Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/173

 Chap. 110.] YOLCANOS. 139 to every solid body which it touches, and moreover, when touched, it follows you, it* you attempt to escape from it. By means of it the people defended their walls against Lucullus, and the soldiers were burned in their armour ^ It is even set on lire in water. We learn by experience that it can be extinguished only by earth. cn^p. 109. (105.) — or KAPHTnA. jN^aphtha is a substance of a similar nature" (it is so called about Babylon, and in the territory of the Astaceni, in Parthia^), flowing like liquid bitumen. It has a great affi- nity to fire, which instantly darts on it wherever it is seen"*. It is said, that in this way it was that Medea burned Ja- son's mistress ; her croAvn hadng taken fire, when she ap- proached the altar for the purpose of sacrificing^. CHAP. 110. (106.) — PLACES -WIIICH AEE ALWAYS BUENING. Among the wonders of moimtains there is -Stna, which always burns in the night*', and for so long a period has always had materials for combustion, being in the winter buried in snow, and having the ashes which it has ejected covered ^'ith frost. Xor is it in this mountain alone that nature rages, threatening to consume the earth" ; in Pha- face of the earth. Our author has exaggerated its properties and action upon other bodies. ^ Respecting the transaction here mentioned, I shall refer to the note of Hardouin, Lemaire, i. 452. ■2 The substance here mentioned may be considered as not differing essentially from the Maltha of the last chapter, except in being of a more fluid consistence. 3 The Astaceni are supposed to have inhabited a district near the sources of the Indus, probably corresponding to the modern Cabul. ■* We may conceive of a quantity of inflammable vapour on the surface of tlie naphtlia, which might, iu some degree, produce the eiiect here described. ^ Horace, in one of his Epodes, where he refers to the magical arts of Medea, says, that it was a cloak, " paUa," which was sent to Creiisa ; V. 65. So far as there is any foundation for the story, wo may suppose that some part of her dress had been impregnated with an inflammable substance, which took fire when she approached the blazing altar. ^ When the volcanos ai'e less active the flame is visible in the night only. ' The observations of modem travellers and geologists have proved,