The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous ... - Cd3wd.com

266 SHEEP BREEDING AND
pretence drove back even those sheep which belonged to the
emperor {oves quoque dominicas) and thus greatly injured his
revenue. These grievances were consequently represented to
an officer at Rome who kept the emperor's accounts [Cosjnus,
Augusti Lihertus a Rationibiis) ; and he writes in the terms
of the inscription to Basseus Rufus and Macrinus Vindex, offi-
cers of rank in the army, in order that the evil might be reme-
died. This inscription must have been erected about the commencement
of the Christian tera. As Mr. Craven remarks,
'•'
It not only corroborates what was already known, that the
periodical migration of the herds from Apulia is of most ancient
origin, but it proves, that they observed the same hue of route
which they follow to the present day ;
the road, that runs from
the east to the western gate of this inclosure, falling into the
line of the tratturos, or sheep-paths, exclusively allotted to the
use of the flocks in their annual journeys."
Whilst we discover these numerous points of resemblance
between the ancient and the modern practice, it is probable that
in other respects there was a greater diversity. If the author
whose observations have been cited had witnessed a similar pro-
cession in very ancient times, he would have seen less reason to
deplore its toilsome and melancholy aspect. Music was then
probably of no little service in animating both the shepherds
and their flocks. The sonorous bagpij^e may have contribu-
ted to this effect*. At least Mr. Craven's account of a modern
pastoral march is strikingly contrasted with the following de-
scription by Apollonius Rhodius, in which he compares the
ship Argo and the music of Orpheus, followed by multitudes of
fishes, to a shepherd playing on the syrinx and followed by his
sheep.
'S2s 6' &7r(5r' dypavXoio nar'