II] OF SHEEP 149 



connected between these two places by public tracks 



10 like a pair^ of baskets by their yoke. And even when 

 they graze in the same district all the year, yet the 

 seasons make a difference to their times of feeding, 

 for in summer they go forth to feed as the day is 

 breaking, since then the dewy grass is sweeter than 

 the drier herbage of noon. When the sun is well up,^ 

 the shepherds drive them forth to drink, that by 

 thus refreshing them they may make them eager 



1 1 again to feed. During the noon-tide heats, they 

 are brought beneath the shade of rocks and spread- 

 ing trees that they may cool down until the heat 

 abates. In the cool evening air they feed them again 

 until sun-set. When feeding sheep you should drive 

 them so that they have their backs turned to the sun, 

 for in a sheep the head^ is the weakest part. A 

 short while after sunset they are taken to drink, 

 and then fed again until it grows dark; for after 

 sunset the sweetness of the grass will be a second 

 time renewed.* This way of feeding is generally 



' Sirpiculos. Possibly connected with sirpea which Varro 

 defines (L. L. v, 39) : Sirpea quae virgis sirpatur^ id est colli- 

 gando implicatur in qua stercus aliudve quid vchitur. The 

 iugum (yoke) is the Greek aaCsXa or dvaipopevf:, used to carry 

 buckets, pails, etc. 



^ Prima luce. With this passage compare Virj^il's beautiful 

 paraphrase (Georg., iii, 324-338), and Columella's directions 

 concerning the feeding of sheep (vii, 3, 23). 



* Caput. Columella, vii, 3, 24: Si quidem plurimum refert ut 

 ne pascentium capita sint adversa soli, 



* Redintegrahit. Perhaps the translation should run, " will 

 again refresh them," though one suspects that redintegrabitur 



I 



