476 
Pliny's natural histoet. 
[Book IX. 
for, as the eye-brows of the former are very heavy, they some- 
times fall over its eyes, and quite close them by their ponder- 
ousness, upon which the musculus swims before, and points out 
the shallow places which are likely to prove inconvenient to 
its vast bulk,^^ thus serving it in the stead of eyes. We 
shall now have to speak of the nature of the birds. 
SiJMMAKY. — Kemarkable facts, narratives, and observations, 
650. 
EoMAN AUTHOES QUOTED. — Tuxranius Gracilis,^^ Trogus,^^ 
Maecenas,^^ Alfius Flavus,^*^ Cornelius Nepos,^^ Laberius the 
Mimographer,^^ Pabianus,^^ Fenestella,^^ Mucianus,^ JElius 
the largest of animals ; from whicli Cuvier concludes it to have been a 
species of whale, probaljly the "rorqual" of the Mediterranean. In con- 
firmation of this, he thinks that the word "antecedit," in B. xi. c. 62, 
has not the meaning of goes before," but ''exceeds in size;" though 
here it is spoken of as leading the whale ; and Oppian, -^lian, Plutarch, 
Claudian, speak of the conductor of the whale as a little fish. He is 
of opinion, in fine, that either Pliny or some of the authors from 
which he has borrowed, have made a mistake in the name, and pro- 
bably given that of " musculus," which was really a large fish, to a small 
one, which was commonly supposed to attend on the movements of the 
whale. 
56 It is evident from this passage, that Pliny is speaking of a little fish 
here, and not one to which he would assign such bulk as is ascribed to the 
musculus in B. xxxii. c. 53. 
See end of B. iii. See end of B. vii. 
59 Caius Cilnius Mecsenas, or rather Maecenas, a descendant of the kings 
of Etruria, and of equestrian rank. He was the favourite minister of 
Augustus, and the friend and patron of Horace, Virgil, and most of the 
more deserving among the learned of his day. He is supposed to 
have written two tragedies, the Prometheus and Octavia ; an epic poem, 
and a work on Natural History, to which Pliny frequently alludes, and 
which seems to have related, principally, to fishes and gems. He is also 
thought to have written some memoirs of the life of Augustus. 
60 A rhetorician, who flourished in the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius. 
His school was attended by the elder Seneca, who had then recently re- 
moved to Rome from Corduba. He was regarded at Rome as a prodigy of 
learning, and gave lectures before he had assumed the toga virilis. He is 
supposed to have written poetry, and a history of the Carthaginian wars. 
61 See end of B. ii. 
63 Or '* writer of Mimes." Laberius Decimus was of equestrian rank, 
born about e.g. 107, and died e.g. 43. Half compelled, and half induced 
by the offer of a reward by Caesar, he appeared on the stage, in his old age, 
as an actor of mimes. A few verses, and a prologue still in existence, are 
attributed to him. ^3 J^^bianus Papirius. See end of B. ii. 
^ See end of B. viii. ^5 g^^t. ^^id of B. ii. 
