BOOK II.] History of Nature. 65 



sons. It regards Men of Talents and Learning, if it put forth 

 a triangular or four-square Figure, with even Angles, to any 

 Situations of the fixed Stars. It sprinkleth Poison, if seen in 

 the Head of the Dragon, either North or South. 



In one only Place of the whole World, namely, in a 

 Temple at Rome, a Comet is worshipped : even that which 

 by Divus Augustus Ccesar himself was judged fortunate to 

 him: who, when it began to appear, acted in Person as 

 Overseer in those Games which he made to Venus Genetrix, 

 not long after the Death of his father, Ccesar, in the College 

 by him erected. For, that Joy of his he testified in these 

 Words : In those very Days of my Games, there was seen a 

 Comet for seven Days together, in that Region of the Sky 

 which is under the North Star. It arose about the eleventh 

 Hour of the Day, bright and clear, and evidently seen in all 

 Lands. By that Star it was signified (as the common Sort 

 believed) that the Soul of (Julius) Csesar was received among 

 the Divine powers of the immortal Gods. In which regard, 

 that Mark of a Star was set on the Head of the Statue of 

 Julius Caesar, which soon after we dedicated in the Forum. 

 These Words he published abroad : but in a more inward 

 Joy to himself, he interpreted that this Comet 1 was made for 



1 It is a strong proof of the popular bias at that time, as well as of the 

 political tact of Augustus, that he was so far able to dissipate the appre- 

 hensions usually entertained on the appearance of a comet, as to convert 

 the phenomenon into a prognostic of especial good to his government ; 

 and to associate with it, what he wished them to believe of the Divine 

 adoption of his deceased uncle, the Dictator. The latter had, indeed, al- 

 ready given him some examples of the art of overruling a portent, when 

 its understood meaning did not correspond with his wishes ; and Suetonius 

 observes, that no ominous presage could ever deter or divert him from 

 the prosecution of his designs. That this celestial phenomenon, which 

 appeared about an hour before sunset, and was seen for seven successive 

 days, excited much attention, appears from Ovid (" Metamorphoses," 

 b. xv.), who speaks of it as if he wished to avoid the dreaded name of 

 Comet, a word which, in the original, Pliny also does not use : 

 " Dumque tulit, lumen capere, atque ignescere sensit, 

 Emisitque sinu. Luna volat altius ilia, 

 Flammiferumque trahens spatioso limite crinem 

 Stella micat." 



