Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/97

Chap. 35.J ACCOIIK'T OF THE "WOELD. 63 was consul along mth Corn. Orfitus. "We have no account transmitted to us of more than three having been seen at the same time. CHAP. 32. (32.) — MANT MOOITS. Three moons have also been seen, as was the case in the c5onsulsliip of Cn. Domitius and C. Eannius ; thej have generally been named nocturnal suns^ CHAP. 33. (33.) — DAYLIGHT IN THE IflGHT. A bright light has been seen proceeding from the heavens in the night time, as was the case in the consulship of C. Csecilius and Cn. Papirius, and at many other times, so that there has been a kind of daylight in the night". CHAP. 34. (34.) — BITEIfllfG SHIELDS^ A burning shield darted across at sunset, from west to east, throwing out sparks, in the. consulship of L. Valerius and C. Marius. CHAP. 35. (35.) — AIS- OMINOUS APPEAEANCE IN THE HEAVENS, THAT WAS SEEN ONCE ONLY. We have an account of a spark falling from a star, and in- creasing as it approached the earth, until it became of the size of the moon, shining as through a cloud^ ; it afterwards returned into the heavens and was converted into a lampas ; this occurred in the consulship of Cn. Octavius and C. Scri- ^ This meteor has been named TrapaaeXtjvrj ; they are supposed to depend upon the same cause with the Parheha. A phsenomenon of this description is mentioned by Jul. Obsequens, cap. 92, and by Plutarch, in MarceUus, ii. 360. In Shakspeare's King John the death of Prince Arthur is said to have been foUowed by the ominous appearance of five moons. 2 This phenomenon must be referred to the aurora borealis. See Livy, xxviii. 11. and xxix. 14. ^ " clypei." ■* Probably an aerohte. Jul. Obsequens describes a meteor as " orbis dypei simihs," which was seen to pass from west to east, cap. 105. ' " ceu nubilo die."