Πότερα τῶν ζῴων φρονιμώτερα τὰ χερσαῖα ἢ τὰ ἔνυδρα

Lines

1 – 1 2 – 2 2 – 2 3 – 3 3 – 3 3 – 3 3 – 4 4 – 4 5 – 5 5 – 5 6 – 6 7 – 7 8 – 8 8 – 8 9 – 9 10 – 10 10 – 10 10 – 10 10 – 10 11 – 11 12 – 12 12 – 12 13 – 13 13 – 13 13 – 13 13 – 13 14 – 14 14 – 14 15 – 15 16 – 16 16 – 16 16 – 16 17 – 17 18 – 18 19 – 19 19 – 19 19 – 19 20 – 20 20 – 21 22 – 22 23 – 23 23 – 23 23 – 23 24 – 24 24 – 25 25 – 25 26 – 26 26 – 27 27 – 27 28 – 29 29 – 29 30 – 30 30 – 30 31 – 31 31 – 31 32 – 32 33 – 33 34 – 34 35 – 35 35 – 35 35 – 35 36 – 36 36 – 36 36 – 37 37 – 37

İngilizce İngilizce Yunanca

24 The fish called labrax behaves himself more stoutly than the elephant; for when he perceives himself struck with the hook, without assistance he sets himself at liberty, widening the wound by flinging his head to and fro, and enduring the painful twingings of the hook, till he have freed himself from it with the loss of his flesh. The sea fox (or the fish called alopex) seldom bites, but avoids the deceit; but if he chance to be taken, he presently turns the inside of his body outward. For by reason of the strength and moisture of his body, he has a peculiar faculty to turn it so that, the inside coming to be outermost, the hook falls off. These things demonstrate understanding, and a subtle and extraordinary use of it in the nick and juncture of time.

25 Other examples there are which show not only this same understanding and knowledge, but the community and mutual affection of fish. Thus, if one scate happen to swallow the hook, all the rest of the scates that are in the same shoal presently crowd together and bite the line in pieces. The same scates, if any of their companions fall into the net, give the prisoners their tails to take hold of with their teeth, and so draw them forth by main force.

25 But the fish called anthiae with far more courage assist their fellows in distress. For getting under the line with their backs, and setting up their fins, with these, as with sharp saws, they endeavor to cut it in two.