100 THE HISTORY AND ART 



Circus, were performed with equal pomp ; and the 

 emperors of the Eaji teftified as great a fondnefs for 

 horfes, and made them as much the objedls of their 

 attention, as their predeceflbrs of the Weft had done 

 in their time. They had ftuds compofed of horfes, 

 colledled from various parts, which Avere maintained 

 with tlie greateft eare and exa^tnefs -, and the empe- 

 rors from time to time pubHlhed many edicts, to fix 

 the price, and regulate the treatment of horfes in 

 their dominions. Their humanity was fuch, that 

 a law was made, forbidding a perfon to ftrike an horfe 

 with a flick or club, and enjoining them to ufe a wand 

 or rod only. Their gratitude was fuch (if I may ufe 

 the word) towards fuch as had deferved well, and en- 

 tertained the public in the Circus, that when they 

 grew old, or weak and decayed, they fupported 

 them from the public treafury. Thefe horfes were 

 called Emeritiy or Difcharged ; and this cuftom was ob- 

 ferved in Rome, as well as in the rival empire of the 



Eaft. 



Their duds, as already mentioned, were compofed 

 of horfes brought from countries, which were known 

 to produce the nobleft and beft. Thofe which came 

 from different parts of Greece were much valued, as 

 well as the Phrygian and Spanifh, but the Cappado- 

 cians were moft admired, and bore away the palm 

 from all their competitors. 



Among thefe, the horfes called Pahnattan and Her^ 

 mogenian were accounted the nobleft and firft in merit. 



They 



