Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

NEMESIANUSbodily youth is in its joyous flower and bloodabounds in the veins of early life. For burdensomediseases creep on and sluggish age, and theywill produce unhealthy offspring without steadfaststrength. But for breeding a difference of age inthe parents is more suitable : you should releasethe male, keen for mating, when he has alreadycompleted forty months : and let the female betwo full years old." Such is the best arrangementin their coupling. Presently when Phoebe hascompleted the round of two full moons since thebirth-giving womb fertilised by the male began toswell, the pregnancy in its due time reveals thefruitful offspring, and straightway you see all roundan abundant noisy litter. Yet, however desirous ofdogs, you must make up your mind to put no valueon the first set born ; and of the next set you mustnot rear all the young ones. For if you decide tofeed a crowd of whelps, you will find them thin withleanness and beggared of strength, and, by theirlong tussle to be first to suck, harassing a motherweakened with teat outworn. But if this is youranxiety, to keep the better sort from being killedor thrown out of the house, if it is your intention totest the puppies before even their steps are steadyor their eyes have felt and seen the light-bearing''sunbeam, then grasp what experience has handedon, and assent fearlessly to well-tried words. Youwill be able to examine the strength of a puppy byits weight and by the heaviness of each body knowin advance which will be light in running.*^ Furthermore,you should get a series of flames made in a' 138-139: the parallel in Grattius, Cijn. 298-299, is one ofthe points suggesting that Nemesianus had read Grattius.497