CYNEGETICA, II. 502-528 



mighty as the head is mighty, even as the roots of 

 the oak ; then below, concealed by skin where they 

 meet the temples, they project into the jaw ; and 

 when left bare by the jaws they give to the vulgar 

 the false impression of teeth.** Moreover, there is 

 another clear sign for men. All teeth of wild beasts 

 are unbending and do not yield to art but remain 

 intractable, and if a worker in horn wishes by his 

 skill to make them broad, they flatly refuse, and if 

 they are forced, the stubborn teeth break stemwise. 

 From horns on the other hand are fashioned bent 

 bows and countless other works of art. In like 

 manner those elephant horns which men call teeth, 

 yield to the ivory-cutter to bend them or to broaden.* 

 These beasts have a bulk such as on the earth no 

 other wild beast yet hath worn. Seeing an Elephant 

 thou wouldst say that a huge mountain-peak or a 

 dread cloud, fraught with storm for hapless mortals, 

 was travelhng on the land. The head is strong with 

 ears small, hollow, and poUshed. The eyes, though 

 large, are small for that size of beast. Between 

 them projects a great nose, thin and crooked, which 

 men call the proboscis. That is the hand'' of the 

 beast ; with it they easily do whatsoever they will. 

 The legs are not equal ^ in size ; for the fore-legs rise 

 to a far greater height. The hide that covers the 

 body is rugged, impenetrable and strong, which not 



Kepara Si Kai ^oQy Kai i\e(pavTuv e's ofiaXfi re e/c wepKpfpovs /cat 

 £S dXXo 11x6 xi'pos dyerai (JXWiTa. 



* A. 497 b ^6 ?x" fJ-vKTTJpa toiovtov . . . wcrre avri ;^eipa;i' ^x*"* 

 ainbv ; Ael. iv. 31 fxxKTrjpa . . . xeipbs TravxprjcTTorfpov ; cf, 

 ii. 11 ; Plut. if or. 972 d irpo^offKida . . . wairfp x^'P" irapa- 

 ^a\(hv ; Plin, viii. 29 spirant et bibunt odoranturque baud 

 improprie dicta manu ; ihid. 34 ; Phil. 40. 



■* A. 497 b 24 TO. irpbcOia. (XKi\i) iroWQ fiei^u ; cf. Ael. iv. 31. 



101 



