Comets. 221 



Probably this route applies to only one of the comets. From 

 another Chinese chronicle it appears that on June 18, 416, two 

 comets were visible. It is most unlikely that in two consecutive 

 years in the same moon, and on the same day of the moon 

 (Chinese reckoning), two pairs of comets should have appeared, 

 so (as Pingre suggests) probably there was only one pair, one 

 or other of the two historians having accelerated or retarded 

 their appearance by one year. 



418 [i.] On June 24 a comet was discovered in the middle 

 of square of Ursa Major. — (Ma-tuoan-lin ; " Cette comete 

 differe necessairement de la suivante," Pingre.) 



418 [ii.] iC On July 19, towards the eighth hour of the day, 

 the sun was so eclipsed that even the stars were visible. But 

 at the same time that the sun was thus hid, a light, in the form 

 of a cone, was seen in the sky ; some ignorant people called it 

 a comet, but in this light we saw nothing that announced a 

 comet, for it was not terminated by a tail ; it resembled the 

 flame of a torch subsisting by itself without any star for its base. 

 Its movement, too, was very different from that of comets. It 

 was seen at first to the east of the equinoxes ; after that, having 

 passed through the last star in the Bear's tail (probably 77 Ursas 

 Majoris), it continued slowlyits journey towards the west. Having 

 thus traversed the heavens, it at length disappeared, having 

 lasted more than four months. It first appeared about the 

 middle of summer, and remained visible until nearly the end of 

 autumn.'" — (Philostorg. xdi. 8.) 



In China the comet was seen on September 15 in Leo; it 

 rose above 8 or cr Leonis, and passed through the square of 

 Ursa Major, the circle of perpetual apparition, and near 1 and k 

 or \ and /a Ursas Majoris. — (Ma-tuoan-lin.) It was first seen 

 near B Cygni, and was visible for eleven weeks. — (De Mailla, iv. 

 590.) Couplet states that it appeared at the end of November 

 or the beginning of December. If for appeared we could read 

 disappeared, the accounts would harmonize. 



419. On February 17 a comet appeared in the west of the 

 region lying around /3 Leonis. — (Ma-tuoan-lin.) 



420 or 421. In May a comet was seen. — (Couplet.) In 

 Europe a wonderful sign appeared in 421. — (Prosper. Tyron. 

 Ghron.) Was this the comet of the Chinese ? 



422 [i.] In March a star with a long white ray appeared for 

 ten nights about the time of cock-crowing. — (Chronicon Pas- 

 chale.) On March 16 it was near a and /3 Aquarii. — 

 (Gaubil.) 



422 [ii.] On December 18, a comet was seen near a and 

 /? Pegasi. — (Ma-tuoan-lin.) 



423 [i.] On February 13 a comet was seen near 7 Pegasi, 

 and a Andromedae. — (Ma-tuoan-lin.) A comet was frequently 



