifome  was  the  Stench  of  the 
Linbury'd  Carcaffes,  that  neither 
in  Athens,  nor  around  the  City, 
were  any  ravenous  Birds  ieen  by 
I  Day,  nor  any  wild  Beafts  by 
jNight.  In  like  manner  Thucydi- 
:des,  Ta  ^  ^'pi'Sct  ^  T/Z^TrotTct,  ooa 
tt\^pco7rct}v  doVIs''),  ■•3Lro?v^a)'v  alTcl<bcov 

viiu  S'iz(pe^ipi}o,  i.  e.  The  Birds 
ind  Beafts,  that  us'd  to  feed  on 
luman  FleHi,  tho'  many  Bodies 
"ay  abroad  unbury'd,  either  came 
lot  at  them  ;  or,  if  they  tafted, 
Dorifli'd.  Thus  too  the  Bifli.op 
3f  Rochefter.in  the  Poem  above- 
?itedj  Stanza  i8, 


Scattered  in  Fields  the  Bodies 
lay  : 
The  Earth  call'd  to  the  Fowls  to 
take  their  Flefli  away  : 
In  vain  ilie  call'd  j  they  came 
not  nigh, 
Nor  would  their  Food  with  their 

own  Ruin  buy  •, 
But,  at  full  Meals,  they  hunger, 

pincj  and  die  : 
The  Vultures  afar  off  beheld  the 
Feaft, 
Rejoic'd,     and     call'd    their 

Friends  to  tafte  : 
They  rally'd  up  their  Troops 
in  hafte  : 
Along  came  mighty  Droves, 
Forfook  their  young  Ones,  and 
their  Groves  •, 
Each  one  his  native  Mountain, 

and  his  Neft  : 
They  come  ;  but  all  their  Car- 
caffes abhor ; 
And  now  avoid  the  dead  Men 
more. 
Than   weaker  Birds    the  living 

Men  before  : 
But  if  fome  bolder  Fowl  the  Fleili 
elTay, 
They  were  deftroy'd   by  their 
own  Prey. 

1 178.  They  fled  the  Stench -,3 
Thucydides  lays  only,  that  they 
came  not  near  the  dead  Bodies, 
but  gives  not  the  Reafon  of  it  i 
that  is  to  fay,  whether  it  hap- 
pened out  of  any  natural  In- 
ftind,  which  is  often  obfcrv'd 
in  Brutes  ;  or  whether  any  of 
their  Senfes  gave  them  Notice  of 
the  Danger.  But  Lucretius  takes 
away  this  Difficulty,  and  faysj 
that  the  wary  Birds  and  Beafts  of 
Prey  were  admonilli'd  by  theit' 
\  F  Smell  j 


'no  LUCRETIUS,  Book  VI. 

Few  Birds  appear'd  ;  no  Wing  could  ferve  for  Flight: 
The  Beasts  fcarce  dar'd  to  truft  themfelves  to  Night: 

The 
NOTES. 


Smell,  to  Iteep  away  from  the  I 
dead  CarcalTes,  uc  acrem,  fays 
^he,  exirent  odorem.  Now  of  ail 
thefeither'd  Kind,  the  Vulture 
is  faid  to  have  the  molt  exquifite 
^SmeJl,  or  even  to  know  betore- 
hand  where  he  iliall  find  his 
Prey.  This  is  confirm'd  beyond 
ail  Difpute,  if  we  may  credit 
Horus  ^gyptius,  a  very  antient 
Authour,  who  fays-,  That,  in 
Time  of  War,  Vultures  repair 
feven  Days  before,  to  a  Place 
where  a  Battel  will  be  fought  : 
and  even  that  they  haunt  chiefly 
about  that  Part  of  the  Army, 
where  the  greateft  Slaughter  will 
bs  made.  But,  allowing  this  to 
be  true,  it  can  not  be  afcrib'd  to 
their  Smell,  or  any  other  of  their 
Senfes,  but  rather  to  a  prefaging 
Inilind,  that  Nature  has  con- 
fer'd  upon  them  :  A  Credulity, 
which  Plautus  long  ago  derided, 
when  he  faid. 

Quail  vulturij  tridub  prius  divi- 

nabant,  quo  die  eiituri  lient. 
And  indeed,  who,  but  a  fuper- 
ftitious  Augur,  can  give  credic  to 
fo  extravagant  a  Notion  ;  or 
believe,  that  Vultures,  by  their 
Smell,  can  diftinguilh  between 
Bodies  that  are  co  die  in  a  few 
Days,  or  to  live  a  longer  time. 
The  Truth  is,  that  they  gene- 
nerally  keep  with  Armies,  be- 
caufe  they  feed  on  the  Garbage 
and  Offals  of  Beafts,  a  great 
Number  of  which  are  daily 
llain  for  the  Subfiftence  of  fuch 
a  Multitude  of  Men. 

1 18 1.  Few  Birds  &cO  Lucre- 
tius fays, 

Nee  tamen  omninb  temere  ijlis 

folibus  uila 
Comparebat  avis :  ■ 

This  too  is  confirm'd  by  Thucy- 


dides  in  thefe  Words  :  TsK/^/g^Oj, 
0  (viz.    modb  dida    vera    efle) 

i.  e.  An  Argument  that  what  I 
faid,  touching  the  Birds,  is  true^ 
was  the  manifeft  Defe(ft  of  fuch 
Fowl,  which  were  not  then  feen, 
neither  about  the  Carcalfes,  nor 
any  where  elfe. 

1 182.  The  Beads, &c.]  Lucre- 
tius, to  augment  the  Horrour, 
adds  this  Circumltance,  of  which 
Thucydides  is  filent  *,  That  even 
the  wild  Beafts  hid  themfelves  in 
their  Dens,  where  neverthelefs 
they  dy'd  at  length  of  the  Infe<fti- 
on  :  a  moft  certain  Argument, 
that  the  Difeafe  overcame  the 
Strength  of  all  mortal  Animals; 
and  that  too  not  only  of  the  Bo- 
dy, but  of  the  Mind  :  infomuch 
that  its  Rage  and  Cruelty,  far 
fur  mounted  all  E^ipreflion  of 
Words;  as  Thucydides  obferves, 
and  made  it  appear  to  be  a  kind 
of  Sicknefs,  which  exceeded  hu- 
mane Nature  in  the  Fiercenefs 
with  which  it  handled  every  one ; 
and  likewife  to  be  none  of  thofe 
Difcafes  that  are  bred  amongft 
us.  But  from  this  PaiTage  of  our 
Authour  we  may  m.ake  two  Ob- 
fervations :  Firft,  That  a  Plague 
is  common  to  all  Animals,  and 
propagated  from  Men  into 
Beafts ;  and,  on  the  contrary, 
from  Beafts  into  Men  :  Secondly, 
That  a  peftilential  Venom  does 
not  end  with  the  Life  ;  but  re- 
mains in  the  dead  Body;  tho'  it 
be  not  fo  virulent  by  reafon  of  the 
Want  of  Heat :  But  when  the 
putrilaginous  Heat  has  fucceedeJ 
in  the  Place  of  the  natural,  ite- 
mits  a  pernicious  and  fatal  Infedli* 
on,  as  may  be  prov'd  by  many 
Experiments ;     This    is    indeed 

contrc 


I 


Book  VI.         LUCRETIUS.  yjr 

The  Plague  walk'd  thro'  the  Woods  ;  in  ev'ry  Den 
They  lay, and  figh'd,  and  groan*d,and  dy'd,  like  Men. 
1185  Tiie  faithful  Dogs  did  Jie  in  evry  Street, 
An(i  dy'd  at  their  departing  Masters  Feet. 
Diforder'd  Funerals  were  hurry 'd  on  j 

No 
NOT   E  S. 


clearer.  For  To  Hobbes  has  ren. 
der'd  it  :  But  why  may  not  thg 
Q^^To  (tuvJiow'/ccSJ^,  be  rather  in- 
terpreted^ob  convidum,  becaufe 
of  their  eating  of  the  fame  fort 
of  Food  ?  For  it  not  only  indi- 
cates the  Contagion,  which  is 
the  moft  potent  Propagator  of 
PlagueSj  even  into  Men,  but  a 
certain,  1  know  not  what,  fick- 
ly  Preparative,  or  Analogy,  as 
they  call  it,  proceeding  from  a 
common  Food  with  particular 
Men.  Nardius  relates,  that  he 
knew  a  certain  Prince,  who  was 
taken  with  a  violent  Vomiting  of 
Blood,  that  was  occafion'd  by  aa 
external  Caufe  :  this  Prince  was 
extreamly  fond  of  one  of  his 
Grey-hounds ;  who,  not  long  af- 
ter, of  his  own  accord,  and  with- 
»^,.v.  ^,xvw«....  ^^c,.  u.  ft.uti  ^"^  having  receiv'd  the  leaft 
whom  Silius'ltaUrus'lTa^'copy^^^^^  J  Hurt,  vomited  Blood   likewife  ; 

I  till  at  length  he  dy'd,  waited 
with  a  long  Difeafe,  and  fwell'd 
with  a  Dropfie  ;  all  which  Acci- 
dents had  likewife  happen'd  to 
his  Matter:  and,  what  is  yet 
more  ft  range,  the  Bowels  of  both 
of  them  were  obferv'd  tobetaint- 


eontroverted  by  fbme  *,  but  to 
no  Purpofe  :  for  their  main  Ar- 
gument is,  the  Example  they 
dring  of  venomous  Animals  , 
which  neverthelefs,  they  fay,  re- 
tain no  Poifon  after  they  are 
kill'd  '.  But  common  Obfervati- 
on  abundantly  evinces  the  con- 
trary. 

1 185.  The  faithful  Dogs,  &c.] 
It  is  generally  teftify'd  by  all  Au- 
thours,  that  Dogs  have  been  firft 
infetf^ed  with,  and,  before  any 
other  Animals,  have  felt  the  firft 
Fury  of,  a  coming  Plague.  Thus 
Homer,  in  Iliad.  H.  expofes, 
jiu'iur  OLpyov^'y  the  white  Dogs 
firft  to  the  Infedion  :  And 

Strage  canum  primb, 

fays  Ovid  ;  Metam.  lib.  8.  after 


Vim  primi  fenfere  canes.- 


lib.  14, 

And  the  Reafon,  why  Dogs  feel 

the  firft  Attacks  of  a  peftilential, 

contagious  Difeafe, 

Euftath 

exquifite 

tvhich  ^lian 


-u.n  yiiuan  "^ewiie  approves. ;  j^^-^^j  ^j  during  the 
Others  blame  lihe  peftilent  Ex-  j  'J'^  ^^  ^^  \^  However, 
halationsof  the  Earth,  to  which,  1  ..       ^n  -^ 

fay  rhey,  the  Dogs,  by  reafon  of  l^'V^'^^^ 
their  Proximity  to   it,  are  moft  \  ^^^J  ^^^ 

obnoxious.     But  the  Opinion  ofj^. a:.:. 

Thucydides,  which  wemention'd 
before,  feems  the  moft  plaufible. 
'Oi  0  xi^'is> ,  fays  he,  yuaMov  ouo^u- 

TO  ^vv^imIa^:,  •  which  Hobbes 
thus  renders.  But  by  the  Dogs, 
becaufe  they  are  familiar  with 
Mqh,;  this  £yeiu  was  feen  much 


is  moft  notorious,  how  much 

Ceremony    the    An- 

d  more  particularly  the 

fuperfticious      Athenians,     v.-ere 

wont  to  beftow  on  the  Funerals 

of  their  Dead  :  Of  which  we  fliall 

have  occalion   to   fpeak  more  ac 

large  on  v.  1216.    Mean  while 

what  Lucretius  here  intimates  is. 

That  no  folem.n  Pomp  or  Rices 

v/ere  obferv'd  ;  that  no  Friends 

uor  Relations  attended  the  deaei 

r,  F  2  Bodies 


772  LUCRETIUS^  Book  VL 

No  decent  Mourners,  nor  a  friendly  Groan  : 
Kegledling  others  Fates,  all  wept  their  own. 

No 
1^  O  T  E  S. 


lies  to  their  funeral  Piles ; 
but  either  fuffer'd  them  to  lie 
abroad  unbury'd,  or  caft  them 
carelefslyon  the  Piles  that  had 
been  prepared  for  others.  This 
tumultuous  Diforder  of  their 
Funeralsjis  finely  defcrib'd  by  the 
Billiop  of  Rochefter, 

Mountains  of  Bones  ^nd  Car- 
cafTes 

The  Streets,  the  Market-Place 
pofTefs, 
Threat'ning  to  raife  a  new  Acro- 
polis. 

The  Woods  gave  fun*ral  Piles 
no  more  ; 

The  Dead  the  very   Fire  de- 
vour. 
And  that  almighty  Conqu'rour 
over-pow'r. 

The  noble  and    the   common 
Duft 

Into  each  others    Graves  are 
thruft  : 

Ho    Place   is    facred,  and  no 
Tomb  ; 

''Tis  now  a  Privilege  to  con- 
fume  : 

Their    Allies   no   Diftindion 
had  : 
Too  truly  all  by  Death  are  equal 

made  ; 
And  poor  Men's  Bones  the  noble 
Urns  invade. 


Plague  of  AtJiens,  Stanza  3 


o. 


■:  188.  No  decent  Mourners,  &c.] 
Tears  and  bewailing  the  Dead 
were  no  fmall  Part  of  funeral 
jExeguies;  whence  Servius  on  Vir- 
gil, 7£n.  11.  fays,  Sine  fietu  non 
eft  fepulcura  ;  the  Want  of  Tears 
Being  accounted  as  great  a  Mis- 
fortune, as  even  the  Deprivation 
©f  Funeral  itfelf.  Therefore  Vir- 
gil," in  ii^'n.  II.  joins  them  as 
alike  calamitous  -' 


Nos,  animje  viles,  inhumata,  in- 
fletaque  turba  : 

And  Ovid,  in  Metamorph.i  i. in- 
troduces the  drowned  Ceyx  ap- 
pearing, and  fpeaking  thus,  to 
Haley  one  : 

Surge,  age,  da  lacrymas,  lugu- 
briaque  indue,  nee  me 

Indeploratum  fub  inania  Tart^- 
ra  mitte. 

Which  Sandys  thus  renders ; 

Rife,  weep,  and   put  on  Black  5 

nor  undeplor'd. 
For  pity,  fend  me  to  the  Stygian 

Ford. 

For  the  Antients  believ'd  the 
Dead  to  be  comforted  and  de- 
lighted with  the  Tears  of  their 
furviving  Friends  :  And  this  is 
the  realon,  that,  in  the  antien^ 
Infcriptions  on  Tombs,  we  fo 
frequently  find, 

LACRIMAS  PQSUIT. 
CUM  LACRIMIS  POSUIT. 
LACRIMIS  ET   OPOBAL- 

SOMQ    UDUM  CONDI- 

DIT, 
TUMULUM      LACRIMIS 

PLENUM  DEDIT. 

and  the  like  ;  of  which  Quthe- 
rius,  de  Jure  Manium,  lib.  i, 
gives  many  Examples.  And  for 
this  Reafon  too  Manirius,  fpeak- 
ing of  this  Plague,  by  the  want  of 
fo  mean  and  ordinary  an  Obfe- 
quy,  aggravates  the  Miferies  of  a 
peftilential  Mortality,  by  which 
Mankind  is  depriv'd  of  all  the 
tender  Refentments  and  BeiiefitI 
of  com  mife  rating  Humanity. 
'   '    ■••"•",      ^ — — Fvnc?4 


Book  VI.         LUCRETIUS. 

1 1 90     No  common  Remedy  did  Health  impart 

To  all ;  Physick  was  grown  a  private  Art  : 

NOTES. 


77; 


For 


»■  Funera  deerant 

MortibuSj  &  lacrimie  :  felTos  de- 

fecerat  ignis  ; 
Et  coacervatis  ardebant  corpora 

membris. 

Manil.  lib.  i.  Y.SB6. 

Thefe  therefore  were  a  fadder 
(Cind  of  Funeral  than  that  which 
Virgil,  ^neid.  II.  gives  to  the 
laughter'd  Latines,  for  they  had 
/et  Wood  to  burn  them, 

;^«tera  confuf^eque  ingentem  cx- 

dis  acervum 
^^ec     numero,  nee  honore    cre- 

mant. 

Ipon  which  lait  Words  Guthe- 
ius  obferves ;  Nee  numero,  nee 
lonore  combufti  dicuntur,  qui 
onfufo  lignorum  acervo  lento 
abantur  igni,  multis  corpori- 
lus  fimul  congeftis.  And  this, 
y  Macrobius,  is  call'd  tumul- 
uarium  funus,  and  only  us'd  in 
alamitous  Accidents.  In  which 
Cind  of  promifcuous  Funerals,  it 
5  noted  by  the  fame  Authour, 
hat  it  was  ufual,  to  every  ten 
vlens  Bodies,  to  add  one  Wo- 
nans,  to  make  them  burn  the 
tetter.  Of  which  he  likewife 
;ives  this  Reafon  :  Quod  mulie- 
ifc  corpus  juvabat  ardencesviros, 
on  caloris  erat^  fed  pinguis  car- 
is,  &  oleo  fimilis.  Vide  Ma- 
robium,  Saturn,  lib.  7.  cap.  7. 

II 90.  No  common  Remedy, 
'Cc.']  In  thefe  6.  v.  the  Poet  re- 
ates,  that  all  the  Remedies  of 
•hyfick  were  apply'd  in  vain  : 
jr  the  Medicaments  that  fome 
3und  Good  by,  were  fatal,  and 
rought  Death  to  others.  In 
ke  'manner    top  Thucydides  * 


eiTreivy  on  x?^^  'ZD^cr(j)££^v')otS'  cv(pz' 

gfiAcc'Tr']^,  acvjuarl  ca/'?ot^)tss"  ovhSIv 
SiiCpcLvM  'ZD^V  cO/'to,  ic)(^vo^  t!:^    h 

Nor  was'  there 'any,  to  fay  cer- 
tain Medicine,  that,  apply'd, 
muft  have  help'd  them  :  For,  if 
it  did  good  to  one,  it  did  hurt 
to  another  :  nor  any  difference  of 
Body  for  Strength  or  Weaknefs, 
that  was  able  to  refift  it ;  but  it 
carry'd  all  away,  what  Phyfick 
foever  was  adminiflrred.  Thus 
Thucydides  :  And  upon  this 
PafTage  of  that  Hiftorian,  the 
Bifliop  of  Rochefter  ingenioufly 
Paraphrafes  : 

Phyficians  now  could  nought 
prevail  ; 
They  the  firft  Spoils  to  the  proud 
Vicftor  fall  ; 
Nor    would  the  Plague  their. 
Knowledge  truft, 
But  fear'd  their  Skill,  and  there- 
fore (lew  them  firft. 
So   Tyrants,  when  they    would 

confirm  their  Yoke, 
Firft  make  the  chiefeft  Men  to 

feel  the  Stroke ; 
The  chiefeft  and  the  wifeft  Heads, 
left  they 
Should  fooneft  difobey. 
Should  firft     rebel,    and    others 
learn  from  them  the  Way. 
No   Aid   of  Herbs,  or  Juices 

Pow'r  ; 
None  of  Apollo's  Arts  could 
cure. 
But  help'd  the  Plague  the  fpeedi- 
er  to  devour. 
Phyfick  itfelf  was  a  Difeafe; 
Phyfick  the  fatal  Tortures  did 
^ncreafe  i 

Pre- 


774  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VL 

For  that,  which  gave  to  one  frefli  Vigour,  Eafe, 
And  Health,  and  Strength,  and  conquer'd  the  Difeafe ; 

Evr 
hJ  O  T  E  S. 


Prefcriptions  did  the  Pains  re- 
new : 
And  ^fculapius  to  the  Sick  did 
come, 
As  afterwards  to  Rome, 
In  Form  of   Serpent :    and  he 
brought   new  Poifons  with 
him  too. 

Plague  of  Athens,  Stanza,  i  $. 

Common  Remedy]  The  na- 
tural Remedies,  that  are  us'd  in 
extinguifliing  and  driving  away 
a  peftilential  Difeafe,  are  of  two 
forts  :  for  fome  are  call'd  com- 
mon, others  particular.  The 
common  Remedies  are  Fires,  O- 
dours,  Firing  of  Guns,  a  ftricfl 
Regiment  of  Life,  and  what  is 
more  than  all  the  reft,  an  avoid- 
ing of  the  Contagion,  together 
with  an  Extermination  and  utter 
Deftrudion  of  all  things,  that 
may  retain  and  prefervc  the  In- 
fection, as  Cloaths,  Bedding,  and 
the  like :  as  likewife  to  aSfent 
from  all  Company  whatever  for 
a  certain  Time.  And,  whatever 
Lucretius  advances  to  the  con- 
trary, Hippocrates  is  faid  to  have 
bethought  himfelf  of  a  common 
Remedy  for  this  Plague  :  viz.  hy 
burning  Piles  of  fcented  Wood 
at  the  Corners  of  the  Streets. 
The  pai'ticuUr  Remedies  are 
thofe,  that  are  adapted  to  the 
Conftitution  and  Habit  of  Body 
of  each  Perfon  infecfted  :  and 
thefe  in  the  Cafe  of  the  Athenian 
Plague,  as  both  the  Hiftorian 
and  our  Poet  inform  us,  were  all 
tis'd  in  vain.  And  indeed,  in 
vain  hitherto  have  prov'd  ail  the 
Cares  and  Endeavours  of  Men  : 
and  the  Divine  Providence  has 
eluded  the  Attempts  of  thofe 
bragging  Charlatans,  who  boaft 
©f  their  Panaceas  ,  Amulets , 
^n4  infallible  Remedies  againft 


the  Plague,  and  ofcen  compels 
them  dearly  to  rue  their  enor- 
mous Temerity  t  Not  that  1 
would  be  underftood  to  mean, 
that  the  Care  of  the  Sick  ought 
to  be  committed  to  Fortune  on 
ly  :  for  there  is  an  Honour  juft 
ly  due  to  Medicaments^  that  fup 
port  the  vital  Faculty,  and  con 
tain  ic  within  its  due  Bounds  ja 
there  is  likewife  to  Topicks,  v^hei 
Experience  has  once  eftablifl\'< 
and  confirmed  the  Ufefulnefs  o 
them.  But  what  I  fay  is,  tha 
the  fupream  Wifdom  has  hither 
to  deny'd  to  Mortals,  to  find  ou 
any  univerfal  and  certain  Alexi 
cacon  for  the  Plague.  An( 
therefore  Mattheo  Villano,fpeak 
ingofthe  Plague  that  rag'd  ii 
the  Year  i  54.8.  fays.  That  th 
Phyficians,  in  any  Part  of  th 
World,  could  not,  cither  by  Na 
tural  Philofophy,  or  by  Phyfici 
or  by  the  Art  of  Aftrology,  fin( 
out  any  Remedy ,  or  certaii 
Cure  for  it  :  That  fome  of  then 
indeed ,  out  of  Covetoufnefs 
went  to  viiit  the  Sick,  and  gav< 
them  their  Remedies  \  but  tha 
by  their  own  Death  they  evinc't 
the  Vainnefs  of  their  Art,  leavinj 
their  Lives  as  a  Reftitution  fo 
the  Money  they  had  unjufth 
taken.  E  i  Medici,  fays  he,  ir 
catuna  parte  del  Mundo,  pc 
Filofofia  naturale,  6  per  Fifica 
b  per  Arte  d'  Aftrologia,  nor 
hebbono  Argomento,  neveracu 
ra.  Alqtianti  per  guadagnar 
andarono  vifitando,  e  dando  lo 
ro  argonienti,  i  quali,  per  lo 
ro  morte,  monftrarono  1'  artr 
eiTer  fida,  e  non  vera  t  afTai  pei 
Cofcienza  lafciarono  a  reftituer( 
i  danari,  che  di  cio  havevano  pre  | 
fi  indebitamente. 

1 1 92.  For  that,    &C.3     Froir 

what  Lucretius,  after  Thucydi- 

desj  fays  in   th^s  and  the  thret 

followip., 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


11  i 


Ev'n  the  Tame  Thing,  with  equal  Art  apply 'd, 
1 195  Another  took,  and  by  the  Physick  dy'd. 
All  the  INFECTED  lay  in  deep  Despair, 
Fxpcding  coming  Death  with  conftant  Fear ; 
Pale  Ghosts  did  walk  before  their  Eyes,  and  fright : 
No  dawning  Hopes  broke  thro' their  difmal  Night, 
1 200  No  Thoughts  of  Help  :  This  was  a  grievous  III,  (kill. 
This  (liarpen'd  the  Plagues  Rage  j  thefe  Fears  did 

Bcfides, 
NOTES. 


following  Verfes,  we  may  gather 
this  Obfervation  ;  that  in  each 
Plague  there  is  not  one  only  man- 
ner of  Corruption,  but  that  it 
differs  very  much,  according  to 
the  various  Difpofitions  of  the 
Bodies  and  Humours ;  even  tho' 
it  derives  its  Origine  from  one 
and  the  fame  Caufe. 

119^.  AU  the  Infecf^ed,  &:c.] 
In  thefe  6,  v.  the  Poet  teaches, 
That  the  greateft  Calamity  of 
all  was  ;  that  as  foon  as  they  per- 
ceiv'd  themfelves  fiez'd  with  the 
Difeafe,  they  fd\  into  a  Defpair 
of  Recovery,  and  negledled  to 
take  Care  of  themfelves ;  a  Neg- 
lect, that  fometimes  is  more  fa- 
tal than  the  Force  of  the  Dif- 
eafe.   Thus  too   the^  Hiftorian  : 

)t//:6,  o-TToTZ  Tii-  cucSfoiio  Kctf^ycoy^ 
•?D^^  :j^  to  a>e^'7rJS■ov  Iv^v^  TifcCTTo- 
f^ivoi    TVi    yvco(u.i/\    -aroMM      jua^^^ov 

yj-v'  Thucyd.  That  is  to  fay  : 
Bug  th,e  greateft  Miiery  of  ail 
was  the  Dejedion  of  Mind,  in 
fucha^  found  themfelves  begin- 
ning to  fall  fick  :  for  they  pre- 
lently  fell  into  Defpair,  and  gave 
:hemfelves  over  without  making 
my  Refiftance.  Now  this  Con- 
(lernation  and  Dcjedion  of  Mind 
jvas  prejudicial  to  them,  on  a 
ilouble  Account  ;  For,  belides 
hat  it  very  much  impair'd  their 
'trength,  it  brought  with  it  this 
dditional  Mifchief,  that,  difpair- 
'ig  of  Recovery,  they  thought  it  1 


to  no  purpofe  to  take  Care 
of  themfelves.  And  thus  the 
Difeafe  rag'd  uncontroul'd,  and 
foon  was  fatal  to  fuch  as  neglect- 
ed the  Means  of  their  own  fafe- 
ty,  and  gave  themfelves  over  foe 
loft.  And  here  we  might  take 
occafion  to  inquire  narrowly  into 
a  Queftion,  which  fbme  have 
ftarted,  viz.  Whether  an  abfenc 
Perfon  can  catch  the  Plague  by 
the  Strength  of  Imagination  ? 
The  Affirmative  has  many  Stick- 
lers for  it,  as  may  b^  feen  hi 
Fab.  Paulinus,  lib.  1.  and  the 
Negative  is  no  lefs  ftrenuoufly 
aflerted  by  others  :  Imagination 
may  indeed  operate  on  our  own 
Bodies,  by  reafou  of  the  mutual 
Confent  and  Sympathy,  that  each 
Part  has  to  the  other.  But  whac 
Strength  can  it  have  to  work  on 
the  Bodies  of  others  ?  Who  evec 
yet  heard  of  a  Pick-pocket,  who, 
by  the  Intenfenefs  of  his  Fanfy 
only,  could  get  the  Money  out  of 
anothers  Purfe  ?  Or  of  a  Hun- 
ger-ftarv'd  Wretch,  who,  by  the 
Strength  of  his  Imagination, 
could  get  into  his  own  Clutches, 
the  Bread  he  faw  lying  at  a  Di- 
ftance  on  a  Baker's  Stall  ?  Befides 
in  this  Cafe  of  the  Athenian 
Plague,  both  the  Hiftorian  and 
our  Poet  exprefsly  fay,  Thac 
the  Difeafe  preceded  the  Dread 
and  Apprehenlion  of  it. 

1 1 98.  PaleGhofts,  <?tc.]  This 
Verfe  our  Tranflatour  has  added 
to  his  Authour. 

12Q2,   Bt' 


77^ 


LUCRETIUS, 


Book  VI. 


Befides,  the  fierce  Infection,  quickly  fpread. 
When  one  poor  Wretch  was  fall'n,  to  others  fled  : 


One 


N  o  r  B  s. 


1202.  Befides,  8cc.2  Here  the 
Poet,  in  thefe  13.  v.  teaches  far- 
ther, that  fome,  tho'  they  came 
not  to  vifit  their  Friends  and 
Relations,  or  had  negleded  to 
tend  them,  caught  neverthelefs 
the  Contagion,  and  dy'd  like  in- 
feded  Sheep  or  Cattel :  and,  be- 
caufe  they  had  negle(fled  to  take 
Care  of  their  Friends,  they  too, 
in  their  Turn,  were  negledied  by 
them.  Thus  too  Thucydides, 
*'£l££^f  Ct(p'  gT£f«  2r£g<5i7r«W  ctvct- 

£9vMcr;iOV  •  Jt,  r  iSTh^fov  qi^opgv  T^^o 

'J©' '  They  dy'd,  fays  he,  like 
Sheep,  being  infetfied  by  mutu- 
al Vifitation  ;  And  if  Men,  for 


Fear,  forbore  to  vifit  them,  then 
they  dy'd  forlorn  :  fo  that  many 
Families  became  empty,  for  want 
of  fuch  as  iliould  have  taken 
Care  of  them.  Thus  Thucy- 
dides :  And  were  there  no  other 
Teftimony  for  Contagion  to  be 
found,  than  this  of  that  Hifto* 
rian  and  our  Poet,  it  would  be 
abundantly  fufficient,  evidently 
to  convince  their  Peremptorinefs, 
who  obftinately  hold,  that  it  was 
unknown  to  the  Antients ;  and 
them  too,  who  as  pofitively  afTert, 
that  the  Air  only  is  the  Caufe  of 
epidemical  Difeafes  *,  and  will  not 
admit  of  Contagion,  except  on- 
ly when  fubftituted  in  the  Place 
of  the  Air.  But  how  much  they 
are  miftakcn  will  manifeftly  ap- 
pear by  the  following  Aniraad- 
verfion.  • 


Of  Contagion,  the  chief 
Caufe  of  a  Plague. 


S  the  Antients  were  not  ignorant  of,  fo 
they  always  apprehended,  Contagions  ; 
whatever  fome  modern  Authours  have 
believ'd  to  the  contrary,  Lucretius, 
who  copies  after  Thucydides,  freely  con- 
tscvc^:^^j-----  '-'^ifk- Ts  ^^^^^  ^"  ^^^s  Place,  That  theEfFedts  of 
W^^^f^^^iWy^  Contagion  are  felt  from  far  :  and  to  him 
lublcnbe  leveral  of  the  Antients  ;  as  Li- 
vy,  lib.  3.  cap.  25. .  Diodorus  Siculus,  lib.  14.  Dionyfius 
Halicarnaifeus,  lib.  10.  and  Eufebius,  lib.  7.  but,  that  they 
afFed,  when  near  at  hand,  is  allow'd  by  all :  for  none  deny, 
that  to  tend  and  touch  the  Sick,  will  fpread  abroad  the  Dif- 


eafe,  and  render  it  epidemical :  Hence  Virgil  in  Georg.  3 


Ne 


Book  VL  LUCRETIUS.  777 

Ne  mala  vicini  pecoris  contagia  laedanr. 

And  our  Lucretius,  v.  1241.  of  this  Book, 

Qui  fuerant  autem  prasftb,  contagibus  ibanr. 

And  yet  L.  Septulius,  in  Jib.  2.  de  Pefte,  cap.  8.  too  con- 
fidently affirms,  That  the  third  manner  of  Contagion,  which 
as  we  faid  before,  the  Phyficians  call,  per  fomitem,  was 
unknown  to  the  Antients,  and  never  thought  of  by 
them.  But,  among  many  other  Teftimonies  that  might  be 
alledg'd,  this  Miftake  of  his  is  evident  from  the  following 
Verfes,  with  which  Virgil  concludes  his  third  Georgick  : 

Jamque  catervatim  dat  ftragem,  atque  aggerat  ipfis 
In  ftabulis  turpi  dilapfa  cadavera  tabo  : 
Donee  humo  tegere,  ac  foveis  abfcondere  difcunt. 
Nam  neque  erat  coriis  ufus ;  nee  vifcera  quifquam j' 
Aut  undis  abolere  poteft,  aut  vincere  flamma : 
Nee  tondere  quidem  morbo,  illuvieque  perefa 
Vellera  ;  nee  teJas  polTunt  attingere  putres  : 
Veriim  etiam  invifos  fi  quis  tentarat  amid:us, 
Ardentes  papul*e,  atque  immundus  olentia  fudor 
Membra  fequebatur :  nee  longo  deinde  moranti 
Tempore,  conta(5los  artus  facer  ignis  edebat. 

Which  is  render'd  by  Dryden,  as  follows  ; 

At  length  fiie  ftrikes  an  univerfal  Blow : 

To  Death  at  once  whole  Herds  of  Cartel  go :  1 

Sheep,  Oxen,  Horfes  fall ;  and,  heap'd  on  high,' 

The  differing  Species  in  Confufion  lie  : 

Till,  warn'd  by  frequent  Ills,  the  Way  they  found, 

To  lodge  their  loathfome  Carrion  under  Ground  : 

For,  ufelefs  to  the  Currier  were  their  Hides  ; 

Nor  could  their  tainted  Flefli  with  Ocean  Tides 

Be  free'd  from  Filch  :  nor  could  Vulcanian  Flame 

The  Stench  abolifli,  or  the  Savour  tame : 

Nor  fafely  could  they  fliear  their  fleecy  Store, 

Made  drunk  with  poiPnous  Juice,  and  ftifJ'  with  Gore,- 

Or  touch  the  Web:  but,  if  the  Veft  they  wear, 

Ked  Blifters  rifing  on  their  Paps  appear, 

And  flami;ig  Carbuncles  ;  and  noifome  Swear, 

And  clammy  Dews,  that  loathfome  JLiee  beget  ; 

5  G  Tifl 


778  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

■Till  the  flow  creeping  Evil  eats  his  Way, 
Confumes  the  parching  Limbs,  and  makes  the   Life 
his  Prey. 

The  Antients  therefore  knew    what  Contagion   is,  tho', 
perhaps,  they  were  not  fully  aware  of  its  great  Power,  nor 
of  the    many  Ways   of  its  imparting,   and  fpreading  icfelf 
abroad  :  and  this  is  the  Reafon,  that  this  chief  Begetter  of  a 
Plague  was  then  fcarce  held  to  be  a  Propagator  of  it.     But 
in  the  lalt  Age  its  Povvrer  was  fo  manifeftly  difcover'd,  as  to 
make  the  modern  Phyficians  believe,  that  true  Plagues,  or 
thofe  Infedtions  at  lealt,  which  they  call  Bubonick,  are  dif- 
feminated  by  Contagion  only.     In  Florida,  the  Seafons  of 
the  Year,  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth,  the  Winds,  the  Rains, 
j^llc<ime  regularly,  and  at  due  and  confl:ant  Times:  nor  is 
there  the  leaft  fufpicion  there  of  infectious  Damps  or  Exha- 
lations :  yet,  upon  the  arrival  of  an  ordinary   Fellow,  who 
brought  thither  fome  inconfiderable  Merchandife  from  an 
infeded  Place,  the  whole  Countrey  foofi  caught  the  Con- 
tagion, and  elTay'd  the  Fury  of  a  peftilential   Difeafe,  till 
then,  in  thofe  Parts,  unknown  before.    Contagious  Difeafes, 
unlets  a  timely  flop  be  put  to  them,  depopulate  Provinces 
and  whole  Kingdoms,  by  fweeping  away  their  Inhabitants. 
And  this  Obfervation  is  one  of  the  Reafons,  that,  tho'  but 
of  late  Days,  Contagion   has   been  held   to    be  the  chief 
Inftrument,  in  beginning,  and  propagating  a  Plague.     The 
Antients  indeed  could  fcarce  be  reconcil'd   to  the  fetting  a 
private  and   particular  Caufe  at  the  Head  of  a  publick  and 
general,  or  common  Effed: :  but  this  Difficulty   would  not 
have  ftartled  them,  had  they  refled:ed,  that  even  that  Caufe 
may  be  faid  to  be  common,  by  whofe  Efficacy  a  Difeafe  be- 
comes Epidemical.     Pliny,  lib.   i6.    informs   us,  that  they 
either  banifli'd  the  Lepers,    or  {hut  them  up,  and  debarr'd 
them,  from  all  manner  of  Converfation,  that  they  might  not 
infecSl  the  Sound  ;  and  if,  thro'  Negligence,  this  Care  was 
at  any  Time  omitted,  the  whole  Society  was  infedled  with 
that  moft  iikhy  Difeafe  :  of  which  no  common  Caufe  could 
be  affign'd,  befides  Contagion.     We  read,  that,  in  the  laft 
Age,  a  Secretary  of  the  Popes  Treafury,  being  return'd  from { 
Peru  fa  to  Rome,  brought  the  Itch  along  with  him  :  which 
foul  Difeafe,  in  a  few  Days,  by  that  Means  fpread  itfeli 
thro'  the  whole  City  :  and  that,  when  Lautrecchus  befieg'd 
Kaples,  a  fmall  Number  of  Harlots,  that  were  in  the  Campj 
gave  che  VcEsered  Difeafe,  till  then  unknown  in  thefe  Parts 

el' 


Book  VL  LUCRETIUS.  779 

of  the  World,  to  his  whole  Army  ;  from  vv hence  it  has  fincc 
Ipread  itfelfinto  Africa,  Afia,  and  all  over  Europe  ;  treating 
Foreigners  with  greater  Severity  indeed,  than  its  native  In- 
dians, among  whom  it  was  firft  known.  And  were  not 
thefe  common  Caufes,  the  firft  of  which  infedled  the  whole 
City  of  Rome,  the  other  almoft  the  whole  World  ?  Then, 
not  to  dwell  too  long  on  fo  evident  a  Matter  ;  let  us  call  to 
Mind  this  Maxim  of  Lucretius  : 

Tangere  enim,  8c  tangi,  nifi  corpus  nulla  poteft  res. 

lib.  4.  V.  305. 

Nothing,  but  Body,  can  be  touch 'd,  or  touch. 

Whatever  Things  •  therefore  meet,  are  Bodies ;  not  a  naked 
Quality:  But,  according  to  Ariftotle,  lib.  i.  de  Generat.  8c 
Corrupt.  Things  then  touch  one  another,  when  the  extream- 
eft  Parts  of  them  are  together,  be  it  done  at  what 
Diftance  you  will.  Contagion  thus  is  not  an  empty  Sound, 
but  expreffes  the  Manner,  by  which  an  Infection,  by  the 
means  of  Ccrpufcles,  that  exhale  from  an  infed:ed  Body, 
communicates  itfelf  to  one  that  is  found :  and,  tho'  ir  not 
unfrequently  touches,  yet  it  fometimes  imparts  its  Virulence 
thro*  another  Medium. 

There  are  fome  neverthelefs,  who  will  not  be  reconcil'd 
to  Contagion :  and  pretend  to  compel  us  to  a  neceiTity  of 
owning,  whether  we  will  or  not,  and  againft  Truth  and 
Obfervation,  That  a  Plague  fometimes  is  bred,  without  any 
previous  Contagion  :  otherwife  it  would  be  perpetual.  To 
make  this  Alfercion  good ,  they  bring,  for  Inftance,  a 
Countrey,  where  a  new  Plague  is  broken  out ;  and  ask  us  j 
Whether  it  be  juft  then  bred  in  that  Countrey,  or  brought 
thither  from  elfewhere  ?  If  we  grant  the  firft,  then  indeed 
adieu  to  all  Contagion  :  if  the  laft,  they  bid  us  name  the 
originary  Place,  where  it  was  bred  :  which  would  obhge 
us  to  the  fame  Con celfion  as  the  former.  Therefore,  fay 
they.  Contagion  will  propagate,  but  not  begin,  a  Plague, 
Tho'  this  be  not  argu'd  amifs,  yet  ir  is  not  fo  conclufive,  as 
to  hinder  us  from  believing,  that  the  whole  Earth  is  at  no 
Time  free  from  a  Plague  ;  and  that  there  are  certain  Pla? 
,|ces,  where  the  Seeds  of  Plagues  are  prefetv'd,  in  order  to 
break  out  at  a  certain  Time  :  Ethiopia  has  an  ill  Name  011 
chis  Account ;  nor  are  Grand-Cairo  and  Conftanrinople 
much  better  fpokcn  of:  nay,  almoft  all  that  vaft  Extent  of 
Landj  wliich  the  Turks  inhabit,  in  fome  Part  or  other  of  iv. 


7^8o  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

ever  has  had,  and  ever  will  have,  more  or  lefs,  the  Plague 
among  them :  and  this  too  thro'  their  voluntary  negledt :  for, 
they  think  it  impious  to  ftruggle  againft  Fate.  But  the 
Reafon,  why  it  does  not  always  rage  with  the  fame  Fierce- 
nefs  among  them,  is,  the  various  Difpofition  of  their  Bodies, 
and  the  different  State  of  the  Air. 

It  is  likewife  obfervable,  that  every  contagious  Difeafe 
rages  with  greateft  Violence  at  its  firfl:  breaking  out :   but  in 
Length  of  Time  grows  mild,  and  abates  of  its  firft  Fury. 
Whoever  doubts  of  this,  let  him  compare  the  Mifchiefs, 
that,  heretofore,  were  caus'd  by  the  Venereal  Difeafe,  with 
the  Harms,  that,  now-a-days,  attend  it:    let  him  weigh, 
befides,  the  Devaftation,  that  in  the  laft  Age,    the  Small 
Pox  brought  upon  the  Indies,  where,  at  its  firft  coming,  ic 
fwept  away,  in  a  few  Days,  a  hundred  Myriads  of  Mexi- 
cans.    The  Seeds  therefore  of  peftilential  Difeafes  decay, 
and  wear  away  by  Degrees  ;  till,  having  found  proper  Hu- 
mours to  work  on,  and   Spirits  that  make  but  weak  Re- 
fiftance,  they  break  out  afrefli,  and  with  greater  Violence 
in  other  Bodies.    To   this  Opinion  fubfcribes  the  learned 
Felix  Platerus,  who,  in  his  Treatife  of  the  Caufes  of  Fevers, 
after  having  made  many  Obfervations,  that  well  deferve  to 
be  known  and  remember'd,  argues  to  the  following  Purpofe : 
It  feems  more  reafonable,  fays  he,  to  believe,  that,  in  like 
manner  as  other  Venoms,  which,  from  the  Beginning  of  the 
World,  are  innate  and  natural  to  certain  Bodies,  inhere  and 
refide  in  them,  fo  too  this  peftilent  Venom  may  lurk,  not 
only  in  the  Bodies  of  fuch,  as  are  viifited  with  the  Plague, 
but  of  others  likewife,  who  are  not  yet  taken  with  a  Fever; 
or  even  in  Cioaths,  or  any  Thing  of  like  Nature  :  and  that 
it  may  be  imparted  and  transferr'd  from   Body  to  Body; 
not  only  by  mutual  Contact,  but  by  the  intermediate  Air 
intervening,  and  taking  thofe  invenom'd  Seeds  from  one 
Body,  and  wafting  them  into  another.     Befides  ;  a  peftilent 
Venom,  if  it  be  attracted  by  Infpiration,  chiefly  affeds  the 
Heart,  and  kindles  a  Fever  in  a  Moment  :    or,  if  it  be 
caught  by  any  other  Means,  and  poflefTes  any   other  Part 
of  the  Body,  it  either  makes  the  fame  Progrefs  to  the  Heart 
by  Infpiration,   or  thro'  fome  blind  PaiTages  ;  or  elfe  it  ftays 
for  fome  time  in  the  Part  it  firft  fiez'd  on  ;  and  even  in  that 
Cafe,  tho'  it  be  propagated  no  farther,  and  tho'  no  peftilent 
Fever  yet  appear,  the  Body  neverthelefs  is  render'd  infecfted 
by  that  Venom  ;  which,  fooner  or  later,  may  affed;  likewife 
the  Bodies  of  othsjcs ;  And  this  is  the  reafoHj  that  fuch,  as  fly 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  781 

from  infecSted  Places  into  others,  that  are  free  from  the  Plague, 
and  ftay  there  fome  time,  are  often,  even  after  many 
Days,  taken  firft  with  the  Plague :  or,  if  they  are  not  taken 
themfelves,  they  may  never thelefs  infe(5fe  others :  In  like 
manner  too  Experience  teaches,  that  a  lewd  Woman,  who 
lies  with  a  Man,  tainted  with  the  Venereal  Difeafe,  tho' 
fhe  be  not  yet  fo  infeded  by  him,  as  tobefick  of  that  Difeafe 
herfelf,  may  neverthelefs  infed  others,  who  afterwards  lie 
with  her,  with  the  fame  Difeafe :  This  too  is  attefted  by 
Fernelius:  and  therefore  we  dare  confidently  affirm,  That 
the  Seeds  of  Plagues,  like  other  Venoms,  are  always  refiding 
in  certain  Bodies,  in  fome  Countrey  of  the  World  or  other; 
and  that  they  are  propagated  from  thence  into  other  places, 
in  the  manner  above-fpoken  :  Even  as  we  know  for  certain, 
that  the  Venom  of  the  Venereal  Difeafe,  which  is  well  nigh 
as  contagious  and  noxious,  at  leaft  to  Mankind,  came  firft  of 
all,  creeping  from  Body  to  Body,  from  the  Indies  even  to 
us ;  and  now  fubfifts  no  where  but  in  Bodies,  and  wanders 
by  Contagion  out  of  fome  into  others :  Which  venereal 
Difeafe,  manifefting  itfelf  in  this  Manner,  refides  neverthe- 
lefs, in  other  Places,  in  other  Bodies ;  and,  by  fome  one 
or  other  of  them,  is  carry *d  back  again  into  the  fame  Coun- 
trey :  Thus  too  the  Plague,  tho*  it  have  often  ceas'd  to  rage 
for  a  long  Time  together,  in  certain  Places,  is  neverthelefs 
inherent  in  certain  Bodies,  in  fome  Part  of  the  Earth  or  other; 
and,  as  is  faid  above,  is,  in  its  due  Time,  derivd  fron:^ 
thence,  and  breaks  out  in  thofe  Bodies,  in  which  it  lay  dor- 
mant :  Infomuch  that  no  Neceffity  obliges  us  to  hold,  for 
|:his  Reafon,  viz.  becaufe  we  hear  nothing  of  it,  nor  where 
It  rages,  as  if  it  were  totally  extinguifli'd,  and  that  the  whole 
World  were  free  from  it ;  that  therefore  when  it  returns 
again,  it  is  engender'd  anew  in  the  Air,  and  falls  down  from 
thence  upon  us  :  tho',  notwithftanding  all  this,  it  cannot  in 
the  leaft  be  doubted,  but  that  the  Air  is  imbu'd  with  a  ma- 
lignant Quality,  with  which  it  may,  and  does  fometimes, 
afied:  the  Bodies  of  Animals :  in  Hke  manner  as  we  grant, 
that  they  are  affe(5ted  by  a  peftilent  Contagion,  proceeding 
from  infedled  Bodies,  and  infinuating  itfelf  into  other  Bodies, 
in  the  Method  above- mention'd  :  But  that  the  Origine  of 
this  Contagion  is  due  to  the  Air,  can  in  no  wife  be  granted 
for  theReafons  before  given.  Thus  far  Plarerus,  with  whom 
the  generality  of  Phyficians  agree:  For  the  Objecflions,  which 
D.  Sennertus,  in  lib.  i,  de  Cauf.  Peftil.  cap.  zi.  has  brought 
againPt  him,  are  held  to  be  trifling,  and  of  no  Validity. 

1204,  One 


'82 


LUCRETIUS, 


Book  VL 


One  kili'd,  the  Murderer  did  caft  his  Eye  ^ 

1205  Around  ;  and,  if  he  faw  a  Witness  by,  \. 

Siez'd  him,  for  fear  of  a  Difcovery.  3 

Thofe  Wretches  too,  that  greedy  to  live  on ", 

Or  fled,  or  left;  infecSted  Friends  alone, 

Strait  felt  their  Punifliment,  and  quickly  found, 
^210  No  Flight  could  fave,  no  Place  fecure,  from  Wound  : 

A  ftrong  INFECTION  all  their  Walk  attends  ; 

They  fall  as  much  negledted  as  their  Friends  : 

Like  rotten  Sheep,  they  die  in  wretched  State; 

And  none  to  pity,  or  to  mourn,  their  Fate.  (Cries ^ 

1 21 5      Thofe  whom  their  Friends  Complaints,  and  piteous 

Did  force  to  come,  and  fee  their  Miferies, 

Receiv'd 
N  0  T  £  5. 


1204.  One  Idll'd,  &c.]  This 
and  the  two  following  Verfes  are 
a  Paraphrafe  of  our  Tranftatour 
on  his  Authour. 

1207.  Thofe  Wretches,  &c.] 
Hence  we  fee,  that  the  faying  of 
the  Comick  Poet  has  ftill  pre- 
vail'd  : 

Proximus  fum  egomet  mihi, 

That  Charity  begins  at  home, 
as  our  ill-nacur'd  Proverb  ex- 
prelTes  it,  and,  confequently,  that 
!Men  are  more  careful  of  their 
own  Health^than  of  that  of  others. 
To  abandon  Friends  in  Sicknefs, 
is  a  Piece  of  Cruelty  deteftable 
even  in  Heathens:  how  much 
inore  then  is  it  to  be  abhorr'd  in 
Chriftians  ?  Yet  Guido  Caulia- 
cus  tells  us,  that  in  the  Plague, 
thatrag'din  the  Year  1348.  the 
Living,  that  they  might  not  en- 
danger their  Lives  by  the  Con- 
tagion, avoided  to  come  near  the 
infected  :  Infomuch,  that  whole 
Families  dy'd  without  Atten- 
dance, and  were  bury'd  without 
Priefts :  the  Father  vifited  not 
the  Son,  nor  the  Son  the  Father  : 
Charity  was  extinguiHi'd,  and 
Hope  overthrown.  In  tantum- 
que,  fays  he,  gentes  moriebantur 
line  famulis,  &  fepeliabantur  fine 
facerdotibus  t ,  Pater  non  vifita- 
bat  filiiimj  nee  £lius  patrem  : 


caritas  erat  mortua,  &  fpes  pro- 
ftrata.  Mattheo  Villano  acknow- 
ledges this  to  be  true  ;  and  tho'he 
endeavours  to  lay  the  Blame  on 
the  Barbarians,  after  whofe  Ex- 
ample the  Chriftians  no  lefs 
inhumanely  abandon'd  their 
Friends  *,  yet  he  omits  not  to 
brand  them  with  Infamy,  as  Men 
guilty  of  a  Barbarity  truly  de- 
teftable, and  till  then  unheard 
of  among  the  Profeflburs  of 
Chriftianity. 

121 5.  Thofe,  &c.]  In  thefe 
10.  v.  the  Poet  tells  us,  that  fuch 
of  them,  as  came  to  tend  the  In- 
fected, were  expos'd  to  a  double 
Deftrucftion  :  For,  either  they 
caught  the  Contagion  of  the 
Sick,  and  underwent  the  like 
Fate  with  them,  or  elfe,  worn 
out  with  the  Fatigue  of  tending 
them,  they  at  length  fell  fick  of 
the  fame  Difeafe.  But  Shame  as 
well  as  Piety  excited  them  to 
ferve  their  Friends  in  fo  great 
Diftrefs  :  and  thus  the  moft  vir- 
tuous among  them  expos'd  their 
Lives  to  this  Danger,  and  chiefly 
aflifted  their  dying  Friends.  In 
like  manner  Thucydides  :  "Ei% 

iJav    (T(r)Ojv    auTC/})/    iaioxl'S 


^    > 

v^i 


'/(peii 


Book  VI. 


LUCRETIUS. 


785 


Receiv'd  th'  Infectious,  and  the  fatal  Breath: 
An  inn'cent  Murd'rer  he  chat  gave  che  Death. 
This  kind  of  Death  was  beft  j  fo  Men  did  chooVe 

1 220 (A  wretched  Choice  !)  this  way  their  Life  to  lofe  : 
Some  rais'd  their  Friends  a  Pile  ;  that  Office  done,' 
Recurn'd,  and  griev'd,   and  then  prepar'd  their  own  : 
A  treble  Mischief  this,  and  no  Relief: 
Not  one  but  fufler'd  Death,  Disease,  or  GriefJ 

1 115      The  Shepuerd  midft  his  Flocks,  refign'd  his  Breath  - 
Th'infeded  Ploughman  burnt,  and  ftarv'd  to  Death  : 

^  O  T  E  S. 


raig  Schol.)  oAoif Jfa<!f  tcov  ^ths- 
yiyiOfjSfjoov  rzh^j^ii^AiS  Vj  o<  ojjceToi 
i^£;C(Xy«vov,  ^{^  7?  'ZsroMs  Kctxa 
)n%dfjS^oi  *  That  is  to  fay,  If  they 
forbore  not  to  viiit  them,  then 
they  dy'd  themfelves  :  For,  out 
of  Shame,  they  would  not  fpare 
their  own  Perfons,  but  went  in  to 
their  Friends  i  elpecially  after  it 
was  come  to  this  Pafs,  that  their 
own  Domefticks,  weary'd  with 
the  Lamentations  of  them  that 
dy'd,  and  overcome  with  the 
Greatnefs  of  the  Calamity,  were 
no  longer  mov'd  with  it. 

1217.  Receiv'd,  6cc.]  Upon 
this  Calamity  the  Billiop  of  Ko- 
cheller  thus  paraphrafes  ; 

Here  others,  poifon^d  by  the 

Scent, 
Which  from  corrupted  Bodies 

went, 
Qiiickly  return  the  Death  they 

did  receivCj 
And  Death  to  others  give  : 
Themfelves,  now  dead,  the  Air 

pollute  the  more. 
For  which  they  others  curs'd 

before  : 
Their  Bodies  kill  all  that  come 

near  ; 
And,  even  after  Death,  they  all 

are  Murd'rers  here. 

Plague  of  Athens.  Stanza  19. 

1 2  21.  Some  rais'd,  &c,]  This 
and  the  following  Verfe  run  thus 
in  the  Orjgmal  ; 


Inque  aliis  alium  populum  fepe- 
lirefuorum  ^ 

Certantes,  lacrymis  lafli,  lu^u- 
que  redibant  : 

Inde  bonam  partem  in  ledlum 
m«rore  dabantur. 

i.  c.  After  they  had  ftriven  and 
contended  to  bury  the  Bodies  of 
whole  Families  of  their  Friends 
among  thofe  of  the  Friends  of 
others,  they  return'd  weary'd. 
with  Grief  and  Weeping  :  and 
hence  moft  of  them  took  to  theic 
Beds  for  Sorrow. 

1225.  The  Shepherd  ,  &c.  3 
The  Poet,  having  laid  before 
our  Eyes  the  lamentable  and 
tragical  Condition  of  the  City 
of  Athens,  he  now  brings  up- 
on the  Stage  the  Herdfmen, 
Shepherds,  and  Peafants,  who, 
being  viliced  with  this  cruel  In- 
fedlion,  in  Want  of  all  NecelFa- 
ries,  deftitute  of  Friends,  and 
defpairing  of  Relief,  iluit  them- 
felves up,  fome  of  them,  in  their 
narrow  Hutts,  where  they  dy'd 
by  Heaps,  deftroy'd  no  lefs  'by 
Famine  than  the  Plague  :  while 
others,  for  fear  of  the  Enemy, 
who  were  laying  walle  the  whole 
Countrey,  and  deftroying  all 
with  Fire  and  Sword,  with  the 
Difeafe  upon  them,  fled  into  the 
City,  ajid  others,  whofe  Strength 
would  not  permit  them  to  reach 
thither,  lay  languiiliing  in  the 
High- ways,  naked,  full  of  UU 
cers,  ace,    What  more  dreadful, 

wh^C 


iH 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI. 

By  Plague  and  Famine  both  the  Deed  was  done: 
The  Ploughman  was  tooftrong  to  yield  to  one  : 
Here  dying  Parents  on  their  Children  caft, 
1230  There  Children  on  their  Parents  breath'd  their  laft  : 
Th'  infeded  Ploughmen  from  the  Countrey  came. 

They 
NOTES. 


what  more  difmal,  can  Imagi- 
nation figure  to  itfelf  ? 

1228.  The  Ploughman]  This 
Obfervation  is  the  Tranftatour's, 
not  his  Authour's. 

1229.  Here  dying  Parents,  &:c.] 
The  Bifliopof  Rochefterdefcribes 
this  Circumftance  very  patheti- 
cally ill  the  following  Verfes : 

Here,  lies  a  Mother  and  her 

Child  ; 
The  Infant  fuclc'd  as  yet,  and 

fmil'd, 
But  ftrait  by  its  own  Food  was 

kili'd  : 
There    Parents   hug'd    their 

Children  laft  •, 
Here,  parting  Lovers  laft  em- 
braced •, 
But  yet  not  parting  neither  : 
They  both  expir'd,  and  went  a- 

way  together. 
The     Friend    does   hear    his 

Friends  laft  Cries ; 
Parts  his  Grief  for  him,  and 

then  dies  J 
Lives  not  enough  to  clofe  his 

Eyes. 
The  Father,  at  his  Death, 
Speaks  his  Son  Heir,  with  an  in- 

fedious  Breath  : 
In  the  fame  Hour  the  Son  does 

take 
His  Father's  Will,  and  his  own 

make  : 
The  Servant  needs  not  here  be 

(lain, 
To  ferve  his  Mafter  in  the  other 

World  again  ; 
They  languifliing  together  lie  ; 
Their  Souls  away  together  fly  : 
The  Husband  gafps  j  his  Wife 

lies  by  : 
Itmuftbe  her  Turn  next  to 

die  : 


The  Husband  and  the  W^ife 
Too  truly  now  are  one,  and  liv^ 

one  Life  : 
That  Couple,  who  the  Gods  did 
entertain, 
Had  made  their  Prayers  here 

in  vain : 
No  Fates  in  Death  could  them 
divide  ; 
They  muft,  without  their  Privi- 
lege, together  both  have  dy'd. 

Plague  of  Athens,  Stan.  19  &  20. 

1 23 1.  Th'  infecflied,  &c.]  Thus 
Thucydides  :  'Ett/Ws  Ji'  co/VaV 
yWot MOV  -ZD^^"  ttS  '{jA^d^yo/li  rmotcf 

las',    oiKicov   >)  a'x    'C^cK.^X'^'^^h 

era^^igsi^WytiEVC'V,  o(pSrop(gy  ly/yvsjo 

cLMyhoi^  sKeivlo,     This  is  to  fay  J 
Belides  the  prefent  Afflidion,  the 
Reception     of    the     Countrey 
People,  and  of  their  Subftance 
into    the  City,    opprefs'd    both 
the  Citizens,  and  much  more  the 
People    themfelves,     that    thus 
came  in  :  For,  having  no  Houfes, 
and  dwelling  at  that  time  of  the 
Year  (for  it  was  in  the  Summer) 
in  ftifling  Booths,  the  Mortality 
was  now  without  all  Form,  and 
dying  Men  lay  tumbling,  one  up- 
on another^  in  the  Streets.    And 
Tit.  Livius  defcribes  the  like  E- 
vent  in  almoft  the  fame  Colours. 
Grave  tempus,  fays  he,  dc  fortd 
annus  peftilens  erat  urbijagrifque^ 
nee  hominibus  magis,  quam  pe- 
cori  :  &auxere  vim  morbi  ter- 
rores  populationis,  pecoribus  a^ 
greftibufque  in  urbem  teceptis  s 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS.  78f 

They  came,  and  brought  with  them  additional  Flame : 

Men 
NOTES. 


Eacolluviomixtorumomnis  gene- 
ris animantum,  &c  odore  inlblito 
urbanosj  &  agreftem  confertum  in 
arda  teda,  arftu,  ac  vigiliis  ange- 
bat,  minifteriaque  invicem,  ac  con- 
tagio  ipfa  vulgabatmorbos.  lib.  3. 
1232.  And  brought  with  them 
additional  Flame  :J  It  is  highly 
probable,  that  the    great  Con- 
courfe  of  Countrey  People,  that 
flock'd  into  the  City,  for  fear  of 
the    Lacedemonians ,    who   had 
then  invaded  Attica,  and  were 
putting  all   to  Fire  and  Sword, 
was    the    chief  Caufe    of   this 
Plague  ;  and  that   what  Lucre- 
tius related  before  of  the  City  of 
Athens,  was  fpoken  by  a  certain 
Way  of  Anticipation,  which  is 
not    unfrequent    with     Poets  j 
as  if  he  had  confider'd  with  him- 
felf,  that  he  fliould  not  have  ex- 
plained the  Matter  equal  to  its 
Dignity,  if,  fetting  lefs  by  the 
Metropolis  than  the  whole  Pro- 
vince, he  had  begun  his  Narra- 
tion of  this  Difeai'e  by  the  Coun- 
trey.    The  Teftimony  of  Thu- 
cydides,    from  whom    our  Au- 
thoiir  has  taken  this  Defcription, 
is  alone  fufficient  to  juftify  this 
Opinion  ',  which  ne verthelefs  may 
be  confirmed  by  other  undeniable 
Proofs.     For,  in  the  firft  Place, 
the  Athenians  would  otherwife 
have  been  very  injurious  to  their 
Prince  Pericles,  whom,  as  Plu- 
tarch tells  us   in  his  Life,  they 
accus'd  of  having  been  th«  Caufe 
of  the  Plague,  by  admitting  in- 
to the  City,  and  in  the  Heat  of 
Summer,  the  great  multitude  of 
Peafants,    and  other    Countrey 
People  ;   where  they,    who  had 
been  accuftcm'd  to  Labour,  and 
Living  in  the  open  Air,  led  lazy 
and  idle  Lives,  and  were  crowd- 
ed and  fliut  up  together  in  nar- 
row and  ftifling  Habitations  :  Of 
-all  which  he  had   been  the  Occa- 
iion,  whoj  during  the  War,  had 


receiv'd  thofe,  who  had  fled  front 
the  Enemy,  within  the  Walls  of 
the  City,  where  he  took  Care  to 
find  them  no  manner  of  Imploy- 
ment,  but  fuffer'd  them,  like 
brute  Beaftsj  inclos'd  in  narrow 
Grounds,  mutually  to  infed  one 
another  ;  and  allow 'd  them  no 
change  of  Air,  or  fcarce  the  li- 
berty of  Breathing.  Thus  Plu- 
tarch :  Now  let  it  be  even  grant- 
ed, that  the  Athenians  were  in 
the  W  rong  as  to  the  Caufe  of 
this  Plague  •,  yet  they  had  no 
Pretence  of  Reafon  to  lay  the 
Blame  on  Pericles,  if  Athens  was 
afflided  with  that  Peftilence,  be- 
fore the  Peafants,  and  other  In- 
habitants of  the  Countrey  fled 
thither  :  But  they  were  not  mi- 
ftaken  in  believing  that  th« 
Plague  had  invaded  the  City  by 
the  means  of  thi?  new  Increafe 
of  Dwellers ;  for  fultry  Heat, 
and  an  impure,  corrupted  Air 
may  favour  and  promote  a 
Plague ;  but  are  altogether  un^ 
capable  of  firft  kindling  and  in- 
troducing a  Peftilence.  Diodo- 
rus  Siculus,  tho'  he  adhere,  too 
obftinately  indeed,  to  the  then 
commonly  receiv'd  Opinion  of 
th£  ambient  Air,  yet  favours 
our  Allertion  concerning  the  Con- 
tagion, by  means  of  the  Coun- 
trey People  that  flock'd  into  A- 
thens  :  for,  fpeaking  of  this 
Plague,  he  fays :  That  the  great 
Multitude  of  all  manner  of  Peo- 
ple, whoj  out  of  Fear,  were  fled 
from  the  Countrey  into  the 
City,  where,  by  reafon  of  the 
Narrownels  of  the  Place,  they 
were  promifcuoufly,  and  with- 
out any  Order.crowded  together, 
not  without  good  Caufe,  fell  into 
Difeafes  :  for,  breathing  nothing 
but  noifome  Stenches,  that  were 
occafion'd  by  Filth  apd  Nafti- 
nefs,  and  the  Air  befides  being 
grown  fultry,  *nd  almoft  fuffo-^ 
»       5  H  «ated 


786 


LUCRETIUS.  Book  VL 

Men  fiock'd  from  ev'ry  Part,  all  Places  fill'd: 
"Where  Crowds  were   great,    by  Heaps  the  Sick- 
ness kiird : 
1255  Some  in  the  Streets,  iomenear  the  Fountains  lay, 
Which  quench' d  their  Flame,  but  wafli'd  their  Soul 

away  ; 
And  fome  in  publick,  half  alive,  half  dead, 
With  filthy  Cov'rings  o'er  their  Members  fpread, 

Did 
K  O  T  E  S. 

catedbythe  Heat  of  the  Seafon,  j  1235- Some  in  the  Streets  &c.] 
they  receiv'd  within  their  Bowels  In  like  manner  T^ucy dicks  : 
the  conta<^ious  Venom.  ThusJKca  bv  rajg  o^oig  cM,a>MvSSmy 
we  fee  what  is  the  chief  Caufe  of  |k^  ^'^i  tccV  xp'''iu$-  ctTrc^aix^  ■/f/.i* 
Plagues,  and  from  whence  this  of  Q'y^j'^j^^  ^j  ^  uJct'/i^  iTri'ivf^'icf. ' 
Athens  took  its  Origine.  Even  l-Yhat  jg  to  fay:  And  they  lay 
Lucretius  himfelf,  whatever  he  jhalf-dead  in  the  Ways,  and  about 
faid,tothecontrary,  oftheAir,  in  Lyery  Conduit,  thro'  Defire  of 
the  beginning  of  this  Narration,  h^^^^gr.  'j^e  greateft  Relief  of 
yet  in  this  Place  he  feems  ^o  own,  L^  jnflaj^'d  Heart,  is  without 
that  the  pbgae  proceeded  chiefly  |doubt,  to  breathe  in  a  cool  and 
from  the  Contagion,  which  the 
Countvey  People  brought  into 
th«  City':  His  Words  are  as 
follows : 
Kec  minimum  partim  ex  agris 

sgroris  in  urbcm 
Confluxit,  languens  quern   con- 

tulit  agricolarum 
Copia,  conveniens  ex  omni  mor- 

bida  parte. 

There  is  therefore  no  Reafon  to 
difpute,for  the  Future,  the  moft 
antient  Prerogative  and  Eihcacy 
of  Contagion,  in  all  Plagues  j 
but  chiefly,  not  in  this  moft  me- 
morable Plac^ue  of  Athens. 

1234.  By^Heaps  the  Sicknefs 
Idll'd  :]  Thus  too  the  Billiop  of 
Kocheilcr  ; 


There  was  no  Number  now  of 
Deatli  : 
The     Sifters    fcarce    ftood    ftill 
them  Tel  ves  to  breathe  : 
The  SiPcer?  now,  quire  wearyed 

In  cutting  lingle  Thred, 
Began   at  once  to  part  whole 

Looms  : 
One  Stroke  did    give    whole 
>Ioul'es  Dooms. 
FlagvH^  of  Athensj  Stan,  21. 


pure  Air  :  but  the  Heart  is  al- 
ways inflam'd  in  a  burning  Fe- 
ver, with  which  the  Athenians 
were  then  afflidted  :  And  hence 
proceeded  that  implacableThirft; 
which  made  them  make  what 
hafte  they  could  to  the  Foun- 
tains :  but  fome  of  them,  thro* 
Weaknefs,  fainted  and  fell  dov/n 
by  the  Way  ;  while  others,  who 
had  more  Strength,  lay  near  the 
Fountains,  fuffocated  with  the 
great  Plenty  of  Water,  they  had 
pour'd  down  into  their  burning 
Entrails.  Now  the  Fountain 
Callirhoes ,  that  without  the 
Walls ,  broke  out  in  feven 
Streams,  and  was  convey'd  in- 
to Athens  by  as  many  Pipes, 
fupply'd  with  Water  the  upper 
Part  of  the  City  :  In  the  lower 
Part  of  which  ,  towards  the 
Pirajeus  ,  there  were  no  Foun- 
tains, but  only  Wells,  as  has 
been  faid  already. 

1237.  And  fome,  &c,]  Lucre- 
tius omits  nothing,  that  may 
create  Horrour,  and  provoke 
Commiferation  in  the  Minds  of 
his  Readers.  To  this  JEnd,  he 
now  expofes    to  their  Eyes  the 

Streeci 


LUCRETIUS. 


7S7 


nains       "^ 

ins,  > 

^AINS.        S 


Book  VI. 

Did  lie,  and  rot ;  the  Skin,  the  poor  Remains 
I  240  Of  all  the  Flesh,   the  ftarting  Bones  contai 
•    All  cover'd  o'er  with  Ulcers,  vexc  with  Pa 

Death  now  had  fill'd  the  Temples  of  the  Gods  : 
The   Priests   themfelves,  not  Beasts,  are  th*  Al- 
tar's Loads  : 
Now  no  Religion,  now  no  Gods  were  fear'd  ; 
1245  Greater  than  all  the  prefent  Plague  appear'd  : 

All 
NOTES. 


Streets  of  Athens,  thick- ft  row 'd 
with  dead  and  dying  Bodies, 
half-naked  ,  and  half-covcr'd 
with  filthy  Weeds,  and  wallow- 
ing, nay,  almoft  bury'd,  in  their 
own  Corruption. 

1242.  Death  now,  Sec.']  Here 
the  Poet  teaches,  that  Neceflity 
had  reduc'd  the  Athenians  to 
fuch  hard  Extremities^  that  the 
-ffidiles,  whole  Office  it  was  to 
take  Care  of  the  Temples,  had 
permitted  thofe  that  fled  into  the 
City,  to  take  up  their  Abodes  in 
thofe  holy  Places  ;  where,  they 
built  Tents  for  themfelves  and 
Families,  and  perhaps  too  for 
the  Cattel  they  brought  with 
them.  This  Profanation  of  fa- 
cred  Things,  and  contenipt  of 
all  Religion,  proceeded  from  the 
higheft  Defperation,  if  we  may 
give  Credit  to  Thucydides.  who 
relates  it  as  follows :  Tec  rl  'n^, 
c/v  ols:  icr'jCy,vm%y  v^jipoTj-  ^^^ct  viv^ 
cwT^  cyV(X'7ro9i'>fcr;toi'T(WV,  -xju^Zkh'C^o- 
/HiVH  y^  tS  ;ia,)c«5   01  cIv^pcottoi  hk 

e/j^TTov/o  It,  i^poTv  Kj  ocr/it'i'  o/no'icog' 
i.  e.  The  Temples  alfo.  where 
they  dwelt  in  Tents,  were  all  full 
of  the  Dead,  that  dy'd  within 
them  :  for,  opprefs'd  with  the 
Violence  of  the  Calamity,  and 
not  knowing  what  to  do,  Men 
grew  carelefs  of  holy  and  prc- 
phane  Things  alike. 

124.3.  "The  Priells  them- 
felves. Sec.']  For  this  Thought 
our  Tranflatour  i«  not  {o  much 
c.blig'd  to  his  Authour,  i»5  ty,  the 
Eiilio^  qf  Rpchefter^v/ho^Qu  this 


Particular,   paraphrafes    as  fol- 
lows : 

The  Gods  are  call'd  upon   in 
vain :  x 

The  Gods  gave  no  Releafe  unto 

their  Pain  : 
The  Gods  to  fear  ev'n  for  them.-. 

felvcs  began  : 
For  now  the  Sick  into  the  Tem- 
ples came, 
And  with  them    brought    more 
than  a  holy  Flame, 
There,  at   the    Altars,    made 

their  Pray'r  : 
They  facrific'd,  and  dy'd  too, 

there  : 
A  Sacrifice  not  feen  before  ; 
That  Heaven,  us'd  but  to  the 
Gore 
Of  Lambs  or  Bulls,  fliould 
now 
Loaded  with  Priefts  fee  its  own 
Altars  too. 

Plague  of  Athens,  Stan.  29. 

1244.  Now  no  Religion,  Sec."} 
Thucydides,  after  having  ac- 
quainted us,  that  the  great  Li- 
centiouftieis,  which  was  pracfi:ic'4 
in  the  City,  proceeded,  and  be- 
gan at  fir  ft  from  this  Difeafe, 
adds  immediately  :  That  what 
any  Man  knew  to  be  delightful, 
and  conducive  to  Pleafure,  th^c 
was  made  both  profitable  and 
honourable  :  Neither  the  Fear  of 
the  Gods,  fays  he,  nor  Laws  of 
Men  aw'd  any  Man  :  not  the 
formei",  becaufe  they  concluded 
it  was  alike  to  wcrfliip,  or  not  to 
♦yor/liip,  feeing  that  they  all  a-r 
S  H  2     ;       '  lik| 


r88  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VL 

AH  Laws  of  Burial  loft,  and  all  confus'd  : 
No  folemn  Fjres,  no  decent  Orper  us'd  | 

But 

NOTES. 


like  perini*d  i  not  the  later,  be- 
caufeno  Man  expeded  that  his 
Life  would  laft,  till  he  receiv'd 
Punilhment  of  his  Crimes  by 
Judgment  .•  But  they  thought 
there  was  now,  hanging  over  their 
Heads,  fome  far  greater  Judg- 
jnent  decreed  againft  them  *,  and, 
before  it  fell  upon  them,  they 
thought  to  enjoy  fome  little 
Part  of  their  Lives.   ''Oli  o  >i'Jei 

T  /lu,    Ka   'SrcLvloLVo'^iV   TO  k   CCUTO 

jtsfd  ctA£oy,  7VT0  K;,  KccAov  xa  x^ym- 


noOou  &{«r  ttv  r  Tj^w^t'^ictv  ccv/f- 
SSvou '  -zstoaO  0  A<«^ct>  T  JjjTw  jcco- 

t]  "^Tw^cwcrca  '  Thus  Thucydi- 
des :  Upon  which  PaiTage  of  that 
Hiftorian  the  Biihop  of  Roche- 
iter  finely  Paraphrales^  and  con- 
<^li4des  his  Poem  : 

^yt  what,  Great  Gods  !   was 
worll  of  all, 
Hell  forth  its  Magazines  of  Lufts 

did  call ; 
Nor  would  it  be  content 
V^ith  the  thick  Troops  of  Souls 
were  thither  fent  J 
Into    the    upper     World     it 
we»t  : 
Such  Guilt,  fuch  Wicked nefs, 
Such  Irreligion  did  increafe. 
That  the  few  Good,  who   did 
furvive. 
Were  angry  with  the  Plague  fqr 

fuff'ring  them  to  live, 
l^lqre  for    the  Living,  than  the 
' "    Pe^dj  did  grieve  5 


Some  rob'd  the  very  Dead, 
Tho'  fure  to  be  infeded  e'er  they 

fled  ; 
Tho*  in  the  very  Ad  fure  to  be 

puniflied  ; 
Some,    nor    the  Shrines,    nor 

Temples,  fpar'd. 
Nor  Gods,  nor  Heavens  they 

fear'd, 
Tho*   fuch    Examples  of   their 

Pow'r  appear'd  : 
Virtue  was  now  efteem'd  an  emp- 
ty Name ; 
And  Honefty  the  foolifli  Voice 

of  Fame  : 
For,  having  pafs'd  thofe  tort'ring 

Flames  before, 
They  thought  the  Punifliment 

already  o'er  ; 
Thought  Heav'n  could   have 

no  worfe  in  Store  : 
Here  having  felt  one  Hell,  they 

thought  there  was  no  more. 

Plague  of  Athens,  Stan.  31, 

1 24^.  All  Laws  of  Burial,  &:c "] 
In  thefe  twelve  laft  Verfes  the 
Poet  relates.  That  the  Athenians 
were  not  content  with  polluting 
their  Holy  Places  with  dead  Bo- 
dies, but  tranfgrefs'd  likewife  ail 
their  Laws  concerning  Funerals, 
which  they  had  till  then  obferv'd, 
and  bury'd  their  Dead,  as  they 
could ,  where-ever  they  found 
Room*  Thus  too  Thucydides, 
'Nojuoi  t\  nssd-fiig  cri/ve'ja^x.^'^^*''* 
<H?    \yjooAo     ■'5)^T££9J'  irsz)-    Tc'f 

vaUo  •  Now  by  the  unanimous 
Confent  of  all  Authours,  the  A- 
thenians  were  of  all  People  the 
moft  ceremonious  in  the  Fune- 
rals of  their  Dead,  whom  they 
honour'd  even  to  the  higheft  Su- 
perftition.  If  any  one  negletfted 
to  pay  the  Kites   o£  Funeral  to 

thofe 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS. 


789 


thofe  who  wefe  flain  in  War,  he 
was  punifliM  with  Death  :  And 
the  Pomp  and  Expence  of  Fu- 
nerals grew  at  length  to  fuch  Ex- 
cefs  among  them,  that  Solon  was 
forc'd  to  put  a  ftop  to  it  by 
Laws  :  but  when  this  Plague  was 
raging  at  Athens,  no  funeral 
Rites  were  obferv'd  t  For,  as  the 
Hiftorian,  from  whoni  our  Poet 
has  taken  this  PafTage,  relates  •, 
Many,  for  want  of  Things  ne- 
ceflary,  after  fo  many  Deaths 
before,  were  forc'd  to  become 
impudent  in  the  Funerals  of  their 
Friends :  For,  when  one  had 
made  a  funeral  Pile,  another, 
getting  before  him,  would  throw 
on  his  Dead,  and  fet  it  on  Fire  : 
And  when  one  was  burning, others 
would  come,  and,  having  caft 
upon  it  the  Dead  they  brought, 


go  their  Way  again.    Kci  -isroA- 
TO  av'/yii^  vi^ii  t^li^^oivou  crcpiaiv^ 

(hct^ovlig  ov  dfiipoiiv,  oLTTyicrav* 
Thucyd.  But  this  Calamity  of 
the  Athenians  will  more  vifibly 
appear,  by  giving  at  large  the 
Laws  and  Ceremonies,  that  they 
thought  themfelves  religioufly 
bound  to  obferve  in  the  Sepul- 
ture of  their  Dead ;  and  whicli 
are  recorded  by  Nardius.  in  the 
following,  no  lefs  learned  than 
accurate,  Animadverfion  on  this 
PafTage  of  our  Authour. 


Animadverfion  of  Joannes 
Nardius,  concerning  the 
Funerals  of  the  Athenians. 


ICERO,  in  his  Oration  for  Flaccus,  ac- 
quaints us.  That  Humanity,  Learning,  Re-, 
ligion,  Laws,  civil  Societies,  and  the  Ufc 
of  Corn,  began  firft  among  the  Athenians, 
and  from  them  were  diftributed  over  the 
whole  Earth  :  Hence  Lucretius  fays  of 
them. 


Et  recreaverunt  vita,m,  legefque  rogarunt.    lib.  6.  v.  3 . 

But  nothing  feems  to  have  been  more    antiently  pradic'd 

limong  them,  or  more  religioufly  obferv'd,  than  the  paying 

he  juft  Dues  of  Funeral  to  their  Dead;  efpecialjy  to  thofe, 

A'hQ  had  been  jQain  in  lighting  for  their  Ccracrcy  ;   Of  this 

we. 


790  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

we  have  a  famous  Example,  recorded  by  Xenophon,  lib.  i. 
■Ef^m)c£vy  and  by  Valerius  Maximus,    who  cell  us,  that  the 
Athenians  condemn'd,  and  put  to  Death,  ten  of  their  Cap- 
tains, who  return'd  to  Athens  after  a  great  Victory  they  had 
gain'd  at  Sea   over  the  Lacedemonians,  only  becaufe  they 
had  not  paid  the  laft  Duties  to  the  dead  Bodies  of  thofe 
that  had  been  kill  d  in  the  Engagemen-r,  even  tho'  they  had 
this  to  plead  in  their  Defence,  that  the  tempeftuous  Wea- 
ther had  render'd  it  impolTible  :  Decern  Imperacores  fuos, 
8c  quidem  a  pulcherrima  vidtoria  venientes,  capitaU  judicio 
exceptos  necarunt,    quod    militum    corpora,  licet,  faevitia 
maris  interpellante,  fepultura?  mandare  non  potuilTent,  fed 
in  fludi:us,  necelficate  adad:i,  projeciflent,  Valer.  Max.  lib.  9. 
cap.  8.     Deterred  by   this  Severity,  Chabrias,  who   com- 
manded the  Athenian  Fleet,  was  more  wary  :    For  he,  ha- 
ving defeated  and  put  to  flight  the  Fleet  of  the  Lacedemo- 
nians at  the  Ifland  Naxos,  inftead  of  purfuing  the  routed 
Enemy,  minded  only  to  gather  up  the  dead  Bodies  of  the 
Slain  ;  and,  fearing  the  Superftition  of  the   People,  chofe 
rather,  fays  Diodorus  Siculus,  lib.  1 5.  to  let  the  Enemies  of 
the  Republick  efcape,  than  that  their  dead  Friends  ftiould  be 
depriv'd  of  the  Rices  of  Funeral ;  otherwife  he  might  eafily 
have  deftroy'd  the  whole  naval  Force  of  the  Lacedemonians. 
Nicias^  the  great   General  of  the   Athenians,  commanded 
his  whole  Army  to  hair,  only  to  bury  two  of  his  Soldiers. 
Ifocrates  in  Panegyr.  relates.  That  Adraftus,  King  of  Ar- 
gos,  having  been  unfuccefsful  in  a  War  againft   the  The- 
bans,  and  not  being  able  to  carry  off  the   dead   Bodies  of 
the  Slain,  befought  the  Athenians,  and  their  King  Thefeus, 
to  commiferate  the  publick  Calamity  of  the  Argives,  and 
to  alTift   them  to  compel  the  Thebans,  to  allow  the  Cere- 
monies of  Sepulture,  to  thofe   who  had  been  kill'd  in  the 
Battel :  This  the  Athenians  deem'd  a  juft  Caufe  of  War, 
and  the  Succefs  feem'd  to  juftify  their  Opinion  :  For,  taking 
up  Arms  againft  the  Thebans  on  no  other  Pretence  but  this, 
they  defeated   them,  and  would  hearken  to  Peace  on  no 
Terms  whatever,  till  the  Thebans,  by  way  of  Preliminary, 
bad  paid  the  due  Rites  of  Sepulture  to  the  flain   Argives. 
Nor  may  we  forget  the  Piety  of  Cimon,  who,  that  he  might 
bury  his  Father,  who  vv^as  dead  in  Prifon,  fubmitted    to  be 
a  Prifoner  himfelf,  and  redeem'd  the  Body   at  t\ie  Price  of 
his  own  Liberty, 

B0. 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  791 

But  they  extended  this  Piety  not  only  to  thofe,  who  had 
facrific'd  their  Blood  in  Defence  of  the  publick  Safety,  but 
likewife  to  their  Kindred,  and  Men  of  the  meaneft  Conditi- 
on :  whofe  Relations  thcDemarchus,  orChief  of  the  People, 
could  oblige  to  bury  the  dead  Body,  by  laying  a  heavy  Fine 
on  thofe  that  negled:cd  to  do  fo  within  a  certain  time :  Thac 
Magiftrate  had  likewife  a  Power  to  limit  and  fix  the  Ex- 
pence  of  a  Funeral,  as  alfo  to  contrad:  himfelf  for  it  with 
the  publick  Undertakers.     Euftachius,  in  Com.  II.  ad  cal- 
cem,  celebrates  Pififtratus,  for  having  always  two  or  three 
Servants   attending  him,  whofe  whole  Bufinefs   it  was  to 
carry  Money  for  him  to  beflow  on  the  Funerals  of  the  Poor, 
The   Charity   of  Cimon  to  the  dead   Poor,  who  left  not 
enough  to  bury  them,  and  whom  he  interr'd  at  his  own 
Expence,   is  likewife  extoll'd    by  iEmilius  Probus :    and 
Plutarch,  in  his  Life,  records  of  him,  that,  having  with  great 
Care  and  Trouble  got  together  the  Bones  of  Thefeus,  he 
brought  them  to  Athens.     Nor  may  we  forget  a  fignal  Of- 
fice of  Piety,  mention'd  by  Deraoflhenes,  adverf.  Macartar. 
and  enjoin*d  b)  an  Attick  Law,  which  commanded  every 
PaiTenger,  who  happen'd  to  fee  upon  the  Road  a  dead  Bo- 
dy, tho'  of  a  Perlon  unknown  to  him,  to  throw  at  leaft 
three  Handfuls  of  Earth  on  the  Face  of  the  Defurdl  for  his 
Sepulture,  fince  at  that  time  he  could  not  have  the  Means  of 
burying  him  oiherwife.     This  is  attefled  likewife  by  iElian. 
Var    Hift.  Ub.  5.  and  by  Phocylides,  Molchus,  Sophocles, 
and  Acron.     And  this  Cuflom   was  fo  generally  receiv'd 
and  deem  d  fo  indifpenfibly  neccffary,  that  it  was  expedted 
even  of  thofe,  v.  ho  v^ere  going  on  Bufinefs  thatrequir'd  the 
greateft  Hafte,  as   Quintilian    fays,  hb.  i.  Decad.    5.  and 
Horace,  Carm.  lib.  i.  Od.  28.  alludes  to  it  in  thefe  exprefs 
Words  of  Archytas  the  Philofopher  to  the  Seaman  : 

At  tu,  nauta,  vagas  ne  parce  malignus  arena?, 

Oifibus  8c  capiti  inhumato 

Particulam  dare. 

Quanquam  feftinas,  non  eft  mora  longa,  licebic 

Lijedto  ter  pulvere  curras. 

Which  Creech  thus  interprets, 

But  Seaman,  pray  be  juft  ;  put  near  the  Land  ; 
Bellow  a  Grave,  and  hide  my  Limbs  in  Sand. 

The* 


^92  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI- 

Tho*  hafty  now,  driv'n  by  a  profp  rous  Gale, 
'Tis  quickly  done,  thrice  throw  the  Sand  j  and  fail. 

Nor,  as  the  Scholiaft  on  the  Antig.  of  Sophocles  informs  us, 
were  they  permitted  to  throw  Clods  of  Earth,  but  what 
they  call'd  x^'o^,  Mould,  or  crumbled  Earth  :  And  this  Of- 
fice they  call'd  iTri^dr^eiv  7>?v,  or  Komv  rotAuiu^.  They  fear'd, 
perhaps,  that  if  they  had  thrown  folid  Clods  of  Earth,  they 
would  have  lain  heavy  on  the  dead  Body.  Let  this  fuffice 
for  the  Piety  of  the  Athenians  towards  the  Dead  :  I  will 
now,  that  I  may  not  feem  tedious  to  the  Reader,  nor  create 
in  him  a  fufpicion  of  Truth  in  a  Matter  fo  very  obfcure, 
feledt  only  the  moft  remarkable  Ceremonies,  which  they 
cbferv'd  in  Funerals,  as  I  find  them  recorded  in  the  moft  au- 
thentick  Auchours. 

Firft  then,  to  begin  my  intended  Difcourfe  with  what 
was  pradlic'd  in  the  laft  Agonies  of  the  dying  Perfon  ;  I 
find  in  Diodorus  Siculus  and  Valerius  Maximus,  that  whea. 
the  fick  Perfon  perceiv'd  his  End  draw  nigh,  he  took  a  Ring 
off  his  Finger,  and  gave  it  to  the  Stander  by,  who  was 
deareft  to  him  :  Hiftorians  report  this  to  have  been  done  by 
Alexander.  Then  pronouncing  thefe  laft  Words,  Vive  ac 
vale,  (vide  Servium  in  ^neid.  5.)  he  breath'd  out  his  Soul, 
embracing  and  killing  his  beft-belov'd.  For  they  believ'd 
the  Mouth  to  be  the  Paffage  thro'  which  the  Soul  went  out 
of  the  Body,  and  therefore  endeavoured  to  catch  it  as  it  fled, 
by  holding  their  Mouth  openclofe  to  that  of  the  Perfon  ex- 
piring. Thus  Antigone  in  Euripides,  in  PhcenifT.  fays :  O  my 
deareft,  and  my  beft  belov*d,  I  will  put  thy  Mouth  to  mine. 
After  whofe  Example,  perhaps,  Anna  in  Virgil  ^n.  4. 
V.  684, 

Et  extremus  fi  quis  fuper  halitus  errat. 


Ore  legam.>- 

And  Livia  in  the  Epicedium  of  Albinovanus : 

Sofpite  te,  faltem  moriar,  Nero  :  tu  mea  condas 
Lumina,  8c  excipias  hanc  animam  ore  pio. 

Hence,  at  Rome,  as  we  learn  from  Seneca  in  Epift.  30.  and 
from  the  Tragedian  of  that  Name  in  Here.  Fur.  it  was 
proverbially  faid  of  the  Old,  who  were  worn  out  with  Age^ 

that 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  79; 

that  their  Soul  was  in  their  Mouth  :  Thus  the  Romans 
dcriv'd  this  Credulity  from  the  Greeks :  And  Ariftotle  in 
his  Treatife  de  Infp.  8c  Reip.  fays,  That  Infpiration  is  the 
Protafis,  and  Expiration  the  Cataftrophe  of  Life. 

But  the  Wiflies  of  the  above-mention'd  Livia,  fuggeft  to  us 
another  Office  that  was  apply 'd  to  dying  Perfons,  and  which 
the  Greeks,  in  their  Language,  call'd  KOL^ou^eiv  raV  o99ctX|««V, 
the  Latines,  condere,  or  tegere  oculos  ;  to  clofe  their  Eyes. 
This  was  the  Duty  of  the  neareft  Relation,  or  of  the  deareft 
Friend,  who  immediately  clos'd  the  Eyelids  of  his  departed 
Relation  or  Friend  :  For,  as  Pliny  teaches,  lib.  11.  cap.  37, 
they  held  it  a  Crime  againft  the  Gods  to  fee  the  Eyes  of  a 
dead  Perfon.  And  that  the  Cuftom,  of  which  we  are  fpeak- 
ing,  was  religioufly  obferv'd,  as  a  pious  Office,  that  oughc 
not  to  be  negledied,  we  have  the  Teftimony  of  many  of  the 
Antients  :  particularly  of  Euripides  in  Hecuba,  and  in  Phoc- 
niffa,  of  Homer.  OdyfT.  10.  and  Iliad,  i.  and  of  Plato  in 
Socr.  While  thefe  Things  were  doing,  all  who  were  pre- 
fent,  call'd  with  a  loud  Voice,  and  by  his  own  Name,  the 
Perfon,  who  was  dead,  and  immediately  Vv^ith  Wailings  and 
Tears  ran  to  embrace  the  Corps  :  This  we  learn  from  Ser- 
vius  on  the  4th  iEneid,  and  from  Propertius,  lib.  4.  Eleg.  6 J 
For,  as  Alcinous,  de  dodt.  Plat.  cap.  12.  fays,  he,  who  with 
dry  Eyes,  can  behold  the  Death  of  his  Relations  and  Friends,' 
has  a  Mind  infenfible,  and  void  of  all  Affedrion.  Hir'd 
Women  attended  to  take  Care  of  the  Body,  and  thefe  fliut 
the  Mouth  of  the  dead  Perfon,  while  the  Body  was  yec 
v^arm  :  Yet  Crito  performed  the  laft  Offices  to  the  con- 
demn'd  Socrates,  that  Women,  by  their  unavailing  Laments, 
might  not  fhake  the  Conftancy  of  his  undaunted  Soul, 
Then  they  laid  out  the  other  Members,  and  wafh'd  the 
Corps  with  warm  Water  :  becaufe,  fays  Cicero,  lib.  i,  de 
Leg.  they  believ'd  rhe  vital  Spirit  to  be  fhut  out,  and  often 
to  deceive  them  ;  for  which  reafon,  they  were  wont  to 
wafh  the  Bodies  of  their  Dead  with  warm  Water :  In  the 
next  Place  they  anointed  the  Body  with  Oil,  if  the  Perfon 
were  free,  and  not  of  fervile  Condition  :  For  Undlion  was 
forbid  to  Slaves  by  the  Laws  of  Solon  ;  who  like  wife  pre- 
fcrib'd  Bounds  to  Tears  and  Mourning  ;  but  to  publick  in- 
deed, rather  than  to  private:  Even  he  himfelf,  as  Stoba:us, 
Serm.  276.  witnefTes,  wept  for  the  Lofs  of  his  Son  ;  and 
when  it  was  told  him,  That  Weeping  would  avail  him  no- 
thing :  I  know  it  well,  faid  he,  and  for  that  very  Reafon  I 
weep.    And  indeed, 

5  I  Quis 


794 


LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

Quis  matrem,  niii  mentis  inops,  in  funere  nati 
Flere  verat  ? 


fays  Ovid,  de  Remed.  Amor.    Efpecially  when,  as  the  Cu- 
ftom-  was,  they  plac'd  the  Child,  after  it  was  waOi'd  and 
anointed,  on   the    Knees  of  the  forrowful  Mother,   who, 
taking  it  into  her  Lap,  and  cherifliing  the  cold  Limbs  in  her 
trembling  Bofom,  cloath'd  it  at  length  in  its  funeral  Attire  ; 
as   we  learn  from  Lucian,  de  ludru,  and  from  Herodotus 
Muf  5.  The  Romans  call'd   the  Mother  of  a    dead  Child, 
ftinera  Mater,  and  that  too  very  properly,  fince  the  whole 
Funeral,  the  Lofs  and  the  Grief  were  chiefly  hers :  This  is 
attefted  by  Pliny,  lib.  1 1.  cap.  45,  and  by  Serviusin  Eclog.6. 
Confirmed  likewife  by  the  Mother  of  Euryalus,  who  in 
Virg.  ^n.  9.  hearing  of  the  Death  of  her  Son,  cries  out  in 
the  Bitternefs  of  Anguiili : 

— = -Nee  te  tua  funera  mater 


Produxi,  prefiive  oculos,  aut  vulnera  lavi, 
Vefte  tegens, — ~ — — 

But  by  the  Laws  of  the  twelve  Tables,  it  was  forbid  among 
the  Romans,  to  take  into  their  Laps,  the  Body  of  any,  who 
were  kill'd  with  Lightning  ;  or  to  allow  to  fuch  the  ac- 
cuftom'd  Rites  of  Funeral  ;  becaufe,  according  to  the  Do- 
d:rine  of  the  Greeks,  they  were  efteem'd  holy,  and  worthy 
of  Divine  Honour :  of  which  vjq  have  fpoken  above,  p.  6x9, 
Yide  eiiam  Artemid,  lib.  2.  cap.  8. 

The  funeral  V.efbnent,  or  Shrowd,  was  made  of  fine, 
^\}\te  Liniien,.  and  they  call'd  it  Adtr'^tw  ^om  •  In  weaving  one 
of  thefe,  the  chafte  Penelope  imploy'd  many  Years,  to  gee 
rid  of  her  importunate  Wooers,  to  whom  flie  pretended  flie 
was  making  that  Winding  Sheet  for  her  Husband  UlyiTes* 
Thus  Homer,  OdylT.  B.  Nor  in  the  Camp  of  the  Greeks 
did  any  take  Offence  at  Hippodamia  and  Diomedea,  the 
laft  of  whom  Patroclus,  when  alive,  lov'd  even  to  Mad- 
nefs  ;  and  v*^ho,  both  of  them,  adom'd  his  Funeral  with( 
the  rkheil  of  Veftments,  as  Didys  Cretenfis  has  it  in  lib.  4. 
Nor  can  we  doubt,  but  that,  in  Procefs  of  Time,  vjhfti. 
Corruption  of  Manners  had  crept  in  amonlg  the  Athenians^ 
€ven  they  too  made  ufe  of  coftly  DrefTes  for  their  Dead  : 
Wg   read  in  JElhn  Var.   Hiit.  cap.   1 6,  an4  in  Diogenes. 

LaertittS 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  79^ 

Laertius  in  vit.  Socr.  that  Apollodorus  offcr'd  Socrarcs,  after 
this  Philofopher  had  fwallow  d  the  poilonous  Draught,  and 
was  in  his  laft  Agony  of  Life,  a  white  Veftmencand  Robe  : 
and  Plutarch,  in  vita  Lyfandri,  tells  lis,  that  Philocies,  the 
Prsetor  of  Athens,  after  having  vvafli'd  his  Body,  put  on  hts 
richeft  Robes,  and,  thus  attird,  underwent  with  an  un- 
daunted Mind  the  Death  to  which  his  Conquefour  Lyfan- 
derhad  doom'd  him.  Certain  it  is  that  they  adorn'd  their 
Dead  with  Crowtis  and  Garlands,  made  of  the  Leaves  of 
Olive ;  and  fometimes  of  Parfley,  as  Suidas  reports,  that 
pares  deliver'd  in  his  Book  de  Certaminibus :  and  Lucian 
de  Ludu  adds,  that  they  ftuck  in  among  the  Leaves  the 
Flowers  that  the  Seafcn  afforded  :  This  Garland  was  put 
on  by  the  neareft  Relation  ;  and  Plutarch  relates  of  Pericles, 
that,  tho'  he  ftrove  to  retain  his  Gravity,  and  labour'd  not 
to  difcover  his  inward  Anguifti,  yet  he  could  not  refrain 
from  Tears,  when  he  crown  d  with  this  funeral  Garland  the 
Head  of  his  dead  Son  Patolus.  Laftly,  they  put  into  the 
Mouth  of  the  deceas'd  two  pieces  of  Money,  of  the  value 
of  one  Fenny  each,  to  pay  his  Paflage  over  the  River  Styx  : 
Thus  the  Expofitour  on  the  Frogs  of  Ariftophanes,  who 
faysbefides,  that  this  Freight-money  was  in  their  Mother- 
Tongue  caird  ActiuVjf ;  but  theAttickscall'd  it  Kaf;calov,  and 
the  Latines  Naulum. 

Thefe  Ceremonies  being  thus  performed  to  the  Body,  it 
then  was,  by  the  permiirion  of  a  Law  of  Solon's,  plac'd  any 
where  within  the  Doors  of  the  Houfe:  and  this  they  call'd 
the  Collocation  of  the  Body  :  but  the  fame  Law  commanded, 
that  it  fliould  be  carry 'd  out  to  Burial  the  next  Morning 
after. the  Collocation,  and  that  too  before  Day-light.  This 
Law  was  expir'd,  or  at  lead  was  grown  out  of  ufe,  in  the 
Time  of  Demetriws  Phalereus :  and  tho'  it  was  then  re^ 
new'd,  it  hinder'd  them  not  from  keeping  the  Body  in  the 
Houfe,  as  the  Romans  like  wife  did,  for  the  fpace  of  (Qven 
intire  Days  :  during  which  time  Frankincenfe,  Storax,  and 
other  Perfumes  were  continually  burning  on  a  little  Altar, 
that  was  plac'd  by  the  Feet  of  the  Corps-  And  this  Cu- 
ftom  of  keeping  the  Body  thus  long  was  obferv'd  for  this 
reafon,  to  wit,  becaufe  the  Prefence  of  the  Deceas'd  alle- 
viated the  Sorrow  of  the  Mourners,  and  accuftom'd  their 
Mind  by  degrees  to  part  for  good  and  all  with  what  they  fo 
dearly  lov'd.  For  this  Reafon  the  Greeks,  when  they  were 
before  Troy,  bury'd  not  the  Body  of  Achilles^  till  after  they 
{sad  kept  it  f^ventf er?  whole  Days, 

3  I  i  Befid^ss 


796  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

Befides:  Thofe  who  perform'd  the  meaneft  Offices  to 
dead  Bodies,  as  the  wafhing  and  rubbing  them  with  Oils 
and  Ointments,  and  whom  the  Greeks  dall'd  KAJccyzu^Tuiy 
and  N£;cpo9a'7r'3,  and  the  Latines,  Pollindtores,  were,  as 
P.  Vid.  lib.  2.  var.  le<5fc.  cap.  7.  and  Lilius  Gyraldus  ob- 
ferve,  held  in  fuch  Abomination,  than  they  were  not  per- 
mitted to  have  Houfes  within  the  Walls  of  the  City  :  And 
Seneca,  lib.  6.  de  Benefic.  fays,  that  Demades  condemn  d 
at  Athens  a  Perfon  who  fold  NecelTaries  for  Funerals  ;  be- 
caufe  it  was  evident,  that  he  intended,  and  wifh'd  to  gain 
by  his  Bufinefs,  which  neverthelefs  he  could  not  do  without 
the  Death  of  many. 

There  were  feveral  Tokens,  that  gave  Notice  of  a  Houfe, 
in  which  there  was  a  dead  Body :  before  the  Door  they 
plac'd  Boughs  of  Cyprefs,  and  a  large  gor-belly'd  earthen 
Pot,  fili*d  with  holy  Water,  and  which  was  commonly  call'd 
'AfVctviov  7ctrct,  but  by  Ariftophanes,  oVpctxoy  •  and  that  Water 
was  always  brought  from  another  Houfe  :  The  Hair  likewife 
of  the  Deceased  was  hung  over  the  Threfhold  of  the  Door: 
And  the  reafon  of  all  this  was,  that  none  might  be  polluted, 
by  going  into  the  Houfe  unawares. 

On  thefe  Occafions  the  Greek  Matrons  laid  afide  their 
ufual  Apparel,  and  mourn'd  generally  in  black,  tho*  fome- 
times  in  white :  negledting  to  fet  themfelves  off  with  Orna- 
ments, and  defpifing  their  accuftom'd  Trim:  Their  mourn- 
ing Garm>ent  was,  by  the  Decree  of  Solon,  call'd  'i^ctTiov* 
They  fate  by  the  Corps  with  dejedled  Looks,  and  weeping 
around  the  Bier,  on  which  fate  the  Keeper  of  the  Corfe, 
[capularis  cuRos]  fome  very  old  Man  or  Woman,  that  kept 
always  rext  the  Deceas'd  :  The  Com.panions  too  of  the 
dtzd  Perfon  ftood  around  his  Body,  overwhelmed  with 
Grief,  together  with  weeping  Virgins,  who  often  beat  their 
Breafls  with  their  Hands :  And  thofe  of  the  weaker  Sex 
frequently  tore  off  their  Hair  for  Grief:  For  it  vv^as  forbid 
to  cut  it  quite  off,  except  at  the  Pile  or  Tomb.  It  was 
an  antient  Cuftom  too  in  Mourning  to  take  the  Hair  off 
their  Eye-brows,  and  to  do  all  things  that  might  teftifie  an 
Irkforrenefs  of  Life,  and  betray  an  Anguifli  of  Mind.  They 
fcarce  eat  at  all ;  what  Nourifliment  they  took,  was  of  the 
coarfeft  Fare  :  Nor  is  it  improbable,  thr.t  the  Cups  they 
drank  out  of  were  black  :  as  was  the  Cuftom  at  Rome  : 
where  they  were  made  of  Earth  that  came  from  Polentia. 
See  Martial,  lib.  14.  Epig.  157,  and  Euripides  in  Troad. 

When 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  797 

When  the  feventh  Day  approach'd,  the  Body  was,  by 
the  Friends  of  the  Deceas'd,  laid  on  a  high  Bier,  and  plac'd 
with  the  Feet  next  the  Door  ;  which  laft  Cuftom  the  Scholiaft 
on  the  fixth  Iliad  obferves,  was  not  without  JMyftery :  For, 
fays  he,  the  Dead  were  laid  in  that  manner,  to  fignify, 
that  they  were  never  more  to  return  to  rhe  Houfe  again  : 
But  Pliny,  lib.  7.  cap.  8.  gives  a  better  realbn,  and  fays, 
that  as  by  the  Decrees  of  Nature  Man  comes  into  the  World 
with  his  Head  foremoft,  fo  he  is  carry 'd  to  his  Grave  with 
his  Feet  in  that  m.anner.  This  Ceremony  was  call'd 
nfo9sc7/r,  i.  e.  Collocatio,  and  was  obferv'd  for  this  Reafon, 
that  by  thus  expofing  the  Body,  it  might  be  fecn  whether 
any  Violence  had  been  ofl'er'd  to  it :  And  tho*  it  was  in- 
dulg'd  by  the  Attick  Laws,  that  the  Body  might  be 
plac'd  in  any  part  of  the  Houfe,  yet  this  Collocation,  as 
they  call'd  it,  was  generally  made  in  rhe  Veftibulum,  Porch, 
or  Entry,  and  always  with  the  Feet  towards  the  Door:  a 
Cuftom  frequent  enough  in  our  Days.  I  may  not  omit  their 
foolifh  Cuftom  of  driving  away  the  Flies  ;  and  into  which 
they  were  led,  perhaps,  by  the  Example  of  the  officious 
Thetis.  See  Hom.  Iliad.  8.  Socrates  in  Plato,  in  Minoe, 
takes  notice  of  their  obferving  an  antient  Attick  Law  con- 
cerning the  Inferise,  or  Sacrifices  to  the  Infernal  Gods  ;  by 
which  Law  it  was  injoin'd,  not  to  carry  the  Body  out  of  the 
Houfe,  till  the  Vid:ims  were  llain;  no  doubt  for  the  Expia- 
tion of  the  Deceas'd.  And  fince  we  are  fpeaking  of  Laws, 
I  will  mention  the  Ordinance  of  Hippias  the  Tyrant,  wh9 
commanded,  fays  Ariftotle  in  OEconom.  that  for  each  dead 
Perfon  fliould  be  paid  to  the  Chief  Priefts  of  the  Temple  of 
Minerva,  which  was  in  the  Tower  of  Athens,  two  Sexta- 
ries  of  Barley,  as  many  of  Wheat,  and  one  Penny  in  Mo- 
ney. Thefe  things  compleaced  the  domeftick  Mourning, 
and  the  firft  part  of  the  Funeral ;  to  which  immediately 
fucceeded  the  fecond  in  the  following  Manner. 

According  to  the  Laws  of  Solon,  as  Demofthenes  affirms, 
but  as  Tully,  of  Demetrius  Phalereus,  in  the  Hours  of 
Morning,  that  preceded  Day-light,  efpecially  if  the  Perfon 
dy'd  an  untimely  or  fuddain  Death,  the  Body  was  carry *d 
out  of  the  Houfe  :  This  they  call'd  y/uz^^  d^-Trcay-yiVi  diei  rap- 
tum,  as  if  the  Deceas'd  had  not  expir'd,  bur  had  been 
fnatch'd  or  raviili'd  away  :  or  becaufe  they  thought  it  not 
fit,  that  the  Sun  fliould  behold  fo  great  a  Misfortune,  and 
therefore  they  faid,  that  they,  diem  rapuifTe,  bad  ravifli'd, 
had  prevented  the  Day  :   The  Proccfiion  began  by  a  long 

Row 


798  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

Row  of  Torches,  whofe  Splendour  difpeH'ci  the  Darknefsof 
the  Night :  and  if  the  Deceased  had  been  kill'd,  or  had  dy'd 
a  violent  Death,  a  Spear  was  borne  before  the  Body  :  Hoarfe- 
founding  Trumpets  attended,  efpecially  at  the  Funeral  of  a 
Military  Man,  or  one  who  had  deferv'd  well  on  account  of 
his  fignal  Services  to  the  Republick  ;  and  at  the  Obfequies 
of  fuch,  the  People  were  fummon'd  to  affift.  Then  came 
the  Tvjji^cwxoi,  Players  on  the  funeral  Pipes,  which  the 
Greeks  by  a  Word  borrow'd  from  the  Phoenicians,  call'd 
Tiy^fict],  and  which,  after  the  Libyan  Mood,  utter'd  a  dole- 
ful Sound,  that  excited  the  hir'd  Women  to  bewail  the 
Dead.  Thefe  Women  the  Greeks  calFd  io((:.i^ou  Sr^ifv^i.,  the 
Diflemblers,  and  the  Principals  in  the  Monruing,  tho*  they 
Ihar'd  not  in  the  Grief.  Thcfe  the  Latines  call'd  Prseftcae. 
The  Chief  of  them  vas  call'd  'InAfA^'V^tot,  from  a  fort  of 
Song,  which  they  term'd  'ly.M/^t^,  or  'Iccas/u^,  the  Latines, 
Lelfus,  Laufus  8c  Mortualia,  a  funeral  Dirge.  With  thefe 
Mercenaries  join'd  the  Virgins  and  Matrons,  that  were  re- 
lated to  the  Deceas'd,  with  their  Hair  difshevel'd,  and  be- 
fprinkled  with  Duft  and  Aflies,  their  Face  and  Bofom  bare, 
beating  their  Breafts,  tearing  their  Face,  and  each  of  them 
howling  rather  than  yelling  and  wailing.  But  let  us  heat 
Beilonius,  an  Eye  and  Ear-witnefs  of  the  funeral  Ceremo- 
nies at  this  Day  obferv'd  in  Greece. 

The  Cuftom,  fays  he,  of  bewailing  the  Dead,  which  took 
its  Rife  from  the  anrient  Heathens  Howling  at  Funerals, 
remains  among  the  C  riftians,  even  to  this  Day.  Now  the 
Heathens  of  old  vv'ere  wont  to  lament  and  mourn  their  Dead 
for  many  Days  :  and  Greece  ftill  retains  this  Ufage,  which  it 
deriv'd  from  irs  Anceftours.  For  in  all  places,  by  a  certain 
promifcuous  Cuftom,  when  any  of  the  Family  dies,  whe- 
ther it  be  the  H^usband,  or  any  other  Relation ,  for 
whom,  according  to  the  Ufage  of  the  Countrey,  they  are 
obiig'd  to  mourn,  the  Women  run  up  and  down  the  Streets 
|)are- headed,  with  their  Hair  difshevel'd,  their  Bofom  naked, 
and  piercing  the  Air  with  their  loud  Shrieks  and  Yells : 
gearing  likewife  the  Hair  off  their  Heads,  rending  theif 
Cheeks,  and  ftriking  their  bare  Breafts,  fometimes  with 
one  Hand,  fometimics  with  the  other:  with  their  right  Hand 
ihey  tear  the  left  fide  cf  their  Body,  and  with  their  left,  the 
right :  In  the  fame  manner  too  they  tear  off  their  Hair,  from 
the  left  fide  of  their  Head  with  their  right  Hand,  from  the  Righfi 
with  their  Idt :  And  thus  by  Turns,  fometimes  fcarifying  their- 
f  heeks,  fometimes  beating  the^r  Bir^^aflSj  and  fornetimcs  tear- 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  799 

ing  off  their  Hair,  they  perform  this  Ceremony  of  Mourning : 
But  this  Cullom  of  bewailing  the  Dead,  is  permitted  only  to 
the  Women,  of  what  Rank  foever  they  be:  For  the  Men 
are  not  fuffer'd  to  bear  a  Part  in  this  fort  of  Mourning.    I 
know  all  this  to  be  true,  not  by  Hearfay,  or  the  Writings  of 
others,  but  have   often  feen   it  prad:is'd   of  late  in   many 
Places  of  Greece  :  The  lirft  Time  I  was  an  Eye-witnefs  of 
it,  was  in  the  Month  of  March,  1 547.  and  at  Corey ra  an- 
tiently,  but  now  called  Corfu.     1  had  for  many  Days  to- 
gether, before  it  was  light,  heard  a  great  Noife,  which  at 
firft  I  took  to  be  the  Howling  of  Dogs,  fliut  up  in  their 
Kennels  .  but  at  length  I  got  out  of  my  Bed  to  difcover  the 
truth  of  it,  and,  to  my  great  Aftonifliment,  found  it  to  be  a 
Company  of  fcreaming  and  howling   Women.     Now  that 
they  may  perform  this  Yelling  the  better,  they  agree  among 
themfeives  on  a  Time  and  Place,  when  and  where  they  may 
twice  a  Day  mourn  and  wail  the  Death  of  the  Deceas'd. 
Moreover,  She  among   thefe  Women,    who  has  the  beft 
Voice,  and  fings  the  ioudeft,  begins  the  Dirge  alone,  and, 
in  a  diffonarit  Voice  from  the  others,  recounts  to  his  Rela- 
tions and  Friends  the  Praifes  of  the  Deceas'd  :  And  if  none 
of  the   female  Relations  themfeives  be  capable  of  perform- 
ing this  Office,  they   hire  another  Woman  to  do  it.    Fof 
in  the  Towns  of  Greece  there  are  many  Women,  whofe  fole 
Livelihood   it  is  to  wail  the  Dead :  in   which  they  are  fo 
artful,  that  they  excite  even  the  unwilling  to  bear  a  Part  in 
their  Cries  and  Yellings.     And  flie  of  all  the  Women,  who 
excels   the   reft  in  reciting  the   Praifes  of  the  Deceas'd,  is 
hir'd  the  deareft.     And   the  other  Women,  who  alTift    in 
the  Ceremony,  barkening  attentively  to  what  flie  fings,  and 
mixing,  with  hers,  their  Sighs  and  Groans,  chaunt  out  the 
funeral  Dirge,  in  the   fame  doleful  Tune.     She  too,  who 
with  her  Nails  fcratches  and  tears  her  Cheeks  the  moft,  is 
j  wont  to  receive  the  greateft  Reward.     The  Virgins,  above 
the  reft,  gain  moft  Honour  by  this  Dilaceration  of  the  Face. 
Thus  P.  Bellonius,  lib.  2.  de  medicato  funere,  cap.  14. 

Some  Footfteps  of  thefe  Dirges  are  ftill remaining  in  Grae- 
cia  Major,  the  Cuftom  of  lamenting  the  Dead  in  Rhyme 
being  not  totally  abolifh'd.  A.  Saniorellus,  in  his  learned 
Poftpraxis,  feu  de  curando  DefuncSto,  records  a  Dirge,  ftill 
frequently  us'd  by  the  Councrey  People  in  Calabria  :  And 
LihusGyraldus  wirnefles,  that  that  feminine  Cuftom  of  Yell- 
ing and  Screaming,  and  of  tearing  their  Cheeks  and  Hair,' 
continu'd  among    the.  Sabines.  in  his  Days,   and  almofl: 

throughouc 


2qo  LUCRETIUS,  Book  VI 

throughout  all  Italy.     But  no  where  can  we  find  a  more 
pathetick  and  moving  Dirge  than  this  in  our  Lucretius  : 

At  jam  non  domus  accipiet  te  Iseta,  neque  uxor 
Optima  :  nee  dulces  occurrent  ofcula  nati 
Prseripere,  8c  tacita  pe(5lus  dulcedine  tangent : 
Non  poteris  fa<5tis  tibi  fortibus  efle,  tuifque 
Praefidio.  Mifer,  b  mifer,  omnia  ademit 
Una  dies  infefta  tibi  tot  prsemia  vitae. 

Which  Dryden  thus  interprets  : 

Alas !  Thou'rc  fnatch'd  from  all  thy  Houfhold  Joys, 

From  thy  chafte  Wife,  and  thy  dear  prattling  Boys  ; 

Whofe  little  Arms  about  thy  Legs  were  caft  ; 

And  climbing  for  a  Kifs,  prevent  their  Mothers  hafte  ; 

Infpiring  fecret  Pleafure  thro'  thy  Breaft  : 

All  theie  fliall  be  no  more  :  Thy  Friends,  oppreft. 

Thy  Care  and  Courage  now  no  more  (liall  free : 

Ah  Wretch  !  they  cry  :  ah !  miferable  thee  ! 

One  woeful  Day  fweeps  Children,  Friends,  and  Wife ; 

And  all  the  brittle  Bleffings  of  thy  Life. 

Solon,  as  Cicero,  lib.  2.  de  Leg.  and   Plutarch  in  his 
Life,  inform  us,  forbid   indeed  by  a  Law  this  dilaceration 
of  the  Cheeks,  and  beating  of  the  Breafts  ;  which  laft  they 
cali'd  rspvoTUTT/ct  •     the  People    neverthelefs    could   not    be 
prevail'd  on  to  difcontinue  that  Cuftom  :  Nor,  as  the  above- 
eited  Bellonius  relates,  were  the   Venetians  of  late  Days 
more  fuccefsful.  in  the  like  Injunc5lions  they  gave  to  the 
Countreys  of  Greece,  that  are  fubjed:  to  their  Obedience. 
The  Reafon,  why  the  Antients  adher'd  thus  obftinately  to 
this  Cuftom,  was,  becaufe  they  creduloufly  believ'd,  that 
the  Manes,  or  Ghoftsofthe  Dead,  were  appeas'd  and  fa- 
tisfy'd  with  Blood  and  Milk :  Therefore,  fays  Servius,  the 
Women,  who  aifift  at  Funerals,  beat  their  Breafts,  that  they 
may  force  out  the  Milk,  and  all    fcarify   their  Flefli,  to 
make  themfelves  bleed.     But  becaufe  a  vaft   Concourfe  of 
Women,  of  all  Conditions,  were  wont  to  flock  to  the  fu- 
neral Houfe,  it  was  forbid  by  a  Law,  for  any  Woman  to 
come  to  a  Funeral,  except  fuch  as  were  Relations  of  the 
Dead,  and  fixty  Years  of  Age  :  Thus  the  great   Refort  of 
Men  and  Women  was  taken  away  to  leiTen  the  Lamenta- 
tion.    For  the  Men  too  fiock'd  in  Crowds  to  Funerals  : 

and 


Book  Vr.         LUCRETIUS.  8or 

\nd  therefore  Pittacus,  as  Cicero,  2.  de  Legib.  teaches,  for- 
bid all  manned  ot  Perfons  to  attend  Burials,  except 
the  Kindred  of  the  Deceased  :  which  Sand:ion  Ariftotle,  in 
Eth.  9.  cap.  II.  tells  us,  was  continu'd,  and  in  ufe,  in  his 
Days.  But  it  is  not  certain,  whether  befides  the  Relations, 
who,  clad  in  Black,  and  with  Veils  over  their  Heads, 
march'd  in  Order  before  the  Women,  the  Friends  likewife, 
and  all  who  had  at  any  time  belong'd  to  the  Family  of  the 
Deceased,  as  alfo  the  Matters  of  Defence,  the  Players  and 
Dancers,  the  Slaves  manumitted  by  Will,  and  thofe  whom 
the  Deceased  had  made  free  before  his  Death,  the  Bearers  of 
the  Beds,  Gifts,  Garlands,  Trophies,  and  waxen  Images,  to- 
gether with  the  Lidtors,  and  Servants  of  the  Senate,  v^hich 
was  the  Cuftom  at  Rome,  made  part  of  the  funeral  Pro- 
ceflion  :  But  this  is  certain,  that  the  Magiftracy  of  Athens 
fomctimes  honour'd  with  their  Prefence  the  Funerals  of  the 
confiderable  Citizens ;  on  account  of  whofe  Death  they 
fometimes  too  very  unfeafonably  prorogued  the  Courts  of 
Juftice  :  And  Solon,  in  Tzetzes,  hearing  that  the  whole 
City  attended  the  Funeral  of  a  young  Man,  deceiv'd  by  the 
Cunning  of  his  Friend  Thales,  immediately  concluded  it  to 
be  his  ov^n  Son,  whom  they  were  attending  to  the  Grave. 
The  Friends  and  Relations  carry'd,  on  their  Shoulders,  the 
Bier  ;  of  which  there  were  two  forts  in  Ufe  among  the 
People  of  Subftance :  The  one  was  call'd  As^wr,  the  other 
Kx'mi  •  The  Diftindion  was  only  in  the  (ize  of  them  ;  and 
confequently  in  the  Number  of  the  Bearers  :  The  As^^r 
was  the  largeft,  and  carry'd  by  an  uncertain  Number  of 
Bearers,  according  to  its  fize  :  The  Ka/vi^  always  by  fix,  or 
eight  ;  whence  it  was  like  wife  call'd  l^»'4op(^,  or  ov.%(^of(^ ' 
And  a  Parcel  of  young  Men,  chofen  by  the  People,  carry'd 
the  Bier  of  Timoleon,  fays  Plutarch  in  his  Life. 

The  funeral  Pomp  proceeded  thro'  the  chief  Streets  of  the 
City,  till  it  came  to  ihe  Forum,  or  Market-Place,  where 
the  Bier  was  fet  down,  and  an  Oration  pronounced  in  Praife 
of  the  Deceas'd  :  This  Cuftom,  as  we  learn  from  Anaxi- 
menes  the  Oratour  in  Plutarch,  in  Vita  Solonis,  was  firft 
inftituted  by  Solon ;  and,  being  in  Procefs  of  time  difcon- 
tinu'd,  was  again  reviv'd,  efpecially  about  the  Time,  when 
the  Greeks,  at  the  Pafles  of  Thermopylae, overthrew  the  Bar- 
barians, who  had  invaded  their  Countrey.  When  thePanegy- 
rick  was  ended,  the  Proceflion  mov'd  again  in  the  fame  Order, 
and  went  to  the  Place  of  Sepulture:  which  Sepulture  was  not 
neverthelefs  perform'd  always  in  the  fame  Place,  nor  after 

S  K  the 


go2  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

the  fame  Manner  :  for  both  Place  and  Manner  differ'd,  ac- 
cording to  feverai  Laws,  and  the  various  Superftitions,  that 
reign'd  in  feverai  Ages.  At  iirft  they  carry'd  back  the  Dead 
to  their  Houfe,  and  intomb'd  them  there  ;  calling  them  the 
Lares,  and  tutelar  Gods  of  the  Houie:  But  in  Procefs  of 
Time  this  Cuftom  was  forbid  by  the  Laws,  vi^hich  declar'd 
it  a  Crime,  to  bury  any  Man  vv^ithin  the  Walls  of  the  City  j 
of  which  we  will  fpeak  particularly  hereafter. 

It  is  agreed  by  all.  That  there  were  two  forts  of  Sepul- 
ture among  the  Athenians:  And  to  me,  fays  Tully,  that 
feems  to  have  been  the  antient  way  of  Burial,  which  Cyrus 
ufes  in  Xenophon.  For  the  Body  is  reftor'd  to  the  Earth, 
and  being  laid  in  it^  is  cover'd  as  with  the  Covering  of  its 
Mother.  This  Cuftom  of  burying  in  the  Ground,  fays  that 
Authour,  z.  de  Leg.  was  continu'd  at  Athens,  as  they  fay, 
from  the  Days  of  Cecrops  :  the  neareft  Relations  laid  the 
Body  in  the  Ground,  and  the  Earth,  that  was  thrown  over 
the  dead  Body,  was  fown  with  Corn.  The  other  Cuftom 
of  burning  the  Dead,  began  about  the  Age  of  Hercules, 
who,  to  avoid  being  perjur'd,  reduc'd  to  Allies  the  Body  of 
Archeus,  the  Son  of  Lycymnus,  and  thus  reftor'd  it  to  his 
leather.  This  we  learn  from  Andron.  Hift.  and  Euftath.on 
Iliad.  4.  And  this  laft  Cuftom  was  obfervM  not  only  at 
Athens,  but  by  all  the  Greeks  in  General :  for  fo  fays  the 
Scholiaft  of  Thucydides,  lib.  2.  k'r<B^  y^  -^y  vj^©-  'A3u;c«W^ 
^acrjv  ''EAAif(r; '  i.  e.  It  was  eftablifli'd  by  Lav*^  among  the 
Athenians,  and  all  the  Creeks.  The  reafon  of  the  Inftitu- 
tion  of  this  Cuftom  was,  becaufe  they  believ'd  the  divine 
and  immortal  Part  of  Man  10  be  by  that  hry  Vehicle  car- 
ry'd  up  to  Heaven  ;  and  that  whatever  vi'as  terreftrial  and 
mortal  remained  in  the  Allies.  Eefides,  according  to  the 
Teftimony  of  Pliny,  lib.  7.  cap.  54.  they  conceiv'd,  that 
by  burning  the  dead  Bodies,  they  avoided  the  Infedion, 
that  might  be  caus'd  in  the  Air,  by  the  Putrefacftion  of  bury'd 
CarcafTes  3  but  above  all,  the  Injury  and  Ignominy,  which 
might  be  oifer'd  to  the  Bodies  of  the  Dead,  by  taking  them 
©ut  of  the  Grave,  before  they  were  confum'd:  And  for  this 
reafon  the  Tyrant  Sylla  order'd  his  Corps  to  be  burnt,  left 
he  fliould  be  ferv'd  in  the  fame  Kind  as  he  before  had  ferv'd 
his  Enemy  Caius  Marius,  uhofe  Body  he  caus'd  to  be 
digf^'d  up,  and  thrown  into  the  River  Aniene,  now  Teve- 
fone,  as  Cicero  in  2.  de  Legibus,  and  Plutarch  in  his  Life 
both  witnefs.  But  we  may  obferve,  that  either  Way  of 
Burial  wss  csHEiaud  down  even  to  the  Age   of  Socrates  t 


Book  VL         LUCRETIUS.  803 

This  we  know  from  the  dying  Words  of  chat  Philofopher, 
as  they  are  recorded  by  Plato  in  Pha^done.  Befides,  iho'  the 
Athenians  gave  Anfwer  to  S.  Sulpicius,  as  we  find  in  his 
Epiftle  to  Cicero,  that  they  were  bound  by  their  Religion, 
not  to  bury  the  Body  of  Marcellus  within  the  City,  yec 
Authours  of  better  Credit,  particularly  Paufanias  in  Attic. 
Xenophon  'EAMinjc  lib.  7.  Thucydides,  lib.  5.  Arnobius, 
lib.  6.  adverf.  Gentes  :  and  others  aflure  us,  That  it  was 
the  Cuftom  of  the  Greeks  to  bury  their  eminent  Men  in 
the  midft  of  the  City,  even  in  the  very  Forum.  Plutarch, 
in  the  Life  of  Thefeus  acquaints  us,  That  Cimon  having 
in  his  Galley  brought  his  Bones  to  Athens,  the  Athenians 
received  them  with  folemn  Rejoicings  and  Sacrifices,  as  if  ic 
had  been  himfelf  who  had  returned  alive  to  their  City,  and 
bury'd  them  vitbin  the  Walls,  near  the  Place,  fays  he, 
where  the  Gymnafium  now  ftands :  It  is  certain  however, 
that  it  was  more  frequent  among  them  to  bury  in  their  Ce^ 
ramicus,  by  which  Name  were  call'd  two  feveral  burying 
Places  in  Athens  :  one  without  the  Walls  of  the  City,  and 
where  they  bury*d  fuch  as  were  llain  in  Battel ;  the  other 
within  the  City,  where  Harlots  alfo  liv'd,  and  proftituted 
themfelves :  To  which  Martial,  lib.  i.  Epig.  35.  alluding, 
fays, 

A  Chione  faltem,  vel  ab  Helide  difce  pudorem  ^ 
Abfcondunt  fpurcas  hasc  monumenta  lupas. 

And  lib.  3.  Epig,  93. 

Cum  te  lucerna  balneator  extindla 
Admittat  inter  buftuarias  moechas. 

But  we  may  rake  Notice  from  Paufanias  in  Atticis,  that  all 
were  not  bury'd  in  the  Ceramicus,  but  that  moft  of  the 
Illuftrious  Men  had  their  Sepulchres  near  the  High  Ways 
and  publick  Roads,  that  led  to  the  City  :  adjoining  to  that 
which  came  from  the  Port  Pirseeus  were  the  Tombs  of  Me- 
nander,  of  the  Son  of  Diopithes,  and  of  Euripides.  Befides, 
in  the  publick  Inclofures  without  the  City,  and  in  all  the 
Roads,  were  Temples  dedicated  to  their  Gods  and  Heroes, 
and  the  Sepulchres  of  their  Great  Men  ;  among  which  de- 
fervedly  claim  to  be  mention'd  thofe  of  Thrafybulas  the 
Son  of  Lycus,  as  alfo  of  Pericles,  Chabrias,  Phorniio,  Co- 
BOHp  and  Timotheus,    But  the  Tomb  of  Ariilides,  fay^ 

SK2.  Plucarct| 


8o4  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

Plutarch  in  his  Life,  is  remaining  in  the  Phalerean  Port  ; 
which  Tomb  is  faid  to  have  been  ereded  at  the  Expence  of 
the  Publick,  he  having  not  left  behind  him  enough  to  defray 
the  Charges  of  his  Funeral.  And  all  who  were  flain  fight- 
ing for  their  Countrey,  either  in  Engagements  at  Sea,  or 
Battels  at  Land,  had  Monuments  fet  over  their  Graves  ; 
thofe  only  excepted,  who  fell  at  the  Battel  of  Marathon, 
where,  fays  Herodotus,  lib.  6.  there  were  kill'd  of  the  Per- 
fians  about  fix  thoufand  three  hundred,  and  of  the  Athe- 
nians only  one  hundred  ninety  two :  And  to  thefe,  in  Ho^ 
nour  of  their  Bravery,  were  ereded  Sepulchres  in  the  Place 
where  they  were  kill'd  :  but  all  the  others  are  faid  to  have 
been  bury'd  in  the  Way  that  leads  to  the  Academy.  Yet 
in  great  Slaughters,  the  Republick  of  Athens,  that  they 
might  not  be  thought  to  fall  off  from  their  wonted  Piety 
and  Gratitude,  took  care  that  the  common  Soldiers  fliould 
be  bury'd  at  left  promifcuoufly,  one  with  another,  in  the 
following  manner,  as  it  is  recorded  by  Thncydides  :  Three 
Days  before  the  Obfequies  were  to  be  perform'd,  they  built 
a  Shed  with  Boards,  into  which  they  brought  the  Bones  ; 
and  every  one  was  allow'd  to  bring  thither  whatever  he 
thought  fit  of  what  his  Friend  had  left  behind  him :  When 
the  Funeral  ProcefTion  was  made,  the  feveral  Coffins  that 
contain'd  the  Bones  of  each  Tribe  were  carry 'd  in  a  particu- 
lar Cart  by  themfelves:  and  one  Bier  befides,  with  Coffins 
quite  empty,  was  carry 'd  for  thofe  whofe  Bodies  were  not 
found  among  the  Slain.  Every  Man  that  pleas'd,  whether 
a  Citizen  or  a  Stranger,  attended  the  Funeral,  and  fome 
Women,  who  were  related  to  the  Deceas'd,  went  weeping, 
and  bewailing  the  Dead.  The  Bones  were  carry'd  to  a  pub- 
lick  Sepulchre  in  the  Suburbs  of  Athens,  near  the  Tomb  of 
Callifthus.  Let  this  fuffice  for  publick  Sepulchres.  But 
private  Families  had  Vaults,  in  which  they  were  bury'd, 
in  their  own  Land,  and  on  the  utmoft  Borders  of  it  :  And 
by  this  Argument  Marceliinus  proves  the  Relation  there  was 
between  Thucydides  and  Cimon  :  and  it  was  deem'd  dif^ 
honourable  not  to  be  laid  in  the  Sepulchre  of  their  Ar.cef- 
tours  :  But  at  Athens  the  Bodies  of  Criminals  were  pro- 
jeded,  as  they  call'd  it,  thrown  in  a  certain  Place,  where 
they  lay  espos'd  above  Ground,  nor  was  it  permitted,  even 
to  the  Sons  cf  fuch  as  had  been  executed,  to  bury  them  : 
The  like  Treatment  too  was  given  to  their  Bodies, 
who,  for  Climes  difcover'd  after  their  Death ,  were 
condemn'd  to  be  dug  out  of  their  Graves.    Plutarch,  in  the 

Lives 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS.  8of 

Lives  of  the  ten  Oratours,  mentions  a  Decree  of  the  Athe- 
nians, by  which  it  was  forbid  to  bury,  neither  in  Athens,  or 
within  the  Limits  of  its  Jurifdidion,  the  Bodies  of  Arche- 
ptolemus  and  Antiphon,  who  were  convidled  cf  Conlpiracy 
againft  the  Government :  And  the  like  Fate,  fays  the  fame 
Authour,  in  the  Place  abovecited,  would  have  happcn'd  to 
the  Oratour  Hyperides,  if  his  Kinfman  Alphenus  had  noc 
burnt  his  Body,  that  was  given  him  by  Philopites  the  Phy- 
fician,  and  brought  his  Bones  to  Athens,  contrary  to  the 
Decrees,  as  well  of  the  Athenians,  as  Macedonians  :  for  he 
was  not  only  banifli'd,  but  forbid  likewife  to  be  bury  d  in 
his  own  Countrey.  And  the  Friends  of  Themiftocles  did 
him  the  like  good  Office,  fays  ^milius  Probus  in  his  Life ; 
for  they  bury'd  his  Bones  privately,  which  was  forbid  to  be 
done  at  all  by  the  Laws,  becaufe  he  was  guilty  of  Treafon : 
And  Plutarch,  in  the  Life  of  Phocion,  takes  notice,  that  his 
Enemies  commanded  his  Body  (liould  be  thrown  our  of  the 
Borders  of  the  Attick  Territories,  and  that  no  Arhenian 
lliould  prefume  to  fet  fire  to  his  funeral  Pile  :  And  for  this 
Reafon  the  People  conceiv'd  fuch  a  Hatred  againft  him, 
that  no  Man,  v^/ho  was  free,  durft  to  bury  Phocion,  info- 
much  that  he  was  bury'd  by  Slaves.  Nor  may  we  omic 
the  fevere  Treatment  of  the  thirty  Chief  Judges,  who,  on 
the  Accufation  of  Myro  the  Phylenfian,  were  banifli'd  the 
City  ;  and  when  any  ofthemdy'd,  and  were  bury'd,  their 
dead  Bodies  were  dug  up,  and  thrown  cut  of  the  Terri- 
tories of  Attica,  as  Plutarch  reports  in  the  Life  of  Solon, 
And  indeed,  as  Ifocrates  de  Jugo  fays,  the  People  of  Athens 
were  fo  jealous  of  their  Liberty,  and  held  Tyrants  in  fo 
great  Abomination,  that  when  they  fiez'd  their  Eftates,  they 
not  only  demoiifli'd  their  Houfes,  but  purfu'd  their  Hate  to. 
their  dead  Remains,  and  tore  them  our  of  their  Graves, 
Befides,  it  was  permitted  to  no  Man,  not  even  to  an  Enemy, 
to  go  to  Sepulchres,  except  when  they  attended  Funerals. 
Yet  Plutarch,  in  the  Life  of  Thefeus  acquaints  us.  That 
his  Sepulchre  was  a  Place  of  Refuge,  to  fiieker  Slaves  and 
Perfons  of  mean  Condition,  who  fear'd  to  be  opprefs'd  by 
the  Great,  becaufe  Thefeus  had  been  remarkable  for  pro^ 
teding  the  Injur'd,  for  aififting  the  Needy,  and  redreliing 
their  Grievances.  But  Philip  the  Macedonian  violated  the 
facred  Privilege  of  Sepulchres,  ^s  if,  fays  Livy,  he  had  noc 
been  engag'd  in  War  againft  the  living,  but  dead  Athenians, 
and  even  againft  their  Tombs.  The  common  Way  of  bu- 
rying was   by  heaping  up   Earth   over  the    dead  Body: 

the 


8o6  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

the  more  coftly  was  by  keeping  it  in  a  Coffin,  efpecially 
of  Marble :  but  the  moft  fumptuous  of  all  was  in  a  vaulted 
Cell,  in  the  midft  of  which  the  Coffin  was  plac'd  :  One  of 
thefe  marble  Coffins  is  fcill  to  be  ken  among  the  Rarities  of 
the  Grand  Duke  of  Tufcany,  with  the  following  Infcription 
engrav'd  on  it : 

AXIAAET2    EnA$PA  TH 
lAIA     FTKAIKI     FEMINIA 
MTPTAAH    MNHMN2 
TEAETTAIA2  XAPIN 
THN    20P0N    E$    H  MHAE 
NA   MHTE  nOAHSAI 
MHTE     0EINAI      ES0T2IAN 
EXEIK  nAHN  EI   MH  TI 
ATTOS    O    AXIAAET2 

nAeoiH  ANGPnni 

NON   EI  AE  TI2 
EKBAAH  THN    MTP 
TAAHN    AHSEI 

3C.    B.    ^. 

Which  is  as  much  as  to  fay :  Achilles  Epaphra  gave  this 
Monument  to  his  dear  Wife  Geminia  Myrtale,  for  the  Sake 
of  her  eternal  Memory.  No  Man  has  the  Power  to  fell  ir, 
or  to  place  in  it  a  dead  Body,  unlefs  the  faid  Achilles  in 
CiviHty  give  him  leave.  But  if  any  one  throw  out  the 
Body  of  Myrtale,  he  fliall  be  fin'd  dc.  cb.  cb.  b. 

Moreover,  it  was  the  Cuftom  of  the  Athenians  to  bury 
their  Dead  with  their  Face  towards  the  Weft ;  but  the  Me- 
garenfians,  on  the  contrary,  interr'd  theirs  with  their  Face 
towards  the  Eaft  :  This»  whatever  Diogenes  Laertius  by  a 
Slip  of  Memory  fays,  is  aiferted  by  Plutarch,  in  the  Life 
of  Solon,  by  Euftathius  on  Homer,  II.  T.  and  by  iElian,  lib.  5. 
cap,  1 4.  and  lib.  7.  cap.  1 9.  Yet  Hireas,  the  Megarenfian,  in  the 
Solon  of  Plutarch,  fays.  That  the  Megarenfians  plac'd  their 
Dead  turned  to  the  Weft  likewife.  The  Athenians  alfo  had 
a  Coffin  for  each  Corps;  contrary  to  the  Megarenfians, 
who  were  wont  to  bury  three  or  four  Bodies  in  one  Coffin, 
This  Cuftom  indeed  was  fometim^s  negleded:  For  we 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  807 

read,  Tbac  Syrianus,  the  Preceptour  of  Proclus,  had,  while 
he  was  yet  living,  defir'd  of  him,  that  he  might  be  bury'd 
■with  him  ;  and  for  that  Purpofe  had  caus'd  a  Tomb  to  be 
made,    that   would    contain  two    Coffins.     But   after   his 
Death,  Proclus,  doubting  whether   Decency  would  allow 
two  Bodies  to  be  laid  in  the  fame  Grave,  for  fome  time, 
deferr'd  his  Sepulture  :  upon  which  the  Ghoft  of  Syrianus 
appear'd  to  him  in  his  Sleep,  and  chid  him  for  his  fcrupulous 
Delay.     Vide  Enarratorem    in    illius     vita,    ex    Verfione 
I.  Holftenij.     Herodotus,  lib.  16.  fays.  That  they  fometimes 
bury'd  their  Arms  with  them  :  Of  this  we  have  an  eminent 
Inftance  in  Plutarch,  who,  in   the  Life  of  Thefeus,  fays. 
There  was  found  the   Coffin  of  a  great  Body,  and  in  it  a 
brafs  Point  of  a  Spear,  together  with  a  Sword.     And  Ci- 
mon  was  bury'd  without  the  City,  on  one  fide  of  the  Road, 
caird  Diacaele,  and,  befide  him,  the  Mares  that  thrice  had 
won  the  Prize  at  the  Olympick  Games. 
^       But  the  Way  of  Burial,  by  burning  of  the  Body,  requir*d 
"  much  greater  Ceremony,  and  more  laborious  were  the  Pre- 
parations in  Order  to  it.     I  wilfully  omit  to  defcribe  the 
coftly  Funeral  of  Hepheftion,   the  Favourite  of  Alexander, 
to  which  the  greatcft  Part  of  the  World  contributed  ;  info- 
much  that  Pofterity  never  has  pretended,  nor  ever  will  be 
able,  to  imitate  it.     It  will  be  fufficient  in  this  Place  to  ac* 
quaint  our  Reader,  that  they  firft  got  together  a  huge  Stack 
of   fweet-fcented  Wood,  which,  when  laid  in  Order,  the 
Athenians  calFd  -z^D"^  vsy.ptoi',  the  Latines,  Rogus,  the  funeral 
Pile:  This  v/as  always  built  in  a  quadrangular  Form,  and 
equilateral,  as  we  learn  from  Herodianus  :  And  Homer,  in  the 
1 8th  Iliad,  makes  the  Myrmidons  prepare  for  Achilles  a  Pile 
of  a  hundred  Foot  in  length  on  every  fide.    It  is  not  unlikely 
that  they  w^ere  built  high  for  the  Great,  and  low  and   un- 
adorn'd  for  the  common  People.     For   Funeral  Expences 
became  fo  exorbitant,  that  the  Athenians  found  it  neceflary 
to  put  a  ftop  to  them,  and  to  forbid  by  a  Law  the  Ufe  of 
plain'd  Wood  in   the   Piles  for  the  Dead :  And  after  their 
Example,  as  Cicero,  in  2.  de  Legibus,  obferves,  the  Decern - 
virate  forbid  the  burning  of  plain'd   or  polifh'd  Wood    in 
;  Funeral  Piles  :  Rogum  afcia  ne  polito :  not  to  mention  the 
Rings,  Garlands,  number  of  Minftrels,    and  other  funeral 
Geer,  that  were  likewife  abolidi'd  by  that  Legiilature :  the 
very  Footfteps  of  which,  thro'  the  Injury,  perhaps,  of  Time, 
or   the  never  enough  to  be  lamented  Negligence  of  Men, 
are  fcarce  to  be  feen  at  this  Day  in  the  Fragments  of  the 
Twelve  Fables.  When 


8o8  LUCRETIUS,  Book  VI. 

When  they  were  come  to  the  Uftrina,  or  Place  of  Burn- 
ing, the  Funeral  Ponnp  flood  ftill,  and  the  Friends  of  the 
Deceas'd  coming  up  to  the  Body,  cover'd  it  with  their 
Hair,  which  they  either  pluck'd  or  fliav'd  off  in  Token  of 
Grief  j  and  with  Olive  Branches  alfo,  which  it  was  held  a 
Crime  at  Athens  to  convert  to  profane  Ufes  ;  This  we 
learn  from  Sophocles  in  Ajax  and  Oreftes  :  M.  Tyrius 
Orat  8.  and  Dion.  Hal.  1.  ii.  And  here  too,  as  Thucy* 
dides  acquaints  us,  Funeral  Orations  were  fometimes  pro- 
fiounc*d,  efpeciaily  at  the  Burial  of  Soldiers.  Then  they 
were  wont  to  weep  over,  to  give  the  laft  Embraces,  and  to 
fpeak  to  the  dead  Body  ;  to  the  End,  that  if  any  Senfe 
were  remaining  after  Death,  it  might  at  leaft  be  footh'd  and 
delighted  with  thefe  tender  Offices  of  Love.  At  length 
the  Relations  laid  the  dead  Body  on  the  Top  of  the  Pile, 
together  with  the  Bier  and  funeral  Ornaments  :  but  whether 
they  unclos'd  his  Eyes,  as  Pliny,  lib.  lo.  cap.  37.  fays,  it 
was  the  Cuftom  among  the  Romans,  or  expedied  that  Mer- 
cury fliould  do  that  Office,  is  no  Vv'here  exprefsly  deliver'd  : 
Then  it  was  cover'd  with  the  Fat  of  Beafts,  that  were  flain^ 
and  which  were  alfo  laid  on  the  Pile  to  be  burnt;  together 
with  Enemies,  Slaves,  Horfes,  Dogs,  and  Birds,  that  were 
like  wife  kill'd,  as  alfo  with  rich  Garments,  with  Honey, 
Wine,  Gold,  Amber,  Ointments,  their  own  and  their 
Enemies  Arms,  and  the  laft  and  many  Gifts  of  their  Friends  : 
ihfomuch  that,  according  to  Plutarch  in  the  Life  of  Solon,  it 
was  thought  requifite  to  put  a  ftop  to  this  vain  Prodigality, 
and  to  forbid  by  a  Lav7  the  facrificing  of  more  than  one  Ox, 
or  to  throw  on  the  Pile  above  three  Suits  of  Apparel  :  And 
hence,  no  doubt,  proceeded  the  ridiculous  Superftition  of 
burning  the  rich  Houfliold-Stuff  of  the  Deceas'd:  And  He- 
rodotus, lib.  5.  informs  us,  that  Meliifa,  the  Wife  of  Peri- 
ander  of  Thefprotia,  en  the  River  Acheron,  appear'd  after 
her  Death,  and  complain'd  of  being  cold,  becaufe  the 
Garments,  that  were  interr'd  with  her,  not  being  burnt, 
were  of  no  fervice  to  her  :  Her  Husband  therefore  ftript  all 
the  Corinthian  Women,  who  were  affembled  at  the  Temple 
of  Juno,  and,  carrying  their  Cloaths  to  the  Grave  of  his 
Wife,  burnt  them  there,  calling  on  MelifTa.  Moreover,  the 
Sandions  of  the  twelve  Tables,  as  mention'd  by  Cicero,  in 
1,  de  Lcgibus,  pive  jaft  Grounds  to  believe,  that  the  fame 
Legiilarour,  prohibited  the  burning  of  Gold,  which  would 
be  of  no  Advantage  to  the  Dead,  and  a  great  Prejudice  to 
the  Livin'gp  flnce  the  karcity  of  it  v,'0uld  be  a  hindrance  to 

Commerce* 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  809 

Commerce.  Lucian,  de  ludlu,  fays,  that  in  their  Funerals 
they  facrific'd  fometimcs  the  Horfes  and  Concubines,  fome- 
limes  the  Cup-bearers,  of  the  Deceafed  :  and  burnt  or  bury'd, 
together  with  the  Body,  all  their  Cloaths  and  wearing  Ap- 
parel, as  if  they  were  to  ufe  and  enjoy  them  in  the  Infer- 
nal Abodes.  One  of  the  Relations  of  the  Dead,  with  a 
lighted  Torch,  fet  Fire  to  the  Funeral  Pile ;  but  turning 
his  Face  another  way,  to  witnefs  his  Reludtancy  to  per- 
form that  forrowful  C>ffice.  The  Pile  was  immediately  in 
a  Blaze,  the  Fuel  being  in  great  quantity,  and  proper  to 
feed  the  Flame :  Mean  while  they  invok'd  the  Winds,  call- 
ing on  them  to  aflift  the  Fire,  that  the  Body,  together  with 
the  Wood,  might  be  the  fooner  confum'd :  Diodorus  Sicu- 
lus,  lib.  5.  cap.  2.  fays,  that  the  Pile  of  Hercules  wasburnc 
in  a  Moment  by  Lightning,  that  flafli'd  on  all  (ides  upon  it. 
And  now  was  the  Time,  when  the  Trumpets,  in  mournful 
Sounds,  gave  notice  to  the  Alfiftants  thrice  to  go  round  the 
Pile ;  which  they  did  fometimes  divided  into  two  Bodies, 
and  meeting  in  imitation  of  a  Flight.  This  Ceremony  the 
Greeks  call'd  ^(J^po^ui,  and  the  Latines  Decurfio,  a  Jouft  or 
Turnament :  But  the  Time  of  this  Joufting  in  Funerals  was 
different  among  the  Antients ;  ForFIomer,  Iliad.  23.  makes 
it  precede  the  burning  of  the  Body,  in  the  Funeral  of  Pa- 
troclus,  and  accompany  it  in  the  Funeral  of  Achilles  t 
OdyiT.  15.  and  fometimes  too  it  follow'd  even  the  Tumu- 
lation  of  the  Bones,  as  we  find  in  Apollonius,  Argonaut. 
lib.  I.  They  believ'd  the  Dead  to  be  purg'd  of  their  Of- 
fences by  this  Ceremony  5  which  neverthelefs,  according  to 
fome,  was  at  firft  infticuted,  to  divert  and  footh  the  Grief 
and  Wailings  of  the  Mourners,  fee  Statius,  Thebaid.  lib,  6. 
and  to  detain  the  other  Sped:atours  of  the  Funeral,  that 
they  might  not  grow  weary,  and  go  away :  For  the  Cere- 
mony lafted  a  confidcrable  Time,  and  they  continu'd  long 
in  the  open  Air,  even  tho'  the  Pile  was  built  of  a  great  quan- 
tity of  Fuel,  and  that  too,  apt  to  burn.  Therefore  Achilles,' 
in  the  Funeral  even  of  his  deareft  Friend,  committed  whac 
remained  unburnt  at  Night,  to  the  Care  of  the  Funeratore.% 
Buryers,  who  watch'd  all  the  Night,  and  laid  together  the 
Wood  of  the  Pile.  And  we  may  obferve,  that  the  o^o^oyk-t 
or  gathering  up  of  the  Bones  and  Aflies,  was  deferred  fome- 
times to  the  third  Day,  tho'  I  am  not  ignorant  that  this 
Ceremony  was  moft  commonly  perform'd  at  the  clofe  of 
the  fame  Day.  After  the  Deflagration,  they  fprinkled  the 
Pile    with  old,  deep-colour'd  Wine,  that    they  might  the 

5  L  more 


8i0  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

more  f^fely  tread  on  the  Cinders  :  For  the  neareft  Relations 
with  their  Feet  bare,  their  Gowns  ungirdled,  and  flowing 
about  their  Heels,  and  having  firft  wafh'd  their  Hands, 
perforn:i'd,  by  Night  the  laft  Office  of  gathering  up  the 
Bones.  And  this  Ceremony  the  Greeks  call'd  hs-oMyiky  and 
and  the  Latines  Oiriiegium.  And  when  they  found  any  of 
them  that  were  but  half  burnt,  and  cover'd  with  Cinders 
and  AftieSj  they  wet  them  with  Wine,  Milk,  and 
Tears  ;  then  \^  Ta.pt  them  up  in  Linnen  Towels,  and  having 
carry *d  them  in  their  Bofom  till  they  were  dry,  they  put 
them  into  an  Urn,  together  with  the  Aflies,  with  Perfumes, 
and  little  Veflels  of  Tears.  Two  of  which,  made  of  Glafs, 
were  lately  found  in  an  ordinary  Coffin,  among  the  Ruins 
of  a  Wall,  in  the  antient  Town  of  Feful^e,  now  Fiefoli  in 
Thufcany,  and  are  in  the  PofTeHion  of  the  Grand  Duke. 
Thefe  cinerary  Veffels,  or  Urns,  the  Greeks  call'd  ojoOhkou, 
or  h^oSoy^fiou  '  and  they  were  not  always  of  the  fame  Form, 
nor  made  of  the  fame  Matter  :  For  thofe  of  Heroes  were 
made  of  Gold  and  Silver  j  thofe  of  the  Rich,  of  Brafs  or 
Marble  ;  and  the  poorer  fort  were  content  with  Urns  of 
Earth,  or  of  Wood.  When  the  Remains  were  put  into  the 
Urn,  they  clos'd  it  up,  cover'd  it  with  a  Piece  of  Purple, 
or  fine  Linnen,  and  then  lay'd  it  in  the  Earth.  Thus  we 
learn  from  Plutarch,  in  vita  Demetrij,  that  when  the  Fleet 
of  Antigonus  approach'd  the  Harbour  of  Corinth,  the  golden 
Urn,  in  which  were  depofited  the  Remains  of  Demetrius, 
and  that  was  cover'd  with  Purple,  and  had  a  regal  Crown 
upon  it,  was  difcover'd  on  the  Poop  of  the  Admiral-Galley  : 
And  a  Troop  of  young  Noblemen,  and  Perfons  of  Quality 
attended  in  Arms  on  the  Key,  to  receive  it  at  Landing;  and 
Xenophantus,  the  moft  fam*d  Mufician  of  that  Age,  began 
a  mournful  Song  in  Praife  of  the  Dead,  to  which  the  Rowers 
with  forrou'ful  Ejaculations  made  Refponfes,  their  Oars  all 
the  while,  in  their  Strokes,  keeping  Time  with  the  doleful 
Cadences  of  the  Mufick  :  infomuch  that  the  Pomp  of  his 
Funeral  was  no  lefs  theatrical  than  difmal.  Nor  may  we 
umit  to  mention  the  moft  pious  ObfequieSjthat  were  paid  to 
Ei^agoras  by  his  Son  Nicocles,  and  that  were  remarkable,  no 
lefs  for  the  great  Number  and  Value  of  the  Sacrifices,  than 
for  the  Mufick,  gymnick  Exercifes,  Horfe-Race?,  Galley- 
Prizes,  and  the  like  :  For,  as  Diodorus  Siculus,  lib.  ii.  ob- 
ferves,  fome  were  fo  fortunate,  as  to  have  their  Funerals 
conclude  with  Spedacles  and  Games ;  which  neverthelefs 
feappen'd  net  to  ail :  but  the  Athenians,  in  Gratitude  to 

thofe, 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  8ir 

thofe,  who  were  flain  in  the  Perfian  War,  befidcs  the  Or- 
naments of  their  Sepulchres,  inftituted  funeral  Games  and 
Exercifes,  that  were  performed  at  the  Place  of  Sepulture. 

After  thefe  facred  Rites  were  ended,  then  follow'd  the 
-^uxoiy^yicc '  which  confifted  in  calling  the  Dead  thrice  by 
his  own  Name,  bidding  him  eternally  farewel,  and  praying 
that  the  Earth  might  lie  light  upon  him.  And  then,  being 
difmifs'd  by  the  Flamen,  or  the  funera  Mater,  who  firlt 
fprinkled  them  thrice  with  Water,  to  purge  them  of  the 
Pollution  they  had  contrad:ed  by  the  fighc  of  the  Funeral, 
they  went  away.  The  Word  of  Difmiirion,  us'd  by  the 
Flamen,  among  the  Greeks  was,  cl'(psair  sVo  •  among  the 
Latines,  Ilicet.  But  befides  this  Luftrarion  by  Water,  Feftus 
takes  Notice  of  another,  that  was  in  ufe  among  the  Ro- 
mans, who  were  wont  to  walk  over  the  Place  of  Sepul- 
ture :  and  this  manner  of  Purgation  they  calld  Suffitio,  i.  e. 
Fumigation  :  But  whether  or  no  this  Cuftom  was  pradlis'd 
by  the  Athenians,  I  have  no  where  obferv'd. 

The  whole  Ceremony  concluded  with  the  Ylie^Sei-n-vov, 
as  the  Greeks  call'd  it,  but  the  Latines  Silicernium  ;  which 
were  certain  Banquets  given  by  the  Parents  or  Relations  of 
the  Dead,  wearing  Garlands  on  their  Heads ;  at  whofe 
Houfes  it  was  permitted  to  fpeak  in  Praife  of  the  Dead,  if 
they  had  any  thing  true  to  fay  of  him  ;  for  they  held  it  a 
Crime  to  lie  on  this  Occafion,  as  Cicero  acquaints  us  in 
thefe  Words :  Seqiiebantur  epulae,  quas  inibant  Parentes 
coronati ;  apud  quos  de  mortui  laude,  cum  quid  veri  erar, 
praedicatum ;  nam  mentiri  nefas  habebatur:  ad  jufta  con- 
jed:a  erant.  De  Legib.  lib.  2.  in  cake.  The  Athenians 
indeed,  as  Plutarch,  in  the  Life  of  Demofthenes  fays,  de- 
parted from  this  laudable  Inftitution ;  infomuch  that  at 
length  it  grew  to  a  Proverb  among  them,  Praife  no  Man^ 
not  even  at  a  funeral  Supper. 

They  wore  black  Apparel  for  the  fpace  of  feven  Days 
after  the  Funeral :  and  to  lay  afide  their  Mourning  before 
that  Time  was  expir'd,  was  held  a  Breach  of  Decency, 
Thus  Plutarch,  in  the  Place  above  cited,  fays,  that  iEfchinus 
upbraided  Demofthenes,  for  appearing  in  publick,  gaily 
drefs'd,  and  with  a  Garland  on  his  Head, before  the  cultoma^ 
ry  Week  of  Mourning  was  over,  laying  to  his  Charge,  and 
accufing  him  of  Hatred  to  his  own  Children  :  Yet  De- 
mofthenes only  compel'd  his  private  Grief  to  give  way  to  the 
publick  Joy.  Thefe  funeral  Banquets,  as  Lucian,  de  Lu6tu, 
5§^che^j  were  defigndro  footh  and  divert  the  Grief  of  the 

I    L   i  fQITQwfvil 


8i2  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

forrowful  Friends  and  Relations  ;  whom  the  Guefts  were 
wont  to  exhort,  nay,  even  to  compel,  to  take  fome  Sufte- 
nance,  that  might  refrefh  their  Bodies,  that  were  wafted 
and  grown  dry  with  too  long  Fafting  :  For  no  Man,  as  that 
Authour  exprelTes  it,  takes  it  amifs  in  good  earneft,  that  he 
is  compell'd  to  eat  and  live.  We  learn  from  Pollux,  that, 
at  Athens,  the  funeral  Banquet  was  wont  to  be  given  by 
the  chief  Managers  and  Directors  of  the  Funeral,  at  the 
Houfe  of  the  neareft  Relation  :  but  it  is  uncertain,  whether 
it  was  an  open  Feaft,  and  free  to  all  Comers,  lil^e  that, 
which  Achilles  gave  at  the  Funeral  of  Panroclus,  and  thofe 
of  :he  Romans,  which  they  call'd  Vifcerationes,  from  the 
great  Number  of  Beafts  that  were  flain,  and  whofe  Flelh 
was  diftributed  among  the  People. 

We  will  now  {peak  of  the  many  and  coftly  Ornaments  of 
their  Tombs  and  Sepulchres :  which  fome  however  were 
wont  to  prepare  for  themfelves  before  they  dy'd  :  Cicero, 
in  1.  de  legib.  fays,  that  the  Expence  of  Sepulchres  grew  at 
length  to  fuch  Excefs  at  Athens,  that  it  was  enjoin'd  there  by 
a  Law,  that  no  more  Coft  fliould  be  laid  out,  nor  more  Work 
imploy'd,  on  a  Sepulchre,  than  what  ten  Men  could  finilh  in 
three  Days.  Nor  were  they  permitted  to  adorn  their  Sepulchres 
with  any  Pargetting  or  Fret-Work ;  nor  to  place  upon  them 
any  Herman,  as  they  call'd  them ;  and  which,  as  they  are 
defcrib'd  by  Paulanias  in  Arcad.  were  certain  Images,  end- 
ing in  a  quadrangular  Figure,  and  not  polifli*d  down  to  the 
Feet.  Befides,  they  were  not  allow'd  to  harangue  in  Praife 
of  the  Dead,  except  in  publick  Sepultures  t  and  even  then 
too  no  other  was  permitted  to  fpeak,  but  he  who  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  Publick  fo  to  do  :  For,  according  to  Diodo- 
rus  Siculus,  lib.  5.  it  was  enad:ed  by  a  Law,  that  the  chief 
Rhetoricians  only  fliould  make  funeral  Orations,  reciting 
the  v/orthy  Actions  of  thofe,  who  were  honoured  with  pub- 
lick Sepulture.  Now  it  was  Demetrius  who  fet  Bounds  to, 
and  prefcrib'd  the  manner  of,  the  new  Sepulchres :  For  he 
commanded,  that  nothing  fliould  be  fet  up  on  the  Place  of 
Interment,  except  a  Pillar,  not  above  three  Cubits  high,  or 
a  hollov/  Stone,  made  in  the  Shape  of  a  little  Ciftern  ;  or 
a  fquare  piece  of  Board,  the  Care  of  which  he  committed 
to  a  certain  Magiftrate  appointed  for  that  Purpofe.  We 
learn  from  Plutarch,  in  Lycurg.  and  in  Ifocra.  that  on  the 
Board  were  ingrav'd  the  Name  and  the  Effigies  of  the  De- 
ceas'd:  But  we  may  obferve,  that  even  in  antient  Times, 

'"       '  Pillars 


Book  VI.  LUCRETIUS.  815 

Pillars  were  placd  on  Graves  of  this  Nature  :    This,  Plu- 
tarch has  taken  Notice  of  from  Homer,  Iliad,  n.  v.  674. 

Ti'f^^Ct)  T  £">!Ayi  T,  TO  y^   y^^S  ££"1    ^a.\dyU^v. 

His  Friends  and  Kindred  here  flial!  him  inter. 
And  place  a  Column  on  his  Sepulchre. 

We  learn  from  Pollux,  lib.  8.  cap.  7.  that  on  ihe  Tombs  of 
unmarry'd  Peribns  there  ftood  the  Image  of  a  young  Virgin, 
holding  in   her  Hand  a  Water-pot,  an  Urn,  or  a   Bafin : 
and  this  Image,  whether  it  were  one  that  bore  Water,  or 
any   other,  Ifaeus  call'd  'E-Trv^y/A.n.    Nor  was  the  Meannefs 
of  the  Strudure  ever  thought  to  derogate  from  the  glorious 
Title  of  the  Trophy,  which  the  grateful  Citizens  had  caused 
to  be  engrav'd  for   fuch  as   had  fought  bravely  for  their 
Countrey  :    and  Cicero,  lib.  i.  de    Leg.  teaches,   that  the 
Pillar,  on  the  Sepulchre  of  the  Geometrician,  Archimedes, 
was  lay'd  upon  the  Ground.     Paufanias,  in   Atticis,  relates, 
that  the  Tombs,  together  with  the  Pillars,  on  which  were 
written  the   Names  and   Tribes  of  the  Slain,  were  ftill  to 
be  feen  in  the  Plains  of  Marathon :  and  that,  in  Memory 
of  their  Bravery,  Sepulchres  were  erecfted  for  them  in  the 
very  Place,  where  they  fell  :  tho*  it  was  cuftomary  to  ered: 
a   particular  Monument  for   every    one,    who   was   kill'd 
lighting  for  his  Countrey,  either  in  naval  Engagements,  or 
Battels  at  Land.     The  Epitaph  on  thofe,  who  fell  at  Ther- 
mopylae, is  recorded  by  Diodorus  Siculus,  lib.  11.  in  thefe 
Words  :    Stranger,    tell  the  Lacedemonians,    that  we  Uq 
here,  who  obey'd  their   Commands,  and   their   Captains. 
Plutarch,  in  the  Life  of  Ariftides,  acquaints  us,  that,  in  the 
Battel  of  Plataea,  there  fell  two  and  fifty    Athenians,  all  of 
them  of  the  Tribe  Aiantis,  which,  as  Clidemus  fays,  fought 
very  bravely  :  and  that,  in  Memory  of  their  Vidory,  Sacred 
Rites,  that  had  been  commanded  l3y  the  Oracle  of  Apollo, 
were  performed,  at  the  publick  Expence,  to  the  Nymphs 
Sphtagitides  :  but  they  were  bury'd  in    the  Way,  that  leads 
to  the  Academy,  and  fquare  or  flat-fided  Pillars  were  plac'd 
upon  their  Tombs,  with  Infcriptions,  declaring  the  Name  of 
,  each  of  them,  and  the  Ward  or  Precindt  where  he  liv'd  t 
'  Nor  may  we  forget  that  moft  equitable  Law  made  by  the 
•  People;  which  decreed  the  Honour  of  publick  Sepulture  to 
fuch   Servants  and   Slaves^  a§  had  bravely  and  faithfully 

ferv'd 


Si4  LUCRETIUS,  Book  VI, 

ferv'd  their  Mafters  in  Battel ;  and  that  their  Names  fliould 
be  ingrav'd  in  Columns,  to  be  fet  up  over  their  Place  of 
Burial :  It  can  not  indeed  be  doubted,  but  thefe  were  hono- 
rary and  empty  Sepulchres ;  unlefs,  before  the  Elation  of 
the  Body,  a  Finger,  or,  after  the  burning,  fome  Bone  of  it, 
were  purpofely  taken,  and  kept  to  be  bury'd  in  the  native 
Countrey  of  the  Deceased.  And  hence  we  fee  the  Reafon, 
why  the  Decemviri,  who,  as  they  did  perhaps  in  almoft  all 
^Things  elfe,  imitated  the  funeral  Rices  of  the  Athenians, 
difpens'd  with  the  Ceremony  of  the  Offilegium,  or  gather- 
ing up  the  Bones,  when  any  one  dy'd  in  foreign  Wars. 
And  that  the  Greeks  had  their  KmU'picti  or  empty  Sepulchres 
can  be  doubted  by  fuch  only,  as  are  ignorant  of  the  Piety 
of  the  Corinthians  to  the  Argives,  that  were  flain  at  Troy  j 
of  which  Paufanias  in  Corinth,  and  of  the  great  Cenotaphi- 
um,  mention'd  by  the  fame  Authour  in  Atticis,  that  was 
made  at  Athens  for  Soldiers,  whofe  Bodies  were  not  found  2 
not  to  mention  the  famous  Cenotaphium  of  Cyrus,  record- 
ed by  Xenophon  in  the  fixth  Book  of  his  Expedition ;  nor 
the  Sepulchre  of  Euripides,  in  the  Way  that  led  from  the 
Pyraeeus  to  Athens ;  tho',  as  Paufanias  in  the  Place  above- 
cited  witneffes,  Euripides  went  to  Archelaus  in  Macedonia, 
and  was  bury'd  there  :  But  this  Difference  may  be  obferv'd  ; 
That  the  honorary  Sepulchres  of  Soldiers,  who  were  kill'd 
in  a  naval  Engagement,  were  mark'd  with  the  Emblem  of 
Rudder,  or  of  an  Oar,  as  that  of  Elpenor  was  in  Homer 
Odylf.  12.  but  the  reft  had  no  Mark  of  Diftindion  :  tho'  I 
am  not  ignorant,  that,  befides  the  Infcriptions,  Emblems 
were  likewife  put  on  moft  Monuments :  as  a  Globe  and 
Cylinder  on  that  of  Archimedes,  (Cicero  in  Tufcul.)  a  Dog 
on  that  of  Diogenes,  (Laertius  in  ejus  vita)  a  Ram  on  that  of 
Ifocrates,  (Plut.  Rhat.  10.)  and  Owls  very  frequently,  as  we 
learn  from  Athenseus,  lib.  13.  to  fay  nothing  of  the  Sepul- 
chral Statues,  with  which  the  Monuments  of  the  Rich  were 
adorn'd  :  as  we  find  in  Lycophron.  in  Pindar  Od.  i  o.  Nem. 
in  Plato,  12.  deR.  P.  and  in  others.  Nay,  even  on  that  of 
iEfop,  tho'  but  a  Slave,  the  Athenians  plac'd  a  great  Statue, 
that  all  might  know,  fays  Phsedrus,  that  the  Way  of  Ho- 
nour lies  open,  and  that  Glory  is  due,  not  to  the  Race,  bm 
tp  Virtue : 


Inseoiem 


Book  VL  LUCRETIUS.  8rf 

Ingentem  ftatuam  pofuere  Attici, 
Servumque  collocarunt  aeterna  in  bad, 
Patere  honoris  fcirent  ut  cuncfli  viam. 
Nee  generi  tribui,  fed  virtuti,  gloriam. 

Moreover ;  the  Athenians,  when  any  of  their  Relations 
were  murder'd,  always  carry 'd  a  Spear  with  the  dead  Body 
to  the  Place  of  Sepulture :  and  this  Spear  they  ftuck  into 
the  Tomb,  as  a  Token,  that  they  denounc'd  Vengeance  to 
the  Murderers :  This  we  learn  from  Suidas  :  And  the  Scho- 
liaft  on  the  Clouds  of  Ariftophanes  teaches.  That  after  the 
dead  Body  was  carry 'd  forth  to  Burial,  it  was  the  Cuftomi' 
for  the  Relations  and  Friends  of  the  Deceas'd  to  wafli  them- 
felves  by  way  of  Purgation.    Then  they  renew'd  afrefh  their 
unavailing  Tears  and  Wailings ;  while   Libations  and  the 
funeral  Supper  were  brought  to  the  Sepulchre  :  about  which 
they  believ'd  the  Manes  of  the  Deceas'd  to  be  always  ho- 
vering ;  and  that  their  Senfes   ftill  remaining  alive,  they 
wanted  Nourifliment,  and  were  delighted  and  footh'd  with 
thefe  Offices  of  Tendernefs  and  Love,     For  thefe  Reafons 
too  they  inftitute'd  their  'EwdTct,  as  the  Greeks  cali'd  them, 
but  the  Latines  Novendialia,  which  were  certain  Sacrifices 
us'd  for  nine  Days  after  the  Party  was  dead.     The  Manner 
of  them  was  this.     About  Sun-fet,  being  apparell'd  in  Black, 
they  pour'd  Liquors  on  the  Coffins  or  IJrns  :  thefe  Liquors 
were  Honey,  Milk,  Wine,  Water,  Blood,  Ointments  and 
Tears  :  mean  while  they  encompafs'd  the  Monument  with 
Garlands  of  Parfley  and  Myrtle.     But  as  we  learn  from 
Plutarch,  in  Quaeft.  Grsec.  the  Encnifma  of  the  Argives  was 
more  full  of  Ceremony.     For  the  Cuftom  among  them  was, 
when  any  of  them  had  loft  a  Friend  or  Relation,  immediate- 
ly after  the  Funeral,  to  facrifice  for  thirty  Days  together  to 
Apollq,  and  then  to  Mercury  :  for  they  believd,  thaj:  in  like 
manner  as  the  Earth  receives  the  Bodies  of  the  Deceas'd,  fo 
Mercury  does  the  Souls.     To  the  Prieft  of  Apollo  they  gave 
Barley,  and  receiv'd  from  him  the  Flefli  of  the  Vidlims  : 
they  extinguifli'd  the  Fire  that  had  burnt  the  Body,  becaufe 
they  held  it  to  be  polluted  ;  and  kindled  other  to  drefs  the 
Fkih,  which  they  cali'd  Encnifma.     Meurfius,   and  others 
of  the  Learned  obferve  ;   that  if  it  was  a  Man  or  a  Woman 
that  was  dead,  then  the  Water  was   brought   by   Women, 
whom  they  calFd  'Eyxv'K'^?'^'  i^^  Batchelour  or  a  Virgin, 
then   that  Office  was  committed  to  fome  Boy,  who  was 

related 


ti6  LUCRETIUS.  Book  Vl. 

related  to  the  Deceas'd.  And  Libanius,  in  Progymn.  takes 
notice,  that  Achilles  adcd  not  according  to  the  Cuftom  of 
the  Greeks,  in  offering  human  Blood  to  appeafe  the  Manes 
of  the  Dead  ;  and  that  he  injur'd  his  own  Reputation,  and 
the  Memory  of  his  Friend  Patroclus  by  that  cruel  Pradtice, 
which  he  had  learnt  from  Barbarians,  of  burning,  together 
with  the  Pile,  the  Bodies  of  Men,  as  well  as  of  other  Ani- 
mals :  for  which  he  is  blam'd  by  Homer,  as  Plutarch,  de 
Homer,  obferves.  Iphigenia,  in  the  Eledlra  of  Euripides, 
provides  herfelf  with  the  Blood  of  Mountain  Sheep  and 
Heifers ;  not,  like  him,  of  Enemies,  butcher'd  on  the  Pile. 
And  indeed,  as  Libanius  in  Progymn.  takes  notice,an  Enemy, 
taken  Prifoner,  ought  no  longer  to  be  accounted  an  Adver- 
fary,  fince  the  very  Vid:ory  changes  his  Name,  and  of  an 
Enemy  makes  him  be  call'd  a  Suppliant.  I  now  return  to 
the  Athenian  Ceremonies. 

They  likewife  ftrew'd  the  Ground  around  the  Monument 
with  Flowers  of  all  forts,  but  chiefly  with  Rofes,  Ama- 
jrants,  Lillies,  Poppies  and  Violets  :  with  which  they  drefs'd 
up  likewife  the  Diili,  that  was  de(ign*d  for  the  Funeral 
Banquet.  Ovid,  in  Faft.  lib.  3.  enumerates  the  feveral 
forts  of  Viands,  they  were  wont  to  eat  in  thefe  Ceremonies  ; 
and  fo  too  does  Lucian,  de  Ludlu  ;  and  the  fame  Authour 
in  Dialog.  Char,  deriding  the  Cuftoms  of  his  own  Age, 
faySjThat  they  crown'd  with  Garlands  the  Stones  of  the  Mo- 
numents, and  anointed  them  with  rich  Ointments,  and  that 
fome  were  wont  to  raife  a  Pile  before  the  Monuments,  and, 
digging  a  Grave  in  the  Earth,  threw  in  their  coftly  Dilhes, 
and  pour'd  in  a  great  Quantity  of  Wine. 

The  Athenians  celebrated  thefe  Parentations  in  the  Month 
Antefterion,  fays  Hefychius ;  and  the  Romans,  as  we  learn 
from  Ovid.  Faft.  lib.  2.  obferv'd  almoft  the  fame  Time  in 
the  Celebration  of  theirs :  for  it  was  the  Cuftom  among 
them  to  appeafe  the  Manes  of  their  Parents  and  other  Re- 
lations, on  the  eleventh  of  the  Calends  of  March.  This 
Ceremony  began  very  early  among  the  Athenians,  as  Lyfias 
in  Or.  teaches :  and  that  they  were  enjoin'd  by  a  very 
antient  Law  yearly  to  deplore  their  bury'd  Friends:  and  on 
the  fame  Day  to  praife  in  a  publick  Oration  thofe  that  had 
been  flain  in  Battel,  as  Cicero,  in  lib.  de  Orat.  teaches. 
And  Plutarch  in  the  Life  of  Thefeus  informs  us,  Thar,  on 
the  eighth  of  their  Month  Pyanepfion,  which  was  the  Day 
^e  return'd  with  the  young  Men  from  Crete,  they  perform'd 
iheir   chief  Ceremony  in  Honour  of  him  j  and  that  they 

worfliip*^ 


Book  VI.        LUCRETIUS.  817 

worfliip'd  him  likewife  on  the  eighth  Day  of  each  of  their 
other  Months  :  The  Hke  Teftimony  of  Gratitude  was  fhewn 
to  the  Greeks,  who  were  flain  by  the  Medes,  and  bury'd 
at  Platsea,  fays  Thucydides,    lib.  3.  in  Orat.  PJataeen;  of 
which  Plutarch  in  the  Life  of  Ariftides,  gives  the  following 
particular   Account.     The  Plataeans,  fays  he,  are  wont  to 
offer  yearly  Parentations  to  the  Greeks,  that  fell  in  the  Bat- 
tel, and  were  bury'd  there,  which   Cuftom  they  continue 
even  to  this  Day,  in  the  enfuing  Manner  :  On  the  fixteenth 
Day  of  the  Month  Maimad:erion,  which  with  the  Boeocians 
is  Alalcomenus,  they  make  their  Proceflion,  which,  begin- 
ning by  Break  of  Day,  is  led  up  by  a  Trumpeter,  founding 
a  Point  of  War  :  then  follow  certain  Chariots,  loaden  with 
Myrtle  and  Garlands  ;  and  after  them  is  led  a  black  Bull  : 
Next  come  the  young  Men,  of  free  Birth,  carrying  Liba- 
tions of  Wine  and  Milk  in  large  two-ear'd  Veffels,  and  Jars 
of  Oil  and  pretious  Ointments  :  Nor  is  it  permitted  to  any 
of  fervile  Condition,  to  have  the  leaft  Hand  in  this  Mini- 
ftration;  becaufe  the  Men,  that  were  bury'd  there,  dy'd  in 
Defence  of  their  Liberty.     After  all  comes  the  chief  Ma- 
giftrate  of  Plataea,  who,  tho'  it  be  unlawful  for  him  at  other 
Times,  either  to  wear  any  manner  of  Arms,  or  to  be  cloath'd 
in  any  other  colour'd  Garment  than  white,  is  at  that  Time 
reverthelefs    apparefd  in  a  purple  Robe  ;  and,  taking  a 
Water-Pot  out  of  the  City-Chamber,  proceeds,  bearing  a 
Sword  in  his  Hand,  thro'  the  middle  of  the  Town  to  the 
Sepulchre  :  then,  drawing  Water  out  of  a  Spring,  he  waflies,' 
and  anoints  the  Pillars  of  the  Monuments  ;  and,   facrificing 
the  Bull  upon  a  Pile  of  Wood,  and  making  Supplications  to 
Jupiter,  and  to  Mercury  of  the  Earth  ;  he  invites  thofe  va- 
liant Men,  who  perifli'd  in  the  Defence  of  Greece,  to  the 
Banquet  and  Parentations  :  After  this,  filling  a  Bowl  with 
Wine,  and  pouring  feme  of  it  out  by  Way  of  Libation,  he 
drinks  the  reft,  and  fays,  I  drink  to  thofe  Perfons,  who  loft 
their  Lives  for  the  Liberty  of  Greece.    Thefe  Solemnities, 
even  to  this   Day,  do  the  Platseans    obferve.    Thus  far 
Plutarch. 

Nor  may  we  in  this  Place  omit  the  Great  Honours,  that 
the  Republick  of  Syracufa  decreed  to  Timoleon  :  whofe 
Bier  being  laid  upon  the  Pile,  Demetrius,  the  loudeft- 
mouth'd  of  all  the  Cryers  of  thofe  Days,  recited  a  written 
Decree  to  this  Purpofe  :  The  People  of  Syracufa  have  de- 
creed, that  this  Timoleon,  the  Son  of  Timodemus  of  Co- 
i  5  M  rinth. 


eiS  LUCRETIUS.  Book  VI. 

finth,  fliall  be  bury'd  at  the  publick  Expencej  that  two 
Hundred  Minae  fhall  be  expended  on  his  Funeral,  and  more- 
over, that  he  fhall  be  for  ever  honour'd  with  mufical,  eque- 
ftrial,  and  gymnick  Games  and  Exercifes  :  becaufe,  having 
pull  a  down  the  Tyrants,  overcome  the  Barbarians,  rebuilt 
the  large  Cities,  that  were  demolifli'd,  and  rendered  them 
again  populous,  he  reftor'd  to  the  Sicilians  their  antient 
Laws  and  Liberties.  We  learn  from  the  Scholiaft  on  the 
Frogs  of  Ariftophanes,  that  the  particular  Time,  whenthefe 
annual  Solemnities  were  perform'd  to  the  Dead,  was  about 
Noon :  but  that  even  then  they  were  fcarce  fafe  from  the 
Spedre  of  Empufa,  that  by  various  Arts  difturb'd  the  Cere- 
monies. The  Stories,  that  are  told  of  Procus  Lycius,  by  his 
Flatterer  Ccelius  Rhodoginus,  lib.  6.  cap.  28.  are  made  up 
of  nothing  but  Superftition  and  Hypocrify  :  For  he  tells  us, 
that  that  blefTed  Man,  as  he  calls  him,  was  more  knowing 
in,  and  a  more  zealous  Obferver  of,  the  Rites  and  Cere- 
monies, iha.t  are  pay'd  to  the  Dead,  than  any  other  Man 
whatever  :  for  he  never  omitted  at  any  time  to  perform  that 
Religious  Duty  :  but  went  yearly  on  certain  Days  to  the 
Sepulchres  of  the  Attick  Heroes  and  Philofophers  ;  and  of  all 
others,  with  whom  he  had  had  any  Friendfliip  and  Familia- 
rity, and  oftcr'd  the  due  Sacrifices  to  them,  not  by  the  Help 
and  Miniftry  of  others,  but  by  himfelf,  and  with  his  own 
Hands.  Ihen  after  he  had  paid  thefe  Rites  to  each  of 
them,  he  went  to  the  Academy,  where  he  appeas'd  by  Sa- 
crifices the  Souls  of  his  Anceftours,  and  of  all  his  Rela- 
tions, in  one  Place  :  and  in  another  he  perform'd  the  like 
Ceremonies  to  the  Souls  of  all  the  Philofophers :  And  more 
than  all  this,  that  moft  religious  Perfon  facrific'd  in  a  third 
Place  to  the  Souls  of  all  the  Dead.  And  thefe  pious  Offices 
arofe  at  length  to  fuch  a  Height  of  Superftition,  that  the 
Athenians,  not  fatisfy'd  with  paying  thefe  Honours  to  fuch 
as  had  deferv'd  well  of  the  Republiek,  recorded  their  Names 
among  the  Number  of  their  Gods  ;  and  decreed  them  di- 
vine Honours,  as  we  learn  from  Ariftophanes  in  Equitib.  and 
Paufanias  in  Atticis.  Nay,  it  fcap'd  very  narrowly,  that 
Alexander  was  not  worfhip'd  at  Athens  as  a  God  :  for  we 
learn  from  Plutarch,  in  Orat.  Lycurg.  that  Adulation  would 
have  prevail'd,  and  brought  that  infamous  thing  to  pafs, 
had  not  a  prudent  Perfon  prevented  it,  by  fcoffing  at  the 
Populace,  and  asking  them  in  a  jeering  Manner,  What  a 
faid  he^  will  this  be^  into  whofe  Temple  whoever 


Book  VI.         LUCRETIUS, 


819 


goes  is  polluted,  and  whoever  eomes  out  needs  Purgaiion  ? 
Thus  we  fee,  how  much  the  Athenians  departed  from  their 
ancient  Rites  of  Funeral,  and  what  Corruption  of  Manners 
crepe  into  the  Territories  and  City  of  Athens,  during  the 
Time  of  this  raging  Peftilence. 


But ,  as  the  ftate  of  Things  would  then  permit, 

Men  burn'd  their  Friends,  nor  look'd  on  juft,  and  fit ; 

1250  And  Want,  and  Poverty  did  oft  engage 
A  thoufand  Adbs  of  Violence  and  Rage  ; 
Some,  O  imperious  Want  !  a  Carcass  fpoil^ 
And  burn  their  Friend  upon  anothers  Pile  ; 
And  then  would  ftrive,  and  fight,  and  ftill  defend, 

1255  And  often  rather  die,  than  leave  their  Friend  : 

NOTES, 


1249.  NorlookM  on  Juft  and 
fit  :]    Boccace,    that    Parent  of 
the  Thufcan  Eloquence,  defcribes 
almoft    the     like    Negled  and 
Diforder,  that  happen'd   even  in 
a  Chriftian  Countrey,  in  the  Bu- 
rial of  thofe  that  dy'd    of  the 
Plague  at  Florence  in  the  Year 
134.S.  and  tells  us,  that  few   Bo- 
dies Were  acconipany'd   to    their 
Graves  by    more    ihan   ten    or 
twelve  of  their  Neighbours :  and 
thofe  too  were  not  of  the  better 
fort  of  Citizens,  but  only  a  Par- 
cel of  Mob,  that  for  Hire,  car- 
ry'd  the  Body,  not  to  the  Church 
where  the  dead  Perfon,    before 
his  Death,  had  defir'd  to  be  bu- 
ry*d  5  but,  for  the  moft  Part,  to 
that  which  was  next  at  hand ;  pre- 
ceded only  by  four,  or  fix  Priefts 
at  moft,  with  few,    and  fome- 
times  with  no  Lights  at  all,  and 
threw  it  haftily  into  any   Grave 
they  found  empty,  or  that  had 
Room  to  receive  it.     But  let  us 
hear  how  movingly  he  defcribes 
this  Calamity  in  his  own  Words, 
Et  erano  radi  coloro,  i  corpi  de 
i  quali    fofler'  pii\    che    da  un* 
^ifci,  o  dodici  de  fuoi  yWw4  alia 


chiefa  accompagnati,  de  quali 
non  gl'  horrevoli,  e  cari  citcadi- 
ni,  ma  una  maniera  di  bee- 
camorti  fopravenuta  di  minuta 
gente,  che  ciiiamar  fi  facevano 
Becchini,  la  quale  quefti  fcruigi 
prezzolata  faceva,  fottentravano 
alia  bara,  e  quella  con  frectoloii 
pafli,  non  a  quella  chiefa,  che  eiTo 
haveva  anzi  la  morte  difpoftoj 
ma  alia  pin  vicina,  le  piii  volte 
il  portavano,  dietro  a  quattro, 
b  fei  clerici  con  poco  lume,  e 
tal  fiata  fenz'  alcuno,  li  quali 
con  V  aiuto  di  detti  Becchini, 
fenza  fatigarfi  in  troppo  lungo 
ufficio,  b  folenne,  in  qualunquq 
fepultura  difoccupata  trovavano, 
puttoftoil  mettevano.  J.  Boce^c- 
cio,  in  Proem.  Decani. 

1254..  And  then,  &c.]  Thus  too 
Ovid,  who  has  moft  happily 
imitated  both  Thucydides  and 
our  Authour : 

Antefacros  vi4i  proje(fta  cada-? 

vera  poftes ; 
Ante  ipfas,  quo  mors  foret  in;* 

vidiofior,  aras  : 
P^rs  animam  laqueo  claudunt, 

mortifque  timorem 

I  M  2  M^m 


Sao 


LUCRETIUS. 


Book  VI. 


The  other  loft  his  Pile  by  pious  Theft  ; 
A  poor  PofTeflion  1  all  that  Fate  had  left. 

NOTES, 


Mof^e  fugant,  ultroque  vocant 

venientia  fata : 
Corpora  mifla  neci  nuUo  de  more 

feruntur 
Funeribus:    neque  enim    capie- 

bant  funera  port^e ; 
Aut  inhumata  premunt  terras, 

aut  dantur  in  altos 
Indotata  rogos  j  dc  jam  reveren- 

tia  nulla  eft  ; 
Deque  rogis  pugnant,  alienifque 

ignibus  ardent ; 
Qui  lacryment  defunt,   indefle- 

tazque  vagantur 
Katorumque,  virumque  animje, 

juvenumque,  fenumque  : 
Kec  locus  in  tumulis,  nee  fumcit 

arbor  in  ignes. 

Metam.  lib.  8. 

Which  a  late  ingenious  Perfon 
has  thus  render'd  :] 

Death  ftalk'd  around  with  fuch 
refiftiefsfway, 

The  Temples  of  the  Gods  his 
Force  obey  ; 

And  Suppliants  feel  his  Stroke, 
while  yet  they  pray. 

The  reft,  grown  mad,  and  fran- 
tick  with  Defpair, 

Urge  their  own  Fate,  and  fo  pre- 
vent the  Fear : 

Strange    Madnefs    that  !     when 
Death  purfu'd  fo  faft, 

T'  anticipate  the  Blow  with  im- 
pious Hafteo 


No  decent  Honours  to  their  Urns 
are  pay'd  ; 

Nor  could  the  Graves  receive  the 
numerous  Dead  : 

For,  or  they  lay  unbury'd  on  the  ' 
Ground, 

Qr,  unadorn'd,  a  needy  Fun'ral 
found  : 

All  Rev'rence  pafs'd,  the  fainting 
Wretches  fight 

For  fun'ral  Piles,  that  are  ano- 
ther's Right : 

Unmourn'd   they  fall  ;  for  who 
furviv'd  to  mourn  ? 

And  Sires,  and  Mothers,   unla- 
mented  burn  : 

Parents  and  Sons  fuftainan  equal 
Fate  ; 

And  wand'ring  Ghofts  their  kin- 
dred Shadows  meet  : 

The  Dead    a    larger    fpace    of 
Ground  require  ; 

Nor  are  the  Trees  fufficient  for 
the  Fire. 

All  which  Calamities  may  the 
Almighty  avert  far  from  us ; 
and  not  from  us  only,  but  from 
the  univerfal  Society  of  all  Mor- 
tals :  Nor  let  us  uncharitably 
join  in  WiHies  with  the  heathen' 
Poet,  who  fings, 


Dli    meliora    pi  is  , 
hoftibus  ilium. 


errorenique 


A  N  1- 


[821    ] 


ANIMADVERSION, 

By  Way  of 

Recapitulation, 

On  the  Sixth  Book  of 

LUCRETIUS. 


N  this  Book  Lucretius  reafons  of  luany 
Things   excellently  well,  but  has   mif- 
carry'd  in  his  main  Defign,  and  does  noc 
fo  much  as  dagger  the  Belief  of  divine 
Providence,  which  he  attacks  with  his 
utmoft  Force :  For  let  it  be  granted,  thae 
the  Caufes  he  alligns  of  Meteors  are  per- 
fpicuous  and  true ;  that  he  has  rightly 
explain'd  the  reafon  of  Thunder,    Lightning  and   Earth- 
quakes 5   in  a  Word,  that  all  things  proceed  from  natural 
Caufes,  and  are  continu'd  and  carry *d  on  by  them  :  yec 
there  is  no  Nature  without  a  Lord,  nor  does  flie  herfelf  ac 
leaft  rejedl  or  difown  a  Ruler.     For  Nature  is  only  thae 
Difpofition  and  Order  of  the  Particles  of  fenfelefs  Matter^ 
which  is  the  Caufe  of  thefe  Effecfls,  we  call  natural :  Now 
if  that  Difpofition  was  introduc'd  by   Chance,  it  does  not 
confute  and  overthrow  Providence  ;  and  if  it  was  the  Work 
of  Reafon  and  Wifdom,  it  confirms  it.    Therefore  thefe  Ex- 
plications may  amufe  and  delight  natural  Philofophers  ;  but 
Jh?y  can  not  in  the  leaft  avail  Atheifts. 

Nq 


Biz     ^A  N  1  M  A  D  V  E  R  S  I  O  N,  Ezc. 

No  Man  has  more  accurately  colledfeed,  none  more  in- 
genioufly  explain  d,  the  antient  Philofophers  Opinions  con- 
cerning Meteors :  the  Modern,  'tis  true,  have  added  a  few 
Things  to  them  ;  but  not  better.  And  indeed,  as  this  pre- 
fent  Age  does,  fo  many  fucceeding  Ages  likewife  will,  feem 
to  difpute  face  to  face  with  Lucretius,  concerning  Meteors. 
And  this  is  what  Vitruvius  faid  long  before  me. 

What  he  teaches  of  Earthquakes,  and  of  the  Sea  is  fo  ra- 
tional, that  the  Things  themfelves  approve  and  confirm  his 
Doctrine :  only  there  are  fome  Earthquakes  that  feem  to 
furpafs  the  Strength  of  the  Caufes  he  afligns  them. 

^tna  is  a  noble  Subjed:,  but  difficult :  and  in  this  the 
Poet  flags  a  little  But  then  he  reafons  of  the  Increafe  of 
the  Nile,  of  the  Averni,  and  of  the  wonderful  Fountains, 
as  if  Truth  itfelf  were  fpeaking  :  But  it  may  be  obferv'd 
that  he  does  not  give  full  Satisfaction  concerning  the  fabu- 
lous Spring  of  Jupiter  Ammon  :  for  Lucretius  always  ex- 
plains Nature  better  than  Fables. 

He  would  have  written  more  at  large  of  the  Loadftone, 
and  have  left  us  many  Things  that  we  fliould  read  with 
Pleafure,  if  the  wonderful  Power  of  that  Scone  had  been 
known  in  his  Days,  The  Explication  he  gives  of  Plagues 
and  Difeafes  is  pertinent  and  ufeful :  And  laftly  he  interprets 
Thucydides  in  fuch  a  manner,  that  he  expreffes  the  Energy, 
and  furpaffes  the  Majefty,  of  that  Hiftorian  :  Nor  is  the 
Narration  of  Thucydides  fo  clear,  or  fet  off  with  fo  much 
Brightnefs  of  Wit. 

The  End  of  the  Sixth  Book, 


Alphabetical  Catalogue  of 
the  Names  of  the  Authours, 
as  well  Antient  as  Modern, 
cited  in  the  N  o  t  e  s  on  Lu- 
cretius. 


R 

7/nS  9s.^  Vh^  ?•/«-<  ^/aS 


A 

A  B  B  I    Ifaac 
barbenel. 


A- 


^y,  v/^  N"'^  w  sy/x 

^^x    K      w  AbrahamAben  Ez 


ra,or  Aven-Hefre. 
Achilles  Tatius. 
Acron, 
Mr.  Addifon. 
Adrianus  Romanus. 
^lian. 
TEfchines. 
^fchylus* 
Agricola. 
Alaricus. 
Albategniiis,  or  rather  Albatta- 

nius  Aracenfis :  call'd  likewife 

Mahumetes  Tineu  j  or  Mahu- 

metes  y\racenfis. 
Albercus  Magnus. 
AlbumazatjCall'd  alfoAbu-AiTar, 

and  Japhar. 
The  Alchoran. 
Alexander  ab  Alexandro, 
Alvares  Ferrandus. 
St.  Ambrofe. 
Ammianus  Marqellinus, 


Anacreon. 

Anaftafius  Sinaita, 

Antinous* 

Antipater. 

ApoIIonius  Rhodius. 

Appianus  AlexandrinuSo 

Apuleius. 

Aquinas. 

Aratus  Solenfiso 

Ariftotle. 

Ariftophanes. 

Arnobius. 

Afclepiadius. 

Athenacus. 

Aventinas, 

Aufonius. 

St.  Auftin. 

Autolychus  Prytan»us, 

Aucumnus. 

t 
Bacon,  Lord  Verulara, 
Barocius. 
Barthius. 
Bartholinus, 
BafTus. 


Beda, 


yjfhahetkal    CATALOGUE 


Beds. 

Bellonius. 

St.  Bernard. 

Beroaldus. 

Holy  Bible. 

Sir  Richard  Blackmore, 

Blancanus. 

Boccace. 

Bodinus. 

Boetius. 

Bonincontrius. 

Alphonlus  Borellus, 

Hieronymus  Boffius* 

Boulduc^ 

Boyle. 

Brebceuf. 

Brixianus. 

Sir  Thomas  Brown. 

Jordano  Bruno, 

Budxus. 

Dr.  Burnet,  Theory  of  the  Earth. 

C 

Cabeus. 

Julius  Caefar. 

Carfarius. 

Califthus. 

Callimachus. 

Campanella. 

Canaparius. 

Julius  Capitolinus. 

Cardanus. 

Cartefius,  or  Des  Cartes. 

Cafaubonus. 

Caflarion. 

Julius  CalTerius. 

Caffiodorus. 

Catullus. 

Guido  Cauliacus, 

Cedrenus. 

Celfus. 

Cenforinus. 

Cerdanus. 

Du  Choul. 

Chronicon  Alexandrinum. 

St.  Chryfofthom. 

Cicero. 

Cidenus. 

Claudian. 

Chriftoph.  Clavius. 

Clemens  Alexandrinus» 

Cleomedes. 

Cluverius. 

Coelius  Calcagninus. 

Coelius  Rhodoginus* 


Columella. 

The  Commentatour  on  Ulegh 

Beig's  Tables. 
Copernicus, 
Cordus. 
Corippus. 
Cornutus. 
Cowley. 
Creech. 
Crinituf, 
Jacobus  Crut«us, 
Quintus  Curtius. 
Cufanus. 
St.  Cyprian. 
Cyrillus  Hierofolymitanuse 

D 

Dalecampus,, 

Sir  William  D'Avenant. 

Delrius. 

Demofthenes. 

Dempfter. 

Didys  Cretenlls. 

Diodorus  Siculus. 

Diogenes  Laertius. 

Diogenes  Apolloniota. 

Dion  Prufieus. 

Dionyfius  Afer, 

Dionyfius  Alexandrinus. 

Donatus. 

Dracontius. 

Dryden. 

E 
Sextus  Empiricus. 
Ennius. 
Epicharmus. 
Epicurus. 
Eratofthenes. 
Euclid. 
Eunapius. 
Euripides. 
Eufebius. 
Eutropius. 

F 
Faber. 
Fairfax. 
Fayus. 
Fernelius. 
Ferrarius. 

Sextus  Pompeius  Feftus* 
Valerius  Flaccus. 
Lucius  Florus. 
Fracaftoriu?* 
Fromondusi 


of  AUTHOURS    Names, 


G 


Gafarellus. 

Dr.  Gale. 

Galen. 

Galileo. 

Garzone. 

GafTendus. 

A.  Gellius. 

Geminus, 

Germanicus. 

Gifanius. 

Gulielmus  Gilbertus. 

Giraldus. 

GJanviJIe. 

GlifTonius* 

Golius. 

Golizius; 

Gorgias  Leontinus. 

Gorl^us. 

Gratius. 

Gregorius  NazianZenus. 

Gregorius  NylTenus. 

Grotius. 

Gronovius. 

Janus  Gruterus. 

Otto  de  Guerrick. 

Melchior  Guilandinus. 

Gulielmus,  Tyrenfis  Pontifex. 

Gutherius. 

Guyotus. 

M 

Hadrianus  Cardinalis. 

Heinfius. 

Hermes  Trifmegiftus* 

Herodotus. 

Heliod, 

Hefychius. 

Hevelius. 

Hierocles. 

liilarius. 

Hipparchus* 

Hippocrates* 

Hobbes. 

Homer. 

Horace. 

Hortenfius. 

Horus  ApoIId, 

Horus  ^gyptius. 

Hudibras. 

C.  Julius  Hyginu5. 


Janibliciis. 
St.  Jerome. 
Jofephus  t 


Ifidorus. 

Ifocrates, 

Ittigius. 

Julian  the  Apoftate.- 

Junius. 

Juftin. 

Juvenal. 


JCepIer. 
Kircher. 


K 


Lacftantius. 

Lambinus. 

Lampridius. 

Lansbergius. 

Langius . 

Lee. 

Levinus  Lemnius, 

Livy. 

Lomazzo. 

Lomeierus. 

Longinus. 

Longomontanus. 

Georgius  Longus, 

Lucan. 

Lucian. 

Lucilius. 

Lycophron. 

Lycofthenes. 

M 
Macrobius. 
Maginus. 
Hieron.  Magius* 
Joannes  Magnus, 
Olaus  Magnus. 
Maldonet. 
Mamertus. 
Manilius^ 
Manutius. 
Picus  Mirandolai 
Marcellinus. 
Martial. 
Maurolychus. 
Mauffacus. 
Maximus.  ^ 

Pompon.  Mela# 
Menagius. 
Menander* 
Mercator. 

Hieron,  Mercurialis* 
Milton. 

Minutius  Felix.' 
Nicolaus  MuleriUs, 
I  Muretus. 


'Alfhahetkal    CATALOGUE 


N 

Kaburianus. 

Kardius. 

Natalis  Comes. 

Nemefianus. 

Kicianus. 

Kiger, 

3STigidias  Figulus, 

Nonius, 

iNonnus. 


Oldham. 

Oppian. 

Origen. 

Orolius. 

Orpheus, 

Ovid. 


O 


F 


Pancirolltis. 

Panvinius. 

Pareus. 

Pafl^ratius. 

VeJleius  Patersiilus. 

F.  Paulinus. 

Paulus  Alexandrinus. 

Paulus  Venetus. 

Paufanias. 

Perfius. 

Petavius. 

Petitus. 

petronius  Arbiter. 

Petrus  Peregrinus. 

Philippus  ThoTinafinus. 

Philo  Juda:us^ 

Phocas. 

Philoponus. 

Photius. 

pincieruSo 

Pindar. 

Pineda. 

Pignorius, 

Piresldus. 

Plato. 

Plautus. 

Pliny. 

Pliny  the  Younger. 

Plotinus. 

Plutarchf 

Julius  Pollux. 

Polybius, 

Alexander  Polyhiftor. 

P^ompeius  Lerna:us. 

Pontanus. 

Porphyrins. 


Poffidonius. 

Procopius. 

Propercius. 

Prolegom.  in  Bibl.  Polyglott. 

Profpsr  Alpinus. 

Prudentius. 

Ptolem^eus. 

Puteanus. 

Pythagoras, 


Quercetanus, 
Quintilian. 

R 

Ricciolus. 

Antonius  Maria  de  Rheitha, 

Dr.  Ridley. 

Mr.  Rowe.  * 


Salmafius. 

Sir  George  Sandys. 

Santorellus. 

Fortunatus  Scacchus. 

Julius  Cicfar  ?  ^     ,. 

Jofeph     •       ^Scaliger. 

Schefferus. 
Scheinerus. 
Schickardus. 
Schioppius. 

r  Apoll.  Argonaut, 

I   Aratus. 

\  Ariftophanes. 

Scholiaft  on  jE"jipi<les. 
^Hefiod. 
VHomer. 
/  Sophocles. 
L  Thucydides. 
Schottus. 

Scribonius  Largus. 
Sebedius. 
Selden. 

Sendivogius. 
Seneca, 
Scnnertus. 
Servius. 
Shakefpear. 

Sir  Edward  Sherburne. 
Sigonius. 
Silius  Italicu^, 
Sipontinus. 
Solinus. 
Sophocles* 
Sozomen. 
Sparcianus, 
^  Br. 


Dr.  Sprat, 

Sratius. 

Stobipus. 

Strabo. 

Suarez, 

Suidas. 

Suetonius. 

Symmachus. 


Tacitus. 

Terence. 

Torqiuto  TaiTo. 

Tertullian. 

Theocritus. 

Theon  Alexandrinus. 

Theophraftus. 

TheophyIa<ft. 

Thucydides, 

Tibullus. 

Tiraquel, 

Tremeilius. 

Trifian. 

Turnebus. 

Tzetzes. 

V 

Valerius  Maximus. 


of  AUt  HOURS    Names.. 

Bp.  of  Kochefter. 


I  Varro. 

Ubbo  Emmius. 
Vegetius, 
Verrius. 

Aurclius  Vitflor. 
P.  VicioriuF. 
Mattheo  Villano. 
Virgil. 

Polydore  Virgil. 
Hieronymus  Vi talis. 
\  irruvius. 
Volaterranus. 
Vprnaous. 

Gerrard-Joan.  7  _,  ^ 
Iiaac  \  Voffius. 

Urfinus. 


Waller. 

Wendelinus, 

Wowerus. 


w 


>Ienophon. 


Zoroafter. 


X 


I  N  ? 


Alphakligal 


Alphabetical  INDEX 

Of  the  Principal  Matters  con- 
tain'd  in  the  Text  of,  and 
Notes  upon,  Lucretius. 


A 


!£5^i5Q^5Q^5)Q  Acheron ,   one 
the  Rivers  of  Hell. 


^%ic^(!C^  C  C  I  D  E  N  T  S, 
proper  and  com- 
mon.    Pag.  40 
Achaia,  hurtful  to 
the  Eyes.  738 

of 
301 

Acherufia  Temple.  18 

Achilles.     The  Fiercenefs  of  his 

Temper,  allay'd  by  Mufick.  142 

Injurious  to  the  Memory  of  his 

dead  Friend  Patroclus,  B16 

Acorns.    The  chief  Food  of  the 

iirft  Men.    543 
A<ftion.     All  Things  either  acfr, 

or  are  acfted  on.   40 
Adam.  The  Authour  of  all  Arts 
and  Sciences.    1518.     The  firft 
Impofer  of  Names.  ^^6.   Firft 
invented  Letters.  590 
Adonis.    Feilivals  inftitiited  in 

Honour  of  him.    547 
Adrallus.  790 
Adytum  of  the  Temple  of  A- 


pollo.  440 
JEgK.    The    Hame 

Towns.  ^8 1    • 

^gipkno     §co 


of  feveral 


^goceros.  Pag.  500 

^'gypt-  737 

Egyptians  fubjed  to  the  Lepro- 
fie.  7^6 

^olipil^.  66^. 

i^olus.  (58 o,  681.  Why  feign'd  to 
keep  the  Winds  imprifon'd  in 
a  vaft  Caye.  (588 

Tether.  47<5 

Ethiopia.  6.9'y.  That  in  that 
Countrey  there  are  two  Win- 
ters every  Year,  and  as  many 
Summers.  (5>)8. 

^tna.  Defcription  of  it.  <5i.  Why 
it  throws  out  Fire.  ^38 5  &  feq<^. 

Agamemnon.  15 

Agifipoliy,  King  of  the  Lacede- 
monians. 2(^3 

Agriculture.  Firft  Invention  of 
it.  582.  Its  Dignity,  Ufeful- 
nefs,  &c.    583 

Air.  Not  the  i;>rincipIeof  Natu- 
ral Things.  56.  Is  a  Conti- 
nuum. 107.  Motus  nexus  in  the 
Air.  ibid.  Waftes  and  is  re- 
newed. 458.  Sea  of  Air.  ibid. 
Caufe  of  Difeafes.  735.  And 
of  the  different  Colours  and 
Complexions  of  Menc  ibid. 
'■-    '  :     •'■'■'  ■■-      '■    '       Aif 


Alfhahtlcal    INDEX, 


Air  of  one  Countrey  different 
from  that  of  another.  P.  y^S. 
Air  of  Florence  prejudicial  to 
the  Brain.  738.  ElFeds  of  the 
Air  of  feveral  Countrey s.  ibid. 
Whether  the  Air  be  fole  Caufe 
of  Plagues.  74.2.  Sc  feqq.  Two 
Thouiand  times  lighter  than 
Gold.  38. 
Alexander  the  Great  wept  when 
he  was   told  there  were  many 
Worlds.  174..     Compell'd    the 
Priefts  of  Jupiter  Ammon  to 
acknowledge  him  for  the  Son 
of  their  God.  715.  Was  like  to 
have  been  worHiip'd  as  a  God 
at  Athens.  Lucky  Omen  at  his 
Birth,  J4.0 
Alpheus  and  Arethufa.   718 
Amaryllis.    Etymology  of  that 

Name.  585 
Ambition.     Vanity   of   it.     95;. 

Whence  it  proceeds.  10 1 
Ammon.  Wonderful  Spring  in 
the  Grove  of  Ammon.  713 
Cham,  the  Son  of  Noah,  wor- 
ihip'd  under  that  Name.  7 1 5. 
Jupiter  Ammon.  714 
Anadema.  An   Ornament  worn 

antiently  on  the  Head.    404 
Anaxagoras.    6'/,     His  Dodrine 
of     Homoeomery     explain'd. 
ibid,  and  confuted.  68.  &  feqq. 
Thrown  into  Prifon  for  difpu- 
ting  of  celeftial  Meteors,  610. 
His  Opinion  of  failing   Stars. 
112.  Ofthefix'd  and  erratick 
Stars.  47&.Of  theMagnitudeof 
the  Sun.  490.  Of  Thunder.  61 3, 
617.     Affirm'd    Snow    to    be 
black.  767.     His    Opinion,  of 
Wind.  688.     Of  the  overflow- 
ing of  the  Nile.  695 
Anaxarchus.  How  he  drew  Tears 
from  Alexander  the  Great.  174 
Anaximander.    His  Opinion  of 
the  Gods.  11.    Of  the  World. 
437.     Of  the  Sun's  Magnitude. 
490.     Of  Thunder.   616.     Of 
Wind,  668.  Of  Lightning.  625 
Anaximenes  Milefius  held  Air  to 
be  the  Principle  of  all  Things. 
56.     Held  an  infinite  Number 
of  Worlds.  174.     His  Opinion 
of  Thunder.  616.     Of  Light- 
ning.   625,     Of  CJIouds.  66)^. 


Of  Earthquakes.  Pag.  (^78. 
Ancus  Martius.  277 
Androgynus.  538 

on  the  I  ft  Book.    89 
on  the  2d  Book.    183 
Animad-y  on  the  3d  Book.    28  j 

verfion  1  on  the  4th  Book.  4is> 
on  the  5th  Book.  5^7 
on  the  6th  Book.  822 

Animadverfion  of  Joannes  Nar- 
dius,  concerning  the  Funerals 
of  the  Athenians.  789. 

Animals.  That  they  can  not  be 
born  daily,  unlefs  they  be  re- 
new'd  by  certain  Seeds.  25. 
Cauie  of  their  Growth  and 
Decay.  179.  Firft  produc'd 
from  the  Earth.  530.  6c  feqq. 
Owe  their  Nouriiliment  and 
Growth  to  the  four  Elements. 
65.  Why  Animals  are  in  per- 
petual Want  of  Food.  380 

Annihilation.  That  Nothing  can 
be  annihilated.  25.  Sc  feqq, 

Antaius.  433 

Antidhones.  Inhabitants  of  the 
Moon.  514 

Antiperiflaiis.  712 

Antipodes,  deny'd  by  St,  Au- 
itin,  La(fTantius,  and  others. 85. 
Fooliili  Objec9:ions  of  fome  o^ 
the  Antients  againft  the  Anti- 
podes,  86 

Antiflhenes.  His  Anfwer  to  one 
that  bcgg'd  Money  of  him  for 
the  Goddefs  Cybele.  145 

'  ApaiS'  iSo.   81  r. 

Aphrodite,  Why  Venus  was  fo 
call'd.  4 

Apollo,  why  call'd  Pythius.  439^ 

Apollonius  Tyanjeus  could  ex- 
pound the  Notes  of  Birds.   5 58 

Arabia  Fa'lix.  4. 

Arbutus,  A  Tree  fo  call'd,  and 
the  Fruit  it  bears.  544. 

Arceiilas  derides  a  fooliili  Opi- 
nion of  the  Stoicks.  51.  His 
Sophifm,  That  Nothing  can  be 
known,  confuted.  343.  Sc  feqq. 

Archelaus  held  an  infinite  Num- 
ber of  Worlds.  175.  His  Opi- 
nion of  the  Magnitude  of  the 
Sun.  499. 

Arethufa ;  fee  Alpheus. 

A.rgiiQicn^ 


^Alphahetical    INDEX. 


Argument' 


Of  the  1  ft  Book,  i 
Of  the  2d  Book.  93 
Of  the  3d  Book.  193 
Of  the  4th  Book.2?3 
Ofthe  5th  Book  4.21 
•  Of  the  <^th  Book.(5oi 
Ariftarchus.   His  Opinion  of  the 

Sun's  Magnitude.  490 
Ariftides,  bury'd  at  the  Expence 
of  the  Publickj  and  why.  803, 
■    804 

Ariftotle,  no  Enemy  to  Provi- 
dence. II.  His  Opinion  con- 
cerning the  Soul. 17,  2-i8.0f  rhe 
Original  of  Fountains.  26.  His 
Definition  of  Time.  41.  His 
Opinion  of  falling  Stars.  112. 
His  Definition  of  violent  Mo- 
tion. 121.  His  Opinion  of 
Colour.  157.  Of  the  Caufe 
of  Sight.  159,  318.  Of  the 
Seat  of  the  Mind.  2ir.  Of 
Images.  307.  His  Definition 
of  Sound.  348.  His  Opinion  of 
Odours.  368.  Ofthe  Caufe  of 
Motion  in  Animals.  3S2.  His 
Definition  of  Sleep.  385.  His 
Opinion  of  Dreams.389.  Held 
the  World  to  be  eternal.  437. 
and  that  the  Heavens  are  incor- 
ruptible, and  even  immaterial. 
443.  His  Opinion  of  the  Stars. 
480.  Of  Thunder.  61^.  Of 
Wind.  663,  Of  Rain.  ^72. 
Of  Earthquakes,  ibid.  That 
he  collecfled  many  Things  wor- 
thy of  Note,  from  the  Philo- 
fophical  Writings  of  Salomon. 
723 
Ariftoxenus.  His  Opinion  con- 
cerning the  Soul.  20,  218 
Armenides  held  Earth  and  Fire  to 
be  the  Principles  ofall  Things. 

'ApLionct.  Different  Significations 
ofthe  Word.  209 

Arts  Liberal  and  Illiberal.  518. 
That  all  Arts  ate  but  of  late 
Invention.   4(52,  4^54 

Afclcpiades  reduc'd,  by  Mufick, 
feditious  Multitudes  to  Tem- 
per and  Reafon.    [d2 

Afteriims.     See  Signs.  * 

A  Urology  and  Aftronomy.  Dif- 
ference bet'.veen  them.  517. 
Prig!na\aii4Prog^refs,of  A^ftifQ- 


nomy.  Pag.    518.  8c  feqq, 

'Alct^^/'ct  of  Epicurus.  9 

Athamas,  a  River  in  Phthia, 
whofe  Water  kindlesWood.  717 

Athenagoras,  His  Opinion  of 
Providence.  12 

Athens  when  built,  and  why  fo 
call'd.  (^05,  606.  Why  call'd 
Cecropia.  745 

Athenians.  That  they  were  the 
firft  Inventours  of  Arts,  and 
firft  inftituted  Societies.  (^05, 
606-,  789.  Condemn'd  and  put 
to  Dea;h  ten  of  their  Generals, 
and  why.  790.  Very  jealous 
of  their  Liberties.  805. 

Atlas.  431.  Whence  faid  to  fup- 
port  Heaven  on  his  Shoulders. 
432 

Atome?.  Whence  fo  call'd.  45, 
See  Seeds. 

Attains.  King  of  Pergamus,  firft 
found  out  the  Art  of  Embroi- 
dering \yith  Gold.    304. 

Averni,  feveral  Places  fo  call'd. 
703.  Whence  they  had  their 
Name.  704.  The  Gates  of  the 
Roads  that  lead  to  Hell.    707 

Avernu?.  A  Lake  fo  call'd,  an4 
the  true  Nature  of  it.  705 

Augeas,  kill'd  by  Hercules.  433 

Auguries,  on  the  Right  or  Left, 
lucky  or  unlucky.    611  Sc  612 

Augmentation  of  Things ;  how 
caus'd.  22,  31,    103 

Aurora.    See  Morning. 

St.  Auftin.  His  Saying  of  Time. 
42-  Held  Spirits  to  be  corpo- 
real. 190.  deny'd  the  Anti- 
podes. 85. 

B 

Babe  new  born,  the  moft  help- 
lefs  ofall  Animals.  454 

Babylon.   394 

Babylonians  and  Chaldeans  very 
skilful  in  Aftronomy.   ^16 

Baccha.%    14S,  427 

Bacc'hu?.  His  Birth,  and  why  io 
call'd.  id8.  Why  call'd  lac- 
chus.  408.  Why  the  God  of 
Wine.  426:.  Conquer'd  the 
Indies.  Ibid,  Why  call'd  E\h-s 
Evan.  52&.  Ereaed  the  Tem,- 
pl^  of  Ju.pitq  Ammon,  714 


^Alphahctlcal    INDEX. 


Balifta.    A  warlike  Engine  us'd  1 
by  the  Antients.  Pag.  635 

Balnearia  and  Balnea.   710 

Barrennefs.  Caufes  of  it  in  the 
human  Kind.  4 1 4.  &  feqq.  Why 
fome  Women  arc  barren  to 
fome  Men,  and  fruitful  to  o- 
thers  :  and  on  the  contrary.  41  5 

Bathing,  dangerous  after  eat- 
ing. 710 

Baths  of  the  Romans,  and  their 
Cuftom  of  Bathing,  ibid. 

Beafts,  fee  Brutes.  How  the 
Young  know  their  Dams,  and 
the  Dams  their  Young.  125. 
That  Beafts  dream.  391.  That 
they  are  fub jecft  to  Paffions.2 1 1 . 
Wild  Beafts  firft  brought  to 
the  Wars.   575 

Beauty.  Kings  chofen  for  the 
Beauty  of  their  Perfon.  5<5i, 
That  Nature  herfelf  has 
ftamp'd  Beauty  with  Royalty. 

Bellerophontes.  Why  faid  to  have 
Icill'dtheMonfter  Chimxra.541 

Belfus*  His  Parricide  how  difco^- 
ver'd.  6^6 

Benedi<rtus  Florettus  loft  his 
Memory  by  Sicknefs.  76^ 

Benevolence,  a  ftrong' Motive  to 
Adion.  448 

Berofus.  A  famous  Aftronomer. 
e,i6.  brought  into  Greece  the 
Science  of  Genethlialogy.  521. 
Why  the  Athenians  eredied  to 
him  a  Statue  with  a  golden 
Tongue.    522. 

Bever.  Effects  of  an  Ointment 
made  of  the  Tefticles  of  that 
Animal.   710 

Bidental.  662 

Bier.  Several  forts  of  Biers^  us'd 
by  the  Antients.  801 

Birds.  Whether  terreftrial  Ani- 
mals. 532.  That  they  were 
produc'd  before  the  Earth.  533. 
That  they  have  parti€ular 
Languages.  558.  When  they 
began.  531.  Why  faid  to 
fwim.  704.  That  fome  Birds 
are  taught  to  fpeak  articulate 
Sounds.  557,  Sagacity  of  the 
Birds  in  Egypt.  702. 

Blood.  Reafon  of  the  Precept 
that  forbade  the  eating  of  it.201 


Boar.^The  Arcadian  Boar.  P.^25>, 

Body  and  Void  fubfift  of  them- 
themfelves.  45. 

Body.  'Tis  the  Nature  of 
Body  to  refift.  10.  Definition 
of  it.  30.  Body  and  Void, 
the  two  Principles  of  all 
Things.  37.  Nothing  exifts 
befides  Body  and  Void.  39,  40. 
Bodiesdivided  into  fimple  and 
compound.  44.  No  Bodies  na- 
turally tend  upwards,  iii. 
That  none  are  infinitely  hard. 
38.  Why  divifible.  47 

Body  of  an  Animal,  the  Veflel 
of  the  Soul.   234. 

Book.  Why  call'd  Liber  by  the 
Latines.   594. 

Borax.  732. 

Box.  The  Shade  of  that  Tree 
caufes  the  Head-ach.  70^ 

Brafs,  more  efteem*d  at  firft  than 
any  other  Metal.    ^66. 

Brides.  Us'd  of  old  to  drefs  them- 
felves  in  Yellow.  304. 

Brutes  have  Perception.  255, 
Their  Origine.  533.  That  each 
Kind  of  them  has  a  particular 
Language.  558.  Natural  In- 
flindl  in  them.  769.  That  all 
Brutes  utter  feveral  Sounds  ac- 
cording to  their  different  Paf- 
fions  of  Grief,  Fear,  Sec,  254, 
257.  That  fome  of  them  are 
fenfible  of  the  Mutations  of 
the  Air,  and  Change  of  Wea- 
ther. 702. 

Bull.   The  Cretan  Bull.  429 

Bufyris,  the  Egyptian  Tyrant, 
His  great  Strength  and  Death. 

433 
Bygois.  The  Nymph  fo  call'd, 
writ  Books  containing  the  Arc 
of  Divination,  as  pra(ftis'd  by 
theThufcans.  ($51 


Claudius  Csfar.  539 

C.  Julius  Caefar  reduc'd  the  Ro- 

«  man  Year  to  the  Courfe  of  the 

Sun,'  which  we  yet  retain.  523. 

That  no    Omen  could  deter 

him  from  any  Enterprize.  6^1 
Calliope,  72.  Invocation  of  her, 

6l2 


Caliirrhoej 


'Alfhahtkd    1  N  D  E  X. 


Calllrrhoe,  a  Fountain  at  Athens* 

Pag.  735 
M.  Camillus.  ^66 
Cancer.    The  ConftcHation    fo 

call'd.   501,  510 
Candle.  That   the  Flame   of  it 

is  not  always  the  fame  Flame. 

312.     That  the  Stench  of  the 

Snuff  of  Candles  makes  fome 

Perfonsfwoon.  709.    And  cau- 

fes  Abortion  in  Women,  ibid. 
Capricornus.  The  Conftellation 

fo  calPd,  500,  5I0 
Capularis  cuftos.  79^ 
Carbalina  Volumina.  594 
Cartefius.    See  Des  Cartes. 
I^Parthage,  258 

Caftor  and  Clytemnellra.  43 
Cato.   205 
Cats.  Why  they  fee  in  the  Dark. 

318 
Cea.    An  Ifland  in  the  J^gean 

Sea.  404 
CecropSj  firft  King  of  Athens. 

Centaurs.  371.  That  there  never 
were  any  fuch  Monfters.  538 

Centaury.  Whence  fo  call'd,  and 
why  bitter  to  the  Tafte.  127 

Centre.  That  there  is  none  in  the 

-    Univerfe.  85.  &  feqq. 

Ceramicus,  the  burying  Place  at 
Athens.  803 

Ceraunia  Gemma.  662 

Cerberus.   275,  372 

Ceres.  The  Goddefs  oP  Corn. 
147,  427.  Always  painted  with 
large  fwelling  Breafts.  40S, 
Ceres  and  Liber,  Why  call'd 
the  Lights  of  the  World.  427 

Chabrias.  790 

Chaldeans  :  Knowing  in  Aftro- 
nomy.  <,i6»  Held  the  World 
to  be  eternal.  437 

Chaos.  6.  Firftofthe  Gods,  ibid. 
The  Place  and  Receptacle  of 
univerfal  Matter.   77 

Chance.  That  ail  Things  were 
made  by  Chance.  81,  Why 
held  by  the  Epicureans  to  be 
thecliief  Difpofer  and  Gover- 
tiour  of  all  Things.  176.  That 
all  the  Ills,  to  which  Mortali- 
ty is  Subjecft,  happen  from 
Chance,  or  are  the  Effevis.  of 
Kature.  607 


Ghange.|How  made.  P.232.That 
whatever  is  liable  to  Change  is 
mortal.  ^62 
Charcoal,  That  the  Smell  of  it 
is  dangerous  to  the  Brain.  711, 
Remedy  againft  it.  ibid. 
Chariots.    Firfb     Invention    of 
them.    577.     Chariots  drawn 
by  fix  Horfes,  when  iirft  us'd. 
578.     Chariot  drawn  by     fix 
Horfes,  decreed  by  the  Senate 
of  Rome  as  a  triumphal  Ho- 
nour to  Auguftus  Csefar.  578 
Arm'd  Chariot.  240 
Charta  plumbea.   592 
Charybdis.   59,  60 
Children,  undutiful  to  Parents, 
unworthy     to      be      Parents 
themfelves.    142.    That   they 
refemble        their       Parents , 
and      why.    410,    Why    they 
fometimes  refemble  the  Father 
more   than  the  Mother;  and 
fometimes  on  the  contrary.  41 1. 
&  feqq.     Why  they  are  fome- 
times like  their  more  remote 
Anceftours.  ibid. 
Chimera.  A  fabulous  Monfter 
that  vomits  Fire.     151,   541. 
That  there  never  was  any  fuch 
Monfter.  538 
Chiron.  Firft  difcover*d  the  Vir- 
tue of  the  Herb,  call'd  Cen- 
taury. 127.     Why  he  chofe  to 
die,  when  he  might  have  been 
immortal.  2*^7 
Xo(^.   792 
Chryfippus.  205 
Chryftal.  Why,  when  broken  in- 
to fmall  Pieces,   it    lofes    its 
Tranfparency.  157 
Cicero.    His  faying  of  Philofo- 
phers.  II.  Of  Time.  42.  Refu- 
ted. 152.  Held  the  Heavens  to 
be  incorruptible.  443.  And  the 
Sun  to  be  immenfe.  490 
Cimon  of  Athens  redeemed  the 
dead  Body  of  his  Father,  at 
the  Price  of  his  own  Liberty. 
790.    Brought  to  Athens  the 
Bones  of  Thefeus.  791. 
Ciearchus.  205. 
Cleombrotus.  ibid. 
Cleomedes.  His  Opinion  of  the 

Magnitude  of  the  Sun.  490 
Clidemus.  His  Opinion  of  Light- 
ning. 621^  CloathSrf 


Alfhahetkal    INDEX. 


Cloaths.  Firft  Ufe  of  them.  P.  581 

Clodius  and  Catiline.    7 

Ciouds.  How  generated.  669. 
Sc  feqq.  Why  they  feem  to  rjf'e 
from  the  Tops  of  high  Moun- 
tains, ibid. 

Cocks.  Why  they  crow  at  three 
feveral  and  conftant  Times  of 
the  Night.  368.  Times  of  the 
natural  Day  diftinguifli'd  an- 
tiently  by  the  feveral  Growings 
of  the  Cock.  ^69 

Cocytus.    301 

Coeius.The  Father  of  all  Things. 
4.62 

Coition.  That  Females  are  no 
lefs  fenlible  of  the  Joys  of  it 
than  Males.  410 

Cold  is  a  Body.  30.  Penetrates 
to  the  very  Bones,  34.  Why  the 
Feet  are  cold  in  pernicious 
Difeafes.  7^3 

Colour.  That  all  Colour  is  lia- 
ble to  Change.  153.  What  it 
is.  155.  &  feqq.  No  Colour 
in  the  Dark,  i  ^6.  Several  Opi- 
nions concerning  the  Caufe  of 
Colour,  ibid.  Divided  into 
two  Sorts.  158.  Is  not  inhe- 
rent in  Bodies.  15P,  Cannot 
be  touch'd.  321 

What  Colour  the  Latines  call'd 
luteus.  304.  Ruffus.  305.  Fer- 
ruginus,  ibid.  Thalaffinus.404 

Commonwealth.  When  firft  in- 
ftituted.   5(^5 

Conception.  Caufes  of  it  in  re- 
gard to  the  Difference  of  Sex. 
413 

ConjuncHiS  and  Events  of  Things 
what  they  are.  40 

Conon.  His  Sepulchre.  803 

Confcience.  Terrours  of  a  guilty 
Confcience.  275,  2j6 

Confidius.  377 

Conflantine  the  Great,  miracu- 
loufly  cur'd  of  a  Leprofie.   737 

Contagion,  the  chief  Caufe  of  a 
Plague.  77^.  &  feqq.  That  a 
contagious  Difeafe  may  be 
caught  three  feveral  W^ays,  74^ 

Content.    The  greateft   Riches. 

Convulfion.  Caufes  of  it.   754. 

Defcrib'd.  7,^2 
Corn.  The  Ufe  of  it,  and  when 


firft  fow'd.  P.  427.That  feveral 
Nations  know  not  yet  the  Ufe 
of  Corn  and  Wine.  428 

Corona  muralis.  140 

Coronis.  707 

Corruption.  That  the  Corrup- 
tion of  one  Thing  is  the  Ge- 
neration of  another,  6c  vice 
verfa.     28 

Cough.  That  Coughs  wafte  the 
Body.  408 

Cranes.  That  they  forefee  ftormy 
Weather.  314 

Crateres  of  Mount  ^tna.    6%9 

Creation  of  all  Things.  470.  & 
feqq. 

Cretea  perfona.  325 

Critias.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul.  418 

Crito.  The  Friend  of  Socrates, 

793 
Crows.  Why  never  white,    nor 

Swans  black.  49.    That  they 

prognofticate  the   Change  of 

Weather.  559,    <^6o 
Culham   (Francis)    lay  fenfelefs 

four  Years  and  five  Months.37<$ 
Cuma;.  705 
Cupid.  417 

Cups.  Black  Cups  us'd  in  Fune- 
rals. 796 
Cuttle-Fifh.  185 
Cybele.     Why  call'd  Mother  of 

the  Gods,  and  Magna  Parens. 

138.     Ceremonies  obferv'd  in 

the  Worfhip  of  her.  139.  Sc 

feqq.    Her  feveral  Names.  140. 

Why  call'd  Ida^a  Mater,  and 

Phrygia  Mater.  141 
Cyclops.     Their    Names,    and 

whence  they  had    them,  (^54. 
Their  OfHces.   ibid. 
St.   Cyprian.  His  Opinion  that 

the  World  decays  and  crows 

old.  173 

D 
Damon  reclaimed, by  Mufick,  de- 

bauch'd    Youths  to  Sobriety. 

142 
Danaides.   The  Fable  of  them, 

and  Mythology  of  it.  273 
AttVa.KJf,  795 
Daphne,  chang'd  into  a  Laurel. 

(5i8 
Day  and  Night.    What  they  are> 

and  whence  they  proceed.  41. 
'        5  O  Why 


A 


Ifhahetlcd    INDEX, 


Why  they  fucceed  each  other. 
Pag.  504.  Why  they  lengthen 
and   Pixovt&n.    508.  &  feqq. 
Deafnefs.  How  People,boni  Deaf, 
have  been  taught  to  fpeak.  253 
Death  delin'd.  99.  Fear  of  it,  the 
Hoot  of  many  Evils.  203.     A- 
gaifift  the   Fear  of  it.  257.  8c 
leqq.  Why  Homer  gives  it  the 
Epithet  ■uyop(pvpi(^.  201 
Beer.  Why    Fearful.  219.    Lofe 
their  Horns  yearly.  238.  Their 
Sreath  kills  Serpents,  708 
Deianira.  433 

Deity.  Epicurean  Notion  of  the 
r)eity.  ^8.  &  feqq.  That  the 
Deity  is  felfexiftent.  20.  Image 
of  fhe  Deity.  1^6,  That  it  is 
the  Nature  of  the  Gods  to  have 
nothing  to  do.  8,  43^.  That 
the  Gods  are  of  a  moft  tenu- 
ious  Subilance.  445.  That  the 
World  was  not  created  by 
thenl.  447. 
Demades  condemn'd  to  Death  a 
Perfon  who  fold  NecefTaries  for 
Funerals.  7915. 
t)emarchus,   Office  of  the  De- 

marchus  at  Athens.  791 
Demetrius.  His  Funeral.  810 
iDemocIes.  18 

Democrirus.  His  Prayer.  9.  Stu- 
dies Ailronomy  and  Geome- 
try. 224.  W^hy  furnam'd  Ge- 
laiinus.  225.  Advis'd  that 
dead  Bodies  iliould  be  cm- 
balm'd  in  Honey.  262,  His 
Death.  279.  Made  himfelf 
blind  by  flaring  on  a  brazen 
Buckler.  328.  His  Opinion 
ccncerning  the  Soul.  17.  Call'd 
Atomes  firft  Magnitudes.  45. 
His  Opinion  concerning  the 
f'rinciples  of  ail  Things.  33. 
His  Opinion  of  Colour.  1^6. 
Of  the  Plurality  of  Worlds. 
174.  Firft  Authour  of  the  Epi- 
curean Philofophy.  197.  His 
Opinion  concerning  the  Seat 
of  the  Mind.  211.  Of  Thun- 
der. ^"13.  Of  Lightning.  620. 
Of  Earthquakes.  67J,  679. 
Of  the  Overflowing  of  the 
Kile.  69^. 
iJenfeand  Rare  defin'd,  39 
Des  €arSes=,His  Opinion  of  Moti- 


on in  a  Plenum  confiited.P,37, 
His  Opi.nion    of  Freedom   of 
V\^ill.  119.    Of  Thunder.  619. 
Of  Wind.  66S.  Held  that  the 
Loadfbone  does  not  attract  the 
Iron.  719 
Defcription  of  the  Spring.  5,22^ 
Of  a  Flood.  20 
Of  a  Torrent,  ibid. 
Of  a  Storm  of  Wind.  28 
Of  the  Rarefadiion  and    Con- 
denfationofthe  Elements.(54 
Of  a  Wood  fet  on  Fire.  70 
Of  a  Flock  of  Sheep  on  a  di- 

fiant  Hill.  123 
Of  Armies  engag'd  in  a  Plain,( 

123  dc  124 
Of  a  Cow  bemoaning  the  Lofs 

of  her  Calf.  12$ 
Of  a  Wreck  at  Sea.  1^6 
Of  Neptune.  14^ 
Of  the  GoddefsCybele.and  the 
Ceremonies  obferv'd   in  the 
WorHiip  of  her.  1 38.  &  feqq. 
Of  the  Golden  Age.  181 
Of  Hell.  200 
Of  a  Seif-Murderer.  205 
Of  a  Perfon  falling  in  a  Swoon, 

211,  212 
or  Dido,  when  Hie  had  ilabb'd 

herfelf.  213 
Of  a  Perfon  in  a   Fit  of  Le- 
thargy.  229 
Of  a  drunken  Man.  230 
Of  one  fallen  into  an  Epilepii©. 

ibid. 
Of  a  Snake  that  has  newly  caft 

his  Slough.  238 
Of  an  armed  Chariot.  241 
Of  the  Terrours  of  a  guilty 

Mind.  2j6 
Of  the  four   Rive?s  of  Hell. 

302 
Ofa  Battel  in  the  Air.  310 
Of  the  Light  of  the  Sun  or 
Moon,  ftriking  on  a  Mir* 
rour  or  Water.  31(5 
Of  Shadow.  332 
Of  the  Sun  riiing  out  of  the 

Sea.  339 
Of  a  Hound  in  purfuit  of  a 

Deer.  '^66 
Of  Sleep.  384 
Of  Dreams.  396 
Of  Morpheus.  393 
Of  Iceios  and  Phantafu?,  ibid. 

Of 


Alfhahtlcal    INDEX. 


Of  Cupid.  Pag.  417 
Of  Atlas.  432 
Of  the  Zones.  452 
Of  a  Blight.  453 
Of  a  new  born  B^be.  454 
Of  a  Storm.  459 
Of  Fate.  4(5 1 
Of  the  River  Po.  468 
Of  the  Sea  dividing  to  make  a 
Paflage  for  the.Ifraelites.  470 
Of  the  Creation.  474 
Of  the  four    Seafons    of    the 
Year^  compar'd  to  the  four 
Stages  of  Man's  Life.  524 
Of  Venus.  3 
Of  the    four  Seafons    of   the 

Year.   525 
Of  the  Creation  of  Beafts.  533 
Of  Scylla.  540 
Of  Metals  in  the  Bowels  of  the 

Earth.  573. 
Of  the  Laurel.  6iS 
Of    the    Transformation    of 

Daphne,  ibid. 
Of  Clouds.  623 
Of  a  Storm  at  Sea.  ^32 
Of  the  Cyclops  forging  Thun- 
der. (^54 
Of  a  Rainbow.  (5  74 
Of  i^tna  eje<fiing  Flame.  6S7 
Of  the  Lake  Avernus.  704 
Of  the  Mountain  Vefuvius.(5o5 
Of  a  Plague.  742,   7^6 
Of  the  Plague  of  Athens.  744. 

&  feqq. 
Of  Lime,  when  cold  Water  is 
thrown  on  it.  757 

Diadem.  Antient  Mark  of  Roy- 
alty, defcrib'd.  5^5 

Diagoras.  Why  he  refolv'd  to  be 
an  Atheift.  654 

Diamond.  The  hardeft  of  all 
Stones.  130 

Diana,  i  5 

Dic^archus.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul,  218 

piminution  of  Things  ,  how 
caus'd.  31,  103. 

Diogenes.  His  Neglecft  of  tlie 
Rites  of  Sepulture.  261.  His 
Opinion  of  the  Stars.  480.  Of 
Thunder,  (^15 

piogenes  Apolloniates.  His  Opi- 
nion of  Void.  37.  held  an  in- 
finite Number  of  Worlds.  174 

piqmedes,  His  liorfss  fed  with 


Man's  Fleili.  Pag.  430 

Diphther^.  594 

Diieafes.  How  diftingiiiili'd  ac-' 
cording  to  Ph)licians.  734, 
Why  certain  Difeaics  are  pecu- 
liar to  certain  Countreys.  ibid. 
Infecftious  Difcafes.  how  caughr, 
74(5.  Why  m  pernicious  Dii- 
eafes the  Bodies  of  feme  are 
barely  warm,  and  the  extream 
Parts  even  cold.  754.  That 
Sounds  and  Noiies  m  the  Ears 
are  deadly  Symptoms  in  acute 
Difeafes.  761.  Caule  of  Cold- 
nefs  of  the  Feet  in  malignant 
Difeafes.  76^.  That  contagi- 
ous Difeafes  rage  with  greacelb 
Violence  at  their  firft  Break- 
ing out.  780 

Diflolution.  That  every  Thing 
is  more  eafily  difTolv'd  than 
join'd.  48 

Diftance  of  an  Objedl,  how 
known.  320 

Diyifibility,  a  Property  of  Qiun- 
tity.  44 

Dodona's  Grove.  716 

Dogs.  Why  they  feel  the  firft 
Attacks  of  a  peftjlential  Dif- 
eafe.  771. 

Tiger- Dog.  24S 

Dolia  curta.  394 

Dreams.  Why  we  feeni  to  fee  in 
our  Dreams  the  Sun,  Rivers, 
Sec.  and  to  hear,  to  fpeak,  &:c. 
341.  Not  caus'd  by  Images, 
as  the  Epicureans  believ'd.  370. 
Why  Ibme  Dreams  are  more 
frightful  than  others,  389^ 
CaufeofDreams. ibid. and  390. 
Several  forts  of  Dreams,  ibid. 
How  frightful  Dreams  ^re 
caus'd.  391 

Drinking.  To  drink  much  held 
honourable  by  the  Parthians, 
$3o 


Earth.  That  it  confifts  of  feve? 
ral  forts  of  Seeds.  137.  That 
it  is  of  a  female  Nature,  1^9, 
That  it  grows  old  and  decays  ; 
and  why  it  does  fo.  180.  Why 
call'd  by  the  Antients  Magna 
Parens,  and  Mater  Deori'.ni. 
138.    Sufpcndc^  in     ^he  Air, 


Alfhahetkal    INDEX. 

and  borne  up  by  it.  Pag.  139 
Waftss  and  is  ren2w'd.45/5.  Why 


it  hangs  without  Motion  in  the 
Air.  487.  That  the  greateft 
Part  of  it  is  ufelefs  to  Man. 
451.  Why  it  no  longer  pro- 
duces Animals,  as  at  the  Be- 
ginning. 53^. 

Earthquake.  The  feveral  forts  of 
them.  667.  Caufes  of  them. 
ibid.  &feqq.  That  the  fame 
Matter  compofes  Wind,  Thun- 
der, Lightning,  and  Earth- 
quakes, 611 

Echodefcrib'd.  355.  How  form'd. 
ibid.  Why  the  fame  Sound  is 
feveral  times  reflecfted.  351^. 
Why  we  perceive  not  the 
Sound,  if  we  ftand  near  the  re- 
fleding  Body.  ibid.  Why  we 
hear  only  the  later  part  of  the 
Sound.  357 

'Ex-VitpjcCiT.  667. 

Eclipfes.  How  caus'd.  527.  &  feqq. 
Foolifli  Opinion  of  the  An- 
tients  concerning  Eclipfes  of 
the  Moon.  528 

Egeria.  66^. 

Elements.  No  one  Element  the 
Principle  of  alJ  Things.  52.  & 
feqq.  How  call'd  by  Empedo- 
cles.  58.  Of  their  Rarefacftion 
and  Condenfation.  6s^~  call'd 
the  four  Limbs  of  the  World. 
45$.  That  they  are  produc'd 
and  die.  451^.  Always  at 
Strife  with  one  another.  ^66) 
1^67 

Elephant,  Many  of  them  in  In- 
dia. 13";.     Caftled    Elephants. 

578.  Why   call'd    Luca    Bos. 

579.  Breath  of  them  draws 
Serpents  out  of  their  lurking 
Holes.  708. 

Embroidery.  Firft  Invention  of 
it.  304 

Empedocies.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul.  17  &  18.  Concerning  the 
Prini:iples  of  ail  Things.  58. 
AVrit  a  Poem  of  the  Nature  of 
Things.  61.  His  Doctrine  con- 
cerning the  firft  Principles  con- 
futed. 6'2.  8c  feqq.  That  he 
and  Epicurus  held  in  effedt  the 
fame  Dodrine  as  to  the  Prin- 
ciples of  all  Things.  54.  Hin- 


ders by  Mufick  a  young  Man 
from  murdering  his  Father. 
P.  142.  Threw  himfelf  into  the 
Flames  of  MountJEtna,and  why 
he  did  fo.  305.  Held  the  Tranf- 
migration  of  Souls.  243.  His 
Opinion  of  Colour.  1^6.  Af- 
firm'd  that  there  is  but  one 
World.  175.  His  Opinion  con- 
cerning the  Seat  of  the  Mind. 
211.  His  Opinion  of  Images. 
407.  Of  the  World.  437.  Of 
the  Stars.  479.  Of  the  Magni- 
tude of  the  Sun.  490.  Of  Thun- 
der. (5i5 

E-/j.CQv^\o(!f,opiiai^.    503 

Empufa.  8r3 

Enceladus.    60 

Encnifma.  815 

'Ey/y^is'^iQU*  ibid. 

'EyvATO,.  ibid. 

Ennius.  18.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul.  ibid.  Was  a  Pythago- 
rean, ibid.  His  Dream.  19 

Enoch.  His  Books  of  Aftrono- 
my.  519. 

Epicharmus.  His  Saying  of  the 
Mind.  223 

Epicurus.  PraisM.  13,   1^7,  425. 
Endeavour'd  to  overthrow  all 
Religion.   18.     No  Atheift.  9. 
His   Opinion   concerning    the 
Soul.  17.     Hated  the   Mathe- 
maticks.    44.    His  Definition 
of  an  A  tome,  47.     His  Opi- 
nion   concerning    Plants.    6'^. 
Concerning  the  Caufe  of  Ice. 
129.     Held    a     Plurality    of 
Worlis.  174.     Fill'dhis  Wri- 
tings with  Oaths  and  Adjura- 
tions.   177.      His  Opinion  of 
Images.     309.     Whence    pro- 
ceeded his   Errour  as  to  the 
Caufe  of  Sight.  7,16.     His  De- 
finition of  the  Judgment  of  the 
Mind.  34.3.   His  Opinion,  that 
the  Limbs  of  the   Body  were 
not  made  for  proper  Ufes,  con- 
futed.   379.     Concerning  the 
Creation   of  the  World.  449, 
470.     Of  Chance  a/id  Nature. 
607.    Of  Thunder.  613.     Of 
Rain.  6^72. 
'ETTii^ctMW  7>?V.   792. 
Epidemical  Difeafes.  734, 
'E'7rir(l<piov   !\oy<^. 


Alfhahetical  ■  I 


''E'Kv^yfX\u  Pag.  813- 

Equi  jugales  oc  funales.  578 

Equinox.  How  caus'd.  509 

Equinodial  Circle,  ibid. 

Eracofthenes.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Sun's  Magnitude.  490 

Ericius,  King  of  Denmark,  en- 
rag'd  by  Mufick.  142 

Eridthonius.  577 

Eryfipelas.  685 

Eryx.  433 

Eternity.  Two  forts  of  it.  46<5. 
Definition  of  it.  ibid. 

Etelian  Winds.  526,  592 

Evagoras.  His  Funeral,   810 

Events.  What  they  are.  40 

Euripides.  803,  814. 

Eurvftheus.  429 

Exiilence.  That  Self-Exiftence 
necefTarily  infers  Omnipotence. 
12.  Whatever  is  Self-Exi- 
flent  can  have  no  Bounds  fet  to 
its  Excellency.  20 

Eyes.  Caufe  of  Hollow  Eyes.  767* 
Cuftom  of  the  Antients  to 
clofe  the  Eyes  of  their  depart- 
ed Friends.  793. 

Extreani.  That  the  Extream  of 
every  Thing  may  be  feen,  and 
confequently  that  there  muft 
be  fomcthing  beyond  it.  75 


Faber.  His  Preface  to  the  third 
Book  of  Lucretius.  189 

Ftccula  &  Inula.  Two  Sauces 
us'd  by  the  Romans.   129 

Fafciola  Candida.  What  it  was, 
and  that  Pompey  was  fufpecfted 
of  Treafon  for  wearing  ir.    51^5 

Fate.  Definition  of  it  120.  Opi- 
nion of  the  Antients  concern- 
ing it.  4,^1' 

Faun?.  Rural  Gods  fo  call'd, 
and  why.  357. 

Faunus.  6<^5 

Favonius,  the  Weft  Wind,  why 
focail'd.  5 

Fear.  The  Effects  of  it.  205.  751. 
Whether  it  promotes  and  pro- 
pagates a  Plague.  750.  &  feqq. 

Figure.  What  it  is.  124 

Fire.  That  Nature  has  prefcrib'd 
no  Bounds  to  it.  24.  iSot  the 
Principle  of  all  Things,  as  He- 
raclitus  believ'd.  58.  Sc  feqq. 
"Why   Tfcss  -  will    foi^etiaies 


N  D  E  X. 

take  Fire  of  themfelves,  P.  70, 
Does  not  naturally  a(pire.  lu. 
That  there  are  fubterranean 
Fire?.  127,  131.  That  Fire 
perifhesj  and  is  renew'd.  450. 
Origine  of  it.  c^6o.  Several 
Ways  of  getting  it.  ibid. 
That  it  may  be  got  almofl  out 
of  every  Thing.  561.  That 
many  Things  take  Fire  by  the 
Swiftnefs  of  their  Motion.  1^34 

St.  Anthonies  Fire,  The  feveral 
forts  of  it,  755 

Firm.  See  Fluidity, 

Fifli  not  mute,  according  to  Ari- 
ftotle.  105 

Fiftula.The  Pipe  of  the  Antients, 
how  made,  and  of  what.  359 

Flood  of  Deucalion.  4(^9.  Caufe 
of  the  Flood  of  Noah.  ibid. 

Flora,  526,  Feftivals  inftituted 
in  Honour  of  her.  ibid. 

Flower  de  Luce,  why  always  re- 
prefented  at  one  of  the  Ends  of 
the  magnetick  Needle.  722 

Fluidity.  Why  fome  Things  arc. 
fluid,  others  firm.  130 

Food,  from  inanimate  become^ 
animated,  11^3.  How  diftri- 
buted  into  all  the  Parts  of  the 
Body.  179.  That  of  all  Crea- 
tures Man  is  longeft  \n  digeft- 
ing  it.  e,6\.  That  what  we 
eat  affords  no  Pleafure,  after 
it  is  fwallow'ddown.  3<^i.  That 
it  matters  not  with  what  fort 
of  Food  we  are  nouriili'd.  362. 
How  Food  allays  Hunger.  381. 
That  Food,  diftributed  thro' 
the  Veins,  produces  the  fame 
Effecft  as  the  Air.  387,  389 

Force.  W^hy  requifite  to  diilblve 
every  Thing.  25.  W^hy  the 
fame  Force  can  not  difi"olve  all 
Things.  '16 

Form.  Definition  of  it  according 
to  Epicurus.  393 

Fountain.  See  Springs.  Several 
miraculous  Fountains  and  Wa- 
ters. 715 

Fountain  of  Ammon.  713.  Why 
cold  in  the  Day,  and  hot  in 
the  Night.  71  5. 

Fountain  of  Dodonean  Jupiter 
7 1 6.  Whyit  extinguiihes  a  light- 
ed Torch,  and  lights  one  that 
is  extinguilli'd,  717:^7^^ 

Frogs 


Alphahetical    INDEX. 


Frogs.  A  Rain  of  them.  Pag.  162. 

Fulgurator.  6^6 

Fulmen,  Conhliarium,  Aucftori- 
tatis,  &  Status.  6^7.  Pervor- 
fum.  6^9,  Fulmina  poftularia. 
Monitoria.  Peftifera.  Fallacia. 
Deprecanea.  Peremptalia.  At- 
teftata.  Atterranea.  Obruca. 
Regalia.  Perpetua.  Finita.  Pro- 
rogativa.  Privata.  (^59.  Infe- 
ra.  Syderea.  Generalia.  Obli- 
qua.  660.  Elicia.  66 <^.  Hof- 
pitalia.  Auxiliaria.  Impreca- 
toria.  666. 

Funeral.  Cuftoms  obferv'd  by 
the  Athenians  in  the  Sepulture 
of  their  Dead.  789.  &feqq. 

Punera  Mater.  794. 

Funus  Tumultuarium.  77^ 

Furies.  Why  feign'd  to  be  three, 
and  what  was  meant  by  them. 

274  ,      ^ 

Futurity.  That  the  Dread  of 
future  Punifhments  proceeds 
from  the  Belief  of  the  Immor- 
tality of  the  Soul.  17 


Gallery.  Why  when  we  ftand  at 
one  End  of  a  very  long  Galle- 
ry, the  Roof  of  the  other  End 
feems  to  defcend,  the  Floor  to 
rife  up,  and  the  Sides  to  meet 
together.  338 

Galleries  of  the  Antients.  See 
Porticus. 

Gallus,  a  River  of  Phrygia.   141 

C.  Sulpitius  Gallus  writ  a  Trea- 
tife  of  Eclipfes.  523 

Games  celebrated  at  Athens  in 
Honour  of  Vulcan.    103. 

Kemexan  Games.  4.2? 

Garden.  Hefperian  Gardens , 
where  fituated.   431 

Garlands  of  Flowers,  antiently 
us'd  in  Merriments  and  Feafts. 
2^5,  404.   580 

Garments.  Melitenfian  and  Cean, 
404.     Firft  Garments  of  Men. 

Geefe,  nourifii'd  m  Rome  at  the 
publick  Expence,and  why.  3(^8 

Gener?.tion.  No  one  Thing  ge- 
nerated, but  by  the  Corrup- 
tion of  another.  28.  No  Ge- 
neration  without   local   Mo- 


tion. Pag.  33.  What  Things 
are  elTentially  necelTary  for  the 
Generation  of  others.   537 

Geryon.  Why  faid  to  have  three 
Bodies.  430 

Ghofts.  299.  The  Images  of 
Souls.  17 

Giants.  The  Giants  fight  with 
the  Gods.  433,  442.  Whence 
the  Fable  proceeded.  24.  442. 
That  Giant  was  antiently  a 
Name  of  Honour,  ibid. 

Giddinefs.  Why  caus'd  by  often 
turning  round.  335 

Tiy^Qjicci.  798. 

Gladiators.  225 

Glue.  Gluten  taurinum.  Why 
fo  cali'd.  733 

Gold.  Firft  Difcovery  of  it.  573 

Golden  Apples.  430 

Golden  Fleece.  594 

Good  Men.  Why  they  are  op- 
prefs'd  with  Troubles,  while 
the  Impious  fwell  with  the 
Glories,  and  revel  in  the  De- 
lights of  Life.  (^44.  &  feqq. 

Goths  and  Vandals.  Ridiculous 
Cuftom  obferv'd  by  them, 
when  they  heard  the  Noife  of 
Thunder.  66i\. 

Graces.  407 

G raffing.  The  feveral  Ways  of 
it.    583 

Grotta  de  Sybilla.  705 

Grotto  del  Cane.  718 

Guyoma,  Subject  to  the  Empe- 
rour  of  the  Abylfines.  699 

H 
Hail.  How  generated.  676.  Why 
of  feveral  Figures,  ibid.  Why 
more  frequent:  in  Summer  than 
in  Winter,  ibid.     How  defin'd 
by  Ariftotle.  ibid. 
Happinefs  confifts  in  Exemption 
from   Fear.   90.     None   with- 
out Reft.  98 
Hardnefs,  the  Caufe  of  it.  48 
Hard  Bodies,  how  produced .  105 
Harmony,  That  the  Soul  is  not 
a  Harmony  of  the  Body.   206. 
dc  feqq.     Different  Significa- 
tions of  the  Word.  209 
Hearing.  What  it  is,  347-   Ho>v 
caus'd.  349.    Why  many  hear, 
ifbiiton.e  fpeakSc  354.     Why 


Alfhahetical    INDEX. 


we  hear  whom  we  do  not  fee.  | 
Pag.  359 
Heat.  Is  a   Body,  tho'  invifible. 
30.     Why  Heat  and  Cold  at- 
fecft  the  Organs    in   dirferent 
Manners.  129.    Natural  Heat, 
the  Caufe  of  the  Growth  of  all 
Things.  24.  That  all  the  Parts 
of  the  World  are  fuftain'd  by 
Heat.    712,  713.     Caufe  of  the 
Heat  of  the   Earth,  ibid. 

Heavens.  Not  immutable  and 
incorruptible.  44.3.  Not  the 
Manlions  of  the  Gods.  44.4.. 
Motion  of  the  Heavens,  and 
Caufes  of  it.  478,  487.  &c  feqq. 

Hecla,  a  Mountain  that  ejeds 
Fire.  131 ,  636 

Hecuba,  Wife  of  Priam.  Her 
Dream.  43 

Helena,  ibid. 

Helice  and  Bura,  fwallow'd  by 
an  Earthquake.  ^82 

Helicon,  352,   709, 

Heliogabalus,  chofen  Emperour 
for  his  Beauty.    5*^3 

Hell.  The  Gates  of  Hell.  707 

Hellebore.  Madnefs  cur'd  by  the 
Harrnony  of  a  Pipe  made  of  it. 
143.  Poifon  to  Man,but  fatten- 
ing to  Goats  and  Qiiails.    3(53. 

Heraclides  of  Pontus  command- 
ed to  burn  the  Bodies  of  the 
Dead.  262.  His  Opinion  of 
Atomes.  45.  Of  the  Stars. 
174,  480 

Heraclitus.  His  Opinion  con- 
cerning the  Soul.  17.  Of  Time. 
41.  Why  furnam'd  Sxo'Jetvos'. 
53.  His  Opinion,  that,  all 
Things  are  made  of  Fire,  con- 
futed. 54.  Sc  feqq.  His  Opi- 
nion of  the  Condenfation  of 
Fire.  54.  Held  an  innumera- 
bility  of  fuccelTive  Worlds.  1 74. 
His  Opinion  of  the  Sun's  Mag- 
nitude.    489.     Of  Lightning. 

<^22 

Herbs.  That  Herbs,  Trees,  &c. 

were  firlt  brought  forth.   530. 

dc  feqq. 
Hercules.  Several  of  his  Labours. 

429.  &  feqq.    His  Pillars.  432. 

Why  in  his  Temple  at  Gades 

shere  was  an  Ahar  dedicated 


to  Penury  and  Art.  ^ag.   59$. 
His  Funeral   Pile  fet  on   Fire 
by   Lightning.  809 
Hercules  Tyrius  iirft  invented 
the  Art  of  dying  the  purple 
Colour.  730 
M.  Herennius,  killed  by  Thun- 
der, when  the  Sky  was  clear. 
532 
Herman.  812 
Hefperides.  430 
Hefperian  Gardens.  Where  fitu- 

ated.  431 
Herpes  milliaris.    A  fort  of  St. 
Anthonies  Fire,  why  fo  call'd 
755 
Hicket.  What    it   is,    and  how 

caus'd.  753 
Hipparchus.    His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul.  17.    Of  the  Magnitude 
of  the  Sun.  490 
Hippias.    His    Law  concerning 

the  Dead.  797 
Hippo.     His     Opinion    of  the 
Soul.   17.     Held  Water    and 
Fire  to  be  the  Principles  of  all 
Things.    57 
Hippocrates.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul.    17.    Of  the  Seat  of  the 
Mind.    211.     Of  Wind.  63%, 
Held  the  Air  to  be  the  moft 
general  and  common  Caufe  of* 
all  Difeafes.    735.    Why    the 
Athenians  confer'd  on  him  di- 
vine Honours.   744 
Hippodamia  and  Diomedea.  794. 
Homer.  His  Ghoft  appear'd  to 
Ennius.  19.  His  golden  Chain. 
180.    The    Fountain    of   all 
Poetry.  479 
Homceomery  of  Anaxagoras  ex- 
plain'd  and  confuted.   67,  6c 
feqq. 
Honey.  Why  fweet  to  the  Tafte, 
127.    Cuftom  of  the  Antients 
to  embalm    their  Dead  with 
Honey.    2<53.       Why    Honey 
is  not  fo  fubjecfl  to  move  as 
Water.   214 
Hcratius  Cochles.   (^30 
Horrour.  Properly  a  Trembling 

of  the  whole  Body.  553 
Houfes.  When  iirft  built.  550 
Human  Nature.    Imbecillity  of 
it.  454.     Is  content  with  Lit- 

Hunger 


Akhahetkal    INDEX. 


Hunger  and  Thirft.  Whence 
they  proceed,  and  how  fatis- 
fy'd.  P.  380.  &  feqq.  Are  rec- 
Icon'd  by  many  aniongft  the 
Number  of  the  Senfes.  ibid. 

Hydra.  A  Serpent  fo  call'd,  kill'd 
by  Hercules.  430 

Hyrcania.  24.8 


Io-'as/u©^.    758 

Jaundice.  Several  Names  given 
by  the  Ancients  to  that  Dileafe, 
and  the  Reafons  of  them.  329. 
Why  all  Things  feem  yellow 
to  thole  that  have  the  Jaun- 
dice, ibid. 

tee.  How  made,  according  to 
Epicurus.   129 

Ida.  Hov/  the  Sun  feems  to  rife 
from  that  Mountain.    507 

Idea.  Every  Idea  is  a  Mode  of 
Thinking.  9.  Nothing  can 
be  made  without  a  previous 
Idea.  447 

Idomeneus.  15 

Igniaria  of  the  Latines.  561 
Ignorance,  the  Parent  of  Piety. 

5(59 
Ileon.  The  Gut  fo  call'd.    5(^5 
Images.  What  Lucretius  means 
by  them.    299.     His  Dodrine 
concerning  them  confuted.  300. 
That  they  are  continually  fly- 
ing from  the  Surface  of  Things. 
302.     That  they  always  retain 
the  Form  and  Likenefs  of  the 
Body  from  which  they  fly.  305. 
Extream  Tenuity     of   them. 
307,308.     Opinion  of  feveral 
of   the    Antients    concerning 
them.  ibid.    Why  refleded  on- 
ly   from    Water,     Looking- 
GlaiTes,  and  other  poliili'd  Bo- 
dies, 311.     That  the  Image  of 
one   flngle  Thing  feen  in  the 
Glafs  is  not  one  Image  only, 
but  many.  30 (5,    312.     Their 
Swiftnefs.  313.  &  feqq.  That 
they  have  '  no    Dimeniion  of 
Profundity.    5  [5.    That  they 
are  the  fole  Caufe  of  Sight. 
317.     Why  the  Image    feems 
beyond  the   GlaT?.    321,    322. 
W^hy     tranfpoa'd,    323,    324. 


Why  the  famelmage  is  refleded 
from  Mirrour  to  Mirrour,  and 
feen  in  feveral  at  once.  P.  32$. 
Why  not  tranfpos'd  in  convex 
GlalTcs.  32(5.  Why  the  Image 
feems  to  move.  327.  That 
they  make  different  Imprefli- 
ons  on  the  Eyes  of  Beholders. 
3(58.  Three  forts  of  them.  372. 
Images  of  Monfters,  how  made, 
ibid.  Why  the  Images  of  the 
Dead  feldom  offer  themfelves 
to  us  when  we  are  awake,  but 
often  when  fleeping.  373.  Why 
fuch  Images  feem  to  move. ibid. 
Why  the  fame  Image  appears 
to  us  in  our  Sleep  in  different 
Kinds  and  Forms.  378 

Imagination.     What  it  is,    and 
how     caus'd.      3(59.     &     feqq. 

,  The  Power  and  Strength  of  it. 
775 

Immateriality  infers  not   Necef^ 

iity  of  Exiftence.  255 
Immortality,  a  Gift  of  the  Crea- 

tour.  255. 
Inferi^.  Sacrifices  in  Honour  of 

the  Dead.  203 
Infinitenefs    defin'd.    j<^»      Is    a 

Privation  of  Extreams.  8<5 
InfecTts.   How  bred.   i(52,    i(54 
Inula.  A  Sauce  us'd  by  the  An- 
tients.   129 
Invocation   of  Venus.   3.    Why 

Lucretius  invok'd  that  God- 

defs.   4 
Ionian  Sea.   59 
Iphigenia   facrific'd    to    Diana^ 

15,   16 
Iron.  How  firft  found.  57^ 
Ills    firft    invented    Sails.    589, 

call'd  Dea  Pelagia.  ibid. 
'laovo/^'to,  in  theUniverfe.  9,11 
Italy.  18 

Juniper-tree  fuffers  nothing  ve- 
nomous to  grow  near  it.  709 
luno.    How     ilie    conceiv'd    of 

Mars.  7 
Jupiter.   145.     Why   faid  to  be 
the  Authour  of  Thunder  and 
Lightning.  (544 
Jupiter  Ammon.  714 
J.upiter  Elicius  (5<5$ 
Jubar.  Different  Significations  of 
j_    the  Word.  336 

Ivy- 


Jlpbahetical    INDEX. 


Ivy-Wreaths,  the  firft  Orna- 
ments of  Poets.   Pag.  73; 

^     ^      K       ^ 

K*p>t(xJ'ov.    795 

KevoTct^jov.  814 

Kings.  That  all  Kings  are  abfo- 
luce.  552.  Firft  chofen  for  their 
Strength,  their  Wifdotn,  or 
their  Beauty.  553.  That  it  is 
Treafon  to  refift  them  on  any 
Pretence  whatever,  ibid.  No 
Tye  upon  a  King  but  his  Con- 
fcience.  554.  Why  Man,  who 
was  born  free,  fubjecfiied  him- 
felf  to  the  Obedience  of  Kings. 

Ka/Vm.   801 

Knowledge.  That  thjsre  is  Know- 
ledge, is  evident  from  thofe 
that  deny  there  is.  345.  &  feq^q. 


Lakes  poifonous.  703.  8c  feqq. 

Aa,y.7rciSy(po^^,       ActyWTrctiT*^'' 

€oaow.   103 

Lapwing.    The  Bird,  fo  call'd, 

brought  to  Salomon  the  firft 

News  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba. 

l^ares.    20  r 

Larv2B.   ibiJ. 

Laurel.  Why  caJPd  Learned.  7. 
Garlands  of  Laurel  worn  by 
Conquerours  and  Poets.  78. 
Several  forts  of  Laurel.  617. 
Transformation  of  Daphne  in- 
to a  Laurel.  6iS 

Laws.  Why  firft  made.  ^66, 
Laws  of  the  twelve  Tables  in- 
graven  in  Brafs.   591 

Leafts.  What  they  are.  49.  3c 
127.  Different  Opinions  con- 
cerning them.  50.  Mathema- 
tical Leafts.  51.  Phyfical 
Leafts.   52 

AiX'^^'   So  I 

LecTtifternia.    66^ 

Lemures.    qoi 

Lepers,  why  debarr'd  by  the 
Romans  from  all  manner  of 
Coav§rfation.  •77S 


Leprofie.  Why  frequent  in  Egypt. 
P.  73^.  Why  caird  by  the  La- 
tines  Elephantiafis.  737.  How 
the  Egyptians  us'd  to  cure  it. 
ibid.  How  call'd  in  Scripture, 
ibid. 

LelTus,  Laufus,  Mortualia.  798 

Lethargy,  defcrib'd  by  Celfus, 
together  with  the  Caufe  of  it. 
229 

Lethe.  One  of  the  Rivers  of 
Hell.    302 

Letters.  Why  call'd  the  Elements 
of  Words.  67,  Firft  Inven- 
tion of  them.  590.  Why  calPd 
Phoenician.  593.  Call'd  by 
Voffius,  Miranda  naturae.  66 

AiVKM  SoM.   794 

Leucippus  alTerted  an  Infinity  of 
Worlds.   174.     His  Opinion  of 

Thunder.  61^ 
Leucothea.    The  Goddefs    Ino, 

call'd  by  the  Latines  Matuta. 

<)06 
Lever.   Why  a  Lever  moves  3 

great  Weight.  383 
Libanus.  691 
Libri    ekphantini.    592.     Libri 

lintei.  594. 
Life  diftinguiili'd  from    Senfe. 

25(5 

Light.  Of  what  it  confifts.  108. 
Why  it  pierces  thro'  Horn,  tho* 
Water  will  not.  126*  Why 
fooner  convey'd  to  the  Eye, 
than  Sound  to  the  Ear.  621, 
That  it  dies,  and  is  rcnew'd. 

459 
Lightning.  How  caus'd;  6i9» 
Difference  between  Fulgur  and 
Fulmen.  620.  Of  what  it  con- 
fifts. 62^.  Several  forts  of  it. 
(52(5.ProblemsconcerningThun- 
der  and  Lightning.  ^27.  dc 
feqq.  Of  its  Swiftnefs  and 
Violence.  (535.  Why  it  pene- 
trates more  eafily  than  other 
Fires.  126.  Why  we  fee  the 
Lightning  before  we  hear  the 
Thunder.  621.  Why  one  fore 
of  Lightning  pierces,  another 
dailies  to  pieces,  and  another 
burns.  627.  Why  it  lightens 
more  without  Thunder  in  the 
Night,  than  by  Day.  ibid. 
Why  it  melts  the  Money,  and 
5  P  leaves 


Al^hahtkd    INDEX. 


leaves  the  Bag  untouch'd  ;  and 
In  like  manner  a  Sword  in  the 
Scabbard.  Pag.  629,  Why  the 
wounded  Parts  of  Men  ftruck 
with  Lightning  are  colder  than 
the  reii  of"  their  Body.  ibid. 
Why  the  Wine  ftavs  in  a  bro- 
ken VefTel.  630.  Why  forae 
Things  are  only  difcolour'd, 
others  turned  black  by  Light- 
ning, ibid.  Lightning  earth- 
ly and  aerial.  (555.  Three 
forts  of  Lightning,  ibid. 
Whence  call'd  trifulcum.  6^)6. 
Cuftom  of  the  Antients  to  bu- 
ry the  Lightning.  662.  Their 
fuperftitious  Opinions  con- 
cerning Thunder  and  Light- 
ning. 6^0.  dc  feqq. 

Lilyboeum.  59 

Limbs  feparated  from  the  Body 
have  no  Senfe.  165.  Not  made 
for  proper  Ufes.  378.  379.  Con- 
futation of  that  Opinion,  ibid. 
That  lofs  of  Limbs  is  not  at- 
tended with  lofs  of  Senfe.  209 

Lions.  Why  prone  to  Anger.  291. 
Why  frighted  at  the  fight  of 
Cocks.  3^8.     Neme^an  Lion. 

Liquids.  That  all  Liquids  are 
composed  of  fmooth  and  round 
Seeds.  131 

Lifping  and  Stammering.  How 
they  differ.  4.07 

Livius  Andronicus.  18 

Loadftone,  lirft  difcover'd  by 
Hercules.  719.  Its  Attractive 
and  Diredive  Powers,  ibid. 
Opinion  of  fome,  That  it  does 
not  attradl  Iron,  confirm'd  by 
feveral  Experiments,  ibid,  and 

720.  Why  call'd  the  Magnet. 

721.  Several  other  Names  of 
it.  ibid.  Caufes  of  its  attradive 
Virtue.  721.  &  feqq.  Its  Pola- 
ry  Power  and  Diredion  to  the 
North  was  wholely  unknown 
to  the  Antients.  722.  Several 
Opinions  concerning  the  Caufe 
©fit.  723.  Opinion  of  Lucre- 
tius concerning  its  attractive 
"Virtue  confuted.  732,  733 

Looking-Glafs,  Several  forts  of 
them.  522j  327.  See  Mir- 
roBTe 


Love.  The  Rife,  Increafe,  Prd- 
grefs,  and  Force  of  it.  Pag.  397. 
&  feqq.  Inconveniences  of 
Love.  403.  &  feqq.  Why  fome 
Men  fall  in  Love  with  homely 
Women.  41^ 

Lucus.  What  the  Latines  call'd 
by  that  Name.  392 

Lycos,  a  Spring  in  India,  whofe 
Waters  will  light  a  Candle.  717 

Lynceftis,  a  River  in  Macedonia, 
whofe  Water  intoxicates,  and 
ftupifies  the  Brain,  ibid. 

Lycus  and  Erafinus.  719 

M 

M^eander.  457 

Magicians,  believ'd  by  the  An- 
tients to  underftand  the  Lan-^ 
guages  of  Birds.  558 

Magnet.  See  Loadftone 

Magnetical  Attraction  defin'd, 
720 

Magnetick  Needle.  Firll  Inven- 
tion of  it,  and  why  the  Flower 
de  Luce  is  always  reprefented 
at  one  end  of  it.  722 

Magnitude  of  an  Objed.  How 
to  judge  of  it.  490 

Magpye  that  fung  nine  fevcral 
Tunes.  557 

Man,  Why  feveral  Men  are  na- 
turally fubjedi  to  ditferent  Paf- 
fions.  220.  The  moft  helplefs 
of  all  Animals.  453,454.  Ori- 
gine  of  Man.  534.  State  of  the 
firft  Men.  542.  6c  feqq.  crea- 
ted the  moft  wife  and  knowing 
of  all  Animals.  c^^6.  That  ne- 
ver to  have  been,  had  been  no 
Hurt  to  Man.  449 

Manes.  The  different  Acceptions 
of  the  W^ord.  202 

Manubia,  of  Jupiter.  6^7.  Mi- 
nervalesManubia:.    6^3 

Marcellus  was  remov'd  from  the 
Confuliliip,  becaufe  it  thun- 
dered on  tfie  Day  he  enter'd  up- 
on that  Dignity.  66l 

Marcus  Manlius.  '^66 

Mars.  7 

Martia,  a  Roman  Princefs,  ftruck 
with  Lightning,  which  kill'd 
the  Child  in  her  Womb,  buE 
did  her  no  other  Harm.  626 

Martius  Picus=  .5^5 

Mathe- 


Alfhahetkal    INDEX. 


Mathematicians.  Their  Opinion 
concerning  the  Caufe  of  the 
Reflection  made  by  Mirrours. 
Pag.  311.  Of  the  Caufe  of 
Sight.  318 

Matter.  Not  Self-exiftent.  20. 
That  immaterial  Beings  can  ad 
on  Material.  254.  All  Matter 
is  divifible.  ibid.  Eflentially 
neceiTary  for  the  Produ(5lion 
and  Growth  of  all  Things.  23. 
Una(ftive  and  incapable  of  it- 
felf  to  produce  any  thing.  1 1  o. 
That  unlefs  Matter  were  con- 
ilantly  fupply'd,  no  compound 
Body  could  fubfift.  83,  84 

Matuta.  50(^ 

Meat.  See  Food,  Why  different 
forts  of  Meat  pleafe  different 
Men.  3(^2.  «Sf  feqq.  When  Men 
began  to  drefs  Meat,  561 

Mediocrity,  The  happieft  State, 
5^4 

Megarenfians.  Cuftoms  obferv'd 
by  them  in  the  Sepulture  of 
their  Dead.  ^06 

Melampus.  How  he  learnt  to  in- 
terpret the  Languages  of  Birds. 
558 

MelifTa,  Wife  of  Periander.    808 

MeiilTus  held  the  World  to  be 
eternal.  437 

Melita.  404 

C.  Memmius  Gemellus.  6 

Memory.  42,  Nothing  fo  frail 
in  Man.  767,  Lofsofit,  how 
caus'd.  ibid. 

Menander.  803 

Mercury.  nctTif:^f*iU/UctT&)V.  520. 
The  God  of  Traffick.  589 

Metals.  How  iirft  difcover'd.  572. 
Different  Smells  of  them.  711. 
Are  porous  and  pervious  to 
other  Bodies.  44 

Metrodorus  held  many  World*. 
174.  His  Opinion  of  Thun- 
der. 616.  Of  Lightning.  <^22. 
Of  Wind.  66%.  Of  Know- 
ledge. 343  . 

Ty^ilk,  Why  fv/eet  to  the  Talte 
127 

ji^^jind.  Material.  10,  210,  &  feqq. 
Senfe  of  the  Mind.  208.  That 
th§  Mind  is  invifible,  ibid. 
Perceives    in    Dreams,     ibid. 


Mind  and  Soul  compofe  but 
one  Nature.  Pag.  210.  Of 
which  the  Mind  is  the  chief, 
and  feated  in  the  Heart.  211. 
Several  Opinions  concernmg 
the  Seat  of  it.  ibid.  Of  whac 
it  confifts.  214.  Compos'd  of 
very  minute  Bodies.  215. 
Different  Opinions  of  the  An- 
tients  concerning  the  Mind  and 
Soul.  219.  That  the  Mind  is 
the  chief  Inftrument  in  the 
Prefervation  of  Life.  225. 
The  true  Seat  ot  the  Mind.  253. 
How  the  Mind  judges  of  the 
different  Figures  of  Objecftg. 
331.  That  the  Mind  fometimes 
fuffers  when  the  Soul  is  at  Eafe, 
and  on  the  contrary.  21  ip 
Caufes  of  the  Paffions  of  the 
Mind.  219,  220 

Minerva.  7,  706 

Mirrour.  Two  Things  chiefly 
requifite  in  Mirrours,  311, 
Why  they  reflecfl  Images,  ibid. 

Mitra.  An  Ornament  worn  by 
the  Antients  on  their  Head. 404. 

Moiflure.  That  there  is  Moifture 
in  all  Things,  573 

Moleculic.  108 

Monarchy.  The  firft  fort  of  Go^ 
vernment.  5(^2.  Why  Men  firft 
fubje(fted  themfelves  to  a  mo- 
narchical Government.  566 

Mons  Tarpeius.  Whence  fo 
calPd.  275 

Monfter.  Why  no  Monfters  are 
bred.  150, 1 §1.  Ofmonftrous 
Births,  539.  That  many  Mon- 
fters were  produc'd  at  the  Be- 
ginning of  the  World.  537 

Moon,  No  bigger  than  flie  fliews, 
597.  A  mutuatitious  Light? 
ibid.  Why  faid  to  he  drawn 
by  Mules.  498=  Her  Chariot, 
50 1.  Moon  and  Stars  are 
Clouds  let  on  Fire.  50^.  Why 
the  Moon  changes.  512.  Pha-? 
fes,  or  Changes  of  the  Moon, 
and  Caufes  of  them.  513.  & 
feqq.  That  the  Moon  is  inha- 
bited, 514.  The  Paradifefrow 
which  our  firft  Parents  were 
expeil'd,  515,  Eclipfe  of  the 
Moon,  how  caused.  515,  Opi-- 
nion  of  fome  of  the  Antients, 
5  P  2  ;hsi 


Alfhahetical    I 

that  the  Moon  is  created  and 
dies  daily.  Pag.  524.  Why, 
when  ihe  iliines,  ihe  imparts 
not  Warmthj  but  Light  only. 

4.97 

Mopfus  knew  the  Language  of 
Crows  and  Daws.  558 

Morning,  how  caus'd.   505 

Morpheus.  393 

Motes.  106 

Motion  defin'd.  37.  Impoffible 
in  a  Full.  ibid.  A  Phylical 
Being.  254.  Not  a  Mode  on- 
ly of  Matter.  255.  Motion 
and  Keft  are  Accidents  of  Bo- 
dy. 41.  Motion  of  all  Move- 
ables the  fwifcer,  the  nearer 
they  approach  their  Place  of 
Reft.  6}6>  That  there  can  be 
no  Motion  unlefs  there  wqre  a 
Void.  33.  That  Motion  ne- 
ceflarily  infers  a  Vacuum.  37, 
That  Motion  is  the  Caufe  of 
Heat.  672.  Motion  downward, 
whence  it  proceeds.  104.  and 
whence  Motion  upward.  105. 
That  nothing  naturally  moves 
upward,  iir. 

Motion  voluntary  in  Animals. 
117.  Explain'd  by  a  Compa- 
rifon.  I2C.  Violent  Motion  in 
Animals,  ibid.  Definition  of 
it.  121.  Caufe  of  it.  381.  & 
feqq.  Why  Men  can  move 
whenever  they  pleafe.  ibid. 
That  the  Motion  of  Animals 
begins  in  the  Heart.  120 

Motion  of  the  Heavens,  why 
compared  to  a  Dance.  435. 
Caufes  of  it.  478,  487.  &c  feqq. 

Mountains.  Two  that  met,  and 
butted  agamft  each  othsr.  679 

Mountains  of  the  Moon.  (^93 

Moufh,  beiiev'd  by  the  Antients 
to  be  the  Pallage  thro'  which 
the  Soul  went  out  of  the  Body. 
792 

Murder.  Self-murder  the  Effe^ft 
of  Defpair.  205.  Millaken 
Opinion  of  the  Antients  con- 
cerning it.  ibid,  Self-Mur' 
derers  deceftabie  Homicides, 
and  why.  200 

Mufes.  Number  and  Names  cf 
them.  72.  ¥/hy  caJi'd  Pierides. 
207 


JNTD  £  X 

Muiick*  The  Force  of  it  in  ope- 
rating oh  the  Body  as  well  as 
on  the  Soul.  142.  &  feqq. 
Cures  Difeafes.  143.  Several 
Opinions  concerning  the  Rea- 
fon  of  the  furprizing  Effects  of 
Mufick.  ibid,  and  144.  Firit 
Invention  of  it.  584.  Phry- 
gian Mufick.  142 

N 

Names  of  Things.  How  firft  in- 
vented. $54.  That  one  Man 
gave  not  Names  to  all  Things. 
555^556.  That  the  Names  of 
Things  give  no  Knowledge  of 
the  Nature  of  them.  558 

Nature  delights  in  being  hid.  53. 
Is  always  in  Motion.  104.  Is 
God.  435.  Has  prefcrib'd  no 
Bounds  to  the  fize  of  fome  ina- 
nimate Things.  24.  Nature 
and  Chance.  ^07 

Navigation.  Firft  Invention  of 
it.  589.  How  perform'd  by 
the  Antients.  722 

Naulum,  795 

Naufea.  What  Phyficians  mean 
by  it.  754 

Neceflity.  That  all  Things  are 
done  by  Neceflity,  not  by  the 
Gods.  176 

N£Kpo9ct7r7«/.  796 

Nemc«an  Games.  Inftitution  of 
them.  429 

Neomenia,  or  New-Moon  of  the 
Arabians.  529 

Neptune.  1^6,  147 

Nicias,  the  Athenian  General, 
commanded  his  whole  Army^ 
to  halt,  only  to  bury  two  of 
his  Soldiers.  790 

Niger.  A  River  in  ^Ethiopia 
fwells  at  the  fame  Time  with 
the  Nile.  700 

Night.  Caufe  of  it,  and  why  it 
fucceeds  the  Day.  505 

Nile.  The  Caufes  of  its  annual 
fncreafe.  619.  &  feqq.  Source 
of  it.  ($92.  Its  Largenefs,  and 
Length  of  its  Courfe.  <^93. 
Several  Names  of  it.  <594>'  Sym- 
bols of  the  Nile.  696.  Why  it 
conflanrly  begins  to  fwell  on  a 
certain  Day.  701.  How  by 
weighing  the  Sand  of  it,  the 
Egyptians 


Alfhahetlcal     INDEX, 


Egyptians  foreknow  the  Mea- 
lure  of  its  Increafe.  Pag.  702. 
That  fome  Years  it  has  not 
fweird  at  all.  701 

Nilofcope.  696 

Nofe.  Why  it  deferves  the  Pre- 
ference of  all  the  Parts  that 
compofe  the  humane  Face.  7(^4. 
Struffture  of  it.  ibid. 

Noftrils,  the  proper  Emundo- 
ries  of  the  Head.  767 

Nothing  is  made  of  Nothing.  20. 
Prov'd  from  the  firft  Rife  of 
Things.  21.  From  the  Con- 
ftancyof  the  Seafons.  22.  From 
the  natural  Growth  of  Things. 
23.  From  the  NeccHity  of  Food 
and  Nourifliment.  ibid.  From 
the  fixt  and  determinate  Site 
and  Duration  of  Things,  ibid. 
From  the  Improvement  of 
Corn,   Trees,  Flowers,  6cc.  24 

Novendialia.    81^ 

Numa  drew  down  Thunderbolts 
out  of  Heaven.  66^,  666 

Nymphs.  The  feveral  forts  of 
them,  and  their  Names.  357. 
Dwelt  in  Caves  and  Dens.  545 

O 
Oars.  Why  in  Rowing  they  feem 
bent  or  broken.  339 

Oceanus.  Why  call'd  by  the  Poets 
the  Father  of  all  Seas,  Rivers, 
&:c.  (584 

Ocellus  held  the  World  to  be 
eternal.  437 

Odours  are  Bodies.  30.  That 
they  conlilt  of  minute  Par- 
ticles. 215.  Are  of  a  moft  te- 
nuious  Subftance.  308.  Why 
the  fame  Odours  are  grateful 
to  fome,  and  naufeous  to  o- 
thers.  3<^$.  Motion  of  Odours. 
^67.  That  they  are  more  rare 
than  Water,  and  more  denfe 
than  Air.  ibid.  Why  render 'd 
dull  by  Cold.  3(53 

OEcetes  affirm'd  there  are  two 
Earths.  85 

OEnopides  ofChios  held  Air  and 
Fire'to  be  the  Principles  of  all 
Things.  57 

OEta.  A  Mountain  in  Theifaly. 

433 
Oil  of  Gladnefs.What  it  Ijgnifies 


in  Holy  Writ.  Pag.  405 
Ointments.  Hfe  of  them  among 

the  Antients.  ibid. 
Old  Age.  Why  at  Rome  it  was 
proverbially  faid  of  the  Old, 
that  their  Soul  was  in  their 
Mouth.  7^2 

Oleum  Sulinum,  of  what  made. 
405 

Omen.  Proper  Signification  of 
the  Word.  6^9.  Several  forts 
of  Omens.  6^0.  Taken  from 
Things,  Days,  Names,  Places, 
and  Cloaths.  (541,  6^2.  Why- 
Omens  on  the  Right  or  Lefc 
were  fometimes  lucky,  fome- 
1      times  unlucky.  61 1 

Onomacritus.  His  Opinion  of  the 
I      Principles  of  all  Things.   57 

Ophcltes,  kill'd  by  an  Adder, 
and  that  the  Neme^an  Games 
were  inftituted  to  celebrate  his 
Funeral.  429 

Opopanax.  The  Juice  of  the 
Herb  Panacea.  309 

Ops.  145 

Oracle  of  Apollo.  440 

Oracle  of  Jupiter  Ammon.  714^ 

Origen.  His  Saying  of  Purgato- 
ry Fires.   551 

Orcus.  708 

Orion.  A  Conflellation  fo  calPd, 
and  the  Number  of  Stars  ic 
contains.  484 

Ofcines  Sc  Prxpetes.  559ji5ir 

Offilegium.   810 

''OrotTox^cw.  810 

'  Os'oxo-yicc.  809,  8ro 

'Os'ohy.M.  ibid. 

Ofyris  mounded  up  the  Banks  of 

the  River  Nile.  700 
Owls.  Why  they  fee  in  the  Dark. 

318 
Ox.  Why  of  a  gentle  Nature. 

219 

P 

Pachynus.  59 

Pain.    The    Caufe  of  it.    167, 

Pain  and  Pleafure  are  not  Sub- 

ftances,  but  Accidents.  41 
Pallas.  407  ^  706 
Pan.  Chief  of  the  rural  Gods, 

defcrib'd  ,    and     whence    his 

Name.  35^ 


tea 

tl  ^dv,  different  from  Mundus, 
the  World.  Pag.  14.  Infinite 
and  eternal,  ibid. 

Panium,  a  Cave  at  the  Foot  of 
Mount  Libanus,  exhales  a  Va- 
pour that  caufes  fuddain  Death, 
ibid. 

Paper.  Whence  fo  calPd,  and 
firft  Invention  of  it.  594. 

Parchment.  Whence  call'd  Per- 
gamena,  and  when  firft  us'd. 

Parents.  Why  mutilated  Parents 
often  get  mutilated  Children, 

395 

Paris.  43 

Parmenides.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul,  17.  Of  the  Seat  of  the 
Mind.  211.  Held  the  World 
to  be  eternal.  437 

Parthia.  579 

Parthians  ,  a  very  debauched 
People,  ibid.  Worfliip'd  their 
Kings.  580.  Ufed  to  inter- 
weave Letters  in  their  Cloaths. 

594  ^  ^ 

Parts  integral  and  eflential.  207 

Patolus,  the  Son  of  Pericles.  795 

Patriarchs.  Why  their  Lives  were 
miraculoufly  prolong'd  by  di- 
vine Providence.  519 

Pelorus.   58 

Penelope.  How  ilie  deceived  her 
Wooers.  793 

Pentheus.  341 

Periander,  Husband  of  Melifla. 
808 

Pericles.  The  Advantages  he 
gain'd  by  converfing  with  A- 
jiaxagoras.  610.  Could  not  re- 
frain from  Tears  for  the  Death 
of  his  Son.  753.  His  Behavi- 
our when  vifited  with  the 
Plague,  ibid.  Accus'd  of  ha- 
ving  been  the  Caule   of   the 

'  Plague  of  Athens.  785.     Pro- 
cur'd  Anaxagoras  to  be   fet  at 
Liberty.  610.    His  Sepulchre, 
803 
Xle^iT^Trvov.    811 
TliQj,^ ^ jj}).  809 

Peripateticks.  Their  Opinion  of 
Providence.  12.    Of  the  Divi- 
fibility  of  Compound  Bodies. 
50.     Of  Colour.   it^6 
Psftilential  Venom    remains  in 


I    INDEX, 


the  Body  after  Death.  Pag.  770. 
That  it  chiefly  afFeas  the 
Heart.  780 

Hs'JotA/V^;^.  593 

Phaethon.  The  Fable  of  him,  and 

Mythology  of  it.  4(^7 
Phenomoe.  Daughter  and  Prieilefs 

of  ApoJIo.  440 
Pherecydes  held  Earth  to  be  the 

Principle  of  all  Things.  t^6 
Philip  of  Macedon.  His  Viola- 
tion of  Sepulchres.  805 
Philodes,  the  Praetor  of  Athens. 

His  Death,  795 
Philolaus  held  a  Continent  of 
Fire  between  two  Earths,  85. 
And  the  World  to  be  eternal. 
437 
Philopithes,  the  Phyfician  gave 
the  dead  Body  of  the  Oratour 
Hyperides  to  his  Friends.  805 
Philofophy.  The  Advantages  of 

of  it.  97'  Sc  feqq. 
Phl«gra.  442 
Phlegethon.  Oneof  the  Rivers  of 

Hell.  302 
Phobetor  and  Phantafus,  393 
Phocion.  Why  bury'd  by  Slaves, 

805 
Phoebus.   6^ 

Phormio.  His  Sepulchre.  803 
Phrygia.  141 

Phrygian  Mufick.  See  Mufick. 
Pieros.     His    Daughters    trans- 

form'd  into  Magpies.  297 
Piety.  Pious  Man  defcrib'd.  5^9, 

&  feqq. 
Pififtratus.    His    Piety    to    the 

Dead.   791 
Pittacus.   His    Law  concerning 

Funerals.  801 
Plague.  How  caus'd  by  the  Air* 
734.     Why  call'd  Peftis  by  the 
Latines.  ibid.     Whether   pro- 
mifcuous  and  common  to  all 
forts  of  Animals.  739.  &  feqq. 
Plague  of  Athens.  744,  Sc  feqq. 
Caus'd  by  unwholefome  Food 
and    corrupted    Waters.    743. 
Whether  it    can    be    call'd   a 
Plague  when  but  one  or  two. 
are  Sick  of  it.  74^.     Whether 
caught   by  bare    Imagination 
only.  750,775*     Two  forts  of 
Remedies  us'd  in  Plagues.  774^, 
Ko  pertain  Curefor  them.  ibid„ 
§.5:mptQm% 


'    Alfhahetical 

Symptoms  obferv'd  in  thofe 
that  were  vifited  with  the 
Plague  at  Athens.  Pag.  747.  & 
feqq.  Whether  Fear  promotes 
and  propagates  a  Plague.  752. 
6c  feqq. 

Caufc  of  the  Plague  that  afflidl- 
ed  Naples  in  the  Year  1617 

Plants.  Opinion  of  Epicurus 
concerning  their  Production, 
Growth,  and  Life.  63.  Derive 
theirNourifliment  and  Growth 
from  the  four  Elements.  1^5. 
That  Nature  taught  Men  firft 
to  plant.  $82 

Plat^eans.  Funeral  Rites  obferv'd 
by  them.  817 

Plato.  His  Opinion  concerning 
the  Soul.  17,  218.  Held  the 
World  to  be  a  fecundary  God. 
8 1.  And  created  by  God  a- 
lone.  ibid.  His  Opinion  of 
Colour.  15^,  157.  Of  the 
Seat  of  the  Mind.  21  r.  Of 
Images.  307.  Of  the  Caufe  of 
Sight.  318.  Of  Voice  and 
Sound.  348.  Of  Odours.  ^67, 
Of  the  World.  437,  440,  441. 
Of  the  Stars.  480.  Of  the 
Magnitude  of  the  Sun.  490. 
How  Names  were  firft  given 
to  Things.  ^^6 

Pleafure  an  Accident,  not  a  Sub- 
ftance.  41.  Confifts  in  an  Ex- 
emption from  Grief  and  Pain. 
99'  The  fummum  bonuni  of 
the  Cyrenaicks.  ibid.  The 
Caufe  of  Pleafure.  167 

Pliny,  fuffocated  by  the  Smoke 
of  the  Mountain  Vefuvius.  6S6 

Ploughing  and  Sowing.  When 
firft  invented.  147,  58i.&feqq. 

Plum-tree  growing  out  of  the 
Breaft  of  a  Man.  i  50 

Plutarcli.  His  Definition  of  Bo- 
dy and  Void.  33.  Derides  a 
fooliili  Opinion  of  Chryfippus. 
51.  Held  a  Plurality  of 
Worlds.  174 

Pluto.  708 

Plutonium,  a  Cave  in  Hierapo- 
lis,  whence  fo  call'd.  707 

Po.  4(57,  468 

Poetry.  When  it  firft  began.  590 

Poetj,  Why  call'd  Swans,  198 


INDEX, 

poles  of  the  Heavens.  Pag.  334, 

477?  499 
Polixenus.   His  Requeft   to  the 

Gods.  302 
Pollindores.  Their  Office,   and 

that  they  were  not  permitted 

to  live   within   the   Wails  of 

Athens.  796 
Pollutions  nocfiurnalj  how  caus'd, 

395 
Pollux  and  Helena.  43 
Polyphemus.  24 
Pontus.  735 

Poppyfma.  What  it  means.  66^ 
Porfenna  drew  down    Thunder 

from  Heaven.  66^ 
Porticus  of  the  antient  Romans, 

337     , 
Poflidonius.  His  Opinion  of  the 

Sun's  Magnitude.  490 
Power.  The  Rife  of  it  not  in  the 

People.  551.    It  defcends  from 

above.    552.      God  the   only 

Giver  of  it.  553 
Prefer vation.  What  it  is.  253 
Prefter.  A  firy  Whirlwind,  how 

caus'd.  667^  66B.    Frequent  in 

Florence,    and     feveral   other 

Countreys.  66S 
Prefter-John.    ^93.    Commands 

the  Catara(fts  of  the  Nile.  699 
Priam.  i<i,6 
Priefts  of  Cybele.  Why  Eunuchs. 

141.  Animated  by  Mufick  to 
cut  and  hack  their  own  Flefh. 

142.  Why  they  wore  Arms. 
144,  1^6 

Principles  of  Things.  See  Seeds. 
Various  Opinions  of  the  An- 
tients  concerning  them.  55,   57 

Problems  concerning  Sight.  319, 
Sc  feqq.  Concerning  Hearing. 
354.  Sc  feqq.  Concerning 
Tafte.  3<5i.  &  feqq.  Con- 
cerning Odours.  357,  Sc  feqq. 
Political  Problems.  ^^66,  ^67 

Procus  Lycius.  818 

Prodigies.  How  caus'd.  309,  310 

Prometheus.  Whence  the  Fable 
of  his  having  ftoln  Fire  out  of 
Heaven.  666 

Properties  of  Things.  What  they 
are.  40 

Protagoras, baniih'd  from  Athens 
for  difcourfing  of  natural  Ef- 
fects. 610 


Alfhahetical    INDEX. 


H^^ioic.  Pag.  797 

pjoverbs.  Original  of  thofe  that 

follow. 

Rifus  Sardonicul.  127. 

Tor"*  aVov'^    >it^X^°b  oTotv    yo- 

xoloi  aioTTy.croj'Ji'    198. 

^ouve.v  els'  's^L'f'  333 

Heracliteo  fole  citius  extingui. 

Parthi,  quo  plus  biberint,  eb 
plus  fitiunt.,  580 
Providence,  not  inconfiftent  with 
the  Happinels  of  the  Deity.  11. 
The  Belief  of  it  the  Bafis  of  all 
Natural  Religion,  ibid.  De- 
finition of  it.  39.  Argument 
of  Lucretius  againft  it.  176 

'^v'xjxycoyla,,  811 

"if-^Jo^afpiov,  814 

Pugillares.  592 

Pupil  of  the  Eye  defcrib'd.  225 

Purpura,  the   Fifh  fo  calPd.  730 

Pyramid.  Why  fo  cail'd.  606 

Yiv^  VcKf^y'  807 

Purple  of  the  Antients,  how  dy'd. 
730.  Why  cail'd  'Aa^p>(^. 
ibid.  Purple  of  Africa,  why 
of  a  Violet  Colour,  ibid.  Pur- 
ple dy'd  with  the  Blood  of 
Apes.  731.  How  the  Indians 
make  Trial  of  the  beft  Purple, 
ibid.  How  Purple  is  now  made, 
ibid.  Antient  wearing  of  Pur- 
ple, ibid. 

Pygmies.  314 

Pyrrho  would  venture  on  a  Pre- 
cipice in  fpight  of  his  Senfes. 
345.  But  fly  from  a  threaten- 
ing Dog.  37<^ 

Pythagoras.  His  Opinion  con- 
cerning the  Soul .  1 7,  Of  Time. 
41.  Taught  a  Woman  to  ftop 
by  Mufick  the  Fury  of  a  Man, 
who  was  fetting  her  Houfe  on 
Fire.  142.  His  Doctrine  of  the 
Tranfmigration  of  Souls.  242. 
Held  that  God  created  the 
W^orld.  81.  His  Opinion  of 
the  Seat  of  the  Mind.  211.  Of 
Voice  and  Sound.  348.  Held 
the  World  to  be  animated.  440 

Pythagoreans.  Their  Opinion  of 
Colour.  i5($.  Of  tne  Stars. 
174.  Their  Definition  of  the 
Mind.  214.    Their  Opinion  of 


the  Caufe  of  the    Refledion 

made  by   Mirrcmrs.  Pag.  311. 

Of  the  Caufe  of  Sight.  318. 

Their  Opinion  of  the  Stars. 

480 
Pythia,  (^i,  439 
Python.  439 


Quadriga.  Chariot  drawn  by- 
four  Horfes  firft  invented.  578 

Quantity.  That  all  Quantity  has 
an   Extream.  49 

Quit.  A  Mountain  of  Peruj  that 
ejeds  Flame.  (53^ 

R 

Rain.  How  generated.  ($72.  Three 
forts  of  it.  (^73 

Rainbow.  Caufe  of  it.  ^74.  Two 
forts  of  Rainbows.  275.  Their 
feveral  Colours ,  and  how 
caus'd.  ibid. 

Rattles.  Antiquity  of  them,  455 

Religion.  Summary  of  the  Epi-. 
curean  Religion.  9.  dc  feqq. 
The  Band  of  all  Society.  13. 
That  reveal'd  Religion  necef- 
farily  infers  a  future  State.  40. 
That  Religion  began  at  the 
firft  Birth  of  Man.  567.  Igno- 
rance of  natural  Caufes  gave 
the  firft  Rife  to  it.  568.  Cu- 
ftoms  obferv'd  by  the  Romans 
in  their  religious  Worfliip.  570. 
Religion  caus'd  by  Fear.  571 

Republicks.  Firft  Inftitution  of 
them.    589 

Refpiration  in  Animals.  759. 
Difference  of  it.  7(5o.  Organs 
of  it.  ibid. 

Riding.  When  firft  invented.  577 

Rings  in  which  the  Antients  wore 
their  Amulets.  729 

Robbers  on  the  high  Way,  how 
punifli'd  at  Cairo.  22$ 

S 
Sacbut.    A   mufical  Inftrument 

fo  cail'd.  351 
Saffron.  Cuftom  of  the  Antients 

in    ftrewing    their     Theatres 

with  it.  128 
Sailing.    See  Navigation.    Firft 

Invention  of  Sailing.  589 
Sails  invented  by  Ifis.  ibid. 

Salomon  c^ 


Alfhahetkal    INDEX, 


Salomon.  SkilI'd  in  the  Langua- 
ges of  Birds.  Pag.   55<?.     Pre- 
fum'd  to  have  had  an  Univer- 
fality  of  Knowledge.  722 
Sardon.  An  Herb.fo  call'd,  and 

the  Effeds  of  eating  it.  127 
Sardonicus  Rifus.  ibid. 
Saturn.    145.      That    Adam    is 

meant  by  him.  ibid. 
Satyrs.  357,  409.    Defcrib'd,  and 

why  call'd  Satyrs.  358 
Savour.    Difference  of  Savours, 

how  caus'd.  3^1,  ^62 
Scammony.  That  its  cathartick 
Virtue  is  taken  away    by  the 
Steam  of  Sulphur.  (^30 
Scepticks.  Their  Dodrine,  That 
nothing  can  be  known,  confu- 
ted. 345.  &  feqq.     Charadter 
of them.  345 
Scepticifmdeiin'd.  ibid. 
Scipio  Africanus.  278 
Scipio  ^milianus.  279 
Scorpion,  bred  in  the  Finger  of  a 

Fiflierman.   1 50 
Scylla  and  Charybdis.  59,  1^0 
Scylla.    371,  540.  No  Scyllas.  538 
Sea.  Why  Sea-Water  is  fait  and 
bitter.  131.     Why  it  becomes 
fweet,    if  it   be  ftrain'd  thro' 
Sand.  132.     Why  of  different 
Colours,    154.     Why  the   Sea 
never  increafes,  nor  overflows 
its  Bounds.  457,  ^83 
Seed.  That  it  comes  from  all  the 
Members  of  the   Body.    395. 
What  it  is.  402.     How   much 
the  Lofs  of  it   weakens,  ibid. 
Definition  of  it.  413 
Seed  celeftial.  169 
Seeds.  Are  indivifible.  44.  Whence 
proceeds  their  Indivilibility.45. 
Perfectly  folid    and    full.    45. 
Eternal.    47.     Not  obnoxious 
to  Change  or  DiiTolution.  48, 
49.  Why  indilToluble  and  eter- 
nal. 51.     Are  infinite  in  Num- 
ber. 157.     Their  feveral    Ways 
of  Motion,  104.  &:  feqq.  Com- 
par'd  to  Motes.  106.  The  firfl 
Caufe  of  Motion,  ibid.   Their 
Swiftnefs.  108.    Their  Motion 
always  the  fame.  122.  but  im- 
perceptible,   and    why.     123. 
That  they  are  of  different  Fi- 
gures,   124.    That  fome    are 


hook'd  and  branchy.  Pag.  127. 
Seeds  of  Heat  and  Cold,  how 
figured.  129.  That  their  va- 
riety of  Figure  is  incomprehen- 
fible,  but  not  infinite,  cho'  the 
Seeds  of  a  like  Figure  are  in- 
finite. 132.  &  iecjq.  That 
Opinion  prov'd  an  Abfurdity. 
1^6.  That  Seeds  are  Colour- 
lefs.  152.  &  feqq.  Void  of  all 
other  Qualities,  as  Smell,  Cold, 
Heat,  Humidity,  Sec.  161.  dc 
feqq.  Their  Conjuncfts  and 
Properties.  171 
Senfe.  The  great  Criterion  of 
Truth.  c^6.  Origine  of  Senfe. 
1 69-  No  hard  Body  capable  of 
Senfe.  i6a.  Senfe  of  no  Ani- 
mal can  be  produc'd,  before 
the  Animal  itfelf  be  perfecfl, 
167,  Why  no  Senfe  remains 
in  the  Body,  when  the  Soul  is 
gone  out  of  it.  222 

Senfes.  Why  fome  Things  are 
pleafant,  and  others  unplea- 
fant  and  hurtful  to  them.  128. 
Why  fome  Things  tickle  the 
Senfes.  ibid.  That  they  are  in- 
fallible, and  why.  333,  342. 
Prov'd  infallible  by  feveral  Ex- 
amples. 334.  &  feqq.  Are  the 
fole  Judges  of  Truth.  343.  6c 
feqq.  That  we  ought  always 
to  give  the  fame,  or  never  any 
Credit  at  all  to  them.  5(5.  Sole 
Judges  of  the  Qualities  of 
Things.  160 

Senlibles  from  Seeds  void  of  Senle. 
162.  &  feqq.  Deny'd  by  A- 
naxagor?.s  and  Plato.   165 

Sepulture.  Several  Ways  of  it 
us'd  by  the  Antients.  262,  802. 
Why  they  burnt  the  Bodies  of 
their  Dead.  ibid.  When  that 
Cuflom  began,  ibid. 

Serpents  grow  mad  by  tafting  of 
human  Spittle.  3(^1.  Why  their 
Venom  is  taken  away  by  Light- 
ning. (^30 

Serra  Leone.  6pS 

Seth,  inftru(fted  in  Aftronomy 
by  Adam.  518.  Red uc'd  that 
Science  to  an  Epitome,  and  en- 
grav'd  it  on  two  Pillars  of 
Brick  and  Stone,  ibid. 

Shadow,  W' hy  our  Shadows  feem 
5  Q,  ta 


Jlphahetkal    INDEX. 


to  imitate  the  Poftures  of  our 
Body.  Fag.  332.  What  Sha- 
dov/  is,  ibid.  &  333 

Ship.  Why  Ships,  when  failing, 
feem  to  the  Sailors  to  ftand 
itiJi,  and  thofe  at  Anchor  to 
move.  334..  Why  a  Ship  fails 
the  fafter,  the  higher  the  Sail. 
383.  Why  the  Rudder  eafily 
turns  the  Ship.  ibid.  Why 
Ships  are  faid  to  fly.  704 

Shoos.  Sicyonian  Shoos.  404 

Shower.  Caufe  of  a  violent 
Shower.  6725  6j^.  Of  conftant 
Showers,  ibid.     See  Kain. 

Shrowds,  or  funeral  Yeftments 
of  the  Antients.  75)4 

Sicily  defcrib'd.  58.  Formerly 
join'd  to  Italy.  59.  Its  feveral 
Names  and  Inhabitants,  58 

Sicyon.  404 

Sidon,  a  Town  in  Phoenicia, 
whence  it  had  its  Name.  <582 

Sight,  See  Viiion.  Several  Opi- 
nions concerning  the  Caufe  of 
Sight.  318.  Why  glaring  Ob- 
jects hurt  the  Eyes.  328.  Why, 
when  we  are  in  the  Dark,  we 
can  fee  Objecfts  in  the  Light, 
but  not  on  the  contrary.  329. 
Why  Objecfts  feem  double,  if 
the  Pupil  of  the  Eye  be  diftort- 
ed.  340.  That  Sight  is  the  chief 
Inlet  of  all  Knowledge.  438 

Signs  of  the  Heavens.  500,   502 

Sileni.  The  oldcfl:  Satyrs  were  fo 
call'd.  409 

Silicernium.  811 

Singing.  How  firll:  invented.  584 

Siftrum,  us'd  in  the  Woriliip  of 
the  Goddefs  Ifis.  455 

Sifyphus.  Tiie  Fable  and  Mytho- 
logy of  it.  272 

Sjdns  of  Beafts,  the  firil  Gar- 
ments of  Men.  550,581 

Sleep.  A  temporary  Death.  2(^4. 
How  caus'd.  384.  &  feqq.  Why 
we  are  moft  inclin'd  to  Sleep 
after  eating  or  Labour.  387, 
388.  Neceliity,  and  Definition 
of  it.  ibid.  Want  of  Sleep  de- 
Itrudive  of  human  Nature. 
758.     Effeds  of  It.  208 

Smell.  Gaufe  of  the  Difference  of 
it  in   Animals,    3(^5.     Ufeful- 
nefs  of  it  toall  Animals.  ^67 
eaft   their    Slyns  every 


Year.  Pag.  238 

Snow.  How  generatedjand  whence 
proceeds  itsWhitenefs.67<5.  Why 
liJien'd  to  Wool.  ibid.  Why 
of  a  ruddy  Colour  in  Arme- 
nia, ibid.  Ai^irm'd  by  Anax- 
agoras  to  be  black,  ibid.  De- 
iin'd  by  Ariftotle.  ibid. 

Societies  firft  inftituted.  550.  & 
feqq.  Epicurean  Principles  per- 
nicious to  Societies,  ibid. 

Socrates  put  to  Death  for  being  a 
Philofopher.  610 

Softnefs.  Soft  and  rare  Bodies, 
how  produc'd.  105 

Solidity  no  neceiTary  Caufe  of 
Indivifibility.  45.  The  only 
Caufe  of  all  Hardnefs.  48 

Solftices.  503,  504.  Why  fo  call'd, 
510 

Solon.  Reafon  he  gave  for  weep- 
ing for  the  Lofs  of  his  Son.  793 

^ocpi^od  Srp/voiv.   798 

Soul.  Different  Opinion  of  the 
Antients  concerning  it.  17,218. 
A  fuffufion  of  Blood  about  the 
Heart.  201.  Not  a  Harmony 
of  the  whole  Body.  207.  6c  feqq. 
A  Part  of  Man.  ibid.  Con- 
fifts  of  three  Parts,  ibid.  Dif- 
fus'd  thro'  the  whole  Body. 
210.  Corporeal.  212.  But  of 
a  moft  tenuious  and  fubtiie 
Subftance.  215.  Of  what  it 
•  confifts.  216.  &c  feqq.  That 
the  Soul  and  Body  mutually 
contain  each  other,  afTerted  and 
difprov'd.  221.  Mortality  of 
the  Soul  aflerted  and  dif- 
prov'd. 276.  Sc  feqq.  De- 
fcription  of  the  Epicurean  SouF, 
252,  285.  Compar'd  to  a  Spi- 
der in  her  Web.  2S6.  Imma- 
teriality of  the  Soul  evident 
from  its  Operations.  253 

Sound.  That  Sounds  are  Bodies- 
30,  347.  Sc  feqq.  How  caus'd. 
34S,  349.  Several  Definitions 
of  Sound  and  Voice.  348.  Sound 
taken  in  two  different  Accep- 
tations. 349.  Is  produc'd  by 
Motion,  ibid.  Whence  pro- 
ceed the  Sweetnefs  and  Plarfli- 
nefs  of  Sounds,  350,  Why  Bo- 
dies are  pervious  to  Sounds, 
but  not  to  Images.  359.  That 
Sounds  pierce  thro*  Walls.  34* 
Whence 


Alfhahetlcal    INDEX. 


Whence  proceeds  the  wondrous 
Variety  of  Sounds.  Pag.  350. 
Whence  an  acute  Sound,  and 
whence  a  flat  or  dull.ibid.  Rea- 
fon  of  the  Softnefsor  Loudnefs 
of  Sound. 351 

Southernwood.  The  feveral  forts 
of  it.  309 

Southfayers  drew  their  Divina- 
tions from  the  Voices  as  well 
as  Flights  of  Birds.  559 

Sowing.  Firft  Invention  of  it.  147, 
4.81.  &  feqq. 

SpecRrres,  form'd  of  their  own 
Accord  in  the  Air.  309,  310 

Speech.  The  original  of  it.  554.. 
Confider'd  under  feveral 
Heads.  555.  Peculiar  to  Man. 
558.  That  Men  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  World  only  gefti- 
culated  their  Thoughts^  and 
fpoke  their  Meaning  by  Signs 
and  Nods.  555 

Spirits  are  corporeal.  189 

Spittle.  Several  forts  of  Spittle, 
and  the  Caufes  of  them.  y6i. 
That  the  Excrements  of  the 
Brain  are  purg'd  away  by  Spit- 
tle. 762 

Sporades  morbi.  734. 

Springs  of  Water,  cold  in  the 
Day,  and  hot  in  the  Night. 
713.  A  Spring  that  freezes  in 
the  mid  ft:  of  Summer,  but 
never  in  Winter.  714.  Several 
miraculous  Springs  and  Wa- 
ters. 715 

Square.  Why  a  Square  Tower 
feems  round,  if  feen  at  Di- 
ilance.  330 

Stagnum  AlTyrium,  mentioned 
by  Juftin,  is  the  Lake  of  Gen- 
nefareth.  6^2 

Stars.  That  they  are  nouriili'd 
by  the  Air.  26.  That  each 
Star  is  a  feveral  World.  174.. 
Why  they  feem  to  fly  in  a  con- 
trary Motion  to  the  Clouds. 
340.  Held  by  the  Stoicks  to  be 
Gods.  441.  Fix'd  and  erra- 
tick.  479.  Their  Sabftance. 
ibid.  Their  Light.  481.  Their 
Colour.  482.  Their  Scintil- 
lation. 483.  Their  Number. 
484.  Their  Figure.  48 5.  Their 
^iignitud;.  ibid.  Their  Place, 


and  Diftance  from  the  Earth. 
Pag.  48  5.  Their  twofold  Mo- 
tion. 48 <^.  When  firft  reduc'd 
into  Afterifms.  519.  CaH'd 
the  Members  of  Vulcan.  479. 
That  they  are  compound  Bo- 
dies, confifting  of  Liquid  and 
Solid,  and  fubjecft  to  Altera- 
tion and  Corruption.  481.  By 
whom  they  were  firft  nam'd. 
500 

Failing.Stars.  Several  Opinions 
concerning  them.  112,  113, 
Compar'd  to  Rockets,   ibid. 

Statues  of  Gold,  us'd  by  the  An- 
tients  inftead  of  Sconces,  roo 

Stercoration  ,  or  manuring  of 
Ground,  by  whom  firft  invent- 
ed. 5S2 

Stercutius.  ibid. 

Srspvo'JiyTr/a.    800 

Stoicks.  Their  intelligent  and 
firy  Spirit.  I  r.  Their  Opinion 
of  Time.  41.  Mortal  Enemies 
to  the  Epicureans.  43.  Held 
Void  to  be  infinite,  but  Bo- 
dies finite.  79.  Held  the  World 
to  be  a  rational  Creature.  80. 
And  a  fecondary  God.  81. 
Their  Opinion  of  Matter  iic^ 
Of  Colour.  15^.  Held  innu- 
merable Worlds  fucceffively, 
174*  Their  Opinion  of  the 
CaufeofVifion.  318.  Of  Voice. 
348.  That  the  Univerfe  is 
God.  439.  Of  the  Stars.  479. 
Of  Thunder.  <^i3,  6ip.  Of 
Earthquakes.  677 

Stones  are  porous  and  pervious 
to  other  Bodies.  44 

Storms  of  Rain.  How  caus'd,  ^74 

Scrato.  His  Opinion  of  Thun- 
der.  61^ 

Stylus  of  the  Antients.  Defcrip- 
tion  of  it.  r^2 

Stymph^iides.  Birds  fo  cali'd.  430 

Styx.   301 

Suffitio.  811 

^v/n^i^.ntoS'  40 

'S.vfu.TrjCfj'p^cf,,  ibid. 

Sun.  The  Soul  of  the  Worlds 
441.  No  bigger  than  it  iliews", 
489.  Several  Opinions  of  the 
Antients  concerning  its  Mag- 
nitude, ibid.  &  490.  Table 
Shewing  its    true    Magnitude 


Alfhahetlcal    I 

compared  with  the  Earth.  Pag. 
492,  Its  feveral  Names.  493- 
Of  what  it  confifts.  ibid.  Not 
an  unalterable  Subftance.  494' 
Maculje  &  facul^  folates.  495. 
Motion  and  Figure  of  the  Sun. 
49^5  499.  Caufes  of  its  great 
Light  and  Heat.  498.  That 
the  Sun  is  renew'd  daily.  505. 
Statue  of  the  Sun.  511.  Sun 
and  the  other  Planets  inhabit- 
ed. 515.  Horfes  of  the  Sun. 
43<^.  His  crooked  Walk.  499. 
Statue  of  the  Sun,  why  repre- 
fented  by  the  Egyptians  with 
his  Head  iliav'd  on  one  fide, 
and  with  long  Hair  on  the  o- 
ther.  511.  Why  the  Sun,  Moon, 
and  Stars,  feeni  to  itand  ftill. 
334.  Why  the  Sun  or  Moon 
feems  to  rife  from  behind  a 
Mountain.  335.  Why  to  rife 
out  of  the  Sea,  and  fet  again  in 
it.  538 

Sunbeams.  Their  fwiftnefs.  109, 
314 

Sun-rifing,  beheld  from  Mount 
Ida.  ijo6^  507 

^vsaMi^^    305) 

Swaliows,  why  Emblems  of  the 
Ignorant.    198 

Swans.  Their  Singing  is  a  Fable. 
J33,  198,  313.  Emblems  of  the 
Learned,  ibid.  Sacred  to  A- 
pollo,  and  why.  313 

Sweats.  When  good  in  acute  Dif- 
eafe?.  71^1.  Why  dangerous 
Symptoms,  if  they  come  only 
about  the  Head  and  Neck.  ibid. 

Sybarite.   1 1 

Syila.  Why  he  order'd  his  Corps 
to  be  burnt.  802 

Symptom.  W^hat  the  Word  fig- 
nifies.  733 

Syria.  707 

Syrianus  and  Proclus.  807 


Table  Books  of  the  Antients.  592 

T^enarus.  708 

Tages.    638,  6'39 

T(xM/u(^.  798 

Talus.  Why  feign'd  to  be  made 

of  Brafs.  591 
Tantalus.    The  Fable  of  him, 


N  D  E  X. 

and  Mythology  of  it.  Pag.  270 

Tapeftry  Hangings.  Firft  In- 
vention of  them.  394.  Hung 
up  over  the  Roman  Theatres, 
and  why.  304,  ^14.  Who  firft 
introduced  that  Cuftom.  ibid. 

Tarpeia,  275 

Tartarus.  17 

Tafte,  How  caus'd.  -^61,  A 
tranlient  Pleafure.  ibid.  Why 
the  fame  Food  is  pleafant  and 
healthful  to  feme,  but  nau- 
feous  and    hurtful  to  others. 

Templa  coeli.  18 

Tepidity.  The  Caufes  of  it  in 
pernicious  Difeafes.  7*^3 

Thales  the  Milefian.  His  Opini- 
on of  the  Soul.  17.  Held  Wa- 
ter to  be  the  Principle  of  ail 
Things,  5(^,  57.  Held  a  Soul 
of  the  World.  81.  That  the 
World  was  created  by  God  a- 
lone.  83.  Held  but  one  World. 
174.  And  aiTerted  it  to  be  God 
himfelf.  441,  Firft  invented 
the  Zones.  451.  His  Opinion 
of  the  Stars.  479.  Brought 
Aftronomy  firft  into  Greece. 
522.  His  Opinion  of  Earth- 
quakes. 67J.  Held  that  the 
Earth  floats  in  Water.  679. 
His  Opinion  of  the  Caufe  of 
the  overflowing  of  the  Nile. 
691. 

Thebes.  Time  of  the  Siege  of  it. 

4^3 
Themiftocles  guilty  of  Treafon. 

805 

TheCeus.  790,  803.  Why  his  Se- 
pulchre was  a  Place  of  Refuge 
for  Perfons  of  fervile  Condi- 
tion. 805.  Worlhip'd  by  the 
Athenians  on  the  eighth  Day  of 
each  Month.  Si6 

Theophraftus  held  Water  to  be 
the  Principle  of  ail  Things.  $7. 
His  Opinion  of  Vvind.  6SS 

Thirft.  Howcaus'd.  380.  Held 
by  fonie  to  be  a  Senfe.  381. 
How  fatisfy'd.  402.  See  Hun- 
ger. 

Thought.  No  Thought  but  from 
a  previous  Image.   9 
Why  we   think    on     what  we 
will.  374.  ^  ^eqq.  ^  ^  ■■ 

Thrafybuius. 


Aljhahtical    I  N  D  If.  X. 


D  V 


Thrafybulus.  Pag.  805 

Thunder,  of  all  natural  EttecJts, 
gives  the  greateft  Imprefllon 
of  divine  Fear.  14.  How  the 
Koife  of  it  is  caus'd.  ^13.  & 
feqq.  That  it  never  Thunders 
in  a  clear  Sky.  ibid.  6c  6 "^2. 
Nor  when  the  Clouds  are  dri- 
ven with  Violence.  (^14.  True 
Caufe  of  it.  619,  Three  feve- 
ral  Things   compriz'd    under 


ibid. 


Se- 
to 


the  Word  Thunder, 
veral  Problems  relating 
Thunder  and  Lightning.  627. 
"Why  Thunder  is  more  fre- 
quent in  Spring  and  Autumn, 
than  either  in  Winter  or  Sum- 
mer. (^37.  Why  it  never  Thun- 
ders in  Scythia,  nor  in  Egypt. 
(^38.  Superllitious  Opinions 
of  the  Antients  concerning 
Thunder  and  Lightning.  6^0. 
8c  feqq.  Of  what  Thunder  is 
compos'd  according  to  the 
Poets.  653.  How  reprefented 
on  Antient  Marbles.  (^54.  Do- 
tftrine  of  Thunder,  divided  in- 
to three  Parts.  (^55.  Brute 
Thunder.  6-^6,  Fatidick  Thun- 
der, ibid. 

Thunderbolt,  What  it  is.  525. 
Manubia,  or  Thunderbolt  of 
Jupiter.  657*  Thunderbolt  of 
Minerva.  6^S 

Thufcans.  They  divided  the 
Heavens  into  fixteen  Parts. 
611.  Compos'd  Books  of  Di- 
vination. 6'38.  Were  of  all 
Men  the  moft  knowing  in  the 
Interpretation  of  Thunder  and 
Lightning.  {^50,  Taught  that 
nine  Gods  had  the  Privilege  of 
darting  Thunderbolts,  6^7. 
Thufcan  Augurs  condemned  at 
Rome.  6^0 

Thyrfus  of  Bacchus.  427 

Tiberius  C^efar ,  frighted  at 
Thunder.  6^2 

Tickling.  Why  fome  Things 
tickle  the  Senfes.  128,  129 

Time.  What  it  is.  41.  How 
diftinguifh'd.  ibid.  Exifls  not 
of  itfelf.  42.  Is  an  Event  of 
Events,  ibid. 

Timoleon.    Great  Honour    de- 
'  creed  to  him  by  the  Repubiick 


of  Syraq^ufe.  Pag.  817 

Timon.  I^iis  Saying  of  Philofo- 
phers,  1^0 

Timothevis,  Mufician  of  Alexan- 
der. i4ii,  817 

Timotheus  of  Athens.  His  Sepul- 
chre. 803 

Tirefias  could  expound  the  Lan- 
guages of  Birds.  558 

Tityus.  The  Fable  of  him,  and 
Mythology  of  it.  271 

Touch.  The  darling  Senfe  of 
the  Epicureans,  how  caus'd. 
129.  Why  fome  Things  are 
hurtful,  others  pleafing  to  the 
Touch.  i2p.  When  Things 
are  faid  to  touch  one  another. 
779,  That  nothing  can  touch, 
but  what  may  be  touch'd  like^ 
wife.  445 

Towns.  When  iirft  built.  5^2 

Traffick.    When  iirft  invented. 

Tranfmigration  of  Souls.  242.  8c 
feqq. 

Trembling  of  the  Limbs  de- 
fcrib'd,  and  whence  it  proceeds, 
7^2,  7<^3.  Caufe  of  Trem- 
bling in  old  Age,  and  in  Dif- 
eafes.  ibid. 

Trees.  How  they  fometimes  take 
Fire  of  themfelves.  70.  What 
Trees  are  moft  fubjed  to  do 
fo.  ^61 

Trimalchio.  His  Banquet.  26^ 

Tripod.  61,  440 

Trochilus,  The  Iirft  Inventour 
of  Chariots.  ^77 

Troglodytes.  428 

Tropicks.  503,  510 

Truth  and  Falfliood.  That  the 
Senfes  are  the  fole  Judges  of 
them.  344.  &  feqq. 

Tuba,  buccina,  Sc  cornu.  Diffe- 
rence between  them.  352 

Tullus  Hoftilius,  why  kijl'd  by 
a  Thunderbolt.  66^ 

Tv/u^cujxru.    798 

Tu(p(^.    667 

Turks. Cuftom  obferv'd  by  them, 
when  the  Moon  is  ecllps'd,  5-29. 
Why  they  pay  an  annual  Tri- 
bute to  the  Emperour  of  the 
Abyflines.  700 

Tutelar  Gods.  Their  Statues  at 
the  Gates  of  Cities,  3  r 

'JTwilighto 


hetical    INDEX, 


Twilight.  Why  both  "jhe  Morn- 
ing and  Evening  Tvit^ilight  are 
fometimes  Ihorter  Ihan  they 
are  at  others.  Pag.  51,1 


Valerius  Antia?.  66^ 

Venery.  Why  Perfons  addided 
to  it  are  generally  pale.  403 

Venus.    Invocation    of  her.     3. 

j^  Why  call'd  Parent  of  Rome.  4. 
Why  Paphia.  ibid.  Why  Ve- 
nus, ibid.  The  Goddefs  of 
Generation.  $25.  Several  of 
the  fame  Name.  4.  Venus 
Genitrix.  ibid. 

Vermina.  Signification  of  it.  548 

Vefuvius.  A  Mountain  that 
throws  out  Fire.  131,  68(^,705 

Vidims.  How  deck'd  for  Sacri- 
fice. 16 

Viper.  That  the  Head  of  it  lives, 
after  it  is  cut  off.  241 

Virgilius,  a  German  Bifliop,  de- 
ny'd  the  Antipodes.  85 

Vifion.  See  Sight.    How  Vifion 
is  made,  according  to  Epicu 
rus.  299.     Imagesnot  the  only 
Caufeofit.  317.    True  Caufe 
of  it.  318 

tlnedo.  A  Fruit  fo  call'd,  and 
Miftake  of  Pliny  concerning 
it.  544 

Univerfe  confifts  of  Body  and 
Void.  39.  Is  infinite.  75.  & 
feqq.  See  World. 

Voice  is  a  Body.  348.  &  feqq. 
Definition  of  it.  248,  353.  How 
caus'd.  352.  &  feqq-  Whence 
proceeds  the  Differenceof  Voi- 
ces. 353.  Of  the  Articulation 
of  V^oice.  ibid.  Why  it  grows 
weak  and  confus'd,  by  going 
far.  354.  CaufesoftheLoud- 
nefsand  Softnefs  of  Voice,  ibid. 

Void.  Definition  of  it.  32,  33, 
81.  That  there  is  a  Void.  33. 
&c  feqq.  That  it  is  not  a  con- 
ilituent  Part  of  Bodies.  33. 
That  it  does  not  exclude  all 
Subftance,  but  only  Body.  38. 
That  Void  and  Body  mutually 
bound  each  other.  79*  That 
iinlefs  there  were  a  Void,  there 
could  be  no  Motion.  33.  That 
tkcre  is  Void  ia  every  Thing, 


in  Animals,  Stones,  Plants, 
&c,  Pag.  34 

Volta.  66^ 

Vortex  ^nd  Turbo.  Difference 
between  them.  667 

llftrina.  808 

Vulcan.  Games  celebrated  at  A- 
thens  in  Honour  of  him.  103. 
Why  by  Vulcan  the  Antients 
meant  Fire.  (^52.  Why  Vulcan 
was  faid  to  be  precipitated  from 
Heaven,  and  to  have  fallen  on 
the  Ifland  Lemnos.  ibid.  Why 
to  be  lame.  (^23.  Why  to  have 
a  Forge  between  Mount  ^tna 
and  the  Ifland  Lipare,  ibid,  & 
(^24 

Vultures.  That  they  repair  be- 
forehand to  Places  where  Bat- 
tels will  be  fought.  ■^66-,  779* 
Call'd  living  Sepulchres.  547 

Vulturnus.   527 

W 

Walnut-tree ,  ofienfive  to  the 
Head.  709 

Water.  That  there  is  a  perpetual 
Circulation  of  Waters.  26, 
That  Water  may  be  reduc'd 
to  imperceptible  Particles.  30. 
The  Mafs  of  Water  waftes,  and 
is  renew'd.  457.  Is  an  univer- 
fal  Principle.  $7.  Why  it  eafily 
moves.  214 

Weil-Water,  why  cold  in  Sum- 
mer, and  warm  in  Winter.  712, 
713 

Weight,  not  a  property  of  Mat- 
ter. 107.  Why  Bodies  of  the 
fame  Bulk,  weigh  fome  more 
than  others.  34 

Whirlwind.  The  feveral  forts  of 
them,  and  how  caus'd.  667.  dc 
feqq. 

Will.  Freedom  of  itafTertod.  117, 
Whence  it  proceeds.  121,  122. 
Definition  of  it,  ibid.  Seated 
in  the  Heart.  121 

Wind,  a  Body,  tho'  invifible.  26. 
The  Caufe  of  Wind.  666,   688 

Wine.  Why  it  pafles  fooner  than 
Oil,  thro'  a  Strainer.  127 

Wifdom.    In   what  confifts  the 
Life  of  a   wife  Man.    97,  9^% 
The  great   Advantages  of  it. 
42S.     That  a  wife  Man    can 


The 


Alfhabetlcal   1  N  D  H\X. 

Wounde<r-NMen.    Why  (hey  fall 

on  the  Slide  they  are  wounded. 
Pag.  395 
Writing.  'The  feveral  Ways  of  it 
pradis'd  by  the  Antients.  59 1« 
Sc  feqq. 


own 


not  be  poor.  Pag.  ^6^. 
Epicureans  call'd  their 
DocTtrine,  Wifdom.  4.2<i 

Wood.  Why  it  grows  black  with 
burning.  157 

Words.  How  many  may  be  con- 
tain'd  in  any  Language,  that 
acknowledges  twenty  four  Let-  j 
ters.  57,  140.  Origine  of 
Words.  5',^.  That  Men  at 
iirft  utter'd  only  inarticulate 
Sounds.  554. 

World.  A  rational  Creature,  ac- 
cordmg  to  the  Stoicks.  8 1 .  No- 
thing, either  of  Body,  Place, 
Vacuum,  or  Time^  above  it, 
according  to  Ariftotle.  76.  Soul 
of  the  World.  80, 44.1.  Its  Eyes, 
ibid.  A  fecundary  God.  81. 
The  Fufion  or  Extent  of  the 
divine  Mind.  ibid.  Created 
by  a  fortuitous  Concourfe  of 
Atoms,  ibid.  &  82. The  Walls 
of  the  World.  88.  Plurality 
of  Worlds.  172.  Sc  feqq.  Se- 
veral Opinions  of  the  Antients 
concerning  the  Plurality  of 
Worlds.  174.  The  modern 
Aftronomers  generally  held  a 
Plurality  of  Worlds.  175.  That 
the  World  decays  fometimes. 
and  fometimes  increafes.  177. 
That  the  World  grows  old, 
and  why.  ibid.  179.  &  feqq. 
Is  mortal.  177,  437.  Not  an 
Animal.  439.  Nor  endu'd 
with  a  rational  Soul.  440.  Not 
made  for  the  fake  of  Man.  44(5. 
Nor  by  an  intelligent  Being. 
447.  Had  a  Beginning.  452. 
Is  not  eternal.  4^3.  May  be 
burnt,  or  drown'd.  ^66.  8c 
feqq.  How  made.  470.  &  feqq. 
That   the    World    is  ill-con- 


triv'd.  450 
Wormwood. 
Tafte.  127. 
of  it.  309 


X 

Xenocrates.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul.  218.  Cur'd  Madmen  by 
Mulick.  143  1 

Xenophanes.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Soul.  17.  Held  Earth  and 
Water  to  be  the  Principles  of 
all  Things.  57.  Aflerted  an 
infinite  Number  of  Worlds. 
174.  And  that  they  are  eter- 
nal. 437.  That  the  Heavens 
are  incorruptible.  443.  Of 
the  Stars-  480,  ^06,  Of  Eclip- 
fQS.  527.    Of  Lightning.  62$ 

XenophantuSj  a  fam'd  Mufician. 
810 

Xerxes.  277,  278 


Year.  Great  Platonick  Year.  48(5'. 
How  the  Year  was  computed 
before  the  Flood.  519.  Pour 
Seafons  of  the  Year.  525 

Youth.    The    happy    Time   of 


Why  bitter  to  the 
The  feveral  forts 


Life.  179;  180 


Zeno,  why  he  murder'd  himlelfl 
205.  His  Opinion  of  the  Soul. 
218 

Zephyrus.  525 

Zodiack.  501,  502 

Zona  and  Zofter,  two  forts  of 
St.  Anthonies  Fire.  755 

Zones.  Torrid  and  Frigid.  450; 
Zones  of  the  Earth.  453.  Tor- 
rid Zone  habitable,  ibid. 

Zoroafter.  His  Opinion  of  the 
Stars.  479 

Zofter.  See  Zona. 


The  End  of  the  INDEX. 


errata: 


.the  TEXT 


RATA. 

o{  LV  C  liEriV  s. 


Page, 
II. 
32. 
35. 
37. 

38« 

51. 

75- 
78. 

8^. 
103. 
id8. 
113* 
134. 
17S. 

239. 

240. 

242. 
260. 
275. 

2pl. 

368. 

S69' 

379' 
382. 

457' 
501. 
502. 
5<53. 
575. 
597* 
^07. 
^30. 

^53- 

660v 


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made. 

if. 

it's. 


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gives. 

SENSE. 

SET* 

make, 

it. 

is. 


In  the   NOTE  S. 


Column « 


2. 
3. 
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II. 


Erroun 
Spirits, 
by. 
fifth. 
Prdtufion, 
ipfa. 

Extenfion,  or  Space, 
hae^ 

be  refolv'd. 
confirms. 
Numbers, 
be  Middle, 
fuccefsfully. 
ihould  decline* 
falling. 
fays, 
its  is. 
Geefe. 
us. 
at. 

that  if. 
rejeded, 
into  the  Water, 
neither, 
videas. 

attd  thofe  pleafing. 
who. 
knew, 
of  Body, 
help. 

curvaminCi 
having  the. 
is.  ^ 
this. 
fo« 
one. 

Words.  ^ 
of  DanaideSe 
been  beforfio 
Fires, 
oblita. 


Emendation* 

Spirit. 

it. 

fourth. 

Protrulion. 

ipfo. 

Extenfion  of  Spacc<> 

has. 

be  fo  refolv'd. 

confirm. 

Number. 

be  no  Middle. 

fucceffively. 

ihould  not  decline/ 

wand'ring. 

has  omitted. 

its  Vigour  is. 

Jays. 

ufe. 

after. 

if. 

refcified. 

into  Water. 

either. 

videns. 

and  pleafing. 

v;hofe. 

know. 

of  the  Body. 

helps. 

curvamina, 

having  given  the.* 

as. 

their. 

feme. 

own. 

Worlds. 

oftheDanaide^o 

been  of  before* 

Fire. 

obliquav 


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