II] OF DOGS 215 



mules of their own accord have surrounded him and 

 trampled him to death with their hoofs; and that 

 bulls will stand flank to flank, opposing an unbroken 

 front ^ against wolves, and easily drive them off 

 with their horns. 



About dogs then: there are two kinds, one for 

 hunting^ connected with the wild beasts of the 

 woods, the other bought for purposes of defence, 

 and used by the shepherd. I will discuss the latter, 



^ Adversos. So Keil for the diversos of the MSS. ; wrongly 

 1 think, for bulls, it is known, form a half circle, not a line, 

 against the attacks of the larger carnivora. Their hind- 

 quarters {dunes) might then be close together, while their 

 heads would be properly described by the word diversa^ 

 *• turned in different directions." 



* Unum venaticum, etc. The text of the MSS. is a singular 

 jumble ! It is as follows : Unum venaticum et pertinet ad f eras 

 bestibus assiluestrihus assiluestres alterum^ etc. Nor is one 

 satisfied with Keil's emendation. The cants venaticum differed 

 greatly from the cants pastoralis^ being slimmer, smaller, 

 weaker, but more speedy (cf. Aristotle, H. A., ix, i). It was 

 used for hunting wild animals {bestiae siluestres) such as the 

 hare, stag, etc. The sheep-dog, the Molossus, protected sheep 

 against beasts of prey {bestiae ferae), and was bred for size, 

 strength, and courage. I would propose then to read : Unum 

 venaticum ad bestias siluestres, ad /eras bestias alteram quod 

 custodiae causa paratur et pertinet ad pastorem. The first et 

 pertinet probably arose out of the second. The translation 

 will be : *• One for hunting wild animals, the other used against 

 beasts of prey which is bought to serve as a guard and is con- 

 nected with the shepherd." Columella (vii, 12) distinguishes 

 between the venaticus and the villaticus, the latter, the watch- 

 dog, being the biggest, strongest, and slowest of the three. 

 He also says venaticus nihil pertinet ad nos tram prof essionem. 



