Nature and Art, June 1, 1866.] 
ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN FIELD SPORTS. 
trimmers 1), tall reeds, slip-knots 1 (f Spo^oL ), rods of 
cornel wood, horn, &c. &c. 
The mention of red and purple wool reminds us 
of another passage in (Elian, from which it is clear 
that even the art of fly-fishing was practised by 
some of the people of Greece. The passage is very 
interesting, as*, containing, probably, the earliest 
extant allusion to artificial-flyfishing. We translate 
the passage in full.* 
“ There is a river called Astrmus, flowing midway between 
Berea and Thessalonica, in which are produced certain 
spotted fish (Ixdiii ti)v ypoan KaraariKTOi ) — you must go 
to the Macedonians for their name — whose food consists of 
insects which fly about the river. These insects are dis- 
similar to all other kinds found elsewhere ; they are unlike 
wasps, nor would one naturally compare them with the flies 
called ephemera, nor do they resemble bees, but they possess 
characters common to all these creatures ; for they are as 
impudent as flies, as large as the anthedon, of the same 
colour as wasps, and they buzz like bees. The natives call 
this insect the hippurus. As these flies float on the top of 
the water in pursuit of their food, they attract the notice of 
the fish which swim upon them. When a fish spies one of 
these insects on the top of the water, it swims quietly under- 
neath it, taking care not to agitate the surface lest it should 
scare away the prey. So approaching it, as it were under 
its shadow, it opens its mouth and gulps it down, just as a 
wolf seizes a sheep from the flock, or an eagle a goose from 
the yard ; and having done this, it swims away beneath the 
ripple. The fishermen are aware of all this; but they do 
not use these flies for bait, because handling' would destroy 
their natural colour, injure the wings, and spoil them as 
lure. On this account the insect is in ill-repute with the 
fishermen, who cannot make use of it. They manage to cir- 
cumvent the fish, however, by the following clever piscatorial 
device : they cover a hook with purple wool, and upon this 
they fasten two feathers of a waxy colour which grow under- 
neath a cock’s wattles; they have a reed six feet long, and 
a fishing-line of about the same length ; they drop this bait 
upon the water, and the fish, being attracted by the colour, 
becomes extremely excited ( oiaTpovptvoQ ) and proceeds to 
meet it, anticipating, from its beautiful appearance, a most 
delicious repast ; but, as with extended mouth it seizes the 
prey, it is held by the hook, and, being cajitured, meets with 
a very sorry entertainment.” f 
Fish — i. e. the prime kinds — are and have long 
been, in our own country, dear articles of diet. The 
same was the case at Athens with regard to those 
which were held in most esteem. The insolence of 
the retail dealers, their dishonesty, shameless con- 
duct, and avariciousness, were proverbial. The 
following amusing account of an ancient fishmonger 
watering his stale fish to make them look like fresh 
ones, is quoted by Athenseus from “ The Purple ” 
of Xenarchus : — 
“ Poets are nonsense ; for they never say 
A single thing that’s new. But all they do 
Is to clothe old ideas in language new ; 
Turning the same things o’er and o’er again, 
And upside down. But as to fishmongers, 
They’re an inventive race, and yield to none 
In shameless conduct. For as modern laws 
Forbid them now to water their stale fish, 
Some fellow, hated by the gods, beholding 
His fish quite dry, picks with his mates a quarrel, 
And blows are interchanged. Then when one thinks 
He’s had enough, he falls and seems to faint, 
And lies like any corpse among his baskets. 
* From a passage in Martial (Lib. v. Ep. xviii.) it is also 
certain that the Romans used flies as baits, but whether 
they were natural or artificial does not appear. 
f Nat. Aruim. lib. xv. c. 1. 
Some one calls out for water ; and his partner 
Catches a pail, and throws it o’er his friend 
So as to sprinkle all his fish, and make 
The world believe them newly caught and fresh.” * 
I conclude this paper with Dr. Chapman’s 
spirited Translation of the 21st Idyll of Theocritus, 
which gives a most graphic description of the life of 
ancient Greek fishermen. 
THE FISHERMEN. 
Asphalion and a Comrade. 
The nurse of industry and arts is want ; 
Care breaks the labourer’s sleep, my Diophant ! 
And should sweet slumber o’er his eyelids creep, 
Dark cares stand over him and startle sleep. 
Two fishers old lay in their wattled shed, 
Close to the wicker on one sea-mossf bed ; 
Near them the tools wherewith they plied their craft, 
The basket, rush-trap, line and reedy shaft, 
Weed-tangled baits, a drag-net with its drops, 
Hooks, cord, two oars, an old boat fixt on props, 
Their rush-mat clothes and caps propt either head ; 
These were their implements by which they fed, 
And this was all their wealth. They were not richer 
By so much as a pipkin or a pitcher. 
All else seemed vanity : they could not mend 
Their poverty — which was their only friend. 
They had no neighbours ; but upon the shore 
The sea soft murmured at their cottage-door. 
The chariot of the moon was midway only, 
When thoughts of toil awoke those fishers lonely : 
And shaking sleep off they began to sing. 
Asphalion. 
The summer-nights are short, when Zeus the king 
Makes the days long, some say — and lie. This night 
I’ve seen a world of dreams, nor yet ’tis light. 
What’s all this ? am I wrong ? or say I truly ? 
And can we have a long, long night in July ? 
Friend. 
Do you the summer blame ? The seasons change, 
Nor willingly transgress their wonted range. 
From care that frightens sleep much longer seems 
The weary night. 
Asphalion. 
Can you interpret dreams P 
I’ve seen a bright one which I will declare, 
That you my visions as my toil may share. 
To whom should you in mother- wit defer ? 
And quick wit is best dream-interpreter. 
We’ve leisure and to spare. What can one do, 
Lying awake on leaves, as I and you, 
Without a lamp ? They say the town-hall ever 
Has burning lights — its booty fails it never. 
Friend. 
Well : let us have your vision of the night. 
Asphalion. 
When yester-even I slept, outwearied quite 
With the sea-toil, not over-fed, for our 
Commons, you know, were short at feeding hour, 
I saw myself upon a rock, where I 
Sat watching for the fish — so eagerly ! 
And from the reed the .tripping bait did shake, 
Till a fat fellow took it — no mistake. 
(’Twas natural like that I should dream of fish, 
As hounds of meat upon a greasy dish). 
He hugged the hook, and then his blood did flow ; 
His plunges bent my reed like any bow ; 
I stretched both arms, and had a pretty bout 
To take, with hook so weak, a fish so stout. 
* Athenasus, Deipnosoph. i. 357. Tonge’s Translation, 
f B pvov aiiov, “ dry sea-weed ; ” in all probability, the 
common Fucus vesiculosus. Bpvov is from (3/jvai , “ to swell.” 
