HALIEUTIGA, III. 546-576 



monster Swordfishes unapproachable. The fisher- 

 men fashion boats in the hkeness of the Swordfishes 

 themselves, with fishlike body and swords, and steer 

 to meet the fish. The Swordfish shrinks not from 

 the chase, believing that what he sees are not 

 benched ships but other Swordfishes, the same race as 

 himself, until the men encircle him on every side. 

 Afterwards he perceives his folly when pierced by 

 the three-pronged spear ; and he has no strength 

 to escape for all his desire but perforce is overcome. 

 Many a time as he fights the valiant fish with his 

 sword pierces in his turn right through the belly 

 of the ship ; and the fishers with blows of brazen 

 axe swiftly strike all his sword from his jaws, and it 

 remains fast in the ship's wound like a rivet, while 

 the fish, orphaned of his strength, is hauled in. As 

 when men devising a trick of war against their foes, 

 being eager to come within their towers and city, 

 strip the armour from the bodies of the slain and arm 

 themselves therewith and rush nigh the gates ; and 

 the others fling open their gates as for their own 

 townsmen in their haste, and have no joy of their 

 friends ; even so do boats in his own likeness deceive 

 the Swordfish. 



Moreover, when encircled in the crooked arms of 

 the net the greatly stupid Swordfish perishes by his 

 own folly. He leaps in his desire to escape but near 

 at hand he is afraid of the plaited snare and shrinks 

 back again and forgetteth what manner of weapon 

 is set in his jaws and like a coward remains aghast 

 till they hale him forth upon the beach, where with 

 downward-sweeping blow of many spears men crush 

 his head, and he perishes by a foolish doom. 



Folly slays also the Mackerel " and the fat Tunny 



