Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

GRATTIUSclaimSparta," by common report, and Crete'' alike'^you iis their own nurslino:s. But, Glympic hound,you were the first to wear leash on high-poised neckand he that followed you in the forest was the BoeotianHagnon, Hagnon son of Astylos, Hagnon, to whom ourabundant gratitude shall bear witness as pre-eminentin our practice of the chase. He saw where theeasier road lay to a calling as yet nervously timorousand owing to its newness scarce established : hebrought together no band of followers or implementsin long array : his single metagon was taken as hisguard, as the high promise of the longed-for spoilit roams across the fields which are the hauntsof beasts, over the wells and through the lurkingplacesfrequented by them. 'Tis the work of earlydawn : then, while the dog is picking out the trailas yet unspoiled by another animal's scent, if thereis any confusion of tracks in that place whereby heis thrown off, he runs an outside course in a widercircle and, at last discovering beyond mistake thefootprints coming out, pounces on the track like thefourfold team, the pride of Thessaly, which is launchedforth on the Corinthianrace-com'se, stirred by ancestralglory and by hopes covetous of the first prize. Butlest loss be the outcome of excessive zeal, the dog's" For Spartan or Lacedaemonian dogs cf. Soph. Aj. 8;Xen. Cyn. ui. 1; 0pp. Cyn. I. 372; Pollux, V. 37; Virg. G.III. 405; Hor. Ejiod. vi. 5; Ov. Met. III. 208, 223; Sen.Phaedra, 35; Luean, IV. 441 ; Claud. Stil. III. 300 {tenuesqueLacaenae) ; Xemes. Cyn. 107, etc.* For Cretan dogs cf. Xen. Cyn. x. 1; Poll. V. 37; 0pp.Cyn. I. 373; Ov. J/e/. III. 208, 223 ; Sen. Phaedra, Si; Claud.Stil. III. 300 {hirsutae Cressae), etc.' The reference is to a locality on the Ai'givc and Laconianborder.173