THE HORSE IN WAR AND PEACE 125 



is supposed to carry us beyond this world into the world of 

 poetry and perfection, of beauty and of art ? 



Such, at any rate, is his modern occupation, though in 

 the old mythology he is only supposed to have struck the 

 fount of inspiration from the earth with his spurring hoof 

 as he fled to Olympus, thence to hurl down Jove's thunder 

 and lightning on a wicked world. Whether he paid 

 peculiar attention to poetasters and pot-boiling authors 

 history sayeth not. 



But even in this modified tale of his prowess, in- 

 spiration is still connected with the horse, " swift as a 

 thought." The horse, indeed, comes in to much good 

 poetry, much good art. Is there anything, however, 

 much better than the description of the war-horse in Job .? 



" He paweth in the valley and rejoiceth in his strength ; 

 he goeth on to meet the armed men. 



" He mocketh at fear and is not affrighted ; neither 

 turneth he his back to the sword. 



"The quiver rattleth against him; also the glittering 

 spear and the shield. 



" He smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of 

 the captains, and the shouting. 



" Canst thou make him afraid of a grasshopper ? Yet 

 the glory of his nostrils is terrible." 



That is the horse, in its weakness and in its strength. 

 Afraid of a grasshopper — and a grasshopper three times 

 its proper size would be indeed an ugly beast ! — yet 

 mocking at fear when it has an armed man on his back. 

 Then let the quiver rattle against it, the glittering spear 

 and the shield ; the horse is ready to carry its rider 

 through battle, to peace and prosperity. 



