“I know,” replied Vaccius, “the importance of the ox and that his very name is used to signify that quality, as in words like [Greek:  bousukon](big fig), [Greek:  boupais](a big boy), [Greek:  boulimos] (a ravenous hunger),[Greek:  boopis] (large eyed), and again that a certain large grape is called bumamma (cow teat).  Furthermore, I know it was the form of a bull that Jupiter assumed when he wooed Europa and bore her across the sea from Phoenicia:  that it was a bull which protected the children of Neptune and Melanippe from being crushed in a stable by a herd of cattle:  I know too that the bees which give the sweetest honey are generated from the carcase of an ox, whence the Greeks call them [Greek:  bougeneis] (born of an ox), an expression which Plautius latinized on the occasion where the praetor Hirrius, was accused at Rome of having libeled the Senate.  ’But be of good cheer, I will give you at least as great satisfaction as did he who wrote the Bugonia.’[137]

“In the first place there are said to be four ages of cattle, during which they are known by the successive designation of calf (vitulus), yearling (juvencus), prime (novellus) and aged (vetulus).  These designations are further divided according to sex, as bull-calf and heifer-calf, or bull and cow.

“A cow which is sterile is called taura:  when pregnant, horda, from which last name a certain festival is called the hordicalia (Fordicidia) because cows in calf are sacrificed upon it.

“He who wishes to buy a herd of neat cattle should take care first that they are of an age to produce, rather than past breeding; that they are well set up, clean limbed, square bodied, large, with black horns and broad brows, large black eyes, hairy ears, flat cheek bones, snub-nosed, not hump-backed but rather with the back bone slightly roached, wide nostrils, blackish lips, a neck muscular and long with dew laps hanging from it, the barrel large and well ribbed, the shoulders broad and the quarters good, a tail sweeping the heels, the end being frizzled in a heavy brush, the legs rather short and straight with knees projecting a little and well separated, the feet narrow and not inclined to spread in walking, the hoofs not being splayed but consisting of light and even bones, and a hide which is not rough and hard to the touch.  The best colour is black, next red, third chestnut and last white:  for a white coat indicates weakness, as black indicates endurance:  of the other two colours red is more common than chestnut, and both than black and white.  In addition you should be particular that the bull is of good breed, which is determined from his conformation and his get, as calves usually reproduce the qualities of their sire.  And, finally, it is of importance whence they come.  Gallic cattle are considered in Italy to be the best for work, while on the other hand Ligurian cattle are worthless.  The foreign