CYNEGETICA, II. 251-278 



Haply thou wouldst pity, unkindly though he be, 

 the ravenous monster rent piecemeal \\ith deadly 

 wounds. 



In the borders of Libya," pasture land of horses, 

 roams a great and countless host of deadly spotted 

 Snakes. When a Stag lies down alone on the sandy 

 hills, straightway upon him from every side rush the 

 hostile swarm of Snakes beyond number and the 

 hateful venomous ranks. In his hide they fix their 

 bitter teeth, swarming around about all the limbs of 

 the Stag. Some devote themselves to his head above 

 and fix their teeth in brow and forehead ; others 

 rend \dth their mouths his slender neck and breast 

 and his flanks and belly ; others again cling to his 

 ribs on either side ; others feed on his tliighs and 

 back above ; one here, one there, with deadly im- 

 palement they hang about him. And he, full of all 

 manner of pain, first is fain to escape on swift feet, 

 but he has not the strength ; such an infinite crowd 

 of cruel spotted snakes besets him. Then, oppressed 

 by grievous constraint, he makes a stand and ^Wth 

 his jaws he rends the infinite hostile tribes, bellowing 

 the while for pain ; and wheeling this way and that 

 he makes havoc of the reptile race which make no 

 endeavour to escape. Yet they do not let go their 

 hold, but abide steadfast unto death, ha\ing a relent- 

 less mind and a heart not to be turned. And some 

 he rends vrith his jaws ; others he destroys with foot 

 and hoof, and on the ground flows from the serpents 



est ut mali huius merito illi potissiraum palma detur. C/. 

 Herod, iv. 191 f. where he saj's i\a<pos Si kuI Ps dypioi iv 

 At/SiTj nraixirav oi'ac toTi; A. 606 a 6 fc 5e AiSf'-j vaffri ovre avt 

 dypios fo-riv ciV ?\a(poi o\h' ot| &-ypio% ; Ael. xvii. 10 iv Ai^vtj 

 avQy aypiuiv diropia (crTi Kal i\d(p<j}v ; Plin. viii. 1:20 Cervos 

 Africa propemodutn sola non gignit. 



79 



