The unique characteristics of animals is a miscellany of facts,
genuine or supposed, gleamed from earlier and contemporary Greek
writers (No Latin writer is once named) and to a limited extent
from his own observation to illustrate the habits of the animal
world. We are of course prepared to encounter much that modern
science rejects, but the general tone with its search after the
picturesque, the startling, even the miraculous, would justify us
in ranking Aelian with the paradoxical, rather than with the sober
exponents of natural history. Mythology, mariners' yarns, vulgar
superstitions, the ascertained facts of nature-all serve to adorn a
tale and, on occasion, to point a moral. His religion is the
popular stoicism of the age. Aleian repeatedly affirms his belief
in the gods and in divine providence; the wisdom and beneficence of
Nature are held up to veneration; the folly and selfishness of man
are contrasted with the untaught virtues of the animal world. Some
animals, to be sure, have their failings, but he chooses rather to
dwell upon their good qualities, devotion, courage, self-sacrifice,
gratitude. Again, animals are guided by reason, and from them we
may learn contentment, control of the passions, and calm in the
face of death. His primary object is to entertain and while so
doing to convey instruction in the most agreeable form. Some might
find fault with his random and piece-meal handling of his theme-of
which he is well aware, and he defends himself with the plea that a
frequent change of topic helps to maintain the reader's interest
and saves him from boredom. As to the permanent value of his work
he has no misgivings and since we have been informed that his
writings were much admired, we may assume that they appealed to
cultivated circles in a way that the voluminous and possibly arid
compilations of grammarians did not. Now I am well aware of the
labour that others have expended on this subject, yet I have
collected all the materials that I could; I have clothed them in
untechnical language, and am persuaded that my achievement is a
treasure far from negligible. So if anyone considers them
profitable, let him make use of them; anyone who does not consider
them so may give them to his father to keep and attend to.
General
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