§8.2#3Ὁ δὲ κέφαλος καὶ ὁ κεστρεὺς ὅλως μόνοι οὐ σαρκοφαγοῦσιν· σημεῖον δέ, οὔτε γὰρ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ πώποτ’ ἔχοντες εἰλημμένοι εἰσὶ τοιοῦτον οὐδέν, οὔτε δελέατι χρῶνται πρὸς αὐτοὺς ζῴων σαρξὶν ἀλλὰ μάζῃ.
The kephalos and the kestreus are generally the only ones that do not feed on flesh at all; and the proof of this is that they have never been caught with any such thing in their stomach, nor do people use the flesh of animals as bait for them, but rather barley-cake.
Τρέφεται δὲ πᾶς κεστρεὺς φυκίοις καὶ ἄμμῳ.
Every kestreus feeds on seaweed and sand.
Ἔστι δ’ ὁ μὲν κέφαλος, ὃν καλοῦσί τινες χελῶνα, πρόσγειος, ὁ δὲ περαίας οὔ· βόσκεται δ’ ὁ περαίας τὴν ἀφ’ αὑτοῦ μύξαν, διὸ καὶ νῆστίς ἐστιν ἀεί.
And the kephalos, which some call a turtle, lives near the shore, but the peraias does not; the peraias feeds on the mucus that comes from itself, which is why it is always fasting.
Οἱ δὲ κέφαλοι νέμονται τὴν ἰλύν, διὸ καὶ βαρεῖς καὶ βλεννώδεις εἰσίν, ἰχθὺν δ’ ὅλως οὐκ ἐσθίουσιν· διά τε τὸ ἐν τῇ ἰλύϊ διατρίβειν ἐξανακολυμβῶσι πολλάκις, ἵνα περιπλύνωνται τὸ βλέννος.
The kephaloi feed on mud, which is why they are heavy and slimy, and they do not eat fish at all; because of spending their time in the mud, they often swim up to the surface in order to wash off the slime.
Τὸν δὲ γόνον αὐτῶν οὐδὲν ἐσθίει τῶν θηρίων, διὸ γίγνονται πολλοί· ἀλλ’ ὅταν αὐξηθῶσι, τότε κατεσθίονται ὑπό τε τῶν ἄλλων ἰχθύων καὶ μάλιστα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀχάρνου.
None of the wild beasts eats their spawn, which is why they become numerous; but when they have grown, they are then devoured by other fish, and especially by the acharnos.
Λαίμαργος δὲ μάλιστα τῶν ἰχθύων ὁ κεστρεύς ἐστι καὶ ἄπληστος, διὸ ἡ κοιλία περιτείνεται, καὶ ὅταν ᾖ μὴ νῆστις, φαῦλος· ὅταν δὲ φοβηθῇ, κρύπτει τὴν κεφαλὴν ὡς ὅλον τὸ σῶμα κρύπτων.
The kestreus is the most greedy and insatiable of all fish, which is why its stomach is distended, and when it is not fasting, it is sluggish; and when it is afraid, it hides its head as if hiding its whole body.
Σαρκοφαγεῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ σινόδων, καὶ τὰ μαλάκια κατεσθίει.
The dog-tooth also is carnivorous, and devours molluscs.
Πολλάκις δὲ καὶ οὗτος καὶ ἡ χάννα ἐκβάλλουσι τὰς κοιλίας διώκοντες τοὺς ἐλάττους ἰχθῦς, διὰ τὸ πρὸς τῷ στόματι τὰς κοιλίας τῶν ἰχθύων εἶναι καὶ στόμαχον μὴ ἔχειν.
Often both this fish and the comber eject their stomachs when pursuing smaller fish, because the stomach of fish is close to the mouth and they have no esophagus.
Τὰ μὲν οὖν, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, σαρκοφάγα μόνον ἐστίν, οἷον δελφὶς καὶ σινόδων καὶ χρύσοφρυς καὶ οἱ σελαχώδεις τῶν ἰχθύων καὶ τὰ μαλάκια· τὰ δ’ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ νέμονται μὲν τὸν πηλὸν καὶ τὸ φῦκος καὶ τὸ βρύον καὶ τὸ καλούμενον καυλίον καὶ τὴν φυομένην ὕλην, οἷον φυκὶς καὶ κωβιὸς καὶ οἱ πετραῖοι· ἡ δὲ φυκὶς ἄλλης μὲν σαρκὸς οὐχ ἅπτεται, τῶν δὲ καρίδων.
Now some, as has been said, are solely carnivorous, such as the dolphin, dog-tooth, chrysophrys, the selachian fish, and the molluscs; while others for the most part feed on mud, seaweed, moss, the so-called kaulion, and growing aquatic vegetation, such as the phycis, goby, and rock-dwelling fish; the phycis does not touch other flesh, but only prawns.
Πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἀλλήλων ἅπτονται, καθάπερ εἴρηται, καὶ τῶν ἐλαττόνων οἱ μείζους.
Often they also touch one another, as has been said, and the larger eat the smaller.
Σημεῖον δ’ ὅτι σαρκοφαγοῦσιν· ἁλίσκονται γὰρ τοιούτοις δελέασιν.
The proof that they are carnivorous is that they are caught with such bait.
Καὶ ἄμια δὲ καὶ θυννὶς καὶ λάβραξ τὰ μὲν πολλὰ σαρκοφαγοῦσιν, ἅπτονται δὲ καὶ φυκίων.
The amia, female tuna, and sea-bass also for the most part eat flesh, but they also touch seaweed.
Ὁ δὲ σάργος ἐπινέμεται τῇ τρίγλῃ, καὶ ὅταν ἡ τρίγλη κινήσασα τὸν πηλὸν ἀπέλθῃ (δύναται γὰρ ὀρύττειν), ἐπικαταβὰς νέμεται καὶ τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρους ἑαυτοῦ κωλύει συνεπιβαίνειν.
The sargus feeds after the red mullet, and when the red mullet, having stirred up the mud, departs (for it is able to dig), the sargus descends and feeds, and prevents those weaker than itself from sharing the spot.
Δοκεῖ δὲ τῶν ἰχθύων ὁ καλούμενος σκάρος μηρυκάζειν ὥσπερ τὰ τετράποδα μόνος.
And of fish, the so-called parrot-fish alone is thought to ruminate like quadrupeds.
Τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἄλλοις ἰχθύσιν ἡ θήρα τῶν ἡττόνων καταντικρὺ γίνεται τοῖς στόμασιν, ὅνπερ πεφύκασι τρόπον νεῖν· οἱ δὲ σελαχώδεις καὶ οἱ δελφῖνες καὶ πάντες οἱ κητώδεις ὕπτιοι ἀναπίπτοντες λαμβάνουσιν· κάτω γὰρ τὸ στόμα ἔχουσιν.
Now, for other fish, the hunting of weaker ones takes place directly in front of their mouths, in the manner they are naturally adapted to swim; but the selachians, dolphins, and all cetaceans catch them by turning on their backs, for they have their mouth on the underside.
Διὸ σώζονται μᾶλλον οἱ ἐλάττους· εἰ δὲ μή, πάμπαν ἂν ὀλίγοι δοκοῦσιν εἶναι· καὶ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ δελφῖνος ὀξύτης καὶ δύναμις τοῦ φαγεῖν δοκεῖ εἶναι θαυμαστή.
Because of this, the smaller ones are saved more; otherwise, they would seem to be altogether few; for the swiftness and eating capacity of the dolphin seem to be wonderful.
Τῶν δ’ ἐγχελύων τρέφονται ὀλίγαι μέν τινες καὶ ἐνιαχοῦ καὶ τῇ ἰλύϊ καὶ σιτίοις, ἄν τις παραβάλλῃ, αἱ μέντοι πλεῖσται τῷ ποτίμῳ ὕδατι· καὶ τοῦτο τηροῦσιν οἱ ἐγχελυοτρόφοι ὅπως ὅτι μάλιστα καθαρὸν ᾖ, ἀπορρέον ἀεὶ καὶ ἐπιρρέον ἐπὶ πλαταμώνων· ἢ κονιῶνται τοὺς ἐγχελεῶνας.
Of eels, a few in some places feed on mud and on food if anyone throws it to them, but the majority feed on fresh water; and eel-breeders watch this so that it is as clean as possible, always flowing out and flowing in over flat stones; or they plaster the eel-ponds.
Ἀποπνίγονται γὰρ ταχύ, ἐὰν μὴ καθαρὸν ᾖ τὸ ὕδωρ· ἔχουσι γὰρ τὰ βράγχια μικρά.
For they quickly choke if the water is not clean, because they have small gills.
Διόπερ ὅταν θηρεύωσι, ταράττουσι τὸ ὕδωρ· καὶ ἐν τῷ Στρυμόνι δὲ περὶ Πλειάδας ἁλίσκονται· τότε γὰρ ἀναθολοῦται τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ὁ πηλὸς ὑπὸ πνευμάτων γινομένων ἐναντίων· εἰ δὲ μή, συμφέρει ἡσυχίαν ἔχειν.
Therefore, when they hunt them, they disturb the water; and in the Strymon they are caught about the rising of the Pleiades; for then the water and mud are stirred up by contrary winds; otherwise, it is best to keep quiet.
Ἀποθανοῦσαι δ’ αἱ ἐγχέλυς οὐκ ἐπιπολάζουσιν οὐδὲ φέρονται ἄνω, ὥσπερ οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν ἰχθύων· ἔχουσι γὰρ τὴν κοιλίαν μικράν.
When dead, eels do not float on the surface nor are they carried upward, like most fish; for they have a small stomach.
Δημὸν δ’ ὀλίγαι μὲν ἔχουσιν, αἱ δὲ πλεῖσται οὐκ ἔχουσιν.
A few have fat, but the majority do not.
Ζῶσι δ’ ἐκ τοῦ ὑγροῦ ἀφαιρούμεναι ἡμέρας καὶ πέντε καὶ ἕξ, καὶ βορείων μὲν ὄντων πλείους, νοτίων δ’ ἐλάττους.
They live when taken out of the wet for five or six days, and more when north winds blow, but fewer when south winds blow.
Καὶ μεταβαλλόμεναι τοῦ θέρους εἰς τοὺς ἐγχελυῶνας ἐκ τῶν λιμνῶν ἀποθνήσκουσι, χειμῶνος δ’ οὔ.
And when they are transferred in summer from lakes to the eel-ponds they die, but in winter they do not.
Καὶ τὰς μεταβολὰς δ’ οὐχ ὑπομένουσι τὰς ἰσχυράς, οἷον καὶ τοῖς φέρουσιν ἐὰν βάπτωσιν εἰς ψυχρόν· ἀπόλλυνται γὰρ ἀθρόαι πολλάκις.
And they do not endure strong changes, such as when those carrying them dip them into cold water; for they often perish all at once.
Ἀποπνίγονται δὲ καὶ ἐὰν ὀλίγῳ ὕδατι τρέφωνται.
They also choke if they are kept in a small amount of water.
Τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων συμβαίνει ἰχθύων· ἀποπνίγονται γὰρ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ὕδατι καὶ ὀλίγῳ ἀεὶ ὄντες, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ ἀναπνέοντα, ἐὰν περιπωμασθῇ ὀλίγος ἀήρ.
This same thing happens also to other fish; for they choke when they are always in the same and small amount of water, just as breathing animals do if a small amount of air is shut in.
Ζῶσι δ’ ἔνιαι ἐγχέλυς καὶ ἑπτὰ καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη.
Some eels live even seven or eight years.
Τροφῇ δὲ καὶ οἱ ποτάμιοι χρῶνται ἀλλήλους τ’ ἐσθίοντες καὶ βοτάνας καὶ ῥίζας, κἄν τι ἐν τῷ βορβόρῳ λάβωσιν.
And the river eels use as food by eating one another, grass, roots, and whatever they can get in the mud.
Νέμονται δὲ μᾶλλον τῆς νυκτός, τὴν δ’ ἡμέραν εἰς τὰ βαθέα ὑποχωροῦσιν.
They feed rather by night, and by day they retreat to the deep waters.