Varieties: or, A surveigh of rare and excellent matters necessary and delectable for all sorts of persons. Wherein the principall heads of diverse sciences are illustrated, rare secrets of naturall things unfoulded, &c. Digested into five bookes, whose severall chapters with their contents are to be seene in the table after the epistle dedicatory. By David Person, of Loghlands in Scotland, Gentleman.

SECT. 3.

A continuation of Prodigies, which happened in the time of the second Punick Warre; with many o∣thers that were seene under the times of severall Consuls of Rome.

IN the first yeare of this second Carthaginian Warre, under the Consulship of Fabius Maxi∣mus,* 1.1 & Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a green Palme tree in Naples tooke fire, and burn'd away to ashes.

At Mantua, a litle Rivulet or stripe of water which ranne into the River Mincio,* 1.2 was turned into blood: And at Rome it rained blood. An Oxe was heard there to speake these words,* 1.3 Cavetibi Roma.

Afterward in the Consulship of Quintus Fabius, sonne to Fabius Maximus, and Titus Sempronius Graccus, the similitude or likenesse of great, long, and tale ships appeared to bee upon the River of Taracina in Spaine: At Amiternum in Italie, a litle Brooke ranne blood for severall dayes:* 1.4 In Albano monte in Rome, it rained stones. The Sunne at divers times was seene of a bloody colour: Many Tem∣ples and holy houses in Rome were beaten downe

with Thunderbolts from heaven: some of the Citie Ensignes or field Colours were observed to sweate blood;* 1.5 two Sunnes appeared in the Hea∣vens; at one time it rained milke, at another stones.

During the Consulship of Cornelius Cethegus, and Sempronius, at what time the Africane Warres were appointed to Scipio,* 1.6 two Sunnes at one time were seene in the Heavens: and the night (which is by nature darke) appeared extraordinary light: A Comet in forme like a burning torch was dis∣cerned to reach from the East to the West; and it rained stones after that notable overthrow given to Hanniball by Scipio, (which was the last to Han∣niball) and at the time when the Consull T. Claudius was appointed to prepare for Africk, to appease some mutinies that had risen there; upon his set∣ting out to that voyage, the Orbe and face of the Sunne was visibly discerned to be lesse than usuall: Moreover in the Veliternean fields,* 1.7 the Earth rent asunder in so huge and frightfull gappes, that trees and whole houses were swallowed up in it; after which there followed showres of stones.

In the Consulship of ••n. Belius, and L. Aemilius Paulus, it rained blood for two whole dayes toge∣ther:* 1.8 And the Statue of Iuno in the Temple of Concord at Rome was perceived to shedde teares.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A greene Palme tree tooke fire of it selfe.
• * 1.2

  Rivers runne blood.
• * 1.3

  An Oxe spake.
• * 1.4

  It rained stones.
• * 1.5

  Ensignes sweat blood.
• * 1.6

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.7

  The ••arth rend asunder.
• * 1.8

  A Statue wept.