524 
pliky's natueal histoet. 
[Book X. 
Caesars '^^ have a starling and some nightingales that are being 
taught to talk in Greek and Latin ; besides which, they are 
studying their task the whole day, continually repeating the 
new words that they have learnt, and giving utterance to 
phrases even of considerable length. Birds are taught to 
talk in a retired spot, and where no other voice can be heard, 
so as to interfere with their lesson ; a person sits by them, and 
continually repeats the words he wishes them to learn, while 
at the same time he encourages them by giving them food. 
CHAP. 60. (43.) A SEDITIOIS' THAT AEOSE AMONG THE EOMAN 
PEOPLE, IN- CONSEQUENCE OF A EAVEN SPEAKING. 
Let US do justice, also, to the raven, whose merits have been 
attested not only by the sentiments of the Eoman people, but 
by the strong expression, also, of their indignation. In the 
reign of Tiberius, one of a brood of ravens that had bred on 
the top of the temple of Castor, happened to fly into a shoe- 
maker's shop that stood opposite : upon which, from a feeling 
of religious veneration, it was looked upon as doubly recom- 
mended by the owner of the place. The bird, having been 
taught to speak at an early age, used every morning to fly to 
the E-ostra, which look towards the Forum ; here, addressing 
each by his name, it would salute Tiberius, and then the 
Caesars Germanicus and Drusus, after which it would pro- 
ceed to greet the Eoman populace as they passed, and then re- 
turn to the shop : for several years it was remarkable for the 
constancy of its attendance. The owner of another shoemaker's 
shop in the neighbourhood, in a sudden fit of anger killed the 
bird, enraged, as he would have had it appear, because with its 
ordure it had soiled some shoes of his. Upon this, there was 
such rage manifested by the multitude, that he was at once 
driven from that part of the city, and soon after put to death. 
The funeral, too, of the bird was celebrated with almost end- 
less obsequies ; the body was placed upon a litter carried upon 
the shoulders of two ^Ethiopians, preceded by a piper, and 
borne to the pile with garlands of every size and description. 
The pile was erected on the right-hand side of the Appian 
Way, at the second milestone from the City, in the field gene- 
Britannicus, the son of Claudius, and Nero, his stepson. 
71 In the eighth region of the city. 
"2 The nephew and son of Tiberius. 
