按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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
55
… Page 56…
The Sportsman
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。〃
＇33＇ Or； 〃throwing his whole weight on the thrust； press home with all
his force。〃
＇34＇ Or； 〃but for the intervention of the two projecting teeth of the
lance…blade。〃 See the account of the passage of arms between Col。
Pollock and a boar in his 〃Incidents of Foreign Sport and Travel。〃
There the man was mounted； but alone。
＇35＇ Lit。 〃force his heavy bulk along the shaft right up to the holder
of the boar…spear。〃
Nay； so tremendous is the animal's power； that a property which no
one ever would suspect belongs to him。 Lay a few hairs upon the tusk of a
boar just dead； and they will shrivel up instantly；＇36＇ so hot are they； these
tusks。 Nay； while the creature is living； under fierce excitement they will
be all aglow； or else how comes it that though he fail to gore the dogs； yet
at the blow the fine hairs of their coats are singed in flecks and
patches？＇37＇
＇36＇ ｛euthus｝； i。e。 〃for a few seconds after death。〃
＇37＇ The belief is still current； I am told； in parts of India。
So much and even greater trouble may be loked for from the wild boar
before capture； I speak of the male animal。 If it should be a sow that falls
into the toils； the huntsman should run up and prod her； taking care not to
be pushed off his legs and fall； in which case he cannot escape being
trampled on and bitten。 Ergo； he will not voluntarily get under those feet；
but if involuntarily he should come to such a pass； the same means＇38＇ of
helping each the other to get up again will serve； as in the case of the male
animal； and when he has regained his legs； he must ply the boar…spear
56
… Page 57…
The Sportsman
vigorously till she too has died the death。
＇38＇ ｛dianastaseis｝； 〃the same methods of mutual recovery。〃
Wild pigs may be captured further in the following fashion： The nets
are fixed for them at the entrances of woody glens；＇39＇ in coppices and
hollows； and on screes； where there are outlets into rank meadow… lands；
marshes； and clear pools。＇40＇ The appointed person mounts guard at the
nets with his boar…spear； while the others work the dogs； exploring the best
and likeliest spots。 As soon as the quarry is found the chase commences。 If
then an animal falls into the net； the net… keeper will grip his boar…spear
and＇41＇ advance； when he will ply it as I have described； if he escape the
net； then after him full cry。 In hot； sultry weather the boar may be run
down by the hounds and captured。 Though a monster in strength； the
creature becomes short of breath and will give in from sheer exhaustion。
＇39＇ Al。 〃at the passages from woodland lakes into oak…coppices。〃
＇40＇ ｛udata｝； 〃waters；〃 lakes； pools； rivers； etc。
＇41＇ Or； 〃and proceed to tackle him。〃
It is a form of sport which costs the lives of many hounds and
endangers those of the huntsmen themselves。 Supposing that the animal
has given in from exhaustion at some moment in the chase； and they are
forced to come to close quarters；＇42＇ whether he has taken to the water； or
stands at bay against some craggy bank； or does not choose to come out
from some thicket （since neither net nor anything else hinders him from
bearing down like a tornado on whoever approaches）； still； even so；
advance they must； come what come may； to the attack。 And now for a
display of that hardihood which first induced them to indulge a passion not
fit for carpet knights＇43＇in other words； they must ply their boar…spears
and assume that poise of body＇44＇ already described； since if one must
meet misfortune； let it not be for want of observing the best rules。＇45＇
＇42＇ Reading ｛prosienai｝ ＇｛ta probolia｝＇。 ＇The last two words are
probably a gloss； and should be omitted； since ｛prosienai｝ （from
｛prosiemi｝） ｛ta probolia｝ = 〃ply；〃 or 〃apply their boar…spears；〃 is
hardly Greek。＇ See Schneid。 〃Add。 et Corr。〃 and L。 Dind。 ad loc。
＇43＇ ｛ekponein｝； 〃to exercise this passion to the full。〃
＇44＇ Lit。 〃assume their boar…spears and that forward attitude of
57
… Page 58…
The Sportsman
body。〃
＇45＇ Lit。 〃it will not be at any rate from behaving correctly。〃
Foot…traps are also set for the wild boar； similar to those for deer and
in the same sort of places； the same inspections and methods of pursuit are
needed； with consequent attacks and an appeal to the boar… spear in the
end。
Any attempt to capture the young pigs will cost the huntsman some
rough work。＇46＇ The young are not left alone； as long as they are small；
and when the hounds have hit upon them or they get wind of something
wrong； they will disappear like magic； vanishing into the forest。 As a rule；
both parents attend on their own progeny； and are not pleasant then to
meddle with； being more disposed to do battle for their young than for
themselves。
＇46＇ Lit。 〃the piglings will resent it （sc。 ｛to aliskesthai｝）
strongly〃； al。 〃the adult （sub。 ｛to therion｝） will stand anything
rather。〃
58
… Page 59…
The Sportsman
XI
Lions； leopards； lynxes； panthers； bears and all other such game are to
be captured in foreign countriesabout Mount Pangaeus and Cittus
beyond Macedonia；＇1＇ or again； in Nysa beyond Syria； and upon other
mountains suited to the breeding of large game。
＇1＇ Of these places； Mt。 Pangaeus （mod。 Pirnari） （see 〃Hell。〃 V。 ii。
17）； Cittus （s。 Cissus； mod。 Khortiatzi）； N。 W。 of the Chalcidice；
Mysian Olympus； and Pindus are well known。 Nysa has not been
verified hitherto； I think。 Sturz cf。 Bochart； 〃Hieroz。〃 Part I。 lib。 iii。 c。
1； p。 722。 Strabo； 637 （xv。 1。 7）； mentions a Mount Nysa in India
sacred to Dionysus； and cites Soph。 〃Frag。〃 782
｛othen kateidon ton bebakkhiomenen brotoisi kleinon Nusan 。 。 。
k。t。l。｝；
but it is a far cry from Xenophon's Syria to India。 Possibly it is
to be sought for in the region of Mt。 Amanus。
In the mountains； owing to the difficulty of the ground；＇2＇ some of
these animals are captured by means of poisonthe drug aconitewhich
the hunters throw down for them；＇3＇ taking care to mix it with the
favourite food of the wild best； near pools and drinking…places or wherever
else they are likely to pay visits。 Others of them； as they descend into the
plains at night； may be cut off by parties mounted upon horseback and
well armed； and so captured； but not without causing considerable danger
to their captors。＇4＇
＇2＇ Or； 〃the inaccessibility of their habitats。〃
＇3＇ 〃The method is for the trapper to throw it down mixed with the
food which the particular creature likes best。〃
＇4＇ For the poison method see Pollux； v。 82； Plin。 〃H。 N。〃 viii。 27。
In some cases the custo