144 PLnrr's wattteal histoet. [Book VII. 



CHAP. 8. (10.) WHO WEEE CALLED VOPISCI. 



A chad used to be called Vopiscns,'" who, when twins had 

 been conceived, had been retained in the womb and born aUve, 

 the other having perished by abortion. There are, too, some 

 very remarkable instances of this kind, although they are sin- 

 gularly rare and uncommon. 



CHAP. 9. (11.) THE CONCEPTION AND GENEEATION OF MAN. 



Pew^ animals, except the female of the human species,' re- 

 ceive the male when pregnant. In only one or two species, and 

 no more, does superfoetation ever take place.*' Cases are to 

 be found stated in the journals of physicians, and of others who 

 have paid particular attention to the subject, in which twelve 

 embryos'^ have been removed at a single abortion. When, 

 however, but a very short time has intervened between two 

 conceptions, the embryos both of them proceed to maturity ; 

 as was seen to be the case with Hercules and his brother 

 Iphicles.*' This was the case also with the woman who brought 

 forth two childi'en at a birth, one of whom bore a resemblance 

 to her husband, and the other to her paramour. So too, wjth 

 a female slave in Proconnesus," who was delivered of two 

 children at one birth, one of whom bore a strong resemblarice 

 to her master, and the other to her master's steward, with 

 both of whom she had had connection on the same day ; with 

 another woman who was delivered of two children at a birth, 

 the one after the usual period of gestation, the other an':em- 



" And let the angel trliom thou still hast serv'd, 

 Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb 

 Untimely ripp'd." ; 



"> The commentators are not agreed respecting the origin of thiwiame ; 

 Dalechamps suggests, that it was originally Opiscus, from diriaBio^ " be- 

 cause one follows close uponamother." — B. | ,, 

 '^ HardOuin says, that this is the case with the hare and the ^ypusi 

 which is a species of hare ; but there |is probably no foundation rfor 'thd 

 statement. Pliny repeats it in a subsequent passage, B. viii. c. 81.^— B. » 

 '2 Pliny evidently considers this a case of superfoetation, and looks upoi£' 

 it as not uncommon in the human species : whereas it is now coisideredl 

 impossible. , , f. 

 " This refers to the mythological tale of Jupiter and Amphitrvoh — b/ 

 =» SeeB. T. c. 44. •.) d 



