THE HORSE. 15 



yearly festival, when every one abstained from 

 labor, and the day was made one of feasting and 

 frolic. The horse, decked with garlands, and 

 with gay and costly trappings, was led in tri- 

 umph through the streets, followed by a multi- 

 tude who loudly proclaimed in verse and song 

 his many good services to man. 



This adulation of the horse sometimes went 

 beyond the bounds of reason, as in the case of 

 Caligula, who carried his love for his horse, In- 

 citatus, to an insane degree. He had a marble 

 palace erected for a stable, furnished it with 

 mangers of ivory and gold, and had sentinels 

 guard it at night that the repose of his favorite 

 might not be disturbed. Another elegant pal- 

 ace was fitted up in the most splendid and costly 

 style, and here the animal's visitors were enter- 

 tained. Caligula required all who called upon 

 himself to visit Incitatus also, and to treat the 

 animal with the same respect and reverence as 

 that observed towards a royal host. This horse 

 was frequently introduced at Caligula's banquets, 

 where he was presented with gilded oats, and 

 with wine from a golden cup.^ Historians state 

 that Caligula would even have made his steed 

 consul of Rome, had not the tyrant been oppor- 

 tunely assassinated, and the world freed from 

 an insane fiend. 



