BOOK VI. XXVI. 2-xxvii, I 



between two narrow laths of wood, as in a forceps, 

 the sinews of the testicles, which the Greeks call 

 " hangers," because the genital parts hang from them, 

 and then take hold of the testicles and lay them open 

 with a knife and after pressing them out cut them 

 off in such a way that their extremities are left adher- 

 ing to the said sinews. By this method the steer 3 

 runs no danger from an eruption of blood, nor is it 

 likely to lose its masculinity and become totally 

 effeminate, and it keeps the form of a male when it 

 has been deprived of generative power. This, how- 

 ever, it does not lose immediately ; for, if you allow 

 it to cover a cow directly after the operation, it is 

 certain that it is possible for it to beget offspring ; but 

 it should by no means be allowed to do so, lest it die 

 from a flux of blood. The wounds should be anointed 

 with the ash of brushwood and litharge of silver, 

 and the animal should be kept away from water for 

 that day and be fed on only a little food. For the 4 

 three following days it should be treated as a sick 

 animal and tempted to eat with the tops of trees and 

 green fodder cut off for it and must not be allowed to 

 drink much. It is thought right also to anoint the 

 actual sores after three days with liquid pitch and 

 ashes mixed with a little oil, so that they may scar 

 over more quickly and that they may not be infested 

 by flies. I have now said enough about oxen. 



XXVII. For those whose pleasure it is to rear Horses. 

 horses it is of the utmost importance to provide a 

 painstaking overseer and plenty of fodder ; both 

 these points can be neglected up to a certain point in 

 dealing with other domestic animals. A stud of 

 horses, however, requires the most assiduous atten- 

 tion and a generous diet. Horses themselves fall 



189 



