THE HORSE AS AN EPIC CHARACTER 



steed have been abducted. Akritas rushes home, dis- 

 covers the windows and doors open, enters the stable, 

 where he finds his horses whinnying. " In the name of 

 God, horses,^' he cries, " which of you can run 

 quickly ? " Not one, not one spoke. But an old horse 

 speaks and answers: " If you give me good food, I '11 go 

 quickly." 



Not all masters beg or bribe; some order, and here is 

 an illustration — not this time from the modern, but 

 from the old Greek epic, from Homer. Achilles is 

 speaking just before he sets out to fight Hector. " Xan- 

 thus and Bahus, illustrious offspring of Podarge, resolve 

 now in a different manner to bring back your charioteer 

 to the Greeks, after we are satiated with battle, nor 

 leave him dead, like Patroclus." But from beneath 

 the yoke, Xanthus, his swift-footed steed, addressed 

 him, the white-armed goddess Juno giving him the 

 power of speech: "This time, at least, we will bear 

 thee safe, O impetuous Achilles, but the fatal day draws 

 nigh to thee; nor are we to blame, but a mighty deity 

 and violent destiny. Though we can run even with the 

 blast of Zephyrus, which they say is most fleet, yet to 

 thyself it is fated thou shalt be violently slain by a god 

 or a man.'' Him swift-footed Achilles, greatly indig- 

 nant, addressed: " O Xanthus, why dost thou predict 

 my death to me ? Well do I myself know that it is my 

 fate to perish here, far away from my dear father and 

 mother. Nevertheless I will not cease before the 

 Trojans are abundantly satiated with war." Achilles 



123 



