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＇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
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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
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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 evolutions
of the rival cavalry display；＇29＇ it will be well to gallop out at one time to
one district and again to another。 Both men and horses will be benefited。
＇29＇ Lit。 〃the anthippasia。〃 See iii。 11； and 〃Horsemanship；〃 viii。
10。
Next； as to hurling the javelin from horseback； the best way to secure
as wide a practice of the art as possible； it strikes me； would be to issue an
order to your phylarchs that it will be their duty to put themselves at the
head of the marksmen of several tribes； and to ride out to the butts for
practice。 In this way a spirit of emulation will be rousedthe several
officers will； no doubt； be eager to turn out as many marksmen as they can
to aid the state。＇30＇
＇30＇ On competition cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 II。 i。 22； and our author passim。
And so too； to ensure that splendour of accoutrement which the force
requires；＇31＇ the greatest help may once again be looked for from the
phylarchs； let these officers but be persuaded that from the public point of
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view the splendid appearance of their squadrons＇32＇ will confer a title to
distinction far higher than that of any personal equipment。 Nor is it
reasonable to suppose that they will be deaf to such an argument； since the
very desire to hold the office of phylarch itself proclaims a soul alive to
honour and ambition。 And what is more； they have it in their power； in
accordance with the actual provisions of the law； to equip their men
without the outlay of a single penny； by enforcing that self…equipment out
of pay＇33＇ which the law prescribes。
＇31＇ Or； 〃a beauty of equipment； worthy of our knights。〃 Cf。 Aristoph。
〃Lysistr。〃 561； and a fragment of 〃The Knights；〃 of Antiphanes； ap。
Athen。 503 B； ｛pant' 'Amaltheias keras｝。 See 〃Hiero；〃 ix。 6； 〃Horse。〃
xi。 10。
＇32＇ Lit。 〃tribes；〃 ｛phulai｝ （each of the ten tribes contri