HERACLEON. Raise your brows, dear Phaedimus, and rouse yourself to defend us the sea folk, the island-dwellers ! This bout of argument has become no child’s play, but a hard-fought contest, a debate which lacks only the actual bar and platform.That is, it is so realistic that one might imagine oneself in the lawcourts or the public assembly.

PHAEDIMUS. Not so, Heracleon, but an ambush laid with malice aforethought has been disclosed. While we are still tipsy and soused from yesterday’s bout, this gentleman, as you see, has attacked us with premeditation, cold sober. Yet there can be no begging off. Devotee of PindarFrag. 272, ed. Turyn (228 Schroeder, 215 Bowra); cf. Mor. 783 b; Leutsch and Schneidewin, , i, p. 44; Plato, , 421 d. though I am, I do not want to be addressed with the quotation To excuse oneself when combat is offered Has consigned valour to deep obscurity; for we have much leisurePerhaps merely a passing allusion to some such passage as Plato, , 258 e rather than, as Bernardakis thought, a quotation from an unknown tragic poet (Nauck, p. 869, Adesp. 138).; and it is not our discourse that will be idle, but our dogs and horses, our nets and seines of all kinds, for a truce is granted for to-day because of our argument to every creature both on land and sea. Yet do not fear: I shall use itEither our leisure or the truce, i.e. the holiday Plutarch has given his pupils (see the Introduction to this essay). with moderation, introducing no opinions of philosophers or Egyptian fables or unattested tales of Indians or Libyans. But those facts that may be observed everywhere and have as witnesses the men who exploit the sea and acquire their credit from direct observation, of these I shall present a few. Yet there is nothing to impede illustrations drawn from land animals: the land is wide open for investigation by the senses. The sea, on the other hand, grants us but a few dubious glimpses. She draws a veil over the birth and growth, the attacks and reciprocal defences, of most of her denizens. Among these there are no few feats of intelligence and memory and community spirit that remain unknown to us and so obstruct our argument. Then too, land animalsCf. Pliny, ix. 1. by reason of their close relationship and their cohabitation have to some extent been imbued with human manners; they have the advantage of their breeding and teaching and imitation, which sweetens all their bitterness and sullenness, like fresh water mixed with brine, while their lack of understanding and dullness are roused to life by human contacts. Whereas the life of sea creatures, being set apart by mighty bounds from intercourse with men and having nothing adventitious or acquired from human usage, is peculiar to itself, indigenous, and uncontaminated by foreign ways, not by distinction of Nature, but of location. For their Nature is such as to welcome and retain such instruction as reaches them. This it is that renders many eels tractable, like those that are called sacred in ArethusaCf. Aelian, viii. 4.; and in many places there are fish which will respond to their own names,Cf. Pliny, x. 193: Aelian, xii. 30. as the story goes of Crassus’Not in the , but derived from the same source as Aelian, viii. 4; cf. the remarks in the , vii. 4 (82 a). The story is also recounted in 89 a, 811 a; Macrobius, iii. 15. 4; Porphyry, , iii. 5. Hortensius, too, wept bitterly at the death of his pet moray (Pliny, ix. 172). moray, upon the death of which he wept. And once when DomitiusL. Domitius Ahenobarbus, consul in 54 b.c., a bitter political opponent of Crassus and the Triumvirate. said to him, Isn’t it true that you wept when a moray died ? he answered, Isn’t it true that you buried three wives and didn’t weep ?

The priests’ crocodilesCf. Aelian, loc. cit. not only recognize the voice of those who summon them and allow themselves to be handled, but open their mouths to let their teeth be cleaned by hand and wiped with towels. Recently our excellent Philinus came back from a trip to Egypt and told us that he had seen in Antaeopolis an old woman sleeping on a low bed beside a crocodile, which was stretched out beside her in a perfectly decorous way.

They have long been telling the tale that when King PtolemyAelian, loc. cit., does not know which Ptolemy is meant; Cf. the story of Apis and Germanicus in Pliny, viii. 185; Amm. Marc. xxii. 14. 8. summoned the sacred crocodile and it would not heed him or obey in spite of his entreaties and requests, it seemed to the priests an omen of his death, which came about not long after; whence it appears that the race of water creatures is not wholly unendowed with your precious gift of divination.Cf. 975 b supra; Pliny, ix. 55. Indeed, I have heard that near Sura,Aelian, viii. 5; Pliny, xxxii. 17. a village in Lycia between Phellus and Myra, men sit and watch the gyrations and flights and pursuits of fish and divine from them by a professional and rational system, as others do with birds.

But let these examples suffice to show that sea animals are not entirely unrelated to us or cut off from human fellowship. Of their uncontaminated and native intelligence their caution is strong evidence. For nothing that swims and does not merely stick or cling to rocks is easily taken or captured without trouble by man as are asses by wolves, bees by bee-eaters,A bird: Aristotle, ix. 13 (615 b 25); Aelian, v. 11; Pliny, x. 99. cicadas by swallows, and snakes by deer, which easily attract them.Aelian, viii. 6; v. 48. This, in fact, is why deer are called elaphoi, not from their swiftness,Elaphrotes. but from their power of attracting snakes.Helxis opheos, a fantastic etymology. Neither derivation is correct, elaphos being related to the Lithuanian elnis, deer. For the references see Mair on Oppian, ii. 234. So too the ram draws the wolf by stamping and they say that very many creatures, and particularly apes, are attracted to the panther by their pleasure in its scent.See Thompson on Aristotle, ix. 6 (612 a 13); add Aelian, viii. 6; v. 40. But in practically all sea-creatures any sensation is suspect and evokes an intelligently inspired defensive reaction against attack, so that fishing has been rendered no simple or trivial task, but needs all manner of implements and clever and deceitful tricks to use against the fish.

This is perfectly clear from ready examples: no one wants to have an angler s rod too thick, though it needs elasticity to withstand the thrashing of such fish as are caught; men select, rather, a slender rod so that it may not cast a broad shadow and arouse suspicion.Cf. Gow on Theocritus, xxi. 10. In the next place, they do not thicken the line with many plies when they attach the loop and do not make it rough; for this, too, betrays the lure to the fish. They also contrive that the hairs which form the leader shall be as white as possible; for in this way they are less conspicuous in the sea because of the similarity of colour. The remark of the PoetHomer, , xxiv. 80-82.: Like lead sheIris going to visit Thetis. sank into the great sea depths, Like lead infixed in hora of rustic ox Which brings destruction to the ravenous fish - some misunderstand this and imagine that the ancients used ox-hair for their lines, alleging that keras It means, of course, horn as above in Homer, , xxiv. 81. means hair and for this reason keirasthai means to have one’s hair cut and koura is a haircut Or lock of hair. and the keroplastes Horn-fashioner, so called from the horn-like bunching together of the hair: see the scholia on , xxiv. 81. in ArchilochusEdmonds, , ii, p. 126, frag. 57; Diehl, , i, p. 228, frag. 59. See the note on 967 f supra. is one who is fond of trimming and beautifying the hair. But this is not so: they use horse-hair which they take from males, for mares by wetting the hair with their urine make it weak.Cf. . 915 f - 916 a. AristarchusNot Aristotle, as the mss. read. See Platt, v. 255. declares that there is nothing erudite or subtle in these lines; the fact is that a small piece of horn was attached to the line in front of the hook, since the fish, when they are confronted by anything else, chew the line in two.The section of horn was put around the line. It was therefore a tube. It was in front of the hook as one held it in his hand and attached it to the line. It was therefore at the hook end of the leader. Its hardness prevented the line from being severed. Its neutral coloration prevented the fish from being frightened off. Note that Oppian ( iii. 147) comments on the use of a hook with an abnormally long shank for the same purpose (Andrews). They use rounded hooksA prototype of the Sobey hook. to catch mullets and bonitos, whose mouths are smallSee Thompson on Aristotle, ix. 37 (621 a 19); Mair on Oppian, iii. 144.; for they are wary of a broader hook. Often, indeed, the mullet suspects even a rounded hook and swims around it, flipping the bait with its tail and snatching up bits it has dislodged; or if it cannot do this, it closes its mouth and purses it up and with the tips of its lips nibbles away at the bait.Cf. Pliny, ix. 145; Oppian, iii. 524 ff.

The sea-bass is braver than your elephantCf. 974 d supra.: it is not from another, but from himself without assistance, that he extracts the barb when he is caught by the hook; he swings his head from side to side to widen the wound, enduring the pain of tearing his flesh until he can throw off the hook.Cf. Aelian, i. 40, of the tunny; Ovid, 39 f. and Oppian, iii. 128 ff., of the bass. The fox-sharkPlutarch seems here to have confused this fish with the so-called scolopendra (of which he writes correctly in 567 b; see also Mair on Oppian, ii. 424). Cf. Aristotle, ix. 37 (621 a 11); Aelian, ix. 12; i. 5; Mair on Oppian, iii. 144; Pliny, ix. 145. There are fish (but not sharks) which can disgorge their stomachs and swallow them again. Note that hasty reading of Aristotle l.c. could easily cause this misstatement (Andrews). does not often approach the hook and shuns the lure; but if he is caught, he immediately turns himself inside out, for by reason of the elasticity and flexibility of his body he can naturally shift and twist it about, so that when he is inside out, the hook falls away.

Now the examples I have given indicate intelligence and an ingenious, subtle use of it for opportune profit; but there are others that display, in combination with understanding, a social sense and mutual affection, as is the case with the barbierThe anthias of the above passage is probably the Mediterranean barbier, Serranus anthias C.V., although elsewhere it is sometimes obviously a much larger fish of uncertain identity. On the identification Cf. Thompson on Aristotle, vi. 17 (570 b 19); s.v.; Mair, introd. to his ed. of Oppian, pp. liii-lxi; Marx, , i. 2375-2377; ii. 2415; Schmid, , Suppb. xi, 1907-1910, p. 273; Brands, , pp. 147 f.; Cotte, , pp. 69-73; Saint-Denis, , pp. 5-7. Cf. also 981 e infra. and the parrot-fish. For if one parrot-fish swallows the hook, the others present swarm upon the line and nibble it away; and the same fish, when any of their kind have fallen into the net, give them their tails from outside; when they eagerly fix their teeth in these, the others pull on them and bring them through in tow.On this story cf. also Aelian, i. 4; Pliny, xxxii. 11; Ovid, 9 ff.; Oppian, iv. 40 ff. Note also Aelian, v. 22, on mice. And barbiers are even more strenuous in rescuing their fellows: getting under the line with their backs, they erect their sharp spines and try to saw the line through and cut if off with the rough edge.Cf. Pliny, ix. 182; xxxii. 13; Ovid, 45 ff.; Oppian, iii. 321 ff.

Yet we know of no land animal that has the courage to assist another in danger - not bear or boar or lioness or panther. True it is that in the arena those of the same kind draw close together and huddle in a circle; yet they have neither knowledge nor desire to help each other. Instead, each one flees to get as far as possible from a wounded or dying fellow. That tale of the elephantsCf. 972 b supra; Jacoby, iii, p. 146, frag. 51 b. On the community spirit of elephants see also Aelian, v. 49; vi. 61; vii. 15; al. carrying brushwood to the pits and giving their fallen comrade a ramp to mount is monstrous and far-fetched and dictates, as it were, that we are to believe it on a king’s prescription - that is, on the writs of Juba.Juba was king of Mauretania (25 b.c. - c. a.d. 23). Suppose it to be true: it merely proves that many sea creatures are in no way inferior in community spirit and intelligence to the wisest of the land animals. As for their sociability, I shall soon make a special plea on that topic.

Now fishermen, observing that most fish evade the striking of the hook by such countermoves as wrestlers use, resorted, like the Persians,Cf. Herodotus, vi. 31; iii. 149; Plato, 698 d; Fraenkel on Aesch. 358. On kinds of nets see Mair, L.C.L. , pp. xl ff. to force and used the dragnet, since for those caught in it there could be no escape with the help of reason or cleverness. For mullet and rainbow-wrasseCoris iulis Gth. Cf. Thompson on Aristotle, ix. 3 (610 b 7); , p. 91; Schmid, op. cit. p. 292; Brands, op. cit. p. 157; Cotte, op. cit. pp. 59-60; Saint-Denis, op. cit. p. 52. are caught by casting-nets and round nets, as are also the breamIn particular, probably C.V. On the identification cf. Thompson on Aristotle, vi. 7 (570 b 20); , p. 161; Cotte, op. cit. pp. 105-107; Saint-Denis, op. cit. pp. 65-66. and the sargueIn particular, probably Sargus culgaris Geoff. On the identification Cf. Thompson on Aristotle, v. 9 (543 a 7); , pp. 227-228; Cotte, op. cit. pp. 105-107; Saint-Denis, op. cit. pp. 99, 107-108; Keller, , ii, p. 370; Gossen-Steier, , Second Series, ii. 365. and the gobyA term mostly for the black goby, Gobius niger L., the most common Mediterranean species. On the identification Cf. Thompson on Aristotle, viii. 14 (598 a 12); , pp. 137-139; Gossen, , Second Series, ii. 794-796. and the sea-bass. The so-called net fish, that is surmulletThe red or plain surmullet, Mullus barbatus L., and the striped or common surmullet, Mullus surmuletus L. On this fish cf. Cotte, op. cit. pp. 98-101; Keller, op. cit. ii, pp. 364 f.; Prechac, xiv (1936), pp. 102-105; xvii (1939), p. 279; Saint-Denis, op. cit. pp. 68 f.; Schmid, op. cit. pp. 310-312; Steier, , xvi. 496-503; Thompson, , pp. 264-268; Andrews, , xlii (1949), pp. 186-188. and giltheadChrysophrys aurata C.V., called gilthead from the golden band that runs from eye to eye. On this fish cf. Wellmann, , iii. 2517-2518; Keller, op. cit. ii, pp. 369 ff.; , vii. 1578; Schmid, op. cit. pp. 297-298; Thompson, , pp. 292-294; Cotte, op. cit. pp. 73-74; Saint-Denis, op. cit. pp. 80-81. and sculpin,Scorpaena scrofa, L. and S. porcus L. On this fish Cf. Cotte, op. cit. pp. 111-113; Saint-Denis, op. cit. pp. 103-104; Thompson on Aristotle, v. 9 (543 a 7); , pp. 245 f. are caught in seines by trawling: accordingly it was quite correct for Homer, v. 487; Cf. Platt, v, p. 255; Fraenkel, Aesch. ii, p. 190. to call this kind of net a catch-all. Codfish,Principally the hake and rockling, sp. and sp. Not to be confused with γαλεός, a general term for sharks and dogfishes. Cf. Andrews, , xxxix (1949), pp. 1-16. like bass,Cf. Oppian, iii. 121 ff. have devices even against these. For when the bass perceives that the trawl is approaching, it forces the mud apart and hammers a hollow in the bottom. When it has made room enough to allow the net to overrun it, it thrusts itself in and waits until the danger is past.

Now when the dolphin is caught and perceives itself to be trapped in the net, it bides its time, not at all disturbed but well pleased, for it feasts without stint on the fish that have been gathered with no trouble to itself. But as soon as it comes near the shore, it bites its way through the net and makes its escape. Yet if it should not get away in time, on the first occasion it suffers no harm: the fishermen merely sew rushes to its crest and let it go. But if it is taken a second time, they recognize it from the seam and punish it with a beating. This, however, rarely occurs: most dolphins are grateful for their pardon in the first instance and take care to do no harm in the future.On the alliance of dolphins and fisherman see Aelian, ii. 8; xi. 12; Pliny, ix. 29 ff.

Further, among the many examples of wariness, precaution, or evasion, we must not pass over that of the cuttlefishCf. Aristotle, ix. 37 (621 b 28); Athenaeus, 323 d-e; Pliny, ix. 84; Horace, i. 4. 100; Aelian, i. 34; Mair on Oppian, iii. 156.: it has the so-called mytis Aristotle, iv. 1 (524 b 15); iv. 5 (679 a 1). beside the neckUnder the mouth, says Aristotle. full of black liquid, which they call ink. Tholos, mud,turbidity. When it is come upon, it discharges the liquid to the purpose that the sea shall be inked out and create darkness around it while it slips through and eludes the fisherman’s gaze. In this it imitates Homer’sFor example, , v. 345. gods who often in a dark cloud snatch up and smuggle away those whom they are pleased to save. But enough of this.