BOOK II.] History of Nature. 63 



named Acontice, shake like a Spear, signifying great Swift- 

 ness. This was it whereof Tiberius Ccesar, the Emperor, 

 wrote an excellent Poem in his fifth Consulship ; the last 

 that ever was seen to this Day. The same, if they be shorter 

 and sharp-pointed at the Top, are called Xiphias, which are 

 the palest of all, and glittering like a Sword, but without any 

 Rays: which another Kind of them, named .Disceus (resem- 

 bling a Disc or Quoit, whereof it beareth the Name, but in 

 Colour like to Amber), putteth forth here and there out of 

 its Margin. Pitheus is in the Form of Tuns environed in 

 the Cavity of a smoky Light. Ceratias resembleth a Horn : 

 and such an one appeared when Greece fought the Battle of 

 Salamis. Lampadias is like to burning Torches : and Hip- 

 peus to Horses' Manes, very swift in Motion, and revolving 

 in a Globe. There is also a white Comet with silver Hair, 

 so bright and shining that it can hardly be looked at ; and 

 in Man's Shape it sheweth the very Image of a God. More- 

 over, there be blazing Stars that become all shaggy, com- 

 passed round with a hairy Fringe like a Mane. One of these, 

 appearing in the Form a Mane, changed into that of a Spear, 

 in the hundred and eighth Olympiad, and the three hundred 

 and ninety-eighth Year from the Foundation of Rome. It 

 hath been observed, that the shortest Time of their Appear- 

 ance is seven Days, and the longest eighty Days. Some of 

 them move like the Planets ; others are immovably fixed. 

 Almost all are seen under the very North Star ; some in no 

 certain Part thereof, but especially in that white which hath 

 taken the Name of the Milky 1 Way. Aristotle saith 2 , that 



1 Galaxy. 



3 The author is here referring to those appearances which are now 

 denominated shooting stars ; and which, in ancient times, were believed 

 to be the very things the modern name denotes. St. John refers, figura- 

 tively, to this idea (Book of Revelation, vi. 13): " And the stars of 

 heaven fell unto the earth." Modern opinion has varied greatly with 

 regard to the nature and cause of these appearances ; and the diversity of 

 explanation is a proof how little satisfactory any of them is judged to be. 

 There have been times, chiefly in the autumn, and at long intervals, when 

 these meteors have been particularly abundant, and it appears that 

 Aristotle refers to such a luminous shower ; the rarity of which may be 



