The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6) by the Elder Pliny
198. See Ptolemy’s Cent. Dict. no. 100, for the opinion, that comets
presented an omen especially unfavourable to kings. To this opinion the
following passage in the Paradise Lost obviously refers; “And with fear
of change perplexes monarchs.”
[287] Seneca refers to the four comets that were seen, after the death
of Cæsar, in the time of Augustus, of Claudius, and of Nero; Quæst.
Nat. i. 7. Suetonius mentions the comet which appeared previous to the
death of Claudius, cap. 46, and Tacitus that before the death of Nero,
Ann. xiv. 22.
[288] “A Julio Cæsare. Is enim paulo ante obitum collegium his ludis
faciendis instituerat, confecto Veneris templo;” Hardouin in Lemaire,
i. 299. Jul. Obsequens refers to a “stella crinita,” which appeared
during the celebration of these games, cap. 128.
[289] “Hoc est, hora fere integra ante solis occasum;” Hardouin in
Lemaire, i. 299.
[290] All these circumstances are detailed by Suetonius, in Julio, §