On Hunting

The trappings of hounds are collars, leashes, and surcingles. The collars should be soft and broad, so as not to chafe the hounds’ coat. The leashes should have a noose for the hand, and nothing else; for if the collar is made in one piece with the leash, perfect control of the hounds is impossible. The straps of the surcingles should be broad, so as not to rub the flanks, and they should have little spurs sewed on to them, to keep the breed pure.

Hounds should not be taken out hunting when off their feed, since this is a proof that they are ailing; nor when a strong wind is blowing, since it scatters the scent and they cannot smell, and the purse-nets will not stand in position, nor the hayes.

But when neither of these hindrances prevents, have the hounds out every other day. Do not let them take to pursuing foxes; for it is utter ruin, and they are never at hand when wanted.

Vary the hunting-ground frequently, so that the hounds may be familiar with the hunting-grounds and the master with the country. Start early, and so give the hounds a fair chance of following the scent. A late start robs the hounds of the find and the hunters of the prize; for the scent is by its nature too thin to last all day.

Let the net-keeper wear light clothing when he goes hunting. Let him set up the purse-nets in winding, rough, steep, narrow, shady paths, brooks, ravines, running watercourses (these are the places in which the hare is most apt to take refuge: a list of all the others would be endless), leaving

unobstructed and narrow passages to and through these places, just about daybreak, and not too early, so that in case the line of nets be near the growth to be searched, the hare may not be frightened by hearing the noise close by (if the distance is considerable, it matters less if the work is done early), seeing that the nets stand clear so that nothing may cling to them.[*](This portentous sentence is a literal presentation of the Greek text, which, however, is rather uncertain. If the nets are fixed near the covert before daybreak, the hare is likely to stir at the noise. After daybreak she will not stir.)

He must fix the stakes asland,[*](i.e., sloping towards the side from which the hare will come. The nets, of course, hang on the other side of the stakes.) so that when pulled they may stand the strain. On the tops of them let him put an equal number of meshes,[*](If ἴσους means equal in number, more than one mesh is to be put in the groove of each stake, so that the top of the row of nets will be puckered. Perhaps, however, level in height is the sense.) and set the props[*](Small sticks were used for propping up the purse on the inside, and the purse was propped higher towards the middle; it ended in a point, so that it resembled the net on a woman’s head.) uniformly, raising the purse towards the centre.

To the cord[*](See 2.4. The stone serves as an anchor when the net falls off the stakes.) let him attach a long, big stone, so that the net may not pull away when the hare is inside. Let him make his line long and high,[*](The stakes must not be too deep in the ground, or the nets will not be high enough.) so that the hare may not jump over.

When it comes to tracking the hare, he must not be too zealous. To do everything possible to effect a quick capture shows perseverance, but is not hunting.[*](These remarks read like an afterthought.)

Let him stretch the hayes on level ground and put the road-nets[*](The hayes and purse-nets seem to be connected in the same series; but the road-nets seem to be independent screens.) in roads and from game tracks into the adjacent ground, fastening down the (lower) cords to the ground, joining the elbows, fixing the stakes between the selvedges,[*](We are to think of a series of nets joined together. These stakes will be inserted in the top and bottom line of meshes. The selvedge runs along the top and bottom of the net.) putting the ends on the top of the stakes and stopping the byways.

Let him mount guard, going round the nets. If a purse-net is pulling its stake out of line, let him put it up. When the hare is being chased into the purse-nets he must run forward and shout as he runs after her. When she is in, he must calm the excitement of the hounds, soothing without touching them. He must also shout to the huntsman and let him know that the hare is caught, or that she has run past on this or that side, or that he has not seen her, or where he caught sight of her.

Let the huntsman go out to the hunting ground in a simple light dress and shoes, carrying a cudgel in his hand, and let the net-keeper follow. Let them keep silence while approaching the ground, so that, in case the hare is near, she may not move off on hearing voices.

Having tied the hounds separately to the trees so that they can easily be slipped, let him set up the purse-nets and hayes[*](Neither here nor in 26 is there any reference to the road-nets. It is impossible to suggest a reason for this, and perhaps the necessary words have dropped out in both places, as might easily happen.) in the manner described. After this let the net-keeper keep guard, and let the huntsman take the hounds and go to the place in the hunting ground where the hare may be lurking; and after

registering a vow to Apollo and Artemis the Huntress to give them a share of the spoil, let him loose one hound, the cleverest at following a track, at sunrise in winter, before dawn in summer, and some time between at other seasons.

As soon as the hound picks up a line from the network of tracks that leads straight ahead, let him slip another. If the track goes on, let him set the others going one by one at short intervals, and follow without pressing them, accosting each by name, but not often, that they may not get excited too soon.

They will go forward full of joy and ardour, disentangling the various tracks, double or triple—springing forward now beside, now across the same ones—tracks interlaced or circular, straight or crooked, close or scattered, clear or obscure, running past one another with tails wagging, ears dropped and eyes flashing.

As soon as they are near the hare they will let the huntsman know by the quivering of the whole body as well as the tail, by making fierce rushes, by racing past one another, by scampering along together persistently, massing quickly, breaking up and again rushing forward. At length they will reach the hare’s form and will go for her.

She will start up suddenly, and will leave the hounds barking and baying behind her as she makes off. Let the huntsman shout at her as she runs, Now, hounds, now! Well done! Bravo, hounds! Well done, hounds! Wrapping his cloak round his arm and seizing his cudgel he must follow up behind the hare and not try to head her off, since that is useless.

The hare, making off, though out of sight, generally doubles back to the place where she is found. Let him call out[*](i.e., at the moment when the hare, making for the place where she was found, comes near the nets. Something is amiss with the text here. The man is, of course, the net-keeper. He, too, has a cudgel, but the author has not said so.) to the man, Hit her, boy; hit her, hit her! and the man must let him know whether she is caught or not.

If she is caught in the first run, let him call in the hounds and look for another. But if not, he must follow up at top speed and not let her go, but stick to it persistently.

If the hounds come on her again in the pursuit, let him cry, Good, good, hounds; after her, hounds! If they have got so far ahead of him that he cannot overtake them by following up and is quite out of the running, or if he cannot see them though they are moving about somewhere near or sticking to the tracks, let him find out by shouting as he runs past to anyone near, Hullo! have you seen the hounds?

As soon as he has found out, let him stand near if they are on the track, and cheer them on, running through the hounds’ names, using all the variations of tone he can produce, pitching his voice high and low, soft and loud. Amongst other calls, if the chase is in the mountains, let him sing out, Oho, hounds, oho If they are not clinging to the track, but are over-running, let him call them in with, Back, hounds, back with you!