74 History of Nature. [BooK VIII. 



called Cynorrhodos. Columella writeth, that when a Whelp 

 is exactly forty Days old, if his Tail be bitten off at the 

 nethermost Joint, and the Sinew that cometh after be taken 

 away, neither will the Tail grow any more, nor the Dog ever 

 become mad. I have myself observed, that among the 

 Prodigies it is reported, that a Dog spoke ; as also that a 

 Serpent barked at the Time when Tarquin was driven from 

 the Kingdom. 



CHAPTER XLII. 

 Of the Nature of Horses. I 



THE same Alexander of whom we have spoken, had a 

 very uncommon Horse, which they called Bucephalus ; either 

 from his stern Look, or from the Mark of a Bull's Head im- 

 printed on his Shoulder. It is reported of Alexander, that 

 being but a' Boy, he was so much attracted by his handsome 

 Appearance, that he bought him out of the Flock of Philo- 

 nicus the Pharsalian, at the Price of sixteen Talents. He 

 would suffer no Man to sit on his Back but Alexander, when 

 he had the royal Saddle and Furniture on ; rejecting others 

 entirely. The same Horse was of memorable service in 

 Battles, and being wounded at the Assault of Thebes he 

 would not suffer Alexander to alight and mount upon ano- 

 ther. Many other Things of the same kind he did ; on Ac- 

 count of which, when he was dead, the King conducted his 

 Funeral sumptuously ; erected a Tomb for him, and about it 

 built a City that bore his Name. C&sar the Dictator like- 

 wise had a Horse which would not suffer any Man to ride 

 him but his Master ; and the same Horse had his Forefeet 

 resembling those of a Man ; and its Statue so formed is 

 placed before the Temple of Venus Genetrix. Divus Au- 

 gustus also formed a Tomb for his Horse ; concerning which 

 there is a Poem by Germanicus Ccesar. At Agrigentum 

 there are Pyramids on the Tombs of many Horses. Juba 

 reporteth, that Semiramis loved a Horse usque ad coitum. 

 The Scythians make a great Noise of the Glory of their 



1 Equus caballus. LINN. The Horse. Wern. Club. 



