1. For breeding purposes, relieve the bitches of work in the winter, that the rest may help them to produce a fine litter towards spring, which is the best growing season for hounds. They are in heat for fourteen days.
1. σκυλακεύειν δὲ αὐτὰς ἐπανιέντα τῶν πόνων τοῦ χειμῶνος, ἵνα ἔχουσαι τὴν ἡσυχίαν πρὸς τὸ ἔαρ ἐπάγωνται τὴν φύσιν γενναίαν· ἡ γὰρ ὥρα πρὸς τὰς αὐξήσεις τῶν κυνῶν κρατίστη αὕτη· εἰσὶ δὲ τέτταρες καὶ δέκα ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἡ ἀνάγκη αὕτη ἔχει.
2. Mate them with good dogs near the end of the period, that they may the sooner become pregnant. When they are near their time do not take them out hunting continually, but only now and then, or love of work may result in a miscarriage. The period of gestation is sixty days.
2. ἄγειν δὲ καταπαυομένας, ἵνα θᾶττον ἐγκύμονες γίγνωνται, πρὸς κύνας ἀγαθούς· ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὦσιν ἐπίφοροι, μὴ ἐξάγειν ἐπὶ κυνηγέσιον ἐνδελεχῶς, ἀλλὰ διαλείπειν, ἵνα μὴ φιλοπονίᾳ διαφθείρωσι. κύουσι δʼ ἑξήκονθʼ ἡμέρας.
3. After the birth of the puppies leave them with the mother and do not place them under another bitch; for nursing by a foster mother does not promote growth, whereas the mother’s milk and breath do them good, and they like her caresses.
3. ἐπειδὰν δὲ γένηται τὰ σκυλάκια, ὑπὸ τῇ τεκούσῃ ἐᾶν καὶ μὴ ὑποβάλλειν ὑφʼ ἑτέραν κύνα· αἱ γὰρ θεραπεῖαι αἱ ἀλλότριαι οὐκ εἰσὶν αὔξιμοι· τὸ δὲ τῶν μητέρων καὶ τὸ γάλα ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ φίλαι αἱ περιβολαί.
4. As soon as the puppies can get about, give them milk for a year, and the food that will form their regular diet, and nothing else. For heavy feeding warps the puppies’ legs and sows the seeds of disease in the system, and their insides go wrong.
4. ἐπειδὰν δὲ πλανᾶται τὰ σκυλάκια ἤδη, διδόναι γάλα μέχρι ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ οἷς μέλλει τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον βιώσεσθαι, ἄλλο δὲ μηδέν· αἱ γὰρ βαρεῖαι πλησμοναὶ τῶν σκυλακίων διαστρέφουσι τὰ σκέλη, ⟨τοῖς⟩ σώμασι νόσους ἐμποιοῦσι, καὶ τὰ ἐντὸς ἄδικα γίγνεται.
5. Give the hounds short names, so as to be able to call to them easily. The following are the right sort: Psyche, Thymus, Porpax, Styrax, Lonché, Lochus, Phrura, Phylax, Taxis, Xiphon, Phonax, Phlegon, Alcé, Teuchon, Hyleus, Medas, Porthon, Sperchon, Orgé, Bremon, Hybris, Thallon, Rhomé, Antheus, Hebe, Getheus, Chara, Leusson, Augo, Polys, Bia, Stichon, Spudé, Bryas, Oenas, Sterrus, Craugê, Caenon, Tyrbas, Sthenon, Aether, Actis, Aechmé, Noës, Gnomé, Stibon, Hormé.
5. τὰ δʼ ὀνόματα αὐταῖς τίθεσθαι βραχέα, ἵνα εὐανάκλητα ᾖ. εἶναι δὲ χρὴ τοιάδε· ψυχή, Θυμός, Πόρπαξ, Στύραξ, Λογχή, Λόχος, Φρουρά, Φύλαξ, Τάξις, Ξίφων, Φόναξ, Φλέγων, Ἀλκή, Τεύχων, Ὑλεύς, Μήδας, Πόρθων, Σπέρχων, Ὀργή, Βρέμων, Ὕβρις, Θάλλων, Ῥώμη, Ἀνθεύς, Ἥβα, Γηθεύς, Χαρά, Λεύσων, Αὐγώ, Πολεύς, Βία, Στίχων, Σπουδή, Βρύας, Οἰνάς, Στέρρος, Κραύγη, Καίνων, Τύρβας, Σθένων, Αἰθήρ, Ἀκτίς, Αἰχμή, Νόης, Γνώμη, Στίβων, Ὁρμή.
6. Take the bitches to the hunting ground at eight months, the dogs at ten. Do not slip them on the trail that leads to the form, but keep them in long leashes and follow the tracking hounds, letting the youngsters run to and fro in the tracks.
6. ἄγειν δὲ τὰς σκύλακας ἐπὶ τὸ κυνηγέσιον, τὰς μὲν θηλείας ὀκταμήνους, τοὺς δὲ ἄρρενας δεκαμήνους· πρὸς δὲ τὰ ἴχνη τὰ εὐναῖα μὴ λύειν, ἀλλʼ ἔχοντα ὑφημμένας μακροῖς ἱμᾶσιν ἀκολουθεῖν ταῖς κυσὶν ἰχνευούσαις, ἐῶντα αὐτὰς διαθεῖν τὰ ἴχνη.
7. As soon as the hare is found, if they shape well for the run don’t let them go at once; but as soon as the hare has got so far ahead in the run that they can’t see her, send them along.
7. καὶ ἐπειδὰν ὁ λαγῶς εὑρίσκηται, ἐὰν μὲν καλαὶ ὦσι πρὸς τὸν δρόμον τὰ εἴδη, μὴ ἀνιέναι εὐθύς· ἐπειδὰν δὲ προλάβῃ ὁ λαγῶς τῷ δρόμῳ, ὥστε μὴ ἐφορᾶν ἔτι αὐτόν, τὰς σκύλακας ἱέναι.
8. For if the huntsman slips good-looking, plucky runners close to the hare, the sight of her will cause them to strain themselves and crack, since their bodies are not yet firm. So she should be very careful about this.
8. ἐὰν γὰρ ὁμόθεν καλὰς τὰ εἴδη οὔσας καὶ εὐψύχους πρὸς τὸν δρόμον ἐπιλύῃ, ὁρῶσαι τὸν λαγῶ ἐντεινόμεναι ῥήγνυνται, οὔπω ἔχουσαι συνεστῶτα τὰ σώματα· διαφυλάττειν οὖν δεῖ τοῦτο τὸν κυνηγέτην.
9. But if they are poor runners there is no reason why he should not let them go, for as they have no hope of catching the hare from the first, they will not meet with this accident. On the other hand, let the youngsters follow the track of the hare on the run until they catch her; and when she is caught, give her to them to break up.
9. ἐὰν δὲ αἰσχίους ὦσι ⟨καὶ ἄψυχοι⟩ πρὸς τὸν δρόμον, οὐδὲν κωλύει ἱέναι· εὐθὺς γὰρ δὴ ἀνέλπιστοι οὖσαι τοῦ ἑλεῖν οὐ πείσονται τοῦτο. τὰ δὲ δρομαῖα, ἕως ἂν ἕλωσι [τῷ ἴχνει], μεταθεῖν ἐᾶν· ἁλισκομένου δὲ τοῦ λαγῶ διδόναι αὐταῖς ἀναρρηγνύναι.
10. As soon as they show reluctance to stick to it and begin scattering, call then in, until they grow accustomed to keep on till they find the hare, lest if they get into the way of misbehaving when they seek her, they end by becoming skirters—a vile habit.
10. ἐπειδὰν δὲ μηκέτι θέλωσι προσμένειν τοῖς ἴχνεσιν, ἀλλʼ ἀποσκεδαννύωνται, ἀναλαμβάνειν, ἕως ἂν ἐθισθῶσιν εὑρίσκειν προσθέουσαι τὸν λαγῶ, ἐπεὶ μὴ ἐν κόσμῳ ἀεὶ τοῦτον ζητοῦσαι τελευτῶσαι γίγνονται ἔκκυνοι, πονηρὸν μάθημα.
11. Give them their food near the purse-nets so long as they are young, while the nets are being taken up, so that if they have gone astray in the hunting ground, through inexperience, they may come back safe for their meal. This will be discontinued when they come to regard the game as an enemy; they will be too intent on that to worry about their food.
11. πρὸς δὲ ταῖς ἄρκυσι διδόναι τὰ σιτία αὐταῖς, ἕως ἂν νέαι ὦσιν, ὅταν ἀναιρῶνται, ἵνʼ ἐὰν πλανηθῶσιν ἐν τῷ κυνηγεσίῳ διʼ ἀπειρίαν, πρὸς τοῦτο ἐπανιοῦσαι σῴζωνται. ἀφεθήσονται δὲ τούτου, ὅταν ἤδη τῷ θηρίῳ ἔχωσι πολεμίως, ἐπιμέλειαν δὲ ποιήσονται τούτου μᾶλλον ἢ ἐκείνου φροντίζειν.
12. As a rule when they are hungry the master should feed the hounds himself; for when they are not hungry they do not know to whom that is due; but when they want food and get it, they love the giver.
12. χρὴ δὲ καὶ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ δεομέναις διδόναι τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ταῖς κυσὶν αὐτόν· ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ⟨μὴ⟩ ἐνδεεῖς ὦσι, τούτου τὸν αἴτιον οὐκ ἴσασιν, ὅταν δὲ ἐπιθυμοῦσαι λάβωσι, τὸν διδόντα στέργουσιν.