CYNEGETICA, or THE CHASE 



IV 



So many are the species of wild beasts, so many in 

 the shady wood their nuptial loves and companion- 

 ships, their hates and deadly feuds, their couches 

 in the >\-ild. Now let us sing the great business of 

 the toilsome hunters, both their vahant might and 

 their prudent counsel, their cunning craft and their 

 heart armed with manifold wiles ; " for verily that 

 heart wars against ^^ild races to whom God hath given 

 strength and goodly courage and wits not far inferior 

 to the hunters themselves. 



Many are the modes of glorious and profitable hunt- 

 ing : modes innumerable, suited to the various beasts 

 and tribes and glens. Who ^vith his single mind should 

 comprehend them all and tell of them in order with 

 euphonious song ? Who could behold them all ? 

 Who could behold so much, being mortal ? Only 

 the Gods easily see all things." But I shall tell what 

 I have seen ^\ith my own eyes when follo^«ng in the 

 woods the chase, splendid of boons, and Mhatever 

 cunning mysteries of all manner of delightful craft I 

 have learned from them whose business it is ; fain as 

 I am to sing of all these things to the son of Divine 



from Horn. Od. x. 303 x'^^^'"'^" ^^ ''"' opofffffiv \ d.i>Spd(xi ye dvyfrolai. 

 6toi 5i re iravra SifafTai ; Od. iv. 379 dfol 5« re xajra laaaiv. 



M l6l 



