第 10 节
作者:
连过十一人 更新:2021-02-27 01:34 字数:9322
lies dead…beat; nor must he wittingly leave any patch of green or clod of
earth untested。'41' Backwards and forwards he must try and try again the
ground;'42' to be sure that nothing has been overlooked。 The fact is; the
little creature lies in a small compass; and from fatigue and fear will not
get up。 As he leads the hounds on he will cheer and encourage them;
addressing with many a soft term the docile creature; the self…willed;
stubborn brute more rarely; and to a moderate extent the hound of average
capacity; till he either succeeds in running down or driving into the toils
some victim。'43' After which he will pick up his nets; both small and large
alike; giving every hound a rub down; and return home from the hunting…
field; taking care; if it should chance to be a summer's noon; to halt a bit;
so that the feet of his hounds may not be blistered on the road。
'41' Lit。 〃anything which earth puts forth or bears upon her bosom。〃
'42' Or; 〃Many and many a cast back must he make。〃
'43' The famous stanzas in 〃Venus and Adonis〃 may fitly close this
chapter。
And when thou hast on foot the purblind hare; Mark the poor wretch;
to overshoot his troubles How he outruns the wind and with what care He
cranks and crosses with a thousand doubles: The many musets
through the which he goes Are like a labyrinth to amaze his foes。
Sometimes he runs among a flock of sheep; To make the cunning
hounds mistake their smell; And sometimes where earth…delving conies
keep; To stop the loud pursuers in their yell; And sometimes sorteth
with a herd of deer: Danger deviseth shifts; wit waits on fear:
For there his smell with others being mingled; The hot scent…snuffing
hounds are driven to doubt; Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have
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singled With much ado the cold fault cleanly out: Then do they spend
their mouths: Echo replies; As if another chase were in the skies。
By this; poor Wat; far off upon a hill; Stands on his hinder legs with
listening ear; To hearken if his foes pursue him still: Anon their loud
alarums he doth hear; And now his grief may be compared well
To one sore sick that hears the passing…bell。
Then shalt thou see the dew…bedabbled wretch Turn; and return;
indenting with the way; Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch;
Each shadow makes him stop; each murmur stay: For misery is
trodden on by many; And being low never relieved by any。
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VII
For breeding purposes choose winter; and release the bitches from hard
work;'1' which will enable them to profit by repose and to produce a fine
progeny towards spring; since that season is the best to promote the
growth of the young dogs。 The bitch is in heat for fourteen days;'2' and
the moment at which to put her to the male; with a view to rapid and
successful impregnation; is when the heat is passing off。 Choose a good
dog for the purpose。 When the bitch is ready to whelp she should not be
taken out hunting continuously; but at intervals sufficient to avoid a
miscarriage through her over…love of toil。 The period of gestation lasts for
sixty days。 When littered the puppies should be left to ther own dam; and
not placed under another bitch; foster…nursing does not promote growth in
the same way; whilst nothing is so good for them as their own mother's
milk and her breath;'3' and the tenderness of her caresses。'4'
'1' Or; 〃Winter is the time at which to pair dogs for breeding; the
bitches to be released from hard work; so that with the repose so
secured they may produce a fine litter in spring。〃
'2' Lit。 〃this necessity holds。〃 Cf。 Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 vi。 20; Arrian;
xxvii。; xxxi。 3。
'3' Cf。 Eur。 〃Tro。〃 753; {o khrotos edu pneuma}。
'4' Cf。 Arrian; xxx。 2; Pollux; v。 50; Columella; vii。 12; 12; ap。
Schneid。
Presently; when the puppies are strong enough to roam about; they
should be given milk'5' for a whole year; along with what will form their
staple diet in the future; but nothing else。 A heavy diet will distort the legs
of a young dog; engender disease in other limbs; and the internal
mechanism will get out of order。'6'
'5' See Arrian; xxxi。; Stonehenge; p。 264。
'6' Or; 〃the internal organs get wrong〃 ({adika})。 Cf。 〃Memorabilia;〃
IV。 iv。 5。
They should have short names given them; which will be easy to call
out。'7' The following may serve as specimens:Psyche; Pluck; Buckler;
Spigot; Lance; Lurcher; Watch; Keeper; Brigade; Fencer; Butcher; Blazer;
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Prowess; Craftsman; Forester; Counsellor; Spoiler; Hurry; Fury; Growler;
Riot; Bloomer; Rome; Blossom; Hebe; Hilary; Jolity; Gazer; Eyebright;
Much; Force; Trooper; Bustle; Bubbler; Rockdove; Stubborn; Yelp; Killer;
Pele…mele; Strongboy; Sky; Sunbeam; Bodkin; Wistful; Gnome; Tracks;
Dash。'8'
'7' Cf。 Arrian; xxxi。 2; Oppian; 〃Cyn;〃 i。 443; ap。 Schneid。
'8' The following is Xenophon's list:
{Psukhe} = Soul {Thumos} = Spirit {Porpax} = Hasp of shield
{Sturax} = Spike of spear at the butt end {Logkhe} = Lance {Lokhos} =
Ambush; or 〃Company〃 {Phroura} = Watch {Phulax} = Guard {Taxis} =
Order; Rank; Post; Brigade {Xiphon} = Swordsman {Phonax} =
Slaughterer; cf。 〃King Death〃 {Phlegon} = Blazer {'Alke} = Prowess;
Victory {Teukhon} = Craftsman {'Uleus} = Woodsman; 〃Dashwood〃
{Medas} = Counsellor {Porthon} = Spoiler; 〃Rob Roy〃 {Sperkhon} =
Hastener; 〃Rocket〃 {'Orge} = Fury; Rage {Bremon} = Growler; Roarer
{'Ubris} = Hybris; Riot; Insolence {Thallon} = Blooming; 〃Gaudy〃
{'Rome} = Strength; 〃Romeo〃 {'Antheus} = Blossom {'Eba} = Youth
{Getheus} = Gladsome {Khara} = Joy {Leusson} = Gazer {Augo} =
Daybeam {Polus} = Much {Bia} = Force {Stikhon} = Stepping in rank
and file {Spoude} = Much ado {Bruas} = Gusher {Oinas} = (1) Vine; (2)
Rockdove。 See Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 v。 13; 14; i。 3; 10; Ael。 〃N。 A。〃 iv。
58。 = Columba livia = rockdove; the colour of ripening grapes; al。
{oinas} = the vine。 {Sterros} = 〃Stiff;〃 〃King Sturdy〃 {Krauge}
= Clamour。 Cf。 Plat。 〃Rep。〃 607 B。 {Kainon} = Killer {Turbas} = 〃Topsy…
turvy〃 {Sthenon} = Strong man {Aither} = Ether {'Aktis} = Ray of light
{Aikhme} = Spear…point {Nors} = Clever (girl) {Gnome} = Maxim
{Stibon} = Tracker {'Orme} = Dash。 So Arrian (〃Cyn。〃 viii。 5) named his
favourite hound。
For other names see Herodian; {peri mon。 l} (on monosyllables);
12。 7; 〃Corp。 Inscr。〃 iv。 p。 184; n。 8319; Arrian; v。 6; xix。; Colum。 vii。
12; 13。 According to Pollux; v。 47; Xenophon had a dog named
{ippokentauros} (cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 IV。 iii。 17)。
The young hounds may be taken out to the chase at the age of eight
months'9' if bitches; or if males at the age of ten。 They should not be let
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loose on the trail of a hare sitting;'10' but should be kept attached by long
leashes and allowed to follow on a line while scenting;'11' with free scope
to run along the trail。'12'
'9' Cf。 Pollux; v。 54; al。 Arrian; xxv。; xxvi。
'10' Pollux; v。 12。
'11' 〃The dogs that are trailing;〃 Blane。
'12' See Stonehenge; 〃Entering of greyhound and deerhound; of
foxhounds and harriers;〃 pp。 284; 285。
As soon as a hare is found; provided the young hounds have the right
points'13' for running; they should not be let loose straight off: the
huntsman should wait until the hare has got a good start and is out of sight;
then let the young hounds go。'14' The