John the Lydian, On Omens

to those who imagine suffering this is a most favorable omen and a forecast of brilliant fortune. 46 But it is worth investigating for what reason antiquity observed the moon in the case of other portents, but in the case of thunderbolts alone, the sun. It has been said, then, in many places, that the sun is the steward and cause of every hot nature of any kind and of fire, and I speak especially of that fire, the actively potent one, and in which the moon appears to have no share. For what is more potent or more fiery than a thunderbolt? in which there is such a great natural sharpness, that not one body at all can withstand it. so that since it is not only devoid of moisture, but also a scatterer of every nature whatsoever that falls under it, it is clear that the moon is alien to thunderbolts. For being moist in nature and assigned to the moist zone, and reasonably being unable to declare the things foretold by thunderbolts, therefore the sun is the cause of thunderbolts. For this reason Zeus and Helios are said to be the same by the myth-tellers, and he bears a thunderbolt, and an eagle is his servant, and whatever things are hot by nature, and are akin to the sun. Rightly, therefore, the ancients observed the sun, and not the moon, in the theory of thunderbolts. Following them, then, we will relate the things said by them by way of interpretation. 4752t LABEONIS LIBER FVLGVRALIS Sun in Aries. A thunderbolt striking the earth, if it should fall on a tree, one must observe which one. For it is not its nature to wander as it is borne down, but it is borne down with a whiz and in a straight line and thus unerringly. And if it touches a vine, there will be a reduction of wine, but if of another of the trees, it indicates a scarcity of the fruits from it. But if it should be borne down upon a river, the river will be lacking in water, as far as it is concerned, but destruction will come upon those swimming in it. But if upon the sea, one must observe the place over which the flame is borne. for that place certainly, and not it alone but also the region around it, will be disturbed either by war or by the treachery of pirates. But if it should be borne down in a civic or public place, it indicates both civil wars and seditions and an overthrow of the government. But the place itself, over which it is specifically borne, it will not only alter, but also completely overturn the fortune in it. But if it should fall on a wall, and harm nothing, it signifies an attack of enemies; but if it should destroy some part of the wall, one must consider against which part and facing which cardinal point the portent occurred. For from that region certainly one must expect enemies against the wall. But if a thunderbolt should fall upon a temple, the danger will strike the glorious men of the state and those around the royal court. But if it should be borne down upon statues, it threatens various and successive misfortunes to affairs. For if statues were regarded by the ancients as representations of certain forms and the ornaments of cities, the outrage against them is a curse to affairs. 48 Sun in Taurus. If a thunderbolt should be borne down upon a fruit-bearing tree, it signifies fruitfulness for its fruits. But to the race of cattle this sign is harmful. But if the thunderbolt should be borne down upon a river, the water will become pestilential and trembling will come upon the bodies of men, and there will be an overturning of the river fish. But if the thunderbolt should be borne down into the sea at this time, it signifies good things for the neighboring regions. for those practicing piracy will fare worse. But if it should be borne down upon a wall, it is not good for the herds. For they will either be destroyed or plundered by enemies. And if a part of the wall should also be destroyed by the bolt of the thunderbolt, there will be a pestilence for the pastures of the lands and an attack of enemies not easy to defend against, and certain other very treacherous harms will be added. But if against the

τουτὶ πάσχειν φανταζομένοις αἰσιώτατον καὶ λαμπρᾶς τύχης προμάντευμα. 46 Ἄξιον δὲ ζητῆσαι τίνος χάριν ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων διοσημειῶν τὴν σελήνην, ἐπὶ δὲ μόνων τῶν κεραυνῶν τὸν ἥλιον ἡ ἀρχαιότης ἐπετήρησεν. εἴρηται τοίνυν πολλαχοῦ, ὡς πάσης τῆς ὁποιδήποτε τυγχανούσης θερμῆς φύσεως καὶ πυρὸς ταμίας καὶ αἴτιος ἥλιός ἐστι, καὶ διαφερόντως ἐκείνου τοῦ πυρὸς λέγω, τοῦ κατ' ἐνέργειαν δραστικοῦ, καὶ ἐν ᾇ οὐδεμίαν ἡ σελήνη μετουσίαν ἔχειν φαίνεται. τί γὰρ κεραυνοῦ δραστικώτερον ἢ πυρωδέστερον; ἐν ᾧ τοσαύτη τίς ἐστιν ἡ κατὰ φύσιν ὀξύτης, ὡς μηδὲ ἓν σῶμα παντελῶς ὑπομένειν αὐτόν· ὥστε ἐπειδὴ μὴ μόνον ἐστὶν ὑγρότητος ἔξω, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσης τῆς ὁπωσδήποτε ὑποπιπτούσης αὐτῷ φύσεως σκεδαστής, δῆλον ὅτι ἡ σελήνη ἀλλοτρία κεραυνῶν ἐστί. καὶ γὰρ ὑγρὰ τὴν φύσιν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ὑγρᾶς τεταγμένη ζώνης, εἰκότως τε οὐ δυναμένη τὰ διὰ τῶν κεραυνῶν προλεγόμενα δηλῶσαι, ὥστε ἥλιος αἴτιος κεραυνῶν. ταύτῃ Ζεὺς ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ Ἥλιος τοῖς μυθικοῖς λέγεται, καὶ κεραυνὸν ἐπιφέρεται, καὶ ἀετὸς ὑπηρέτης αὐτῷ καὶ ὅσα κατὰ φύσιν θερμά, καὶ ἡλίῳ προσφυῆ. ὀρθῶς οὖν τὸν ἥλιον οἱ ἀρχαῖοι, καὶ οὐ τὴν σελήνην, ἐπὶ τῆς τῶν κεραυνῶν θεωρίας ἐπετήρησαν. ἐκείνοις τοίνυν ἀκολουθοῦντες τὰ εἰρημένα αὐτοῖς καθ' ἑρμηνείαν ἐροῦμεν. 4752t LABEONIS LIBER FVLGVRALIS Ἥλιος ἐν κριῷ. κεραυνὸς ἐνσκήπτων ἐπὶ γῆς εἰ μὲν δένδρῳ ἐμπέσοι, τηρεῖν δεῖ ποίῳ τούτῳ· οὐδὲ γὰρ πλανᾶσθαι πέφυκε καταφερόμενος, ἀλλὰ ῥοιζηδὸν καὶ κατ' εὐθεῖαν καὶ οὕτως ἀπλανῶς καταφέρεται. καὶ εἰ μὲν ἀμπέλου καθάψεται, ἐλάττωσις ἔσται τοῦ οἴνου, εἰ δὲ ἑτέρου τινὸς τῶν δένδρων, τὴν ἐξ ἐκείνου καρπῶν ἔνδειαν παραδηλοῖ. εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ ποταμὸν κατενεχθείη, ἐνδεὴς μὲν ὁ ποταμὸς ὑδάτων ἔσται, ὅσον πρὸς αὐτόν, ὄλεθρος δὲ τοῖς ἐν αὐτῷ νηχομένοις ἐπιγενήσεται. εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ, τὸν τόπον ἐπιτηρεῖν δεῖ, καθ' οὗ φέρεται ἡ φλόξ· πάντως γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὁ τόπος, καὶ οὐκ αὐτὸς μόνος ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ περὶ αὐτὸν κλίμα ἢ πολέμῳ ἢ πειρατῶν δόλοις ταραχθήσεται. εἰ δὲ ἐν πολιτικῷ ἢ δημοσίῳ κατενεχθείη τόπῳ, ἐμφυλίους τε πολέμους καὶ στάσεις καὶ τοῦ πολιτεύματος ἀνατροπὴν δηλοῖ· αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν τόπον, καθ' οὗ ἐξαιρέτως φέρεται, οὐκ ἀλλοιώσει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ τύχην παντελῶς ἀναβάλῃ. εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ τείχους πέσῃ, βλάψῃ δὲ μηδέν, πολεμίων ἔφοδον σημαένει εἰ δὲ διαφθείρῃ τοῦ τείχους μέρος τι, σκοπητέον, κατὰ ποίου τινὸς μέρους καὶ πρὸς ποῖον ἀφορῶντος κέντρον τὸ τῆς διοσημασίας γένοιτο· ἐξ ἐκείνου γὰρ πάντως τοῦ κλίματος πολεμίους ἀναμένειν δεῖ κατὰ τοῦ τείχους. εἰ δὲ καθ' ἱεροῦ πέσῃ κεραυνός, τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῦ πολιτεύματος καὶ τοῖς περὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐλὴν ὁ κίνδυνος ἐνσκήψει. εἰ δὲ κατ' ἀγαλμάτων κατενεχθῇ, ποικίλας καὶ ἐπαλλήλους τὰς συμφορὰς τοῖς πράγμασιν ἀπειλεῖ· εἰ γὰρ χαρακτῆρες ἰδεῶν τινῶν καὶ κόσμια πόλεων τὰ ἀγάλματα ὑπωπτεύθη τοῖς παλαιοῖς, ἀρὰ τοῖς πράγμασιν ἡ περὶ αὐτὰ ὕβρις. 48 Ἥλιος ἐν ταύρῳ. ἐὰν κεραυνὸς κατενεχθῇ ἐπὶ καρποφόρον δένδρον, εὐκαρπίαν τοῖς κατ' αὐτὸ καρποῖς σημαίνει· τῷ δὲ γένει τῶν βοῶν ἐπιβλαβὲς τὸ σημεῖον τοῦτο. εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ ποταμὸν κατενεχθείη ὁ κεραυνός, λοιμώξει τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ τρόμος ἐπιγενήσεται τοῖς σώμασι τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀνατροπὴ δὲ τῶν ποταμίων ἰχθύων γενήσεται. εἰ δὲ εἰς θάλασσαν κατὰ τόδε καιροῦ κατενεχθείη ὁ κεραυνός, ἀγαθὰ σημαίνει τοῖς πλησιοχώροις· οἱ γὰρ πειρατεύοντες χείρω πράξουσιν. εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ τείχους κατενεχθείη, οὐ καλὸν τοῖς βοσκήμασιν· ἢ γὰρ διαφθαρήσονται ἢ ὑπὸ πολεμίων διαρπαγήσονται. εἰ δὲ καὶ μέρος τοῦ τείχους τῇ βολῇ τοῦ κεραυνοῦ καταφθαρείη, ταῖς νομαῖς τῶν χωρίων ἔσται λοιμὸς καὶ ἔφοδος πολεμίων οὐκ εὐχερὴς εἰς ἄμυναν, καὶ ἄλλαι δέ τινες βλάβαι κάρτα σφαλεραὶ προσγενήσονται. εἰ δὲ κατὰ τὸν