THE PLAGUE AT ATHENS 321
but tlieve is no record of such a pestilence occurring elsewhere, or of so great a destruction of human life. For a while physicians, in ignorance of the nature of the disease, sought to apply remedies ; but it was in vain, and they themselves were among the first victims, because they oftenest came into contact with it. No human art was of any avail, and as to supplications in temples, inquiries of oracles, and the like, they were utterly useless, and at last men were overpowered by the calamity and gave them all up.
The disease is said to have begun south of Egypt in Aethiopia ; thence it descended into Egypt and Libya, and after spreading over the greater part of the Persian emjjire, suddenly fell upon Athens. It first attacked the inhabitants of the Piraeus, and it was supposed that the Peloponnesians had poisoned the cisterns, no conduits having as yet been made there. It afterwards reached the upper city, and then the mortality became far greater. As to its probable origin or the causes which might or could have pro- duced such a disturbance of nature, every man, whether a physician or not, will give his ο^τι opinion. But I shall describe its actual course, and the symptoms by which any one who know^s them beforehand may re- cognize the disorder should it ever reappear. For I was myself attacked, and witnessed the sufferings of others.
The season was admitted to have been remarkably free from ordinary sickness ; and if anybody was al- ready ill of any other disease, it was absorbed in this. Many who were in perfect health, all in a moment, and without any apparent reason, were seized with violent heats in the head and with redness and inflam- mation of the eyes. Internally the throat and the
