§6.18#2Οἱ δ’ ἄρρενες ἵπποι διαγινώσκουσι τὰς θηλείας τὰς συννόμους ταῖς ὀσμαῖς, κἂν ὀλίγας ἡμέρας ἅμα γένωνται πρὸ τῆς ὀχείας·
Stallions distinguish their pasture-companion females by their scents, even if they have been together for only a few days before copulation.
κἂν ἀναμιχθῶσιν ἀλλήλοις, ἐξελαύνουσι δάκνοντες, καὶ νέμονται χωρίς, ἕκαστοι τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἔχοντες.
And even if they are mixed with one another, they drive them out by biting, and graze separately, each keeping his own.
Διδόασι δ’ ἑκάστῳ περὶ τριάκοντα ἢ μικρῷ πλείους.
And people give to each about thirty or slightly more.
Ὅταν δὲ προσίῃ τις ἄρρην, συστρέψας εἰς ταὐτὸ καὶ περιδραμὼν κύκλῳ, προσελθὼν μάχεται· κἄν τις κινῆται, δάκνει καὶ κωλύει.
But when another male approaches, having gathered his females into the same place and run around them in a circle, he comes forward and fights; and if any female moves, he bites and stops her.
Ὁ δὲ ταῦρος, ὅταν ὥρα τῆς ὀχείας ᾖ, τότε γίνεται σύννομος καὶ μάχεται τοῖς ἄλλοις, τὸν δὲ πρότερον χρόνον μετ’ ἀλλήλων εἰσίν, ὃ καλεῖται ἀτιμαγελεῖν· πολλάκις γὰρ οἵ γ’ ἐν τῇ Ἠπείρῳ οὐ φαίνονται τριῶν μηνῶν.
But the bull, when the season of copulation is present, then joins the herd and fights the others, but during the previous time they are with one another, which is called living apart from the herd; for often those in Epirus are not seen for three months.
Ὅλως δὲ τὰ ἄγρια πάντα ἢ τὰ πλεῖστα οὐ συννέμονται τοῖς θήλεσι πρὸ τῆς ὥρας τοῦ ὀχεύειν, ἀλλ’ ἐκκρίνονται, ὅταν εἰς ἡλικίαν ἔλθωσι, καὶ χωρὶς βόσκονται τὰ ἄρρενα τῶν θηλειῶν.
In general, all or most wild animals do not feed together with the females before the season of copulation, but are separated when they come of age, and the males graze apart from the females.
Καὶ αἱ ὕες δ’ ὅταν ἔχωσι πρὸς τὴν ὀχείαν ὁρμητικῶς, ὃ καλεῖται καπρᾶν, ὠθοῦνται καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους.
And female pigs too, when they are eager for copulation, which is called desiring the boar, rush even at humans.
Περὶ δὲ τὰς κύνας τὸ τοιοῦτον πάθος καλεῖται σκυζᾶν.
In dogs, such an affection is called being in heat.
Ἔπαρσις μὲν οὖν τοῖς θήλεσιν ἐγγίνεται τῶν αἰδοίων, ὅταν πρὸς τὴν ὀχείαν ὀργῶσι, καὶ ὑγρασία περὶ τὸν τόπον· αἱ δ’ ἵπποι καὶ ἀπορραίνουσι λευκὴν ὑγρότητα περὶ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον.
Now, a swelling of the private parts occurs in females when they desire copulation, and moisture around that place; and female horses even sprinkle a white moisture around this time.
Καθάρσεις δὲ γίνονται μὲν καταμηνίων, οὐ μὴν ὅσαι γε ταῖς γυναιξὶν οὐθενὶ τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων.
And discharges of menstrual fluid occur, though indeed not as much as in women in any of the other animals.
Τοῖς μὲν οὖν προβάτοις καὶ αἰξίν, ἐπειδὰν ὥρα ᾖ ὀχεύεσθαι, ἐπισημαίνει πρὸ τοῦ ὀχεύεσθαι·
Now, in sheep and goats, when it is the season to copulate, signs appear before copulation.
καὶ ἐπειδὰν ὀχευθῶσι, γίνεται τὰ σημεῖα, εἶτα διαλείπει, μέχρι οὗ ἂν μέλλωσι τίκτειν.
And when they have copulated, the signs occur, then cease, until they are about to bring forth.
Τότε δ’ ἐπισημαίνει, καὶ οὕτω γινώσκουσιν ὅτι ἐπίτοκοι οἱ ποιμένες.
Then signs appear, and thus the shepherds know that they are pregnant.
Ἐπειδὰν δὲ τέκῃ, κάθαρσις γίνεται πολλή, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον οὐ σφόδρα αἱματώδης, ὕστερον μέντοι σφόδρα.
And when she has brought forth, a large discharge occurs, at first not very bloody, but later indeed very much so.
Βοῒ δὲ καὶ ὄνῳ καὶ ἵππῳ πλείω μὲν τούτων διὰ τὸ μέγεθος, ἐλάττω δὲ κατὰ λόγον πολλῷ.
But in the cow, ass, and horse, it is indeed more than in these because of their size, but much less in proportion.
Ἡ μὲν οὖν βοῦς ὅταν ὀργᾷ πρὸς τὴν ὀχείαν ἡ θήλεια, καθαίρεται κάθαρσιν βραχεῖαν ὅσον ἡμικοτύλιον ἢ μικρῷ πλέον· καιρὸς δὲ γίνεται τῆς ὀχείας μάλιστα περὶ τὴν κάθαρσιν.
Now, when the female cow desires copulation, she discharges a small discharge, about half a kotyle or slightly more; and the time for copulation is especially around this discharge.
Ἵππος δὲ τῶν τετραπόδων ἁπάντων εὐτοκώτατον καὶ λοχίων καθαρώτατον, καὶ ἐλαχίστην προΐεται αἵματος ῥύσιν, ὡς κατὰ τὸ τοῦ σώματος μέγεθος.
And the horse is the most easy-birthing of all quadrupeds, and the cleanest in respect of after-birth, and discharges the least flow of blood, considering the size of its body.
Μάλιστα δὲ καὶ ταῖς βουσὶ καὶ ταῖς ἵπποις τὰ καταμήνια ἐπισημαίνει διαλείποντα δίμηνον καὶ τετράμηνον καὶ ἑξάμηνον· ἀλλ’ οὐ ῥᾴδιον γνῶναι μὴ παρεπομένῳ μηδὲ συνήθει σφόδρα, διὸ ἔνιοι οὐκ οἴονται γίνεσθαι αὐτοῖς.
And especially in cows and horses, the menstrual signs show themselves at intervals of two, four, and six months; but it is not easy to recognize except for one who closely follows and is very familiar, wherefore some think it does not happen to them.
Τοῖς δ’ ὀρεῦσι τοῖς θήλεσιν οὐθὲν γίνεται καταμήνιον, ἀλλὰ τὸ οὖρον παχύτερον τὸ τῆς θηλείας.
But in female mules no menstrual discharge occurs, but the urine of the female is thicker.
Ὅλως μὲν οὖν τὸ τῆς κύστεως περίττωμα τοῖς τετράποσι παχύτερον ἢ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὸ δὲ τῶν προβάτων καὶ τῶν αἰγῶν τῶν θηλειῶν παχύτερον ἔτι ἢ τὸ τῶν ἀρρένων· ὄνου δὲ λεπτότερον τὸ τῶν θηλειῶν, βοὸς δὲ δριμύτερον τὸ τῆς θηλείας.
In general, then, the residue of the bladder in quadrupeds is thicker than that of humans, and that of female sheep and goats is thicker still than that of males; but in the ass, that of females is thinner, and in the cow, that of the female is sharper.
Μετὰ δὲ τοὺς τόκους ἁπάντων τῶν τετραπόδων παχύτερον τὸ οὖρον γίνεται, καὶ μᾶλλον τῶν ἐλάττω προϊεμένων κάθαρσιν.
And after giving birth, the urine of all quadrupeds becomes thicker, and more so in those that discharge less after-birth.
Τὸ δὲ γάλα γίνεται, ὅταν ὀχεύεσθαι ἄρχωνται, πυοειδές· χρήσιμον δὲ γίνεται, ἐπειδὰν τέκωσιν ὕστερον.
And the milk becomes like colostrum when they begin to copulate; but it becomes useful later, when they have brought forth.
Κύοντα δὲ καὶ πρόβατα καὶ αἶγες πιότερα γίνονται καὶ ἐσθίουσι μᾶλλον· καὶ βόες δὲ ὡσαύτως καὶ τἆλλα τὰ τετράποδα πάντα.
And while pregnant, both sheep and goats become fatter and eat more; and cows likewise, and all other quadrupeds.
Ὁρμητικώτατα μὲν οὖν ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πᾶν εἰπεῖν πρὸς τὴν ὀχείαν τὴν ἐαρινὴν ὥραν ἐστίν· οὐ μὴν τὰ πάντα γε ποιεῖται τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν τῆς ὀχείας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἐκτροφὴν τῶν τέκνων ἐν τοῖς καθήκουσι καιροῖς.
Now, generally speaking, they are most eager for copulation during the spring season; however, not all of them copulate at the same time, but with a view to the rearing of their offspring at the appropriate seasons.
Αἱ μὲν οὖν ἥμεροι ὕες κύουσι τέτταρας μῆνας, τίκτουσι δὲ τὰ πλεῖστα εἴκοσιν· πλὴν ἂν πολλὰ τέκωσιν, οὐ δύνανται ἐκτρέφειν πάντα.
Now, domestic pigs are pregnant for four months, and bring forth at most twenty; except that if they bring forth many, they cannot rear them all.
Γηράσκουσαι δὲ τίκτουσι μὲν ὁμοίως, ὀχεύονται δὲ βραδύτερον· κυΐσκονται δ’ ἐκ μιᾶς ὀχείας, ἀλλὰ πολλάκις ἐπιβιβάσκουσι διὰ τὸ ἐκβάλλειν μετὰ τὴν ὀχείαν τὴν καλουμένην ὑπό τινων καπρίαν.
And as they grow old, they bring forth in like manner, but couple later; and they conceive from a single copulation, but they often put the boar on them repeatedly because they eject, after copulation, what is called by some boar-discharge.
Τοῦτο μὲν οὖν συμβαίνει πάσαις, ἔνιαι δ’ ἅμα τούτῳ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα προΐενται.
This indeed happens to all, but some also eject the semen along with this.
Ἐν δὲ τῇ κυήσει ὃ ἂν βλαφθῇ τῶν τέκνων καὶ τῷ μεγέθει πηρωθῇ, καλεῖται μετάχοιρον· τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται ὅπου ἂν τύχῃ τῆς ὑστέρας.
And during pregnancy, whichever of the offspring is damaged and stunted in size is called runt; and this occurs in whatever part of the uterus it may happen.
Ὅταν δὲ γεννήσῃ, τῷ πρώτῳ τὸν πρῶτον παρέχει μαστόν.
And when she has brought forth, she offers the first teat to the first-born.
Θυῶσαν δ’ οὐ δεῖ εὐθὺς βιβάζειν, πρὶν ἂν μὴ τὰ ὦτα καταβάλῃ· εἰ δὲ μή, ἀναθυᾷ πάλιν· ἂν δ’ ὀργῶσαν βιβάσῃ, μία ὀχεία, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, ἀρκεῖ.
And one must not couple her immediately when she is in heat, until she lets her ears drop; otherwise, she goes into heat again; but if one couples her when she is strongly desiring, one copulation, as has been said, is sufficient.
Συμφέρει δ’ ὀχεύοντι μὲν τῷ κάπρῳ παρέχειν κριθάς, τετοκυίᾳ δὲ τῇ ὑῒ κριθὰς ἑφθάς.
And it is beneficial to provide barley to the coupling boar, and boiled barley to the sow that has brought forth.
Εἰσὶ δὲ τῶν ὑῶν αἱ μὲν εὐθὺς καλλίχοιροι μόνον, αἱ δ’ ἐπαυξανόμεναι τὰ τέκνα καὶ τὰς δέλφακας χρηστὰς γεννῶσιν.
And among pigs, some are immediately good breeders only, while others, as they grow older, produce better offspring and generate useful young sows.
Φασὶ δέ τινες, ἐὰν τὸν ἕτερον ὀφθαλμὸν ἐκκοπῇ ἡ ὗς, ἀποθνήσκειν διὰ ταχέων ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ.
And some say that if the sow has one of her eyes knocked out, she dies quickly for the most part.
Ζῶσι δ’ αἱ πλεῖσται μὲν περὶ ἔτη πεντεκαίδεκα, ἔνιαι δὲ καὶ τῶν εἴκοσιν ὀλίγον ἀπολείπουσιν.
Most of them live about fifteen years, and some fall only a little short of twenty.