CYNEGETICA, III. 42-62 



From the Ethiopians once on a time there came to 

 the land of Libya, a great marvel to behold, a well- 

 maned Lion, black of hue, broad of head above, 

 hairy of foot, bright of eye, reddening only on the 

 yellow mouth. I have seen, not merely heard of, 

 that terrible beast, when it was transported to be 

 a spectacle for royal eyes. 



The tribes of Lions do not need food " every day 

 but one day they devote to feeding, the next in 

 turn to labour. Neither doth the Lion take his 

 sleep by the inmost bounds of a rock, but he sleeps ^ 

 in the open, revoking a covurageous soul, and where- 

 soever so\Tan night overtakes him at evening, there 

 he sleeps. 



This also have I heard from the keepers of Lions, 

 to wit that imder his right paw the tawny Lion has 

 a power of swift benumbing,*' wherewith he utterly 

 benumbs the knees of -svild beasts. 



Five times'* doth the Lioness loose her zone in 

 birth, and idle truly is the report that she bears 

 but one. Five she bears the first time, but next she 

 travails ^^ith four cubs ; then next in order from her 

 third labour spring three ; from her fourth spring 

 twin young ; and last from her womb of noble 

 progeny the mother brings forth the glorious Lion 

 King. 



• Schol. B Horn. //. xx. 170 ?x" (" ^fwv) vrb rg ovpq Kevrpov 

 lii\a.v, ws Kfpa.Ti.ov, Sl ov eavrbv fMotrTi^ei. v(f) o5 virrrofievo^ irXiov 

 aycuovrai. A. 630 a o mentions the suppuration of woiuids 

 inflicted by lions"' teeth and claws, but says nothing of 

 numbing. 



^ A. 579 h 9 oi d' €v 'Zvpig. X^orres tiktovci irfPTaKis, to 

 rpCJTOv -rivTe, elT dei tvi iXdrTova.' neTo. Si Tavra ovk4ti ovSev 

 TiKTovffiv, dW dyovoi SioTfXoiVtv ; Ue (fen. 750 a 32; Plin. viii. 

 4o; Ael. iv. 34; Phil. xxxv. ; SoUn. xxvii. 16. 



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