forced to follow his footsteps, and only work on that matter he allowed him. This I speak, because it may in fome measure too excufe my own defects: for being fo far removed from the place whereon the disease acted his tragedy, and time having denied us many of the circumftances, cuftoms of the country, and other small things which would be of great use to any one who did intend to be perfect on the subject; besides only writing by an idea of that which I never yet faw, nor care to feel, (being not of the humour of the painter in Sir Philip Sidney, who thrust himself into the midst of a fight, that he might the better delineate it.) Having, I say, all these disadvantages, and many more for which I must only blame myself, it cannot be expected that I should come near equalling him, in whom none of the contrary advantages were wanting. Thus then, Sir, by emboldening me to this rafh attempt, you have given opportunity to the Greek and Latin to triumph over our mother-tongue. Yet I would not have the honour of the countries or languages engaged in the comparison, but that the inequality fhould reach no farther than the authors. But I have much reason to fear the just indignation of that excellent perfon, (the prefent ornament and honour of our nation) whofe way of writing I imitate: for he may think himself as much injured by my following him, as were the heavens by that bold man's counterfeiting the facred and unimitable noife of thunder, by the found of brafs and horses hoofs. I fhall only fay for myself, that I took

Cicero's

Cicero's advice, who bids us, in imitation, propose the nobleft pattern to our thoughts; for fo we may be fure to be raised above the common level, tho' we come infinitely fhort of what we aim at. Yet I hope that renowned poet will have none of my crimes any way reflect on himself; for it was not any fault in the excellent musician, that the weak bird, endeavouring by ftraining its throat to follow its notes, deftroyed herself in the attempt. Well, Sir, by this, that I have chofen rather to expose myself than to be difobedient, you may guefs with what zeal and hazard I strive to approve myself,

SIR,

Your moft humble and

Affectionate Servant,

THO. SPRAT.

THUCYDIDES, LIB. II.

As it is excellently tranflated by Mr. HOBBS.

N the very beginning of fummer, the Peloponnefians,

IN

and their confederates, with two thirds of their forces, as before, 'invaded Attica, under the conduct of Archidamus, the fon of Zeuxidamas, king of Lacedæmon: and after they had encamped themselves, wafted the country about them.

They had not been many days in Attica, when the plague firft began amongst the Athenians, faid alfo to have feized formerly on divers other parts, as about Lemnos, and elsewhere; but fo great a plague, and mortality of men was never remembred to have happened in any place before. For at first neither were the phyficians able to cure it, through ignorance of what it was, but died fafteft themselves, as being the men that most approached the fick, nor any other art of man availed whatsoever. All fupplications to the Gods, and enquiries of oracles, and whatsoever other means they used of that kind proved all unprofitable, infomuch, as fubdued with the greatness of the evil, they gave them all over. It began (by report) firft in that part of Æthiopia that lieth upon Ægypt, and thence fell down into Ægypt and Africk, and into the greatest part of the territories of the king. It invaded Athens on a fudden, and touched first upon those that dwelt in Pyræus, infomuch as they reported that the Peloponnefians had cast poison into their wells; for springs there were not any in that place. But afterwards it came up into the high city, and then they died a great

deal

deal fafter, Now let every man, phyfician or other, concerning the ground of this fickness, whence it fprung, and what caufes he thinks able to produce fo great an alteration, fpeak according to his own know. ledge; for my own part, I will deliver but the manuer of it, and lay open only fuch things as one may take his mark by to difcover the fame if it come again, having been both fick of it myself, and feen others fick of the fame. This year, by confeffion of all men, was of all other, for other diseases, moft free and healthful. If any man were fick before, his disease, turned to this; if not, yet fuddenly, without any apparent cause preceding, and being in perfect health, they were taken firft with an extreme achin their heads, rednefs and inflammation in the eyes; and then inwardly their throats and tongues grew prefently bloody, and their breath noifom and unfavoury. Upon this followed a fneezing and hoarfeness, and not long after, the pain, together with a mighty cough, came down into the breaft. And when once it was fettled in the ftomach it caufed vomit, and with great torment came up all man. ner of bilious purgation that phyficians ever named. Moft of them had alfo the hicky exe, which brought with it a ftrong convulfion, and in fome ceafed quickly, but in others was long before it gave over. Their bodies outwardly to the touch, were neither very hot nor pale, bat reddish, livid, and beflowered with little pimples and whelks; but fo burned inwardly, as not to endure any the lighteft cloaths or linnen garment to be upon them, nor any thing but mere nakedness, but rather most willingly to have caft themselves into the cold water. And many of them that were not looked to, poffeffed with infatiate thirst, ran unto the wells; and to drink much or little was indifferent, being ftill from ease and power to fleep as far as ever.

As long as the disease was at the height, their bodies wafted not, but refifted the torment beyond all expecta

tion, infomuch as the most of them either died of their inward burning in nine or seven days, whilst they had yet ftrength; or if they escaped that, then the difeafe falling down in their bellies, and caufing there great exulcerations and immoderate looseness, they died many of them afterwards through weakness: for the disease (which firft took the head) began above, and came. down, and paffed through the whole body: and he that overcame the worst of it, was yet marked with the lofs of his extreme parts; for breaking out both at their privy members, and at their fingers and toes, many with the lofs of these escaped. There were also fome that loft their eyes, and many that presently upon their recovery were taken with fuch an oblivion of all things whatsoever, as they neither knew themselves nor their. acquaintance. For this was a kind of fickness which far furmounted all expreffion of words, and both exceeded human nature in the cruelty wherewith it handled each one, and appeared alfo otherwife to be none of those diseases that are bred among us, and that especially C by this: For all, both birds and beafts, that use to feed on human flesh, though many men lay abroad unburied, either came not at them, or tafting perished. An argument whereof, as touching the birds, was the manifeft defect of fuch fowl, which were not then feen, neither about the carcafes, or anywhere else; but by the dogs, because they are familiar with men, this effect was feen much clearer. So that this disease (to pafs over many strange particulars of the accidents that fome had differently from others) was in general fuch as I have fhewn; and for other ufual ficknesses at that time, no man was troubled with any. Now they died, some for want of attendance, and fome again with all the care and phyfick that could be used. Nor was there any, to fay, certain medicine, that applied must have helped them; for if it did good to one, it did

harm