260 SEE— TEMPERATURE, SECULAR COOLING [April 20, 



calamity happened in consequence of the anger of Neptune, for the lonians, 

 who were driven from Helice, sent particularly to request the people of 

 Helice to give them the image of Neptune, or if they were unwilling to 

 give that, to furnish them with the model of the temple. On their refusal, 

 the lonians sent to the Achaean body, who decreed, that they should comply 

 with the request, but they would not obey even this injunction. The disaster 

 occurred in the following winter, and after this the Achseans gave the 

 lonians the model of the temple." 

 §21. The Theory of Pliny (23-/P A.D.). 



The following extracts are taken from Bohn's excellent trans- 

 lation of the " Natural History." They exhibit the views of Pliny, 

 who follows closely the theory of Aristotle. 



In Book II., of the Natural History, will be found Pliny's ac- 

 count of earthquakes, which runs thus: 



"Chap. 81 (79)— of Earthquakes. 



"According to the doctrine of the Babylonians,^ earthquakes and clefts 

 of the earth, and occurrences of this kind, are supposed to be produced by 

 the influence of the stars, especially of the three to which they ascribe 

 thunder (Saturn, Jupiter and Mars) ; and to be caused by the stars moving 

 with the sun, or being in conjunction with it, and, more particularly, when 

 they are in the quartile aspect. If we are to credit the report, a most ad- 

 mirable and immortal spirit, as it were of a divine nature, should be ascribed 

 to Anaximander the Milesian, who, they say, warned the Lacedaemonians to 

 beware of their city and their houses. For he predicted that an earthquake 

 was at hand, when both the whole of their city was destroyed and a large 

 portion of Mount Taygetus, which projected in the form of a ship, was 

 broken off, and added farther ruin to the previous destruction. Another 

 prediction is ascribed to Pherecydes, the master of Pythagoras, and this 

 was divine; by a draught of water from a well, he foresaw and predicted 

 that there would be an earthquake in that place. And if these things be 

 true, how nearly do these individuals approach to the Diety, even during 

 their Hfetime! But I leave every one to judge of these matters as he 

 pleases. I certainly conceive the winds to be the cause of earthquakes; for 

 the earth never trembles except when the sea is quite calm, and when the 

 heavens are so tranquil that the birds cannot maintain their flight, all the 

 air which should support them being withdrawn; nor does it ever happen 

 until after great winds, the gust being pent up, as it were, in the fissures 

 and concealed hollows. For the trembling of the earth resembles thunder 

 in the clouds; nor does the yawning of the earth differ from the bursting 

 of the lightning; the enclosed air struggling and striving to escape. 

 " Chap. 82 (80) — Of Clefts of the Earth, 

 " The earth is shaken in various ways, and wonderful effects are pro- 

 duced; in one place the walls of cities being thrown down, and in others 

 swallowed up by a deep cleft; sometimes great masses of earth are heaped 



^ Pliny here refers to the Astrologers, who were said to have come 

 originally from Babylon. 



