32 THE HOKSE. 



deterioration which became yet more palpably manifest, when 

 they were opposed to the Nuraidian barbs of Hannibal, only to 

 be swept away like dust before the whirlwind. 



With regard to the general character and appearance of the 

 ancient, and more especially the Greek horse, we have two 

 means of forming an opinion — first, from the various sculptures 

 yet extant of this animal, both in harness and mounted ; and 

 second, from the elaborate and admirable directions given by 

 Xenophon — irepl i7r7nK^<i caj). 1. 2. & sq — for purchasing, ac- 

 cording to exterior points ; " since," he observes, " there is 

 no means of proving his temper, until one shall have backed 

 him." 



Of sculptures, the oldest probably in existence, many of 

 them contemporaneous with the kings of Assyria, who figure 

 in the pages of Holy Writ, certainly the oldest yet discovered, 

 are those wondrous relics, disinterred by Layard from the ruins 

 of Nineveh, illustrative of almost every phase of regal and 

 military life — and the two epithets, at that day, were nearly 

 one — when real warfare, or its mimicry, the chase of dangerous 

 and savage beats, were the sole out-of-door occupation of the 

 chiefs and heroes of those undegenerate ages. 



In tliese sculptures, the horse figures continually in almost 

 every attitude and pace ; but in most instances he is represented 

 as an animal of draught, harnessed singly, two, or four abreast, 

 to chariots of light construction, which he is often drawing at a 

 tearing gallop, but rarely carrying a mounted rider. 



In all these sculptures, he is represented as a remarkably 

 high-crested, large-headed, heavy-shouldered animal, rather 

 long-bodied, powerfully limbed, his neck clothed with volumes 

 of shaggy mane, which is often plaited into regular and fanciful 

 braids, and his tail coarse and abundant, frequently ornamented 

 similarly to his own mane and to the beard and hair of his 

 driver. He, therefore, had nothing of the modern Arab in his 

 form or character. 



The carvings are exquisitely fine, the attitudes spirited and 

 striking, and there are not unusually seen attempts at indicating 

 the anatomical structure, and course of arteries, sinews and 

 muscles. We have no reason, therefore, to doubt that the general 

 character, bearing, and aspect of the animal are truly kept, 



