PAN. Here's a strange man indeed, of skill profound! How right he knew my business, 'fore he saw me! And how thou scoff'st him, when we talk'd in private! 'Tis a brave instrument, his autocousticon. CRI. In earnest, sir, I took him for a cheater; As many, under name of cunning men, With promise of astrology much abuse The gaping vulgar, wronging that sacred skill, That in the stars reads all our actions. PAN. Are there no arches o'er our heads? Look, Cricca. CRI. None but the arch of heaven, that cannot fall. PAN. Is not that made of marble? I have read A stone dropp'd from the moon;[271] and much I fear The fit should take her now, and void another. CRI. Fear nothing, sir; this charm'd mercurial cap Shields from the fall of mountains: 'tis not a stone Can check his art: walk boldly. PAN. I do. Let's in. [_Exeunt._ FOOTNOTES: [227] This play seems to have been planned on "L'Astrologo" of Giam Battista della Porta.--_Pegge._ Battista Porta was the famous physiognomist of Naples. His play was printed at Venice in 1606. See Mr Steevens's note on "Timon of Athens," act iv. sc. 3. [228] The Spartans held stealing lawful, and encouraged it as a piece of military exercise; but punished it very severely if it was discovered. See Stanyan's "Grecian History," i. 80. [229] Mr Sale (p. 30 of "Preliminary Discourse to his Translation of the Koran," 4º edit.) says, "The frequent robberies committed by these people on merchants and travellers have rendered the name of an Arab almost infamous in Europe: this they are sensible of, and endeavour to excuse themselves by alleging the hard usage of their father Ishmael who, being turned out of doors by Abraham, had the open plains and deserts given him by God for his patrimony, with permission to take whatever he could find there; and, on this account, they think they may, with a safe conscience, indemnify themselves as well as they can, not only on the posterity of Isaac, but also on everybody else; always supposing a sort of kindred between themselves and those they plunder. And in relating their adventures of this kind, they think it sufficient to change the expression, and, instead of _I robbed a man of such or such a thing_, to say, _I gained it_. We must not, however, imagine that they are the less honest for this among themselves, or towards those whom they receive as friends; on the contrary, the strictest probity is observed in their camp, where everything is open, and nothing ever known to be stolen."