Lucian Toxaris vel amicitia 43

[43] But let me tell you about another man equally honoured, Belitta, cousin of that same Amizoces. He saw that his friend Basthes had been dragged off his horse by a lion (it chanced that they were hunting together), and already the lion, lying upon him, had fastened upon his throat and was tearing him with his claws. Springing to the ground, he attacked the animal from behind and tried to draw him away, provoking him, diverting his attention, inserting his fingers between his teeth, and endeavouring in every possible way to extract Basthes from the grip of his jaws, until at last the lion left Basthes halfdead and turning upon Belitta, seized and killed him. In dying, however, he at least succeeded in stabbing the lion in the breast with his sword, so that they all died together, and in burying them we made two barrows in close proximity, one for the friends and one facing it for the lion. ¹

[43] And now let me introduce you to another friend, not inferior to Dandamis,—a cousin of Amizoces, Belitta by name. Belitta was once hunting with his friend Basthes, when the latter was torn from his horse by a lion. Already the brute had fallen upon him, and was clutching him by the throat and beginning to tear him to pieces, when Belitta, leaping to earth, rushed upon him from behind, and attempted to drag him off, and to turn his rage upon himself, thrusting his hands into the brute’s mouth, and doing his best to extricate Basthes from those teeth. He succeeded at last: the lion, abandoning his half dead prey, turned upon Belitta, grappled with him, and slew him; but not before Belitta had plunged a scimetar into his breast. Thus all three died together; and we buried them, the two friends in one grave, the lion in another close by.

[43] But now hear of another man, equally admirable: Belittas, a cousin of this Amizokes. When he saw his friend Basthes dragged from his horse by a lion-they happened to be hunting together —and that the lion had already clutched him and clung to his throat tearing him with his claws, he leaped down from his own horse, fell upon the beast from behind, and dragged him over, diverting his rage to himself. He passed his fingers between the animal's teeth, and tried his best to drag Basthes out of his jaws until the lion let him go, half dead already, and, turning upon Belittas, grappled with him and slew him too. But even as he was dying he found time to strike the lion in the breast with his sword, so that they all died together, and we buried them, digging two graves near together, one for the friends and one opposite for the lion.