THE GREEK RIDING-HORSE. 105 



that unless he was brought back the whole 

 nation — men, women, and children — should 

 be cut off. ''Thus," remarks Arrian, "he 

 was as dear to Alexander as Alexander was 

 terrible to the barbarians." He carried the 

 king in all his great victories, and finally 

 died at the age of thirty * from wounds re- 

 ceived in the battle against the Indian king 

 Porus in 327 B. c. Alexander, says Gellius, 

 had pressed recklessly forward into the very 

 ranks of the enemy, and was the mark for 

 every spear. More than one was buried in 

 the neck and flanks of the horse; but though 

 at the point of death, and almost drained of 

 blood, he turned, carried the king with a 

 bold dash from the very midst of the foe, 

 and then and there fell down, breathing his 

 last tranquilly now that his master was 

 safe, and as comforted by it as if he had 

 had the feelings of a human being. No 

 wonder that Alexander founded the city 

 of Bucephalia in his honor, and grieved 

 for him as if he had lost a friend ; no 

 wonder that of this horse only in all Greek 



* The usual extreme limit, according to Aristotle, 

 of a horse's years. See page 127. 



