[18] B. viii. c. 34. His acrimony may however, in this instance, have outstripped his discretion. Though indebted to them for by far the largest amount of his information on almost every subject, he seems to have had a strong aversion to the Greeks, and repeatedly charges them with lying, viciousness, boasting, and vanity. See B. ii. c. 112; B. iii. c. 6; B. v. c. 1; B. xv. c. 5; B. xix. c. 26; B. xxviii. c. 29; B. xxxvii. c. 74. [19] Of Vespasian and Titus for certain; and probably of Nero, who appointed him “procurator Cæsaris” in Spain. [20] Even on that point he contradicts himself in the next Book. See B. viii. c. 19, and 64, in reference to the lion and the horse. [21] See B. vii. c. 51. [22] “Summa vitæ felicitas.” B. vii. c. 54. [23] B. vii. c. 53. [24] He loses no opportunity of inveighing against luxury and sensuality. [25] The question as to a future existence he calls “Manium ambages,” “quiddities about the Manes.” B. vii. c. 56. [26] See B. vii. c. 53. [27] We have already seen that in his earlier years he was warned in a vision by Drusus to write the history of the wars in Germany; but there is a vast difference between paying attention to the suggestions of a dream, and believing in the immortality of the soul, or the existence of disembodied spirits. [28] B. vii. c. 53. [29] B. vii. c. 58, 59, 60. [30] Mankind must surely have agreed before this in making the instruments employed in shaving. [31] “Discours Premier sur l’Histoire Naturelle.” [32] Biographie Universelle. Vol. 35. Art. _Pline_. [33] This, however, is not the fault of Pliny, but the result of imperfect tradition. To have described _every_ object _minutely_ that he has named, and of which he has given the peculiar properties, would have swollen his book to a most enormous size, almost indeed beyond conception. [34] Lemaire informs us, in his title-page, that the two first books of the Natural History are edited by M. Alexandre, in his edition. [35] “Jucundissime;” it is not easy to find an epithet in our language which will correctly express the meaning of the original, affectionate and familiar, at the same time that it is sufficiently dignified and respectful. [36] Lamb’s trans.; Carm. i. 4. of the original. [37] “Conterraneus;” we have no word in English which expresses the idea intended by the original, and which is, at the same time, a military term. There is indeed some reason to doubt, whether the word now inserted in the text was the one employed by the author: see the remarks of M. Alexandre, in Lem. i. 3; also an observation in Cigalino’s dissertation on the native country of Pliny; Valpy, 8. [38] “Permutatis prioribus sætabis;” Carm. xii. 14; xxv. 7; see the notes in Lamb’s trans. pp. 135 & 149. [39] These names in the original are Varaniolus and Fabullus, which are supposed to have been changed from Veranius and Fabius, as terms of familiarity and endearment; see Poinsinet, i. 24, and Lemaire, i. 4.