BOOK II. XXIII. 92-94 



places it shines ; that if it resembles a pair of flutes 

 it is a portent for the art of music, in the private parts 

 of the constellations it portends immoraUty, if it 

 forms an equilateral triangle or a rectangular quadri- 

 lateral in relation to certain positions of the fixed 

 stars, it portends men of genius and a revival of 

 learning, in the head of the Northern " or the 

 Southern * Serpent it brings poisonings. 



The only place in the whole world where a comet is worMp 

 the object of worship is a temple at Rome. His late '^''"^'*' 

 Majesty Augustus had deemed this comet very 

 propitious to himself; as it had appeared at the 

 beginning of his rule, at some games which, not long 

 after the decease of his father Caesar, as a member 

 of the coUege founded by him he was celebrating 

 in honour of Mother Venus. In fact he made pubhc 

 the joy that it gave him in these words : ' On the very 

 days of my Games a comet was visible for seven days 

 in the northern part of the sky. It was rising about 

 an hour before sunset, and was a bright star, visible 

 from all lands. The common people beheved that 

 this star signified the soul of Caesar received among 

 the spirits of the immortal gods, and on this account 

 the emblem of a star was added to the bust of Caesar 

 that we shortly afterwards dedicated in the forum.' 

 This was his pubUc utterance, but privately he 

 rejoiced because he interpreted the comet as having 

 been born for his own sake and as containing his own 

 birth within it ; and, to confess the truth, it did have 

 a healthgiving influence over the world. 



Some persons think that even comets are ever- 

 lasting, and travel in a special circuit of their own, 

 but are not visible except when the sun leaves them ; 



In tlie hand of Opliiuchus {Aiujuiteiieiis). 



