CYNEGETICA, II. 529-555 



even a whetted blade of mighty all-subduing iron 

 would easily cleave. Wild without limit is the temper 

 of the Elephant in the shady wood but among men 

 he is tame and gentle to human kind. In the green 

 glens of many chfFs he stretches root and branch 

 upon the ground, oaks and vild ohves and the high- 

 crowned race of palms, assailing them with his 

 sharp tremendous tusks ; but when he is in the 

 strong hands of men, he forgets his temper and his 

 fierce spirit leaves him : he endm-es even the yoke 

 and receives the bit in his mouth and carries upon 

 his back" the boys who order his work. 



It is said that Elephants talk to one another, 

 mumbling with their mouths the speech of men. 

 But not to all is the speech of the beasts audible, 

 but only the men who tame them hear it. This 

 marvel also have I heard, that the mighty Elephants 

 have a prophetic soul ^^■ithin their breasts and know 

 in their hearts when their ine\'itable doom is at hand. 

 Not then among birds only are there prophets, even 

 the Swans * who sing their last lament, but among 

 Avild beasts also this tribe di\ine the end of death 

 and perform their own dirge. 



The Rhinoceros " is not much larger than the boiind- 

 ing Oryx. A httle above the tip of the nose rises 

 a horn dread and sharp, a cruel sword. Charging 

 therewith he could pierce through bronze and ^^■ith 

 its stroke could cleave a mighty chff. He attacks 



" A. 49Tb 28; Ael. vii. 41, xiii. 9. 



" Plato, Phaed. 84 e ; Aesch. Afj. 1444 ; Ael. ii. 33, v. 34, 

 X. 36 ; Phil. 10 ; Mart. xiii. 77 ; Stat. .S. ii. 4. 10. 



* Rhinoceros iudicus, cf. Agatharch. «/>. Phot. p. 455 a -29 

 Bekker; Strab. 774; Diod. iii. 34; Athen. -201c; Ael. 

 xvii. 44; Plin. viii. 71; Suet. Aug. 43; Solin. xxvii. 16, 

 XXX. 21 ; Mart. Lib, Sped. ix. xxii. 



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