Plinies Naturall Hiftdrie. 



A it. For hec writetb, that in /Egypt there was an Afpis ufcd ordinarily to come to tlie table of a 

 certaine ^gyptian^and there took meat at his hand : which Serpent afterwards had yon^onesj 

 whereof one chaunced to fting a fonne of the maifter of the hould,that he died of it.Now wlien 

 the dam (the old Afpis) came accordingly at the accuftomed houreof repuft for vidtualsjand ' 

 perceived the deed committed by her little one 5 not only killed itin fatisfadion of the former 

 fackjbut alfo forbarc the houfcjand was never knowne to repaire thither a gaine; 

 . \ . / T .f : • ■ :i ] -J 



Chap. lxxv. ^ ^- - 



"^The jleefe of living cr eatures;, 3 1*1 



►np'Hcqueftionj.Wliither living creatures fleepe or no? is not very difficukjbutfoonedeci- 

 Jj^ ded. For plainc it iSjthat of land creaturesjall that winke and clofe their eies doe fleep. As 

 for thofe in the water, that they alfo fleepe (though but a little) even they are of opin ion 

 who otherwife make doubt of the reft. And this they doc not coiled and gather by ihsir eies(foL 

 lids they have none to fliut ) but becaule they are feene to lie fo ftill and quietj as faft and found 

 afleepcjftirring no part^ but a little wagging their tailes^and feeming to ftart and bee affright at 

 any fuddaine noife made in the water. Asfor the Tunnies, wee may avouch more confidently oi 

 their repoic : for they come of purpofe to fleepe under the bankes or rockes. And flat broad fe- 

 llies lie fo ftill flecping among the flielves^ that oftentimes a man may take them up with his 

 hand.The Dolphins and Whales be heard to rout and fnort again jthey fleepe (b foundly.More-> 

 ^ over^as touching Infeds^no man needto doubt that they fleepe/o quietly doe they lie & make 

 no noife ; nayjif you bring a candle or other lightjandfet it even before their cies; you fball not 

 have them to awake nor move. An infant after it is bornCjfleepeth for certaine moneths at th© 

 firft^and in manner doth nothing els,Bui theclder he waxethjwakefull he is every day more than 

 other. Babes at the very beginning doe dreame. For they will waken and ftart fuddainely in a 

 fright : and as they lie afleepe, keepe a fucking of their lips, as if they were at the breaft heads. 

 Some never dreame at all. And if llich chaunce contrarie to this cuftome/or to dreame onesjit 

 hath been counted for a figne of death, as we have feenc aitd proved by many examples and ex- 

 periments. And here in this place there offereth it felfe a great quefiion, and very dilputablc pro 

 dr comra^gtoimdcd upon many experiments of both fides; namely. Whether the foule of man 

 while the bodie is atrefi/orefeah things to come ?and how it fhould fo doc ? or whether this be 

 a thing of meere chaunce and altogitherconje<5i:uralIj as many others be ? And furely if we goe 

 by hiiFories jwe may find as many of the one fide as the other. Howbeit all men in manner agree 

 in thisjThat dreames either immediatly upon drinking wine and full ftomacke, or els after the 

 firft fleepcjare vaine and of no effed. As for fleepe,it is nothing elfe but a retreat and withdraw- 

 ing of the foule into the mids of it felfe. Evident it is, that Horfes, Dogs, Kine,Oxen, Sheepe, 

 and Goats doe dreame. Whereupon itis credibly alfo thought, that all creatures which bring 

 forth their young quicke and li ving,doe the fame. As for thofe that lay cggcs, it is not fo certein 

 that they dreame ; but refblved it isjihatthcy all doe fleepe .Now let us pane and proceed to the 

 treatifc of Infers. 



« 



THE 



