22 



which he was not only enabled to vault upon the Horse, but to leap from 

 the back of" one horse to another, in battle, on any sudden emergency; 

 and such exercises formed a material branch of" the military education of 

 the ancients. 



Amongst the Romans, these suppedaiiea, or mounting-places, com- 

 posed of wood and stone, were abundant upon the high roads ; and Por- 

 chachiin his Fuiierali Antichi, has preserved the following burlesque in- 

 scription upon one of them, Avhich Crassus had consecrated to the 

 memory of his deceased mule : 



Dispedib. Saxiim 



Ciucia: dorsifera, S; ciniiifera:. 



Ut inmltare and desultare commodetur, 



Pub. Ciassiis mula; sues Crasscc bene ferenti, 



Suppeduneum hoc cum risu pos. 



Visit annos XI. 



On account of the play upon words, a translation of this incription, were 

 it easy, would not be very intelligible or interesting to the mere English 

 reader. The Latin critic will perceive, that Dis pedibus is substituted for 

 the usual commencement of a sepulchral inscription, Dis manibus, manes, 

 being ludicrously supposed to signify hands, and to continue the joke, 

 the contrast of pedibus is made use of; Dis pedibus, to the gods of 

 feet. In the same style of burlesque, saxum is substituted for sacrum ; 

 bene ferenti iox the custom&:ry bene merenti ; but in the open cum risu, 

 the covert style of the res ludicra, is thrown off, the effect diminished, 

 and the correctness of the author's taste rendered questionable. 



In trimming and dressing their Horses, certain of the ancient nations 

 were very expert, adjusting their manes in all the various modes in 

 present use. The mane was always turned upon the right side, a 

 custom invariable since ; but the ancients seem to have mounted in- 

 differently on either side, more usually indeed preferring the right. 

 Generally the mane, being cut close on the left, Avas combed smooth, 

 and flowing on the right side. In some, however, perhaps carriage- 

 horses, the manes were shorn smooth ; others had their manes housed, 

 to use the modern phrase, standing erect in an arched form, which 



again 



