Now the greatest singularity in this king’s disease is, that it was instantly inflicted on him from heaven (which he himself acknowledged according to Josephus[148]) otherwise as to verminose putrefaction in human bodies, we have several instances of it. For this very king’s grandfather, Herod, surnamed the Great, is said to have labour’d under this disease a long time, till at length it threw him into a decay, of which he died.[149] Likewise Herodotus relates of Pheretima, the mother of Arcesilaus, king of Cyrene, that she was rotted alive by worms.[150] And it is recorded of the Roman emperor Galerius Maximianus, that this same loathsome disease not only eat away his genital members, but put an end to his life.[151] Wherefore it was impossible, but that some at least of the Greek physicians must have observed some cases of this kind. And accordingly Galen has proposed medicines for ulcers, σκώληκας ἔχοντα, that is, abounding with worms.[152] For he says, in abscesses there are frequently found animals, ζῶα, very like those, which are engendered from corruption.[153] And Philoxenus in Aetius says, that _in the humor of Atheroma’s, he sometimes found animals, like gnats or little flies_.[154] In fine, Paulus Aegineta teaches the method of getting rid of them.[155] [148] _Ubi supra._ [149] _Josephus Ant. Jud. Lib. xvii. Cap. vi. (an. viii?) § 5. & De Bello Jud. Lib. i. Cap. xxxiii. § 5._ [150] _Hist. Lib. 4. a fine_ Ζωσα εὐλέων εξεζεσε. [151] _Sext. Aurel. Victor. Epitom. & Pompon. Laeti Rom. Hist. compend._ [152] _De compos. Medic. per genera, L. iv. Cap. x._ [153] _Lib. de tumorib. præter nat. Cap. iv._ [154] _Lib. xv. Cap. vii._ [155] _Lib. iv. Cap. xlii._