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The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6): CHAP. 8. (11.)—OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STARS.

The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)
CHAP. 8. (11.)—OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STARS.

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table of contents
  1. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF PLINY.
  2. PREFACE
  3. THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF PLINY.
  4. CONTENTS. OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
  5. BOOK I.34 DEDICATION. C. PLINIUS SECUNDUS TO HIS FRIEND TITUS VESPASIAN.
  6. BOOK II. AN ACCOUNT OF THE WORLD AND THE ELEMENTS.
    1. CHAP. 1. (1.)—WHETHER THE WORLD BE FINITE, AND WHETHER THERE BE MORE THAN ONE WORLD.
    2. CHAP. 2. (2.)—OF THE FORM OF THE WORLD91.
    3. CHAP. 3. (3.)—OF ITS NATURE; WHENCE THE NAME IS DERIVED.
    4. CHAP. 4. (5.)—OF THE ELEMENTS100 AND THE PLANETS101.
    5. CHAP. 5. (7.)—OF GOD109.
    6. CHAP. 6. (8.)—OF THE NATURE OF THE STARS; OF THE MOTION OF THE PLANETS.
    7. CHAP. 7.—OF THE ECLIPSES OF THE MOON AND THE SUN.
    8. CHAP. 8. (11.)—OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STARS.
    9. CHAP. 9. (12.)—AN ACCOUNT OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE HEAVENS BY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.
    10. CHAP. 10. (13.)—ON THE RECURRENCE OF THE ECLIPSES OF THE SUN AND THE MOON.
    11. CHAP. 11. (14.)—OF THE MOTION OF THE MOON.
    12. CHAP. 12. (15.)—OF THE MOTIONS OF THE PLANETS AND THE GENERAL LAWS OF THEIR ASPECTS204.
    13. CHAP. 13.—WHY THE SAME STARS APPEAR AT SOME TIMES MORE LOFTY AND AT OTHER TIMES MORE NEAR.
    14. CHAP. 14. (17.)—WHY THE SAME STARS HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIONS.
    15. CHAP. 15.—GENERAL LAWS240 OF THE PLANETS.
    16. CHAP. 16. (18.)—THE REASON WHY THE STARS ARE OF DIFFERENT COLOURS.
    17. CHAP. 17. (19.)—OF THE MOTION OF THE SUN AND THE CAUSE OF THE IRREGULARITY OF THE DAYS.
    18. CHAP. 18. (20.)—WHY THUNDER IS ASCRIBED TO JUPITER.
    19. CHAP. 19. (21.)—OF THE DISTANCES OF THE STARS.
    20. CHAP. 20. (22.)—OF THE HARMONY OF THE STARS.
    21. CHAP. 21. (23.)—OF THE DIMENSIONS OF THE WORLD.
    22. CHAP. 22. (24.)—OF THE STARS WHICH APPEAR SUDDENLY, OR OF COMETS270.
    23. CHAP. 23.—THEIR NATURE, SITUATION, AND SPECIES.
    24. CHAP. 24. (26.)—THE DOCTRINE OF HIPPARCHUS293 ABOUT THE STARS.
    25. CHAP. 25.—EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY OF CELESTIAL PRODIGIES; FACES, LAMPADES, AND BOLIDES295.
    26. CHAP. 26.—TRABES CELESTES; CHASMA CŒLI.
    27. CHAP. 27. (27.)—OF THE COLOURS OF THE SKY AND OF CELESTIAL FLAME.
    28. CHAP. 28. (28.)—OF CELESTIAL CORONÆ.
    29. CHAP. 29.—OF SUDDEN CIRCLES.
    30. CHAP. 30.—OF UNUSUALLY LONG ECLIPSES OF THE SUN.
    31. CHAP. 31. (31.)—MANY SUNS.
    32. CHAP. 32. (32.)—MANY MOONS.
    33. CHAP. 33. (33.)—DAYLIGHT IN THE NIGHT.
    34. CHAP. 34. (34.)—BURNING SHIELDS311.
    35. CHAP. 35. (35.)—AN OMINOUS APPEARANCE IN THE HEAVENS, THAT WAS SEEN ONCE ONLY.
    36. CHAP. 36. (36.)—OF STARS WHICH MOVE ABOUT IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS.
    37. CHAP. 37. (37.)—OF THE STARS WHICH ARE NAMED CASTOR AND POLLUX316.
    38. CHAP. 38. (38.)—OF THE AIR AND ON THE CAUSE OF THE SHOWERS OF STONES.
    39. CHAP. 39. (39.)—OF THE STATED SEASONS.
    40. CHAP. 40. (40.)—OF THE RISING OF THE DOG-STAR.
    41. CHAP. 41. (41.)—OF THE REGULAR INFLUENCE OF THE DIFFERENT SEASONS.
    42. CHAP. 42. (42.)—OF UNCERTAIN STATES OF THE WEATHER.
    43. CHAP. 43. (43.)—OF THUNDER AND LIGHTNING.
    44. CHAP. 44.—THE ORIGIN OF WINDS.
    45. CHAP. 45.—VARIOUS OBSERVATIONS RESPECTING WINDS.
    46. CHAP. 46. (47.)—THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF WINDS349.
    47. CHAP. 47.—THE PERIODS OF THE WINDS360.
    48. CHAP. 48.—NATURE OF THE WINDS376.
    49. CHAP. 49. (48.)—ECNEPHIAS AND TYPHON.
    50. CHAP. 50.—TORNADOES; BLASTING WINDS; WHIRLWINDS389, AND OTHER WONDERFUL KINDS OF TEMPESTS.
    51. CHAP. 51. (50.)—OF THUNDER393; IN WHAT COUNTRIES IT DOES NOT FALL, AND FOR WHAT REASON.
    52. CHAP. 52. (51.)—OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIGHTNING395 AND THEIR WONDERFUL EFFECTS.
    53. CHAP. 53. (52.)—THE ETRURIAN400 AND THE ROMAN OBSERVATIONS ON THESE POINTS.
    54. CHAP. 54. (53.)—OF CONJURING UP THUNDER.
    55. CHAP. 55. (54.)—GENERAL LAWS OF LIGHTNING.
    56. CHAP. 56. (55.)—OBJECTS WHICH ARE NEVER STRUCK.
    57. CHAP. 57. (56.)—SHOWERS OF MILK, BLOOD, FLESH, IRON, WOOL, AND BAKED TILES422.
    58. CHAP. 58. (57.)—RATTLING OF ARMS AND THE SOUND OF TRUMPETS HEARD IN THE SKY.
    59. CHAP. 59. (58.)—OF STONES THAT HAVE FALLEN FROM THE CLOUDS429. THE OPINION OF ANAXAGORAS RESPECTING THEM.
    60. CHAP. 60. (59.)—THE RAINBOW.
    61. CHAP. 61.—THE NATURE OF HAIL, SNOW, HOAR, MIST, DEW; THE FORMS OF CLOUDS.
    62. CHAP. 62. (62.)—THE PECULIARITIES OF THE WEATHER IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
    63. CHAP. 63. (63.)—NATURE OF THE EARTH.
    64. CHAP. 64. (64.)—OF THE FORM OF THE EARTH.
    65. CHAP. 65. (65.)—WHETHER THERE BE ANTIPODES?
    66. CHAP. 66.—HOW THE WATER IS CONNECTED WITH THE EARTH. OF THE NAVIGATION OF THE SEA AND THE RIVERS.
    67. CHAP. 67. (67.)—WHETHER THE OCEAN SURROUNDS THE EARTH.
    68. CHAP. 68. (68.)—WHAT PART OF THE EARTH IS INHABITED.
    69. CHAP. 69. (69.)—THAT THE EARTH IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD.
    70. CHAP. 70. (70.)—OF THE OBLIQUITY OF THE ZONES484.
    71. CHAP. 71.—OF THE INEQUALITY OF CLIMATES.
    72. CHAP. 72.—IN WHAT PLACES ECLIPSES ARE INVISIBLE, AND WHY THIS IS THE CASE.
    73. CHAP. 73. (71.)—WHAT REGULATES THE DAYLIGHT ON THE EARTH.
    74. CHAP. 74. (72.)—REMARKS ON DIALS, AS CONNECTED WITH THIS SUBJECT.
    75. CHAP. 75. (73.)—WHEN AND WHERE THERE ARE NO SHADOWS.
    76. CHAP. 76. (74.)—-WHERE THIS TAKES PLACE TWICE IN THE YEAR AND WHERE THE SHADOWS FALL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.
    77. CHAP. 77. (75.)—WHERE THE DAYS ARE THE LONGEST AND WHERE THE SHORTEST.
    78. CHAP. 78. (76.)—OF THE FIRST DIAL.
    79. CHAP. 79. (77.)—OF THE MODE IN WHICH THE DAYS ARE COMPUTED.
    80. CHAP. 80. (78.)—OF THE DIFFERENCE OF NATIONS AS DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE WORLD.
    81. CHAP. 81. (79.)—OF EARTHQUAKES.
    82. CHAP. 82. (80.)—OF CLEFTS OF THE EARTH.
    83. CHAP. 83. (81.)—SIGNS OF AN APPROACHING EARTHQUAKE.
    84. CHAP. 84. (82.)—PRESERVATIVES AGAINST FUTURE EARTHQUAKES.
    85. CHAP. 85. (83.)—PRODIGIES OF THE EARTH WHICH HAVE OCCURRED ONCE ONLY.
    86. CHAP. 86. (84.)—WONDERFUL CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING EARTHQUAKES.
    87. CHAP. 87. (85.)—IN WHAT PLACES THE SEA HAS RECEDED.
    88. CHAP. 88. (86.)—THE MODE IN WHICH ISLANDS RISE UP.
    89. CHAP. 89. (87.)—WHAT ISLANDS HAVE BEEN FORMED, AND AT WHAT PERIODS.
    90. CHAP 90.—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN SEPARATED BY THE SEA.
    91. CHAP. 91. (89.)—ISLANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN UNITED TO THE MAIN LAND.
    92. CHAP. 92. (90.)—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN TOTALLY CHANGED INTO SEAS.
    93. CHAP. 93. (91.)—LANDS WHICH HAVE BEEN SWALLOWED UP.
    94. CHAP. 94. (92.)—CITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN ABSORBED BY THE SEA.
    95. CHAP. 95. (93.)—OF VENTS587 IN THE EARTH.
    96. CHAP. 96. (94.)—OF CERTAIN LANDS WHICH ARE ALWAYS SHAKING, AND OF FLOATING ISLANDS.
    97. CHAP. 97. (96.)—PLACES IN WHICH IT NEVER RAINS.
    98. CHAP. 98.—THE WONDERS OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES COLLECTED TOGETHER.
    99. CHAP. 99. (97.)—CONCERNING THE CAUSE OF THE FLOWING AND EBBING OF THE SEA.
    100. CHAP. 100.—WHERE THE TIDES RISE AND FALL IN AN UNUSUAL MANNER.
    101. CHAP. 101. (98.)—WONDERS OF THE SEA.
    102. CHAP. 102. (99.)—THE POWER OF THE MOON OVER THE LAND AND THE SEA.
    103. CHAP. 103. (100.)—THE POWER OF THE SUN.
    104. CHAP. 104.—WHY THE SEA IS SALT.
    105. CHAP. 105. (102.)—WHERE THE SEA IS THE DEEPEST.
    106. CHAP. 106. (103.)—THE WONDERS OF FOUNTAINS AND RIVERS.
    107. CHAP. 107.—THE WONDERS OF FIRE AND WATER UNITED.
    108. CHAP. 108. (104.)—OF MALTHA.
    109. CHAP. 109. (105.)—OF NAPHTHA.
    110. CHAP. 110. (106.)—PLACES WHICH ARE ALWAYS BURNING.
    111. CHAP. 111. (107.)—WONDERS OF FIRE ALONE.
    112. CHAP. 112. (108.)—THE DIMENSIONS OF THE EARTH.
    113. CHAP. 113.—THE HARMONICAL PROPORTION OF THE UNIVERSE.
  7. BOOK III. AN ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, NATIONS, SEAS, TOWNS, HAVENS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, DISTANCES, AND PEOPLES WHO NOW EXIST OR FORMERLY EXISTED. INTRODUCTION.
    1. CHAP. 1. (1.)—THE BOUNDARIES AND GULFS OF EUROPE FIRST SET FORTH IN A GENERAL WAY.
    2. CHAP. 2.—OF SPAIN GENERALLY.
    3. CHAP. 3.—OF BÆTICA.
    4. CHAP. 4. (3.)—OF NEARER SPAIN.
    5. CHAP. 5. (4.)—OF THE PROVINCE OF GALLIA NARBONENSIS.
    6. CHAP. 6. (5.)—OF ITALY.
    7. CHAP. 7.—OF THE NINTH1167 REGION OF ITALY.
    8. CHAP. 8.—THE SEVENTH REGION OF ITALY.
    9. CHAP. 9.—THE FIRST REGION OF ITALY1264; THE TIBER; ROME.
    10. CHAP. 10.—THE THIRD REGION OF ITALY.
    11. CHAP. 11.—SIXTY-FOUR ISLANDS, AMONG WHICH ARE THE BALEARES.
    12. CHAP. 12. (6.)—CORSICA.
    13. CHAP. 13.—SARDINIA.
    14. CHAP. 14. (8.)—SICILY.
    15. CHAP. 15. (10.)—MAGNA GRÆCIA, BEGINNING AT LOCRI.
    16. CHAP. 16.—THE SECOND REGION OF ITALY.
    17. CHAP. 17. (12.)—THE FOURTH REGION OF ITALY.
    18. CHAP. 18. (13.)—THE FIFTH REGION OF ITALY.
    19. CHAP. 19. (14.)—THE SIXTH REGION OF ITALY.
    20. CHAP. 20. (15.)—THE EIGHTH REGION OF ITALY; THE PADUS.
    21. CHAP. 21. (17.)—THE ELEVENTH REGION OF ITALY; ITALIA TRANSPADANA.
    22. CHAP. 22. (18.)—THE TENTH REGION OF ITALY.
    23. CHAP. 23. (19.)—ISTRIA, ITS PEOPLE AND LOCALITY.
    24. CHAP. 24. (20.)—THE ALPS, AND THE ALPINE NATIONS.
    25. CHAP. 25. (21.)—LIBURNIA AND ILLYRICUM.
    26. CHAP. 26. (22.)—DALMATIA.
    27. CHAP. 27. (24.)—THE NORICI.
    28. CHAP. 28. (25.)—PANNONIA.
    29. CHAP. 29. (26.)—MŒSIA.
    30. CHAP. 30.—ISLANDS OF THE IONIAN SEA AND THE ADRIATIC.
  8. BOOK IV. AN ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, NATIONS, SEAS, TOWNS, HAVENS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, DISTANCES, AND PEOPLES WHO NOW EXIST OR FORMERLY EXISTED.
    1. CHAP. 1. (1.)—EPIRUS.
    2. CHAP. 2.—ACARNANIA.
    3. CHAP. 3. (2.)—ÆTOLIA.
    4. CHAP. 4. (3.)—LOCRIS AND PHOCIS.
    5. CHAP. 5. (4.)—THE PELOPONNESUS.
    6. CHAP. 6. (5.)—ACHAIA.
    7. CHAP. 7.—MESSENIA.
    8. CHAP. 8.—LACONIA.
    9. CHAP. 9.—ARGOLIS.
    10. CHAP. 10. (6.)—ARCADIA.
    11. CHAP. 11. (7.)—ATTICA.
    12. CHAP. 12.—BŒOTIA.
    13. CHAP. 13.—DORIS.
    14. CHAP. 14.—PHTHIOTIS.
    15. CHAP. 15. (8.)—THESSALY PROPER.
    16. CHAP. 16. (9.)—MAGNESIA.
    17. CHAP. 17. (10.)—MACEDONIA.
    18. CHAP. 18. (11.)—THRACE; THE ÆGEAN SEA.
    19. CHAP. 19. (12.)—THE ISLANDS WHICH LIE BEFORE THE LANDS ALREADY MENTIONED.
    20. CHAP. 20.—CRETE.
    21. CHAP. 21.—EUBŒA.
    22. CHAP. 22.—THE CYCLADES.
    23. CHAP. 23.—THE SPORADES.
    24. CHAP. 24.—THE HELLESPONT.—THE LAKE MÆOTIS.
    25. CHAP. 25.—DACIA, SARMATIA.
    26. CHAP. 26.—SCYTHIA.
    27. CHAP. 27.—THE ISLANDS OF THE EUXINE. THE ISLANDS OF THE NORTHERN OCEAN.
    28. CHAP. 28.—GERMANY.
    29. CHAP. 29. (15.)—NINETY-SIX ISLANDS OF THE GALLIC OCEAN.
    30. CHAP. 30. (16.)—BRITANNIA.
    31. CHAP. 31. (17.)—GALLIA BELGICA.
    32. CHAP. 32. (18.)—GALLIA LUGDUNENSIS.
    33. CHAP. 33. (19.)—GALLIA AQUITANICA.
    34. CHAP. 34. (20.)—NEARER SPAIN, ITS COAST ALONG THE GALLIC OCEAN.
    35. CHAP. 35. (21.)—LUSITANIA.
    36. CHAP. 36.—THE ISLANDS IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
    37. CHAP. 37. (23.)—THE GENERAL MEASUREMENT OF EUROPE.
  9. BOOK V. AN ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, NATIONS, SEAS, TOWNS, HAVENS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, DISTANCES, AND PEOPLES WHO NOW EXIST OR FORMERLY EXISTED.
    1. CHAP. 1.—THE TWO MAURITANIAS.
    2. CHAP. 2. (3.)—NUMIDIA.
    3. CHAP. 3. (4.)—AFRICA.
    4. CHAP. 4.—THE SYRTES.
    5. CHAP. 5. (5.)—CYRENAICA.
    6. CHAP. 6. (6.)—LIBYA MAREOTIS.
    7. CHAP. 7. (7.)—THE ISLANDS IN THE VICINITY OF AFRICA.
    8. CHAP. 8. (8.)—COUNTRIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF AFRICA.
    9. CHAP. 9. (9.)—EGYPT AND THEBAIS.
    10. CHAP. 10.—THE RIVER NILE.
    11. CHAP. 11.—THE CITIES OF EGYPT.
    12. CHAP. 12. (11.)—THE COASTS OF ARABIA, SITUATE ON THE EGYPTIAN SEA.
    13. CHAP. 13. (12.)—SYRIA.
    14. CHAP. 14.—IDUMÆA, PALÆSTINA, AND SAMARIA.
    15. CHAP. 15. (14.)—JUDÆA.
    16. CHAP. 16. (18.)—DECAPOLIS.
    17. CHAP. 17. (19.)—PHŒNICE.
    18. CHAP. 18.—SYRIA ANTIOCHIA.
    19. CHAP. 19. (23.)—THE REMAINING PARTS OF SYRIA.
    20. CHAP. 20. (24.)—THE EUPHRATES.
    21. CHAP. 21.—SYRIA UPON THE EUPHRATES.
    22. CHAP. 22. (27.)—CILICIA AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
    23. CHAP. 23.—ISAURIA AND THE HOMONADES.
    24. CHAP. 24.—PISIDIA.
    25. CHAP. 25.—LYCAONIA.
    26. CHAP. 26.—PAMPHYLIA.
    27. CHAP. 27.—MOUNT TAURUS.
    28. CHAP. 28.—LYCIA.
    29. CHAP. 29.—CARIA.
    30. CHAP. 30.—LYDIA.
    31. CHAP. 31.—IONIA.
    32. CHAP. 32. (30.)—ÆOLIS.
    33. CHAP. 33.—TROAS AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
    34. CHAP. 34. (31.)—THE ISLANDS WHICH LIE IN FRONT OF ASIA.
    35. CHAP. 35.—CYPRUS.
    36. CHAP. 36.—RHODES.
    37. CHAP. 37.—SAMOS.
    38. CHAP. 38.—CHIOS.
    39. CHAP. 39.—LESBOS.
    40. CHAP. 40. (32.)—THE HELLESPONT AND MYSIA.
    41. CHAP. 41.—PHRYGIA.
    42. CHAP. 42.—GALATIA AND THE ADJOINING NATIONS.
    43. CHAP. 43.—BITHYNIA.
    44. CHAP. 44.—THE ISLANDS OF THE PROPONTIS.
  10. APPENDIX OF CORRECTIONS.
  11. FOOTNOTES:
  12. THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE

CHAP. 8. (11.)—OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STARS.

This kind of reasoning carries the human mind to the heavens, and by contemplating the world as it were from thence, it discloses to us the magnitude of the three greatest bodies in nature178. For the sun could not be entirely concealed from the earth, by the intervention of the moon, if the earth were greater than the moon179. And the vast size of the third body, the sun, is manifest from that of the other two, so that it is not necessary to scrutinize its size, by arguing from its visible appearance, or from any conjectures of the mind; it must be immense, because the shadows of rows of trees, extending for any number of miles, are disposed in right lines180, as if the sun were in the middle of space. Also, because, at the equinox, he is vertical to all the inhabitants of the southern districts at the same time181; also, because the shadows of all the people who live on this side of the tropic fall, at noon, towards the north, and, at sunrise, point to the west. But this could not be the case unless the sun were much greater than the earth; nor, unless it much exceeded Mount Ida in breadth, could he be seen when he rises, passing considerably beyond it to the right and to the left, especially, considering that it is separated by so great an interval182.

The eclipse of the moon affords an undoubted argument of the sun’s magnitude, as it also does of the small size of the earth183. For there are shadows of three figures, and it is evident, that if the body which produces the shadow be equal to the light, then it will be thrown off in the form of a pillar, and have no termination. If the body be greater than the light, the shadow will be in the form of an inverted cone184 the bottom being the narrowest part, and being, at the same time, of an infinite length. If the body be less than the light, then we shall have the figure of a pyramid185, terminating in a point. Now of this last kind is the shadow which produces the eclipse of the moon, and this is so manifest that there can be no doubt remaining, that the earth is exceeded in magnitude by the sun, a circumstance which is indeed indicated by the silent declaration of nature herself. For why does he recede from us at the winter half of the year186? That by the darkness of the nights the earth may be refreshed, which otherwise would be burned up, as indeed it is in certain parts; so great is his size.

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CHAP. 9. (12.)—AN ACCOUNT OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE HEAVENS BY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.
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