of any fearful disease, as
possession, apoplexies, one bewitched; [2148]or if they read by chance of
some terrible thing, the symptoms alone of such a disease, or that which
they dislike, they are instantly troubled in mind, aghast, ready to apply
it to themselves, they are as much disquieted as if they had seen it, or
were so affected themselves. _Hecatas sibi videntur somniare_, they dream
and continually think of it. As lamentable effects are caused by such
terrible objects heard, read, or seen, _auditus maximos motus in corpore
facit_, as [2149]Plutarch holds, no sense makes greater alteration of body
and mind: sudden speech sometimes, unexpected news, be they good or bad,
_praevisa minus oratio_, will move as much, _animum obruere, et de sede sua
dejicere_, as a [2150]philosopher observes, will take away our sleep and
appetite, disturb and quite overturn us. Let them bear witness that have
heard those tragical alarms, outcries, hideous noises, which are many times
suddenly heard in the dead of the night by irruption of enemies and
accidental fires, &c., those [2151]panic fears, which often drive men out
of their wits, bereave them of sense, understanding and all, some for a
time, some for their whole lives, they never recover it. The [2152]
Midianites were so affrighted by Gideon's soldiers, they breaking but every
one a pitcher; and [2153]Hannibal's army by such a panic fear was
discomfited at the walls of Rome. Augusta Livia hearing a few tragical
verses recited out of Virgil, _Tu Marcellus eris_, &c., fell down dead in a
swoon. Edinus king of Denmark, by a sudden sound which he heard, [2154]
"was turned into fury with all his men," Cranzius, _l. 5, Dan. hist._ and
Alexander ab Alexandro _l. 3. c. 5._ Amatus Lusitanus had a patient, that
by reason of bad tidings became epilepticus, _cen. 2. cura 90_, Cardan
_subtil. l. 18_, saw one that lost his wits by mistaking of an echo. If one
sense alone can cause such violent commotions of the mind, what may we
think when hearing, sight, and those other senses are all troubled at once?
as by some earthquakes, thunder, lightning, tempests, &c. At Bologna in
Italy, _anno_ 1504, there was such a fearful earthquake about eleven
o'clock in the night (as [2155]Beroaldus in his book _de terrae motu_, hath
commended to posterity) that all the city trembled, the people thought the
world was at an end, _actum de mortalibus_, such a fearful noise, it made
such a detestable smell, the i