HALIEUTICA, II. 614^641 



the woods, as hunters tell, the terrible Jackals <» gather 

 and busy themselves about a Stag ; they rush upon 

 him and rend his flesh with their jaws and lap the 

 warm gore of new-shed blood : the Stag bellowing in 

 his bloody pain, full of deadly wounds, bounds now to 

 this mountain-crag, now to that, but the ravenous 

 beasts leave him not but always follow him close, and 

 rend him ahve and tear off his hide before he finds 

 death, making a black and woeful banquet. But 

 while the shameless Jackals pay no requital but laugh 

 loud over the dead Stags, the bold Amia soon fight a 

 less happy fight. 



This other excellent deed of the Dolphins have I 

 heard and admire. When fell disease and fatal 

 draws nigh to them, they fail not to know it but are 

 aware of the end of life. Then they flee the sea and 

 the wide waters of the deep and come aground ^ on the 

 shallow shores. And there they give up their breath 

 and receive their doom upon the land ; that so per- 

 chance some mortal man may take pity on the holy 

 messenger '^ of the Shaker of the Earth when he lies 

 low, and cover him Avith mound of shingle, remember- 

 ing his gentle friendship ; or haply the seething sea 

 herself may hide his body in the sands ; nor any of 

 the brood of the sea behold the corse of their lord, 

 nor any foe do despite to his body even in death. 

 Excellence and majesty attend them even when they 

 perish, nor do they shame their glory even when 

 they die. 



« C. ill. 338 n. 



^ A. 631 b 2 Siairof>€?Tai Si irepl avrwv Sia rl e^oKi\\ov<nv 

 €i's T7JV yf)v iroif'iv yap (paffi tovt' aiiTous eviore, drav tvx^'^'-^ 5'' 

 ovdefxlav alriav. 



' For rpox*-^ l/- Aesch. P. V. 94 1 tov Atos rpjxtv = Hermes. 



z 337 



