70 History of Nature. [BooK VIII. 



pined himself to Death. Duris maketh mention of another 

 Dog, which he named Hircanus, that when the funeral Fire 

 of King Lysimachus was set a-burning, leapt into the Flame. 

 And so did another at the Funeral of King Hiero. Also 

 Phylistus commemorateth the Dog of King Pyrrhus, and 

 another belonging to the Tyrant Gelo. They report of a Dog 

 belonging to Nicomedes, King of Numidia, which flew upon 

 Consingis his Wife for toying overwantonly with her Hus- 

 band. And even with us, Volcatius, a noble Gentleman, 

 who taught Geselius the Civil Law, as he returned Home one 

 Evening, riding upon an Hackney from a Village near the 

 City, was defended from a Highwayman by his Dog. Ccelius, 

 likewise, a Senator, lying sick at Placentia, was violently 

 attacked by armed Men, but they were not able to wound 

 him, until they had killed the Dog. But that exceedeth all, 

 which happened in our Time, and standeth upon Record in 

 the Registers : when Appius Junius and P. Silus were Con- 

 suls, and T. Sabinus and his Servants were punished on ac- 

 count of Nero the Son of Germanicus : one of them that was 

 put to Death had a Dog which could not be kept from the 

 Prison ; and when his Master was thrown down the Stairs 

 called Scalse Gemonise, he would not depart from his dead 

 Body, but kept up a most piteous Howling about it, in the 

 Sight of a great Multitude of Romans that stood about it; 

 and when one of the Company threw the Dog a piece of 

 Meat, he carried it to the Mouth of his dead Master. When 

 the dead Body was thrown into the Tiber, the Dog swam 

 after it, and endeavoured to bear it afloat ; and a large Num- 

 ber of People poured out of the City to behold the Fidelity 

 of the Animal. They are the only Animals that know their 

 Master ; and if an unknown Person approach suddenly, they 

 are aware of his coming. They are the only Animals that 

 know their own Names, and the People of the House by 

 the Sound of their Voice. They remember the Way, how- 

 ever long it is, if they have once gone over it. And there is 

 no Creature, beside Man, that hath a better Memory. Their 

 Violence and Fury are appeased by a Man sitting down 



