HALIEUTICA, IV. 351-379 



are open to the rays of the sun : wherein dwell 

 many Sargues which have their habitation together ; 

 for the Sargues delight exceedingly in the beams of 

 the sun. Here the man betakes himself, his limbs 

 clothed in the skin of a goat and two horns fastened 

 to his temples, meditating a rustic trick : and he 

 casts into the sea a bait of barley-meal enriched 

 with goatflesh and roasted meat together. The 

 welcome savour, the deceiving aspect of the man, 

 and the goodly boon of food entice the Sargues, and 

 they think not in their minds of any harm but 

 delighted they remain, fa\vning round their foeman 

 in the guise of a goat. Unhappy fishes ! how fatal 

 a friend they presently find him, whose mind is no- 

 \^ise goathke. For straightway he arrays against 

 them a rough rod and a line of grey flax and puts 

 on the hook the natiu-al flesh of a goat's hoof. They 

 greedily seize the bait and he ^Wth stout hand pulls 

 and lands them. For if any of them suspect the 

 work of guile, no more \n\\ he come near, even were 

 the fishermen to bring the shaggy goats themselves, 

 but together they take to flight, loathing alike the 

 form of the man and the feast and the sunny spaces 

 of the rock itself. But if the fisher escape their 

 notice and do his work s^^•iftly, none \\ill be left 

 uncaptured, but the goatlike aspect will overcome 

 them all. 



Another passion employs the Sargues in the 

 season of spring, even their passion for one another, 

 and they contend about the bridal bed. One male 

 fights for many A^ives and he who prevails by his 

 valour is sufficient mate for all ; and he drives his 

 female company among the rocks, where the fisher- 

 men contrive a deep weel, rounded on all sides, and 



431 



