BOOK VI. XIX. i-xx. I 



and that these quadrupeds, while they are actually- 

 being doctored, may not struggle and reject the 

 remedies. The shape of this machine is as follows : 

 a piece of ground nine feet long and two and a half 

 feet wide in front and four feet wide at the back is 

 floored with boards of oak. In this space four upright 2 

 posts seven feet high are placed on the right and left 

 sides ; they are set upright in the four corners and 

 are all bound to each other with six cross-poles <» to 

 form a kind of railing, so that the animal can be driven 

 in fi-om the back, which is broader, as into a cage, but 

 cannot get out on any of the other sides, because the 

 bars get in his way and prevent him. On the two 

 front posts a stout yoke is placed, to which beasts of 

 burden are fastened with halters and oxen tied by 

 their horns, and you can also contrive here stocks, so 

 that, when the animal's head has been inserted, bars 

 may descend and pass through holes and the neck 

 thus be held tight. The rest of the body, secured 3 

 with nooses and stretched out, is bound to the cross- 

 poles and is subject to the will of the person who is 

 doctoring the animal. This machine will serve alike 

 for all the greater quadrupeds. 



XX. Now that we have given enough instruction Buiu. 

 about oxen, it will be proper to deal next with bulls 

 and cows. In my opinion we ought to esteem most 

 highly bulls which have very large limbs and a calm 

 temperament and are not too young or too old. In 

 other respects we shall look for much the same 

 qualities as we sought when choosing oxen. For a 

 good bull does not differ from a gelded ox except that 

 its expression is fierce, its appearance more animated, 

 its horns shorter, its neck more brawny and so huge 

 as to form the greatest part of its body ; its belly is 



177 



