BOOK VII.] History of Nature. 221 



having taken two Serpents within his House, received an 

 Answer (from the Soothsayers), that if he would himself live 

 the female Snake must be killed. Truly then, said he, rather 

 kill the male ; for Cornelia is young, and may have more 

 Children. This was in order to spare his Wife's Life, in 

 consideration of the Good she might do to the Common- 

 wealth. And so it fell out soon after. M. Lepidus so en- 

 tirely loved his wife Apuleia, that he died when she was 

 divorced from him. P. Rutilius was laid by from some 

 slight Illness, but hearing of his Brother's Repulse in his 

 Request for the Consulship, died immediately. P. Catienus 

 Philotimus so loved his Master (Patronus), that though he 

 was made his Heir to all that he had, yet he cast himself into 

 his funeral Fire. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



Of the Excellency of many Arts, as Astrology, Grammar, 

 and Geometry. 



IN the Knowledge of various Arts a great Number of 

 Men have excelled ; but we will only take the Flower of 

 them, and touch them lightly. In Astrology, Berosus was 

 eminent ; to whom the Athenians, for his divine Predictions, 

 caused a Statue with a golden Tongue to be erected in the 

 public Gymnasium. In Grammar, Apollodorus was distin- 

 guished ; and therefore he was highly honoured by the Am- 

 phitryons of Greece. In Medicine, Hippocrates^ excelled ; 

 and having foretold a Pestilence that was approaching from 

 Illyria, to cure it he sent his Disciples to the surrounding 

 Cities. In Recompense of which good Desert, Greece de- 

 creed for him the like Honours as to Hercules. For the same 

 Science, King Ptolemy gave to Cleombrotus of Cea, at the 

 sacred Megalensian Rites, a hundred Talents, especially for 

 curing King Antiochus. Critobulus likewise acquired great 

 Fame for drawing an Arrow out of King Philip's Eye, and 



1 The remarkable observation at the end of the 50th chapter, which 

 appears to be confirmed by the course of the most formidable epidemics of 

 modern times, will account for this skill in this most eminent physician 



