The eighth Bdoke of 



HE EIGTH BOOKE OF 



THE HISTORIE OF NATVRE, 



WRITTEN BY C. PLINlYS 



S E C V N D V 



■1 



CHAPf li 



^ OfUfS^d kajisi Tk fraife of i.lephms : their mt and 

 underftandingi 



\ Affe wee now to treat of other living creatures^ and firft of land ijcafts : a- 

 mong whichj the Elephant is the greateft^ and commeth necreii in i^it I 

 and capacitiejto men :for they underftand the language of that country 

 wherein they are bred^ they do whatfoever they are commaundcdjthey 

 remember what duties they be taught, andwithalltakeapleafureand 

 delight both in love and alfo in glorie : nay more than all this, they em- 

 brace goodneflcjhoneftiCjprudence, and equitie, (rarequaiidss I may 

 tell you to be found in men) and withali have in religious reverence (vvith 

 a kind of devotion) not only the ftarres and planets,butthc funne and moonethey alfo worlliip. 

 And in very truth,writers there be vsho report thus much of them. That when the new moon be- 

 ginneth to appeare frcfh and brightjthey come down by whole heards to a certaine river named 

 Amclusjin the deferts and forreft of Mauritania, where after shat they arc wafhed and folemnly K 

 purified by fprinkling ^ dafhing themfelues all over with the waterjand have faiutcd and adored 

 after their manner that planer, they returne againe into the woods and chafes, carrying before 

 them their yong calves that be wearied and tired. Moreoverjihey are thought to have a lenie and 

 iinderftanding of religion and confciencc in others - for when ihey are to pafie thefsasinto an- 

 other countrey,they will not embarke before they be induced thereto by an oath of their gover- 

 aours and rulerSjThat they fhall returne againe : and fecn there have been divers of them, being 

 enfeebled by ficknefle(for as bigge and huge as they bcjfubjed they are to giievous maladics)to 

 lie upon their baekes, calling and flinging hearbs up toward beaven,as if they had procured and 

 fetthe earth to pray for them. Now for their dociljtie and aptneflc to learne any thing ; the king 

 they adore, they kneele before him, and offer unto him guirlands and cbaplet^of ftowers ancS ^ ' 

 green hcarbs.To conclude, thelefler fort of them^ which they call Baftardsjferve the indiaris 

 in good ftead to eaic and plou gh their ground. 



when Elephants were fut to'dutv 



^ He M time that ever they were kno^nc to draw at Roifjc, was in the triumph of Pm^ey 

 the greatXtef he had fubdued Affrickc, for then were two of thera put in gecres tohis tri- 

 umphant charriot. But long before thatj itisfaid that Father S/;(r<;^//^ having conquered 

 India,did the hke when he triumphed for his conqueft.Howbeit,in that triumph o{Pomj)(jyPro- M 

 cilim affirmeth^That coupled,as they were,two in oneyokejthey could not poffibly goe in at the 

 gates of Home.Irt the latefolemnitie of tournois and fword-fight at the iliarpe,which Germiini' 

 cm C^;' exhibited to gratifie the people,the Elephants were feeh to fhewpafiime with leaping 

 and keeping a fltLre^as if they daunced^afteE a rude and difordcrly manner^A common thing is 



was 



