WHITE HORSES AS PROGNOSTICATORS 79 



of their Germanic kinsmen in so far as the im- 

 molation of horses was concerned. 



In some instances alleged divination of the 

 future was brought about by the aid of horses. 

 Tacitus himself remarks that it was peculiar to 

 this people (the Germans) " to seek from horses 

 omens and monitions." 



" Kept at the public expense in these same 

 woods and groves," he continues, "are white 

 horses, pure from the taint of earthly labour. 

 These are yoked to a sacred chariot and accom- 

 panied by the priests and the king, or chief of 

 the tribe, who note their neighings and snortings. 

 No species of divination is more to be trusted, 

 not only by the people and by the nobility, but 

 also by the priests, who regard themselves as the 

 ministers of the gods, and the horses as acquainted 

 with their will." 



Amusing, but probably more or less fictitious, 

 stories of Incitatus, the notorious horse of the 

 Roman emperor, Caligula, have been handed 

 down to us. That this beast had the absurd 

 honour conferred upon it of being elected priest 

 and consul we must believe, and there probably 

 is truth in the statement that it ate regularly out 

 of an ivory manger and drank from a golden 

 pail. 



But we must accept with reservation the story 

 that the horse alone had eighteen attendants in 

 gorgeous apparel or livery to attend to it. Almost 



