The Goal of the Wise

Things are more potent according to nature, since the art of hunting with animals is more worthy than other types of hunting. One must know, however, that the art of hunting is one with other arts, but if it is considered simply as hunting, it may have many other parts, and all parts of the year are deduced into action by the artist of hunting. First, it must be intended what the art of hunting is and how it is made by nature, and what the parts of the art of hunting are. For, having premised all other things, let it be said here for the present only about the art of hunting with birds. The art of hunting is a collection of documents by which men are accustomed to seize non-domesticated animals of any kind, especially for their own work. Hunting, however, is nothing other than a voluntary motion that is done with such study so that animals of this kind may be caught. First, there is another kind of the art of hunting that teaches how to hunt with inanimate instruments. Another [is] with animate instruments. Another is done with both. The kind that is done with inanimate instruments has a manifold mode, such as [trapping in] a pit. Another is done with nets, with shackles, with crossbows, bows, and arrows, with mousetraps, and other arts, just as that which is done with animate instruments; another is done with birds...

...such as with leopards or other quadruped animals, another is done with birds... where it seems to say why it is so called, omitting what the present... on the art of hunting with birds, as is shown in the present chapter, for many causes that it itself is more worthy than the others, which is said about the same part. The causes, however, that were moving [us] toward other functions. We read, indeed, that this book... through diligent [study] of many kinds of wild beasts... to know together, therefore, to test above other arts of hunting. Furthermore, hunts are more powerful by many, for the fact that they can understand habitats. Nor, indeed, is it less known than that which can be placed by a few, because it is of a more difficult... Furthermore, the things of other hunts, through which they return to the end, are much more noble to the elderly than the things of the present obedience. Otherwise, hunts have artificial and manufactured instruments, such as nets, snares, shackles, hunting spears, torches, bows, crossbows, and the like. Here, however, are domesticated and wild animals of quadrupeds, such as hunting dogs, leopards, lynxes, otters, ferrets, and many others. Truly, hunting with instruments does not overcome the prey, nor with animals of which...