THE STORY OF BUCEPHALUS 55 



An unknown writer in the " Geoponics " avers 

 that in the centuries just before Christ many of 

 the best horses had eyes of different colour — what 

 we sometimes term a wall eye, and Americans a 

 China eye — and from his own deductions he con- 

 cludes that Bucephalus probably had eyes that 

 did not match. There does not, however, appear 

 to be direct evidence that this was so. 



Plutarch sets the price paid for Bucephalus 

 by Alexander's father, King Philip, at thirteen 

 talents, while Pliny is of opinion that the price 

 was higher still — namely, sixteen talents. 



Now the sum that to-day would be the equiva- 

 lent of thirteen talents is approximately ^3500, 

 and when we bear in mind the prices that in the 

 second century frequently were paid even for 

 the best horses obtainable, and recollect, in 

 addition, that at the time King Philip bought 

 Bucephalus the horse was probably aged — some 

 writers aver that he must have been quite 

 fourteen when Philip bought him — it is not 

 possible to reconcile the statement that a fancy 

 price in any way approaching the sum named 

 could have been paid. 



The story of the trial and subsequent purchase 

 of Bucephalus is both pretty and picturesque. 

 More, it would appear to be true in almost every 

 detail. According to Plutarch, whose account 

 probably is the most trustworthy, the horse was 

 first brought before King Philip to be given a 



