94 PHYSICAL SCIENCE BK. n 



according to the scheme of the philosopher Attalus, 

 who had specialised in this department. The 

 inspection should determine where the lightning 

 occurred, when, to whom, in what connection, of 

 what kind, of what amount. If I were to attempt 

 to arrange and classify all these, I should just be 

 committing myself to an endless task. 



XLIX 



1 LET me now glance at the names of the lightning 

 adopted by Caecina, and explain my own opinion 

 of them. He calls one kind imperative, as it de 

 mands the re-establishment of sacrifices neglected or 

 informally offered. Admonitory is the second kind, 

 giving information of what must be guarded against. 

 Pestilential is a kind that portends death or exile. 

 Deceptive is that which, under guise of some 



2 benefit, inflicts injury ; for example, it gives the 

 consulship to some one whose ruin the office will 

 prove, or bestows an estate the profit of which must 

 be compensated by some great loss. The avertible, 

 again, bring an appearance of danger without real 

 danger. The destructive remove the threats 

 of previous lightning. The attested signify an 

 agreement with former lightning. The earth-borne 

 occur in a covered place. The overwhelming 

 strike what was previously struck without due 



3 atonement having been made. The royal smite 

 either the election ground or the government quarter 

 of a free city ; their prognostication threatens a 

 free state with an absolute monarchy. Infernal 

 are when fire issues from the ground. Hospitable 

 summon or, to use a more polite word, invite 



