Plinies Natural! Fliftorie. 



> mndTurh^cMng downeand overthrowing all thac is next k. The fame^ if it Be more hote and 

 catchinc a fire as it rageth, is named , burningj and withall laying along 3 v^hatfoeucr it 

 toucheth and encountrethi 



Chap. xLiXi 

 Otkr enormmt'S kinds of Tem^ep. 



O T)'p/^5» commdth from the North, ne yet any Ecmfhiasm^i SnoWjOr \hhi\c 

 Snow lieth on die ground. This tempefeuous wind, if when it brake the cloud 

 burned light withall J hauingfircof theowne beforej andcatched it not after- 

 ward, it is veric lightning 5 and difaeth fromPr^/^tTjasthe fiamefrom acole 

 of fire. Againe, m/<rrlpreadeth broad with a fla(h and bM; the other gache- 

 rcth round with forcible violence. Tj'p^tfw .moreoueror r<?^/<?;c-3dilfctethfrom 

 T/^^^^»infiyingbacke: and asmuchas acrafhfromacracke. The ibrme frtf^rf/Z-a from them 

 both^in breadth: and to Ipcake more trulyjratherfcattereth than breaketh the cloud. There ri- 

 fcth alfo upon the Sea, adarkemift, refembling a monftrous beaft; and this is cuer a terrible 

 cloud to the faikrs. Another likewife called a Columne or Pillar, when the humour and water 

 ingcndred,is fo thicke and ftiffe congcaled,thatitftandeth compadof itfelfc. Of the (amc fort 

 alfo is chat cloud which draweth water to it, as it were into a long pipe ^ 



Chap, l. 



In what Lands lightnwgs fall not. 



N Winter and Summer feldome arc there any lightnings^ and that is long of 

 contrarie caufes : becaufe in winter the aire is driuen clofe togither, and thic- 

 kened with a deeper courle of clouds : befides, all the exhalations breathing 

 and rifing out of the earth being itarkc^ congealed, and frozen hard, doe ex- 

 tinguifli cleanc what fierie vapour foeuer otherwile they rccciue: which is 

 the rcafon thatScythia and other cold frozen quarters thereabout, are free 

 from lightnings. And iEgypt likewife upon the contrarie caufe, and exempt from lightnings; 

 D namely, exceeding heat: for the bote and drie exhalations of the earth, gather into very flcn- 

 der, thin,and weakeclouds. But in the Spring,and Autumne,hghtnings are more rife 3 becaufe 

 inhoththofefeafons,theGaufesas well of Summer as Winter, arecontufedand corrupt. And 

 this is the reafon alfo, that lightnings are common in our Italic j for that the aire being more 

 moveable and wauering,by reafon of a kinder Winter and a cloudie Summer, is alwaies of the 

 temperature of Spring or Autumne* Inthofeparts alfo of Italic which lie off from the Norths 

 andcnclineto warmth, (as namely in the tra£t about Romcand Campania) it lightcnethifl 

 Winter and Summer alike, which happeneih in no other part thereof. 



C 



Chap. l1, 



E '^Sttndyy forts &f Lightmngs^andWofidifs there of 



Erie many kinds of Lightnings are fet downe by Authours. Thofe that 

 come drie, burne not at all, but onely diffipate and difpcarfc. They that come 

 moift,burnc not neitherjbutblaft things, and make them looke duskifh.Now 

 a third kind there is, which they call Bright and Cleare, and that is of a moft 

 ftraungc and wonderfull nature ; whereby tunnes and fuch like vellels are 

 drawnedrie, and their fides, hoopes, and heads, neuer toucbt therewith or 

 :iurt, nor any other fhcwe and token thereof is left behind 3 Gold, copper, and filuer money is 

 melted in the bagges, and yet the verie bagges no whit fcortchcd, no nor die waxe of the feale 

 ^ hurt and defaced, or put out of order. Marti a a noble Ladieof Rome being great with child, 

 was ftrucke with lightning: the child fbecwent withall was killed within her, and (bee without 

 anyharmc at all lived dill. Among the C^^?//»tf prodigies it is found upon record, that M^tie- 

 remm{^ Counfcllor and States-man of the incorporate towne Pompeianum) was inafairc 



cning, 



CmaPo 



and cleare day fmttten with ligh 



