AlfCIENT AND MODEEN FISHING. 5 



The aatliia's strength, who drain'd of vital blood 



Soon staggers feebly through the foaming flood, 



Then dying, turns his vast unwieldy bulk 



Reversed upon the waves, a floating hulk. 



Tow'd to his side, with joy Pisoator sees 



The still leviathan; then on his knees. 



With arms outstretoh'd, close clasps the gurgliag throat. 



Makes one long puU, and hauls him in the boat.* 



Nor was Oppian's royal patron the only pagan Pon- 

 tifex who indulged in this art : Augustus was partial to 

 it J NerOj as Suetonius instructs us, kept gold and purple 

 nets to circumvent fish; and, so we may presume, angled 

 for them as well. Antony was another purple angler, 

 so fond of line-fishingj that he would follow the pastime 

 for hours together, 



And with his charming lady of the lake 

 Feast on the water with the fish they'd take.f 



* Gay has given a lively and somewhat similar account of the 

 capture, if we recollect right, of a large salmon: — 



Downward he plunges with the fraudfol prey. 

 And bears with joy the little spoil away ; 

 Soon in smart pain he feels his dire mistake. 

 Lashes the wave, and beats the foamy lake : 

 With sudden rage he now aloft appears. 

 And in his eye convulsive anguish bears; 

 And now again, impatient of the wound. 

 He rolls and writhes his straining body round. 

 Then headlong shoots beneath the dashing tide. 



Tin tired at last, despoil'd of aU his strength. 

 The game across the stream unfolds his length. 

 The angler draws him to the boat with care. 

 And Hfts his nostrils to the sickening air; 

 Upon the burden'd Stream he floating lies. 

 Stretches his quivering fins, and gasping dies, 

 f Venus and Cupid were as great co-fishers from the samtj 

 boat as Cleopatra and Antony; and a beautiful painting repre- 

 senting them so engaged was found in the house of the tragic 

 poet at Pompeii. 



