The Banded Epeira 47 



The ancient retiarius, when pitted against a 

 powerful wild beast, appeared in the arena with 

 a rope-net folded over his left shoulder. The 

 animal made its spring. The man, with a 

 sudden movement of his right arm, cast the net 

 after the manner of the fishermen ; he covered 

 the beast and tangled it in the meshes. A 

 thrust of the trident gave the quietus to the 

 vanquished foe. 



The Epeira acts in like fashion, with this 

 advantage, that she is able to renew her armful 

 of fetters. Should the first not suffice, a second 

 instantly follows and another and yet another, 

 until the reserves of silk become exhausted. 



When all movement ceases under the snowy 

 winding-sheet, the Spider goes up to her bound 

 prisoner. She has a better weapon than the 

 bestiarius' trident : she has her poison-fangs. 

 She gnaws at the Locust, without undue persist- 

 ence, and then withdraws, leaving the torpid 

 patient to pine away. 



Soon she comes back to her motionless head 

 of game : she sucks it, drains it, repeatedly 

 changing her point of attack. At last, the 

 clean-bled remains are flung out of the net 



