The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

Latin speakers call them triones (i.e. “plowing oxen”)
thus because they ‘tread’ (terere) the earth, as if the word
were teriones.Naevius (Tragedies 62)says:
This rustic driver of the triones.
The span of its hide from the chin to the forelegs is called
the dewlap (palear), from the term ‘skin’ (pellis) itself, as
if the word were pellear.Thisisasignofgood breeding in
an ox. Oxen possess an extraordinary affection for their
comrades, for one will seek the other with whom he has
been accustomed to share the yoke, and with constant
lowing show its devoted fondness if by chance the other
is missing. 31.Thecow(vacca)issocalled as if the word
were boacca.The noun has the same type of variation as
‘lion’ (leo) and‘lioness’(leaena), ‘dragon’ (draco) and
‘dragoness’ (dracaena). 32. Calves(vitulus) andheifers
(vitula)arenamedfromtheirgreenness(viriditas), that
is, their green (i.e. “vigorous”) age, just as a maiden
(virgo) is. A heifer, therefore, is small and has not yet
produced young, for after she has been put to breed, she
is called a iuvenca oracow.33.Buffaloes (bubalus)areso
called by derivation, since they are similar to oxen (bos).
They are so ungovernable that they do not tolerate a yoke
on their necks due to their wildness. Africa produces
these. 34.Theaurochs (urus)isthe wild ox of Germania,
possessing such long horns that supports for royal tables
are made from them due to their size. [They are called
urus from the word , that is, “mountain”].
35.The camel (camelus) takes its name from its characteristics,
either because, when they are being loaded,
they lie down so thattheybecomeshorterandlow–for
the Greeks say (lit. “on the ground”) for ‘low’ and
‘short’ – or because their backs are humped, for
means “curve” in Greek. 1 Although some other regions
produce camels, Arabia produces the most. They differ
from each other in that the Arabian camels have two
humps on their backs and those from the other regions
have one hump. 36.Thedromedary (dromeda)isakind
of camel, smaller in height but faster. From this it takes its
name, for ‘race’ and ‘speed’ are called in Greek.
It is accustomed to travel one hundred Roman miles or
more in a single day. This animal ruminates, just like the
ox and sheep and camel. 37. Rumination (ruminatio) is
named from the rumen (ruma), the upper part of the
1 The word is not elsewhere attested.
The Etymologies XII.i.31–i.44 249
gullet through which the food that has been taken down
is regurgitated by some animals.
38. Theass (asinus) and the ‘small ass’ (asellus, dim.
of asinus) aresocalledfrom ‘sitting’ (sedere), as if the
word were asedus.The ass took this name, which is better
suited to horses, because before people captured horses,
they began by domesticating (praesidere, lit.“siton”)
the ass. Indeed, it is a slow animal and balks for no
reason; it allowed itself to be domesticated as soon as
mankind wished it. 39. Thewild ass is called an onager
(onager), for the Greeks call the ass , and is
“wild.” Africa possesses large untamed onagers wandering
through the desert. Individual onagers lead herds
of females. When male colts are born, the adult males
become jealous and bite off their testicles, so that the
wary mothers hide the male colts in concealed places.
40. Some asses are called ‘Arcadian’ because, large and
tall, they were first imported from Arcadia. The smaller
asellus is needed more in the field because it tolerates
hard work and makes almost no objection to neglect.
41. Horses (equus) are so called because when they
were yoked in a team of four they were balanced
(aequare); those equal in size and alike in gait would
be joined together. 42.Thepackhorse (caballus)wasformerly
called a cabo, because when walking it hollows
(concavare) thegroundwiththeimprint of its hoof, a
property that the other animals do not have. Whence
also the ‘charger’ (sonipes) because it ‘clatters with its
feet’ (pedibus sonare). 43.Horseshaveagreat deal of liveliness,
for they revel in open country; they scent out war;
they are roused to battle by the sound of the trumpet;
when incited by a voice they are challenged to race, grieving
when they are defeated, and exultant when they are
victorious. Some recognize the enemy in war and seek
to bite the foe. Some also respond to their own masters,
and lose their tameness if their ownership changes. Some
will allow no one on their back except their master; many
of them shed tears when their master dies or is killed,
for only the horse weeps and feels grief over humans.
Whence [also] in the Centaur the nature of horses and
of humans is combined. 44. Peoplewhoare about to
engage in battle are accustomed to deduce what the outcome
will be from the dejection or the eagerness of the
horses.
Persian, Hunnish, Epirian, and Sicilian horses have
along life span, exceeding fifty years, while the common
opinion is that Spanish, Numidian, and Galician