The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)Pliny, the Elder
History
The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6)
Pliny, the Elder
Natural history -- Pre-Linnean works
Those are the coldest winds which are said to blow from the seven
stars, and Corus, which is contiguous to them; these also restrain the
others and dispel the clouds. The moist winds are Africus, and, still
more, the Auster of Italy. It is said that, in Pontus, Cæcias attracts
the clouds. The dry winds are Corus and Vulturnus, especially when
they are about to cease blowing. The winds that bring snow are Aquilo
and Septemtrio; Septemtrio brings hail, and so does Corus; Auster is
sultry, Vulturnus and Zephyrus are warm. These winds are more dry than
Subsolanus, and generally those which blow from the north and west
are more dry than those which blow from the south and east. Aquilo is
the most healthy of them all; Auster is unhealthy, and more so when
dry; it is colder, perhaps because it is moist. Animals are supposed
to have less appetite for food when this wind is blowing. The Etesiæ
generally cease during the night, and spring up at the third hour
of the day[377]. In Spain and in Asia these winds have an easterly
direction, in Pontus a northerly, and in other places a southerly
direction. They blow also after the winter solstice, when they are
called Ornithiæ[378], but they are more gentle and continue only for
a few days. There are two winds which change their nature with their
situation; in Africa Auster is attended with a clear sky, while Aquilo
collects the clouds[379]. Almost all winds blow in their turn, so
that when one ceases its opposite springs up. When winds which are
contiguous succeed each other, they go from left to right, in the
direction of the sun. The fourth day of the moon generally determines
their direction for the whole of the monthly period[380]. We are able
to sail in opposite directions by means of the same wind, if we have
the sails properly set; hence it frequently happens that, in the
night, vessels going in different directions run against each other.
Auster produces higher winds than Aquilo, because the former blows,
as it were, from the bottom of the sea, while the latter blows on the
surface; it is therefore after south winds that the most mischievous
earthquakes have occurred. Auster is more violent during the night,
Aquilo during the day; winds from the east continue longer than from
the west. The north winds generally cease blowing on the odd days, and
we observe the prevalence of the odd numbers in many other parts of
nature; the male winds are therefore regulated by the odd numbers[381].
The sun sometimes increases and sometimes restrains winds; when
rising and setting it increases them; while, when on the meridian, it
restrains them during the summer. They are, therefore, generally lulled
during the middle of the day and of the night, because they are abated
either by excessive cold or heat; winds are also lulled by showers. We
generally expect them to come from that quarter where the clouds open
and allow the clear sky to be seen. Eudoxus[382] supposes that the same
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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