70 History of Nature. [Boox II. 



about the Sun there was seen an Arch, when Lu. Opimius 

 and Q. Fabius were Consuls ; and a Circle, when L. Porcius 

 and M. Acilius were Consuls. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

 Of Sudden Circles. 



THERE appeared a Circle of red Colour, when L. Julius 

 and P. Rutilius were Consuls. Moreover, there are strange 

 Eclipses of the Sun, continuing longer than ordinary ; which 

 happened when Ccesar the Dictator was slain. In the Wars 

 of Antony also, the Sun continued almost a whole Year, with 

 a pale and wan Colour. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

 Many Suns. 



AGAIN, many Suns are seen at once, neither above nor 

 beneath the Body of the true Sun, but obliquely: never near, 

 nor directly against, the Earth ; neither in the Night, but when 

 the Sun either riseth or setteth. Once they are reported to 

 have been seen at Noon-day in the Bosphorus, and they con- 

 tinued from Morning to the Evening. Three Suns together 

 our Ancestors have often beheld ; as, for instance, when 

 Sp. Posthumius with Q. Mutius, Q. Martins with M. Porcius, 

 M. Antonius with P. Dolabella, and Mar. Lepidus with 

 L. Plancus, were Consuls. And our Age hath seen the like in 

 the Time of Divus Cl. Ccesar s Sovereignty and joint-Consul- 

 ship, with Cornelius Orfitus, his Colleague. More than three 

 we never to this Day find to have been seen together. 



the Christian era. That the former of these consuls was capable of any 

 violence or fraud, to secure political preponderance, appears from his his- 

 tory in connexion with the Gracchi. He was openly accused of forging 

 portents ; and when one of his lictors had knocked down Tiberius Grac- 

 chus, whose person as tribune was sacred, in the riots that followed he 

 offered a reward, of its weight in gold, for the head of his opponent. The 

 bribe was successful : the head was found to weigh 171bs. 8oz. ; and to 

 shew his pious gratitude for the result, as well, perhaps, as to divert 

 public attention, he built a temple to Concord. Wern. Club. 



