Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/92

 58 plint's NATIJEAL HISTOET. [Book IT. thing unfavourable respecting music ; if it appears in the parts of the signs referred to the secret members, something respecting lewdness of manners ; something respecting wit and learning, if they form a triangular or quadrangular figure with the position of some of the fixed stars ; and that some one will be poisoned, if they appear in the head of either the northern or the southern serpent. Rome is the only place in the whole world where there is a temple dedicated to a comet ; it was thought by the late Emperor Augustus to be auspicious to him, from its appear- ing during the games which he was celebrating in honour of Venus Grenetrix, not long after the death of his father Caesar, in the College which was founded by him He expressed .his joy in these terms : " Diu-ing the very time of these games of miQe, a hairy star was seen diu-ing seven days, in the part of the heavens which is under the Great Bear. It rose about the eleventh hour of the day^, was very bright, and was con- spicuous in all parts of the earth. The common people sup- posed the star to indicate, that the soul of Csesar was admitted among the immortal Gods ; under which designation it was that the star was placed on the bust which was lately conse- crated in the forum^." This is what he proclaimed in public, but, in secret, he rejoiced at this auspicious omen, interpreting it as produced for himself; and, to confess the truth, it really proved a salutary omen for the world at large'*. Some persons suppose that these stars are permanent, and that they move through their proper orbits, but that they are only visible when they recede from the sun. Others suppose that they are produced by an accidental vapour together with the force of fire, and that, from this circumstance, they are liable to be dissipated^. ^ " A Julio Csesare. Is enim paulo ante obitton collegium his ludis faciendis instituerat, confecto Veneris templo ; " Hardouin in Lemaire, i. 299. Jul. Obsequens refers to a " stella crinita," which appeared during the celebration of these games, cap. 128. 2 " Hoc est, hora fere integra ante soHs oecasum ; " Hardouin in Le- maire, i. 299. 2 All these circumstances are detailed by Suetonius, in Juho, § 88. p. 178. 4 "terris." species illorum per repercussionem vicinorum siderum, .... Quidam aiimt esse quidem, sed habere cursus suos et post certa lustra in conspectum
 * Seneca remarks, " . . . . quidam nullos esse cometas existimant, sed