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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 custom is to construct large circular pits of some
depth； leaving a single pillar of earth in the centre； on the top of which at
nightfall they set a goat fast…bound； and hedge the pit about with timber； so
as to prevent the wild beasts seeing over； and without a portal of
admission。 What happens then is this： the wild beasts； hearing the bleating
in the night； keep scampering round the barrier； and finding no passage；
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leap over it； and are caught。＇5＇
＇5＇ See 〃Tales from the Fjeld；〃 Sir George W。 Dasent； 〃Father Bruin in
the Corner。〃
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XII
With regard to methods of procedure in the hunting…field； enough has
been said。＇1＇ But there are many benefits which the enthusiastic sportsman
may expect to derive from this pursuit。＇2＇ I speak of the health which will
thereby accrue to the physical frame； the quickening of the eye and ear； the
defiance of old age； and last； but not least； the warlike training which it
ensures。 To begin with； when some day he has to tramp along rough ways
under arms； the heavy infantry soldier will not faint or flaghe will stand
the toil from being long accustomed to the same experiences in capturing
wild beasts。 In the next place； men so trained will be capable of sleeping
on hard couches； and prove brave guardians of the posts assigned them。 In
the actual encounter with the enemy； they will know at once how to attack
and to carry out the word of command as it passes along the lines； because
it was just so in the old hunting days that they captured the wild game。 If
posted in the van of battle； they will not desert their ranks； because
endurance is engrained in them。 In the rout of the enemy their footsteps
will not falter nor fail： straight as an arrow they will follow the flying foe；
on every kind of ground； through long habituation。＇3＇ Or if their own army
encounter a reverse on wooded and precipitous ground beset with
difficulties； these will be the men to save themselves with honour and to
extricate their friends； since long acquaintance with the business of the
chase has widened their intelligence。＇4＇
＇1＇ Or； 〃Respecting the methods employed in different forms of the
chase； I have said my say。〃 As to the genuineness of this and the
following chapter see L。 Dind。 ad loc。； K。 Lincke； 〃Xenophon's
Dialog。〃 ｛peri oikonomias｝； p。 132。
＇2＇ Lit。 〃this work〃； and in reference to the highly Xenophontine
argument which follows see 〃Hellenica Essays；〃 p。 342； cf。 〃Cyrop。〃
I。 vi。 28； 39…41。
＇3＇ 〃For the sake of 'auld lang syne。'〃
＇4＇ Or； 〃will place them on the vantage…ground of experts。〃
Nay； even under the worst of circumstances； when a whole mob of
fellow…combatants＇5＇ has been put to flight； how often ere now has a
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handful＇6＇ of such men； by virtue of their bodily health＇7＇ and courage；
caught the victorious enemy roaming blindly in some intricacy of ground；
renewed the fight； and routed him。 Since so it must ever be； to those
whose souls and bodies are in happy case success is near at hand。＇8＇
＇5＇ Or； 〃allies。〃
＇6＇ Or； 〃a forlorn hope。〃
＇7＇ ｛euexia｝； al。 ｛eutaxia｝； 〃by good discipline。〃
＇8＇ 〃Fortune favours the brave；〃 reading ｛to eutukhesai｝ （L。 D。）； or
if ｛tou eutukhesai｝； （vulg。） 〃those whose health of soul and body is
established are ipso facto nigh unto good fortune。〃
It was through knowledge that they owed success against their foes to
such a training； that our own forefathers paid so careful a heed to the
young。＇9＇ Though they had but a scant supply of fruits； it was an
immemorial custom 〃not to hinder＇10＇ the hunter from hunting any of
earth's offspring〃； and in addition； 〃not to hunt by night＇11＇ within many
furlongs of the city；〃 in order that the adepts in that art might not rob the
young lads of their game。 They saw plainly that among the many pleasures
to which youth is prone； this one alone is productive of the greatest
blessings。 In other words； it tends to make them sound of soul and upright；
being trained in the real world of actual things＇12＇ ＇and； as was said before；
our ancestors could not but perceive they owed their success in war to
such instrumentality＇13＇＇； and the chase alone deprives them of none of
the other fair and noble pursuits that they may choose to cultivate； as do
those other evil pleasures； which ought never to be learned。 Of such stuff
are good soldiers and good generals made。＇14＇ Naturally； those from
whose souls and bodies the sweat of toil has washed all base and wanton
thoughts； who have implanted in them a passion for manly virtuethese； I
say； are the true nobles。＇15＇ Not theirs will it be to allow their city or its
sacred soil to suffer wrong。
＇9＇ Al。 〃looked upon the chase as a pursuit incumbent on the young。〃
＇10＇ ｛me koluein ＇dia＇ to meden ton epi te ge phuomenon agreuein｝。
The commentators generally omit ｛dia｝； in which case translate as in
text。 Lenz reads ｛un koluein dia meden｝ （see his note ad v。 34）； and
translates （p。 61）； 〃Dass man die Jager nicht hindern solle； in allem
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was die Erde hervorbrachte zu jagen；〃 〃not to hinder the huntsmen
from ranging over any of the crops which spring from earth〃； （but if
so； we should expect ｛dia medenos｝）。 Sturz； s。v。 ｛agreuein｝； notes
〃festive；〃 〃because the hunter does not hunt vegetable products。〃 So
Gail； 〃parce que le chasseur rien veut pas aux productions de la
terre。〃
＇11＇ Or； 〃set their face against night…hunting；〃 cf。 〃Mem。〃 IV。 vii。
4； Plat。 〃Soph。〃 220 D； 〃Stranger： There is one mode of striking
which is done at night； and by the light of a fire； and is called by the
hunters themselves firing； or spearing by firelight〃 （Jowett）； for
which see Scott； 〃Guy Mannering；〃 ch。 x。 It seems 〃night hunting
was not to be practised within a certain considerable radius； whereby
the proficients in that art might deprive it （lit。 in order that they
might not deprive） them （the young huntsmen） of their game。〃
＇12＇ Lit。 〃in truth and reality （not among visionary phantoms）。〃
＇13＇ These words are commonly regarded as an addition； and what
does ｛te｝ signify？
＇14＇ Or； 〃Here you have the making of brave soldiers and generals。
Here in embryo are to be found your future soldiers and generals
worthy the name。〃
＇15＇ ｛outoi aristoi｝： these are prima virorum； the true aristocrats。
Some people tell us it is not right to indulge a taste for hunting； lest it
lead to neglect of home concerns； not knowing that those who are
benefactors of their country and their friends are in proportion all the more
devoted to domestic duties。 If lovers of the chase pre… eminently fit
themselves to be useful to the fatherland； that is as much as to say they
will not squander their private means； since with the state itself the
domestic fortunes of each are saved or lost。 The real fact is； these men are
saviours； not of their own fortunes only； but of the private fortunes of the
rest； of yours and mine。 Yet there are not a few irrational people amongst
these cavillers who； out of jealousy； would rather perish； thanks to their
own baseness； than ow