']6 XENOPHON ON HORSEMANSHIP. 



self before an examining committee,* with his 

 charger, and his equipments, all in a condition 

 to conform to the law. In spite of their care, 

 however, the Greeks never accomplished the 

 revolution in military art which gave cavalry 

 a decisive role in action. This was reserved 

 for the Macedonians. Greek cavalry was 

 used, as a rule, only to harass a marching 

 enemy, or to follow up and complete a vic- 

 tory already won ; and probably horsemen 

 seldom went nearer than within javelin shot 

 of a body of infantry in line of battle. 



That only the rich could serve in this arm 

 is evident from the facts that each man had to 

 supply his own horse, and that horses were 

 very expensive animals. A very ordinary 

 horse cost three minae, or sixty-four dollars ; 

 a fine animal, such as would be used in war 

 or for racing, much more. Thus we hear of 

 what might be called a thoroughbred as cost- 

 ing twelve minae, 7^ one hundred and eighty- 

 six dollars. Xenophon paid a little less than 

 this for a war-horse which he bought in 

 Lampsacus. Such prices for fine horses 



* See the accompanying illustration, and its descrip- 

 tion on page 163. 



