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young to preserve the species. As soon as Apollonius sawthe beast, he remained long without uttering a word;at length he opened his mouth, and said, O Damis, thetime we are to stay with the King, will be just a yearand eight months. He will not suffer us to go sooner,and I do not think it would be proper for us to departbefore the expiration of that period: as the number of themonths may be conjectured* from that of the young, andthe year, from the mother, for things perfect in themselves,can be only compared with what are perfect. But what,said Damis, will Homer’sf sparrows say to all this ? Imean the eight devoured at Aulis by the serpent, and themother that made the ninth; for certainly Calchas in hisinterpretation of that prodigy, foretold a war of nine years atTroy. It therefore behoves us not to have our stay extendedto the same length, according to the calculation of Homer andCalchas. Whereupon Apollonius said, Homer (it is true)compared the young of the sparrow to years, and he did so,because they were bom, and in possession of life; but in thecase before us, the young are imperfect, unborn, and perhapswould never have seen the light; and why should I com-pare them to years ? for the irregular productions of natureare not easily brought forth, and if they are, they soonperish. But mind, Damis, what I say, and let us con-tinue our journey without ceasing to offer up our prayers \to the Gods who shew us such signs.