61 



calls him TroXv^iXrarov avfya. Petosiris, however, was 

 much prior to Mnnetho, as is evident from Athenaeus, iii. 

 p. 114, who says he is mentioned by Aristophanes. He is 

 also noticed by Ptolemy (in Tetrabiblo) under the appella- 

 tion ' of an ancient writer' (TOV iraXatov or TOV ct^aiov}. 

 According to Suidas, he wrote, among other things which 

 are unfortunately lost, Tlepi rwv Trap 1 AiyvifTtots fJLvarrjpLwr, 

 Concerning the Mysteries of the Egyptians, the loss of which 

 work must be deeply regretted by every lover of ancient 

 lore. He is also mentioned by Juvenal, vi. 580. 



" Aptior hora cibo nisi quam dederit Petosiris." 



And in a Greek epigram (in Anthol. lib. ii. cap. 6.) on a 

 certain person who had predicted his death from the stars, 

 and, in order that the prediction might not be falsified, hung 

 himself, it is said : aurxyvQets Herofftpiv cnrnyfaTo Kat 

 &c. 



i. e. " Lest Petosiris should incur disgrace, 



Himself he strangled from a lofty place." 



Thus, too, it is related of Cardan, the celebrated physician 

 and astrologer, that having predicted the year and day of 

 his death, when the time drew near, he suffered himself to 

 perish through hunger, to preserve his reputation. My 

 worthy and most intelligent friend Mr. J. J. Welsh has fur- 

 nished me with the following additional information con- 

 cerning the death of Cardan, and other astrologers : " Re- 

 specting Cardan's abstaining from food, in order to verify his 

 prediction, Thuanus says : ' Cum tribus diebus minus sep- 

 tuagesimum quintum annum implevisset, eodem quo prae- 

 dixerat anno et die, videlicet xi. Kalend. Octobris defecit, 

 ob id, ne falleret, mortem sua inedia accelerasse creditus.' 



