[Sidenote: The Chace. B. +ii.+]
The king of brutes
In broken roarings breathes his last, the bear
Grumbles in death; nor can his spotted skin,
Though sleek it shine, with varied beauties gay,
Save the proud pard from unrelenting fate!
[Sidenote: Xenophon de Venatione c. +i.+]
The most lively and striking picture of classic Venation, _in genere_,
which I have met with in the Latin language, is contained in one of
Seneca’s tragedies; which, let them be the productions of whom they
may, contain much brilliant descriptive poetry. The whole arrangement
of the field is admirably given in the Hippolytus. The duties of
the δικτυαγωγὸς, ἰχνευτὴς, κυναγωγὸς, ἀρκυωρὸς, and λινόπτης, are
successively detailed in the prologue, spoken by this rigid paragon
of chastity himself, (σωφροσύνῃ καὶ ὁσιότητι μακαρισθεὶς,) in the
character of Magister Venationis.
[Sidenote: Senecæ Hippolyt. Act. +i.+ sc. 1.]
“Ite umbrosas cingite sylvas,
Summaque montis juga Cecropii,
Celeri plantâ lustrate vagi
Quæ saxosa loca Parnethi
Subjecta jacent; et quæ Thriasiis
Vallibus amnis rapidâ currens
Verberat undâ: scandite colles
Semper canos nive Riphæâ.
Hàc hàc alii, quà nemus altâ
Texitur alno; quà prata jacent,
Quæ roriferâ mulcens aurâ
Zephyrus vernas evocat herbas,” &c.
says the son of Theseus to his attendant huntsmen—describing the
local scenery of different parts of Attica, most abundant in game—and
allotting them their respective stations and duties, with the _mute_
limehounds, (“canibus tacitis,”) the _noisy_ pack, and divers
implements of the sylvan chase:[329]
dum lux dubia est;
Dum signa pedum roscida tellus
Impressa tenet, alius raras
Cervice gravi portare plagas,
Alius teretes properet laqueos.
Picta rubenti linea pinnâ
Vano cludat terrore feras,
Tibi libretur missile lethum.
Tu grave, dextrâ lævâque simul,
Robur lato dirige ferro.
Tu præcipites clamore feras
Subsessor ages: tu jam victor
Curvo solves viscera cultro.
[Sidenote: Oppian. Cyneg L. +i.+ 367.]
So much for the furniture of the chase, its inventors, and practice, by
way of introduction to our triple classification of the Canes Venatici
of the classic ages. We will now proceed, οἶμον ἐπὶ σκυλάκων.