Pliny the Elder

“ And thereupon it is, that men assigne this mightie power to Castor and Pollux, and invocate them at sea, no lesse than gods. Mens heads also in the even-tide are seene many times to shine round about, and to be of a light fire, which presageth some great matter. ”

“ Vapours fall from aloft, and the same returne againe on high: winds blow forcibly, and come emptie, but backe they goe with a bootie, and carrie away every thing before them. So many living creatures take their wind and draw breath from above: but the same laboureth contrariwise, and the earth infuseth into the aire a spirit and breath, as if it were cleane void and emptie. Thus whiles Nature goeth too and fro, as forced by some engine, by the swiftnesse of the heaven, the fire of discord is kindled and growth hot. ”

“ There is not, ywis, so great societie betweene heaven and us, as that together with the fatall necessitie of our death, the shining light of the starres should in token of sorrow go out and become mortall. As for them, the truth is this, when they are thought to fall, they doe but shoot from them a deale of fire, even of that abundance and overmuch nutriment which they have gotten by the attraction of humiditie and moisture unto them: like as we also observe daily in the wikes and matches of lampes or candles burning, with the liquor of oile. ”

“ Howbeit, betweene both these opinions, men have found out to themselves a middle godhead and divine power, to the end that wee should give still a more uncertaine conjecture as touching God indeed. For, throughout the whole world, in every place, at all times and in all mens mouths, Fortune alone is sought unto and called upon: she only is named and in request; shee alone is blamed, accused, and endited. ”

“ And surely the Storie of cœlestiall things was not more hard to be uttered and declared: the wealth is such of mettals and mines, in such varietie, so rich, so fruitfull, rising still one under another for so many ages; notwithstanding that daily there is so much wasted and consumed throughout the world, with fires, ruines, shipwracks, warres, and fraudulent practises: yea and so much spent with ryot and superfluous vanities, by so many men living, that it is infinite: yet see, how many sorts of jemmes there be still, so painted and set out with colours? ”

“ A wonder it is to see how farre the presumpteous mind and heart of man will proceed, and namely being invited and drawne on by some little successe, as in the abovenamed matter. The reason whereof ministreth plenteous occasion of impudencie, for they who dared once to give a guesse at the space betweene the Sunne and the earth, are so bold to doe the like from thence to heaven. For presuming, that the Sunne is in the middest, they have at their fingers ends by and by the very measure also of the whole world. ”

“ NOW first and formost me thinkes, men make this reckoning of the earth, as if it were the just halfe of the globe, and that no portion of it were cut off by the Ocean: which notwithstanding, clasping round about all the middest thereof, yeelding forth and receiving againe all other waters besides, and what exhalations soever that go out for clouds, and feeding withall the very starres, so many as they be, and of so great bignesse; what a mightie space thinke you, wil it be thought to take up and inhabite, and how little can there be left for men to inhabite? ”

“ For through it the starres which we called wandering, doe move and take their course. Neither is there any place inhabited upon earth, but that which lieth under it. For all the rest without the poles, are fruitlesse, desert, and ill favored. Only the planet Venus goeth beyond the circle of the Zodiake, two degrees: which is supposed to be the very efficient cause, that certaine living creatures are engendered and bred even in the desert and inhabitable parts of the world. The Moone likewise raungeth throughout all the breadth of it, but never goeth out of it. ”

“ For as much as the effect of all influences and operations in the heaven reach not so soone unto the earth, as the eiesight pierceth up to the heaven: as it appeareth by lightnings, thunders, and thunderbolts. ”

“ Moreover, the eclipse of the Moone and Sunne (a thing throughout the universall contemplation of Nature most mervellous, and like a strange and prodigious wonder) doth shew the bignesse and shadow of these two planets. For evident it is, that the Sun is hidden by the comming betweene of the Moone and the Moone again by the opposition of the Earth: also that the one doth quit the other, in that the Moone by her interposition bereaveth the Earth of the Sunnes raises, and the Earth again doth the semblable by the Moone. Neither is the Night any thing els but the shade of the Earth. ”

“ In like maner as touching the winds, or rather blasts, I would not denie but that they may proceed from a drie exhalation of the earth, void of all moisture: neither is it impossible, but that they doe arise out of waters, breathing and sending out an aire, which neither can thicken into a mist, nor gather into clouds: also they may be driven by the lugitation1 and impulsion of the Sunne, because the wind is conceived to bee nought els but the fluctuation and waving of the aire, and that by many meanes also. ”

“ IN Winter and Summer seldome are there any lightnings, and that is long of contrarie causes: because in winter the aire is driven close togither, and thickened with a deeper course of clouds: besides, all the exhalations breathing and rising out of the earth being starke, congealed, and frozen hard, doe extinguish cleane what fierie vapour soever otherwise they receive: which is the reason that Scythia and other cold frozen quarters thereabout, are free from lightnings. ”

“ The first is, by reason of those eccentrique circles or Epicycles in the Stars, which the Greekes call Absides: for needs we must use in this Treatise the Greeke tearmes. Now every one of the planets have particular Auges or circles aforesaid by themselves, and these different from those of the starrie heaven: for that the earth from those two points, which they call Poles, is the very centre of the heaven, as also of the Zodiake, situate overthwart betweene them. All which things are certainely knowne to be so, by the compasse, that never can lie. ”

“ In time verily of conjunction or change, she is not seene at all: for that whiles she is turned away, all the draught of light, she casteth thither back againe, from whence she received it. Now that these planets are fed doubtlesse with earthly moisture, it is evident by the Moone, which so long as she appeareth by the halfe in sight, never sheweth any spots, because as yet shee hath not her full power of light sufficient to draw humour unto her. For these spots bee nothing els but the dregs of the earth, caught up with other moisture among the vapours. ”

“ No living creature is set a fire by lightning, but it is breathlesse first. The wounds of them that be smitten with thunderbolts, are colder than all the bodie besides.
55 What things are not smitten with Lightning.
OF all those things which growe out of the earth, Lightning blasteth not the Laurell tree; nor entreth at any time above five foot deepe into the ground: and therefore, men fearfull of lightning, suppose the deeper caves to be the surest and most safe: or els booths made of skinnes of sea-beasts, which they call Seales, or Sea-calves ”

“ And yet there is nothing in the whole world more evident to the sight, for the drops every where not onely as they hang, appeare like little round bals, but also if they light upon dust, or rest upon the hairie downe of leaves, we marke to keepe a perfect and exquisite roundnesse. Also in cups that are filled brim full, the middle part in the top swell most. Which things, considering the thinnesse of the humour, and the softnesse thereof setling flat upon it selfe, are sooner found out by reason than the eie. ”

“ MOREOVER, since the nature of this onely element of fire is to be fruitful, to breed it selfe, and to grow infinitely of the lest sparkes; what may be thought will be the end of so many funeral fires of the earth? What a Nature is that which feedeth the most greedie voracitie in the whole world without losse of it selfe? Put thereto the infinite number of stars, the mightie great Sunne; moreover the fires in mens bodies, and those that are inbred in some stones; the attrition also of certaine woods one against another; yea, and those within clouds, the very originall of lightenings. ”

“ The South wind in Affricke bringeth faire weather, and the North wind there is cloudie. All winds keepe their course in order for the more part, or els when one ceaseth, the contrarie beginneth. When some are laid, and the next to them doe arise, they goe about from the left hand to the right, according to the Sunne. Of their manner and order monthly, the prime or fourth day after the change of the Moone, doth most commonly determine. The same winds will serve to saile contrarie waies, by meanes of setting out the sailes: so as many times in the night, ships in sailing run one against another. ”

“ Neither may shee abide by it, and stand to the fight, but being continually carried away, she rolleth up and downe: and as about the earth shee spreadeth and pitcheth her tents, as it were, with an unmeasurable globe of the heaven, so ever and anon of the clouds she frameth another skie. And this is that region where the winds raigne. And therefore their kingdome principally is there to bee seene, where they execute their forces, and are the cause well neere of all other troubles in the aire. For thunderbolts and flashing lightenings most men attribute to their violence. ”

“ I CANNOT denie, but without these causes there arise raines and winds: for that certaine it is, how there is sent forth from the earth a mist sometimes moist, otherwhiles smokie, by reason of hote vapours and exhalations. Also, that clouds are engendred by vapours which are gone up on high, or els of the aire gathered into a waterie liquor: that they bee thicke, grosse, and of a bodily consistence, wee guesse and collect by no doubtfull argument, considering that they overshaddow the Sunne, which otherwise may be seene through the water, as they know well, that dive to any depth whatsoever. ”

“ But the reason why these are thought to issue forth of the earth is this; because they fall from out of a matter nearer to the earth, for as much as they leave no markes of a stroke behind: which are occasioned by force not from beneath, but comming full against. Such as have searched more subtillie into these matters, are of opinion, that these lightnings come from the Planet Saturne, like as the burning lightning from Mars: And with such lightning was Volsinij (a most wealthie cittie of the Tuscanes) burnt full and whole to ashes. ”

“ For chaunge they doe their magnitudes and colours: sometime they approch into the North, the same againe goe backe toward the South, yea, and all on a suddaine, they appeare one while neerer to the earth, and another while to the heaven: wherein, if we shall deliver many points otherwise than former writers, yet confesse we doe, that for these matters we are beholden unto them, who first made demonstration of seeking out the waies thereto: howbeit, let no man despaire, but that he may profit and go forward alwaies in farther knowledge from age to age. ”

“ And hereof it is, that Fraunce and Ægypt least of all other, bee shaken: for that in Ægypt the continuall summer, and in Fraunce the hard winter, is against it. In like maner earthquakes are more rife in the night than in day time. But the greatest of all others use to be in the morning and evening. Toward day light there bee many: and if by day, it is usually about noone. They fortune also to be when the Sunne and Moone are eclipsed, because in those times all tempests are asleepe and laid to rest. But especially, when after much raine there followeth a great time of heat ”

“ Also as a ship goeth afarre off from the land, if any thing that shineth and giveth light bee fastened to the top-gallant, it seemeth from the land side to goe downe and sinke into the sea by little and little, untill at last it bee hidden cleane. Last of all, the very Ocean, which we confesse to bee the utmost and farthest bound environing the whole globe, by what other figure els could it hold together and not fall downe, since there is no banke beyond it to keepe it in? ”

“ The reason of the Planets altitudes is it that tempereth their colours, according as they be neerer or farther off from the earth. For they take the likenesse of the aire, into the coasts whereof they enter, in their ascent: and the circle or circumference of another planets motion, coloureth them as they approach either way, ascending or descending. The colder setteth a pale colour, the hotter a red, and the windie a fearefull and rough hue. ”

“ Mars in his latitude leaveth the eclipticke line foure halfe degrees, Iupiter two degrees and a halfe, Saturne no more but two, like as the Sunne. Thus you see the manner of the latitudes, as they descend Southward, or ascend Northward. And upon this is the reason grounded also of the third opinion of them, who imagine that the planets doe arise and mount from the earth upward into heaven. For very many have thought, although untruly, that they climbe in this manner. ”

“ As for the gaping chinke, sometimes it remaineth wide open, and sheweth what it hath swallowed up: otherwhiles it closeth up the mouth, and hideth all: and the earth is brought together so againe, as there remaine no markes and tokens to be seene: notwithstanding many a time it hath devoured cities, and drawne into it a whole tract of ground and fields. Sea coasts and maritime regions most of all other, feele earthquake: neither are the hillie countries without this calamitie. For, I my selfe have knowne for certaine, that the Alpes and Apenine have oftentimes trembled. ”

“ Unknowne these points are, and such as men cannot wind themselves out of: but as well may they now be delivered to others, as they have been taught to us: in which notwithstanding, one infallible reason of a Geometricall collection which never lieth, cannot be rejected, if a man would search deep into these matters. Neither need a man to seeke a just measure hereof (for to desire that, were in a manner a point of fond and foolish idlenesse, as if men had nothing els to doe) but onely to make an estimate, and resolve upon a guesse and conjecture thereof. ”

“ Posidonius saith, That from the earth it is no lesse than fortie stadia to that height or altitude wherein thicke weather, winds and clouds, doe engender. Above which, the aire is pure, cleere, and light, without any troubled darkenesse. But from the cloudie and muddie region to the Moone, is twentie hundred thousand Stadia: from thence to the Sunne five thousand. By meanes of which middle space betweene, it commeth to passe, that so exceeding great as the Sunne is, he burneth not the earth. ”