THE SPORTSMAN

by Xenophon

Translation by H. G. Dakyns

 Xenophon the Athenian was born 431 B. C. He was a pupil of Socrates. He marched with the Spartans, and was exiled from Athens. Sparta gave him land and property in Scillus, where he lived for many years before having to move once more, to settle in Corinth. He died in 354 B. C. 

 The Sportsman is a manual on hunting hares, deer and wild boar, including the topics of dogs, and the benefits of hunting for the young. 

 PREPARER'S NOTE

 This was typed from Dakyns' series, "The Works of Xenophon, " a four-volume set. The complete list of Xenophon's works (though there is doubt about some of these) is:

 Work Number of books

 The Anabasis 7 The Hellenica 7 The Cyropaedia 8 The Memorabilia 4 The Symposium 1 The Economist 1 On Horsemanship 1 The Sportsman 1 The Cavalry General 1 The Apology 1 On Revenues 1 The Hiero 1 The Agesilaus 1 The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians 2

 Text in brackets "{}" is my transliteration of Greek text into English using an Oxford English Dictionary alphabet table. The diacritical marks have been lost. 

ON HUNTING

A Sportsman's Manual

Commonly Called CYNEGETICUS

I

To the gods themselves is due the discovery, to Apollo and Artemis, patrons of the chase and protectors of the hound. (1) As a guerdon theybestowed it upon Cheiron, (2) by reason of his uprightness, and he tookit and was glad, and turned the gift to good account. At his feetsat many a disciple, to whom he taught the mystery of hunting and ofchivalry (3)--to wit, Cephalus, Asclepius, Melanion, Nestor, Amphiaraus, Peleus, Telamon, Meleager, Theseus and Hippolytus, Palamedes, Odysseus, Menestheus, Diomed, Castor and Polydeuces, Machaon and Podaleirius, Antilochus, Aeneas and Achilles: of whom each in his turn was honouredby the gods. And let none marvel that of these the greater part, albeitwell-pleasing to the gods, nevertheless were subject to death--whichis the way of nature, (4) but their fame has grown--nor yet that theirprime of manhood so far differed. The lifetime of Cheiron sufficed forall his scholars; the fact being that Zeus and Cheiron were brethren, sons of the same father but of different mothers--Zeus of Rhea, andCheiron of the nymph Nais; (5) and so it is that, though older than allof them, he died not before he had taught the youngest--to wit, the boyAchilles. (6)

 (1) Or, "This thing is the invention of no mortal man, but of Apollo and Artemis, to whom belong hunting and dogs. " For the style of exordium L. Dind. Cf (Ps. ) Dion. "Art. Rhet. " ad in. ; Galen, "Isagog. " ad in. ; Alex. Aphrodis. "Probl. " 2 proem. 

 (2) The wisest and "justest of all the centaurs, " Hom. "Il. " xi. 831. See Kingsley, "The Heroes, " p. 84. 

 (3) Or, "the discipline of the hunting field and other noble lore. "

 (4) Lit. "since that is nature, but the praise of them grew greatly. "

 (5) According to others, Philyra. Pind. "Pyth. " iii. 1, {ethelon Kheirona ke Philuridan}; cf. "Pyth. " vi. 22; "Nem. " iii. 43. 

 (6) See Paus. Iii. 18. 12. 

Thanks to the careful heed they paid to dogs and things pertaining tothe chase, thanks also to the other training of their boyhood, all thesegreatly excelled, and on the score of virtue were admired. 

If Cephalus was caught into the arms of one that was a goddess, (7)Asclepius (8) obtained yet greater honour. To him it was given to raisethe dead and to heal the sick, whereby, (9) even as a god among mortalmen, he has obtained to himself imperishable glory. Melanion (10) so farexcelled in zest for toil that he alone of all that flower of chivalrywho were his rivals (11) obtained the prize of noblest wedlock withAtalanta; while as to Nestor, what need to repeat the well-known tale?so far and wide for many a day has the fame of his virtue penetrated theears of Hellas. (12)

 (7) Hemera (al. Eos). For the rape of Cephalus see Hes. "Theog. " 986; Eur. "Ion, " 269; Paus. I. 3. 1; iii. 18. 7. 

 (8) Lat. Aesculapius. Father of Podaleirius and Machaon, "the noble leech, " "Il. " ii. 731, iv. 194, 219, xi. 518; "Od. " iv. 232. 

 (9) Cf. "Anab. " I. Ii. 8; Lincke, "z. Xen. Krit. " p. 299. 

 (10) Melanion, s. Meilanion, Paus. Iii. 12. 9; v. 17. 10; v. 19. 1. 

 (11) "Which were his rival suitors. " As to Atalanta see Paus. Viii. 45. 2; iii. 24. 2; v. 19. 2; Grote, "H. G. " i. 199 foll. 

 (12) Lit. "the virtue of Nestor has so far penetrated the ears of Hellas that I should speak to those who know. " See Hom. "Il. " i. 247, and passim. 

Amphiaraus, (13) what time he served as a warrior against Thebes, wonfor himself the highest praise; and from heaven obtained the honour of adeathless life. (14)

 (13) Amphiaraus. Pind. "Nem. " ix. 13-27; "Olymp. " vi. 11-16; Herod. I. 52; Paus. Ix. 8. 2; 18. 2-4; ii. 23. 2; i. 34; Liv. Xlv. 27; Cic. "de Div. " i. 40. See Aesch. "Sept. C. Th. " 392; Eur. "Phoen. " 1122 foll. ; Apollod. Iii. 6; Strab. Ix. 399, 404. 

 (14) Lit. "to be honoured ever living. "

Peleus kindled in the gods desire to give him Thetis, and to hymn theirnuptials at the board of Cheiron. (15)

 (15) For the marriage of Peleus and Thetis see Hom. "Il. " xxiv. 61; cf. Pope's rendering:

To grace those nuptials from the bright abode Yourselves were present;when this minstrel god (Well pleased to share the feast) amid the quireStood proud to hymn, and tune his youthful lyre ("Homer's Il. " xxiv. )

 Prof. Robinson Ellis ("Comment on Catull. " lxiv. ) cites numerous passages: Eur. "I. In T. " 701 foll. , 1036 foll. ; Pind. "Isthm. " v. 24; "Pyth. " iii. 87-96; Isocr. "Evag. " 192. 6; Apoll. Rh. Iv. 791; "Il. " xxiv. 61; Hes. "Theog. " 1006, and "Epithal. " (ap. Tsetz, "Prol. Ad Lycophr. "):

{tris makar Aiakide kai tetrakis olbie Peleu os toisd' en megarois ieronlekhos eisanabaineis}. 

The mighty Telamon (16) won from the greatest of all states and weddedher whom he desired, Periboea the daughter of Alcathus; (17) and whenthe first of Hellenes, (18) Heracles (19) the son of Zeus, distributedrewards of valour after taking Troy, to Telamon he gave Hesione. (20)

 (16) See "Il. " viii. 283l Paus. I. 42. 1-4. 

 (17) Or Alcathous, who rebuilt the walls of Megara by Apollo's aid. Ov. "Met. " viii. 15 foll. 

 (18) Reading {o protos}; or if with L. D. {tois protois}, "what time Heracles was distributing to the heroes of Hellas (lit. The first of the Hellenes) prizes of valour, to Telamon he gave. "

 (19) See Hom. "Il. " v. 640; Strab. Xiii. 595. 

 (20) See Diod. Iv. 32; i. 42. 

Of Meleager (21) be it said, whereas the honours which he won aremanifest, the misfortunes on which he fell, when his father (22) in oldage forgot the goddess, were not of his own causing. (23)

 (21) For the legend of Meleager see "Il. " ix. 524-599, dramatised by both Sophocles and Euripides, and in our day by Swinburne, "Atalanta in Calydon. " Cf. Paus. Iii. 8. 9; viii. 54. 4; Ov. "Met. " viii. 300; Grote, "H. G. " i. 195. 

 (22) i. E. Oeneus. "Il. " ix. 535. 

 (23) Or, "may not be laid to his charge. "

Theseus (24) single-handed destroyed the enemies of collective Hellas;and in that he greatly enlarged the boundaries of his fatherland, isstill to-day the wonder of mankind. (25)

 (24) See "Mem. " II. I. 14; III. V. 10; cf. Isocr. "Phil. " 111; Plut. "Thes. " x. Foll. ; Diod. Iv. 59; Ov. "Met. " vii. 433. 

 (25) Or, "is held in admiration still to-day. " See Thuc. Ii. 15; Strab. Ix. 397. 

Hippolytus (26) was honoured by our lady Artemis and with her conversed, (27) and in his latter end, by reason of his sobriety and holiness, wasreckoned among the blest. 

 (26) See the play of Euripides. Paus. I. 22; Diod. Iv. 62. 

 (27) Al. "lived on the lips of men. " But cf. Eur. "Hipp. " 85, {soi kai xeneimi kai logois s' ameibomai}. See Frazer, "Golden Bough, " i. 6, for the Hippolytus-Virbius myth. 

Palamedes (28) all his days on earth far outshone those of his own timesin wisdom, and when slain unjustly, won from heaven a vengeance such asno other mortal man may boast of. (29) Yet died he not at their hands(30) whom some suppose; else how could the one of them have beenaccounted all but best, and the other a compeer of the good? No, notthey, but base men wrought that deed. 

 (28) As to Palamedes, son of Nauplius, his genius and treacherous death, see Grote, "H. G. " i. 400; "Mem. " IV. Ii. 33; "Apol. " 26; Plat. "Apol. " 41; "Rep. " vii. 522; Eur. Fr. "Palam. "; Ov. "Met. " xiii. 56; Paus. X. 31. 1; ii. 20. 3. 

 (29) For the vengeance see Schol. Ad Eur. "Orest. " 422; Philostr. "Her. " x. Cf. Strab. Viii. 6. 2 (368); Leake, "Morea, " ii. 358; Baedeker, "Greece, " 245. 

 (30) i. E. Odysseus and Diomed. (S. 11, I confess, strikes me as somewhat in Xenophon's manner. ) See "Mem. " IV. Ii. 33; "Apol. " 26. 

Menestheus, (31) through diligence and patient care, the outcome of thechase, so far overshot all men in love of toil that even the chiefsof Hellas must confess themselves inferior in the concerns of war saveNestor only; and Nestor, it is said, (32) excelled not but alone mightrival him. 

 (31) For Menestheus, who led the Athenians against Troy, cf. Hom. "Il. " ii. 552; iv. 327; Philostr. "Her. " ii. 16; Paus. Ii. 25. 6; i. 17. 6; Plut. "Thes. " 32, 35. 

 (32) Or, "so runs the tale, " e. G. In "The Catalogue. " See "Il. " ii. L. C. : {Nestor oios erizen}, "Only Nestor rivalled him, for he was the elder by birth" (W. Leaf). 

Odysseus and Diomedes (33) were brilliant for many a single deed ofarms, and mainly to these two was due the taking of Troy town. (34)

 (33) The two heroes are frequently coupled in Homer, e. G. "Il. " v. 519; x. 241, etc. 

 (34) Or, "were brilliant in single points, and broadly speaking were the cause that Troy was taken. " See Hygin. "Fab. " 108; Virg. "Aen. " ii. 163. 

Castor and Polydeuces, (35) by reason of their glorious display of artsobtained from Cheiron, and for the high honour and prestige therefromderived, are now immortal. 

 (35) Castor, Polydeuces, s. Pollux--the great twin brethren. See Grote, "H. G. " i. 232 foll. 

Machaon and Podaleirius (36) were trained in this same lore, and provedthemselves adepts in works of skill, in argument and feats of arms. (37)

 (36) As to the two sons of Asclepius, Machaon and Podaleirius, the leaders of the Achaeans, see "Il. " ii. 728; Schol. Ad Pind. "Pyth. " iii. 14; Paus. Iii. 26; iv. 3; Strab. Vi. 4 (284); Diod. Iv. 71. 4; Grote, "H. G. " i. 248. 

 (37) Or, "in crafts, in reasonings, and in deeds of war. "

Antilochus, (38) in that he died for his father, obtained so great aglory that, in the judgment of Hellas, to him alone belongs the title"philopator, " "who loved his father. " (39)

 (38) Antilochus, son of Nestor, slain by Memnon. "Od. " iv. 186 foll. ; Pind. "Pyth. " vi. 28; Philostr. "Her. " iv. ; "Icon. " ii. 281. 

 (39) Lit. "to be alone proclaimed Philopator among the Hellenes. " Cf. Plat. "Laws, " 730 D, "He shall be proclaimed the great and perfect citizen, and bear away the palm of virtue"; and for the epithet see Eur. "Or. " 1605; "I. A. " 68. 

Aeneas (40) saved the ancestral gods--his father's and his mother's;(41) yea, and his own father also, whereby he bore off a reputationfor piety so great that to him alone among all on whom they laid theirconquering hand in Troy even the enemy granted not to be despoiled. 

 (40) As to Aeneas see Poseidon's speech, "Il. " xx. 293 foll. ; Grote, "H. G. " i. 413, 427 foll. 

 (41) Cf. "Hell. " II. Iv. 21. 

Achilles, (42) lastly, being nursed in this same training, bequeathed toafter-days memorials so fair, so ample, that to speak or hear concerninghim no man wearies. 

 (42) "The highest form that floated before Greek imagination was Achilles, " Hegel, "Lectures on the Philosophy of History" (Eng. Tr. P. 233); and for a beautiful elaboration of that idea, J. A. Symonds, "Greek Poets, " 2nd series, ch. Ii. 

Such, by dint of that painstaking care derived from Cheiron, these allproved themselves; of whom all good men yet still to-day are loversand all base men envious. So much so that if throughout the length andbreadth of Hellas misfortunes at any time befell city or king, it wasthey who loosed the knot of them; (43) or if all Hellas found herselfconfronted with the hosts of the Barbarians in strife and battle, once again it was these who nerved the arms of Hellenes to victory andrendered Hellas unconquered and unconquerable. 

 (43) Reading {eluonto autous}, or if as L. D. , {di autous}, transl. "thanks to them, they were loosed. "

For my part, then, my advice to the young is, do not despise hunting orthe other training of your boyhood, if you desire to grow up to begood men, good not only in war but in all else of which the issue isperfection in thought, word, and deed. 

II

The first efforts of a youth emerging from boyhood should be directed tothe institution of the chase, after which he should come to the rest ofeducation, provided he have the means and with an eye to the same; ifhis means be ample, in a style worthy of the profit to be derived; or, if they be scant, let him at any rate contribute enthusiasm, in nothingfalling short of the power he possesses. 

What are the aids and implements of divers sorts with which he who wouldenter on this field must equip himself? These and the theory of eachin particular I will now explain. With a view to success in thework, forewarned is forearmed. Nor let such details be looked upon asinsignificant. Without them there will be an end to practical results. (1)

 (1) Or, "The question suggests itself--how many instruments and of what sort are required by any one wishing to enter this field? A list of these I propose to give, not omitting the theoretical side of the matter in each case, so that whoever lays his hand to this work may have some knowledge to go upon. It would be a mistake to regard these details as trivial. In fact, without them the undertaking might as well be let alone. "

The net-keeper should be a man with a real passion for the work, andin tongue a Hellene, about twenty years of age, of wiry build, agile atonce and strong, with pluck enough to overcome the toils imposed on him, (2) and to take pleasure in the work. 

 (2) {toutous}, "by this, that, or the other good quality. "

The ordinary small nets should be made of fine Phasian or Carthaginian(3) flax, and so too should the road nets and the larger hayes. (4)These small nets should be nine-threaded (made of three strandes, andeach strand of three threads), (5) five spans (6) in depth, (7) and twopalms (8) at the nooses or pockets. (9) There should be no knots inthe cords that run round, which should be so inserted as to run quitesmoothly. (10) The road net should be twelve-threaded, and the largernet (or haye) sixteen. They may be of different sizes, the formervarying from twelve to twenty-four or thirty feet, the latter from sixtyto one hundred and twenty or one hundred and eighty feet. (11) If largerthey will be unwieldy and hard to manage. Both should be thirty-knotted, and the interval of the nooses the same as in the ordinary small nets. At the elbow ends (12) the road net should be furnished with nipples(13) (or eyes), and the larger sort (the haye) with rings, and bothalike with a running line of twisted cord. The pronged stakes (14)for the small nets should be ten palms high, (15) as a rule, but thereshould be some shorter ones besides; those of unequal length will beconvenient to equalise the height on uneven ground, and those of equallength on level. They should be sharp-tipped so as to draw out easily(16) and smooth throughout. Those for the road nets should be twice theheight, (17) and those for the big (haye) nets five spans long, (18)with small forks, the notches not deep; they should be stout and solid, of a thickness proportionate to their length. The number of props neededfor the nets will vary--many or few, according to circumstances; a lessnumber if the tension on the net be great, and a larger number when thenets are slack. (19)

 (3) Phasian or Carchedonian. Cf. Pollux, v. 26. 

 (4) {arkus, enodia, diktua}. 

 (5) (L. Dind. Brackets. ) See Pollux, v. 27, ap. Schn. 

 (6) {spithame}, a span (dodrans) = 7 1/2 inches. Herod. Ii. 106; {trispithamos}, Hes. "Op. " 424; Plat. "Alc. " i. 126 C; Aristot. "H. A. " viii. 28. 5; Polyb. V. 3-6. 

 (7) {to megethos}. 

 (8) Or, "eight fingers' breadth +" = 6 inches +. {palaiste} or {palaste}, a palm or four fingers' breadth = 3 inches +. 

 (9) {tous brokhous}, a purse or tunnel arrangement with slip loop. 

 (10) Reading {upheisthosan de oi peridromoi anammatoi}. Lit. "the cords that run round should be inserted without knots. " See Pollux, v. 28 foll. 

 (11) Lit. "2, 4, 5 fathoms; 10, 20, 30 fathoms. "

 (12) {akroleniois}, elbows, Pollux, v. 29; al. {akroliniois}, L. & S. , "on the edges or borders. "

 (13) {mastous}, al. "tufts. "

 (14) {skhalides}, forks or net props. Cf. Pollux, v. 19. 31. 

 (15) i. E. 30 + inches = 2 1/2 + ft. , say 36 inches = 3 ft. 

 (16) {euperispastoi ta akra}, al. "they should be made so that the nets can be fitted on and off easily, with sharp points"; or "off the points easily. "

 (17) {siplasiai}, i. E. 20 palms = 60 + inches, say 72, or 6 ft. 

 (18) {pentespithamoi}, i. E. 5 x 7 1/2 inches = 37 1/2 inches = 3 ft. 1 1/2 inch; al. 5 x 9 inches = 45 inches = 3 ft. 9 inches. 

 (19) Or, "if in the particular position the nets are taut, a larger if they lie slack. "

Lastly, for the purpose of carrying the nets and hayes, for eithersort (20) there must be a bag of calf-skin; and billhooks to cut downbranches and stop gaps in the woods when necessary. (21)

 (20) Reading, with Lenz, {ekaterois}, or if, as C. Gesner conj. , {e ekatera}, transl. "or either separately. "

 (21) Or, "for the purpose of felling wood and stopping up gaps where necessary. "

III

There are two breeds of sporting dogs: the Castorian and the fox-like. (1) The former get their name from Castor, in memory of the delighthe took in the business of the chase, for which he kept this breed bypreference. (2) The other breed is literally foxy, being the progenyoriginally of the dog and the fox, whose natures have in the course ofages become blent. (3)

 (1) {Kastoriai}, or Laconian, approaching possibly the harrier type; {alopekides}, i. E. Vulpocanine, hybrid between fox and dog. 

 (2) Or, "get their appellation from the fact that Castor took delight in the business of the chase, and kept this breed specially for the purpose. " Al. {diephulaxen}, "propagated and preserved the breed which we now have. " See Darwin, "Animals and Plants under Domestication, " ii. 202, 209. 

 (3) Or, "and through lapse of time the twofold characteristics of their progenitors have become blent. " See Timoth. Gaz. Ap. Schneid. Ad loc. For an ancient superstition as to breeds. 

Both species present a large proportion of defective animals (4) whichfall short of the type, as being under-sized, or crook-nosed, (5)or gray-eyed, (6) or near-sighted, or ungainly, or stiff-jointed, ordeficient in strength, thin-haired, lanky, disproportioned, devoid ofpluck or of nose, or unsound of foot. To particularise: an under-sizeddog will, ten to one, break off from the chase (7) faint and flaggingin the performance of his duty owing to mere diminutiveness. An aquilinenose means no mouth, and consequently an inability to hold the harefast. (8) A blinking bluish eye implies defect of vision; (9) just aswant of shape means ugliness. (10) The stiff-limbed dog will comehome limping from the hunting-field; (11) just as want of strength andthinness of coat go hand in hand with incapacity for toil. (12)The lanky-legged, unsymmetrical dog, with his shambling gait andill-compacted frame, ranges heavily; while the spiritless animal willleave his work to skulk off out of the sun into shade and lie down. Wantof nose means scenting the hare with difficulty, or only once in a way;and however courageous he may be, a hound with unsound feet cannot standthe work, but through foot-soreness will eventually give in. (13)

 (4) Or, "defective specimens (that is to say, the majority) are to be noted, as follows. "

 (5) {grupai}. 

 (6) {kharopoi}. Al. Arrian, iv. 4, 5. 

 (7) Or, "will probably retire from the chase and throw up the business through mere diminutiveness. "

 (8) Or, "a hook-nosed (? pig-jawed, see Stonehenge, "The Dog, " p. 19, 4th ed. ) dog has a bad mouth and cannot hold. "

 (9) Or, "a short-sighted, wall-eyed dog has defective vision. "

 (10) Or, "they are weedy, ugly brutes as a rule. "

 (11) Or, "stiffness of limbs means he will come off. " Cf. "Mem. " III. Xiii. 6. 

 (12) Lit. "a weak, thinly-haired animal is incapable of severe toil. "

 (13) Or, "Nor will courage compensate for unsound feet. The toil and moil will be too great to endure, and owing to the pains in his feet he will in the end give in. "

Similarly many different modes of hunting a line of scent are to be seenin the same species of hound. (14) One dog as soon as he has found thetrail will go along without sign or symptom to show that he is onthe scent; another will vibrate his ears only and keep his tail (15)perfectly still; while a third has just the opposite propensity: he willkeep his ears still and wag with the tip of his tail. Others draw theirears together, and assuming a solemn air, (16) drop their tails, tuckthem between their legs, and scour along the line. Many do nothing ofthe sort. (17) They tear madly about, babbling round the line when theylight upon it, and senselessly trampling out the scent. Others againwill make wide circuits and excursions; either forecasting the line, (18) they overshoot it and leave the hare itself behind, or every timethey run against the line they fall to conjecture, and when they catchsight of the quarry are all in a tremor, (19) and will not advance astep till they see the creature begin to stir. 

 (14) Or, "Also the same dogs will exhibit many styles of coursing: one set as soon as they have got the trail pursue it without a sign, so there is no means of finding out that the animal is on the track. "

 (15) "Stern. "

 (16) Or "with their noses solemnly fixed on the ground and sterns lowered. "

 (17) Or, "have quite a different action"; "exhibit quite another manner. "

 (18) i. E. "they cast forwards to make short cuts, " of skirters too lazy to run the line honestly. 

 (19) Reading {tremousi}, "fall a-trembling"; al. {atremousi}, stand "stock-still"; i. E. Are "dwellers. "

A particular sort may be described as hounds which, when hunting orpursuing, run forward with a frequent eye to the discoveries of the restof the pack, because they have no confidence in themselves. Another sortis over-confident--not letting the cleverer members of the pack goon ahead, but keeping them back with nonsensical clamour. Others willwilfully hug every false scent, (20) and with a tremendous display ofeagerness, whatever they chance upon, will take the lead, conscious allthe while they are playing false; (21) whilst another sort again willbehave in a precisely similar style out of sheer ignorance. (22) It isa poor sort of hound which will not leave a stale line (23) for want ofrecognising the true trail. So, too, a hound that cannot distinguishthe trail leading to a hare's form, and scampers over that of a runninghare, hot haste, is no thoroughbred. (24)

 (20) Al. "seem to take pleasure in fondling every lie. "

 (21) Or, "fully aware themselves that the whole thing is a make- believe. "

 (22) Or, "do exactly the same thing because they do not know any better. "

 (23) {ek ton trimmon}. Lit. "keep away from beaten paths, " and commonly of footpaths, but here apparently of the hare's habitual "run, " not necessarily lately traversed, still less the true line. 

 (24) Lit. "A dog who on the one hand ignores the form track, and on the other tears swiftly over a running track, is not a well-bred dog. " Al. {ta eunaia}, "traces of the form"; {ta dromaia}, "tracks of a running hare. " See Sturz. S. V. {dromaios}. 

When it comes to the actual chase, some hounds will show great ardourat first starting, but presently give up from weakness of spirit. Otherswill run in too hastily (25) and then balk; and go hopelessly astray, asif they had lost the sense of hearing altogether. 

 (25) So L. & S. , {upotheousin} = "cut in before" the rest of the pack and over-run the scent. Al. "flash in for a time, and then lose the scent. "

Many a hound will give up the chase and return from mere distaste forhunting, (26) and not a few from pure affection for mankind. Others withtheir clamorous yelping on the line do their best to deceive, as if trueand false were all one to them. (27) There are others that will not dothat, but which in the middle of their running, (28) should they catchthe echo of a sound from some other quarter, will leave their ownbusiness and incontinently tear off towards it. (29) The fact is, (30)they run on without clear motive, some of them; others taking too muchfor granted; and a third set to suit their whims and fancies. Otherssimply play at hunting; or from pure jealousy, keep questing aboutbeside the line, continually rushing along and tumbling over oneanother. (31)

 (26) Or, {misotheron}, "out of antipathy to the quarry. " For {philanthropon} cf. Pollux, ib. 64; Hermog. Ap. L. Dind. 

 (27) Or, "unable apparently to distinguish false from true. " See Sturz, s. V. {poieisthai}. Cf. Plut. "de Exil. " 6. Al. "Gaily substituting false for true. "

 (28) "In the heat of the chase. "

 (29) "Rush to attack it. "

 (30) The fact is, there are as many different modes of following up the chase almost as there are dogs. Some follow up the chase {asaphos}, indistinctly; some {polu upolambanousai}, with a good deal of guess-work; others again {doxazousai}, without conviction, insincerely; others, {peplasmenos}, out of mere pretence, pure humbug, make-believe, or {phthoneros}, in a fit of jealousy, {ekkunousi}, are skirters; al. {ekkinousi}, Sturz, quit the scent. 

 (31) Al. "unceasingly tearing along, around, and about it. "

The majority of these defects are due to natural disposition, thoughsome must be assigned no doubt to want of scientific training. In eithercase such hounds are useless, and may well deter the keenest sportsmanfrom the hunting field. (32)

 (32) Or, "Naturally, dogs like these damp the sportsman's ardour, and indeed are enough to sicken him altogether with the chase. "

The characters, bodily and other, exhibited by the finer specimens ofthe same breed, (33) I will now set forth. 

 (33) Or, "The features, points, qualities, whether physical or other, which characterise the better individuals. " But what does Xenophon mean by {tou autou genous}?

IV

In the first place, this true type of hound should be of large build;and, in the next place, furnished with a light small head, broad andflat in the snout, (1) well knit and sinewy, the lower part of theforehead puckered into strong wrinkles; eyes set well up (2) in thehead, black and bright; forehead large and broad; the depression betweenthe eyes pronounced; (3) ears long (4) and thin, without hair on theunder side; neck long and flexible, freely moving on its pivot; (5)chest broad and fairly fleshy; shoulder-blades detached a little fromthe shoulders; (6) the shin-bones of the fore-legs should be small, straight, round, stout and strong; the elbows straight; ribs (7) notdeep all along, but sloped away obliquely; the loins muscular, in sizea mean between long and short, neither too flexible nor too stiff; (8)flanks, a mean between large and small; the hips (or "couples") rounded, fleshy behind, not tied together above, but firmly knitted on theinside; (9) the lower or under part of the belly (10) slack, and thebelly itself the same, that is, hollow and sunken; tail long, straight, and pointed; (11) thighs (i. E. Hams) stout and compact; shanks (i. E. Lower thighs) long, round, and solid; hind-legs much longer than thefore-legs, and relatively lean; feet round and cat-like. (12)

 (1) Pollux, v. 7; Arrian, "Cyn. " iv. 

 (2) {meteora}, prominent. ?See Sturz, s. V. 

 (3) {tas diakriseis batheias}, lit. "with a deep frontal sinus. "

 (4) Reading {makra}, or if {mikra}, "small. "

 (5) Al. "well rounded. "

 (6) "Shoulder blades standing out a little from the shoulders"; i. E. "free. "

 (7) i. E. "not wholly given up to depth, but well curved"; depth is not everything unless the ribs be also curved. Schneid. Cf. Ov. "Met. " iii. 216, "et substricta gerens Sicyonius ilia Ladon, " where the poet is perhaps describing a greyhound, "chyned like a bream. " See Stonehenge, pp. 21, 22. Xenophon's "Castorians" were more like the Welsh harrier in build, I presume. 

 (8) Or, "neither soft and spongy nor unyielding. " See Stoneh. , p. 23. 

 (9) "Drawn up underneath it, " lit. "tucked up. "

 (10) Al. "flank, " "flanks themselves. "

 (11) Or, as we should say, "stern. " See Pollux, v. 59; Arrian, v. 9. 

 (12) See Stonehenge, p. 24 foll. 

Hounds possessed of these points will be strong in build, and at thesame time light and active; they will have symmetry at once and pace; abright, beaming expression; and good mouths. 

In following up scent, (13) see how they show their mettle by rapidlyquitting beaten paths, keeping their heads sloping to the ground, smiling, as it were to greet the trail; see how they let their earsdrop, how they keep moving their eyes to and fro quickly, flourishingtheir sterns. (14) Forwards they should go with many a circle towardsthe hare's form, (15) steadily guided by the line, all together. Whenthey are close to the hare itself, they will make the fact plain to thehuntsman by the quickened pace at which they run, as if they would lethim know by their fury, by the motion of head and eyes, by rapid changesof gait and gesture, (16) now casting a glance back and now fixing theirgaze steadily forward to the creature's hiding-place, (17) by twistingsand turnings of the body, flinging themselves backwards, forwards, andsideways, and lastly, by the genuine exaltation of spirits, visibleenough now, and the ecstasy of their pleasure, that they are close uponthe quarry. 

 (13) Lit. "Let them follow up the trail. "

 (14) Lit. "fawning and wagging their tails. "

 (15) Lit. "bed" or "lair. "

 (16) Or, "by rapid shiftings of attitude, by looks now thrown backward and now forwards to the... " Reading {kai apo ton anablemmaton kai emblemmaton ton epi tas kathedras tou l. }, or if with L. D. , {kai apo ton a. Kai emblemmaton eis ton ulen kai anastremmaton ton epi tas k. }, transl. "now looking back at the huntsman and now staring hard into the covert, and again right-about-face in the direction of the hare's sitting-place. "

 (17) Lit. "form"; "the place where puss is seated. "

Once she is off, the pack should pursue with vigour. (18) They mustnot relax their hold, but with yelp and bark full cry insist on keepingclose and dogging puss at every turn. Twist for twist and turn for turn, they, too, must follow in a succession of swift and brilliant bursts, interrupted by frequent doublings; while ever and again they give tongueand yet again till the very welkin rings. (19) One thing they must notdo, and that is, leave the scent and return crestfallen to the huntsman. (20)

 (18) Lit. "let them follow up the chase vigorously, and not relax, with yelp and bark. "

 (19) {dikaios}, Sturz, "non temere"; "and not without good reason. " Al. "a right good honest salvo of barks. "

 (20) Lit. "Let them not hark back to join the huntsman, and desert the trail. "

Along with this build and method of working, hounds should possess fourpoints. They should have pluck, sound feet, keen noses, and sleek coats. The spirited, plucky hound will prove his mettle by refusing to leavethe chase, however stifling the weather; a good nose is shown by hiscapacity for scenting the hare on barren and dry ground exposed to thesun, and that when the orb is at the zenith; (21) soundness of foot inthe fact that the dog may course over mountains during the same season, and yet his feet will not be torn to pieces; and a good coat means thepossession of light, thick, soft, and silky hair. (22)

 (21) i. E. "at mid-day"; or, "in the height of summer"; al. "during the dog-days"; "at the rising of the dog-star. "

 (22) See Pollux, ib. 59; Arrian, vi. 1. 

As to the colour proper for a hound, (23) it should not be simply tawny, nor absolutely black or white, which is not a sign of breeding, butmonotonous--a simplicity suggestive of the wild animal. (24) Accordinglythe red dog should show a bloom of white hair about the muzzle, andso should the black, the white commonly showing red. On the top of thethigh the hair should be straight and thick, as also on the loins and onthe lower portion of the stern, but of a moderate thickness only on theupper parts. 

 (23) See Stonehenge, p. 25; Darwin, op. Cit. Ii. 109. 

 (24) But see Pollux, ib. 65, who apparently read {gennaion touto to aploun alla therides}; al. Arrian, vi. See Jaques de Fouilloux, "La Venerie" (ap. E. Talbot, "Oeuvres completes de Xenophon, " traduction, ii. 318). 

There is a good deal to be said for taking your hounds frequently intothe mountains; not so much for taking them on to cultivated land. (25)And for this reason: the fells offer facilities for hunting and forfollowing the quarry without interruption, while cultivated land, owingto the number of cross roads and beaten paths, presents opportunitiesfor neither. Moreover, quite apart from finding a hare, it is anexcellent thing to take your dogs on to rough ground. It is there theywill become sound of foot, and in general the benefit to their physiquein working over such ground will amply repay you. (26)

 (25) Or, "pretty often, and less frequently over. "

 (26) Lit. "they must be benefited in their bodies generally by working over such ground. "

They should be taken out in summer till mid-day; in winter from sunriseto sundown; in autumn any time except mid-day; and in spring any timebefore evening. These times will hit the mean of temperature. (27)

 (27) Or, "You may count on a moderate temperature at these times. "

V

The tracks of hares are long in winter owing to the length of night, andshort for the opposite reason during summer. In winter, however, theirscent does not lie in early morning, when the rime is on the ground, orearth is frozen. (1) The fact is, hoar frost by its own inherent forceabsorbs its heat, whilst black frost freezes it. (2)

 (1) Or, "when there is hoar frost or black frost" (lit. "ice"). 

 (2) Or, "the ice congeals them, " "encases as it were in itself the heat, " i. E. The warm scent; aliter, "causes the tracks to freeze at the top. "

The hounds, moreover, with their noses nipped by the cold, (3) cannotunder these conditions (4) use their sense of smell, until the sunor the mere advance of day dissolves the scent. Then the noses of thehounds recover, and the scent of the trail begins to exhale itselfperceptibly. (5)

 (3) Reading {malkiosai}, Cobet, "N. Lect. " 131. "Mnem. " 3, 306; Rutherford, "N. Phry. " p. 135. = "nipped, or numb with cold. " For vulg. {malakiosai} = "whose noses are tender, " see Lenz ad loc. 

 (4) Lit. "when the tracks are in this case. "

 (5) As it evaporates. Aliter, "is perceptible to smell as it is wafted by the breeze to greet them. "

Heavy dews also will obliterate scent by its depressing effect; (6) andrains occurring after long intervals, while bringing out odours fromthe earth, (7) will render the soil bad for scent until it dries again. Southerly winds will not improve scent--being moisture-laden theydisperse it; whereas northerly winds, provided the scent has not beenpreviously destroyed, tend to fix and preserve it. Rains will drownand wash it away, and so will drizzle; while the moon by her heat(8)--especially a full moon--will dull its edge; in fact the trail israrest--most irregular (9)--at such times, for the hares in their joyat the light with frolic and gambol (10) literally throw themselves highinto the air and set long intervals between one footfall and another. Or again, the trail will become confused and misleading when crossed bythat of foxes. (11)

 (6) Cf. Plut. "Q. Nat. " 917 F, ap. Schneid. 

 (7) Cf. Theophr. "C. Pl. " xix. 5, 6; xx. 4. 

 (8) Reading {to thermo}. Aristot. "Gen. An. " iv. 10. Zeune cf. Plut. "Symp. " iii. 10, 657. Macrob. "Sat. " vii. 16; Athen. 276 E. Al. {to thermon}. See Lenz ad loc. , "the moon, especially a full moon, dulls the heat (or odour) of the tracks. "

 (9) Cf. Poll. V. 67; ib. 66. 

 (10) "Playing with one another, in the rivalry of sport. "

 (11) Lit. "when foxes have gone through before. "

Spring with its tempered mildness is the season to render the scentclear, except where possibly the soil, bursting with flowers, maymislead the pack, by mingling the perfume of flowers with the truescent. (12) In summer scent is thin and indistinct; the earth beingbaked through and through absorbs the thinner warmth inherent in thetrail, while the dogs themselves are less keen scented at that seasonthrough the general relaxation of their bodies. (13) In autumn scentlies clean, all the products of the soil by that time, if cultivable, being already garnered, or, if wild, withered away with age, so thatthe odours of various fruits are no longer a disturbing cause throughblowing on to the line. (14) In winter, summer, and autumn, moreover, as opposed to spring, the trail of a hare lies for the most part instraight lines, but in the earlier season it is highly complicated, forthe little creatures are perpetually coupling and particularly at thisseason, so that of necessity as they roam together for the purpose theymake the line intricate as described. 

 (12) i. E. "with the scent into a composite and confusing whole. "

 (13) Or, "owing to the relaxed condition of their frames. "

 (14) Lit. "The fruity odours do not, as commingling currents, injure the trail. "

The scent of the line leading to the hare's form lies longer than thatof a hare on the run, and for this reason: in proceeding to her form thehare keeps stopping, (15) the other is in rapid motion; consequently, the ground in one case is thickly saturated all along with scent, in theother sparsely and superficially. So, too, scent lies better in woodythan on barren ground, since, whilst running to and fro or sitting up, the creature comes in contact with a variety of objects. Everythingthat earth produces or bears upon her bosom will serve as puss'sresting-place. These are her screen, her couch, her canopy; (16) apart, it may be, or close at hand, or at some middle point, among them shelies ensconced. At times, with an effort taxing all her strength, shewill spring across to where some jutting point or clinging undergrowthon sea or freshet may attract her. 

 (15) "The form tracks are made by the hare leisurely proceeding and stopping at times; those on the run quickly. "

 (16) Lit. "Anything and everything will serve to couch under, or above, within, beside, now at some distance off, and now hard by, and now midway between. "

The couching hare (17) constructs her form for the most part insheltered spots during cold weather and in shady thickets during the hotseason, but in spring and autumn on ground exposed to the sun. Not sothe running (18) animal, for the simple reason that she is scared out ofher wits by the hounds. (19)

 (17) "The form-frequenting hare. "

 (18) "Her roving congener, " i. E. The hunted hare that squats. The distinction drawn is between the form chosen by the hare for her own comfort, and her squatting-place to escape the hounds when hunted. 

 (19) i. E. "the dogs have turned her head and made her as mad as a March hare. "

In reclining the hare draws up the thighs under the flanks, (20) puttingits fore-legs together, as a rule, and stretching them out, restingits chin on the tips of its feet. It spreads its ears out over theshoulder-blades, and so shelters the tender parts of its body; its hairserves as a protection, (21) being thick and of a downy texture. Whenawake it keeps on blinking its eyelids, (22) but when asleep the eyelidsremain wide open and motionless, and the eyes rigidly fixed; duringsleep it moves its nostrils frequently, if awake less often. 

 (20) Pollux, v. 72. 

 (21) Or, "as a waterproof. "

 (22) So Pollux, ib. 

When the earth is bursting with new verdure, (23) fields and farm-landsrather than mountains are their habitat. (24) When tracked by thehuntsman their habit is everywhere to await approach, except only incase of some excessive scare during the night, in which case they willbe on the move. 

 (23) "When the ground teems with vegetation. "

 (24) Or, "they frequent cultivated lands, " etc. 

The fecundity of the hare is extraordinary. The female, having producedone litter, is on the point of producing a second when she is alreadyimpregnated for a third. (25)

 (25) Re hyper-foetation cf. Pollux, v. 73, ap. Schneid. ; Herod. Iii. 108; Aristot. "H. A. " iv. 5; Erastosthenes, "Catasterism, " 34; Aelian, "V. H. " ii. 12; Plin. "N. H. " vii. 55. 

The scent of the leveret lies stronger (26) than that of the grownanimal. While the limbs are still soft and supple they trail full lengthon the ground. Every true sportsman, however, will leave these quiteyoung creatures to roam freely. (27) "They are for the goddess. "Full-grown yearlings will run their first chase very swiftly, (28) butthey cannot keep up the pace; in spite of agility they lack strength. 

 (26) Cf. Pollux, v. 74. 

 (27) {aphiasi}, cf. Arrian, xxii. 1, "let them go free"; Aesch. "P. V. " 666; Plat. "Prot. " 320 A. 

 (28) Or, "will make the running over the first ring. "

To find the trail you must work the dogs downwards through thecultivated lands, beginning at the top. Any hares that do not come intothe tilled districts must be sought in the meadows and the glades; nearrivulets, among the stones, or in woody ground. If the quarry makes off, (29) there should be no shouting, that the hounds may not grow too eagerand fail to discover the line. When found by the hounds, and the chasehas begun, the hare will at times cross streams, bend and double andcreep for shelter into clefts and crannied lurking-places; (30) sincethey have not only the hounds to dread, but eagles also; and, so long asthey are yearlings, are apt to be carried off in the clutches of thesebirds, in the act of crossing some slope or bare hillside. When they arebigger they have the hounds after them to hunt them down and make awaywith them. The fleetest-footed would appear to be those of the lowmarsh lands. The vagabond kind (31) addicted to every sort of groundare difficult to hunt, for they know the short cuts, running chieflyup steeps or across flats, over inequalities unequally, and downhillscarcely at all. 

 (29) Or, "shifts her ground. "

 (30) Or, "in their terror not of dogs only, but of eagles, since up to a year old they are liable to be seized by these birds of prey while crossing some bottom or bare ground, while if bigger... "

 (31) {oi... Planetai}, see Ael. Op. Cit. Xiii. 14. 

Whilst being hunted they are most visible in crossing ground that hasbeen turned up by the plough, if, that is, they have any trace of redabout them, or through stubble, owing to reflection. So, too, they arevisible enough on beaten paths or roads, presuming these are fairlylevel, since the bright hue of their coats lights up by contrast. On theother hand, they are not noticeable when they seek the cover of rocks, hills, screes, or scrub, owing to similarity of colour. Getting a fairstart of the hounds, they will stop short, sit up and rise themselves upon their haunches, (32) and listen for any bark or other clamour of thehounds hard by; and when the sound reaches them, off and away they go. At times, too, without hearing, merely fancying or persuading themselvesthat they hear the hounds, they will fall to skipping backwards andforwards along the same trail, (33) interchanging leaps, and interlacinglines of scent, (34) and so make off and away. 

 (32) Cf. The German "Mannerchen machen, " "play the mannikin. " Shaks. "V. And A. " 697 foll. 

 (33) Passage imitated by Arrian, xvi. 1. 

 (34) Lit. "imprinting track upon track, " but it is better perhaps to avoid the language of woodcraft at this point. 

These animals will give the longest run when found upon the open, therebeing nothing there to screen the view; the shortest run when startedout of thickets, where the very darkness is an obstacle. 

There are two distinct kinds of hare--the big kind, which is somewhatdark in colour (35) with a large white patch on the forehead; and thesmaller kind, which is yellow-brown with only a little white. The tailof the former kind is variegated in a circle; of the other, white atthe side. (36) The eyes of the large kind are slightly inclined to gray;(37) of the smaller, bluish. The black about the tips of the ears islargely spread in the one, but slightly in the other species. Of thesetwo species, the smaller is to be met with in most of the islands, desert and inhabited alike. As regards numbers they are more abundant inthe islands than on the mainland; the fact being that in most of thesethere are no foxes to attack and carry off either the grown animal orits young; nor yet eagles, whose habitat is on lofty mountains ratherthan the lower type of hills which characterise the islands. (38) Again, sportsmen seldom visit the desert islands, and as to those whichare inhabited, the population is but thinly scattered and the folkthemselves not addicted to the chase; while in the case of the sacredislands, (39) the importation of dogs is not allowed. If, then, weconsider what a small proportion of hares existent at the moment willbe hunted down and again the steady increase of the stock throughreproduction, the enormous numbers will not be surprising. (40)

 (35) {epiperknoi}. Cf. Pollux, v. 67 foll. , "mottled with black. " Blane. 

 (36) Reading {paraseiron}, perhaps "mottled"; vulg. {paraseron}. Al. {parasuron}, "ecourtee, " Gail. 

 (37) {upokharopoi}, "subfulvi, " Sturz, i. E. "inclined to tawny"; al. "fairly lustrous. " Cf. {ommata moi glaukas kharopotera pollon 'Athanas}, Theocr. Xx. 25; but see Aristot. "H. A. " i. 10; "Gen. An. " v. 1. 20. 

 (38) Lit. "and those on the islands are for the most part of low altitude. "

 (39) e. G. Delos. See Strab. X. 456; Plut. "Mor. " 290 B; and so Lagia, Plin. Iv. 12. 

 (40) Lit. "As the inhabitants hunt down but a few of them, these constantly being added to by reproduction, there must needs be a large number of them. "

The hare has not a keen sight for many reasons. To begin with, its eyesare set too prominently on the skull, and the eyelids are clipped andblear, (41) and afford no protection to the pupils. (42) Naturallythe sight is indistinct and purblind. (43) Along with which, althoughasleep, for the most part it does not enjoy visual repose. (44) Again, its very fleetness of foot contributes largely towards dim-sightedness. It can only take a rapid glance at things in passing, and then offbefore perceiving what the particular object is. (45)

 (41) Or, "defective. "

 (42) Al. "against the sun's rays. "

 (43) Or, "dull and mal-concentrated. " See Pollux, v. 69. 

 (44) i. E. "its eyes are not rested, because it sleeps with them open. "

 (45) i. E. "it goes so quick, that before it can notice what the particular object is, it must avert its gaze to the next, and then the next, and so on. "

The alarm, too, of those hounds for ever at its heels pursuing combineswith everything (46) to rob the creature of all prescience; so that forthis reason alone it will run its head into a hundred dangers unawares, and fall into the toils. If it held on its course uphill, (47) it wouldseldom meet with such a fate; but now, through its propensity to circleround and its attachment to the place where it was born and bred, itcourts destruction. Owing to its speed it is not often overtaken bythe hounds by fair hunting. (48) When caught, it is the victim of amisfortune alien to its physical nature. 

 (46) {meta touton}, sc. "with these other causes"; al. "with the dogs"; i. E. "like a second nightmare pack. "

 (47) Reading {orthion}, or if {orthon}, transl. "straight on. "

 (48) {kata podas}, i. E. "by running down"; cf. "Mem. " II. Vi. 9; "Cyrop. " I. Vi. 40, re two kinds of hound: the one for scent, the other for speed. 

The fact is, there is no other animal of equal size which is at all itsmatch in speed. Witness the conformation of its body: the light, smalldrooping head (narrow in front); (49) the (thin cylindrical) (50) neck, not stiff and of a moderate length; straight shoulder-blades, looselyslung above; the fore-legs attached to them, light and set closetogether; (51) the undistended chest; (52) the light symmetrical sides;the supple, well-rounded loins; the fleshy buttocks; the somewhat sunkenflanks; (53) the hips, well rounded, plump at every part, but with aproper interval above; the long and solid thighs, on the outside tenseand not too flabby on the inside; the long, stout lower legs or shanks;the fore-feet, exceedingly pliant, thin, and straight; the hind-feetfirm and broad; front and hind alike totally regardless of rough ground;the hind-legs far longer than the fore, inclined outwards somewhat; thefur (54) short and light. 

 (49) Reading {katophere (stenen ek tou emprosthen)}. See Lenz ad loc. Pp. 23, 24. Pollux, v. 69. 

 (50) Reading { (lepton, periphere)}. 

 (51) {sugkola}, al. "compactly knit. "

 (52) Lit. {ou barutonon}, "not deep sounding" = {ou sarkodes}, Pollux, ib. 

 (53) Reading {lagonas ugras lagaras ikanos}. 

 (54) {trikhona}, "the coat. "

I say an animal so happily constructed must needs be strong and pliant;the perfection of lightness and agility. If proof of this lightnessand agility be needed, here is a fact in illustration. When proceedingquietly, its method of progression is by leaps; no one ever saw or islikely to see a hare walking. What it does is to place the hind-feet infront of the fore-feet and outside them, and so to run, if running onecan call it. The action prints itself plainly on snow. The tail is notconducive to swiftness of pace, being ill adapted by its stumpiness toact as a rudder to direct the body. The animal has to do this by meansof one or other ear; (55) as may be seen, when she is on the point ofbeing caught by the hounds. (56) At that instant you may see her dropand shoot out aslant one of her ears towards the point of attack, andthen, apparently throwing her full weight on that pivot, turn sharpround and in a moment leave her assailants far behind. 

 (55) So Ael. "N. A. " xiii. 14. 

 (56) Pollux, v. 71. For punctuation, see Lenz ad loc. P. 25. 

So winsome a creature is it, that to note the whole of the proceedingsfrom the start--the quest by scent, the find, the pack in pursuit fullcry, the final capture--a man might well forget all other loves. (57)

 (57) See Arrian, xvi. 6, his criticism. Schneid. Cf. Plut. "Mor. " 1096 C. Hermog. Iii. 319, 11, ed. Walz. 

Here it should be added that the sportsman, who finds himself oncultivated lands, should rigidly keep his hands off the fruits of theseason, and leave springs and streams alone. To meddle with them isugly and base, not to speak of the bad example of lawlessness set to thebeholder. During the close season (58) all hunting gear should be takendown and put away. 

 (58) Al. "wahrend der Jagdferien, " Lenz; "on Sundays, " as we might say. See some remarks on S. 34 in "Hellenica Essays, " "Xenophon, " p. 349. 

VI

The equipment of the dogs consists of collar straps, leashes, andsurcingles, (1) and the collar should be broad and soft so as not torub the dog's coat; the leash should have a noose for the hand, (2) andnothing else. The plan of making collar and leash all in one is a clumsycontrivance for keeping a hound in check. (3) The surcingle should bebroad in the thongs so as not to gall the hound's flanks, and with spursstitched on to the leather, to preserve the purity of the breed. (4)

 (1) {stelmoniai}, al. {telamonias}, broad belts or girths, corselets. Pollux, v. 55. 

 (2) Pollux, v. 56. 

 (3) Lit. "since those who make the collar out of the leash do not keep hold (al. Take care) of their hounds well. "

 (4) See "A Day with Xenophon's Harriers, " "Macmillan's Mag. " Jan. 1895, p. 183. 

As to taking the hounds out to hunt, no hound ought to be taken outwhich refuses its food, a conclusive proof that the animal is ailing. Nor again, when a violent wind is blowing, for three good reasons: thescent will not lie, the hounds cannot smell, (5) neither the nets norhayes will stand. In the absence, however, of any of these hindrances, take them out every other day. (6) Do not let your hounds get into thehabit of hunting foxes. Nothing is so ruinous; and just at the momentwhen you want them, they will not be forthcoming. On the other hand, vary the hunting-ground in taking them out; which will give the pack awider experience in hunting and their master a better knowledge of thecountry. The start should be early in the morning, unless the scent isto fail the hounds entirely. (7) The dilatory sportsman robs the pack offinding and himself of profit. (8) Subtle and delicate by nature, scentwill not last all day. 

 (5) "You cannot trust the hound's nose. "

 (6) "Every third day, " {dia trites tes emeras}. 

 (7) Lit. "in order that they may not be deprived of following up the scent. "

 (8) Or, "a late start means the hounds will be robbed of a find and the huntsman of his reward. "

The net-keeper should wear a light costume. His business is to fix thenets about the runs, (9) paths, bends, and hollows, and darksome spots, brooks, dry torrents, or perennial mountain streams. These are theplaces to which the hare chiefly betakes itself for refuge; though thereare of course endless others. These, and the side passages into, andexits from them, whether well marked or ill defined, are to be stoppedjust as day breaks; not too early, so that, in case the line of nets bein the neighbourhood of covert to be searched for game, (10) theanimal may not be scared at hearing the thud close by. (11) If, on thecontrary, there should be a wide gap between the two points, there isless to hinder making the net lines clear and clean quite early, sothat nothing may cling to them. The keeper must fix the forked propsslantwise, so as to stand the strain when subjected to tension. He mustattach the nooses equally on the points; and see that the props areregularly fixed, raising the pouch towards the middle; (12) and into theslip-rope he must insert a large, long stone, to prevent the net fromstretching in the opposite direction, when it has got the hare inside. He will fix the rows of poles with stretches of net sufficiently high toprevent the creature leaping over. (13) In hunting, "no procrastination"should be the motto, since it is sportsmanlike at once and a proof ofenergy by all means to effect a capture quickly. He will stretch thelarger (haye) nets upon level spaces; and proceed to plant the road netsupon roads and at converging points of tracks and footpaths; (14) hemust attach the border-ropes to the ground, draw together the elbows orside ends of the nets, fix the forked props between the upper meshes, (15) adjust the skirting ropes upon the tops, and close up gaps. 

 (9) See Pollux, v. 35. 

 (10) Al. "of the game to be hunted up. "

 (11) {omou}, "e propinquo. " Schn. Cf. "Cyrop. " III. I. 2; VI. Iii. 7. 

 (12) Or, "giving the funnel or belly a lift in the middle. " {kekruphalon}, Pollux, v. 31. 

 (13) This sentence according to Lenz is out of its place, referring solely to the haye nets; the order of the words should be {ta de diktua teineto en apedois stoikhizeto de, k. T. L. } If so, transl. "He should stretch the hayes on level ground and fix, etc. ; The road nets should be planted... Etc. "

 (14) Al. "at convenient points or where paths converge. " See Schneid. S. V. {sumpheronta}. 

 (15) {sardonion}, Pollux, v. 31. Al. "fixing the stakes between the edges. "

Then he will play sentinel and go his rounds; if a prop or funnel wantssupporting, he will set it up; and when the hare comes with the houndsbehind her he will urge her forwards to the toils, with shout and halloathundering at her heels. When she is fairly entangled, he is to calmthe fury of the hounds, without touching them, by soothing, encouragingtones. He is also to signal to the huntsman with a shout, that thequarry is taken, or has escaped this side or that, or that he has notseen it, or where he last caught sight of it. (16)

 (16) Or, "'caught, ' 'escaped, ' (this side or that), 'not seen, ' 'marked. '"

The sportsman himself should sally forth in a loose, light huntingdress, (17) and footgear (18) to match; he should carry a stout stickin his hand, the net-keeper following. They should proceed to thehunting-field in silence, to prevent the hare, if by chance there shouldbe one close by, from making off at the sound of voices. When they havereached the covert, he will tie the hounds to trees, each separately, sothat they can be easily slipped from the leash, and proceed to fix thenets, funnel and hayes, as above described. When that is done, and whilethe net-keeper mounts guard, the master himself will take the houndsand sally forth to rouse the game. (19) Then with prayer and promise toApollo and to Artemis, our Lady of the Chase, (20) to share with themthe produce of spoil, he lets slip a single hound, the cunningest atscenting of the pack. (If it be winter, the hour will be sunrise, or ifsummer, before day-dawn, and in the other seasons at some hour midway. )As soon as the hound has unravelled the true line (21) he will let slipanother; and then, if these carry on the line, at rapid intervals hewill slip the others one by one; and himself follow, without too greathurry, (22) addressing each of the dogs by name every now and then, butnot too frequently, for fear of over-exciting them before the propermoment. 

 (17) {emelemenen} = neglige, plain, unpretentious. 

 (18) Pollux, v. 18. 

 (19) Al. "intent on the working of the pack. "

 (20) "To thee thy share of this chase, Lord Apollo; and thine to thee, O Huntress Queen!"

 (21) Or, "carries a line straight away from the many that interlace. "

 (22) Or, "without forcing the pace. "

Meanwhile the hounds are busily at work; onwards they press with eagerspirit, disentangling the line, double or treble, as the case may be. (23) To and fro they weave a curious web, (24) now across, now parallelwith the line, (25) whose threads are interlaced, here overlapped, andhere revolving in a circle; now straight, now crooked; here close, thererare; at one time clear enough, at another dimly owned. Past one anotherthe hounds jostle--tails waving fast, ears dropt, and eyes flashing. 

 (23) "Discovering two or three scents, as the case may be"; "unravelling her line, be it single or double. "

 (24) {prophoreisthai} = {diazesthai}, Pollux, vii. 52. Schneid. Cf. Aristoph. "Birds, " 4, {apoloumeth' allos ten odon prophoroumeno}. 

Still up and down, old sinner, must we pace; 'Twill kill us both, thisvain, long, wearing race (Kennedy). 

 (25) See Arrian, xx. 2. 

But when they are really close to the hare they will make the matterplain to the huntsman by various signs--the quivering of their bodiesbackwards and forwards, sterns and all; the ardour meaning business;the rush and emulaton; the hurry-scurry to be first; the patientfollowing-up of the whole pack; at one moment massed together, and atanother separated; and once again the steady onward rush. At last theyhave reached the hare's form, and are in the act to spring upon her. But she on a sudden will start up and bring about her ears the barkingclamour of the whole pack as she makes off full speed. Then as the chasegrows hot, the view halloo! of the huntsman may be heard: "So ho, goodhounds! that's she! cleverly now, good hounds! so ho, good hounds!" (26)And so, wrapping his cloak (27) about his left arm, and snatching up hisclub, he joins the hounds in the race after the hare, taking care not toget in their way, (28) which would stop proceedings. (29) The hare, onceoff, is quickly out of sight of her pursuers; but, as a rule, will makea circuit back to the place where she was found. (30)

 (26) Reading {io kunes, io kunes, sophos ge o kunes, kalos ge o kunes}. Al. {io kunes, io kakos} = "To her, dogs! that won't do!" "Ho, ho, Hunde! Ho, ho, falsch! Recht so, Hunde! schon so, Hunde!" (Lenz). 

 (27) {o ampekhetai}, "the shawl or plaid which he carries on his shoulders. " See Pollux, v. 10. 

 (28) "Not to head the chase. " Sir Alex. Grant, "Xen. " p. 167. 

 (29) {aporon}, "which would be awkward" (see Arrian, xxv. 8). 

 (30) "Where the nets are set, " Sir A. Grant. See his comment, l. C. 

He must shout then to the keeper, "Mark her, boy, mark her! hey, lad!hey, lad!" and the latter will make known whether the hare is caught ornot. Supposing the hare to be caught in her first ring, the huntsman hasonly to call in the hounds and beat up another. If not, his business isto follow up the pack full speed, and not give in, but on through thickand through thin, for toil is sweet. And if again they chance upon herin the chevy, (31) his cheery shout will be heard once more, "Right so!right so, hounds! forward on, good hounds!"

 (31) {apantosi diokousai auton}, al. "come across the huntsman again. "

But if the pack have got too long a start of him, and he cannot overtakethem, however eagerly he follows up the hunt--perhaps he has altogethermissed the chase, or even if they are ranging close and giving tongueand sticking to the scent, he cannot see them--still as he tears alonghe can interrogate the passer-by: "Hilloa there, have you seen myhounds?" he shouts, and having at length ascertained their whereabouts, if they are on the line, he will post himself close by, and cheer themon, repeating turn and turn about the name of every hound, and pitchingthe tone of his voice sharp or deep, soft or loud; and besides all otherfamiliar calls, if the chase be on a hillside, (32) he can keep up theirspirits with a constant "Well done, good hounds! well done, good hounds!good hounds!" Or if any are at fault, having overshot the line, he willcall to them, "Back, hounds! back, will you! try back!"

 (32) Or, "if the chase sweeps over a mountain-side. "

As soon as the hounds have got back to (where they missed) the line, (33) he must cast them round, making many a circle to and fro; and wherethe line fails, he should plant a stake (34) as a sign-post to guidethe eye, and so cast round the dogs from that point, (35) till they havefound the right scent, with coaxing and encouragement. As soon as theline of scent is clear, (36) off go the dogs, throwing themselves on toit, springing from side to side, swarming together, conjecturing, andgiving signs to one another, and taking bearings (37) they will notmistake--helter-skelter off they go in pursuit. Once they dart off alongthe line of scent thus hotly, the huntsman should keep up but withouthurrying, or out of zeal they will overshoot the line. As soon as theyare once more in close neighbourhood of the hare, and once again havegiven their master clear indications of the fact, then let him givewhat heed he can, she does not move off farther in sheer terror of thehounds. 

 (33) {prosstosi}, al. "whenever they check. "

 (34) Al. (1) "take a stake or one of the poles as a sign-post, " (2) "draw a line on the ground. "

 (35) {suneirein}. Zeune cf. "Cyrop. " VII. V. 6, "draw the dogs along by the nets. " Blane. 

 (36) "As the scent grows warmer, " the translator in "Macmillan's Mag. " above referred to. Aristot. "H. A. " ix. 44. 4. 

 (37) Lit. "fixing landmarks for themselves. "

They meanwhile, with sterns wagging, tumbling and leaping over oneanother's backs, (38) at intervals loudly giving tongue, and liftingup their heads and peering into their master's face, as much as tosay, "There is no mistake about it this time, " (39) will presentlyof themselves start the hare and be after her full cry, with bark andclamour. (40) Thereupon, whether the hare falls into the toils of thefunnel net or rushes past outside or inside, whatever incident betide, the net-keeper must with a shout proclaim the fact. Should the hare becaught, the huntsman has only to begin looking for another; if not, hemust follow up the chase once more with like encouragement. 

 (38) Or, "whisking their tails and frisking wildly, and jostling against one another, and leaping over one another at a great rate. " Al. "over one obstacle, and then another. "

 (39) Or, "this is the true line at last. "

 (40) Al. "with a crash of tongues. "

When at length the hounds show symptoms of fatigue, and it is alreadylate in the day, the time has come for the huntsman to look for his harethat lies dead-beat; nor must he wittingly leave any patch of green orclod of earth untested. (41) Backwards and forwards he must try and tryagain the ground, (42) to be sure that nothing has been overlooked. Thefact is, the little creature lies in a small compass, and from fatigueand fear will not get up. As he leads the hounds on he will cheer andencourage them, addressing with many a soft term the docile creature, the self-willed, stubborn brute more rarely, and to a moderate extentthe hound of average capacity, till he either succeeds in running downor driving into the toils some victim. (43) After which he will pick uphis nets, both small and large alike, giving every hound a rub down, andreturn home from the hunting-field, taking care, if it should chance tobe a summer's noon, to halt a bit, so that the feet of his hounds maynot be blistered on the road. 

 (41) Lit. "anything which earth puts forth or bears upon her bosom. "

 (42) Or, "Many and many a cast back must he make. "

 (43) The famous stanzas in "Venus and Adonis" may fitly close this chapter. 

 And when thou hast on foot the purblind hare, Mark the poor wretch, to overshoot his troubles How he outruns the wind and with what care He cranks and crosses with a thousand doubles: The many musets through the which he goes Are like a labyrinth to amaze his foes. 

 Sometimes he runs among a flock of sheep, To make the cunning hounds mistake their smell, And sometimes where earth-delving conies keep, To stop the loud pursuers in their yell, And sometimes sorteth with a herd of deer: Danger deviseth shifts; wit waits on fear:

 For there his smell with others being mingled, The hot scent-snuffing hounds are driven to doubt, Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled With much ado the cold fault cleanly out: Then do they spend their mouths: Echo replies, As if another chase were in the skies. 

 By this, poor Wat, far off upon a hill, Stands on his hinder legs with listening ear, To hearken if his foes pursue him still: Anon their loud alarums he doth hear; And now his grief may be compared well To one sore sick that hears the passing-bell. 

 Then shalt thou see the dew-bedabbled wretch Turn, and return, indenting with the way; Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch, Each shadow makes him stop, each murmur stay: For misery is trodden on by many, And being low never relieved by any. 

VII

For breeding purposes choose winter, and release the bitches from hardwork; (1) which will enable them to profit by repose and to produce afine progeny towards spring, since that season is the best to promotethe growth of the young dogs. The bitch is in heat for fourteen days, (2) and the moment at which to put her to the male, with a view to rapidand successful impregnation, is when the heat is passing off. Choose agood dog for the purpose. When the bitch is ready to whelp she shouldnot be taken out hunting continuously, but at intervals sufficientto avoid a miscarriage through her over-love of toil. The period ofgestation lasts for sixty days. When littered the puppies should be leftto ther own dam, and not placed under another bitch; foster-nursing doesnot promote growth in the same way, whilst nothing is so good for themas their own mother's milk and her breath, (3) and the tenderness of hercaresses. (4)

 (1) Or, "Winter is the time at which to pair dogs for breeding, the bitches to be released from hard work, so that with the repose so secured they may produce a fine litter in spring. "

 (2) Lit. "this necessity holds. " Cf. Aristot. "H. A. " vi. 20; Arrian, xxvii. , xxxi. 3. 

 (3) Cf. Eur. "Tro. " 753, {o khrotos edu pneuma}. 

 (4) Cf. Arrian, xxx. 2; Pollux, v. 50; Columella, vii. 12, 12, ap. Schneid. 

Presently, when the puppies are strong enough to roam about, they shouldbe given milk (5) for a whole year, along with what will form theirstaple diet in the future, but nothing else. A heavy diet will distortthe legs of a young dog, engender disease in other limbs, and theinternal mechanism will get out of order. (6)

 (5) See Arrian, xxxi. ; Stonehenge, p. 264. 

 (6) Or, "the internal organs get wrong" ({adika}). Cf. "Memorabilia, " IV. Iv. 5. 

They should have short names given them, which will be easy to callout. (7) The following may serve as specimens:--Psyche, Pluck, Buckler, Spigot, Lance, Lurcher, Watch, Keeper, Brigade, Fencer, Butcher, Blazer, Prowess, Craftsman, Forester, Counsellor, Spoiler, Hurry, Fury, Growler, Riot, Bloomer, Rome, Blossom, Hebe, Hilary, Jolity, Gazer, Eyebright, Much, Force, Trooper, Bustle, Bubbler, Rockdove, Stubborn, Yelp, Killer, Pele-mele, Strongboy, Sky, Sunbeam, Bodkin, Wistful, Gnome, Tracks, Dash. (8)

 (7) Cf. Arrian, xxxi. 2; Oppian, "Cyn, " i. 443; ap. Schneid. 

 (8) The following is Xenophon's list:--

 {Psukhe} = Soul {Thumos} = Spirit {Porpax} = Hasp of shield {Sturax} = Spike of spear at the butt end {Logkhe} = Lance {Lokhos} = Ambush, or "Company" {Phroura} = Watch {Phulax} = Guard {Taxis} = Order, Rank, Post, Brigade {Xiphon} = Swordsman {Phonax} = Slaughterer, cf. "King Death" {Phlegon} = Blazer {'Alke} = Prowess, Victory {Teukhon} = Craftsman {'Uleus} = Woodsman, "Dashwood" {Medas} = Counsellor {Porthon} = Spoiler, "Rob Roy" {Sperkhon} = Hastener, "Rocket" {'Orge} = Fury, Rage {Bremon} = Growler, Roarer {'Ubris} = Hybris, Riot, Insolence {Thallon} = Blooming, "Gaudy" {'Rome} = Strength, "Romeo" {'Antheus} = Blossom {'Eba} = Youth {Getheus} = Gladsome {Khara} = Joy {Leusson} = Gazer {Augo} = Daybeam {Polus} = Much {Bia} = Force {Stikhon} = Stepping in rank and file {Spoude} = Much ado {Bruas} = Gusher {Oinas} = (1) Vine, (2) Rockdove. See Aristot. "H. A. " v. 13, 14; i. 3, 10; Ael. "N. A. " iv. 58. = Columba livia = rockdove, the colour of ripening grapes; al. {oinas} = the vine. {Sterros} = "Stiff, " "King Sturdy" {Krauge} = Clamour. Cf. Plat. "Rep. " 607 B. {Kainon} = Killer {Turbas} = "Topsy-turvy" {Sthenon} = Strong man {Aither} = Ether {'Aktis} = Ray of light {Aikhme} = Spear-point {Nors} = Clever (girl) {Gnome} = Maxim {Stibon} = Tracker {'Orme} = Dash. So Arrian ("Cyn. " viii. 5) named his favourite hound. 

 For other names see Herodian, {peri mon. L} (on monosyllables), 12. 7; "Corp. Inscr. " iv. P. 184, n. 8319; Arrian, v. 6, xix. ; Colum. Vii. 12, 13. According to Pollux, v. 47, Xenophon had a dog named {ippokentauros} (cf. "Cyrop. " IV. Iii. 17). 

The young hounds may be taken out to the chase at the age of eightmonths (9) if bitches, or if males at the age of ten. They should notbe let loose on the trail of a hare sitting, (10) but should be keptattached by long leashes and allowed to follow on a line while scenting, (11) with free scope to run along the trail. (12)

 (9) Cf. Pollux, v. 54; al. Arrian, xxv. , xxvi. 

 (10) Pollux, v. 12. 

 (11) "The dogs that are trailing, " Blane. 

 (12) See Stonehenge, "Entering of greyhound and deerhound, of foxhounds and harriers, " pp. 284, 285. 

As soon as a hare is found, provided the young hounds have the rightpoints (13) for running, they should not be let loose straight off: thehuntsman should wait until the hare has got a good start and is out ofsight, then let the young hounds go. (14) The result of letting slipyoung hounds, possessed of all the requisite points and full of pluck, (15) is that the sight of the hare will make them strain too violentlyand pull them to bits, (16) while their frames are as yet unknit; acatastrophe against which every sportsman should strenuously guard. If, on the other hand, the young hounds do not promise well for running, (17) there is no harm in letting them go. From the start they will giveup all hope of striking the hare, and consequently escape the injury inquestion. (18)

 (13) For points see the same authority: the harrier, p. 59; the foxhound, p. 54. 

 (14) See Arrian's comment and dissent, xxv. 4. 

 (15) Lit. "which are at once well shaped and have the spirit for the chase in them. "

 (16) Al. "they will overstrain themselves with the hare in sight, and break a blood-vessel. " See Arrian, xxxi. 4, {regnuntai gar autais ai lagones}. 

 (17) Or, "are defectively built for the chase. "

 (18) Or, "will not suffer such mishap. "

As to the trail of a hare on the run, there is no harm in letting themfollow it up till they overtake her. (19) When the hare is caught thecarcass should be given to the young hounds to tear in pieces. (20)

 (19) Perhaps read {eos an thelosi}, "as long as they choose. " The MSS. Have {elthosi}. 

 (20) See Stonehenge, p. 287, "blooded, so as to make him understand the nature of the scent"; ib. 284. 

As soon as these young hounds refuse to stay close to the nets and beginto scatter, they must be called back; till they have been accustomed tofind the hare by following her up; or else, if not taught to quest forher (time after time) in proper style, they may end by becoming skirters(21)--a bad education. (22)

 (21) {ekkunoi}, cf. Arrian, xxv. 5. 

 (22) {poneron mathema}, ib. 9. 

As long as they are pups, they should have their food given themnear the nets, when these are being taken up, (23) so that if frominexperience they should lose their way on the hunting-field, they maycome back for it and not be altogether lost. In time they will be quitof this instinct themselves, (24) when their hostile feeling towards theanimal is developed, and they will be more concerned about the quarrythan disposed to give their food a thought. (25)

 (23) {anairontai} sc. {ai arkues}, see above, vi. 26. 

 (24) Or, "abandon the practice. "

 (25) See Stonehenge, p. 289 (another context): "... The desire for game in a well-bred dog is much greater than the appetite for food, unless the stomach has long been deprived of it. "

As a rule, the master should give the dogs their food with his ownhand; since, however much the animal may be in want of food without hisknowing who is to blame for that, it is impossible to have his hungersatisfied without his forming an affection for his benefactor. (26)

 (26) Or, "If want in itself does not reveal to him the cause of his suffering, to be given food when hungry for it will arouse in him affection for the donor. "

VIII

The time to track hares is after a fall of snow deep enough to concealthe ground completely. As long as there are black patches intermixed, the hare will be hard to find. It is true that outside these the trackswill remain visible for a long time, when the snow comes down with anorth wind blowing, because the snow does not melt immediately; butif the wind be mild with gleams of sunshine, they will not last long, because the snow is quickly thawed. When it snows steadily and withoutintermission there is nothing to be done; the tracks will be coveredup. Nor, again, if there be a strong wind blowing, which will whirl anddrift the snow about and obliterate the tracks. It will not do to takethe hounds into the field in that case; (1) since owing to excessivefrost the snow will blister (2) the feet and noses of the dogs anddestroy the hare's scent. Then is the time for the sportsman to takethe haye nets and set off with a comrade up to the hills, and leave thecultivated lands behind; and when he has got upon the tracks to followup the clue. If the tracks are much involved, and he follows them onlyto find himself back again ere along at the same place, (3) he must makea series of circuits and sweep round the medley of tracks, till he findsout where they really lead. (4)

 (1) Lit. "I say it is no use setting out with dogs to this chase. "

 (2) {kaei}. Cf. Arrian, xiv. 5. 

 (3) Reading {ekonta} sc. {ton kunegeten... } or if {ekonta, kuklous} (sc. {ta ikhne}), transl. "if the tracks are involved, doubling on themselves and coming back eventually to the same place. "

 (4) Or, "where the end of the string is. "

The hare makes many windings, being at a loss to find a resting-place, and at the same time she is accustomed to deal subtly (5) in her methodof progression, because her footsteps lead perpetually to her pursuit. 

 (5) {tekhnazein}. Cf. Ael. "N. A. " vi. 47, ap. Schneid. A fact for Uncle Remus. 

As soon as the track is clear, (6) the huntsman will push on a littlefarther; and it will bring him either to some embowered spot (7) orcraggy bank; since gusts of wind will drift the snow beyond such spots, whereby a store of couching-places (8) is reserved (9); and that is whatpuss seeks. 

 (6) "Discovered. "

 (7) "Thicket or overhanging crag. "

 (8) {eunasima}, "places well adapted for a form. "

 (9) Al. "many places suited for her form are left aside by puss, but this she seeks. "

If the tracks conduct the huntsman to this kind of covert he had betternot approach too near, for fear the creature should move off. Let himmake a circuit round; the chances are that she is there; and that willsoon be clear; for if so, the tracks will not trend outwards from theplace at any point. (10)

 (10) L. Dind. Emend. {oudamoi}, "the tracks will not pass in any direction outwards from such ground. "

And now when it is clear that puss is there, there let her bide; shewill not sir; let him set off and seek another, before the tracks areindistinct; being careful only to note the time of day; so that, in casehe discovers others, there will be daylight enough for him to set up thenets. (11) When the final moment has come, he will stretch the big hayenets round the first one and then the other victim (precisely as in thecase of one of those black thawed patches above named), so as to enclosewithin the toils whatever the creature is resting on. (12) As soon asthe nets are posted, up he must go and start her. If she contrive toextricate herself from the nets, (13) he must after her, following hertracks; and presently he will find himself at a second similar piece ofground (unless, as is not improbable, she smothers herself in the snowbeforehand). (14) Accordingly he must discover where she is and spreadhis toils once more; and, if she has energy still left, pursue thechase. Even without the nets, caught she will be, from sheer fatigue, (15) owing to the depth of the snow, which balls itself under her shaggyfeet and clings to her, a sheer dead weight. 

 (11) Al. "to envelop the victims in the nets. "

 (12) Lit. "whatever the creature is in contact with inside. "

 (13) Cf. Aesch. "Prom. " 87, {Poto tropo tesd' ekkulisthesei tukhes}. 

 (14) Or, "if the creature is not first suffocated in the snow itself. "

 (15) See Pollux, v. 50. "She must presently be tired out in the heavy snow, which balls itself like a fatal clog clinging to the under part of her hairy feet. "

IX

For hunting fawns (1) and deer, (2) Indian dogs (3) should be employed, as being strong, large, and fleet-footed, and not devoid of spirit; withthese points they will prove well equal to the toil. 

 (1) See Hom. "Il. " xxii. 189, x. 361; "Od. " iv. 35; Aelian, "N. A. " xiv. 14; xvii. 26; Geopon. Xix. 5. 

 (2) {e elaphos} (generic, Attic) = hart or hind, of roe (Capreolus caprea) or red (Cervus elaphus) deer alike, I suppose. See St. John, "Nat. Hist. And Sport in Moray. "

 (3) Of the Persian or Grecian greyhound type perhaps. See Aristot. "H. A. " viii. 28; Aelian, "N. A. " viii. 1; Pollux, v. 37, 38, 43; Plin. "H. N. " vii. 2, viii. 28; Oppian, "Cyn. " i. 413. 

Quite young fawns (4) should be captured in spring, that being theseason at which the dams calve. (5) Some one should go beforehandinto the rank meadowlands (6) and reconnoitre where the hinds arecongregated, and wherever that may be, the master of the hounds will setoff--with his hounds and a supply of javelins--before daylight to theplace in question. Here he will attach the hounds to trees (7) somedistance off, for fear of their barking, (8) when they catch sight ofthe deer. That done he will choose a specular point himself and keep asharp look-out. (9) As day breaks he will espy the hinds leading theirfawns to the places where they will lay them severally to rest. (10)Having made them lie down and suckled them, they will cast anxiousglances this way and that to see that no one watches them; and then theywill severally withdraw to the side opposite and mount guard, each overher own offspring. The huntsman, who has seen it all, (11) will loosethe dogs, and with javelins in hand himself advance towards the nearestfawn in the direction of where he saw it laid to rest; carefully notingthe lie of the land, (12) for fear of making some mistake; since theplace itself will present a very different aspect on approach from whatit looked like at a distance. 

 (4) See above, v. 14. I do not know that any one has answered Schneider's question: Quidni sensum eundem servavit homo religiosus in hinnulis?

 (5) "The fawns (of the roe deer) are born in the spring, usually early in May, " Lydekker, "R. N. H. " ii. P. 383; of the red deer "generally in the early part of June, " ib. 346. 

 (6) {orgadas} = "gagnages, " du Fouilloux, "Comment le veneur doit aller en queste aux taillis ou gaignages pour voir le cerf a veue, " ap. Talbot, op. Cit. I. P. 331. 

 (7) Or, "off the wood. "

 (8) It seems they were not trained to restrain themselves. 

 (9) Or, "set himself to observe from some higher place. " Cf. Aristoph. "Wasps, " 361, {nun de xun oplois} | {andres oplitai diataxamenoi} | {kata tas diodous skopiorountai}. Philostr. 784. 

 (10) See Pollux, v. 77; Aristot. "H. A. " ix. 5. Mr. Scrope ap. Lydekker, "R. N. H. " ii. P. 346, states that the dam of the red deer makes her offspring "lie down by a pressure of her nose, " etc. 

 (11) Lit. "when he sees these things. "

 (12) Or, "the features of the scene"; "the topography. "

When his eye has lit upon the object of his search, he will approachquite close. The fawn will keep perfectly still, glued (13) as it wereto earth, and with loud bleats suffer itself to be picked up; unless ithappen to be drenched with rain; in which case, it will not stay quietin one place. No doubt, the internal moisture of the animal congealsquickly with the cold (14) and causes it to shift its ground. Caught inthat case it must needs be; but the hounds will have work enough to runthe creature down. (15) The huntsman having seized the fawn, will handit to the keeper. The bleating will continue; and the hind, partlyseeing and partly hearing, will bear down full tilt upon the man who hasgot her young, in her desire to rescue it. Now is the moment to urgeon the hounds and ply the javelins. And so having mastered this one, hewill proceed against the rest, and employ the same method of the chasein dealing with them. 

 (13) {piesas}, "noosling, nestling, buried. "

 (14) "The blood runs cold. "

 (15) Or, "but it will give them a good chase; the dogs will have their work cut out. "

Young fawns may be captured in the way described. Those that are alreadybig will give more trouble, since they graze with their mothers andthe other deer, and when pursued retire in the middle of the herd oroccasionally in front, but very seldom in the rear. The deer, moreover, in order to protect their young will do battle with the hounds andtrample them under foot; so that capture is not easy, unless you come atonce to close quarters and scatter the herd, with the result that one oranother of the fawns is isolated. The effort implies (16) a strain, andthe hounds will be left behind in the first heat of the race, since thevery absence of their dams (17) will intensify the young deer's terror, and the speed of a fawn, that age and size, is quite incredible. (18)But at the second or third run they will be quickly captured; sincetheir bodies being young and still unformed cannot hold out long againstfatigue. 

 (16) Lit. "after that violent effort. "

 (17) Or, "alarm at the absence of the herd will lend the creature wings. "

 (18) Or, "is past compare"; "is beyond all telling. "

Foot-gins (19) or caltrops may be set for deer on mountains, in theneighbourhood of meadows and streams and wooded glens, on cross-roads(20) or in tilled fields at spots which they frequent. (21) These ginsshould be made of twisted yew twigs (22) stripped of the bark to preventtheir rotting. They should have well-rounded hooplike "crowns" (23) withalternate rows of nails of wood and iron woven into the coil. (24) Theiron nails should be larger, so that while the wooden ones yield to thefoot, the others may press into it. (25) The noose of the cord whichwill be laid upon "the crown" should be woven out of esparto and soshould the rope itself, this kind of grass being least liable to rot. The rope and noose itself should both alike be stout. The log or clog ofwood attached should be made of common or of holm oak with the bark on, three spans in length, and a palm in thickness. (26)

 (19) {podostrabai}, podostrabai so called. Cf. "the boot. "

 (20) {en tais diodois}, "at points where paths issue, " or "cross. "

 (21) {pros o ti prosie}, "against whatever they are likely to approach. "

 (22) Or, "should be woven out of Smilax"; "Ebenholz, " Lenz; "Ifs, " Gail. 

 (23) {tas de stephanas euk. Ekh. } "having circular rims. "

 (24) {en to plokano} (al. {plokamo}) = the plaited rope, which formed the {stephane}. See Pollux, v. 32, ap. Schneid. And Lenz. 

 (25) Al. "so as to press into the foot, if the wooden ones yield. "

 (26) Or, "27 inches x 3. "

To set the trap, dig a hole in the soil to a depth of fifteen inches, (27) circular in shape, with a circumference at the top exactlycorresponding to the crown and narrowing towards the bottom. For therope and wooden clog likewise remove sufficient earth to let them bothbe lightly buried. That done, place the foot-gin deep enough to be justeven with the surface of the soil, (28) and round the circle of thecrown the cord-noose. The cord itself and wooden clog must now belowered into their respective places. Which done, place on the crownsome rods of spindle-tree, (29) but not so as to stick out beyond theouter rim; and above these again light leaves, such as the season mayprovide. After this put a final coating of earth upon the leaves; in thefirst place the surface soil from the holes just dug, and atop of thatsome unbroken solid earth from a distance, so that the lie of the trapmay be as much as possible unnoticed by the deer. Any earth left overshould be carried to a distance from the gin. The mere smell of thenewly-turned-up soil will suffice to make the animal suspicious; (30)and smell it readily she will. 

 (27) Or, "remove a mass of soil to the depth of five palms so as to form a circular hole corresponding in size with the rim above- named. "

 (28) Or, "like a door over the cavity, somewhat below the surface, flatwise"; i. E. "in a horizontal position. "

 (29) So literally, but really Carthamus creticus, a thistle-like plant used for making spindles (Sprengel ap. L. & S. ), the Euonymous europaeus being our spindle-tree. Aristot. "H. A. " ix. 40, 49; Theocr. Iv. 52. 

 (30) Lit. "if she once sniffs the new-turned soil the deer grows shy, and that she will quickly do. " See Plat. "Laws, " 933 A; "Phaedr. " 242 C; "Mem. " II. I. 4. 

The hunter should take his hounds and inspect the traps upon themountains, early in the morning if possible, though he should do so alsoduring the day at other times. Those set on cultivated land must alwaysbe inspected early, before the sun is up in fact, (31) and for thisreason: on the hills, so desert is the region, (32) the creatures maybe caught not only at night but at any time of day; while, on thecultivated lands, owing to their chronic apprehension of mankind indaytime, night is the only time. (33)

 (31) "Before the sun is up. "

 (32) Or, "thanks to the lonesomeness of the region. "

 (33) "It is night or never, owing to the dread of man which haunts the creature's mind during daytime. "

As soon as the huntsman finds a gin uprooted he will let slip his houndsand with cheery encouragement (34) follow along the wake of the woodenclog, with a keen eye to the direction of its march. That for the mostpart will be plain enough, since stones will be displaced, and thefurrow which the clog makes as it trails along will be conspicuous ontilled ground; or if the deer should strike across rough ground, therocks will show pieces of bark torn from the clog, and the chase willconsequently be all the easier. (35)

 (34) See vi. 20; "with view-halloo. "

 (35) Or, "along that track will not be difficult. "

Should the deer have been caught by one of its fore-feet it will soonbe taken, because in the act of running it will beat and batter its ownface and body; if by the hind-leg, the clog comes trailing along andmust needs impede the action of every limb. Sometimes, too, as it iswhirled along it will come in contact with the forked branches of sometree, and then unless the animal can snap the rope in twain, she isfairly caught; there ends the chase. But even so, if caught in this wayor overdone with fatigue, it were well not to come too close the quarry, should it chance to be a stag, or he will lunge out with his antlers andhis feet; better therefore let fly your javelins from a distance. 

These animals may also be captured without aid of gin or caltrop, bysheer coursing in hot summer time; they get so tired, they will standstill to be shot down. If hard pressed they will plunge into the sea ortake to water of any sort in their perplexity, and at times will dropdown from sheer want of breath. (36)

 (36) "From mere shortness of breath. "

X

To cope with the wild boar the huntsman needs to have a variety of dogs, Indian, Cretan, Locrian, and Laconian, (1) along with a stock of nets, javelins, boar-spears, and foot-traps. 

 (1) For these breeds see Pollux, v. 37: for the Laconian, Pind. "Fr. " 73; Soph. "Aj. " 8; cf. Shakesp. "Mids. N. D. " iv. 1. 119, 129 foll. 

To begin with, the hounds must be no ordinary specimens of the speciesnamed, (2) in order to do battle with the beast in question. 

 (2) Or, "these hounds of the breed named must not be any ordinary specimens"; but what does Xenophon mean by {ek toutou tou genous}?

The nets should be made of the same flaxen cord (3) as those for haresabove described. They should be forty-five threaded in three strands, each strand consisting of fifteen threads. The height from the upper rim(4) (i. E. From top to bottom) should be ten meshes, and the depth of thenooses or pockets one elbow-length (say fifteen inches). (5) The ropesrunning round the net should be half as thick again as the cords of thenet; and at the extremities (6) they should be fitted with rings, andshould be inserted (in and out) under the nooses, with the end passingout through the rings. Fifteen nets will be sufficient. (7)

 (3) i. E. "of Phasian or Cathaginian fine flax. "

 (4) {tou koruphaiou}. 

 (5) {pugon}. The distance from the elbow to the first joint of the finger = 20 {daktuloi} = 5 {palaistai} = 1 1/4 ft. + (L. & S. )

 (6) {ep akrois}. Cf. {akreleniois}. 

 (7) Reading {ikanai}, vid. Lenz ad loc. And ii. 4. 

The javelins should be of all sorts, (8) having blades of a good breadthand razor-sharpness, and stout shafts. 

 (8) Al. "of various material. " See Pollux, v. 20 ap. Schneid. 

The boar-spears should in the first place have blades fifteen incheslong, and in the middle of the socket two solid projecting teeth ofwrought metal, (9) and shafts of cornel-wood a spear-shaft's thickness. 

 (9) Wrought of copper (or bronze). 

The foot-traps should resemble those used for deer. 

These hunts should be conducted not singly, (10) but in parties, sincethe wild boar can be captured only by the collective energy of severalmen, and that not easily. 

 (10) Lit. "There should be a band of huntsmen"; or, "It will take the united energies of several to capture this game. " See Hom. "Il. " ix. 543, of the Calydonian boar:

{ton d' uios Oineos apekteinen Meleagros, polleon ek polion theretorasandras ageiras kai kunas. Ou men gar k' edame pauroisi brotoisin tossoseen, pollous de pures epebes' alegeines. }

 "But him slew Meleagros the son of Oineus, having gathered together from many cities huntsmen and hounds; for not of few men could the boar be slain, so mighty was he; and many an one brought he to the grievous pyre" (W. Leaf). 

I will now explain how each part of the gear is to be used in hunting. 

The company being come to some place where a boar is thought to lie, thefirst step is to bring up the pack, (11) which done, they will loose asingle Laconian bitch, and keeping the rest in leash, beat about withthis one hound. (12) As soon as she has got on the boar's track, letthem follow in order, one after another, close on the tracking hound, who gives the lead to the whole company. (13) Even to the huntsmenthemselves many a mark of the creature will be plain, such as hisfootprints on soft portions of the ground, and in the thick undergrowthof forests broken twigs; and, where there are single trees, the scarsmade by his tusks. (14) As she follows up the trail the hound will, asa general rule, finally arrive at some well-wooded spot; since, as ageneral rule, the boar lies ensconced in places of the sort, that arewarm in winter and cool in summer. 

 (11) {kunegesion}, "a hunting establishment, huntsmen and hounds, a pack of hounds, " L. & S. Cf. Herod. I. 36; Pollux. V. 17. In Aristot. "H. A. " viii. 5. 2, of wolves in a pack; v. {monopeirai}. {upagein}--"stealthily?"

 (12) Or, "go on a voyage of discovery. "

 (13) Reading {te ikhneuouse}, or if vulg. {ikhneusei}, transl. "set her to follow the trail, at the head of the whole train. "

 (14) Schneid. Cf. Aristot. "H. A. " vi. 18; Plin. Viii. 52; Virg. "Georg. " iii. 255, "ipse ruit, dentesque Sabellicus exacuit sus"; Hom. "Il. " xi. 416, xiii. 475; Hes. "Shield, " 389; Eur. "Phoen. " 1389; Ovid, "Met. " viii. 369. 

As soon as she has reached his lair she will give tongue; but the boarwill not get up, not he, in nine cases out of ten. The huntsman willthereupon recover the hound, and tie her up also with the rest at a gooddistance from the lair. (15) He will then launch his toils into the wildboar's harbourage, (16) placing the nooses upon any forked branchesof wood to hand. Out of the net itself he must construct a deepforward-jutting gulf or bosom, posting young shoots on this side andthat within, as stays or beams, (17) so that the rays of light maypenetrate as freely as possible through the nooses into the bosom, (18)and the interior be as fully lit up as possible when the creature makeshis charge. The string round the top of the net must be attached tosome stout tree, and not to any mere shrub or thorn-bush, since theselight-bending branches will give way to strain on open ground. (19)All about each net it will be well to stop with timber even places (20)"where harbrough nis to see, " so that the hulking brute may drive astraight course (21) into the toils without tacking. 

 (15) Lit. "accordingly recover the dog, and tie her up also with the rest, " etc. 

 (16) {ormous}. Lit. "moorings, " i. E. "favourite haunts. " Cf. {dusorma} below. Al. "stelle die Fallnetze auf die Wechsel, " Lenz. 

 (17) {anteridas}. See a note in the "Class. Rev. " X. I. P. 7, by G. S. Sale: "It can only mean long sticks used as stretchers or spreaders to hold up the net between and beyond the props. " Cf. Thuc. Vii. 36, 2. 

 (18) Or, "within the bay of network. "

 (19) {sunekhontai en tois psilois ai e}. "Denn diese werden an unbestandenen Orten durch die Leine niedergezogen, " Lenz; {sunelkontai} conj. Schn. ; {sunerkhontai} al. , "concurrunt, " vid. Sturz. 

 (20) {ta dusorma}, met. From "bad harbourage. " Cf. Arsch. "Pers. " 448; "Ag. " 194. Cf. Lat. "importunus, " also of "rough ground. "

 (21) Or, "make his rush. "

As soon as the nets are fixed, the party will come back and let thehounds slip one and all; then each will snatch up his javelin (22) andboar-spear, and advance. Some one man, the most practised hand, willcheer on the hounds, and the rest will follow in good order at someconsiderable distance from one another, so as to leave the animal a freepassage; since if he falls into the thick of them as he makes off, thereis a fair chance of being wounded, for he will certainly vent his furyon the first creature he falls foul of. 

 (22) Lit. "then they will take their javelins and boar-spears and advance. "

As soon as the hounds are near his lair, they will make their onslaught. The boar, bewildered by the uproar, will rise up and toss the firsthound that ventures to attack him in front. He will then run and fallinto the toils; or if not, then after him full cry. (23) Even if theground on which the toils environ him be sloping, he will recoverhimself promptly; (24) but if level, he will at once plant himself firmas a rock, as if deliberating with himself. (25) At that conjuncturethe hounds will press hard upon him, while their masters had best keepa narrow eye upon the boar and let fly their javelins and a pelt ofstones, being planted in a ring behind him and a good way off, until theinstant when with a forward heave of his body he stretches the net tightand strains the skirting-rope. Thereupon he who is most skilful ofthe company and of the stoutest nerve will advance from the front anddeliver a home thrust with his hunting-spear. 

 (23) Or, "a pretty chase must follow. "

 (24) Or, "if within the prison of the net the ground be sloping, it will not take long to make him spring up; he will be up again on his legs in no time. "

 (25) Or, "being concerned about himself. "

Should the animal for all that rain of javelins and stones refuse tostretch the skirting-rope, should he rather relax (26) in that directionand make a right-about-face turn bearing down on his assailant, thereis nothing for it, under these circumstances, but to seize a boar-spear, and advance; firmly clutching it with the left hand forward and withthe right behind; the left is to steady it, and the right to give itimpulse; and so the feet, (27) the left advanced in correspondence withthe left arm, and right with right. As he advances, he will make a lungeforward with the boar-spear, (27) planting his legs apart not much widerthan in wrestling, (28) and keeping his left side turned towards hisleft hand; and then, with his eye fixed steadily on the beast's eye, hewill note every turn and movement of the creature's head. As he bringsdown the boar-spear to the thrust, he must take good heed the animaldoes not knock it out of his hands by a side movement of the head; (29)for if so he will follow up the impetus of that rude knock. In caseof that misfortune, the huntsman must throw himself upon his face andclutch tight hold of the brushwood under him, since if the wild boarshould attack him in that posture, owing to the upward curve of itstusks, it cannot get under him; (30) whereas if caught erect, he must bewounded. What will happen then is, that the beast will try to raise himup, and failing that will stand upon and trample him. 

 (26) {epanieis}. See Sturz, s. V. 

 (27) Lit. "forwards the left foot will follow the left arm and the right foot the other. "

 (28) "Statum venatoris aprum venabulo excipientis pinxit Philostratus, " "Imag. " i. 28, Schn. 

 (29) Or, "he will step forward and take one stride not much longer than that of a wrestler, and thrust forward his boar-spear. "

 (30) Cf. Hes. "Shield, " 387; Hom. "Il. " xii. 148: "Then forth rushed the twain, and fought in front of the gates like wild boars that in the mountains abide the assailing crew of men and dogs, and charging on either flank they crush the wood around them, cutting it at the root, and the clatter of their tusks waxes loud, till one smite them and take their life away" (A. Lang). 

From this extremity there is but one means of escape, and one alone, for the luckless prisoner. One of his fellow-huntsmen must approach withboar-spear and provoke the boar, making as though he would let fly athim; but let fly he must not, for fear of hitting the man under him. Theboar, on seeing this, will leave the fallen man, and in rage and furyturn to grapple his assailant. The other will seize the instant tospring to his feet, and not forget to clutch his boar-spear as herises to his legs again; since rescue cannot be nobly purchased saveby victory. (31) Let him again bring the weapon to bear in the samefashion, and make a lunge at a point within the shoulder-blade, wherelies the throat; (32) and planting his body firmly press with all hisforce. (33) The boar, by dint of his might and battle rage, will stillpush on, and were it not that the teeth of the lance-blade hindered, (34) would push his way up to the holder of the boar-spear even thoughthe shaft run right through him. (35)

 (31) "Safety can only be won with honour by some master-stroke of victory. "

 (32) {sphage}. Aristot. "H. A. " i. 14. 2. "Straight at the jugular. "

 (33) Or, "throwing his whole weight on the thrust, press home with all his force. "

 (34) Or, "but for the intervention of the two projecting teeth of the lance-blade. " See the account of the passage of arms between Col. Pollock and a boar in his "Incidents of Foreign Sport and Travel. " There the man was mounted, but alone. 

 (35) Lit. "force his heavy bulk along the shaft right up to the holder of the boar-spear. "

Nay, so tremendous is the animal's power, that a property which no oneever would suspect belongs to him. Lay a few hairs upon the tusk ofa boar just dead, and they will shrivel up instantly, (36) so hot arethey, these tusks. Nay, while the creature is living, under fierceexcitement they will be all aglow; or else how comes it that though hefail to gore the dogs, yet at the blow the fine hairs of their coats aresinged in flecks and patches? (37)

 (36) {euthus}, i. E. "for a few seconds after death. "

 (37) The belief is still current, I am told, in parts of India. 

So much and even greater trouble may be loked for from the wild boarbefore capture; I speak of the male animal. If it should be a sow thatfalls into the toils, the huntsman should run up and prod her, takingcare not to be pushed off his legs and fall, in which case he cannotescape being trampled on and bitten. Ergo, he will not voluntarily getunder those feet; but if involuntarily he should come to such a pass, the same means (38) of helping each the other to get up again willserve, as in the case of the male animal; and when he has regained hislegs, he must ply the boar-spear vigorously till she too has died thedeath. 

 (38) {dianastaseis}, "the same methods of mutual recovery. "

Wild pigs may be captured further in the following fashion: The netsare fixed for them at the entrances of woody glens, (39) in coppices andhollows, and on screes, where there are outlets into rank meadow-lands, marshes, and clear pools. (40) The appointed person mounts guard at thenets with his boar-spear, while the others work the dogs, exploringthe best and likeliest spots. As soon as the quarry is found the chasecommences. If then an animal falls into the net, the net-keeper willgrip his boar-spear and (41) advance, when he will ply it as I havedescribed; if he escape the net, then after him full cry. In hot, sultryweather the boar may be run down by the hounds and captured. Though amonster in strength, the creature becomes short of breath and will givein from sheer exhaustion. 

 (39) Al. "at the passages from woodland lakes into oak-coppices. "

 (40) {udata}, "waters, " lakes, pools, rivers, etc. 

 (41) Or, "and proceed to tackle him. "

It is a form of sport which costs the lives of many hounds and endangersthose of the huntsmen themselves. Supposing that the animal has given infrom exhaustion at some moment in the chase, and they are forced to cometo close quarters; (42) whether he has taken to the water, or stands atbay against some craggy bank, or does not choose to come out from somethicket (since neither net nor anything else hinders him from bearingdown like a tornado on whoever approaches); still, even so, advance theymust, come what come may, to the attack. And now for a display of thathardihood which first induced them to indulge a passion not fit forcarpet knights (43)--in other words, they must ply their boar-spears andassume that poise of body (44) already described, since if one must meetmisfortune, let it not be for want of observing the best rules. (45)

 (42) Reading {prosienai} ({ta probolia}). (The last two words are probably a gloss, and should be omitted, since {prosienai} (from {prosiemi}) {ta probolia} = "ply, " or "apply their boar-spears, " is hardly Greek. ) See Schneid. "Add. Et Corr. " and L. Dind. Ad loc. 

 (43) {ekponein}, "to exercise this passion to the full. "

 (44) Lit. "assume their boar-spears and that forward attitude of body. "

 (45) Lit. "it will not be at any rate from behaving correctly. "

Foot-traps are also set for the wild boar, similar to those for deer andin the same sort of places; the same inspections and methods of pursuitare needed, with consequent attacks and an appeal to the boar-spear inthe end. 

Any attempt to capture the young pigs will cost the huntsman some roughwork. (46) The young are not left alone, as long as they are small; andwhen the hounds have hit upon them or they get wind of something wrong, they will disappear like magic, vanishing into the forest. As a rule, both parents attend on their own progeny, and are not pleasant then tomeddle with, being more disposed to do battle for their young than forthemselves. 

 (46) Lit. "the piglings will resent it (sc. {to aliskesthai}) strongly"; al. "the adult (sub. {to therion}) will stand anything rather. "

XI

Lions, leopards, lynxes, panthers, bears and all other such game are tobe captured in foreign countries--about Mount Pangaeus and Cittus beyondMacedonia; (1) or again, in Nysa beyond Syria, and upon other mountainssuited to the breeding of large game. 

 (1) Of these places, Mt. Pangaeus (mod. Pirnari) (see "Hell. " V. Ii. 17), Cittus (s. Cissus, mod. Khortiatzi), N. W. Of the Chalcidice, Mysian Olympus, and Pindus are well known. Nysa has not been verified hitherto, I think. Sturz cf. Bochart, "Hieroz. " Part I. Lib. Iii. C. 1, p. 722. Strabo, 637 (xv. 1. 7), mentions a Mount Nysa in India sacred to Dionysus, and cites Soph. "Frag. " 782--

{othen kateidon ton bebakkhiomenen brotoisi kleinon Nusan... K. T. L. }, but it is a far cry from Xenophon's Syria to India. Possibly it is to be sought for in the region of Mt. Amanus. 

In the mountains, owing to the difficulty of the ground, (2) some ofthese animals are captured by means of poison--the drug aconite--whichthe hunters throw down for them, (3) taking care to mix it with thefavourite food of the wild best, near pools and drinking-places orwherever else they are likely to pay visits. Others of them, as theydescend into the plains at night, may be cut off by parties mountedupon horseback and well armed, and so captured, but not without causingconsiderable danger to their captors. (4)

 (2) Or, "the inaccessibility of their habitats. "

 (3) "The method is for the trapper to throw it down mixed with the food which the particular creature likes best. "

 (4) For the poison method see Pollux, v. 82; Plin. "H. N. " viii. 27. 

In some cases the custom is to construct large circular pits of somedepth, leaving a single pillar of earth in the centre, on the top ofwhich at nightfall they set a goat fast-bound, and hedge the pit aboutwith timber, so as to prevent the wild beasts seeing over, and without aportal of admission. What happens then is this: the wild beasts, hearingthe bleating in the night, keep scampering round the barrier, andfinding no passage, leap over it, and are caught. (5)

 (5) See "Tales from the Fjeld, " Sir George W. Dasent, "Father Bruin in the Corner. "

XII

With regard to methods of procedure in the hunting-field, enough hasbeen said. (1) But there are many benefits which the enthusiasticsportsman may expect to derive from this pursuit. (2) I speak of thehealth which will thereby accrue to the physical frame, the quickeningof the eye and ear, the defiance of old age, and last, but not least, the warlike training which it ensures. To begin with, when some day hehas to tramp along rough ways under arms, the heavy infantry soldierwill not faint or flag--he will stand the toil from being longaccustomed to the same experiences in capturing wild beasts. In the nextplace, men so trained will be capable of sleeping on hard couches, and prove brave guardians of the posts assigned them. In the actualencounter with the enemy, they will know at once how to attack and tocarry out the word of command as it passes along the lines, because itwas just so in the old hunting days that they captured the wild game. Ifposted in the van of battle, they will not desert their ranks, becauseendurance is engrained in them. In the rout of the enemy their footstepswill not falter nor fail: straight as an arrow they will follow theflying foe, on every kind of ground, through long habituation. (3) Orif their own army encounter a reverse on wooded and precipitous groundbeset with difficulties, these will be the men to save themselves withhonour and to extricate their friends; since long acquaintance with thebusiness of the chase has widened their intelligence. (4)

 (1) Or, "Respecting the methods employed in different forms of the chase, I have said my say. " As to the genuineness of this and the following chapter see L. Dind. Ad loc. ; K. Lincke, "Xenophon's Dialog. " {peri oikonomias}, p. 132. 

 (2) Lit. "this work"; and in reference to the highly Xenophontine argument which follows see "Hellenica Essays, " p. 342; cf. "Cyrop. " I. Vi. 28, 39-41. 

 (3) "For the sake of 'auld lang syne. '"

 (4) Or, "will place them on the vantage-ground of experts. "

Nay, even under the worst of circumstances, when a whole mob offellow-combatants (5) has been put to flight, how often ere now hasa handful (6) of such men, by virtue of their bodily health (7) andcourage, caught the victorious enemy roaming blindly in some intricacyof ground, renewed the fight, and routed him. Since so it must ever be;to those whose souls and bodies are in happy case success is near athand. (8)

 (5) Or, "allies. "

 (6) Or, "a forlorn hope. "

 (7) {euexia}, al. {eutaxia}, "by good discipline. "

 (8) "Fortune favours the brave, " reading {to eutukhesai} (L. D. ); or if {tou eutukhesai}, (vulg. ) "those whose health of soul and body is established are ipso facto nigh unto good fortune. "

It was through knowledge that they owed success against their foes tosuch a training, that our own forefathers paid so careful a heed tothe young. (9) Though they had but a scant supply of fruits, it was animmemorial custom "not to hinder (10) the hunter from hunting any ofearth's offspring"; and in addition, "not to hunt by night (11) withinmany furlongs of the city, " in order that the adepts in that art mightnot rob the young lads of their game. They saw plainly that among themany pleasures to which youth is prone, this one alone is productive ofthe greatest blessings. In other words, it tends to make them sound ofsoul and upright, being trained in the real world of actual things (12)(and, as was said before, our ancestors could not but perceive they owedtheir success in war to such instrumentality (13)); and the chase alonedeprives them of none of the other fair and noble pursuits that they maychoose to cultivate, as do those other evil pleasures, which ought neverto be learned. Of such stuff are good soldiers and good generals made. (14) Naturally, those from whose souls and bodies the sweat of toilhas washed all base and wanton thoughts, who have implanted in them apassion for manly virtue--these, I say, are the true nobles. (15) Nottheirs will it be to allow their city or its sacred soil to sufferwrong. 

 (9) Al. "looked upon the chase as a pursuit incumbent on the young. "

 (10) {me koluein (dia) to meden ton epi te ge phuomenon agreuein}. The commentators generally omit {dia}, in which case translate as in text. Lenz reads {un koluein dia meden} (see his note ad v. 34), and translates (p. 61), "Dass man die Jager nicht hindern solle, in allem was die Erde hervorbrachte zu jagen, " "not to hinder the huntsmen from ranging over any of the crops which spring from earth"; (but if so, we should expect {dia medenos}). Sturz, s. V. {agreuein}, notes "festive, " "because the hunter does not hunt vegetable products. " So Gail, "parce que le chasseur rien veut pas aux productions de la terre. "

 (11) Or, "set their face against night-hunting, " cf. "Mem. " IV. Vii. 4; Plat. "Soph. " 220 D; "Stranger: There is one mode of striking which is done at night, and by the light of a fire, and is called by the hunters themselves firing, or spearing by firelight" (Jowett); for which see Scott, "Guy Mannering, " ch. X. It seems "night hunting was not to be practised within a certain considerable radius, whereby the proficients in that art might deprive it (lit. In order that they might not deprive) them (the young huntsmen) of their game. "

 (12) Lit. "in truth and reality (not among visionary phantoms). "

 (13) These words are commonly regarded as an addition; and what does {te} signify?

 (14) Or, "Here you have the making of brave soldiers and generals. Here in embryo are to be found your future soldiers and generals worthy the name. "

 (15) {outoi aristoi}: these are prima virorum, the true aristocrats. 

Some people tell us it is not right to indulge a taste for hunting, lest it lead to neglect of home concerns, not knowing that those who arebenefactors of their country and their friends are in proportion all themore devoted to domestic duties. If lovers of the chase pre-eminentlyfit themselves to be useful to the fatherland, that is as much as to saythey will not squander their private means; since with the state itselfthe domestic fortunes of each are saved or lost. The real fact is, thesemen are saviours, not of their own fortunes only, but of the privatefortunes of the rest, of yours and mine. Yet there are not a fewirrational people amongst these cavillers who, out of jealousy, wouldrather perish, thanks to their own baseness, than owe their lives to thevirtue of their neighbours. So true is it that the mass of pleasures arebut evil, (16) to which men succumb, and thereby are incited to adoptthe worse cause in speech and course in action. (17) And with whatresult?--from vain and empty arguments they contract emnities, and reapthe fruit of evil deeds, diseases, losses, death--to the undoing ofthemselves, their children, and their friends. (18) Having their sensesdulled to things evil, while more than commonly alive to pleasures, howshall these be turned to good account for the salvation of the state?Yet from these evils every one will easily hold aloof, if once enamouredof those joys whose brief I hold, since a chivalrous education teachesobedience to laws, and renders justice familiar to tongue and ear. (19)

 (16) See "Hellenica Essays, " p. 371. 

 (17) "To depravity of speech and conduct" (whether as advocates or performers). See Aristoph. "Clouds. "

 (18) Or, "bring down on themselves, their children, and their friends a spring of misfortunes in the shape of diseases, losses, or even death. "

 (19) "For what does a chivalrous education teach save to obey the law, and to make the theme of justice familiar to tongue and ear?"

In the one camp are those who, subjecting themselves ever to new toiland fresh instruction, have, at the cost of lessons and exercisespainful to themselves, obtained to their several states salvation;and in the other are those who for the very irksomeness of the processchoose not to be taught, but rather to pass away their days in pleasuresunseasonable--nature's abjects these. (20) Not theirs is it to obeyeither laws or good instruction; (21) nay, how should they, who nevertoil, discover what a good man ought to be?--in other words, wisdom andjustice are alike beyond their power. Subject to indiscipline, they havemany a fault to find with him who is well educated. 

 (20) Lit. "the sorriest of mankind these by nature. "

 (21) Or, "virtuous argument"; {logois agathois}, lit. "good words. "

Through the instrumentality of such as these nothing can go well;whereas every blessing which mankind enjoys has been discovered by theefforts of the nobler sort. Nobler, I say, are those who choose to toil. (22)

 (22) Or, "of choice spirits; and who are the choice spirits?--Clearly those who choose to toil. "

And this has been proved conclusively by a notable example. If we lookback to the men of old who sat at the feet of Cheiron--whose names Imentioned--we see that it was by dedicating the years of their youth tothe chase (23) that they learnt all their noble lore; and therefrom theyattained to great renown, and are admired even to this day for theirvirtue--virtue who numbers all men as her lovers, as is very plain. Onlybecause of the pains it costs to win her the greater number fall away;for the achievement of her is hid in obscurity; while the pains thatcleave to her are manifest. Perchance, if only she were endowed with avisible bodily frame, men would less have neglected her, knowing thateven as she is visible to them, so they also are not hid from her eyes. For is it not so that when a man moves in the presence of him whom hedearly loves, (24) he rises to a height above himself, being incapableof aught base or foul in word or deed in sight of him? (25) But fondlydreaming that the eye of virtue is closed to them, they are guilty ofmany a base thing and foul before her very face, who is hiddenfrom their eyes. Yet she is present everywhere, being dowered withimmortality; and those who are perfect in goodness (26) she honours, butthe wicked she thrusts aside from honour. If only men could know thatshe regards them, how eagerly would they rush to the embrace of toilfultraining and tribulation, (27) by which alone she is hardly taken; andso should they gain the mastery over her, and she should be laid captiveat their feet. 

 (23) Or, "that they made their first essay in hunting when mere boys, and from hunting upwards were taught many noble arts. "

 (24) Lit. "is beheld by his beloved. " Cf. "Symp. " iv. 4; viii. 31. 

 (25) Lit. "in order not to be seen of him. "

 (26) Lit. "good with respect to her. "

 (27) Or, "to those toils and that training. "

XIII

Now what astonishes me in the "sophists, " as they are called, (1) is, that though they profess, the greater part of them, to lead the young tovirtue, they really lead them in the opposite direction. Never have weset eyes on the man anywhere who owed his goodness to the sophists ofto-day. (2) Nor do their writings contain anything (3) calculated tomake men good, but they have written volumes on vain and frivoloussubjects, in which the young may find pleasures that pall, but theessence of virtue is not in them. The result of this literature is toinflict unnecessary waste of time on those who look to learn somethingfrom it all and look in vain, cutting them off from wholesomeoccupations and even teaching what is bad. I cannot then but blame themfor certain large offences (4) more than lightly; but as regards thesubject matter of their writings my charge is, that while full offar-fetched phraseology, (5) of solid wholesome sentiments, by whichthe young might be trained to virtue, I see not a vestige. Speaking as aplain man, I know that to be taught what is good by one's own nature isbest of all, (6) and next best to learn of those who really do know somegood thing rather than of those who have an art to deceive. It maywell be that I fail to express myself in subtle language, (7) nor doI pretend to aim at subtlety; what I do aim at is to expressrightly-conceived thoughts such as may serve the need of those who havebeen nobly disciplined in virtue; for it is not words and names thatgive instruction, but thoughts and sentiments worthy the name. 

 (1) Cf. Isocr. "Against the Sophists"; "Antidosis"; "Hel. Encom. "; Plat. "Sophist. "

 (2) Who are these {oi nun sophistai}?

 (3) Lit. "do they present writings to the world. "

 (4) Or, "as to certain weightier matters gravely. "

 (5) {remata} = "words and phrases"; {ynomai} = "moral maxims, just thoughts. "

 (6) "Being myself but a private individual and a plain man. " According to Hartman, "A. X. N. " p. 350, "ridicule detorquet Hesiodeum":

{outos men panaristos os auto panta noese esthlos d' au kakeinos os eueiponti pithetai}. 

 (7) Al. "in true sophistic style. " The writer seems to say: "I lack subtlety of expression (nor is that at all my object); what I do aim at is to trace with some exactness, to present with the lucidity appropriate to them, certain thoughts demanded by persons well educated in the school of virtue. "

Nor am I singular in thus reproaching the modern type of sophist (notthe true philosopher, be it understood); it is a general reproach thatthe wisdom he professes consists in word-subtleties, not in ideas. (8)Certainly it does not escape my notice that an orderly sequence of ideasadds beauty to the composition: (9) I mean it will be easy to find faultwith what is written incorrectly. (10) Nevertheless, I warrant it iswritten in this fashion with an eye to rectitude, to make the readerwise and good, not more sophistical. For I would wish my writings not toseem but rather to be useful. I would have them stand the test of agesin their blamelessness. (11)

 (8) {onomasi}, "in names"; {noemasi}, "thoughts and ideas. "

 (9) Or, "I am alive to the advantage to be got from methodic, orderly expression artistically and morally. "

 (10) This passage, since H. Estienne (Stephanus) first wrote against it "huic loco meae conjecturae succumbunt, " has been a puzzle to all commentators. The words run: {ou lanthanei de me oti kalos kai exes gegraphthai} ({gegraptai} in the margin of one MS. ) {radion gar estai autois takhu me orthos mempsasthai' kaitoi gegraptai ge outos k. T. L. } For {takhu me orthos} (1) {takhu ti me orthos}, (2) {to} (or {ta}) {me orthos}, have been suggested. It is not clear whether {autois} = {tois sophistais} (e. G. "it will be easy for these people to lay a finger at once on blots, however unfairly"), or = {tois suggrammasi} (sc. My(?) compositions; so {auta}, S. 7 below, {ou gar dokein auta boulomai k. T. L. }) (e. G. "since it will be easy offhand to find fault with them incorrectly") (or if {ta me orthos}, "what is incorrect in them"). I append the three translations of Gail, Lenz, and Talbot. "Je sais combien il est avantageux de presenter des ouvrages methodiquement ecrits; aussi par le meme sera-t-il plus facile de prouver aux sophistes leur futilite!" {radion gar estai} (sub. {emoi}) {mempsasthai outois takhu (to) me} (sous-entendu) {gegraphthai orthos} (Gail). "Zwar entgeht mir nicht, dass es schon say die Worte kunstvoll zu ordnen, denn leichter wird ihnen sonst, schnell, aber mit Unrecht zu tadeln" (Lenz). "Aussi leur sera-t-il facile de me reprocher d'ecrire vite et sans ordre" (Talbot). As if {takhu me orthos} were the reproachful comment of the sophist on the author's treatise. 

 (11) i. E. "the arguments to be blameless at once and irrefutable for all time. "

That is my point of view. The sophist has quite another--words with himare for the sake of deception, writing for personal gain; to benefit anyother living soul at all is quite beside his mark. There never wasnor is there now a sage among them to whom the title "wise" could beapplied. No! the appellation "sophist" suffices for each and all, whichamong men of common sense (12) sounds like a stigma. My advice then isto mistrust the sonorous catch-words (13) of the sophist, and notto despise the reasoned conclusions (14) of the philosopher; for thesophist is a hunter after the rich and young, the philosopher is thecommon friend of all; he neither honours nor despises the fortunes ofmen. 

 (12) L. Dind. Cf. Eur. "Heracl. " 370, {tou tauta kalos an eie} | {para g' eu phronousin}. 

 (13) {paraggelmata}. Cf. Aesch. "Ag. " 480, "telegraph"; Lys. 121. 32; Dem. 569. 1; "words of command"; Dion. H. "De Comp. " 248, "instructions, precepts. "

 (14) {enthumemata}. 

Nor would I have you envy or imitate those either who recklessly pursuethe path of self-aggrandisement, (15) whether in private or in publiclife; but consider well (16) that the best of men, (17) the truenobility, are discovered by their virtues; (18) they are a laboriousupwards-striving race; whilst the base are in evil plight (19) and arediscovered by their demerits. (20) Since in proportion as they rob theprivate citizen of his means and despoil the state (21) they are lessserviceable with a view to the public safety than any private citizen;(22) and what can be worse or more disgraceful for purposes of war thanthe bodily form of people so incapable of toil? (23) Think of huntsmenby contrast, surrendering to the common weal person and property alikein perfect condition for service of the citizens. They have both abattle to wage certainly: only the one set are for attacking beasts; andthe other their own friends. (24) And naturally the assailant of hisown friends does not win the general esteem; (25) whilst the huntsman inattacking a wild beast may win renown. If successful in his capture, hewas won a victory over a hostile brood; or failing, in the first place, it is a feather in his cap that his attempt is made against enemies ofthe whole community; and secondly, that it is not to the detriment ofman nor for love of gain that the field is taken; and thirdly, as theoutcome of the very attempt, the hunter is improved in many respects, and all the wiser: by what means we will explain. Were it not forthe very excess of his pains, his well-reasoned devices, his manifoldprecautions, he would never capture the quarry at all; since theantagonists he deals with are doing battle for bare life and in theirnative haunts, (26) and are consequently in great force. So that if hefails to overmatch the beasts by a zest for toil transcending theirs andplentiful intelligence, the huntsman's labours are in vain. 

 (15) Or, "surrender themselves heedlessly to the ways of self- seeking. " But the phraseology here seems to savour of extreme youth, or else senility. 

 (16) {enthumethenta}. Query, in reference to {enthumemata} above?

 (17) Reading {andron}. For the vulg. {auton} see Schneid. Ad loc. , who suggests {ton aston}. 

 (18) "Recognisable for the better. "

 (19) "They are not famous but infamous"; "the bad fare as their name suggests" (i. E. Badly). 

 (20) "Recognisable for the worse. "

 (21) Or, "what with private extortionsand public peculation. "

 (22) {ton idioton}, "laymen, " I suppose, as opposed to "professional" lawyers or politicians. 

 (23) "What with their incapacity for hard work, their physique for purposes of war is a mockery and a sham. "

 (24) Cf. Plat. "Soph. "

 (25) Or, "earns but an evil reputation in the world. "

 (26) "They are being bearded in their dens. "

I go back to my proposition then. Those self-seeking politicians, whowant to feather their own nests, (27) practise to win victories overtheir own side, but the sportsman confines himself to the common enemy. This training of theirs renders the one set more able to cope with theforeign foe, the others far less able. The hunting of the one is carriedon with self-restraint, of the others with effrontery. The one can lookdown with contempt upon maliciousness and sordid love of gain, the othercannot. The very speech and intonation of the one has melody, of theother harshness. And with regard to things divine, the one set know noobstacle to their impiety, the others are of all men the most pious. Indeed ancient tales affirm (28) that the very gods themselves takejoy in this work (29) as actors and spectators. So that, (30) with duereflection on these things, the young who act upon my admonitions willbe found, perchance, beloved of heaven and reverent of soul, checked bythe thought that some one of the gods is eyeing their performance. (31)

 (27) Or, "Those people who would fain have the lion's share in the state. "

 (28) Or, "an ancient story obtains. "

 (29) Sc. "of the chase. "

 (30) Or {uparkhein} = "it may be considered as given. " Scheid. Cf. "Pol. Ath. " iii. 9, {oste uparkhein demokratian einai}. 

 (31) Lit. "that the things in question are beheld by some divinity. "

These are the youths who will prove a blessing to their parents, and notto their parents only but to the whole state; to every citizen alike andindividual friend. 

Nay, what has sex to do with it? It is not only men enamoured of thechase that have become heroes, but among women there are also to whomour lady Artemis has granted a like boon--Atalanta, and Procris, andmany another huntress fair.