CHAPTER IX 



THE FIRST MENTION OF A FLY 



The first mention of fishing with a fly occurs apparently in 

 Martial's lines, " Namque quis nescit, | Avidum vorata decipi 

 scarum musca ? " which have been translated : — 



" Who has not seen the scarus rise, 

 Decoyed, and killed by fraudful flies ? " ^ 



These lines are of surpassing interest. In them we may 

 possess the very first mention of a fishing fly, whether natural 

 or artificial, in all the records written or depicted of the whole 

 world. 



If the reference be to an artificial fly, it certainly antedates 

 by some two centuries the passage of ^Elian (XV. i), which has 

 hitherto been universally acclaimed the first mention of such 

 a fly. If on the other hand the reference be to a natural fly, it 

 antedates by the same period of time the first mention of the 

 natural fly, or rather winged insect {kmvwxI^), to be found also 

 in ^lian (XIV. 22). 



And here, pray, observe the cold calm of the classical com- 

 mentator ! This passage, which, as I have said, may be the 

 very first historical document testifying to the use of the fly, the 

 very first tiny beginning of the immense literature consecrated 

 to the fly, the very first starting point in the fly fisher's journey 

 of sore travail to farther knowledge, this passage so pregnant 

 of possibilities and so provocative of comment, has never, I 

 believe, been suggested by any editor as possibly the locus 

 classicus of fly fishing, far prior to the generally adopted passage 

 of ^lian. 



Even if we make great allowance for the wrath of the 



1 Ep., V. 18, 7 f. 

 J52 



