HALIEUTICA, V. 270-299 



his deadly wounds. The infinite water boils with 

 the blood of the beast and the grey sea is reddened. 

 As when in winter a river conies down from the hills 

 of red earth into a billowy gulf and the blood- 

 coloured mud is rolled down by the rush of the 

 water, mingling with the eddying waves ; and afar 

 the water is reddened by the ruddy dust and the 

 sea is as if covered with blood : even so in that hour 

 the gory waters are stained with the blood of the 

 beast, rent amid the waves by the shafts of the 

 fishermen. Then they draw and drop into his 

 wounds a bitter stream of bilge-water ; and the salt 

 mingling in his sores like fire kindles for him deadliest 

 destruction. As when the fire of heaven smites with 

 the lash of Zeus a bark that is traversing the sea, 

 and the flaming onset that devours the ship is 

 stirred and made yet fiercer by the sea mingling 

 with the torches of heaven : even so his cruel wounds 

 and pains are made more fierce by the cruel water 

 of the putrid evil-smelUng bilge. But when, over- 

 come by the pains of many gashes, fate brings him 

 at last to the gates of dismal death, then they take 

 him in tow and joyfully haul him to the land ; and 

 he is dragged all unwilling, pierced with many 

 barbs as with nails and nodding as if heavy with 

 wine in the issue of deathly doom. And the fishers, 

 raising the loud paean of victory," while they speed 

 the boat with their oars, make the sea resound, 

 singing their shrill song to hasting blades. As when 

 after the decision of a battle at sea the victors take 

 in tow the ships of the vanquished and haste joyfully 

 to bring to land the foemen who man the ships, 



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