232 History of Nature. [ BOOK VII. 



Sicily, and there likewise he was glad to remain concealed in 

 a Cave : then he was put to flight at Sea, and when the whole 

 power of his Enemies was hard on him, he hesought Pro- 

 culeius to put him to Death ; how he was perplexed by the 

 Contentions at Perusium ; the anxiety he was in at the 

 Battle of Actium, and for the issue of the Pannonian War ; 

 for the fall of a Bridge ; so many Mutinies among his Sol- 

 diers ; so many dangerous Diseases of his Body ; the sus- 

 pected Allegiance of Marcellus ; the shame of Banishing 

 Agrippa ; his Life so many times attempted by secret Plots ; 

 the suspected Deaths of his Children ; the sad Afflictions 

 thereby ; and not altogether for his Childless condition : the 

 Adultery of his Daughter, and her Contrivances for taking 

 his Life away made known to the World ; the reproachful 

 Retreat of Nero, his Wife's Son ; another Adultery com- 

 mitted by one of his Nieces : above all this, so many united 

 Evils, as the want of Pay for his Soldiers ; the Rebellion of 

 lllyricum ; the Mustering of Slaves; the Scarcity of Young 

 Men ; a Pestilence in the City ; Famine and Drought through 

 Italy ; a deliberate Resolution of Dying, having to that end 

 Fasted four Days and Nights, and in that time received into 

 his Body the greater part of his own Death. Besides these 

 things, the Slaughter of Variuss Forces, and the foul stain 

 of his Honour; the putting away of Posthumus Agrippa 

 after his Adoption, and the desire that he had for him after 

 his Banishment; then the Suspicion that he conceived of 

 Fabius, and the disclosing of his Secrets ; and again his 

 Opinions concerning his Wife and Tiberius, which surpassed 

 all his other Cares. To conclude, that God, of whom I do 

 not know whether he rather obtained Heaven than deserved 

 it, left behind him for his Heir the Son of his Enemy. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 

 Whom the Gods Judge the most Happy. 



I CANNOT pass over in this Discourse the Oracles of Del- 

 phos, delivered from the God to chastise the Folly of Men. 

 Two of them are these : That Phedius, who but a while 



