HALIEUTICA, V. 162-186 



launch for the giant beast the fatal snare. And 

 when he espies the grievous banquet, he springs 

 and disregards it not, obedient to his shameless 

 belly,** and rushing upon the hooked death he 

 seizes it ; and immediately the whetted hook enters 

 within his wide throat and he is impaled upon the 

 barbs. Then, roused by the wound, first, indignant, 

 he shakes his deadly jaw against them and strives 

 to break the brazen cord ; but his labour is vain. 

 Then, next, in the anguish of fiery pain he dives 

 swiftly into the nether gulfs of the sea. And 

 speedily the fishers allow him all the length of the 

 hne ; for there is not in men strength enough to 

 pull him up and to overcome the heavy monster 

 against his vnW. For easily could he drag them to 

 the bottom, benched ship and all together, when he 

 set himself to rush. Straightway as he dives they 

 let go with him into the water large skins ^ filled with 

 human breath and fastened to the line. And he, 

 in the agony of his pain, heeds not the hides but 

 lightly drags them do\\'n, all unwilling and fain for 

 the surface of the foamy sea. But when he comes 

 to the bottom with labouring heart, he halts, greatly 

 foaming in his distress. As some horse when it has 

 accomplished its sweaty labour to the utmost goal, 

 in a bloody foam grinds his teeth in the crooked bit, 

 while the hot panting breath comes through his 



of every harpoon which they throw the bladder of a sea-dog, 

 that if the harpoon should not strike the fish or detach itself 

 from it, it may float on the water, and be readily found 

 again. This experiment was known to the fishermen of the 

 Atlantic [*iV] Ocean, for Opien in his Halieutlcon speaks of 

 it: lib. V. 177: 'They dart,' says he, 'large sacks blown 

 up by the breath, and fastened to a cord, immediately at the 

 fish, as it is about to plunge.' " 



473 



