146 XENOPHON ON HORSEMANSHIP. 



be branches are not like the branches of our curb- 

 bits ; for they did not serve to support a curb- 

 chain, nor was a rein attached to them. They 

 were fastened to the cheek-pieces of the bridle, 

 and merely kept the mouth-piece in place. Each 

 cheek-piece divided into two straps, just before 

 reaching the bit, to which they were attached 

 at the two small holes in each branch. This 

 arrangement for attaching the bit was a very old 

 one ; it may be seen on many Assyrian reliefs 

 (see cut facing p. 145) and on some Greek vases 

 (see cuts on pp. 20, 23, 27, 39).* See also the 

 Dodona statuette, p. 44. These pictures show 

 that the branches lay close against the sides of the 

 mouth ; in the picture of the Acropolis bit (and in 

 that of the Carapanos bit below) the perspective is 

 misleading. It is evident that no leverage was 

 to be had from such branches. We cannot tell 

 whether the bit which Xenophon had in mind 

 was attached in this way or not ; he himself says 

 nothing, and such branches are altogether wanting 



* On this subject, see an article in the " Revue 

 Archeologique," 1888, p. 52, where it is shown that a 

 prehistoric bit found in Switzerland and one found in 

 the Caucasus region were attached in the same way 

 as above described. The latter almost exactly re- 

 sembles the Acropolis bit ; the former has no echini, 

 but is a mere twisted snaffle. In treating the bit, I 

 do not think it safe to use the illustradons given in 

 Montfaucon or in Jacobs. 



