Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

GRATTIUSO how great your reward, how great your gainbeyond any outlays ! If you are not bent on looksand deceptive graces (this is the one defect of theBritish whelps), at any rate when serious Avork hascome, when bravery must be shown, and the impetuousWar-god calls in the utmost hazard, then you couldnot admire the renoA\Tied Molossians" so much.With these last * cunning Athamania compares herbreeds ; as also do Azorus, Pherae and the furtiveAcarnanian : just as the men of Acarnania stealsecretly into battle, so does the bitch surprise herfoes without a sound. But any bitch of Aetolianpedigree rouses ^vith her yelps the boars which shedoes not yet see—a mischievous service, whetherit is that fear makes these savage sounds break outor excessive eagerness speeds on uselessly. Andyet you must not despise that breed as useless in allthe accomplishments of the chase : they are marvellouslyquick, marvellously efficient in scent ; besides,there is no toil to which they yield defeated. Consequently,:— I shall cross the advantages of differentbreeds one day an Umbrian mother will give to'^the unskilled Gallic pups a smart disposition" Molossian dogs are frequently mentioned in ancientliterature: e.g. An&to^h.. Thesm. 4:\Q', Poll. V. 37; 0pp. C'yn.I. 375; Plaut. Capt. 86; Luer. V. 1063; Virg. G. III. 405;Hor. Epod. vi. 5 ; Sat. II. vi. 114 : Luean IV. 440 ; Sen. Phaedra,33; Stat. Theh. III. 203, Silv. II. vi. 19; Ach. I. 747; Mart.XII. i. 1; Claud. Stil. II. 215, III. 293; Xem. Cyn. 107.* It seems appropriate to take his of Molossian dogs ratherthan of British, as the proper names refer to neighboui'ingdistricts of Epirus, Thessaly, Aetolia and Acarnania. Athamaniais a district in Epirus near the Pindus range.Cf. the qualities suggested in 171-73, and 156. " Galhc "•in 194 may mean " Galatian" :see Introduction.169