Chap. 68.] THE SUMilEE SOLSTICE. 9o 



third before ^^ the calends of August, the Roj'al Star in the 

 breast of Leo rises in the morning, according to Caesar, On 

 the eiglith before ^^ the ides of August, one half of Arcturus 

 has ceased to be visible, and on tlie third before*^ the ides the. 

 Lyre, by its setting, opens the autiinm, — according to Csesar at 

 least ; though a more exact calculation has since shown, that 

 this takes place on the sixth day before ^^ the ides of that month. 

 The time that intervenes between these periods is one that 

 is of primary importance in the cultivation of the vine ; as 

 the constellation of which we have spoken, under the name of 

 Caiiicula, has now to decide upon the fate of the grape, it is 

 at this period that the grapes are said to be charred,^'^ a blight 

 falling upon them which burns them av/ay, as though red-hot 

 coals had been applied to them. There is no hail that can be 

 compared with this destructive malady, nor yet any of those 

 tempests, which have been productive of such scarcity and 

 dearth. For the evil effects of these, at the ver)^ utmost, ai-e 

 only felt in isolated districts, while the coal blight,^^ on the other 

 hand, extends over whole countries, far and wide. Still, how- 

 ever, the remedy would not be very difficult, were it nut that 

 men would much rather calumniate jS'ature, tlian help them- 

 selves. It is said that DemocrilUf<," who was the first to com- 

 prehend and demonstrate that close affinity which exists be- 

 tween the heavens and the earth, finding his laborious re- 

 searches upon that subject slighted by the more opulent of his 

 fellow- citizens, and presaging the high price of oil, which was 

 about to result upon the rising of the Vergilice, (as we have 

 already mentioned,^ and shall have to explain more fully here- 

 after), bought up a)l the oil in the country, which was then at 

 a very low figure, from the universal expectation of a fine crop 

 of olives ; a proceeding which greatly surprised all who knew 

 that a life of poverty and learned repose was so entirely tlie 

 object of his aspirations. When, however, his motives had 

 been fully justified by the result, and vast riches liad flowed in 

 upon him apace, he returned all his profits to the disappointed 



^'' Thirtieth of July. ^^ Sixth of August. 



*^ Eleventh of August. *^ Eighth of August. 



^ See B, xvii. c. 37. •'' Carbuneulus. 



52 Cicero. De Div., B. ii. 201, Ari.stotle, Polit. B. i. c. 7, and Diogenes 

 I Laortius tell this story of Thales the philosopher ; Pliuy beiug the uuly 

 , CUM that applies it to Democritus. 

 I ^^ In tho last Chapter. This passage is corrupt. 



