BOOK II.] History of Nature. 47 



ence before the whole Army, to foretel the Eclipse which 

 was about to happen : whereby he delivered the Army from 

 Anxiety; and presently after he compiled a Book of the 

 same. But among the Greeks, Thales Milesius 1 was the first 

 that investigated it ; who, in the fourth Year of the 48th 

 Olympiad did foreshew the Sun's Eclipse that happened in 

 the Reign of Halyattes, and in the 170th Year after the 

 Foundation of the City of Rome. After them, Hipparchus 

 compiled his " Ephemerides," containing the Course and 

 Aspects of both these Planets, for six hundred Years en- 

 suing : comprehending also the Months according to the 

 Reckonings of sundry Nations, the Days, the Hours, the 

 Situation of Places, the Aspects, and Latitudes of divers 

 Towns and Countries ; as the World will bear him witness : 

 and that no less assuredly, than if he had been privy to 

 Nature's Counsels. Great Persons and excellent these 

 were, doubtless, who, above the Reach of the Capacity of 

 mortal Men, found out the Reason of the Course of such 

 mighty Stars and divine Powers : and whereas the Mind of 

 Men was before at a Loss, fearing in these Eclipses of the 

 Stars some great Violence, or the Death of the Planets, they 

 secured them in that behalf : in which dreadful Fear stood 

 Stesickorus and Pindarus the Poets (notwithstanding their 

 lofty Style), and particularly at the Eclipse of the Sun, as 

 will appear by their Poems. As for the Moon, Mortals 

 imagine that at that Time by Charms she is enchanted, and 

 therefore help her by dissonant ringing of Basins. In this 

 Terror, Nicias, the General of the Athenians (as a Man igno- 

 rant of the Cause), feared to set sail with his Fleet out of 



1 The minuteness of observation displayed by these illustrious philo- 

 sophers, from whom Pliny has borrowed his materials, appears to imply 

 the existence of instruments of no small accuracy, though we have no 

 account of their possessing such. Of the telescope, we have evidence that 

 they were ignorant. 



As the account given by Pliny of ancient astronomy will be read 

 chiefly for its curiosity, we have no need to do more than refer to 

 modern treatises on the subject for correction of what is mistaken. 

 Wem. Club. 



