J4 THE HISTORY AND ART 



ever, are known concerning their manner of riding. 

 The troops of this country which attended Xerxes in 

 his famous march againll Greece, fought on horfeback 

 as well as employed chariots in war, as Herodotus 

 reports, who numbers India among the nations which 

 corapofed the prodigious, and almoft incredible army 

 of the Perfian king. 



The Pei'Jtjn 'horfes have been always famous for 

 beauty, vigour, fire, and other emir.ent qualities, and 

 fo celebrated for fpeed, that their very name, in the 

 language of the country, fignifies what may be ren- 

 dered, by the word wind-foot, a term emphatically ex- 

 preflive of their fwiftnefs. The ancient Perfians were fo 

 fond of them, and thought the art of managing them 

 fo becoming and necelTary a duty, that they taught 

 their children to ride at the age of five years, as He- 

 rodotus relates. As horfes were very fcarce in Perfia 

 in the time of Cyrus, this prince took pains to cultivate 

 and improve the breed ; and the Perfians foon became 

 fuch lovers of them, that there were few people but 

 thofe of the meaner fort, who did not keep them ; and 

 even a law was made, by which it was held ignominious 

 for thofe who were f urnifhed with horfes, ever to appear 

 on * foot. Athenceus f ^^.ys, they covered their horfes 

 with many foft and thick houfings, or cloth, being 

 more defirous of fittingat their eafe, than of approving 

 themfelves dexterous and bold horfemen. 



* Herod, in Clio, & Polym. 



■f Lib. xii. 4. Xenop. Cyrop. lib. i. Bochart, lib,- 7. 



Vege- 



