LIBER VIII · CAPUT 12
THE SAGACITY OF THESE ANIMALS
Latine · Mayhoff 1906
Mira animalium pro se cuique sollertia astutis sima. ascendendi in tantam altitudinem difficultas draconi; itaque tritum iter ad pabula speculatus ab excelsa se arbore inicit. scit ille inparem sibi luctatum contra nexus; itaque arborum aut rupium attritum quaerit. cavent hoc dracones ob idque gressus primum alligant cauda: resolvunt illi nodos manu; at hi in ipsas nares caput condunt pariter que spiritum praecludunt et mollissimas lancinant partes. iidem obvii deprehensi in adversos erigunt se oculosque maxime petunt. ita fit ut plerumque caeci ac fame et maeroris tabe confecti reperiantur. quam quis aliam tantae discordiae causam attulerit nisi naturam spectaculum sibi paria conponentem?
Est et alia dimicationis huius fama. elephantis frigidissimum esse sanguinem; ob id aestu torrente praecipue draconibus expeti. quam ob rem in amnes mersos insidiari bibentibus coortosque inligata manu in aurem morsum defigere, qnoniam is tantum locus defendi non possit manu. dracones esse tantos, ut totum sanguinem capiant, itaque elephantos ab iis ebibi siccatosque concidere et dracones inebriatos opprimi conmorique.
English · Bostock & Riley 1855–57
The sagacity which every animal exhibits in its own behalf is wonderful, but in these it is remarkably so. The dragon has much difficulty in climbing up to so great a height, and therefore, watching the road, which bears marks of their footsteps when going to feed, it darts down upon them from a lofty tree. The elephant knows that it is quite unable to struggle against the folds of the serpent, and so seeks for trees or rocks against which to rub itself. The dragon is on its guard against this, and tries to prevent it, by first of all confining the legs of the elephant with the folds of its tail; while the elephant, on the other hand, endeavours to disengage itself with its trunk. The dragon, however, thrusts its head into its nostrils, and thus, at the same moment, stops the breath and wounds the most tender parts. When it is met unexpectedly, the dragon raises itself up, faces its opponent, and flies more especially at the eyes; this is the reason why elephants are so often found blind, and worn to a skeleton with hunger and misery. What other cause can one assign for such mighty strifes as these, except that Nature is desirous, as it were, to make an exhibition for herself, in pitting such opponents against each other?
There is another story, too, told in relation to these combats—the blood of the elephant, it is said, is remarkably cold; for which reason, in the parching heats of summer, it is sought by the dragon with remarkable avidity. It lies, therefore, coiled up and concealed in the rivers, in wait for the elephants, when they come to drink; upon which it darts out, fastens itself around the trunk, and then fixes its teeth behind the ear, that being the only place which the elephant cannot protect with the trunk. The dragons, it is said, are of such vast size, that they can swallow the whole of the blood; consequently, the elephant, being thus drained of its blood, falls to the earth exhausted; while the dragon, intoxicated with the draught, is crushed beneath it, and so shares its fate.