earth is frozen. (1) The fact is, hoar frost by its own inherent force absorbs 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) cannot under these conditions (4) use their sense of smell, until the sun or the mere advance of day dissolves the scent. Then the noses of the hounds recover, and the scent of the trail begins to exhale itself perceptibly. (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) and rains occurring after long intervals, while bringing out odours from the earth, (7) will render the soil bad for scent until it dries again.
Southerly winds will not improve scent--being moisture-laden they disperse it; whereas northerly winds, provided the scent has not been previously destroyed, tend to fix and preserve it. Rains will drown and 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 is rarest--most irregular (9)--at such times, for the hares in their joy at the light with frolic and gambol (10) literally throw themselves high into the air and set long intervals between one footfall and another.
Or again, the trail will become confused and misleading when crossed by that 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."
(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 scent clear, except where possibly the soil, bursting with flowers, may mislead the pack, by mingling the perfume of flowers with the true scent. (12) In summer scent is thin and indistinct; the earth being baked through and through absorbs the thinner warmth inherent in the trail, while the dogs themselves are less keen scented at that season through the general relaxation of their bodies. (13) In autumn scent lies clean, all the products of the soil by that time, if cultivable, being already garnered, or, if wild, withered away with age, so that the odours of various fruits are no longer a disturbing cause through blowing 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 in straight lines, but in the earlier season it is highly complicated, for the little creatures are perpetually coupling and particularly at this season, so that of necessity as they roam together for the purpose they make 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 that of a hare on the run, and for this reason: in proceeding to her form the hare keeps stopping, (15) the other is in rapid motion; consequently, the ground in one case is thickly saturated all along with scent, in the other sparsely and superficially. So, too, scent lies better in woody than on barren ground, since, whilst running to and fro or sitting up, the creature comes in contact with a variety of objects. Everything that earth produces or bears upon her bosom will serve as puss's resting-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 she lies ensconced. At times, with an effort taxing all her strength, she will spring across to where some jutting point or clinging undergrowth on 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 in sheltered spots during cold weather and in shady thickets during the hot season, but in spring and autumn on ground exposed to the sun. Not so the running (18) animal, for the simple reason that she is scared out of her 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) putting its fore-legs together, as a rule, and stretching them out, resting its chin on the tips of its feet. It spreads its ears out over the shoulder-blades, and so shelters the tender parts of its body; its hair serves as a protection, (21) being thick and of a downy texture. When awake it keeps on blinking its eyelids, (22) but when asleep the eyelids remain wide open and motionless, and the eyes rigidly fixed; during sleep 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-lands rather than mountains are their habitat. (24) When tracked by the huntsman their habit is everywhere to await approach, except only in case of some excessive scare during the night, in which case they will be 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 produced one litter, is on the point of producing a second when she is already impregnated for a third. (25) (25) Re hyper-foetation cf. Pollux, v. 73, ap. Schneid.; Herod. iii.
The scent of the leveret lies stronger (26) than that of the grown animal. While the limbs are still soft and supple they trail full length on the ground. Every true sportsman, however, will leave these quite young creatures to roam freely. (27) "They are for the goddess."
Full-grown yearlings will run their first chase very swiftly, (28) but they cannot keep up the pace; in spite of agility they lack strength.
(27) {aphiasi}, cf. Arrian, xxii. 1, "let them go free"; Aesch. "P.
(28) Or, "will make the running over the first ring."
To find the trail you must work the dogs downwards through the cultivated lands, beginning at the top. Any hares that do not come into the tilled districts must be sought in the meadows and the glades; near rivulets, 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 eager and fail to discover the line. When found by the hounds, and the chase has begun, the hare will at times cross streams, bend and double and creep for shelter into clefts and crannied lurking-places; (30) since they have not only the hounds to dread, but eagles also; and, so long as they are yearlings, are apt to be carried off in the clutches of these birds, in the act of crossing some slope or bare hillside. When they are bigger they have the hounds after them to hunt them down and make away with them. The fleetest-footed would appear to be those of the low marsh lands. The vagabond kind (31) addicted to every sort of ground are difficult to hunt, for they know the short cuts, running chiefly up steeps or across flats, over inequalities unequally, and downhill scarcely 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 has been turned up by the plough, if, that is, they have any trace of red about them, or through stubble, owing to reflection. So, too, they are visible enough on beaten paths or roads, presuming these are fairly level, since the bright hue of their coats lights up by contrast. On the other hand, they are not noticeable when they seek the cover of rocks, hills, screes, or scrub, owing to similarity of colour. Getting a fair start of the hounds, they will stop short, sit up and rise themselves up on their haunches, (32) and listen for any bark or other clamour of the hounds hard by; and when the sound reaches them, off and away they go.
At times, too, without hearing, merely fancying or persuading themselves that they hear the hounds, they will fall to skipping backwards and forwards along the same trail, (33) interchanging leaps, and interlacing lines of scent, (34) and so make off and away.
(32) Cf. the German "Mannerchen machen," "play the mannikin." Shaks.
(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, there being nothing there to screen the view; the shortest run when started out of thickets, where the very darkness is an obstacle.
There are two distinct kinds of hare--the big kind, which is somewhat dark in colour (35) with a large white patch on the forehead; and the smaller kind, which is yellow-brown with only a little white. The tail of the former kind is variegated in a circle; of the other, white at the 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 is largely spread in the one, but slightly in the other species. Of these two species, the smaller is to be met with in most of the islands, desert and inhabited alike. As regards numbers they are more abundant in the islands than on the mainland; the fact being that in most of these there are no foxes to attack and carry off either the grown animal or its young; nor yet eagles, whose habitat is on lofty mountains rather than the lower type of hills which characterise the islands. (38) Again, sportsmen seldom visit the desert islands, and as to those which are inhabited, the population is but thinly scattered and the folk themselves not addicted to the chase; while in the case of the sacred islands, (39) the importation of dogs is not allowed. If, then, we consider what a small proportion of hares existent at the moment will be hunted down and again the steady increase of the stock through reproduction, 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 eyes are set too prominently on the skull, and the eyelids are clipped and blear, (41) and afford no protection to the pupils. (42) Naturally the sight is indistinct and purblind. (43) Along with which, although asleep, 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 off before 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 combines with everything (46) to rob the creature of all prescience; so that for this 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 would seldom meet with such a fate; but now, through its propensity to circle round and its attachment to the place where it was born and bred, it courts destruction. Owing to its speed it is not often overtaken by the hounds by fair hunting. (48) When caught, it is the victim of a misfortune 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 its match in speed. Witness the conformation of its body: the light, small drooping head (narrow in front); (49) the (thin cylindrical) (50) neck, not stiff and of a moderate length; straight shoulder-blades, loosely slung above; the fore-legs attached to them, light and set close together; (51) the undistended chest; (52) the light symmetrical sides; the supple, well-rounded loins; the fleshy buttocks; the somewhat sunken flanks; (53) the hips, well rounded, plump at every part, but with a proper interval above; the long and solid thighs, on the outside tense and not too flabby on the inside; the long, stout lower legs or shanks; the fore-feet, exceedingly pliant, thin, and straight; the hind-feet firm and broad; front and hind alike totally regardless of rough ground; the hind-legs far longer than the fore, inclined outwards somewhat; the fur (54) short and light.
(49) Reading {katophere (stenen ek tou emprosthen)}. See Lenz ad loc.
(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 lightness and agility be needed, here is a fact in illustration. When proceeding quietly, its method of progression is by leaps; no one ever saw or is likely to see a hare walking. What it does is to place the hind-feet in front of the fore-feet and outside them, and so to run, if running one can call it. The action prints itself plainly on snow. The tail is not conducive to swiftness of pace, being ill adapted by its stumpiness to act as a rudder to direct the body. The animal has to do this by means of one or other ear; (55) as may be seen, when she is on the point of being caught by the hounds. (56) At that instant you may see her drop and shoot out aslant one of her ears towards the point of attack, and then, apparently throwing her full weight on that pivot, turn sharp round and in a moment leave her assailants far behind.
(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 proceedings from the start--the quest by scent, the find, the pack in pursuit full cry, 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 on cultivated lands, should rigidly keep his hands off the fruits of the season, and leave springs and streams alone. To meddle with them is ugly and base, not to speak of the bad example of lawlessness set to the beholder. During the close season (58) all hunting gear should be taken down 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, and surcingles, (1) and the collar should be broad and soft so as not to rub the dog's coat; the leash should have a noose for the hand, (2) and nothing else. The plan of making collar and leash all in one is a clumsy contrivance for keeping a hound in check. (3) The surcingle should be broad in the thongs so as not to gall the hound's flanks, and with spurs stitched 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 out which refuses its food, a conclusive proof that the animal is ailing.
Nor again, when a violent wind is blowing, for three good reasons: the scent will not lie, the hounds cannot smell, (5) neither the nets nor hayes 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 the habit of hunting foxes. Nothing is so ruinous; and just at the moment when 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 a wider experience in hunting and their master a better knowledge of the country. The start should be early in the morning, unless the scent is to fail the hounds entirely. (7) The dilatory sportsman robs the pack of finding and himself of profit. (8) Subtle and delicate by nature, scent will 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 the nets about the runs, (9) paths, bends, and hollows, and darksome spots, brooks, dry torrents, or perennial mountain streams. These are the places to which the hare chiefly betakes itself for refuge; though there are of course endless others. These, and the side passages into, and exits from them, whether well marked or ill defined, are to be stopped just as day breaks; not too early, so that, in case the line of nets be in the neighbourhood of covert to be searched for game, (10) the animal may not be scared at hearing the thud close by. (11) If, on the contrary, there should be a wide gap between the two points, there is less to hinder making the net lines clear and clean quite early, so that nothing may cling to them. The keeper must fix the forked props slantwise, so as to stand the strain when subjected to tension. He must attach the nooses equally on the points; and see that the props are regularly fixed, raising the pouch towards the middle; (12) and into the slip-rope he must insert a large, long stone, to prevent the net from stretching in the opposite direction, when it has got the hare inside.
He will fix the rows of poles with stretches of net sufficiently high to prevent the creature leaping over. (13) In hunting, "no procrastination" should be the motto, since it is sportsmanlike at once and a proof of energy by all means to effect a capture quickly. He will stretch the larger (haye) nets upon level spaces; and proceed to plant the road nets upon roads and at converging points of tracks and footpaths; (14) he must attach the border-ropes to the ground, draw together the elbows or side ends of the nets, fix the forked props between the upper meshes, (15) adjust the skirting ropes upon the tops, and close up gaps.
(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 wants supporting, he will set it up; and when the hare comes with the hounds behind her he will urge her forwards to the toils, with shout and halloa thundering at her heels. When she is fairly entangled, he is to calm the fury of the hounds, without touching them, by soothing, encouraging tones. He is also to signal to the huntsman with a shout, that the quarry is taken, or has escaped this side or that, or that he has not seen 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 hunting dress, (17) and footgear (18) to match; he should carry a stout stick in his hand, the net-keeper following. They should proceed to the hunting-field in silence, to prevent the hare, if by chance there should be one close by, from making off at the sound of voices. When they have reached the covert, he will tie the hounds to trees, each separately, so that they can be easily slipped from the leash, and proceed to fix the nets, funnel and hayes, as above described. When that is done, and while the net-keeper mounts guard, the master himself will take the hounds and sally forth to rouse the game. (19) Then with prayer and promise to Apollo and to Artemis, our Lady of the Chase, (20) to share with them the produce of spoil, he lets slip a single hound, the cunningest at scenting of the pack. (If it be winter, the hour will be sunrise, or if summer, 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 slip another; and then, if these carry on the line, at rapid intervals he will slip the others one by one; and himself follow, without too great hurry, (22) addressing each of the dogs by name every now and then, but not too frequently, for fear of over-exciting them before the proper moment.
(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 eager spirit, disentangling the line, double or treble, as the case may be.
(23) To and fro they weave a curious web, (24) now across, now parallel with the line, (25) whose threads are interlaced, here overlapped, and here revolving in a circle; now straight, now crooked; here close, there rare; at one time clear enough, at another dimly owned. Past one another the 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, this vain, long, wearing race (Kennedy).
(25) See Arrian, xx. 2.
But when they are really close to the hare they will make the matter plain to the huntsman by various signs--the quivering of their bodies backwards and forwards, sterns and all; the ardour meaning business; the rush and emulaton; the hurry-scurry to be first; the patient following-up of the whole pack; at one moment massed together, and at another separated; and once again the steady onward rush. At last they have 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 barking clamour of the whole pack as she makes off full speed. Then as the chase grows hot, the view halloo! of the huntsman may be heard: "So ho, good hounds! 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 his club, he joins the hounds in the race after the hare, taking care not to get in their way, (28) which would stop proceedings. (29) The hare, once off, is quickly out of sight of her pursuers; but, as a rule, will make a 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 or not. Supposing the hare to be caught in her first ring, the huntsman has only to call in the hounds and beat up another. If not, his business is to follow up the pack full speed, and not give in, but on through thick and through thin, for toil is sweet. And if again they chance upon her in 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 overtake them, however eagerly he follows up the hunt--perhaps he has altogether missed the chase, or even if they are ranging close and giving tongue and sticking to the scent, he cannot see them--still as he tears along he can interrogate the passer-by: "Hilloa there, have you seen my hounds?" he shouts, and having at length ascertained their whereabouts, if they are on the line, he will post himself close by, and cheer them on, repeating turn and turn about the name of every hound, and pitching the tone of his voice sharp or deep, soft or loud; and besides all other familiar calls, if the chase be on a hillside, (32) he can keep up their spirits with a constant "Well done, good hounds! well done, good hounds!
good hounds!" Or if any are at fault, having overshot the line, he will call 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 where the line fails, he should plant a stake (34) as a sign-post to guide the eye, and so cast round the dogs from that point, (35) till they have found the right scent, with coaxing and encouragement. As soon as the line of scent is clear, (36) off go the dogs, throwing themselves on to it, springing from side to side, swarming together, conjecturing, and giving signs to one another, and taking bearings (37) they will not mistake--helter-skelter off they go in pursuit. Once they dart off along the line of scent thus hotly, the huntsman should keep up but without hurrying, or out of zeal they will overshoot the line. As soon as they are once more in close neighbourhood of the hare, and once again have given their master clear indications of the fact, then let him give what heed he can, she does not move off farther in sheer terror of the hounds.
(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 one another's backs, (38) at intervals loudly giving tongue, and lifting up their heads and peering into their master's face, as much as to say, "There is no mistake about it this time," (39) will presently of themselves start the hare and be after her full cry, with bark and clamour. (40) Thereupon, whether the hare falls into the toils of the funnel net or rushes past outside or inside, whatever incident betide, the net-keeper must with a shout proclaim the fact. Should the hare be caught, the huntsman has only to begin looking for another; if not, he must 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 already late in the day, the time has come for the huntsman to look for his hare that lies dead-beat; nor must he wittingly leave any patch of green or clod of earth untested. (41) Backwards and forwards he must try and try again the ground, (42) to be sure that nothing has been overlooked. The fact is, the little creature lies in a small compass, and from fatigue and fear will not get up. As he leads the hounds on he will cheer and encourage them, addressing with many a soft term the docile creature, the self-willed, stubborn brute more rarely, and to a moderate extent the hound of average capacity, till he either succeeds in running down or driving into the toils some victim. (43) After which he will pick up his nets, both small and large alike, giving every hound a rub down, and return home from the hunting-field, taking care, if it should chance to be a summer's noon, to halt a bit, so that the feet of his hounds may not 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 hard work; (1) which will enable them to profit by repose and to produce a fine progeny towards spring, since that season is the best to promote the 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 rapid and successful impregnation, is when the heat is passing off. Choose a good dog for the purpose. When the bitch is ready to whelp she should not be taken out hunting continuously, but at intervals sufficient to avoid a miscarriage through her over-love of toil. The period of gestation lasts for sixty days. When littered the puppies should be left to ther own dam, and not placed under another bitch; foster-nursing does not promote growth in the same way, whilst nothing is so good for them as their own mother's milk and her breath, (3) and the tenderness of her caresses. (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 should be given milk (5) for a whole year, along with what will form their staple diet in the future, but nothing else. A heavy diet will distort