THE HORSE AS AN EPIC CHARACTER 



falls upon the earth, mists rise and hide the footsteps of 

 his men from the pursuing enemy, twigs buried be- 

 neath a path rob his foes of half their strength. His 

 weapons themselves not only are strong because of 

 their sharp points or edges, the vigorous arm which 

 wields them, the sure eye which directs them, but they 

 are potent with the spells uttered by the wizard hero. 



Again, divine help is vouchsafed the hero in battle. 

 The gods and goddesses of Greece took sides in the 

 siege of Troy, the gods of India were no idle spectators 

 in the great battle of Kurukshetra, apostles and saints 

 have fought in the ranks with Christian soldiers against 

 the Saracens. 



Finally, the universal sympathy which greets the 

 hero at his birth and accompanies him through life, does 

 not desert him at his death. In answer to Charle- 

 magne's prayer God bids the sun stand still in heaven, 

 that vengeance may be wreaked upon the slayers of 

 Roland. Tears stream from the trees, the winds sob, 

 the mountains lament the death of the Greek Klepht. 



Now, of all the friends of the epic hero, there is one 

 whom I have not mentioned, yet none is more faithful, 

 more affectionate, more helpful. I mean the hero's 

 horse. We are all familiar with Pegasus, Bellerophon's 

 winged steed, we have heard of Bucephalus, and we 

 know that Xanthus foretold the death of Achilles. 

 But these are only three of a multitude of heroic horses 

 coming from different countries which cover a large 

 part of two continents. Where the imagination of the 



