CHAPTER XII. ej 



the cuirass. The part of the arm that is 

 bared when it is raised ^^ must be protected 

 near the cuirass with calfskin or bronze, else 

 it will be left unguarded in its most vital part. 



Now, as the rider himself is in extreme 

 danger if anything happens to his horse, the 

 animal also should be armed with a front- 

 let, breastplate, and thigh-pieces ; ^'^ the last 

 serve at the same time to cover the thighs 

 of the rider. Above all, the horse's belly 

 should be protected, as being the most vital 

 and the weakest part. It may be protected 

 with the cloth. This cloth ^^ must also be of 

 such material and so sewed together as to 

 give the rider a safe seat and not to gall the 

 horse's back. For the rest, this should be 

 the armour for horse and man ; but as the 

 shins and feet would of course project below 

 the thigh-pieces, they too may be armed 

 with top-boots -7 of the leather of which shoes 

 are made. These will at once protect the 

 shins and cover the feet. 



This and the grace of the gods is the defen- 

 sive armour. For offensive, I recommend the 

 sabre ^^ rather than the sword; for the rider 

 being aloft, a scimitar blow will be more in 



