106 



ARRIAN 



Chap. XV. from her seat with long strides ; and the greyhounds, having 

 capered about as if they were dancing, ^ will stretch out at full 

 speed after her. And at this time is the spectacle worthy 

 indeed of the pains that must necessarily be bestowed on these 

 doe's. 5 



Onomast. L. v, 



c. X.61. 

 Hist. Aniiiial. 

 L. XIII. c. 14. 



Metamorph. 

 L. vii. vs. 772. 



4. Aia^pi^avTes to. /usAtj — having tossed about their limbs ; capered about. Arrian 

 means to express the anxiety and joy of the gi-eyhound wlieu the liare is just on the 

 start. With the same signification Xenophon uses Siap^ifxfia, the rh irri5r)na tov aijxa- 

 Tos &c. of Pollux. 2/cipTa jovv, says ^lian of the hare's start, to TrpaJra airh Ttjs 

 yris, Kal TTTjSa : and Pollux calls her aXTiKhu koI irriSriTiKhv rb fajoc. 



5. The rush of the greyhound from slips is splendidly described in the Ovidian 

 Lffilaps : 



jamdudum viiicula pugnat 

 Exuere ipse sibi, colloque morantia tendit. 

 Vix bene missus erat ; nee jam poteramus, ubi esset, 

 Scire ; pedum calidus vestigia pulvis habebat : 

 Ipse oculis ereptus erat. Non ocyor illo 

 Hasta, nee excussae contorto verbere glandes, 

 IVec Gortyniaco calamus levis exit ab arcu. 



Many of the coursing terms employed in the present, the 19th, and 20lh chapters, 

 on the Celtic mode of following the sport, are illustrated by Michael Drayton's pro- 

 saic muse : 



Polyolbion. 

 Song xxiii. 



In the proper terms the Muse doth thus report — 

 The man whose vacant mind prepares him to the sport, 

 The finder sendeth out, to seek out nimble Wat, 

 Which crosseth in the field, each furlong, every flat. 

 Till he this pretty beast upon the form hath found ; 

 Then viewing for the course, which is the fairest ground, 

 The greyhounds forth are brought, for coursing then in case, 

 And choicely in the slip, one leading forth a brace ; 

 The finder puts her up, and gives her courser's law. 

 And whilst the eager dogs upon the start do draw, 

 She riseth from her seat, as though on earth she flew. 

 Forced by some yelping cute to give the greyhounds view. 

 Which are at length let slip, when gunning out they go, 

 As in respect of them the swiftest wind were slow ; 

 When each man runs his horse, with fixed eyes, and notes 

 Which dog first turns the hare, which first the other coats : 



