Arrian on coursing

Arrian on coursing by Arrian is a translated treatise with annotations written in the early 19th century. It presents an English rendering of the ancient Cynegeticus on greyhound hare-coursing, pairing practical instruction on breeding, training, slipping, and kennel management with classical scholarship and an appendix on the hunting dogs of antiquity. Addressed to dedicated coursers rather than general readers, it also argues for the legitimacy and measured enjoyment of the sport. The opening of the volume dedicates the work to “amateurs of the leash,” then uses a long preface to set its aim and audience, survey classical and medieval sources on the canis Gallicus, and outline what Arrian covers—greyhound form and temperament, feeding and exercise, entering puppies, careful slipping, and four Celtic modes of coursing. It contends that modern practice has added little to Arrian’s core methods, and offers a reasoned defense of coursing against moral critics, urging moderation. The translator explains his literal approach, the use of technical terms and extensive notes, and previews an appendix clarifying ancient dog-types. A bibliographical note sketches the manuscript’s discovery and key editions, and a brief biographical notice situates Arrian as a Nicomedian man of letters and soldier under Hadrian, author of historical, philosophical, and geographical works.

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