[28] Or, "like a door over the cavity, somewhat below the surface, flatwise"; i.e. "in a horizontal position."
[29] So literally, but really Carthamus creticus, a thistle-like plant used for making spindles (Sprengel ap. L. & S.), the Euonymous europaeus being our spindle-tree. Aristot. "H. A." ix. 40, 49; Theocr. iv. 52.
[30] Lit. "if she once sniffs the new-turned soil the deer grows shy, and that she will quickly do." See Plat. "Laws," 933 A; "Phaedr." 242 C; "Mem." II. i. 4.
The hunter should take his hounds and inspect the traps upon the mountains, early in the morning if possible, though he should do so also during the day at other times. Those set on cultivated land must always be inspected early, before the sun is up in fact,[31] and for this reason: on the hills, so desert is the region,[32] the creatures may be caught not only at night but at any time of day; while, on the cultivated lands, owing to their chronic apprehension of mankind in daytime, night is the only time.[33]
[31] "Before the sun is up."
[32] Or, "thanks to the lonesomeness of the region."
[33] "It is night or never, owing to the dread of man which haunts the creature's mind during daytime."
As soon as the huntsman finds a gin uprooted he will let slip his hounds and with cheery encouragement[34] follow along the wake of the wooden clog, with a keen eye to the direction of its march. That for the most part will be plain enough, since stones will be displaced, and the furrow which the clog makes as it trails along will be conspicuous on tilled ground; or if the deer should strike across rough ground, the rocks will show pieces of bark torn from the clog, and the chase will consequently be all the easier.[35]
[34] See vi. 20; "with view-halloo."
[35] Or, "along that track will not be difficult."
Should the deer have been caught by one of its fore-feet it will soon be taken, because in the act of running it will beat and batter its own face and body; if by the hind-leg, the clog comes trailing along and must needs impede the action of every limb. Sometimes, too, as it is whirled along it will come in contact with the forked branches of some tree, and then unless the animal can snap the rope in twain, she is fairly caught; there ends the chase. But even so, if caught in this way or overdone with fatigue, it were well not to come too close the quarry, should it chance to be a stag, or he will lunge out with his antlers and his feet; better therefore let fly your javelins from a distance.
These animals may also be captured without aid of gin or caltrop, by sheer coursing in hot summer time; they get so tired, they will stand still to be shot down. If hard pressed they will plunge into the sea or take to water of any sort in their perplexity, and at times will drop down from sheer want of breath.[36]
[36] "From mere shortness of breath."
X
To cope with the wild boar the huntsman needs to have a variety of dogs, Indian, Cretan, Locrian, and Laconian,[1] along with a stock of nets, javelins, boar-spears, and foot-traps.
[1] For these breeds see Pollux, v. 37: for the Laconian, Pind. "Fr." 73; Soph. "Aj." 8; cf. Shakesp. "Mids. N. D." iv. 1. 119, 129 foll.
To begin with, the hounds must be no ordinary specimens of the species named,[2] in order to do battle with the beast in question.
[2] Or, "these hounds of the breed named must not be any ordinary specimens"; but what does Xenophon mean by {ek toutou tou genous}?
The nets should be made of the same flaxen cord[3] as those for hares above described. They should be forty-five threaded in three strands, each strand consisting of fifteen threads. The height from the upper rim[4] (i.e. from top to bottom) should be ten meshes, and the depth of the nooses or pockets one elbow-length (say fifteen inches).[5] The ropes running round the net should be half as thick again as the cords of the net; and at the extremities[6] they should be fitted with rings, and should be inserted (in and out) under the nooses, with the end passing out through the rings. Fifteen nets will be sufficient.[7]
[3] i.e. "of Phasian or Cathaginian fine flax."
[4] {tou koruphaiou}.
[5] {pugon}. The distance from the elbow to the first joint of the finger = 20 {daktuloi} = 5 {palaistai} = 1 1/4 ft. + (L. & S.)
[6] {ep akrois}. Cf. {akreleniois}.
[7] Reading {ikanai}, vid. Lenz ad loc. and ii. 4.
The javelins should be of all sorts,[8] having blades of a good breadth and razor-sharpness, and stout shafts.
[8] Al. "of various material." See Pollux, v. 20 ap. Schneid.
The boar-spears should in the first place have blades fifteen inches long, and in the middle of the socket two solid projecting teeth of wrought metal,[9] and shafts of cornel-wood a spear-shaft's thickness.
[9] Wrought of copper (or bronze).
The foot-traps should resemble those used for deer.
These hunts should be conducted not singly,[10] but in parties, since the wild boar can be captured only by the collective energy of several men, and that not easily.
[10] Lit. "There should be a band of huntsmen"; or, "It will take the united energies of several to capture this game." See Hom. "Il." ix. 543, of the Calydonian boar:
{ton d' uios Oineos apekteinen Meleagros, polleon ek polion theretoras andras ageiras kai kunas . ou men gar k' edame pauroisi brotoisin tossos een, pollous de pures epebes' alegeines.}
"But him slew Meleagros the son of Oineus, having gathered together from many cities huntsmen and hounds; for not of few men could the boar be slain, so mighty was he; and many an one brought he to the grievous pyre" (W. Leaf).
I will now explain how each part of the gear is to be used in hunting.
The company being come to some place where a boar is thought to lie, the first step is to bring up the pack,[11] which done, they will loose a single Laconian bitch, and keeping the rest in leash, beat about with this one hound.[12] As soon as she has got on the boar's track, let them follow in order, one after another, close on the tracking hound, who gives the lead to the whole company.[13] Even to the huntsmen themselves many a mark of the creature will be plain, such as his footprints on soft portions of the ground, and in the thick undergrowth of forests broken twigs; and, where there are single trees, the scars made by his tusks.[14] As she follows up the trail the hound will, as a general rule, finally arrive at some well-wooded spot; since, as a general rule, the boar lies ensconced in places of the sort, that are warm in winter and cool in summer.
[11] {kunegesion}, "a hunting establishment, huntsmen and hounds, a pack of hounds," L. & S. cf. Herod. i. 36; Pollux. v. 17. In Aristot. "H. A." viii. 5. 2, of wolves in a pack; v. {monopeirai}. {upagein}--"stealthily?"
[12] Or, "go on a voyage of discovery."
[13] Reading {te ikhneuouse}, or if vulg. {ikhneusei}, transl. "set her to follow the trail, at the head of the whole train."
[14] Schneid. cf. Aristot. "H. A." vi. 18; Plin. viii. 52; Virg. "Georg." iii. 255, "ipse ruit, dentesque Sabellicus exacuit sus"; Hom. "Il." xi. 416, xiii. 475; Hes. "Shield," 389; Eur. "Phoen." 1389; Ovid, "Met." viii. 369.
As soon as she has reached his lair she will give tongue; but the boar will not get up, not he, in nine cases out of ten. The huntsman will thereupon recover the hound, and tie her up also with the rest at a good distance from the lair.[15] He will then launch his toils into the wild boar's harbourage,[16] placing the nooses upon any forked branches of wood to hand. Out of the net itself he must construct a deep forward-jutting gulf or bosom, posting young shoots on this side and that within, as stays or beams,[17] so that the rays of light may penetrate as freely as possible through the nooses into the bosom,[18] and the interior be as fully lit up as possible when the creature makes his charge. The string round the top of the net must be attached to some stout tree, and not to any mere shrub or thorn-bush, since these light-bending branches will give way to strain on open ground.[19] All about each net it will be well to stop with timber even places[20] "where harbrough nis to see," so that the hulking brute may drive a straight course[21] into the toils without tacking.
[15] Lit. "accordingly recover the dog, and tie her up also with the rest," etc.
[16] {ormous}. Lit. "moorings," i.e. "favourite haunts." Cf. {dusorma} below. Al. "stelle die Fallnetze auf die Wechsel," Lenz.
[17] {anteridas}. See a note in the "Class. Rev." X. i. p. 7, by G. S. Sale: "It can only mean long sticks used as stretchers or spreaders to hold up the net between and beyond the props." Cf. Thuc. vii. 36, 2.
[18] Or, "within the bay of network."
[19] {sunekhontai en tois psilois ai e}. "Denn diese werden an unbestandenen Orten durch die Leine niedergezogen," Lenz; {sunelkontai} conj. Schn.; {sunerkhontai} al., "concurrunt," vid. Sturz.
[20] {ta dusorma}, met. from "bad harbourage." Cf. Arsch. "Pers." 448; "Ag." 194. Cf. Lat. "importunus," also of "rough ground."
[21] Or, "make his rush."
As soon as the nets are fixed, the party will come back and let the hounds slip one and all; then each will snatch up his javelin[22] and boar-spear, and advance. Some one man, the most practised hand, will cheer on the hounds, and the rest will follow in good order at some considerable distance from one another, so as to leave the animal a free passage; since if he falls into the thick of them as he makes off, there is a fair chance of being wounded, for he will certainly vent his fury on the first creature he falls foul of.
[22] Lit. "then they will take their javelins and boar-spears and advance."
As soon as the hounds are near his lair, they will make their onslaught. The boar, bewildered by the uproar, will rise up and toss the first hound that ventures to attack him in front. He will then run and fall into the toils; or if not, then after him full cry.[23] Even if the ground on which the toils environ him be sloping, he will recover himself promptly;[24] but if level, he will at once plant himself firm as a rock, as if deliberating with himself.[25] At that conjuncture the hounds will press hard upon him, while their masters had best keep a narrow eye upon the boar and let fly their javelins and a pelt of stones, being planted in a ring behind him and a good way off, until the instant when with a forward heave of his body he stretches the net tight and strains the skirting-rope. Thereupon he who is most skilful of the company and of the stoutest nerve will advance from the front and deliver a home thrust with his hunting- spear.
[23] Or, "a pretty chase must follow."
[24] Or, "if within the prison of the net the ground be sloping, it will not take long to make him spring up; he will be up again on his legs in no time."
[25] Or, "being concerned about himself."
Should the animal for all that rain of javelins and stones refuse to stretch the skirting-rope, should he rather relax[26] in that direction and make a right-about-face turn bearing down on his assailant, there is nothing for it, under these circumstances, but to seize a boar-spear, and advance; firmly clutching it with the left hand forward and with the right behind; the left is to steady it, and the right to give it impulse; and so the feet,[27] the left advanced in correspondence with the left arm, and right with right. As he advances, he will make a lunge forward with the boar-spear,[27] planting his legs apart not much wider than in wrestling,[28] and keeping his left side turned towards his left hand; and then, with his eye fixed steadily on the beast's eye, he will note every turn and movement of the creature's head. As he brings down the boar-spear to the thrust, he must take good heed the animal does not knock it out of his hands by a side movement of the head;[29] for if so he will follow up the impetus of that rude knock. In case of that misfortune, the huntsman must throw himself upon his face and clutch tight hold of the brushwood under him, since if the wild boar should attack him in that posture, owing to the upward curve of its tusks, it cannot get under him;[30] whereas if caught erect, he must be wounded. What will happen then is, that the beast will try to raise him up, and failing that will stand upon and trample him.
[26] {epanieis}. See Sturz, s.v.
[27] Lit. "forwards the left foot will follow the left arm and the right foot the other."
[28] "Statum venatoris aprum venabulo excipientis pinxit Philostratus," "Imag." i. 28, Schn.
[29] Or, "he will step forward and take one stride not much longer than that of a wrestler, and thrust forward his boar-spear."
[30] Cf. Hes. "Shield," 387; Hom. "Il." xii. 148: "Then forth rushed the twain, and fought in front of the gates like wild boars that in the mountains abide the assailing crew of men and dogs, and charging on either flank they crush the wood around them, cutting it at the root, and the clatter of their tusks waxes loud, till one smite them and take their life away" (A. Lang).
From this extremity there is but one means of escape, and one alone, for the luckless prisoner. One of his fellow-huntsmen must approach with boar-spear and provoke the boar, making as though he would let fly at him; but let fly he must not, for fear of hitting the man under him. The boar, on seeing this, will leave the fallen man, and in rage and fury turn to grapple his assailant. The other will seize the instant to spring to his feet, and not forget to clutch his boar-spear as he rises to his legs again; since rescue cannot be nobly purchased save by victory.[31] Let him again bring the weapon to bear in the same fashion, and make a lunge at a point within the shoulder-blade, where lies the throat;[32] and planting his body firmly press with all his force.[33] The boar, by dint of his might and battle rage, will still push on, and were it not that the teeth of the lance-blade hindered,[34] would push his way up to the holder of the boar-spear even though the shaft run right through him.[35]
[31] "Safety can only be won with honour by some master-stroke of victory."
[32] {sphage}. Aristot. "H. A." i. 14. 2. "Straight at the jugular."
