HISTORY. 467 



spectators, though not perhaps more keenly felt by the com- 

 batants. Ancient writers give us examples, from the games 

 of the Hippodrome, in which horses, deprived by accident of 

 their riders, pursued the course, and came in the conquerors. 

 The Horse shares even the feelings of his master, and enters 

 with joy into his pursuits. Who that has seen the hunter in 

 the fields has not marked the fire which lights up his eye, the 

 eagerness with which he pricks up his ears, and listens to 

 the voice of the pack, the courage with which he surmounts 

 the obstacles opposed to him, and the ardour with which he 

 pursues the sport ! Nay, not only in the pastimes which 

 suit his spirit and love of action, but in the sterner pursuits 

 of his master, is this gentle and generous creature formed 

 to take a part. Nothing seems more foreign to the very na- 

 ture of such a creature than martial strife and the shedding 

 of human blood ; yet when, alas, has been the age in which 

 the Horse has not been made the instrument of cruelty and 

 bloodshed, and not even, it would appear, the unwilling in- 

 strument, for his gentle nature seems to adapt itself to the 

 purpose to which he is rendered subservient, and he becomes 

 fierce and cruel because his master wills it so ! He shares 

 the fatigues of war, delights in the noise of arms, and braves 

 the shock of combat and the danger of wounds. " Hast thou 

 given the Horse spirit \ has thou clothed his neck with thun- 

 der ? Canst thou make him bound like the locust ? The 

 glory of his nostrils is terrible : He pavveth in the valley, 

 and rejoiceth in his strength : He goeth on to meet the 

 armed men : He mocketh at fear and trembleth not ; neither 

 turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against 

 him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the 

 ground with fierceness and rage. He believeth not at first 

 that it is the sound of the trumpet which he heareth ; but at 

 the full blast of the trumpet he crieth ha ! ha ! and smelleth 

 the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains and the shout- 

 ing." 



The Horse is seen to be affected in his character* and form 



