BOOK VI. XXXIV. i-xxxvi. 2 



There is also a pestilential malady the effect of which 2 

 is that mares are attacked with sudden emaciation 

 and carried off by death in the course of a few days. 

 When this comes on, it is beneficial to pour four 

 sextarii of fish-pickle into the nostrils of each victim 

 if it be of small stature, one congius if it be of larger 

 size. This remedy draws away all the phlegm 

 through the nostrils and purges the animal. 



XXXV. There is a form of madness which comes Madness in 

 over mares and is rare but remarkable, namely, that, ™^''®s- 



if they have seen their reflexion in the water, they 

 are seized with a vain passion and consequently forget 

 to eat and die from a wasting disease due to love. It 

 is a sign of this form of insanity when they rush about 

 over their pastures as though they were goaded on 

 and at times seem to be looking about them and seek- 

 ing and missing something. This delusion is dis- 

 pelled if you cut off her mane unevenly and lead 

 her down to the water ; then beholding at length 2 

 her own ugliness, she loses the recollection of the 

 picture which was formerly before her eyes. What 

 I have now remarked with regard to mares in general 

 must suffice ; special instructions must now be given 

 for those who devote themselves to breeding droves 

 of mules. 



XXXVI. For the rearing of mules it is of the Mules and 

 utmost importance to seek out and examine the male ^^^ '"*®*^" 

 and female which are to be the parents of the future 

 offspring ; for if one of them is not suitable to the 



other, the result of their union is a failure. A mare 2 

 should be chosen which is between four and ten years 

 of age, physically very big and handsome, with stout 



^^ quadrituam Schneider : quamam S : quam am A : 

 quoniam R. 



213 



