16 ANGLING LITERATURE OF 



The author then goes on describing other kinds of 

 fishers, such as use nets, spears, &c. On the instincts 

 of the finny tribes to elude their enemies, he says 



" Fishes have, too, their self-preserving arts, 

 Not that alone which home-bred fear imparts ; 

 Their foreign foes, they equally deceive ; 

 The entangling net and bur den' d hook relieve." 



The critics of all ages have spoken in terms of eulogy 

 of this treatise of Oppian's. Eustathius and the Scholiasts 

 often quote him. Bodin says, his epithets are proper and 

 expressive, and his metaphors bold and dashing. The 

 elder Scaliger calls him a divine and incomparable poet ; 

 and Sir Thomas Brown says, " It is a wonder that 

 Oppian's elegant lines are so much neglected : surely we 

 hereby reject one of the best epic poets." Lauren tins 

 Lippius translated the poem into Latin verse ; and the 

 English translation is by Mr. Draper and Mr. Jones. 



A paraphrase on Oppian's work, in Greek prose, 

 bearing the name of Eutecnius, is in several European 

 libraries ; but has as yet never been published. 10 



There is an historical incident connected with Cleo- 

 patra and Antony, which has often been mentioned in 

 connection with the early history of the gentle art. Ac- 

 cording to Plutarch the story runs thus : Antony had been 

 unsuccessful in his angling enterprises in the presence 



10 Oppian's Halieutica was translated into French by J. M. 

 Limes, Paris, 1817 j and into Italian by A. M. Salvini, Firenze, 

 1728. 



