80 HOMER—METHODS OF FISHING 
splash, makes the point of the comparison with which Iris 
sped on her mission. Nor does the adjective applied to the 
fish give any aid, for wunorie, if it be not redundant, signifies 
“vaw-flesh devouring’ (rather than ‘ vavenous’) fish, such as 
shark or sword-fish.! 
But if the early Greeks and Romans only fished for the 
pot and not for amusement, the question arises, why should this 
particular Homeric piscator “ be after’’ sword-fish or shark ? 
Fishing, down to the early Roman times, continued to be more 
of a distinct trade than was the pursuit of animals and birds.? 
Hence the Net with quicker and surer returns and not the Rod 
was the favourite weapon of the fishermen by trade. 
In F. (Od., IV. 369, and XII. 330) something in the nature 
of a line and of a bait of some sort (though not necessarily of a 
rod) attached to the bent, or barbed, hooks, must be implied. 
Hunger would assuredly continue to “ gnaw at their bellies,” 
if their only food was caught by hooks, pure and simple, for, 
as Juliana Berners pithily puts it, ‘“‘ Ye can not brynge an hoke 
into a fyssh mouth without a bayte.”’ 
Abstention from fish, however general, did not prevail 
among Homer’s sailors. Athenzus (I. 22) points out that 
since the hooks used could not have been forged on the Island, 
and so must have been carried on board the ships, ‘‘ it is plain 
sailors were fond of and skilful in catching fish.” 
Basing my surmise on épwBac in Od., XII. 331 and on the 
statement of Eustathius ad /oc., that hooks were used for cap- 
turing sea-birds as well as fish, I suggest that the baits on the 
hooks were either small fishes (left possibly by the tide in some 
pool in the rocks), or shellfish, or oysters. These attached to 
a line (with or without a rod) and thrown into the sea were 
taken by both sea-fowl and fish. 
1 Compare its use four times (in the I/iad only) as applied to birds of prey 
and to dogs; also figuratively to Achilles as “‘ savage.”’ 
* Later on it is true we do find the Roman “ burgher ” becoming also an 
amateur angler, and gentlefolk, including ladies and children, taking freely 
to the sport. Piscator is generally used in reference to those who were 
fishermen by trade, whereas venator and auceps may be likewise applied to 
mere lovers of hunting and fowling (H. Bliimner, Die vomischen Privatalier- 
tumey, Munich, 1911), 
3 A gorge, almost identical with the Neolithic gorge, is used at the present 
day for catching ducks on the Untersee of Holland. See Intyoduction. 
