L I B R A F^ Y AUG - G 1969 THE ONTARiO INSTITUTE FOR STUDiES IN EDUCATION THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY FOtTNDED BY JAME3 LOEB, LL.D. EDITED BY fT. E. PAGE, C.H., LITT.D. lE. CAPPS, PH.D., LL.D. tW. H. D. ROUSE, litt.d. L. A. POST, L.H.D, E. H. WARMINGTON, m.a., f.r.hist.soc. PLINY NATURAL HISTORY III LIBRl VIII-XI 353 PLINY NATURAL HISTORY WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION IN TEN VOLUMES VOLUME III LIBRI VIII-XI BY H. IIACKHAM, M.A. FELLOW OF CHRIST'a OOLLEdE, CAMBUIDQE CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD MOMLXVII First Printed 1940 Reprinted 1947, 1955, 1967 Printed inGreatBrUain CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE vi INTRODUCTION ix BOOK VIII 1 BOOK IX 163 BOOK X 291 BOOK XI 431 INDEX 613 PREFACE Translations are usually designed either to present the thought of a foreign writer in the EngHsh most appropriate to it, without regard to the pecuHarities of his style (so far as style and thought can be dis- tinguished), or, on the contrar}', to convey to the Enghsh reader, as far as is possible, the style as well as the thought of the foreign original. It would seem, however, that neither of these objects should be the primary aim of a translator constructing a version that is to be printed facing the original text. In these circumstances the purpose of the version is to assist the reader of the original to understand its meaning. This modest intention must guide the choice of a rendering for each phrase or sentence, and considerations of EngHsh style are of necessity secondarj^ A few biographical notes on persons mentioned by the author will be found in the index. VI NOTE ON NOMENCLATURE In idenlifying the zoological specics dcscribcd in this volume I am indehtid for aid to mi/ fricnd and collcague Mr. J. T. Sa^inders, who has gone through the xvhole and given me the modern equivalents of the Latin names ; although he warns me that in a good many cases the identijication is doublful. There are consequently some discrepancies between Ihe nomen- clature in the translation here and tkat used in Book 1, Ihe Table of Contents. Pliny presumably compiled it afler com- pleling the rest of the work ; biit as cdiiorial cxigencies precluded the postponement of Volume I of Ihis translalion till the olhers ivere finished, I had lo be conlent, for Book 1, ivilh the renderings given in Lewis and Short or in Bostock and Riley's translation. H. R. —; INTRODUCTION This volume contains Books VIII-XI of Pliny's Naturalis Hisioria ; their subject is Zoology. The detailed contents will be found in PHny's o\vn outHne of his work, which, with Hsts of the authorities used for each Book, constitutes Book I ; for Books VIII-XI see Volume I, pp. 40-64, of this edition. Book VIII deals with various mammals, wild and domesticated ; and among them are introduced snakes, crocodiles and Hzards. Book IX treats aquatic species, including Nereids, Tritons and the sea-serpent. There are considerable passages on their economic aspects—the use of fish as food, pearls, dyes obtained from fish, and on their physiology, sensory and reproductive. Book X. Ornithology : hawks trained for fowHng birds of evil omen ; domestication of birds for food talking birds ; reproduction. Appendix on other viviparous species, passing on to animals in general —their methods of reproduction, senses, nutrition, friendship and hostiHty between different species, sleep. Book XI. Insects, their physiology and habits especially bees, silk-worms, spiders. Classification of animals by varieties of bodily structure—animal and human physiology. : PLINY NATURAL HISTORY BOOK VIII PLINII: NATURALIS HISTORIA LIBER VIII I. Ad reliqua transeamus animalia et priniima terrestria. Maximum est elephans proximumque humanis sensibus, quippe intellectus illis sermonis patrii et imperiorum obedientia, officiorum quae didicere memoria, amoris et gloriae voluptas, immo vero quae etiam in homine rara, probitas, prudentia, aequitas, rehgio quoque siderum soHsque ac lunae 2 veneratio. auctores sunt in Mauretaniae saltibus ad quendam amnem cui nomen est Amilo nitescente luna nova greges eorum descendere ibique se puri- ficantes sollemniter aqua circumspergi atque ita salutato sidere in silvas reverti vitulorum fatigatos 3 prae se ferentes. alienae quoque reHgionis intel- lectu creduntur maria transituri non ante naves con- seendere quam invitati rectoris iureiurando de reditu. visique sunt fessi aegritudine (quando et illas moles infestant morbi) herbas supini in caelum iacientes, PLINY: NATURAL HISTORY BOOK VIII I. Let us pass to the rest of the animals, and first those that hve on land. ult^^ The largest land animal is the elephant, and it is ammais. the nearest to man in intelligence : it understands p^an^^rjj^ the lanffuasre of its countrv and obevs orders, remem- n^^riy bers duties that it has been taught, is pleased by teUigence. affection and by marks of honour, nay more it possesses virtues rare even in man, honesty, wis- dom, justice, also respect for the stars and reverence for the sun and moon. Authorities state that in the forests of Mauretania, when the new moon is shining, herds of elephants go down to a river named Amilo and there perform a ritual of purification, sprinkHng themselves with water, and after thus paying their respects to the moon return to the woods carrying before them those of their calves who are tired. They are also beHeved to understand the obHgations of another's reHgion in so far as to refuse to embark on board ships when going overseas before they are lured on by the mahout's sworn promise in regard to their return. And they have been seen when exhausted by suffering (as even those vast frames are attacked by diseases) to He on their backs and throw grass up to the heaven, 3 : PLINY: NATURAL HISTORY veluti tellure precibus allegata. nam quod ad docilitatem attinet regem adorant, genua submittunt, coronas porrigunt. Indis arant minores, quos appel- lant nothos. 4 11. Romae iuncti primum subiere currum Pompei Magni Africano triumpho, quod prius India victa triumphante Libero patre memoratur. Procihus negat potuisse Pompei triumpho iunctos egredi porta. Germanici Caesaris munere gladiatorio quos- dam etiam inconditos meatus ^ edidere saltantium 5 modo. vulgare erat per auras arma iacere non auferentibus ventis atque inter se gladiatorios con- gressus edere aut Iasci\ienti pyrriche conludere. postea et per funes incessere, lecticis etiam ferentes quaterni singulos puerperas imitantes, plenisque homine tricliniis accubitum iere per lectos ita hbratis 6 vestigiis ne quis potantium attingeretur. III. Certum est unum tardioris ingenii in accipiendis quae tradebantur saepius castigatum verberibus eadem illa meditantem noctu repertum. mirum et adversis quidem funibus subire, sed maxime ^ regredi,^ utique pronis. Mucianue iii consul auctor est ahquem ex his et htterarum ductus Graecarum didicisse sohtumque perscribere eius hnguae verbis ^ v.l. motus. ^ maxime hic Mayhoff: posl mirum. * v.l. regredi magis. BOOK VIII. I. 3-ni. 6 as though deputing the earth to support their prayers. Indeed so far as concerns dociUty, they do homage to their king by kneeUng before him and proffering garlands. The Indians employ the smaUer breed, iisdomesH- which they caU the bastard elephant, for ploughing. ^'^ndia!^ II. At Rome they were first used in harness to ^'^^'""tf draw the chariot of Pompey the Great in his African for shows. triumph, as they are recorded to have been used before when Father Liber went in triimiph after his conquest of India. ProciUus states that at Pompey's triumph the team of elephants were unable to pass out through the gate. At the gladia- torial show given by Germanicus Caesar some even performed clumsy movements in figures, Uke dancers. It was a common display for them to hurl weapons through the air without the wind making them swerve, and to perform gladiatorial matches with one another or to play together in a sportive war-dance. Subsequently they even walked on tight-ropes, four at a time actuaUy carrying in a Utter one that pre- tended to be a lady lying-in ; and walked among the couches in dining-rooms fuU of people to take their places among the guests, planting their steps care- fuUy so as not to touch any of the drinking party. III. It is known that one elephant which was rather instancesoj slow-witted in instructions it understanding given to fj^JnlT^^' and had been punished with repeated beatings, was found in the night practising the same. It is sur- prising that they can even cUmb up ropes, but especi- aUy that they can come down them again, at aU events when they are stretched at a slope. Mucianus who was three times consul states that one elephant actuaUy learnt the shapes of the Greek letters, and ' used to write out in words of that language : I myself ; PLI^TY; NATURAL HISTORY * Ipse ego haec scripsi et spolia Celtica dica\T,' item- que se ndente Puteolis, cum advecti e nave egredi cogerentur, territos spatio pontis procul a continente porrecti, ut sese longinquitatis aestimatione fallerent, aversos retrorsus isse. 7 IV. Praedam ipsi in se expetendam sciunt solam esse in armis suis quae luba cornua appellat, Herodo- tus tanto antiquior et consuetudo melius dentes quamobrem deciduos casu aliquo vel senecta defodi- unt. hoc solum ebur est : cetero et in his quoque quae corpus intexit \ilitas ossea ; quamquam nuper ossa etiam in laminas secari coepere paenuria, etenim rara amplitudo iam dentium praeterquam ex India reperitur, cetera in nostro orbe cessere luxuriae. 8 dentium candore intellegitur iuventa. circa hos beluis summa cura : alterius mucroni parcunt ne sit proeliis hebes, alterius operario usu fodiunt radices. inpellunt moles ; circumventique a venantibus primos constituunt quibus sint minumi, ne tanti proelium putetur, postea fessi inpactos arbori franguut praeda- que se redimunt.