64 THE ART AND HISTORY 



with greater eafe ; and that the horfe fliould be taught 

 to approach the mounting-place, readily, and without 

 fear. Fegetius informs us, that wooden horfes were made 

 ufe of for the purpofe of learning to vault, which were 

 placed in the open air in fummer, and in houfes in 

 the winter feafon. Upon thefe the young Romans 

 miade their effays, and the art is taught at this day in 

 the fame manner. 



They at firft endeavoured to leap upon thefe wooden 

 horfes without armour; and when they grew flronger, 

 and more fkilful, completely armed. 



The horfeblocks which they ufed, were compofed 

 of done, or wood ; and were in great abundance 

 upon all the roads ; the Roman people, according 

 to Plutarch, being under much obligation to Grac- 

 chus, who caufed thefe conveniencies to be placed at 

 proper diftances for the ufe of travellers. Porchachi*y 

 in his Funerali Antichi, has preferved an infcription, 

 in which one of thefe horfeblocks (fuppedaneum) is 

 jeftingly dedicated by Craffus to his mule, and was 

 ereded in the road from Tivoli to Rome. 



Dis pedib. Saxum. 



Chicia dorjijerce & clunifera 



Ut infultare (fj defultare commodetur. 



Pub. Crajfus mulajua CraJJ'a bene ferenti 



Suppedaneiim hoc cum rifu pos. 



Vixh annos XI. 



* Page 14. 



it 



