626 Mentioned by Virgil, Eccl. iii. l. 38, and by Propertius, Eleg. iv. 1.
627 Twenty-eighth of September.
628 Twenty-ninth of September.
629 Second of October.
630 Third of October.
631 Fourth of October.
632 Eighth of October.
633 Tenth of October.
634 Fifteenth of October.
635 Sixteenth of October.
637 Second of November.
638 Ninth of November.
639 Eleventh of November.
640 In c. 35 of this Book.
641 “Frondarias fiscinas.” These must have been baskets of a very large size. The leaves were used for fodder.
642 This, Fée says, is diametrically opposite to the modern practice.
643 The “culeus,” it is supposed, was of the same measure of capacity as the “dolium,” and held twenty amphoræ. The “pressura,” or “pressing,” was probably the utmost quantity that the pressing vat would hold at one time.
644 “Lacus.”
645 “Mali rugis per cocleas bullantibus.” The whole of this passage is full of difficulties.
646 “Tympana:” literally, “drums.”
647 Grape juice boiled down to one half; see B. xiv. c. 9.
648 Virgil mentions this in the Georgics, B. i. 295. Of course, it is nothing but an absurd superstition.
649 First of January.
650 Piscinis.
651 I. e. before getting in the next year’s crop. Of course, he alludes only to wines of an inferior class, used for domestic consumption.
652 In B. xiv.
653 In B. xv. c. 3.
654 Georg. i. 276.
655 In contradistinction to the two periods of full moon, and change of the moon, the only epochs in reference to it noticed by Pliny.
656 In Chapters 6, 7, 8 and 11.
657 Or “between moons.” The “change of the moon,” as we call it.
658 51¼ minutes.
659 Many of his statements are drawn from Aristotle’s Treatise, “De Mundo.”
660 Our mid-day.
661 From due north to due south.
662 Cardo.
663 “Arbusta.” The trees on which the vines were trained.
664 I. e. the north-west of Africa; the Roman province so called.
665 In the next Chapter.
666 Ventus Auster.
667 In B. ii. c. 46.
668 Incendia.
669 See B. xvii. c. 2.
671 He seems to be in error here, as he has nowhere made mention of this.
672 Aristotle, on the other hand, and Columella, B. vii. c. 3, say “males.” See also B. viii. c. 72, where males are mentioned in connection with the north-wind. Also the next Chapter in this Book.
673 In the last Chapter.
674 Very similar to our compass, but describing only eight points of the wind, instead of thirty-two.
675 “Tympanum,” a drum, similar in shape to our tambourines or else kettle-drums.
676 See B. ii. c. 46.
677 Or the “summer” wind.
678 Africus, or south-west.
679 Or, according to our mode of expression, the “second,” or “next but one.”
680 Or, as we say, the “third.”
681 Georg. i. 313, et seq.
682 See the Treatise of Theophrastus on the Prognostics of the Weather.
683 This, Fée observes, is confirmed by experience. Aratus, as translated by Avienus, states to a similar effect.
684 So Virgil, Georg. i. 427.
685 Coronam.
686 See B. ii. c. 6 and c. 36.
687 In c. 59 of this Book.
688 “Densum.” Fée says that this is in general confirmed by experience.
689 This results, Fée says, from the presence of thin, aqueous vapours, which portend a change in the atmosphere.
690 Fée attributes this phænomenon to hydrosulphuric gas, ignited in the air by an electric spark. The notion that these meteors are stars, was prevalent to a very recent period.
691 To which they proceed.
692 This, Fée says, is confirmed by experience.
693 Or “Little Asses.”
694 Præsepia.
695 This, as Fée remarks, is consistent with experience.
696 This, Fée remarks, appears to be consistent with general experience.
697 Theophrastus states to a similar effect, and it is confirmed by the experience of those who live in mountainous countries.
698 We still hear of the “white squalls” of the Mediterranean.
699 “‘Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.’——And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.”—1 Kings, xviii. 44, 45.
700 The truth of this, Fée says, he has personally experienced in the vallies of the Alps.
701 Terreni ignes.
702 This, and the other phænomena here mentioned, result, as Fée says, from the hygrometric state of the air. Virgil mentions this appearance on the wick of the lamp, Georg. i. 392.
703 Fée thinks that this indicates fine weather rather than rain, as showing a pure state of the atmosphere.
704 Sea “lungs.” See B. ix. c. 71.
705 Ludentia.
706 Virgil mentions these indications, Georg. i. 368-9.
707 “Suus fragor.” The winds, Fée remarks, however violent they may be, make no noise unless they meet with an obstacle which arrests their onward progress.
708 Theophrastus, Cicero, and Plutarch state to a similar effect; and it is corroborated by the experience of most mariners.
709 The ink-fish; Sepia loligo of Linnæus. See B. ix. c. 21.
710 Virgil says the same, Georg. i. 378.
711 “Fulicæ.” See B. x. c. 61, and B. xi. c. 44.
712 Virgil says the same of the diver, or didapper, Georg. i. 361; and Lucan Pharsalia, v. 553.
713 Both Theophrastus and Ælian mention this.
714 It is not known what bird is here alluded to, but Fée is probably right in suggesting a sort of sea-mew, or gull.
715 This is still considered a prognostic of rain. Fée says that the swallow descends thus near to the surface to catch the insects on the wing which are now disabled from rising by the hygrometric state of the atmosphere.
716 This is confirmed by experience.
717 On the contrary, Lucan says (Pharsalia, B. v. l. 549), that on the approach of rain, the heron soars in the upper regions of the air; and Virgil says the same, Georg. i. 364.
718 Indecorâ lasciviâ.
719 Fée suggests that they probably do this to diminish the electric fluid with which the air is charged.
720 Alienos sibi manipulos.
721 This is confirmed by common experience.
723 See end of B. vii.
724 See end of B. xii.
725 See end of B. iii.
726 See end of B. ii.
727 See end of B. vii.
728 See end of B. iii.
729 See end of B. xiv.
730 See end of B. ii.
731 See end of B. iii.
732 See end of B. xi.
733 See end of B. x.
734 See end of B. xi.
735 See end of B. iii.
736 See end of B. vii.
737 See end of B. vii.
738 A native of Sulmo, in the country of the Peligni, and one of the greatest poets of the Augustan age. It is most probable that his “Fasti” was extensively consulted by Pliny in the compilation of the present Book. Six Books of the Fasti have come down to us, but the remaining six have perished, if, indeed, they were ever written, which has been doubted by many of the learned.
739 See end of B. xiv.
740 See end of B. viii.
741 See end of B. ii. It is supposed that there were several writers of this name, but it is impossible to say with certainty which of them is the one here referred to. It is probable, however, that it is either L. Ælius Tubero, the friend of Cicero, or else Q. Ælius Tubero, his son, that is alluded to.
742 L. Tarutius Firmianus, a mathematician and astronomer, and a friend and contemporary of Cicero and M. Varro. At the request of the latter, he took the horoscope of Romulus. It is generally supposed that he was of Etruscan descent.
743 The founder of the imperial dignity at Rome. His Commentaries are the only work written by him that has come down to us. His treatise on the Stars, which Pliny frequently quotes throughout this Book, was probably written under the inspection of the astronomer, Sosigenes.
744 See end of B. ii.
745 Nothing is known of this writer. It has been suggested, however, that he may have been the same person as Papirius Fabianus, mentioned at the end of B. ii.
746 See end of B. vii.
747 See end of B. xvi.
748 See end of B. iii.
749 See end of B x.
750 L. Accius, or Attius, an early Roman tragic poet, and the son of a freedman, born about B.C. 170. His tragedies were chiefly imitations from the Greek. He is highly praised by Cicero. The “Praxidica” here mentioned, is probably the same as the “Pragmatica” spoken of by Aulus Gellius, B. xx. c. 3. Only some fragments of his Tragedies are left.
751 See end of B. vii.
752 See end of B. iii.
753 See end of B. ii.
754 See end of B. ii.
755 See end of B. viii.
756 See end of B. viii.
757 See end of B. viii.
758 See end of B. viii.
759 See end of B. iv.
760 Sec end of B. viii.
761 See end of B. ix.
762 See end of B. viii.
763 See end of B. viii.
764 See end of B. viii.
765 See end of B. viii.
766 See end of B. viii.
767 See end of B. viii.
768 See end of B. viii.
769 See end of B. vi.
770 See end of B. viii.
771 See end of B. xiv.
772 See end of B. xv.
773 See end of B. viii.
774 See end of B. ii.
775 See end of B. x.
776 See end of B. viii.
777 See end of B. viii.
778 See end of B. viii.
779 See end of B. viii.
780 See end of B. xii.
781 See end of B. viii.
782 Of Miletus, the most ancient of the Greek philosophers, and the founder of the Ionian school of Philosophy. He is said to have written upon the Solstice and the Equinox, and a work on Astronomy, in verse, was also attributed to him. It is, however, more generally believed, that he left no written works behind him, and that those attributed to him were forgeries.
783 See end of B. ii.
784 An astronomer of Medama, or Medma, in Magna Græcia, and a disciple of Plato. He is said to have written a treatise on the winds, and Plutarch states that he demonstrated the figure of the moon.
785 An astronomer of Cyzicus, and a friend of Aristotle, whom he assisted in completing the discoveries of Eudoxus. He invented the cycle of seventy-six years, called after him the Calippic.
786 Of Colonus, a geometrician, to whom Archimedes dedicated his works on the sphere and cylinder, and on spirals.
787 A grammarian, who is supposed to have written a commentary on Aratus. Varro, De Ling. Lat. x. 10, speaks of him as making the distinctive characteristics of words to be eight in number.
788 A famous astronomer of Athens, to whom the discovery of the cycle of nineteen years has been attributed.
789 There were several learned men of this name, but it appears impossible to say which of them is the one here alluded to; probably it is either the Pythagorean philosopher of Ægæ, who wrote on Predestination, or else the historian, a native of Pieria in Macedonia. There was also an astronomer of this name, a native of Naxos, and a friend of Eudoxus of Cnidos.