30 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



Some writers upon this subject have erred. 

 Thus the impression is prevalent that the horses 

 of the ancient Greeks were all much smaller than 

 modern horses, and the steeds shown on the 

 Parthenon frieze are sometimes said to afford 

 proof that this was so. A proportion of the 

 horses of those early times undoubtedly were 

 smaller than the modern horse is, but on the 

 other hand plenty were not. Probably the mis- 

 taken critics base their assertion upon the fact 

 that the men shown on the Parthenon frieze and 

 similar compositions, also on some of the vase 

 paintings of that period, apparently are as tall 

 as, or taller than, the horses beside which they 

 are standing or on which they are mounted. 



The reason men and horses are so represented 

 simply is that according to a standard rule of 

 ancient Greek art the heads of men and animals, 

 and of all other figures shown on such composi- 

 tions, must be as nearly as possible upon a level, 

 even though some of the figures may be standing, 

 some seated, some on horseback, some in chariots. 



This rule, known as " Isokelismos," is of 

 course in direct opposition to the rule of nature, 

 yet as it existed it had to be observed, and 

 therefore no attempt should ever be made to 

 compare the height of men or beasts shown 

 in such representations as the Parthenon frieze 

 merely by the appearance and the proportions 

 they present. By observing how far below 



