Natural Hiftory of the Ancients. 1 1 1 



dotus. The Parthians, much farther to the Eaft, 

 were, if poflible, ftill more difti natively equeftrian 

 in their habits. " They are at all times carried on 

 horfes. On them they fight, take their meals, 

 perform all public and private duties, make their 

 journeys, reft, barter, converfe. The chief differ- 

 ence between flaves and freemen with them is, that 

 flaves walk on foot, while freemen always ride." 1 

 A Roman poet, too, fpeaks of " learning how 

 many miles the Parthian horfeman can ride with- 

 out water." Many mares of this ftock were fent 

 into Macedonia by Philip, the father of Alexander 

 the Great, to improve the native race. The 

 cavalry of Thrace 2 and ThefTaly was famous with 

 the ancients, and the mares, as in Arabia at prefent, 

 were more highly valued than the horfes. 



What the ancient ideal of a good horfe was may 

 be gathered from Virgil : 3 



" Upright he walks, on patterns firm and ftraight, 

 His motions eafy, prancing in his gait. 

 The firft to lead the way, to tempt the flood, 

 To pafs the bridge unknown, nor fear the trembling wood. 

 Dauntlefs at empty noifes, lofty-necked, 

 Sharp-headed, barrel-bellied, broadly-backed, 

 Brawny his cheft and deep, his colour gray, 

 For beauty dappled, or the brighteft bay, 

 Faint white and dun will fcarce the rearing pay." 



Yet the pofTeflion of thefe points are of little 

 avail without a long anceftry; " let him trace 



1 See Juftin, xli. 3; and Propertius, iv. 3, 35, quoted in Victor 

 Hehn's " Kulturpflanzen und Hausthiere" (Berlin, 1877), p. 24. 



2 So Turnus, 



" Maculis quern Thracius albis 

 Portat equus." (" ^En.," ix. 49.) 



3 "Georg.," iii. 79, 121. 



