The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)
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BOHN’S CLASSICAL LIBRARY. PLINY’S NATURAL HISTORY.
TRANSLATED, WITH COPIOUS NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS
VOL. I.
LONDON: HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. MDCCCLV.
PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET.
The only translation of Pliny’s Natural History which has hitherto appeared in the English language is that by Philemon Holland, published in the latter part of the reign of Elizabeth. It is no disparagement to Holland’s merits, as a diligent and generally faithful translator, to say that his work is unsuited to the requirements of the nineteenth century.
In the present translation, the principal editions of Pliny have been carefully consulted, and no pains have been spared, as a reference to the Notes will show, to present to the reader the labours of recent Commentators, among whom stands pre-eminent the celebrated Cuvier. It has been a primary object to bring to the illustration of the work whatever was afforded by the progress of knowledge and modern discoveries in science and art. Without ample illustration, Pliny’s valuable work would want much of the interest which belongs to it, and present difficulties scarcely surmountable by any one who has not made the Author his especial study.
In the first two Books, the text of Hardouin, as given in Lemaire’s edition (Paris, 1827), has been followed; in the remainder that of Sillig (Gotha, 1851-3), excepting in some few instances, where, for reasons given in the Notes, it has been deemed advisable to depart from it. The first two Books, and portions of others, are the performance of the late Dr. Bostock, who contemplated a translation of the entire work; but, unfortunately for the interests of science, he was not permitted to carry his design into execution.
Having been previously known to Vespasian in the German wars, he was admitted into the number of his most intimate friends, and obtained an appointment at court, the nature of which is not known, but Rezzonico conjectures that it was in connexion with the imperial treasury. Though Pliny was on intimate terms also with Titus, to whom he dedicated his Natural History, there is little ground for the assertion, sometimes made, that he served under him in the Jewish wars. His account of Palestine clearly shows that he had never visited that country. It was at this period that he published his Continuation of the History of Aufidius Bassus.
the Elder Pliny
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PREFACE
CHAP. 1. (1.)—WHETHER THE WORLD BE FINITE, AND WHETHER THERE BE MORE THAN ONE WORLD.
CHAP. 3. (3.)—OF ITS NATURE; WHENCE THE NAME IS DERIVED.
CHAP. 6. (8.)—OF THE NATURE OF THE STARS; OF THE MOTION OF THE PLANETS.
CHAP. 7.—OF THE ECLIPSES OF THE MOON AND THE SUN.
CHAP. 8. (11.)—OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STARS.
CHAP. 9. (12.)—AN ACCOUNT OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE HEAVENS BY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.
CHAP. 10. (13.)—ON THE RECURRENCE OF THE ECLIPSES OF THE SUN AND THE MOON.
CHAP. 11. (14.)—OF THE MOTION OF THE MOON.
CHAP. 13.—WHY THE SAME STARS APPEAR AT SOME TIMES MORE LOFTY AND AT OTHER TIMES MORE NEAR.
CHAP. 14. (17.)—WHY THE SAME STARS HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIONS.
CHAP. 16. (18.)—THE REASON WHY THE STARS ARE OF DIFFERENT COLOURS.
CHAP. 17. (19.)—OF THE MOTION OF THE SUN AND THE CAUSE OF THE IRREGULARITY OF THE DAYS.
CHAP. 18. (20.)—WHY THUNDER IS ASCRIBED TO JUPITER.
CHAP. 19. (21.)—OF THE DISTANCES OF THE STARS.
CHAP. 20. (22.)—OF THE HARMONY OF THE STARS.
CHAP. 21. (23.)—OF THE DIMENSIONS OF THE WORLD.
CHAP. 23.—THEIR NATURE, SITUATION, AND SPECIES.
CHAP. 27. (27.)—OF THE COLOURS OF THE SKY AND OF CELESTIAL FLAME.
CHAP. 28. (28.)—OF CELESTIAL CORONÆ.
CHAP. 29.—OF SUDDEN CIRCLES.
CHAP. 30.—OF UNUSUALLY LONG ECLIPSES OF THE SUN.
CHAP. 31. (31.)—MANY SUNS.
CHAP. 32. (32.)—MANY MOONS.
CHAP. 33. (33.)—DAYLIGHT IN THE NIGHT.
CHAP. 35. (35.)—AN OMINOUS APPEARANCE IN THE HEAVENS, THAT WAS SEEN ONCE ONLY.
CHAP. 36. (36.)—OF STARS WHICH MOVE ABOUT IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS.
CHAP. 38. (38.)—OF THE AIR AND ON THE CAUSE OF THE SHOWERS OF STONES.
CHAP. 39. (39.)—OF THE STATED SEASONS.
CHAP. 40. (40.)—OF THE RISING OF THE DOG-STAR.
CHAP. 41. (41.)—OF THE REGULAR INFLUENCE OF THE DIFFERENT SEASONS.
CHAP. 42. (42.)—OF UNCERTAIN STATES OF THE WEATHER.
CHAP. 43. (43.)—OF THUNDER AND LIGHTNING.
CHAP. 44.—THE ORIGIN OF WINDS.
CHAP. 45.—VARIOUS OBSERVATIONS RESPECTING WINDS.
CHAP. 49. (48.)—ECNEPHIAS AND TYPHON.
CHAP. 54. (53.)—OF CONJURING UP THUNDER.
CHAP. 55. (54.)—GENERAL LAWS OF LIGHTNING.
CHAP. 56. (55.)—OBJECTS WHICH ARE NEVER STRUCK.
CHAP. 58. (57.)—RATTLING OF ARMS AND THE SOUND OF TRUMPETS HEARD IN THE SKY.
CHAP. 60. (59.)—THE RAINBOW.
CHAP. 61.—THE NATURE OF HAIL, SNOW, HOAR, MIST, DEW; THE FORMS OF CLOUDS.
CHAP. 62. (62.)—THE PECULIARITIES OF THE WEATHER IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
CHAP. 63. (63.)—NATURE OF THE EARTH.
CHAP. 64. (64.)—OF THE FORM OF THE EARTH.
CHAP. 65. (65.)—WHETHER THERE BE ANTIPODES?
CHAP. 66.—HOW THE WATER IS CONNECTED WITH THE EARTH. OF THE NAVIGATION OF THE SEA AND THE RIVERS.
CHAP. 67. (67.)—WHETHER THE OCEAN SURROUNDS THE EARTH.
CHAP. 68. (68.)—WHAT PART OF THE EARTH IS INHABITED.
CHAP. 69. (69.)—THAT THE EARTH IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD.
CHAP. 71.—OF THE INEQUALITY OF CLIMATES.
CHAP. 72.—IN WHAT PLACES ECLIPSES ARE INVISIBLE, AND WHY THIS IS THE CASE.
CHAP. 73. (71.)—WHAT REGULATES THE DAYLIGHT ON THE EARTH.
CHAP. 74. (72.)—REMARKS ON DIALS, AS CONNECTED WITH THIS SUBJECT.
CHAP. 75. (73.)—WHEN AND WHERE THERE ARE NO SHADOWS.
CHAP. 76. (74.)—-WHERE THIS TAKES PLACE TWICE IN THE YEAR AND WHERE THE SHADOWS FALL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.
CHAP. 77. (75.)—WHERE THE DAYS ARE THE LONGEST AND WHERE THE SHORTEST.
CHAP. 78. (76.)—OF THE FIRST DIAL.
CHAP. 79. (77.)—OF THE MODE IN WHICH THE DAYS ARE COMPUTED.
CHAP. 80. (78.)—OF THE DIFFERENCE OF NATIONS AS DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE WORLD.
CHAP. 81. (79.)—OF EARTHQUAKES.
CHAP. 82. (80.)—OF CLEFTS OF THE EARTH.
CHAP. 83. (81.)—SIGNS OF AN APPROACHING EARTHQUAKE.
CHAP. 84. (82.)—PRESERVATIVES AGAINST FUTURE EARTHQUAKES.
CHAP. 85. (83.)—PRODIGIES OF THE EARTH WHICH HAVE OCCURRED ONCE ONLY.
CHAP. 86. (84.)—WONDERFUL CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING EARTHQUAKES.
CHAP. 87. (85.)—IN WHAT PLACES THE SEA HAS RECEDED.
CHAP. 88. (86.)—THE MODE IN WHICH ISLANDS RISE UP.
CHAP. 89. (87.)—WHAT ISLANDS HAVE BEEN FORMED, AND AT WHAT PERIODS.
CHAP 90.—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN SEPARATED BY THE SEA.
CHAP. 91. (89.)—ISLANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN UNITED TO THE MAIN LAND.
CHAP. 92. (90.)—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN TOTALLY CHANGED INTO SEAS.
CHAP. 93. (91.)—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN SWALLOWED UP.
CHAP. 94. (92.)—CITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN ABSORBED BY THE SEA.
CHAP. 96. (94.)—OF CERTAIN LANDS WHICH ARE ALWAYS SHAKING, AND OF FLOATING ISLANDS.
CHAP. 97. (96.)—PLACES IN WHICH IT NEVER RAINS.
CHAP. 98.—THE WONDERS OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES COLLECTED TOGETHER.
CHAP. 99. (97.)—CONCERNING THE CAUSE OF THE FLOWING AND EBBING OF THE SEA.
CHAP. 100.—WHERE THE TIDES RISE AND FALL IN AN UNUSUAL MANNER.
CHAP. 101. (98.)—WONDERS OF THE SEA.
CHAP. 102. (99.)—THE POWER OF THE MOON OVER THE LAND AND THE SEA.
CHAP. 103. (100.)—THE POWER OF THE SUN.
CHAP. 104.—WHY THE SEA IS SALT.
CHAP. 105. (102.)—WHERE THE SEA IS THE DEEPEST.
CHAP. 106. (103.)—THE WONDERS OF FOUNTAINS AND RIVERS.
CHAP. 107.—THE WONDERS OF FIRE AND WATER UNITED.
CHAP. 108. (104.)—OF MALTHA.
CHAP. 109. (105.)—OF NAPHTHA.
CHAP. 110. (106.)—PLACES WHICH ARE ALWAYS BURNING.
CHAP. 111. (107.)—WONDERS OF FIRE ALONE.
CHAP. 112. (108.)—THE DIMENSIONS OF THE EARTH.
CHAP. 113.—THE HARMONICAL PROPORTION OF THE UNIVERSE.
CHAP. 1. (1.)—THE BOUNDARIES AND GULFS OF EUROPE FIRST SET FORTH IN A GENERAL WAY.
CHAP. 2.—OF SPAIN GENERALLY.
CHAP. 3.—OF BÆTICA.
CHAP. 4. (3.)—OF NEARER SPAIN.
CHAP. 5. (4.)—OF THE PROVINCE OF GALLIA NARBONENSIS.
CHAP. 6. (5.)—OF ITALY.
CHAP. 8.—THE SEVENTH REGION OF ITALY.
CHAP. 10.—THE THIRD REGION OF ITALY.
CHAP. 11.—SIXTY-FOUR ISLANDS, AMONG WHICH ARE THE BALEARES.
CHAP. 12. (6.)—CORSICA.
CHAP. 13.—SARDINIA.
CHAP. 14. (8.)—SICILY.
CHAP. 15. (10.)—MAGNA GRÆCIA, BEGINNING AT LOCRI.
CHAP. 16.—THE SECOND REGION OF ITALY.
CHAP. 17. (12.)—THE FOURTH REGION OF ITALY.
CHAP. 18. (13.)—THE FIFTH REGION OF ITALY.
CHAP. 19. (14.)—THE SIXTH REGION OF ITALY.
CHAP. 20. (15.)—THE EIGHTH REGION OF ITALY; THE PADUS.
CHAP. 21. (17.)—THE ELEVENTH REGION OF ITALY; ITALIA TRANSPADANA.
CHAP. 22. (18.)—THE TENTH REGION OF ITALY.
CHAP. 23. (19.)—ISTRIA, ITS PEOPLE AND LOCALITY.
CHAP. 24. (20.)—THE ALPS, AND THE ALPINE NATIONS.
CHAP. 25. (21.)—LIBURNIA AND ILLYRICUM.
CHAP. 26. (22.)—DALMATIA.
CHAP. 27. (24.)—THE NORICI.
CHAP. 28. (25.)—PANNONIA.
CHAP. 29. (26.)—MŒSIA.
CHAP. 30.—ISLANDS OF THE IONIAN SEA AND THE ADRIATIC.
CHAP. 1. (1.)—EPIRUS.
CHAP. 2.—ACARNANIA.
CHAP. 3. (2.)—ÆTOLIA.
CHAP. 4. (3.)—LOCRIS AND PHOCIS.
CHAP. 5. (4.)—THE PELOPONNESUS.
CHAP. 6. (5.)—ACHAIA.
CHAP. 7.—MESSENIA.
CHAP. 8.—LACONIA.
CHAP. 9.—ARGOLIS.
CHAP. 10. (6.)—ARCADIA.
CHAP. 11. (7.)—ATTICA.
CHAP. 12.—BŒOTIA.
CHAP. 13.—DORIS.
CHAP. 14.—PHTHIOTIS.
CHAP. 15. (8.)—THESSALY PROPER.
CHAP. 16. (9.)—MAGNESIA.
CHAP. 17. (10.)—MACEDONIA.
CHAP. 18. (11.)—THRACE; THE ÆGEAN SEA.
CHAP. 19. (12.)—THE ISLANDS WHICH LIE BEFORE THE LANDS ALREADY MENTIONED.
CHAP. 20.—CRETE.
CHAP. 21.—EUBŒA.
CHAP. 22.—THE CYCLADES.
CHAP. 23.—THE SPORADES.
CHAP. 24.—THE HELLESPONT.—THE LAKE MÆOTIS.
CHAP. 25.—DACIA, SARMATIA.
CHAP. 26.—SCYTHIA.
CHAP. 27.—THE ISLANDS OF THE EUXINE. THE ISLANDS OF THE NORTHERN OCEAN.
CHAP. 28.—GERMANY.
CHAP. 29. (15.)—NINETY-SIX ISLANDS OF THE GALLIC OCEAN.
CHAP. 30. (16.)—BRITANNIA.
CHAP. 31. (17.)—GALLIA BELGICA.
CHAP. 32. (18.)—GALLIA LUGDUNENSIS.
CHAP. 33. (19.)—GALLIA AQUITANICA.
CHAP. 34. (20.)—NEARER SPAIN, ITS COAST ALONG THE GALLIC OCEAN.
CHAP. 35. (21.)—LUSITANIA.
CHAP. 36.—THE ISLANDS IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
CHAP. 37. (23.)—THE GENERAL MEASUREMENT OF EUROPE.
CHAP. 1.—THE TWO MAURITANIAS.
CHAP. 2. (3.)—NUMIDIA.
CHAP. 3. (4.)—AFRICA.
CHAP. 4.—THE SYRTES.
CHAP. 5. (5.)—CYRENAICA.
CHAP. 6. (6.)—LIBYA MAREOTIS.
CHAP. 7. (7.)—THE ISLANDS IN THE VICINITY OF AFRICA.
CHAP. 8. (8.)—COUNTRIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF AFRICA.
CHAP. 9. (9.)—EGYPT AND THEBAIS.
CHAP. 10.—THE RIVER NILE.
CHAP. 11.—THE CITIES OF EGYPT.
CHAP. 12. (11.)—THE COASTS OF ARABIA, SITUATE ON THE EGYPTIAN SEA.
CHAP. 13. (12.)—SYRIA.
CHAP. 14.—IDUMÆA, PALÆSTINA, AND SAMARIA.
CHAP. 15. (14.)—JUDÆA.
CHAP. 16. (18.)—DECAPOLIS.
CHAP. 17. (19.)—PHŒNICE.
CHAP. 18.—SYRIA ANTIOCHIA.
CHAP. 19. (23.)—THE REMAINING PARTS OF SYRIA.
CHAP. 20. (24.)—THE EUPHRATES.
CHAP. 21.—SYRIA UPON THE EUPHRATES.
CHAP. 22. (27.)—CILICIA AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
CHAP. 23.—ISAURIA AND THE HOMONADES.
CHAP. 24.—PISIDIA.
CHAP. 25.—LYCAONIA.
CHAP. 26.—PAMPHYLIA.
CHAP. 27.—MOUNT TAURUS.
CHAP. 28.—LYCIA.
CHAP. 29.—CARIA.
CHAP. 30.—LYDIA.
CHAP. 31.—IONIA.
CHAP. 32. (30.)—ÆOLIS.
CHAP. 33.—TROAS AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
CHAP. 34. (31.)—THE ISLANDS WHICH LIE IN FRONT OF ASIA.
CHAP. 35.—CYPRUS.
CHAP. 36.—RHODES.
CHAP. 37.—SAMOS.
CHAP. 38.—CHIOS.
CHAP. 39.—LESBOS.
CHAP. 40. (32.)—THE HELLESPONT AND MYSIA.
CHAP. 41.—PHRYGIA.
CHAP. 42.—GALATIA AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
CHAP. 43.—BITHYNIA.
CHAP. 44.—THE ISLANDS OF THE PROPONTIS.
APPENDIX OF CORRECTIONS.
FOOTNOTES:
