have gone by the name of Argestes. In some places Csecias is named Hellespontia, and the same is done in other cases. In the province of Narhonne the most noted wind is Circius; it is not inferior to any ot the winds in violence, frequently driving the waves before it, to Ostia[1], straight across the Ligurian sea. Yet this same wind is unknown in other parts, not even reaching Yienne, a city in the same province; for meeting with a high ridge of hills, just before it arrives at that district, it is checked, although it be the most violent of all the winds. Tab ins also asserts, that the south winds never penetrate into Egypt. Hence this law of nature is obvious, that winds have their stated seasons and limits.
CHAP. 47. — THE PERIODS OF THE WINDS[2].
The spring opens the seas for the navigators. In the beginning of this season the west winds soften, as it were, the winter sky, the sun having now gained the 25th degree of Aquarius ; this is on the sixth day before the Ides of February[3]. This agrees, for the most part, with all the remarks that I shall subsequently make, oiily anticipating the period by one day in the intercalary year, and again, prcserang the same order in the succeeding lustrum[4]. After the eighth day before the Calends of March[5], Favonius is called by some Chelidonias[6], from the swallows making their appearance. The wind, which blows for the space of nine days, from the seventy-first day after the winter solstice[7], is sometimes called Ornithias, from the arrival of the birds[8]. In the contrary direction to Favonius is the wind which we name Subsolanus, and
- ↑ This wind must have been N.N.W. ; it is mentioned by Strabo, iv. 182; A. Gellius, ii. 22 ; Seneca, Nat. Quocst. v. 17 ; and again by our author, xvii. 2.
- ↑ We may learn the opinions of the Romans on the subject of this chapter from Columella, xi. 2,
- ↑ corresponding to the 8th day of the month.
- ↑ . . . lustro sequenti . . . ; " tribus annis scquentibus." Alexandre, in Lemaire, i. 334.
- ↑ corresponding to the 22nd of Februaiy.
- ↑ (
Greek characters) hirando.
- ↑ This will be either on March 2nd or on February 26th, according as we reckon from December the 21st, the real solstitial day, or thel7th, when, according to the Roman calendar, the sun is said to enter Capricorn.
- ↑ "quasi Avicularem discris." Hardouin, in Lemaire, i. 334.
