1 16 History of Nature. [BooK IX. 



Another Dolphin, not many Years since, upon the Coast 

 of Africa, near to Hippo Diarrhytus, in like Manner would 



sea ; and after the races were over, it was the custom of the young men 

 to go to the shore and bathe. On one occasion when they were indulging 

 themselves in swimming, a dolphin was attracted with the most vehement 

 love to one of these youths, who was remarkably beautiful. When first 

 the creature approached him he was not a little afraid ; but as the fami- 

 liarity increased the young man became so conciliated, that he learned to 

 regard him with kindness and friendship. They played together, and 

 contended in swimming ; and the boy would sit on his back, and be car- 

 ried about as on a horse. The sight soon attracted the attention of the 

 people of the place, and also of strangers. The dolphin continued to 

 manifest his love for this young man, and would carry him out to sea, as 

 far as was agreeable to his friend ; and then he would return and deposit 

 him on the shore. This dolphin was accustomed to make his appearance 

 at the time when the young man was dismissed from the gymnasium; 

 and their joy on meeting appeared to be mutual. This, however, at last, 

 met with a fatal termination ; for the boy, being tired with exercise, on 

 one occasion threw himself, naked as he was, on the back of the dolphin, 

 not observing the sharp spine on the back of the animal, as it stood erect; 

 and thus he pierced himself at the navel with its point : a vein being 

 wounded, by which he bled to death. The dolphin was not slow in dis- 

 covering that his friend was seriously injured partly by the difference 

 of weight, for he did not sit on his back in the light and active manner 

 he had been accustomed to, and partly by seeing the water stained 

 with blood ; he therefore resolved not to survive him whom he had so 

 affectionately loved. He ran himself, with all his might, upon the shore, 

 and both of them died together. A monument was raised by the people 

 of the city to commemorate this love between the young man and the 

 dolphin." And the author concludes by saying, that he had heard of other 

 instances of similar affection : one of which had occurred at Puteoli, in 

 Italy ; and which, doubtless, was the same as is mentioned by Pliny. 



Aulus Gellius adds to this an instance which he had derived from 

 Apion, whom, as an author on the subject of wonders, we have mentioned 

 before (Vol. i. p. 21), and who authenticates the story by affirming that 

 he saw it himself: "I saw," says he, "near Dicsearchia (Puteoli), a 

 dolphin that had great affection for a boy, and manifested this feeling at 

 the sound of his voice. The fish would then swim near, and take the lad 

 on his back ; he would fold back the spines of his fins that he might not 

 hurt him, and then would carry him to the distance of two hundred 

 stadia, astride on his back. Rome, therefore, and all Italy, were poured 

 out to see this affectionate fish." It is to be regretted that the works of 

 Apion have perished ; but the little that remains is sufficient to show that 



