“Quod æternum beatumque sit, id nec habere ipsum negotii quidquam, nec exhibere alteri; itaque neque ira neque gratia teneri, quod, quæ talia essent, imbecilla essent omnia.” Cicero, De Nat. Deor. i. 45. [124] The author here alludes to the figures of the Egyptian deities that were engraven on rings. [125] His specific office was to execute vengeance on the impious. [126] “sola utramque paginam facit.” The words _utraque pagina_ generally refer to the two sides of the same sheet, but, in this passage, they probably mean the contiguous portions of the same surface. [127] “astroque suo eventu assignat;” the word _astrum_ appears to be synonymous with _sidus_, generally signifying a single star, and, occasionally, a constellation; as in Manilius, i. 541, 2. “... quantis bis sena ferantur Finibus astra....” It is also used by synecdoche for the heavens, as is the case with the English word _stars_. See Gesner’s Thesaurus. [128] “Quæ si suscipiamus, pedis offensio nobis ... et sternutamenta erunt observanda.” Cicero, De Nat. Deor. ii. 84. [129] “Divus Augustus.” The epithet _divus_ may be regarded as merely a term of court etiquette, because all the Emperors after death were deified _ex officio_. [130] We learn the exact nature of this ominous accident from Suetonius; “... si mane sibi calceus perperam, et sinister pro dextro induceretur;” Augustus, Cap. 92. From this passage it would appear, that the Roman sandals were made, as we term it, right and left. [131] It is scarcely necessary to remark, that the opinions here stated respecting the Deity are taken partly from the tenets of the Epicureans, combined with the Stoical doctrine of Fate. The examples which are adduced to prove the power of fate over the Deity are, for the most part, rather verbal than essential. [132] “affixa mundo.” The peculiar use of the word _mundus_ in this passage is worthy of remark, in connexion with note [86], ch. 1. page 13. [133] We have many references in Pliny to the influence of the stars upon the earth and its inhabitants, constituting what was formerly regarded as so important a science, judicial astrology. Ptolemy has drawn up a regular code of it in his “Centum dicta,” or “Centiloquiums.” We have a highly interesting account of the supposed science, its origin, progress, and general principles, in Whewell’s History of the Inductive Sciences, p. 293 _et seq._ I may also refer to the same work for a sketch of the history of astronomy among the Greeks and the other nations of antiquity. [134] There are certain metaphorical expressions, which have originated from this opinion, adopted by the moderns; “his star is set;” “the star of his fortune,” &c. [135] Ovid, when he compares Phaëton to a falling star, remarks, concerning this meteor,— “Etsi non cecidit, potuit cecidisse videri.” Metam. ii. 322.