288 DISSERTATION ON THE 



* In gyrum greffiis magno impete lunat 

 Curvatos. 



The great excellence and perfeftion of this manege 

 •was firil f ^o to bit the horfes, that their necks might 

 be pliable and obedient to the reins : the next confilt- 

 ed in teaching the horfes to move by fuch X meafured 

 fleps, that the whole equipage, when two, four, or fix, 

 were joined together, might move as one body with- 

 out confufion : Thirdly, to train them to run with ve- 

 locity, and to inure them to courage and hardinefs, in 

 either attacking by an impetuous flaock, or in receiv- 

 ing firmly the attack. The laft was in dreffing them 

 to execute the various evolutions of wheeling with 

 docility, activity , and velocity: in fhort, fays Zenophon, 

 to do all other things which they would have occafion 

 to perform in adtual fervice, to run over all kind of 

 ground, to llretch up the fleepeft afcents, and to rufh 

 down the fliarpeft declivities. 



The chief excellence in driving v:ra.s Jieadinefs, fo as to 

 proceed whether moving in the right or curve line, 

 in one uniform diredion, and not to and fro by a va- 

 cillating and finuous motion. But the great excel- 

 lence of the horfes, as well as the highefl fkill of the 

 driver was called forth, in performing the wheelings 

 to an exaA given curve, under full fpeed. 



The chariot race was inftituted for the exercife of 

 this military fkill, to encourage and afford opportuni- 



^ Vids Sacchia Ludus, f Zenophon. 



.^ Which you fee dcfcribed in all the ancient coins and baflb relievos. 



ties 



