Ecclesiastical History[1] a curious passage on the introduction of this kind of net into England. He says, "the people had as yet only learnt to catch eels with nets. Wilfrid caused them to collect together all their eel-nets, and to use them as a sean for catching fishes of all kinds."
VIII.
Reticulus or Reticulum.
[Greek: GYRGATHOS.]
In the ancient Glossaries we find [Greek: Gyrgathos] translated Reticulus and Reticulum: it meant, therefore, a small net. It was not a name for nets in general, nor did it denote any kind of hunting-net or fishing-net, although the net indicated by this term might be used occasionally for catching animals as well as for other purposes. It was used, for example, in an island on the coast of India to catch tortoises, being set at the mouths of the caverns, which were the resort of those creatures[2]. But the same term is applied to the nets which were used to carry pebbles and stones intended to be thrown from military engines[3]; and a similar contrivance was in common use for carrying loaves of bread[4]. Hence it is manifest that the [Greek: gyrgathos] was often much like the nets in which the Jewish boys in our streets carry lemons, being inclosed at the mouth by a running string or noose. We may therefore translate [Greek: gyrgathos], "a bag-net," as it was made in the form of a bag. "To blow into a bag-net," [Greek: eis gyrgathon physan], became a proverb, meaning to labor in vain. But this bag was often of much smaller dimensions, and of much finer materials, than in the instances already mentioned. From a passage of Æneas Tacticus (p. 54. ed. Orell.) we may—Arrian, Per. Maris Eryth. p. 151. ed. Blancardi.]—Hesych.
Reticulum panis.—Hor. Sat. i. l. 47.
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