288 On the Knowledge of the Ancients 



Pliny's* account agrees herewith. He fays, 

 that Tullus Hoftilius, " vvhilft he was imitating 

 " in an irregular and improper m,anner, the pro- 

 " cefs of Numa, for drawing down lightning, 

 " was flruck with a thunderbolt." 



Dionyfius Halicarnaffenfis f agrees, that he 

 periftied by fire, together with his family; but 

 though he fays, that many thought the burning 

 of the palace was an artifice, to conceal the mur- 

 der of the king and his family, yet himfelf in- 

 clines rather to the opinion that he died by 

 lightning, on account of his improper conduft 

 refpe(5ting the facred rites. All agree that he pe- 

 rifhed in a ftorm, and during the performance of a 

 private religious ceremony. Confidering the in- 

 tent of thefe rites, which were probably com- 

 pofed of fome procefles, which exhibited appear- 

 ances of an eleArical nature, it is, I think, at 

 leaft probable, that he really loft his life by his 

 unfkilful management. 



There is a remarkable pafifage in Lucan, rela- 

 tive to this fubjedl. Arruns, a learned Etrurian, 

 whom he had before defcribed as {killed in the 

 motions of lightningj, is faid, by him, to have 

 *' coUecled the fires of lightning that were dif- 



• Quod (fcilicet fulminis evocationem) imitatum parum 

 rite Tullum Hoftilium idum fulmine. Plin. lib. II. 

 cap. 53. 



f Dionyf, Halicarn. p. 176, edit. Sylburgii. 



t fnlaiinis edo6tus motus. Lucan. 



" perfed 



