Chap. 35.J ACCOirifT OF THE WOBLD. 63 



was consul along with Com. Orfitus. "We have no account 

 transmitted to us of more than three having been seen at 

 the same time. 



CHAP. 32 (32.) — Murr moons. 



Three moons have also been seen, as was the case in the 

 consulship of Cn. Domitius and C. Pannius ; they have 

 generally been named nocturnal suns*. 



CHAP. 33. (33.) — DAYLIGHT IN THE KIGHT. 



A bright light has been seen proceeding from the heavens 

 in the night time, as was the case in the consulship of C. 

 Caecilius and Cn. Papirius, and at many other times, so that 

 there has been a kind of daylight in the night'. 



CHAP. 34. (34.) — BUENING SHIELDS*. 



A burning shield darted across at sunset, from west to east, 

 throwing out sparks, in the considship of L. Valerius and 

 C. Marius"*. 



CHAP. 35. (35.) — AN OMINOUS APPEABANCE IN THE HEAVENS, 

 THAT WAS SEEN ONCE ONLY. 



We have an account of a spark falling from a star, and in- 

 creasing as it approached the earth, until it became of the 

 size of the moon, shining as through a cloud* ; it afterwards 

 returned into the heavens and was converted into a lampas ; 

 this occurred in the consulship of Cn. Octavius and C. Scri- 



* This meteor has been named TapaffeXrjvr) ; they are supposed to 

 depend upon the same cause with the Parhelia. A phsenomenon of tViia 

 description is mentioned by Jul. Obsequens, cap. 92, and by Plutarch, in 

 Marcellus, ii. 360. In Shakspeare's King John the death of Prince 

 Arthur is said to have been followed by the ominous appearance of five 

 moons. 



_^ This phsenomenon must be referred to the aurora borealis. See 

 livy, xxviii. 11. and xxix. 14. « " clypei." 



* Probably an aerolite. Jul. Obsequens describes a meteor as " orbis 

 clypei similis," which was seen to pass from west to east, cap. 105. 



* " ceu nubilo die." 



