284 pliny's nattjeal histoht. [Book YIII 



the Greeks will go ! There is no falsehood, if ever so barefaced. 

 to which some of them cannot be found to bear testimony. 



So too, Agriopas, who wrote the Olympionics,™ informs us 

 that Demsenetus, the Parrhasian, during a sacrifice of human 

 victims, which the Arcadians were offering up to the Lycesan''' 

 Jupiter, tasted the entrails of a boy who had been slaughtered ; 

 upon which he was turned into a wolf, but, ten years after- 

 wards, was restored to his original shape and his calling of an 

 athlete, and returned victorious in the pugilistic contests at 

 the Olympic games. 



It is also commonly supposed, that the tail of this animal 

 contains a small lock of hair, which possesses an amatory 

 power ; and that when the creature is caught, this hair is shed by 

 it, but has no virtue whatever, unless it is procured from the 

 animal while alive." It is said that these animals couple for 

 no more than twelve days in the year ;" and that when pressed 

 by hunger they will eat earth. Among the points of augury, 

 to have our progress cut short to the right by a wolf, if at the 

 time its mouth is full, is the best of omens. There is a 

 species, which is known as the stag- wolf, such as we have al- 

 ready said''* were brought from Gaul and exhibited in the Circus* 

 by Pompeius Magnus. It is said, that however hungry this 

 animal may chance to be, if it only turns its head while eating, 

 it immediately becomes oblivious of the food that is before 

 it, and takes its departure to seek it elsewhere.''^ 



CHAP. 35. (23.)— DIPFEREi!fT KINDS OF SERPENTS. 



"With reference to serpents, it is generally known, that they 



he loses no opportunity of a hit at the Greeks, to whom, after aU, he is 

 greatly indebted. See Introduction to vol. i. p. 17. 



'0 An account of the victories gained at the Olympic games. — B. 



'^ It has been conjectured, that the epithet, " Lycoean," AvKaiog, was 

 giA^en to Jupiter by the Arcadians, for this supposed conversion of men into 

 wolves, which was conceived to be effected by divine interposition. — B. 



'''' It does not appear what is the foundation of this opinion ; of course, 

 it is without truth. — B. 



''^ Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B. vi. c. 35, says that they couple once only in 

 the year, ^lian, Anim. Nat. B. iv. c. 4, says that their bringing forth 

 continues twelve days. — B. 



"^^ See c. 28 of the present Book. He alludes probably to the lynx. 



'^ It is not easy to say whence this opinion was derived ; the general 

 character of the wolf is tliat of quickness and watchfulness, rather tlian 

 stupidity. — B. But it would appear that it is the lynx that is alluded to. 



