HALIEUTICA, IV. 217-246 



the unhappy Merle to be the victim of infatuation 

 and a bitter requital he finds for his many brides. 

 For when the fisherman perceives him wheeling upon 

 the rocks in trouble about his wives, with all speed 

 he puts upon a strong hook a live Prawn " and above 

 the hook is hung a heavy cube of lead. And 

 stealthily he launches his deadly snare beside the 

 rocks and dangles it near the verj' bridal chambers 

 of the Merle. He espies it and is straightway roused 

 and charges, thinking that the Prawn is coming 

 ^^'ithin his halls with hostile intent to beds and brides. 

 Straightway rushing he thinks to avenge Mith his 

 jaws the invasion of the Prawn, and perceives not 

 that he is swallowing his own doom. The fisher 

 watching him straightway strikes home and trans- 

 fixes him with his barbs of bronze, and hales him 

 forth indignant and writhing in his last struggle, 

 and haply he chides with such mocking words as 

 these : " Now then, now watch and guard thy aWvcs, 

 wretched fish, and abide at home rejoicing in thy 

 brides ! for one love and one bed did not content 

 thee, but thou didst glory, a single husband, in so 

 many. Nay, come hither, bridegroom, thy bride is 

 ready — the blaze of landward fire ^vreathed with 

 white." So haply he rebukes him, albeit speaking 

 to deaf ears. But the Thrushes, when their guardian 

 husband dies, wander forth from their chambers 

 and share his doom. 



Moreover, through love and mutual help perish 

 also the Galeus * Dog-fishes and the tribes of the 

 dark Spiny Dog - fishes " ; a white fish <* is bound 

 upon the hook and the fisherman goes where the 

 dark mud lies long fathoms deep and lets do\ni his 



' H.i.SSOn. "* Ael. i. 55. 



421 



