OF THE DOLPHIN, 75 



The sagacious and judicious Plutarch not only re- 

 peats this story, but introduces Gorgias in the conver- 

 sation of the seven wise men, as saying, that he knew 

 Arion, before he landed from off the dolphin's 

 "back, because he had on the dress he had worn at 

 the public games. Aulus Gellius repeats the story 

 from Herodotus, as it was originally told, and Ovid 

 perpetuates it in verse.* 



" Numerous examples, (says Aristotle,) of the 

 gentleness and mild manners of dolphins are relat- 

 ed. About Tarentum, Caria and other places, they 

 tell of their love and regard for boys. A dolphin 

 having been wounded near Caria, a troop of dol- 

 phins, it is said, gathered in the port, until the fish- 



• 



* Ille metu vacuus, mortem non deprecor inquit; 



Sed liceat sumta pauca referre lyra. 

 Dant veniam, ridentque moram: capit ille coronam, 



Quae possit crines, Phcebe, decere tuos. 

 Induerat Tyrio bis tinctam murice pallam: 

 Reddidit icta suos pollice chorda sonos; 

 Flebilibus veluti numeris canentia dura 

 Trajectus penna tempora cantat olor. 

 Protinus in medias ornatus desilit undas, 

 Spargitur impulsa caerula puppis aqua. 

 Inde, fide majus tergo Delphina recurvo 

 Se memorant oneri supposuisse novo. 

 Ille sedens citharamque tenet, pretiumque vehendi 

 Cantat, et aequoreas carmine mulcet aquas. 

 Di pia facta vident: astris Delphina recepit 

 Jupiter, et Stellas jussit habere novem. 



