402 THE ELErHANT. [Part VIII. 



APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VI. 



As Elian's work on tlie Nature of Animals has never, I believe, 

 been republished in any English version, and the passage in 

 relation to the training and performance of elephants is so per- 

 tinent to the present inquiry, I venture to subjoin a translation 

 of the nth Chapter of his 2nd Book. 



" Of the cleverness of the elephant I have spoken else- 

 where, and Ukewise of the manner of hunting. I have men- 

 tioned these things, a few out of the many which others 

 have stated ; but for the present I purpose to speak of their 

 musical feeling, their tractability, and facility in learning 

 what it is difficult for even a human being to acquire, much 

 less a beast, hitherto so wild : — such as to dance, as is done 

 on the stage ; to walk with a measured gait ; to listen to the 

 melody of the flute, and to perceive the difference of sounds, 

 that, being pitched low lead to a slow movement, or high to a 

 quick one : all this the elephant learns and understands, and is 

 accurate withal, and makes no mistake. Thus has Nature 

 formed him, not only the gi'eatest in size, but the most gentle and 

 most easily taught. Now if I were going to write about the trac- 

 tability and aptitude to learn amongst those of India, ^Ethiopia, 

 and Libya, I should probably appear to be concocting a tale and 

 acting the braggart, or to be telling a falsehood respecting the 

 nature of the animal founded on a mere report, all which it be- 

 hoves a philosopher, and most of all one who is an ardent lover 

 of truth, not to do. But what I have seen myself, and what 

 others have described as having occurred at Kome, this I have 

 chosen to narrate, selecting a few facts out of many, to show 

 the particular nature of those creatures. The elephant when 

 tamed is an animal most gentle and most easily led to do 

 whatever he is directed. And by way of showing honour to 

 time, I will first narrate events of the oldest date. Coesar Ger- 

 manicus, the nephew of Tiberiuis, exhibited once a public show, 

 wherein there were many full-grown elephants, male and female. 



