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in whom a real enthusiasm for the service may be kindled by recounting
to them all the brilliant feats of knighthood； while you may disarm
the opposition of their guardians by dwelling on the fact that； if not
you； at any rate some future hipparch will certainly compel them to
breed horses；＇17＇ owing to their wealth； whereas； if they enter the
service＇18＇ during your term of office； you will undertake to deter
their lads from mad extravagance in buying horses；＇19＇ and take pains
to make good horsemen of them without loss of time； and while pleading
in this strain； you must endeavour to make your practice correspond
with what you preach。
＇14＇ Lit。 〃by bringing them into court； or by persuasion；〃 i。e。 by
legal if not by moral pressure。 See Martin； op。 cit。 pp。 316； 321
foll。
＇15＇ i。e。 〃would cause you to be suspected of acting from motives of
gain。〃
＇16＇ Reading ｛esti de kai ous｝； or if as vulg。 ｛eti de kai｝； 〃More
than that； it strikes me one may work on the feelings of young
fellows in such a way as to disarm。〃 See Hartmann； 〃An。 Xen。 N。〃
325。
＇17＇ Cf。 Aesch。 〃P。 V。〃 474； Herod。 vi。 35； Dem。 1046。 14； Thuc。 vi。
12； Isocr。 ｛peri tou zeugous｝； 353 C。 ｛ippotrophein d'
epikheiresas； o ton eudaimonestaton ergon esti。｝ See Prof。 Jebb's
note to Theophr。 〃Ch。〃 vi。 p。 197； note 16。
＇18＇ Lit。 〃if they mount。〃
＇19＇ Like that of Pheidippides in the play； see Aristoph。 〃Clouds；〃 23
foll。 And for the price of horses； ranging from 3 minas （= L12
circa） for a common horse； or 12 minas （say L50） for a good saddle
or race…horse； up to the extravagant sum of 13 talents （say 3000
guineas） given for 〃Bucephalus；〃 see Boeckh； 〃P。 E。 A。〃 （Eng。 tr。）
p。 74。 Cf。 Isaeus； 55。 22； 88。 17； Lys。 〃de Maled。〃 133。 10； Aul。
Gell。 〃Noct。 Att。〃 v。 2。
To come to the existing body of knights；＇20＇ it would tend；＇21＇ I
think； to better rearing and more careful treatment of their horses if
the senate issued a formal notice that for the future twice the amount
of drill will be required； and that any horse unable to keep up will
be rejected。 And so； too； with regard to vicious horses； I should like
to see an edict promulgated to the effect that all such animals will
be rejected。 This threat would stimulate the owners of such brutes to
part with them by sale； and； what is more； to exercise discretion at
the time of purchase。 So； too； it would be a good thing if the same
threat of rejection were made to include horses that kick on the
exercising…grounds； since it is impossible to keep such animals in the
ranks； and in case of an advance against a hostile force at any
point；＇22＇ they must perforce trail in the rear； so that； thanks to
the vice of the animal which he bestrides； the trooper himself is
rendered useless。
＇20＇ Or； 〃As regards those who are actually serving in the cavalry。〃
For a plausible emend。 of this passage （S。 13） see Courier （〃Notes
sur le texte；〃 p。 54）； L。 Dind。 ad loc。
＇21＇ Lit。 〃the senate might incite to 。 。 。〃
＇22＇ Reading ｛ean｝； or if ｛kan｝ with the MSS。； trans。 〃even in case of
an advance against the enemy。〃
With a view to strengthening the horses' feet： if any one has an
easier or more simple treatment to suggest； by all means let it be
adopted； but for myself； as the result of experience； I maintain that
the proper course is to lay down a loose layer of cobbles from the
road； a pound or so in weight； on which the horse should be put to
stand； when taken from the manger to be groomed。＇23＇ The point is；
that the horse will keep perpetually moving first one foot and then
another on the stones； whilst being rubbed down or simply because he
is fidgeted by flies。 Let any one try the experiment； and； I venture
to predict； not only will he come to trust my guidance； but he will
see his horse's hoofs grow just as round and solid as the cobbles。
＇23＇ See below； 〃Horse。〃 iv。 4。 The Greeks did not 〃shoe〃 their
horses。
Assuming； then； your horses are all that horses ought to be； how is
the trooper to attain a like degree of excellence？ To that question I
will now address myself。 The art of leaping on to horseback is one
which we would fain persuade the youthful members of the corps to
learn themselves； though； if you choose to give them an
instructor；＇24＇ all the greater credit to yourself。 And as to the
older men you cannot do better than accustom them to mount； or rather
to be hoisted up by aid of some one； Persian fashion。＇25＇
＇24＇ Like Pheidon； in the fragment of Mnesimachus's play 〃The Breeder
of Horses；〃 ap。 Athen。 See Courier； ib。 p。 55。
＇25＇ See 〃Anab。〃 IV。 iv。 4； 〃Horsemanship；〃 vi。 12。
With a view to keeping a firm seat on every sort of ground； it may be
perhaps be thought a little irksome to be perpetually marching out；
when there is no war；＇26＇ but all the same； I would have you call your
men together and impress upon them the need to train themselves； when
they ride into the country to their farms； or elsewhere； by leaving
the high road and galloping at a round pace on ground of every
description。＇27＇ This method will be quite as beneficial to them as
the regular march out； and at the same time not produce the same sense
of tedium。 You may find it useful also to remind them that the state
on her side is quite willing to expend a sum of nearly forty
talents＇28＇ yearly； so that in the event of war she may not have to
look about for cavalry； but have a thoroughly efficient force to hand
for active service。 Let these ideas be once instilled into their
minds； and； mark my words； your trooper will fall with zest to
practising horsemanship； so that if ever the flame of war burst out he
may not be forced to enter the lists a raw recruit； unskilled to fight
for fame and fatherland or even life itself。
＇26＇ In the piping days of peace。
＇27＇ See 〃Econ。〃 xi。 17。 Cf。 Theophr。 〃Ch。〃 viii。 〃The Late Learner〃：
｛kai eis agron eph' ippou allotriou katakhoumenos ama meletan
ippazesthai； kai peson ten kephalon kateagenai｝； 〃Riding into the
country on another's horse； he will practise his horsemanship by
the way； and falling； will break his head〃 （Jebb）。
＇28＇ = L10；000 circa。 See Boeckh； op。 cit。 p。 251。
It would be no bad thing either； to forewarn your troopers that one
day you will take them out yourself for a long march； and lead them
across country over every kind of ground。 Again； whilst practising the