Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/576

 and times of the Moon; and Euripus in Euboea, doth it not seven times with wonderfull swiftness ebbe and flow? and three dayes in every moneth, viz. the 7. 8. and 9. day of the Moon it standeth still; and amongst the Troglotides there is a lake, which thrice in a day is made bitter and salt, and again sweet; moreover in the winter time, when all things wither and dry, Penyroyall flourisheth: on the same day, they say, that blown bladders do break, and that the leaves of Sallows and Pomegranats are turned and forced about; and its known to all, that which I have seen both in France and Italy, and I know also the sowing thereof, viz. that a nut-tree, which seemeth dry all the year, on the Even of Saint Johns day doth produce both leaves, and flowres, and ripe fruits: and this miracle doth wholly consist in the observation of the time of its sowing: moreover that times can yield some wonderfull power to artificiall things, the Astrologers in their books of Elections and Images do constantly affirm; and by this means, we read in Plutarch, That there was an image amongst the Peleneans made with such art, that what way soever it did look, it did strike all things with terrour and very great perturbation, so that no man durst through fear behold it; and we read in the life of Apollonius, that the Magicians of Babylon had tied to the roof of their house, four golden fowls, which they called the tongues of the gods; and that they had power to reconcile the minds of the multitude to the love and obedience of the King. In the Iland Chios there was the face of Diana placed on high, whose countenance appeared sad to those which caine in, but to those that went out, it appeared chearfull: In Troas, the sacrifices which were left about the Image of Minerva did not putrifie; In the temple of Venus at Paphos, it never rained in the court: If any thing was taken forth from the Tomb of Antheus, showers were powred down from heaven till that which was digged up, was restored into its place: In the tomb of King Bibria of Pontus, did arise a Laurell, from which if any one did break a branch and carry it on shipboard, quarrells would never cease untill it was thrown over. In the Iland Boristhenes, no