124 History of Nature. [ BOOK II. 



Motion forceth itself to one Side. These Tremblings of the 

 Earth give over when the Wind is vented out : but if they 

 continue, then they cease not for forty Days : yea, and many 

 Times it is longer, so that some of them have lasted for the 

 Space of a Year or two. 



CHAPTER LXXXIII. 

 Portentous Earthquakes, seen only once. 



THERE happened once (which I found in the Books of 

 Tuscan Science) within the Territory of Modena (whilst 

 L. Martins and Sex. Julius were Consuls) a mighty Portent 

 of the Earth : for two Mountains rushed together, and with 

 the utmost Clamour assaulted one another, and then retired 

 again. It fell out in the Daytime : and between them there 

 issued flaming Fire and Smoke, mounting up into the Sky : 

 while a great Number of Roman Knights, a Multitude of 

 Servants, and Passers-by, stood and beheld it from the Mml- 

 lian Way. With this Conflict all the Villages upon them 

 were dashed in Pieces ; and very much Cattle that was 

 within died therewith. And this happened the Year before 

 the social War ; which I doubt whether it were not more 

 pernicious to the Land of Italy than the Civil Wars. That was 

 no less wonderful a Prodigy, which was known also in our 

 Age, in the last Year of Nero the Emperor (as we have shewn 

 in his Acts), when Meadows and Olive-rows (notwithstanding 

 the great public Road lay between) passed across into one 

 another's Place, in the Marrucine Territory, within the Lands 

 of Vectius Marcellus, a Roman Knight, Procurator under 

 Nero in his Affairs. 



CHAPTER LXXXIV. 

 Wonders of Earthquakes. 



THERE happen together with Earthquakes, Inundations 

 of the Sea ; which is infused into the Earth with the same 

 Wind, or else received into the hollow Receptacle as it set- 

 tleth down. The greatest Earthquake within the Remem- 

 brance of Man, was that which happened during the Reign 



