BOOK XVIII. Lxv. 244-Lxvi. 247 



ploughing, the sign of the mastich showing its first 

 fruit and that of the pear blossoming. Thcre wlU 

 also be a third sign, that of the squill in the growing 

 bulbs and that of the narcissus among the plants used 

 for WTcaths ; for these also flower thrce times, 

 marking the first ploughing by their first flowering, 

 the second by the middle one and the last by the 

 third — inasmuch as things afford hints for other 

 things different from them. And one of the first 

 precautions to be takcn is to prevent beans when in 

 flower from coming in contact with ivy ; " for that 

 season is a baneful and dcadly one with ivy. Some 

 plants however also have special signs of their own, 

 for instance the fig : when a few leaves are sprouting 

 from the top, Hke a vinegar-cup, that indicates that it 

 is the best time for planting fig-trees. 



LX\T. The vemal cquinox appears to cnd on ConsuiUi- 

 March 25. Between that day and the morning rising ',pn-^f '' 

 of the Plciads the first of April according to Caesar 

 indicates bad weathcr. The Pleiads set on the 

 evening of April 3 in Attica and on the day after in 

 Boeotia, but for Caesar and the Chaldaeans on April 

 5, when for Egvpt Orion and his sword begin to set. 

 The setting of the Scales on April 8 according to 

 Caesar announces rain. In the evening The Little 

 Pigs, a stormy constellation bringing boisterous 

 weather on land and sea, sets for Egypt on April 18; 

 it sets on April 16 for Attica and April 17 for Caesar. 

 indicating four successive days of bad weather, but on 

 the 20th for Assyria. This constellation is commonly 

 called PariHcium, because April 21,the birthday of 

 the city of Rome, on which fine weather usually re- 

 turns, has givcn a clear sky for obscrving the heavens, 

 although because of the clouds that it brings with 



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