THE ICHNEUMON

Latine · Mayhoff 1906

deinde internecivum bellum cum ichneumone. notum est animal hac gloria maxime, in eadem natum Aegypto. mergit se limo saepius siccatque sole, mox ubi pluribus eodem modo se coriis loricavit, in dimicationem pergit. in ea caudam attollens ictus inritos aversus excipit, donec obliquo capite speculatus invadat in fauces. nec hoc contentus aliud baud mitius debellat animal.

English · Bostock & Riley 1855–57

The ichneumon, too, is its enemy to the very death.

This hostility is the especial glory of this animal, which is also produced in Egypt. It plunges itself repeatedly into the mud, and then dries itself in the sun: as soon as, by these means, it has armed itself with a sufficient number of coatings, it proceeds to the combat. Raising its tail, and turning its back to the serpent, it receives its stings, which are inflicted to no purpose, until at last, turning its head sideways, and viewing its enemy, it seizes it by the throat. Not content, however, with this victory, it conquers another creature also, which is no less dangerous.