Pliny Dolphin Story

Velocissimum omnium animalium, 

The swiftest of all animals,

non solum marinorum, est delphinus,

not only those of the sea, is the dolphin,

ocior volucre,

it is swifter than a bird

acrior telo,

faster than a pointed weapon,

ac nisi multum infra rostrum os illi foret medio paene in ventre,

and were not its mouth much below its snout, almost in the middle of its belly,

nullus piscium celeritatem eius evaderet.

not a single fish would escape its speed.

sed adfert moram providentia naturae,

But nature's foresight contributes delay,

quia nisi resupini atque conversi non corripiunt,

because they cannot seize their prey except by turning over on their backs.

quae causa praecipue velocitatem eorum ostendit.

This fact especially shows their speed ;

nam cum fame conciti fugientem in vada ima persecuti piscem diutius spiritum continuere,

for when spurred by hunger they have chased a fleeing fish into the lowest depths and have held their breath too long,

 ut arcu missi ad respirandum emicant tantaque vi exiliunt,

they shoot up like arrows from a bow in order to breathe again,

ut plerumque vela navium transvolent.

and leap out of the water with such force that they often fly over a ship's sails.

vagantur fere coniugia;

They usually roam about in couples,

pariunt catulos decimo mense aestivo tempore,

they bear cubs after ten months, in the summer season,

interim et binos.

occasionally even twins.

nutrunt uberibus,

They suckle their young,

sicut ballaena,

as do whales,

atque etiam gestant fetus infantia infirmos;

and even carry them about while weak from infancy ;

quin et adultos diu comitantur magna erga partum caritate.

indeed they accompany them for a long time even when grown up, so great is their affection for their offspring.

adolescunt celeriter, X annis putantur ad summam magnitudinem pervenire.

 They grow up quickly, and are believed to reach their full size in 10 years.

vivunt et tricenis, quod cognitum praecisa cauda in experimentum.

They live as much as 30 years, as has been ascertained by amputating the tail of a specimen for an experiment.

abduntur tricenis diebus circa canis ortum occultanturque incognito modo,

They are in retirement for 30 days about the rising of the dog-star and hide themselves in an unknown manner,

quod eo magis mirum est, si spirare in aqua non queunt.

which is the more surprising in view of the fact that they cannot breathe under water.

Delphinus non homini tantum amicum animal, verum et musicae arti,

The dolphin is an animal that is not only friendly to mankind but is also a lover of music,

mulcetur symphoniae cantu,

and it can be charmed by singing in harmony,

set praecipue hydrauli sono.

but particularly by the sound of the water-organ.

hominem non expavescit ut alienum,

It is not afraid of a human being as something strange to it,

obviam navigiis venit,

but comes to meet vessels at sea and plays round them,

adludit exultans,

actually trying to race them

certat etiam et quamvis plena praeterit vela.

passing them even when under full sail.

Divo Augusto principe Lucrinum lacum invectus pauperis cuiusdam puerum ex Baiano Puteolos in ludum litterarium itantem,

In the reign of the deified Augustus a dolphin that had been brought into the Lucrine Lake fell marvellously in love with a certain boy, a poor man's son, who used to go from the Baiae district to school at Puteoli,

cum meridiano immorans appellatum eum simonis nomine saepius fragmentis panis, quem ob iter ferebat, adlexisset, miro amore dilexit.

because fairly often the lad when loitering about the place at noon called him to him by the name of 'Snubnose' and coaxed him with bits of the bread he had with him for the journey,

pigeret referre,

I should be ashamed to tell the story

ni res Maecenatis et Fabiani et Flavii Alfii multorumque esset litteris mandata.

were it not that it has been written about by Maecenas and Fabianus and Flavius Alfius and many others,

quocumque diei tempore inclamatus a puero,

and when the boy called to it at whatever time of day,

quamvis occultus atque abditus,

although it was concealed

ex imo advolabat pastusque e manu praebebat ascensuro dorsum,

it used to fly to him out of the depth, eat out of his hand, and let him mount on its back,

pinnae aculeos velut vagina condens,

sheathing as it were the prickles of its fin,

receptumque Puteolos per magnum aequor in ludum ferebat simili modo revehens pluribus annis,

and used to carry him when mounted right across the bay to Puteoli to school, bringing him back in similar manner, for several years,

donec morbo extincto puero subinde ad consuetum locum ventitans tristis et maerenti similis ipse quoque,

until the boy died of disease, and then it used to keep coming sorrowfully and like a mourner to the customary place,

quod nemo dubitaret, desiderio expiravit.

and itself also expired, quite undoubtedly from longing.