第 8 节
作者:连过十一人      更新:2021-02-27 01:34      字数:9322
  when she is on the point of being caught by the hounds。'56' At that instant
  you   may   see   her   drop   and   shoot   out   aslant   one   of   her   ears   towards   the
  point of attack; and then; apparently throwing her full weight on that pivot;
  turn sharp round and in a moment leave her assailants far behind。
  '55' So Ael。 〃N。 A。〃 xiii。 14。
  '56' Pollux; v。 71。 For punctuation; see Lenz ad loc。 p。 25。
  So winsome a creature is it; that to note the whole of the proceedings
  from the startthe quest by scent; the find; the pack in pursuit full cry; the
  final capturea man might well forget all other loves。'57'
  '57'   See Arrian;   xvi。   6;  his   criticism。   Schneid。   cf。   Plut。   〃Mor。〃   1096
  C。 Hermog。 iii。 319; 11; ed。 Walz。
  Here   it   should   be   added   that   the   sportsman;   who   finds   himself   on
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  cultivated lands; should rigidly keep his hands off the fruits of the season;
  and   leave   springs   and   streams   alone。   To   meddle   with   them   is   ugly   and
  base; not to speak of the bad example of lawlessness set to the beholder。
  During the close season'58' all hunting gear should be taken down and put
  away。
  '58' Al。 〃wahrend der Jagdferien;〃 Lenz; 〃on Sundays;〃 as we might
  say。   See   some    remarks     on   S。  34  in  〃Hellenica     Essays;〃    〃Xenophon;〃
  p。 349。
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  The Sportsman
  VI
  The    equipment      of  the   dogs    consists   of  collar   straps;   leashes;   and
  surcingles;'1' and the collar should be broad and soft so as not to rub the
  dog's coat; the leash should have a noose for the hand;'2' and nothing else。
  The plan of making collar and leash all in one is a clumsy contrivance for
  keeping a hound in check。'3' The surcingle should be broad in the thongs
  so   as   not   to   gall   the   hound's   flanks;   and   with   spurs   stitched   on   to   the
  leather; to preserve the purity of the breed。'4'
  '1'   {stelmoniai};      al。  {telamonias};     broad    belts   or  girths;  corselets。
  Pollux; v。 55。
  '2' Pollux; v。 56。
  '3' Lit。 〃since those who make the collar out of the leash do not keep
  hold (al。 take care) of their hounds well。〃
  '4' See 〃A Day with Xenophon's Harriers;〃 〃Macmillan's Mag。〃 Jan。
  1895; p。 183。
  As to taking the hounds out to hunt; no hound ought to be taken out
  which   refuses   its   food;   a   conclusive   proof   that the   animal   is   ailing。   Nor
  again; when a violent wind is blowing; for three good reasons: the scent
  will   not   lie;   the   hounds   cannot   smell;'5'   neither   the   nets   nor   hayes   will
  stand。 In the absence; however; of any of these hindrances; take them out
  every other day。'6' Do not let your hounds get into the habit of hunting
  foxes。 Nothing is so ruinous; and just at the moment when you want them;
  they will not be forthcoming。 On the other hand; vary the hunting…ground
  in taking them out; which will give the pack a wider experience in hunting
  and   their   master   a   better   knowledge   of   the   country。  The   start   should   be
  early in the morning; unless the scent is to fail the hounds entirely。'7' The
  dilatory sportsman robs the pack of finding and himself of profit。'8' Subtle
  and delicate by nature; scent will not last all day。
  '5' 〃You cannot trust the hound's nose。〃
  '6' 〃Every third day;〃 {dia trites tes emeras}。
  '7'  Lit。   〃in   order   that   they   may  not   be   deprived   of   following   up   the
  scent。〃
  '8'   Or;   〃a   late   start   means   the   hounds   will   be   robbed   of   a   find   and
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  The Sportsman
  the huntsman of his reward。〃
  The net…keeper should wear a light costume。 His business is to fix the
  nets   about   the   runs;'9'   paths;   bends;   and   hollows;   and   darksome   spots;
  brooks; dry torrents; or perennial mountain streams。 These are the places
  to   which   the   hare   chiefly   betakes   itself   for   refuge;   though   there   are   of
  course   endless   others。 These;   and   the   side   passages   into;   and   exits   from
  them;   whether   well   marked   or   ill   defined;   are   to   be   stopped   just   as   day
  breaks;     not    too   early;   so   that;   in   case   the   line   of   nets    be   in  the
  neighbourhood of covert to be searched for game;'10' the animal may not
  be scared at hearing the thud close by。'11' If; on the contrary; there should
  be a wide gap between the two points; there is less to hinder making the
  net lines   clear   and   clean   quite   early;  so   that   nothing   may   cling   to   them。
  The keeper must fix the forked props slantwise; so as to stand the strain
  when subjected to tension。 He must attach the nooses equally on the points;
  and see that the props are regularly fixed; raising the pouch towards the
  middle;'12'   and   into   the   slip…rope   he   must   insert   a   large;   long   stone;   to
  prevent the net from stretching in the opposite direction; when it has got
  the    hare   inside。    He   will   fix  the   rows    of   poles   with    stretches    of  net
  sufficiently high to prevent the creature leaping over。'13' In hunting; 〃no
  procrastination〃 should be the motto; since it is sportsmanlike at once and
  a proof of energy by all means to effect a capture quickly。 He will stretch
  the larger (haye) nets upon level spaces; and proceed to plant the road nets
  upon roads and at converging points of tracks and footpaths;'14' he must
  attach   the   border…ropes   to   the   ground;   draw   together   the   elbows   or   side
  ends of the nets; fix the forked props between the upper meshes;'15' adjust
  the skirting ropes upon the tops; and close up gaps。
  '9' See Pollux; v。 35。
  '10' Al。 〃of the game to be hunted up。〃
  '11' {omou}; 〃e propinquo。〃 Schn。 cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 III。 i。 2; VI。 iii。 7。
  '12'     Or;    〃giving     the    funnel     or   belly    a   lift   in   the   middle。〃
  {kekruphalon}; Pollux; v。 31。
  '13'   This   sentence   according   to   Lenz   is   out   of   its   place;   referring
  solely     to   the   haye    nets;   the   order    of   the   words     should    be   {ta   de
  diktua   teineto   en     apedois   stoikhizeto       de;   k。t。l。}  If   so;   transl。     〃He
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  should stretch the hayes on level ground and fix; etc。; The                         road nets
  should be planted 。 。 。 etc。〃
  '14' Al。 〃at convenient points or where paths converge。〃 See Schneid。
  s。v。 {sumpheronta}。
  '15'   {sardonion};   Pollux;   v。   31。   Al。   〃fixing   the   stakes   between   the
  edges。〃
  Then he will play sentinel and go his rounds; if a prop or funnel wants
  supporting;  he   will   set   it   up;   and   when   the   hare   comes   with   the   hounds
  behind   her   he   will   urge   her   forwards   to   the   toils;   with   shout   and   halloa
  thundering   at   her   heels。  When   she   is   fairly   entangled;   he   is   to   calm   the
  fury of the hounds; without touching them; by soothing; encouraging tones。
  He is also to signal to the huntsman with a shout; that the quarry is taken;
  or has escaped this side or that; or that he has not seen it; or where he last
  caught sight of it。'16'
  '16'     Or;    〃'caught;'     'escaped;'     (this    side    or   that);    'not   seen;'
  'marked。'〃
  The   sportsman   himself   should   sally   forth   in   a   loose;   light   hunting
  dress;'17' and footgear'18' to match; he should carry a stout stick in his
  hand; the net…keeper following。 They should proceed to the hunting…field
  in silence; to prevent the hare; if by chance there should be one close by;
  from   making   off   at   the   sound   of   voices。   When   they   have   reached   the
  covert; he will tie the hounds to trees; each separately; so that they can be
  easily slipped from the leash; and proceed to fix the nets; funnel and hayes;
  as above described。 When that is done; and while the net…keeper mounts
  guard; the master himself will take the hounds and sally forth to rouse the
  game。'19'  Then   with   prayer   and   promise   to Apollo   and   to Artemis;   our
  Lady of the Chase;'20' to share with them the produce of spoil; he lets slip
  a single hound; the cunningest at scenting of the pack。 'If it be winter; the
  hour   will   be   sunrise;   or   if   summer;   before   day…d