If _levis_, or even _vadis_ be read, two arguments lean heavily against _harundo_ being the _fisher’s_ Rod. The first, in a poem dealing entirely with birds this somewhat obscure reference to fish would be extremely abrupt; the second, the line following “harundine præda” runs, “Pinguis _et_” (not “aut” as before) “implicitas virga teneret aves,” “_and_ (not or) the sticky reed-line,” etc. Save for this omission and the trend of the whole context, a strong argument might be easily advanced for _fishing_ in the apparent redundancy of _harundo_ and _virga_. But these two words may refer to two different weapons of capture, or, what is more probable, to two different ways of catching _birds_—the first, by a long reed with a noose, and the second by a branch with birdlime.[345] To conclude, whether _harundo_ here be a weapon for capture of birds or of fish, it is now established beyond any doubt or contradiction that there was used in and probably long before Martial’s time[346] a _Reed Rod_, capable of extension, either by protruding a smaller cane through a larger one, or else, perhaps, by an action somewhat similar to a chimney-sweep’s, with jointed rods fastened together in the hand, when prolonging his brush. If such a Reed Rod was found of service to the fowler for reaching a bird on a high branch, is it not extremely probable, is it not almost certain, that in spite of no express mention of such use the fisherman also employed a similar jointed rod for the purpose—common alike to his primitive predecessor and his more advanced successor—of getting the bait over any obstacles which lay between him and the water, and for increasing both the reach of his arm and the length of his throw?[347] Whether the Rod of the _piscator_ was similar to that of the _aucupator_ or not, we do find these two pursuits, with but one verb for both, coupled in two of Tibullus’s beautiful lines on Hope (II. 6, 23). His Hope is very reminiscent of St. Paul’s Charity or Love, which “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth.” “Hæc laqueo volucres, hæc captat harundine pisces Cum tenues hamos abdidit ante cibus.” “’Tis Hope, that taketh birds with the Snare, fish with the Rod with fine Hooks well hidden in the bait.” FOOTNOTES: [326] Ovid has, I believe, more piscatory passages than any other poet, except professional writers, such as Oppian. His ten years’ banishment to Tomi at the mouth of the Danube and on the shores of the fishful Euxine no doubt added to his love and his mention of Fishing. [327] Arist., _N. H._, IX. 13., Pliny, IX. 88. Hardouin suggests that Pliny may have learned this fact from the works of Nigidius Figulus.