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CHAP. III.
His predictions.
SUidas saith, he foretold many things: of those, two instances onely have been hitherto preserved. The first thus related by Pliny, The Grecians celebrate Anaxagoras of the Clozomenian, and for foretelling by his learning and Science in the second yeare of the 78. Olympiad, on what day a stone would fall from the Sun, which hap∣pen'd in the day time in a part of Thrace at the river Agos which stone is at this day shewne about the bignesse of a became of an adust colour, a Comet also burning in those nights.
* 1.1 Plutarch adds, that it was in his time not onely shewen, but reverenced by the Peloponnesians. Eusebius reckons the fall of this stone upon the fourth yeare of the 78. Olympiad, which is two yeares after Pliny accompts of the prediction. Silenus cited by Laertius, saith, it fell when Dimylus was Archon, which if it be to be red Dyphilus (for the other name is not to be found neere these times) will be the first yeare of the 84 Olympiad. But the marble at Arundell House (graven about the 129. Olympiad to be preferred before any other chronologicall accompt) expressly names the fall upon the 4th yeare upon the 77. Olympiad, when Theagenides was Archon, two yeares before. Pliny saith it was foretold. It was beleeved to have portended (as Plutarch testi∣fies) the great defeat given to the Athenians by Lysander at the river Agos 62. yeares after, viz. the fourth yeare of the 39. O∣lympiad.
Of the wonder* 1.2 Aristotle gives a very slight accompt, affir∣ming
It was a stone snatched up by the wind, and fell in the day time,a Comet happening in those nights, which is dispro∣ved by* 1.3 Plutarch, who hath this large discourse upon it:
It is said that Anaxagoras did prognosticate that one of the bodies included the Heavens it should be loosed by shaking, & fall to the ground, the Stars are not in place where they were first cre∣ated, they are heavie bodies, of the nature of stone, shining by reflection of the aether, being drawn up by force, & kept there by the violence of that circular motion, as at the beginning in the first separation of things, cold & heavie they were restrai∣ned. There is another opinion more probable which saith, those which we call falling starres are not fluxions of the ae∣ther extinguisht in the aire almost as soon as lighted, nor in∣flammations or combustions of any part of the aire, which by it spreadeth upwards, but they are coelestiall bodies failing of their retention by the ordinary course of heaven throwne downe, not upon the habitable earth, but into the Sea, which is the cause we doe not see them; yet the assertion of Anax∣agoras