CONCERNING PHANTOMS
BY PLINY THE YOUNGER
Our present leisure permits you to teach,
and me to learn from you. I would therefore
willingly know, if you are of opinion, that
phantoms are real figures, and carry in them
some kind of divinity; or are empty vain
shadows, raised in our imaginations by the
effect of fear?
An incident, which happened, as I have been
informed, to Curtius Rufus, was my first
inducement to credit their reality. At a
time, when his fortune was low, and his
character in obscurity, he accompanied into
Africa the person, who was chosen governor.
Towards the evening, while he was walking in
a portico, the figure of a woman, fairer and
larger than the human size, presented itself
to him. He was much frightened. She said, she
was Africa, who came to foretell him future
events; adding, that he was destined to go
to Rome, to enjoy high honours there; to
return governor of the province, in which he
then resided; and to die in that province.
All these facts were fulfilled. It is farther
reported, that the fame figure met him upon
the shore of Carthage, as he was coming out
of a ship. It is certain, that as soon as he
found himself ill, he gave up all hopes of
recovery, although none of his friends despaired
of his life. The remembrance of his past
honours convinced him of his future end; which
he judged was approaching from his former
prosperity.
Consider now, if the following story is not
as wonderful, and still more terrible than
the former. I shall relate it in the manner,
that I received it. There was at Athens a
very large and spacious house; but of evil
report, and fatal to the inhabitants. In
the dead of night, the clinking of iron, and,
upon closer attention, the rattling of chains
was heard; first, at a great distance, and
afterwards very near. A spectre immediately
appeared, representing an old man, emaciated,
and squalid. His beard long, his hair staring;
bolts upon his legs; upon his hands chains;
which he rattled, as he carried. From these
circumstances the inhabitants, in all the
agonies of fear, continued watching during
several melancholy, and dreadful nights.
Such constant watchings brought on distempers;
illness was increased by fear, and death
ensued; for even in the day, when the spectre
was not visible, the representation of the
image wandered before their eyes: so that
the terror was of longer continuance, than
the presence of the spectre. At length the
house was deserted, and entirely left to the
apparition. A bill however was posted up, to
signify, that the house was either to be sold,
or lett; in hopes that some person, ignorant
of the calamity, might offer for it. Athenodorus,
the philosopher, came at that time to Athens;
he read the bill; the price surprised him:
he suspected some bad cause to occasion the
cheapness; and, upon inquiry, was informed
of all the circumstances; by which he was
so little deterred, that they were stronger
inducements to hire it. When the evening came
on, he ordered a bed to be prepared for him
in the first apartment. He called for lights,
for his table-books, and his pen. He sent all
his servants into the farther parts of the
house, and applied his eyes, his hands, and
his whole attention to writing; lest, as he
had heard of apparitions, his mind, if unemployed,
might suggest to him idle fears, and represent
false appearances. The beginning of the night
was as silent there, as in other places. At
length, the irons clinked, and the chains
rattled. Athenodorus neither lifted up his
eyes, nor quitted his pen; but collecting
his resolution, stopt his ears. The noise
increased; it approached, as it was now heard
at the threshold of the door, and immediately
after, within the room. The philosopher turned
back his head, and saw the figure, which he
observed to answer the description, that he
had received of it. The apparition stood still,
and beckoned with a finger, like a person, who
calls another. Athenodorus signified, by the
motion of his hand, that the ghost should stay
a little; and again immediately applied himself
to writing. The spectre rattled his chains over
the head of the philosopher, who, looking back,
saw him beckoning as before; and immediately
taking up a light, followed him. The ghost went
forward in a slow pace, as if encumbered by the
chains; and afterwards turning into a court
belonging to the house, immediately vanished,
leaving the philosopher alone; who, finding
himself thus deserted, pulled up some grass
and leaves, and placed them as a signal to find
the spot of ground. The next day he went to the
magistrates; informed them of the event, and
desired, that they would order the place to be
dug up. Human bones were later found buried there,
and bound in chains. Time and the earth had
mouldered away the flesh, and the skeleton only
remained; which was publicly buried: and after
the rites of sepulture, the house was no longer
haunted. I give credit to these circumstances,
as reported by others.
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