on the dogs of greece and rome, from 1845

. . . The Greeks and Romans cultivated several kinds of dog, some of which 'were used in chase of the wolf and wild boar, others in pursuit of the stag or roe, others as guardians of the flock, and others as watch-dogs in fortresses and citadels. The Greeks appear to have had greyhounds, and wolf-like hounds with erect ears, and watch-dogs, of wolfish aspect, with erect ears also.' The citadel of Corinth was guarded externally by an advanced post of fifty dogs, which, on one occasion, during the drunken somnolency of the garrison, had to defend the place against the attack of an enemy. Forty-nine out of the fifty lost their lives after a valiant resistance, and the survivor, whose name was Soter, retreated to the citadel. The soldiers, alarmed by him, roused themselves to action and repelled the enemy. The dog was rewarded by the grateful senate with a silver collar, inscribed, 'Soter, defender and preserver of Corinth.' A marble monument was also erected to commemorate the names and glorious achievement of the fifty canine heroes.

--from The History of the Dog. By W. C. L. Martin. (Knight's Weekly Volume, xliv.) London, 1845. Excerpted in The Eclectic Review, new series Vol. XX (July-Dec 1846).