1 18 History of Nature. [BOOK IX. 



those who placed themselves on it. But being anointed 

 with Unguent by Flavianus the Proconsul of Africa, the 

 Creature (as it should seem) being rendered sleepy by this 

 new Smell, and floating about as if had been half dead, 

 avoided Intercourse with Man for several Months, as if it 

 had been driven away by some Injury. But after a Time he 

 returned to the same surprising Practice. But the Wrongs 

 that some great Persons were the cause of, in their Enter- 

 tainment, as they came to see this Sight, caused the Men of 

 Hippo to kill the Dolphin. 



Long before this the like is reported concerning a Boy in 

 the City of Jassus, where a Dolphin was observed for a long 

 Time to express Love to a Boy ; but while he eagerly fol- 

 lowed the Lad to the Shore as he was going away, he threw 

 himself upon the Sand, and died. Alexander the Great 

 appointed this Boy to be the Priest of Neptune at Babylon : 

 interpreting the Love of this Dolphin as a Sign of the special 

 Favour of that god to him. 



Egesidemus writeth, that in the same City of Jassus there 

 was another Boy named Hermias, who having used in the same 

 Manner to ride upon a Dolphin over the Sea, was in a sud- 

 den Storm drowned in the Waves, and was brought back by 

 the Dolphin ; who, confessing that he was the Cause of his 

 Death, did not return into the Sea, but died on the dry Land. 



The like happened at Naupactum, by the Report of Theo- 

 phrastus. But there is no End of such Examples ; for the 

 Amphilochi and Tarentini relate the same concerning Boys 

 and Dolphins ; which Instances induce us also to believe 

 that Arioti, who was a skilful Player on the Harp, when the 

 Sailors were preparing to kill him, by throwing him into the 

 Sea, and so intercept all his Gains, by conciliating them, 

 obtained the Favour that he might first be permitted to sing- 

 to his Harp ; and a number of Dolphins having flocked 

 about him in consequence of his Music, when they threw 

 him into the Sea, he was received by one of them, and 

 carried to the Shore of Tsenarus. 



In the Province of Narbonensis, and in the Territory of 

 Nsemausium, there is a Pond called Laterra, where Men and 



