Death from Strange Causes
.Æsʹchylus was killed by the fall of a tortoise on his bald head from the claws of an eagle in the air. (Valerius Maximus, ix. 12, and Pliny: History, vii. 7.)
Chalchas, the soothsayer, died of laughter at the thought of having outlived the predicted hour of his death.
Charles VIII., of France, conducting his queen into a tennis-court, struck his head against the lintel, and it caused his death.
Fabʹius, the Roman prætor, was choked by a single goat-hair in the milk which he was drinking. (Pliny: History, vii. 7.)
Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, died from the blow of a cricket-ball.
Gallus (Cornelius), the prætor, and Titus Haterĭus, a knight, each died while kissing the hand of his wife.
Gabrielle (La belle), the mistress of Henri IV., died from eating an orange.
Itadach died of thirst in the harvestfield because (in observance of the rule of St. Patrick) he refused to drink a drop of anything.
Lepʹidus (Quintus Æmʹilius), going out of his house, struck his great toe against the threshold and expired.
Otway, the poet, in a starving condition, had a guinea given him, on which he bought a loaf of bread, and died while swallowing the first mouthful.
Philomʹenes (4 syl.) died of laughter at seeing an ass eating the figs provided for his own dessert. (Valerius Maximus.)
Quenelault, a Norman physician, of Montpellier, died from a slight wound made in his hand in extracting a splinter.
Saufeius (Appius) was choked to death supping up the white of an under-boiled egg. (Pliny: History, vii. 33.)