HOMER AND BRAZEN HOOFS. 17 



a hoof shod with brass ; it was meant to convey an idea of 

 the really good qualities of the horn in those days, and 

 which, not being garnished with a defence of brass or 

 bronze, was ever in danger of being destroyed when of a 

 weak nature. Besides, brazen-footed and solid or strong- 

 footed (p^parspmvK^) appear to be synonymous terms ; thus 

 (in Book xxii., lines 192-3) he sings of the time 



' When the solid-fuoted horses fly 

 Around the course, contending for the prize.' 



And again (Book xxiv., line 33 i), strong-hoofed mules are 

 mentioned. The terms were used for many purposes, 

 but never as an indication of shod hoofs. Homer made 

 Achilles and Stentor brazen-voiced.' Bulls, fabular stags, 

 and horses, had solid or metallic feet. Thus Pindar^ (b.c. 

 520) tells us that Bellerophon was enjoined to sacrifice a 

 strong-footed bull to the mighty encircler of the earth be- 

 fore subduing the winged horse Pegasus; and we find that 

 the Grecian heroes who w^ent in search of the golden fleece 

 would all have been destroyed by the brazen-footed bulls, 

 from whose nostrils flames issued, had not Medsea inter- 

 posed and driv^en away these taurine monsters belonging 

 to King /Etes.3 Virgil'* frequently mentions animals of 

 various kinds with metal feet, and Ovid ^ also alludes to 

 them oftener than once. And an older authority than 



^ IHad, hook v. 78^. I Olynip. xiii. 



3 Ibid. Olymp. iv. : 



* His furious bulls, whose nostrils bright 

 Flames of consuming fire diflused, 

 Batteriuij the s^round \\/\\.\\.lra%en tread.' 



'' ^neid, book vi. 803. 



5 Heroid. ep. xii. 93 : Metamorphosis vii. loj : Apollonius, iii. 228. 



