HALIEUTICA, V. 650-669 



grow on the ledges of the bottom, fixed fast to the 

 rocks ; and report tells that they have breath " in 

 them, even as other things that grow upon the 

 sounding rocks. Straightway rushing upon them 

 with the bill in his stout hand, like a mower, he cuts 

 the body of the Sponges, and he loiters not, but 

 quickly shakes the rope,* signalling to his comrades 

 to pull him up s'ttiftly. For hateful blood " is 

 sprinkled straightway from the Sponges and rolls 

 about the man, and many a times the grievous fluid, 

 cHnging to his nostrils, chokes the man with its 

 noisome breath. Therefore swift as thought he is 

 pulled to the surface ; and beholding him escaped 

 from the sea one would rejoice at once and grieve 

 and pity : so much are his weak members relaxed 

 and his hmbs unstrung with fear and distressful 

 labour. Often when the sponge-cutter has leapt 

 into the deep waters of the sea and won his loathly 

 and unkindly spoil, he comes up no more, unhappy 

 man, having encountered some huge and hideous 

 beast. •* Shaking repeatedly the rope he bids his 

 comrades pull him up. And the mighty Sea-monster 



umeris eius trahunt. Hunc dimicans, ut sit periculi signum, 

 laeva quatit, dextera apprehenso stilo in pugna est- Modicus 

 alias tractatus : ut prope carinam ventum est, nisi praeceleri 

 vi repente rapiunt, absumi spec-tant. Ac saepe iam subducti 

 e manibus auferuntur, si non trahentium opera conglobato 

 corpore in pilae modum ipsi adiuvere. Protendunt qiiidem 

 triaentes alii, sed monstro sollertia est navigium subeundi 

 atque ita e tuto proeliandi. Omnis ergo cura ad speculandura 

 hoc malum insumitur. 



* Plut. Mor. 980 b oii yap atpvyov oi'S' a.va'ia6rp-ov ovS' ivaifiov 

 6 ffToyyoi icTiv ; Ael. viii. 16 ; Phil. 93 ; Plin. be. 149 ; xxxi. 

 \2\ aliqui narrant et auditu regi eas contrahique ad sonum 

 . . . nee avelli petris posse, ideo abscindi ac saniera emittere. 



** Such as the Ox-ray described H. ii. 141 ff. and obviously 

 meant in Plin. ix. 151. 



2l 513 



