204 
pliky's natueal histobt. 
Book YII. 
some opinion upon tlie science of the stars. Epigenes^^ used 
to maintain that human life could not be possibly prolonged to 
one hundred and twelve years, and Berosus^^ that it could 
exceed one hundred and seventeen. The system is still in 
existence vj^hich Petosiris and JS'ecepsos^^ transmitted to us, 
and called by them tartemorion,"^^ from the division of the 
signs into four portions ; from which it would appear, that life, 
in the region of Italy, may possibly be extended to one hun- 
dred and twenty-four years They maintain that, reckoning 
from the commencement of an ascending sign, no life can pos- 
sibly exceed a period of ninety degrees from that point ; which 
periods they call by the name of anaphoras they say also, 
that these anaphorae may be intercepted by meeting with ma- 
lign stars or their rays even, or those of the sun.^^ To theirs 
the school of ^sculapius succeeded, which admits that the al- 
lotted duration of life is regulated by the stars, but that it is 
quite uncertain what is the greatest extent of the period. 
These say that long life is uncommon, because a very great num- 
ber of persons are bom at critical moments in the hours of the 
lunar days ; for example, in the seventh and the fifteenth 
hours, both by day and night ; these individuals are subject 
to the malign influence of that ascending scale of the years 
which is termed the climacteric," and never hardly, when 
born under these circumstances, exceed the fifty -fourth year. 
61 We have an account of Epigenes, by Hardouin, Lemaire, vol. i, 
pp. 86, 87, where he is designated Shodius. He is referred to by Varro, 
Columella, and Seneca ; Pliny mentions him in other parts of his work. — 13. 
62 Berosus has been referred to in the 37th Chapter of the present 
Book.— B. 
63 For some account of Petosiris and Necepsos, see end of B. ii. 
6* Literally, the fourth part ; according to Hardouin' s explanation, Le- 
maire, vol. iii. p. 186. — B. 
65 Literally i^petitions." Dalechamps explains it as indicating, 
"that part of the heavens which is distant thirty parts ; that is to say, two 
signs from the horoscope Lemaire, vol. iii. p. 187. — B. 
66 Ajasson refers us to Jul. Firmicus for an explanation of the difference 
which may exist in the length of the lives of individuals as depending on 
their natal day; Lemaire, vol. iii. p. 186. It appears to have been one of 
the leading tenets of the astrologers, that the favourable influence of the 
ascending sign is diminished or counteracted by the rays of other planets, 
or of the sun, falling upon the sign in certain directions or at certain 
angles, and that the length of the life of the individual is shortened in pro- 
portion to this injurious effect. — B. 
6' This term means, literally, " increasing by a regular scale," or, *' ac- 
