a few things still remain to be said concerning the world; for stars are suddenly formed in the heavens themselves; of these there are various kinds.
the greeks name these stars comets, we name them crinit?, as if shaggy with bloody locks, and surrounded with bristles like hair. some of them have a mane hanging down from their lower part, like a long beard, some vibrate like a dart with a very quick motion. it was one of this kind which the emperor titus described in his very excellent poem, as having been seen in his fifth consulship; and this was the last of these bodies which has been observed. some are short and pointed, of a pale color, and shine like a sword without any rays; others of an amber color emit a few rays from their margin only. one kind exhibits the figure of a cask, appearing convex and emitting a smoky light; another has the appearance of a horn; it is like the one which was visible when the greeks fought at salamis. occasionally you see one like a burning torch; and again one like a horse’s mane; the latter often has a very rapid motion, like a circle revolving on itself. there is also a white comet, with silver hair, so brilliant that it can scarcely be looked at, exhibiting, as it were, the aspect of the deity in a human form. there are some also that are shaggy, having the appearance of a fleece, surrounded by a kind of crown. there was one, where the appearance of a mane was changed into that of a spear; it happened in the 109th olympiad, in the 398th year of the city.[16] the shortest time during which any one of them has been observed to be visible is seven days, the longest one hundred and eighty days.
rome is the only place in the whole world where there is a temple dedicated to a comet—the one which was thought by the late emperor augustus to be auspicious to him, from its appearing during the games which he was celebrating in honor of venus, not long after the death of his father c?sar. he expressed his joy in these terms: “during the very time of these games of mine, a hairy star was seen during seven days, in the part of the heavens which is under the great bear. it rose about the eleventh hour of the day, was very bright, and was conspicuous in all parts of the earth. the common people supposed the star to indicate, that the soul of c?sar was admitted among the immortal gods.” this is what he proclaimed in public, but, in secret, he rejoiced at this auspicious omen, interpreting it as produced for himself; and, to confess the truth, it really proved a salutary omen for the world at large.
some persons suppose that these stars are permanent and that they move through their proper orbits, but that they are only visible when they recede from the sun. others suppose that they are produced by an accidental vapor together with the force of fire, and that, from this circumstance, they are liable to be dissipated.
