THE EIGHTH BOOK 



HISTORY OF NATURE 



WRITTEN BY 



C. PLINIUS SECUNDUS. 



CHAPTER I. 



Of Animals of the Land ; the Praise of Elephants, 1 and their 

 Understanding. 



0.x....:> ..:x:..x"# will now pass on to treat of other living 

 Creatures, and first of Animals of the Land, 

 amon which the Elephant is the greatest, 

 an( ^ cometh nearest in Capacity to Men; 

 l f r tne y understand the Language of the 

 Country, they do whatever they are commanded, re- 

 member what Duties they are taught, and take a Pleasure 

 in Love and Glory ; nay, more than this, they possess 

 Probity, Prudence, and Equity, (rare Qualities even in 

 Men,) and they have also in religious Reverence the Stars, 

 and Veneration for the Sun and Moon. Writers report 

 that when the new Moon beginneth to appear bright > 

 Herds of them come down to a certain River named 

 Ainilus, in the Thickets of Mauritania, and there they 

 solemnly Purify themselves by dashing themselves all over 



1 Elephas Indicus.Cuv. The Indian Elephant. 

 Elephas Africanus.Cvv. The African Elephant. Wcrn. 



