IN the very beginning of Summer, the Peloponnesians, and their Confederates, with two thirds of their forces, as before invaded Attica, under the conduct of Archidamus, the son of Zeuxidamas, King of Lacedaemon, and after they had en­camped themselves, wasted the Countrey about them.

They had not been many dayes in Attica, when the Plague first began amongst the Athenians, said also to have seized formerly on divers other parts, as about Lemnos, and elsewhere; but so great a Plague, and Mortality of Men, was never remembred to have hapned in any place before. For at first, neither were the Physicians able to cure it, through ignorance of what it was, but died fastest themselves, as being the men that most approach'd the sick, nor any other art of man availed whatsoever. All supplica­tions to the Gods, and enquiries of Oracles, and whatsoever o­ther means they used of that kind, proved all unprofitable; in­somuch as subdued with the greatness of the evil, they gave them all over. It began (by report) first, in that part of Aethio­pia that lieth upon Aegypt, and thence fell down into Aegypt and Afrique, and into the greatest part of the Territories of the King. It invaded Athens on a sudden, and touched first up­on [Page 2] on those that dwelt in Pyraeus, insomuch as they reported that the Peloponnesians had cast poyson into their Wells; for Springs there were not any in that place. But afterwards it came up in­to the high City, and then they died a great deal faster. Now let every man, Physician, or other, concerning the ground of this sickness, whence it sprung, and what causes he thinks able to pro­duce for great an alteration, speak according to his own know­ledge; for my own part, I will deliver but the manner of it, and lay open only such things, as one may take his Mark by, to discover the same if it come again, having been both sick of it my self, and seen others sick of the same. This year, by confession of all men, was of all other, for other Diseases, most free and healthful. If any man were sick before, his disease turned to this; if not, yet suddenly, without any apparent cause preceding, and being in perfect health, they were taken first with an extream ache in their Heads, redness and inflamation of the Eyes; and then in­wardly their Throats and Tongues grew presently bloody, and their breath noysome and unsavory. Upon this followed a snee­zing and hoarsness, and not long after, the pain, together with a mighty cough, came down into the brest. And when once it was setled in the Stomach, it caused vomit, and with great torment came up all manner of bilious purgation that Physicians ever na­med. Most of them had also the Hickeyexe, which brought with it a strong Convulsion, and in some ceased quickly, but in others was long before it gave over. Their bodies outwardly to the touch, were neither very hot, nor pale, but reddish, livid, and be­flowred with little pimples and whelks; but so burned inward­ly, [Page 3] as not to endure any the lightest cloaths or linnen garment to be upon them, nor any thing but meer nakedness, but rather, most willingly to have cast themselves into the cold water. And ma­ny of them that were not looked to, possessed with insatiate thirst, ran unto the Wells; and to drink much, or little, was indifferent, being still from ease and power to sleep as far as ever. As long as the disease was at the height, their bodies wasted not, but resi­sted the torment beyond all expectation, insomuch as the most of them either died of their inward burning in 9 or 7 dayes, whilest they had yet strength, or if they escaped that, then the disease fal­ling down into their bellies, and causing there great exulcerati­ons and immoderate loosness, they died many of them after­wards through weakness: For the disease (which took first the head) began above, and came down, and passed through the whole body; and he that overcame the worst of it, was yet mar­ked with the loss of his extreme parts; for breaking out both at their Privy-members; and at their Fingers and Toes, many with the loss of these escaped. There were also some that lost there Eyes, & many that presently upon their recovery were taken with such an oblivion of all things whatsoever, as they neither knew themselves nor their acquaintance. For this was a kind of sickness which far surmounted all expression of words, and both exceeded Humane Nature, in the cruelty wherewith it handled each one, and appeared also otherwise to be none of those diseases that are bred amongst us, and that especially by this. For all, both Birds and Beasts, that use to feed on Humane flesh, though ma­ny men lay abroad unburied, either came not at them, or tasting [Page 4] perished. An Argument whereof as touching the Birds, is the manifest defect of such Fowl, which were not then seen, neither about the Carcasses, or any where else; but by the Dogs, because they are familiar with Men, this effect was seen much clearer. So that this disease (to pass over many strange particulars of the accidents that some had differently from others) was in general such as I have shewn; and for other usual sicknesses, at that time, no man was troubled with any. Now they died, some for want of attendance, and some again with all the care and Physick that could be used. Nor was there any, to say, certain Medicine, that applied must have helped them; for it did good to one, it did harm to another; nor any difference of Body for strength or weakness that was able to resist it; but it carried all away what Physick soever was administred. But the greatest misery of all was the dejection of Mind, in such as found themselves beginning to be sick, (for they grew presently desperate, and gave them­selves over without making any resistance) as also their dying thus like Sheep, infected by mutual visitation: For if men for­bore to visit them for fear, then they dyed forlorn, whereby many Families became empty, for want of such as should take care of them. If they forbore not, then they died themselves, and princi­pally the honestest men. For out of shame, they would not spare themselves, but went in unto their friends, especially after it was come to this pass, that even their Domesticks, wearied with the lamentations of them that died, and overcome with the greatness of the calamity, were no longer moved therewith. But those that were recovered, had much compassion both on them that died, and [Page 5] on them that lay sick, as having both known the misery themselves and now no more subject to the like danger: For this disease ne­ver took any man the second time so as to be mortal. And these men were both by others counted happy, and they also themselves, through excess of present joy, conceived a kind of light hope, never to die of any other sickness hereafter. Besides the present affli­ction, the reception of the Countrey people, and of their substance into the City, oppressed both them, and much more the people themselves that so came in. For having no Houses, but dwelling at that time of the year in stifling Booths, the Mortality was now without all form; and dying men lay tumbling one upon another in the streets, and men half dead about every Conduit through desire of water. The Temples also where they dwelt in Tents, were all full of the dead that died within them; for oppressed with the violence of the Calamity, and not knowing what to do, Men grew careless, both of Holy and Prophane things alike. And the Laws which they formerly used touching Funerals, were all now broken; every one burying where he could find room. And many for want of things necessary, after so many deaths be­fore, were forced to become impudent in the Funerals of their Friends. For when one had made a Funeral Pile, another get­ting before him, would throw on his dead, and give it fire. And when one was in burning, another would come, and having cast thereon him whom he carried, go his way again. And the great li­centiousness, which also in other kinds was used in the City, began at first from this disease. For that which a man before would dissemble, and not acknowledge to be done for voluptuousness, he [Page 6] durst now do freely, seeing before his Eyes such quick revolution, of the rich dying, and men worth nothing inheriting their E­states; insomuch as they justified a speedy fruition of their Goods, even for their pleasure, as Men that thought they held their Lives but by the day. As for pains, no man was forward in any action of Honour, to take any, because they thought it uncer­tain whether they should die or not, before they atchieved it. But what any man knew to be delightful, and to be profitable to plea­sure, that was made both profitable and honourable. Neither the fear of the Gods, nor Laws of men, awed any man. Not the former, because they concluded it was alike to worship or not wor­ship, from seeing that alike they all perished: nor the latter, be­cause no man expected that lives would last, till he received pu­nishment of his crimes by Judgements. But they thought there was now over their heads some far greater Judgement decreed against them; before which fell, they thought to enjoy some little part of their Lives.