Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/107

Cliap. 46.] DIFFEEENT KINDS OF WINDS. ^3 winds with more minuteness tlian perhaps might otherwise appear suitable to my undertaking. CHAP. 46. (47.) — THE DIFFEEENT KINDS OF WINDS The ancients reckoned only four winds (nor indeed does Homer mention more") corresponding to the four parts of the world ; a very poor reason, as we now consider it. The next generation added eight others, but this was too refined and minute a di^dsion ; the moderns have taken a middle course, and, out of this great number, have added four to the original set. There are, therefore, two in each of the four quarters of the heavens. From the equinoctial rising of the sun^ proceeds Subsolanus'*, and, from his brumal rising, Yul- turnus^ ; the former is named by the G-reeks Apeliotes^, the latter Eurus. From the south we have Auster, and from the brumal setting of the sun, Africus ; these were named Notes ^ In his account and nomenclatui'e of the winds, Pliny has, for the most part, followed Aristotle, Meteor. Hb. ii. cap. 4. pp. 558-560, and cap. 6. pp. 563-565. The description of the diiierent winds by Seneca is not Yerj different, but where it does not coincide with Aristotle's, our author has generally prefen-ed the former ; see Nat. Qusest. Hb. 5. We have an account of the different winds, as prevaihng at particular sea- sons, m Ptolemy, De Judiciis Astrol. 1. 9. For the nomenclature and directions of the wdnds, we may refer to the remarks of Hardouin, Le- mahe, i. 328 et seq. 2 Odyss. v. 295, 296. 3 In giving names to the different wuids, the author designates the points of the compass whence they proceed, by the place where the sun rises or sets, at the different periods of the year. The followmg are the terms which he employs : — " Oriens sequinoctiahs," the place where the sun rises at the eqviinox, i. e. the East. " Oriens brumahs," where he rises on the shortest day, the S.E. " Occasus brumahs," where he sets on the shortest day, the S.W. " Occasus a?quinoctiahs," where he sets at the equinox, the W. " Occasus solstitiahs," where he sets on the longest day, the N.W. "Exortus solstitiahs," where he rises on the longest day, the N.E. " Inter septemtrionem et occasum solstitialem," between N. and N.W., N.N.W. " Inter aqiulonem et exortum aequi- noctialem," between N. and N.E., N.N.E. " Inter ortura brumalem et meridiem," between S. and S.E., S.S.E. " Inter meridiem et hybcrnum occidentem," between S. and.S.W., S.S.W. ^ " Quod sub sole nasci videtyr." ^ This name was probably derived from the town Yultumum in Cam- pania. ^ Seneca informs us, that what the Latins name Subsolanus, is named by the Greeks 'A^qXiwr^js ; Quast. Nat. hb. 5. § 16. p. 76 i.