The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

§. 4. The death of Thrasyllus the Mathematician.

This man Thrasyllus had indeared himself to Tiberius, by his skill in Astrology long ago, even while he lived in Rhodes, before the death of Augustus, but with the immi∣nent hazard and peril of his own life. For Tiberius being very much given to those Chal∣dean and curious arts, and having got leasure and retiredness in Rhodes for the learning and practise of them, he partly called, and partly had offered to him, those that pro∣fessed to be skilful in that trade and mystery. His way to try their skill was desperate and terrible, but such an one as best befitted such as would take upon them to foresee things to come, and it was this: when he consulted of any business, saith Tacitus, he used the top of his house, and the privacy of one only servant, a man utterly unlearned, and of a strong bulk of body: when he had a mind to try any mans skill, this Lubber was to go before him over craggy, steep and dangerous Rocks that hung over the Sea, and over which his house stood: and as they returned again, if there were any suspition that the Prognosticator had given an answer fraudulent or lying, he flung him into the Sea, lest he should reveal the secret that he had been questioned upon. Thraysillus at his first coming, being brought to this dangerous trial, and having presaged Tiberius should be Emperor, and having foretold other things to come, he was asked by him whether he could calculate his own nativity; which when he went about to do, and had set a figure, upon the sight and study upon it, he was first in a muse and then in a fear, and the more he viewed it, the more he feared: and at last cryed out that some strange and suddain danger was near and ready to seize upon him. Then Tiberius imbracing him commended his skill, secured him against the danger, and retained him ever after for his intimate fa∣miliar. This year (as Dion doth place it) befel this great Wizzards death, and as it proved, a forerunner of the Emperors: With whom he did more good with one lie, near his latter end, than he had done with all his Astrological truths (if he ever told any) all his life long. For assuring him by his skill, that he should yet live ten years longer, though in his heart he thought no such thing, he caused him to be slack and remiss in putting divers men to death, whose end he had hastned, had he known the haste of his own, and so they escaped.