Immagini della pagina
PDF
ePub

just association. Erasistratus could scarcely have adopted so wild a theory, unless it had been in trying to put together the fragments of a broken system, of which he was unable to collect the whole materials. Perhaps then he had heard from the priests of Egypt some tradition upon this subject, which he imperfectly understood. This tradition might have been, that the vital air is separated in the lungs from the air respired, and that it produces sensible changes upon the blood, when that fluid is pushed forwards into the arteries.

The impartial reader will now judge, whether it be not probable, that the physicians of Greece owed much to those of Egypt. He must have observed the admiration, bordering on the limits of exaggeration, with which Homer speaks of the medical knowledge of the Egyptians. He can have scarcely questioned either the ignorance of the Asclepiades, or the frauds which they practised. He must have seen, that the Greeks really knew nothing of the art of healing, until Pythagoras returned from Egypt and the East, where he had obtained all his learning. Then indeed the light of science began to dawn upon Europe. Medicine was taught upon rational principles; and the disciples of the school of Crotona, such as Empedocles the Sicilian, Epicharmus and Metrodorus of Cos, Timæus the Locrian, and Democides, were celebrated as physicians in Greece, in Italy, and in Asia. About half a century after the death of Pythagoras, Democritus, who had passed many years in Chaldea and Egypt, revisited his native country. He found leisure amidst his philosophical labors, to give lessons in medicine to Hippocrates. Another flood of light poured in upon Greece. The pupil of Democritus became the medical preceptor of mankind. Finally, the reader must have observed, that immediately after the establishment of the Greeks at Alexandria, the science of anatomy suddenly florished, and suddenly decayed. It seems as if the first comers had profited by the traditions of the Egyptian priests, had appropriated to themselves all that remained yet untouched of the wreck of ancient learning, and had left their successors to the efforts of their own ingenuity. Thus in following the progress of medical knowledge among the Greeks, we find that it was always connected with their mtercourse with the Egyptians, and that every new accession of information among

them was preceded by some communication with that people. Who indeed can contemplate with impartiality the history of medicine in Greece, without seeing that the art could not have so suddenly advanced towards perfection, unless there had been some foreign source, from which such men as Pythagoras and Democritus drew their knowledge? Science is not of mushroom growth. It is born of experience. It becomes strong when it rests upon the accumulated testimonies of the wise. Like the oak, it comes slowly to maturity; nor shows itself clad in the fulness of its honors to the generation that saw it planted in the soil.

February, 1818.

[ocr errors]

W. DRUMMOND.

P.S. No. XXXII. p. 267. for 14,850 will give as precisely 118,800,000 feet,' read' 14,850, multiplied by 8000, will give as precisely 118,800,000 feet.' A few lines below, for 19,840,' read ' 19,340.'

[ocr errors]

NOTÆ ET CURE SEQUENTES IN ARATI DIOSEMEA,

a TH. FORSTER, F.L.S.

No. 111. [Continued from No. XXXIII. p. 51.]

Οὐ γὰρ ὅτ ̓ ἀμφοτέρωθεν ὁμοῦ περὶ μέσσον ἔχωσιν
Ηέλιον κεῖναι νεφέλαι, σχεδὸν ὠκεανοῖο
Γίγνεται ἀμβολίη, διόθεν χειμῶνος ἰόντος.
Εἴγε μὲν ἐκ βορέαο μίν οἴη φοινίσσοιτο,

148-156. Observa, vel orientis vel occidentis solis, si illa nubium phænomena, quæ parhelia vocant, aut ab Austro aut a Borea rubescunt, aut utrimque; nec frivole custodi hanc observationem. Non enim, cum utrimque simul eæ nubes solem in medio continent, cum prope oceanum sit, pluviæ venientis dilatio e cœlo fit. Si vero e Borea una sola rubescat, e Borea fla

155

tum expecta; si ex Austro ventum ex ea parte.

Per Taphov intelligenda est falsa solis species juxta solem apparens; non simpliciter nubes rubens aut splendida juxta solem. Nonnulli transtulere "nubes quas parhelia vocant." Sed quoniam de nubibus lucidis juxta solem apparentibus, aliis locis agitur, sine ullo nominis hujus (aphor) usu, placet

̓Εκ βορέω πνοιάς κε φέροι, νοτίη δὲ, νότοιο. Η καί που ῥαθάμιγγες ἐπιτροχόωσ ̓ ὑετοῖο· Εσπερίοις καὶ μᾶλλον ἀλήθεα τεκμήραιο· ̔Εσπέροθεν γὰρ ὁμῶς σημαίνεται ἐμμενὲς αἰεί. Σκέπτεο καὶ φάτνην· ἡ μέν τ' ὀλίγῃ εἰκυῖα

nobis vepéwv rà reddere (ut supra) nubium effectus seu phænomena, quæ parhelia vocant; cum qua interpretatione non male congruit Aristotelis parheliorum descriptio, Παρήλιοι δὲ καὶ ῥᾶβδοι γίνονται ἐκ πλαγίας ἀεί· καὶ οὔτ ̓ ἄνωθεν, οὔτε πρὸς τῇ γῇ, οὔτ ̓ ἐξ ἐναντίας, οὐδὲ δὴ νύκτωρ, ἀλλ ̓ ἀεὶ περὶ τὴν ἥλιον ἔτι δ ̓ ἡ αἰρομένου ἢ καταφερομένει τὰ πλεῖστα δὲ πρὸς δύσμας μεσουρανοῦ τες δὲ σπάνιόν τι γέγονεν οἷον ἐν Βοσπόρῳ τοτε συνέπεσε· δι ̓ ὅλης γὰρ τῆς ἡμέρας συνάσχοντες δύο Taphλiol DIETÉλETai μéxpi dvoμŵv. [Arist. Meteor. iii. 2.] Plinius illustrat hanc descriptionem in Historiæ Naturalis libro de parbeliis ita locutus: "Et rursus plures soles simul cernuntur, nec supra ipsum nec infra sed ex obliquo, numquam juxta nec contra terram, nec noctu; sed aut oriente aut occidente. Semel ex meridie conspecti in Bosphoro produntur; qui a matutino tempore duravere in occasum. Trinos soles antiqui sæpius videre; sicut Sp. Postumio, Q. Mutio, et Q. Martio, M. Por. tio, et M. Antonio, P. Dolabella, et M. Lepido, L. Planco coss. Et nostra ætas vidit divo Claudio principe, consulatu ejus Cornelio Orfito collega. Plures simul quam tres visi, ad hoc ævi numquam produntur." [Plin. Hist. Nat. ii. 31.] Seneca accuratius scribit, "Sunt autem imagines solis in nube spissa et vicina in modum speculi. Quidam parhelion ita definiunt: Nubes rotunda et splendida similisque soli." [Senec. Nat. Quæst. i. 2.]

v. 155. poiioooто proprie ad purpureum seu phoeniceum colorem refert; Scapula derivat a verbo phoenix: dubito an hoc in loco rubere pro purpurescere ponitur; vel simpliciter splendescere intelligi debet. Parhelia semper splendent; aliquando color additur, per refractionem. Sed vetat Seneca, (de parheliis) "Ceterum nihil habent ardoris hebetes ac languidi." [Senec. Nat. Quæst. i. 2.]

Horum omnium phantasmatum communis causa refractio est ipsa tamen differunt inter se secundum diversas interposita nubis qualitates; quod

160

plane non ignorabant veteres : ita Aristoteles, Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον τούτων ἁπάντων ταυτὸ, πάντα γὰρ ἀνάκλασις ταῦτά ἐστι διαφέρουσι δὲ τοῖς τρόποις, καὶ ἀφ ̓ ὧν καὶ ὡς συμβαίνει τὴν ἀνάκλασιν γίγνεσθαι πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἢ πρὸς ἄλλο τι τῶν λαμπρῶν. [Aristot. Meteor. iii. 2.] Per ῥαβδοὺς intellige apparentes solis radios, quos Romani virgas appellavere. Seneca de parheliis scribit, " Quid eas vocem imagines solis? Historici soles vocant et binos ternosque apparuisse memor riæ tradunt. Græci Parhelia appellant, quia in propinquo fere a sole visuntur aut quia adcedunt ad aliquam similitudinem solis." In capite xiii. ita est, "Solent et bina parhelia fieri, eadem ratione." Et paullo infra, " Pluviarum autem et hi soles (utar enim historica lingua) indicia sunt; præcipue si a parte Austri constiterunt, unde maxime nubes ingravescunt: cum utrimque solem cinxit talis effigies (si Arato credimus) tempestas surgit." [Senec. Nat. Quæst. i. 13.]

De rubescentibus nubibus ita Apollonius in Argonauticis, Τῶ δὲ δι ̓ ἀτραπιτοῖο μεθ ̓ ἱερὸν ἄλσος ἵκον

[blocks in formation]

̓Αχλύϊ, βοῤῥαίη ὑπὸ Καρκίνῳ ἠγηλάζει.

̓Αμφὶ δέ μιν δύο λεπτὰ φαινόμενοι φορέονται

Αστέρες, οὔτε τι πολλὸν ἀπήοροι, οὔτε μαλ' ἐγγὺς, Αλλ' όσσον τε μάλιστα πυγούσιον οιήσασθαι· Εἷς μὲν παρ' βορέαο, νότῳ δ ̓ ἐπιέρχεται ἄλλος· Καὶ τοὶ μὲν καλέονται ὄνοι· μέσση δέ τε φάτνη, “Ητε καὶ ἐξαπίνης πάντη Διὸς εὐδιάοντος Γίνετ ̓ ἄφαντος ὅλη· τοὶ δ ̓ ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἰόντες ̓Αστέρες ἀλλήλων αὐτοσχεδὸν ἰνδάλλονται· Οὐκ ὀλίγῳ χειμῶνι τότε κλύζονται ἄρουραι. Εἰ δὲ μελαίνηται, τοὶ δ ̓ αὐτίκ ̓ ἐοικότες ὦσιν * Αστέρες ἀμφότεροι περὶ χ ̓ ὕδατι σημαίνοιεν. Εἰ δ ̓ ὁ μὲν ἐκ βορέω φάτνης ἀμενηνὰ φαείνῃ Λεπτὸς ἐπαχλυόων, νότιος δ ̓ ὄνος ἀγλαὸς εἴη, Δειδέχθαι ἀνέμοιο νότου βορέω δὲ μάλα χρὴ Εμπαλιν ἀχλυόεντι φαεινομένῳ τε δοκεύειν. Σήμα δέ τοι ἀνέμοιο καὶ οἶδαίνουσα θάλασσα, Γινέσθω· καὶ μακρὸν ἐπ ̓ αἰγίαλοι βοόωντες,

165

170

175

runtur; nec multum distantes, nec valde vicinæ ; sed talis distantia est ut maxime cubitum putes. Una Borem, altera Austro appropinquat. Atque hæ quidem Asini vocantur; medium autem Præsepe est. Ita descripta est a Theophrasto. Ἐν τῷ Καρκίνῳ δύο ἀστέρες εἰσὶν οἱ καλούμενοι ὄνοι. [Theoph. Sign. Pluv.]

167. Pergit enarrare quæ ex præsepi prognostica sunt; quo meteorologica astronomicis confundit. Nam diversæ harum stellarum species, non a propria ipsarum atmosphæra, sed a nostro aëre efficiuntur; quare ergo hæ, magis quam aliæ stellæ per obscuritatem suam tempestates portendere possint? Si quidem ab ipsarum aëre aut aliquo circa eas fieri possit speciei variatio, quis credit tantam inter tam remota sidera relationem existere, ut aliquid in stellis visum pluviam in mundo præmoneret? Sensus est-Quod etiam confestim, cœlo sereno, fit evanidum totum ; atque stellæ utrimque coeuntes, si invicem vicinæ apparent; non modica tempestate arva inundant. Si autem nigrescat, rursus vero eodem colore ambæ stellæ existunt, pluvias significant. Si vero hic (ovos) qui est e præsepis borea modice tenebrescens, languide splendeat, cum austrinus asellus lucidus sit,

ventum Austrum expecta. Boream vero e contra tenebrescente lucenteque observare oportet.-Theophrastum secutus est, qui ipse hanc constellationem præcipue tempestatem præmonuisse docet, ἐν τῷ Καρκίνῳ δύο ἀστέρες εἰσὶν, οἱ καλούμενοι ὄνοι, ὧν τὸ μέταξυ τὸ νεφέλιον ἡ φάτνη καλουμένη τοῦτο δὲ ἂν ζοφώδης γένηται, ὑδατικόν. [Theoph. Sign. Pluv.] Et postea inter tempestatis signa, ἡ τοῦ ὄνου φάτνη εἰ συνίσταται καὶ ζοφερά γίνεται χείμωνα σημαίνει. [Theoph. Sign. Temp.] Quum coelum nulla de causa apparente, ut scilicet nube, sed tamquam aëre densato obscuratur, ita ut in die sol, noctu vero luna et astra languido et obtuso lumine splendeant; nubes quam cirrostratum vocant diffusa est in aëre, e qua, ulla forma apparente, sed præcipue cum late diffusa sit, certissima pluviarum signa eveniunt. Rectius tamen paullo inferius hoc præsagium ad omnes stellas poëta retulit, quod nunc ad præsepe solum referre videtur. Vide vv. 281286.

178. Jam coelestia tempestatis prognostica relinquens, terrestria amplectitur. Et primum de ventorum signis agens, ita docet super eorum adventu significare. Atqui signum venti esto intumescens mare, nec non et margines

̓Ακταί τ' εινάλιοι, ὁπότ' εὔδιοι ήχήεσσαι Γίγνωνται, κορυφαί τε βοώμεναι οὔρεος ἄκραι. Καὶ δ ̓ ἂν ἐπὶ ξηρὴν ὅτ ̓ ἐρωδιὸς οὐ κατὰ κόσμον

multum sonantes. Etiam littora marina, cum serena arguta fiunt, sonantiaque summa montis cacumina. Theophrastus inter ventorum signa ponit áλaroa οἰδοῦσα, καὶ ἄκται βοῶσαι, καὶ αἰγίαλος hxwv åveμúdns. [Theoph. Sign. Vent.] Virgilius in Georgicorum libro primo ita Arati sensum expressit: "Continuo ventis surgentibus aut freta Ponti

Incipiunt agitata tumescere, et aridus altis

Montibus audiri fragor; aut resonantia longe

Littora misceri et nemorum increbrescere murmur."

[Virg. Geor. i. 359.]

Et in Æneidos libro decimo ubi cœlicolarum fremitus ventorum flaminibus comparat, de nemorum murmure scribit,

"Talibus orabat Juno, cunctique fremebant

Calicolæ adsensu vario. Ceu flamina prima

Cum deprensa fremunt sylvis, et cæca volutant

Murmura, venturos nautis prodentia ventos."

[Virg. Æneid. x. 99.]

Et Lucanus in quinto Pharsaliæ libro, "Tum rector trepidæ fatur ratis; Adspice sævum

Quanta paret pelagus: Zephyrusne

intendat an Eurus Incertum est: puppim dubius ferit undique pontus:

Nubibus et cœlo Notus est. Si murmura ponti

Consulimus, venient Cori in mare gur gite tanto

Nec ratis Hesperias tanget nec naufragus oras.'

[Lucan. Phars. v. 573.] Plinius in Hist. Nat. libro scribit: "Est et aquarum significatio. Mare si tranquillum in portu a cursu stabit, et murmuravit intra se, ventum prædi cit. Si identidem, et hyemem et im brem. Littora ripæque si resonabunt tranquillo; asperam tempestatem; item maris ipsius tranquillo sonitus; spu

180

mæve dispersæ aut aquæ bullantes. Pulmones marini in pelago, plurium dierum hyemem portendunt. Sæpe et silentio intumescit, flatuque altius solito jam intra se esse ventos fatetur. Equidem et montium sonitus nemorumque mugitus prædicunt-Atque etiam in campis tempestatem venturam præcedens suus fragor. Cœli quidem murmur non dubiam habet significationem." [Plin. Hist. Nat. xviii. 35.]

De hoc venti, e mari, prognostico ita Silius versificat:

"Sic ubi prima movent pelago certamina venti,

Inclusam rabiem ac sparsuras astra procellas

Parturit unda freti, fundoque emota minaces

Expirat per saxa sonos, atque acta cavernis

Torquet anhelantem in spumanti vertice pontum."

[Sil. Ital. lib. iv.]

Et Valerius,

"Ceu tumet atque imo sub gurgite concipit austros,

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« IndietroContinua »