76 History of Nature. [BooK VIII. 



although the Driver was thrown from the Chariot within the 

 Bars, the Horses with the white Livery won the Palm, and 

 obtained the first Honour; throwing down whatever stood in 

 the Way, and doing all that needed to be done against their 

 Rivals, as well as if the most skilful Driver had been in the 

 Chariot ; so that Men were ashamed to see their Skill over- 

 matched by Horses ; and when they had performed their 

 Race according to Law, they stood still at the Goal. A 

 greater Augury happened in old Time, when in the Plebeian 

 Circensian Games, the Driver was thrown out of the Cha- 

 riot, and yet the Horses ran directly into the Capitol, as if 

 he had stood still in his Place ; and there they ran three times 

 round the Temple. But the greatest of all was, that the 

 Horses of Ratumenas came thither from Veij, with the 

 Palm and Crown which they had won there, after they had 

 thrown out their Master, who had conquered in the Games 

 at that City; from whom the Gate (Ratumena) 1 took its 

 Name. The Sarmatians, when they intend to take a great 

 Journey, prepare their Horses two Days before, by giving 

 them no Meat, and only allow them a little Drink ; and thus 

 they will ride them an hundred and fifty Miles at one Stretch. 

 Some Horses live fifty Years, but Mares not so long. In five 

 Years the latter come to their full Growth, but Horses grow 

 one Year longer. The Beauty of Horses, such as a Man 

 would choose for the best, hath been very elegantly and com- 

 pletely described by the Poet Virgil.' 1 And we also have 

 spoken of the same Thing in a Book lately put forth, con- 

 cerning Dart-throwing on Horseback ; and about what is 



1 Plutarch's account of this circumstance, which he gives in the Life of 

 Publicola, is as follows : - " It happened that there was a chariot race at 

 Veii, which was observed as usual ; except that, as the charioteer, who had 

 won the prize and received the crown was gently driving out of the ring, the 

 horses took fright from no visible cause ; but, either by some direction of 

 the gods, or turn of fortune, ran away with their driver, at full speed to- 

 wards Rome. It was in vain that he pulled the reins, or soothed them 

 with words ; he was obliged to give way to the career, and was whirled 

 along till they came to the Capitol, where they flung him, at the gate now 

 called Ratumena." LANGHORNE'S Translation. Wern. Club. 



3 Georg. Lib.iii. 72, etseq. Wern. CM. 



