The workes of Lucius Annæus Seneca, both morrall and naturall Containing, 1. His bookes of benefites. 2. His epistles. 3. His booke of prouidence. 4. Three bookes of anger. 5. Two bookes of clemencie. 6. His booke of a blessed life. 7. His booke of the tranquilitie of the minde. 8. His booke of the constancie of a wiseman. 9. His booke of the shortnesse of life. 10. Two bookes of consolation to Martia. 11. Three bookes of consolation to Heluia. 12. His booke of consolation to Polibius. 13. His seuen bookes of naturall questions. Translated by Tho. Lodge, D. in Physicke.

CHAP. XXIX.

SOme thinke that the earth is shaken also, and that the ground be∣ing broken open, there appeare new heads of riuers, which cast forth more abundance of waters, as from a place that is as yet full. Berosus that hath interpreted Belus saith, that thi•• is caused by the motion of the starres, and maintaineth it so assuredly, that hee sticketh not to set downe the time of the end of the world, as well by fire as by water, affirming that the earth shall be burned at such time as all the stars which now holde diuers courses shall meere in the signe of Cancer, so setled and placed in the same point, that a man may draw a direct line thorow all their centres and circles, that the deluge shall couer the earth, when as the same stars shall assemble and meete together in Capricorne. In order, the one is the longest day in Summer, and the shortest day of the winter vnder the other. The signes are of great efficacy and power, which vpon the changes of the yeare cause such moments: for mine owne part I reiect not any of the causes (for one alone

cannot cause so much mischiefe) annexing vnto them that which the Stoikes thinke. Whether it be that the world be a spirit or body, by the disposition of of nature, it containeth in it trees, plants, and all that which it ought to doe and suffer, from the beginning of the world vnto the end thereof, no otherwise then in the seed are inclosed all the parts of the body of a man which should be formed. The Infant that is borne in his mothers wombe, hath the rootes of the beard and haire hee shall weare one day. In this little Masse likewise are all the lineaments of the body, and all that which austerity shall discouer in him. So the originall of the world hath no lesse contayned the Sunne, the Moone, the reuolutions of the Starres, the birth of liuing creatures, as the causes of the change of terrestriall things. In them hath beene the deluge which com∣meth by the order of heauen, euen as Winter and Summer doe. It shall not therefore bee done by raine, neyther by inundation of the sea, neither by qua∣king of the earth, but with all these accidents which shall assist Nature, to the end that her determinations should be accomplished and executed: yet as tou∣ching the principall cause, it shall proceede from the earth it selfe, which as we haue said is changeable, and must resolue her selfe into water. Whereas there∣fore the end of all things shall bee come: at such time as the parts of the world must perish and bee disanulled, in such sort as they may bee moulded a new, and made better then before, there shall more water bee made then e••er there was: for now the aliments are distributed to euery one according as it is behouefull. There must something at that time ioyne it selfe with an other, to the end that such things that subsist in counterwaight should be troubled and confused by the inequality that should happen. The most shall bee found in the water, that hath nothing more for the present, then that which is necessarie to enuiron the earth, and not to drowne it: if you will adde any thing thereunto, it must need∣ly discharge the same in an other place. How shall it then be, that the earth as being leas•• powerfull, shall sinke vnder that which is more strong? Shee shall beginne at that time to rot her selfe, and afterwardes being moistned to melt it selfe into humour, and to fall to mudde. At that time the riuers shall mount a∣boue the mountaines, and shall shake them with a mighty force, and afterwards shall swallow them without noyse. All the earth shall vomit out waters, the toppes of the mountaines shall breake forth in fountaines. Euen as the whole∣somest parts of the body become sicke, and these that are neerest to an vlcer wax vlcerated: so the mightiest regions of the earth conuerted into water shall melt themselues likewise, and shall distill from all parts. The rockes shall cleaue in sunder to giue passage to the waters that shall assemble themselues to make a sea. The Straights of Venetian and Sicilian seas shall bee no more Charibdis and Scilla shall not bee spoken of. The new Sea shall swallow vp all these ficti∣ons, and the Ocean that at this day beguirteth the remotest partes of the earth, shall then bee in the midst of the waters. What shall then bee? The Winter shall dominere ouer all other seasons, the Summer shall bee no more, and e∣uery starre that before time dried vp the earth shall haue no more heate or ef∣fect. All the names of particuler seas, as that of Casp••um, Erithrea the red, The Mediteranean, the greater seas, and others shall perish•• being all of them inter∣mixed together, and all that which nature had disposed in part••, confused in one: neyther Rampiers nor high Towers shall warran•• any man. The templ•••• shall no wayes profite the suppliants, nor the high places of Cities, because the water shall ouertake those that ••••ie, and beare them away out of their strongest Towers. It shall from East to West, and one day shall bury all mankind, ouer∣turning

all that which fortunes fauour hath cherished so long time, all that which is so much raysed aboue the common, the great pallaces, riches, magni∣ficence, and mighty Monarchies.

Notes

• He continueth to speake of the causes of deluge in his sense, and according to o∣the•• mens opini∣ons, but by the light of nature the transcendent knowledge i•• ••ying in the bo••ome of true Christians.
• The Paradoxe of the Stoikes as touching the vniuersall de∣luge, and the end of the world, re••u••ed by the celestiall v••ritie contained in Moses, where a promise was made to the Patriarch Noe, that there should be no more any vniuersall de∣luge.
• Th••s predictio•• is wholy fals••.