CYNEGETICA, IV. 171-198 



the deadly bellowing of the Lion, and all the sky 

 resounds. And he straightway rushes, fain to glut 

 him with flesh, like unto a winter storm, while the 

 hunters steadfastly abide the onset of the fiery 

 tempest. He ^vith claws and deadly jaws incon- 

 tinently assails and mauls any man that he can seize. 

 Then another of the youths rushes on him from behind 

 and calls his attention with clattering din and loud 

 shout. And swiftly the lordly well-maned Lion turns 

 and charges, leaving the man whom he had seized 

 in his mouth ; and again another on the flank pro- 

 vokes the bearded swarthy beast. Others on this 

 side and on that in close succession harass him, 

 trusting in hides and shields and baldricks, which 

 neither the mighty teeth of his jaws can cleave nor 

 the points of his iron claws pierce. And the Lion 

 wears out his strength in vain labour, charging 

 blindly — leaving one man, lifting another straightwav 

 from the ground and wTcnching his neck,** and again 

 incontinently rushing straight upon another. And 

 as when in war a hostile ring of fierce battle sur- 

 rounds a mighty warrior, and he, breathing the spirit 

 of war, rushes this way and that, brandishing in his 

 hand his gory sword, and at last a warHke company 

 of men overcomes him, all pressing on him together, 

 and he sinks to the ground, smitten by many long 

 whistUng arrows ; even so the Lion, exhausted by 

 ineffectual efforts, at last yields to the men all the 

 prizes of battle, while he sheds to earth * the bloody 



drawing a bow {II. viii. 325 avepvovra rap' w^ov), (3) of 

 pulling up the palisade ((rr^Xai) of a wall {11. xii. 361). To 

 Oppian it was probably two words. 



* axepov appears to mean " ground," r/. Hesych. axfpos' 

 aKT-q, alyiaXos, which would equate it with ^epov ijveipoio 

 (Horn. Od. V. 402). 



175 



