HALIEUTICA, II. 279-305 



limbs of both pours the sweat warm and abundant and 

 the varied wiles of their art are all abroad and their 

 hands wave about their bodies : even so the suckers 

 of the Poulpe, at random plied, are all abroad, and 

 labour in vain wrestling. But the Muraena with 

 sharp assault of teeth rends the Poulpe ; some of 

 his limbs her belly receives, while other parts the 

 sharp teeth still grind in her jaws, others are still 

 quivering and twisting, half consumed, struggling 

 still and fain to escape. As when in the woods the 

 Stag " of heavy horns, seeking out the path of 

 serpents, discovers the track by scent and comes 

 to the lair and hales the reptile out and devours it 

 amain, while the serpent twines about knees and 

 neck and breast, and some of its hmbs he half-eaten, 

 much yet in the Stag's jaws the teeth devour : even 

 so the coihng limbs of the hapless Poulpe wTithe, 

 nor does his device of stony craft save him. For 

 even if perchance in his endeavours to escape he 

 twine about a rock and clothe him in a colour like 

 to it, yet he escapes not the wit of the Muraena, 

 but she alone remarks him and his cunning is in 

 vain. Then thou wouldst pity him for his unseemly 

 doom, as he crouches on the rocks, while she stands 

 by, as it were mocking him. Thou wouldst say the 

 cruel Muraena spoke and mocked him thus. " Why 

 dost thou skulk, crafty one ? Whom hopest thou to 



cum serpente pugna. Vestigant cavernas nariumque spiritu 

 extrahunt renitentes; Nicand. Th. 139 fiF. i) oirore aKapdfjiovs 

 iXdcpitiv oxe^c"' aXi'Jas I a,v5pbs €VL<TKifi.\pri xoXoo?;' -/vio<f>d6f)cy 

 lov- I ?foxa yo-p SoXiXOici' KivuirrjffTaTs Koriovai | ve^poroKOi Kai 

 ^6pK€i- avixvei'ovffi Si irdvTT) | rpoxpt-o-Xa 6' aifiaffLas re Kal iXvovs 

 ipdovrei, j ff/J-fpdaXerj fivKrijpiJS ivLairipxovTes avrur;. Cf. Phil. 

 59, E.M. s. iXatpot. It is a common notion in Scotland that 

 Goats destroy Adders. 



309 



