n] CATTLE FARMING: ITS REPUTE 131 



twelve signs of the Zodiac, actually begin with 

 them, with the Ram and the Bull that is, placing 

 them before Apollo and Hercules. For these latter, 

 gods though they are, follow them, though these 



8 signs are called (by some) Gemini^ (twins). And not 

 content that a sixth of the twelve signs should bear 

 the names of cattle, they added Capricorn to make 

 up the quarter. Of domestic animals they also added 

 the goat, kids, and dogs. 



And are not many tracts of both sea and land dis- 

 tinguished by these names — the Aegean Sea," for 

 instance (which owes its name to goats). Mount 

 Taurus in Syria, Mount Cantherius'' in the land of 

 the Sabines, and the Thracian and Cimmerian Bos- 



i9 porus? ' And are there not many places on land with 



i these names, such as the town in Greece called 

 "Hippios (horse-rearing) Argos "? Finally is not 



1 the word Italy derived from vituli (bullocks) as Piso 

 ^1tes? Again, who denies that the Roman people 

 prang from shepherds? who but knows that Faus- 



' Gemini are the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux, so that it 

 dii cannot be the subject of appellantur but ea signa. This is 

 a good example of one of Varro's worst habits ; cf. ii, 3, 6 ; 

 0,4, 19; iii, 9, 2. Apollo and Diana were sometimes called 

 Qemini. Varro, L. L., vii {suhfin.)^ quoting Manilius: 



" Latona pariit casta complexu lovis 

 Delia Deos Geminos. 



id est ApoUinem et Dianamy 

 ' * Aegaeum. alyitof, from al^, a goat. 



* Cantherius — a gelding. 



• Bosporus. iSoawopot = Ox-ford. 



