the essays of montaigne, v8-第2部分

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　　　　　＇〃The　Phalarica；　launched　like　lightning；　flies　through
　　　　　the　air　with　a　loud　rushing　sound。〃AEneid；　ix。　705。＇

They　had；　moreover；　other　devices　which　custom　made　them　perfect　in
（which　seem　incredible　to　us　who　have　not　seen　them）；　by　which　they
supplied　the　effects　of　our　powder　and　shot。　　They　darted　their　spears
with　so　great　force；　as　ofttimes　to　transfix　two　targets　and　two　armed
men　at　once；　and　pin　them　together。　　Neither　was　the　effect　of　their
slings　less　certain　of　execution　or　of　shorter　carriage：

　　　　　＇〃Culling　round　stones　from　the　beach　for　their　slings；　and　with
　　　　　these　practising　over　the　waves；　so　as　from　a　great　distance　to
　　　　　throw　within　a　very　small　circuit；　they　became　able　not　only　to
　　　　　wound　an　enemy　in　the　head；　but　hit　any　other　part　at　pleasure。〃
　　　　　Livy；　xxxviii。　29。＇

Their　pieces　of　battery　had　not　only　the　execution　but　the　thunder　of　our
cannon　also：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Ad　ictus　moenium　cum　terribili　sonitu　editos；
　　　　　　　　　　pavor　et　trepidatio　cepit。〃

　　　　　＇〃At　the　battery　of　the　walls；　performed　with　a　terrible　noise；
　　　　　the　defenders　began　to　fear　and　tremble。〃Idem；　ibid。；　5。＇

The　Gauls；　our　kinsmen　in　Asia；　abominated　these　treacherous　missile
arms；　it　being　their　use　to　fight；　with　greater　bravery；　hand　to　hand：

　　　　　＇〃They　are　not　so　much　concerned　about　large　gashes…the　bigger　and
　　　　　deeper　the　wound；　the　more　glorious　do　they　esteem　the　combat　but
　　　　　when　they　find　themselves　tormented　by　some　arrow…head　or　bullet
　　　　　lodged　within；　but　presenting　little　outward　show　of　wound；
　　　　　transported　with　shame　and　anger　to　perish　by　so　imperceptible　a
　　　　　destroyer；　they　fall　to　the　ground。〃…Livy；　xxxviii。　　21。＇

A　pretty　description　of　something　very　like　an　arquebuse…shot。　　The　ten
thousand　Greeks　in　their　long　and　famous　retreat　met　with　a　nation　who
very　much　galled　them　with　great　and　strong　bows；　carrying　arrows　so　long
that；　taking　them　up；　one　might　return　them　back　like　a　dart；　and　with
them　pierce　a　buckler　and　an　armed　man　through　and　through。　　The　engines；
that　Dionysius　invented　at　Syracuse　to　shoot　vast　massy　darts　and　stones
of　a　prodigious　greatness　with　so　great　impetuosity　and　at　so　great　a
distance；　came　very　near　to　our　modern　inventions。

But　in　this　discourse　of　horses　and　horsemanship；　we　are　not　to　forget
the　pleasant　posture　of　one　Maistre　Pierre　Pol；　a　doctor　of　divinity；
upon　his　mule；　whom　Monstrelet　reports　always　to　have　ridden　sideways
through　the　streets　of　Paris　like　a　woman。　　He　says　also；　elsewhere；　that
the　Gascons　had　terrible　horses；　that　would　wheel　in　their　full　speed；
which　the　French；　Picards；　Flemings；　and　Brabanters　looked　upon　as　a
miracle；　〃having　never　seen　the　like　before；〃　which　are　his　very　words。

Caesar；　speaking　of　the　Suabians：　〃　in　the　charges　they　make　on
horseback；〃　says　he；　〃they　often　throw　themselves　off　to　fight　on　foot；
having　taught　their　horses　not　to　stir　in　the　meantime　from　the　place；
to　which　they　presently　run　again　upon　occasion；　and　according　to　their
custom；　nothing　is　so　unmanly　and　so　base　as　to　use　saddles　or　pads；　and
they　despise　such　as　make　use　of　those　conveniences：　insomuch　that；　being
but　a　very　few　in　number；　they　fear　not　to　attack　a　great　many。〃　　That
which　I　have　formerly　wondered　at；　to　see　a　horse　made　to　perform　all　his
airs　with　a　switch　only　and　the　reins　upon　his　neck；　was　common　with　the
Massilians；　who　rid　their　horses　without　saddle　or　bridle：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Et　gens；　quae　nudo　residens　Massylia　dorso；
　　　　　　　　　　Ora　levi　flectit；　fraenorum　nescia；　virga。〃

　　　　　＇〃The　Massylians；　mounted　on　the　bare　backs　of　their　horses；
　　　　　bridleless；　guide　them　by　a　mere　switch。〃Lucan；　iv。　　682。＇

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Et　Numidae　infraeni　cingunt。〃

　　　　　＇〃The　Numidians　guiding　their　horses　without　bridles。〃
　　　　　AEneid；　iv。　　41。＇

　　　　　　　　　　〃Equi　sine　fraenis；　deformis　ipse　cursus；
　　　　　　　　　　rigida　cervice　et　extento　capite　currentium。〃

　　　　　＇〃The　career　of　a　horse　without　a　bridle　is　ungraceful；　the　neck
　　　　　extended　stiff；　and　the　nose　thrust　out。〃Livy；　xxxv。　II。＇

King　Alfonso；　＇Alfonso　XI。；　king　of　Leon　and　Castile；　died　1350。＇
he　who　first　instituted　the　Order　of　the　Band　or　Scarf　in　Spain；　amongst
other　rules　of　the　order；　gave　them　this；　that　they　should　never　ride
mule　or　mulet；　upon　penalty　of　a　mark　of　silver；　this　I　had　lately　out　of
Guevara's　Letters。　　Whoever　gave　these　the　title　of　Golden　Epistles　had
another　kind　of　opinion　of　them　than　I　have。　　The　Courtier　says；　that
till　his　time　it　was　a　disgrace　to　a　gentleman　to　ride　on　one　of　these
creatures：　but　the　Abyssinians；　on　the　contrary；　the　nearer　they　are　to
the　person　of　Prester　John；　love　to　be　mounted　upon　large　mules；　for　the
greatest　dignity　and　grandeur。

Xenophon　tells　us；　that　the　Assyrians　were　fain　to　keep　their　horses
fettered　in　the　stable；　they　were　so　fierce　and　vicious；　and　that　it
required　so　much　time　to　loose　and　harness　them；　that　to　avoid　any
disorder　this　tedious　preparation　might　bring　upon　them　in　case　of
surprise；　they　never　sat　down　in　their　camp　till　it　was　first　well
fortified　with　ditches　and　ramparts。　　His　Cyrus；　who　was　so　great　a
master　in　all　manner　of　horse　service；　kept　his　horses　to　their　due　work；
and　never　suffered　them　to　have　anything　to　eat　till　first　they　had
earned　it　by　the　sweat　of　some　kind　of　exercise。　　The　Scythians　when　in
the　field　and　in　scarcity　of　provisions　used　to　let　their　horses　blood；
which　they　drank；　and　sustained　themselves　by　that　diet：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Venit　et　epoto　Sarmata　pastus　equo。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃The　Scythian　comes；　who　feeds　on　horse…flesh〃
　　　　　　　　　　Martial；　De　Spectaculis　Libey；　Epigr。　iii。　4。＇

Those　of　Crete；　being　besieged　by　Metellus；　were　in　so　great　necessity
for　drink　that　they　were　fain　to　quench　their　thirst　with　their　horses
urine。＇Val。　　Max。；　vii。　6；　ext。　1。＇

To　shew　how　much　cheaper　the　Turkish　armies　support　themselves　than　our
European　forces；　'tis　said　that　besides　the　soldiers　drink　nothing　but
water　and　eat　nothing　but　rice　and　salt　flesh　pulverised　（of　which　every
one　may　easily　carry　about　with　him　a　month's　provision）；　they　know　how
to　feed　upon　the　blood　of　their　horses　as　well　as　the　Muscovite　and
Tartar；　and　salt　it　for　their　use。

These　new…discovered　people　of　the　Indies　＇Mexico　and　Yucatan　　D。W。＇；
when　the　Spaniards　first　landed　amongst　them；　had　so　great　an　opinion
both　of　the　men　and　horses；　that　they　looked　upon　the　first　as　gods　and
the　other　as　animals　ennobled　above　their　nature；　insomuch　that　after
they　were　subdued；　coming　to　the　men　to　sue　for　peace　and　pardon；　and　to
bring　them　gold　and　provisions；　they　failed　not　to　offer　of　the　same　to
the　horses；　with　the　same　kind　of　harangue　to　them　they　had　made　to　the
others：　interpreting　their　neighing　for　a　language　of　truce　and
friendship。

In　the　other　Indies；　to　ride　upon　an　elephant　was　the　first　and　royal
place　of　honour；　the　second　to　ride　in　a　coach　with　four　horses；　the
third　to　ride　upon　a　camel；　and　the　last　and　least　honour　to　be　carried
or　drawn　by　one　horse　only。　　Some　one　of　our　late　writers　tells　us　that
he　has　been　in　countries　in　those　parts　where　they　ride　upon　oxen　with
pads；　stirrups；　and　bridles；　and　very　much　at　their　ease。

Quintus　Fabius　Maximus　Rullianus；　in　a　battle　with　the　Samnites；　seeing
his　horse；　after　three　or　four　charges；　had　failed　of　breaking　into　the
enemy's　battalion；　took　this　course；　to　make　them　unbridle　all　their
horses　and　spur　their　hardest；　so　that　having　nothing　to　check　their
career；　they　might　through　weapons　and　men　open　the　way　to　his　foot；　who
by　that　means　gave　them　a　bloody　defeat。　　The　same　command　was　given　by
Quintus　Fulvius　Flaccus　against　the　Celtiberians：

　　　　　＇〃You　will　do　your　business　with　greater　advantage　of　your　horses'
　　　　　strength；　if　you　send　them　unbridled　upon　the　enemy；　as　it　is
　　　　　recorded　the　Roman　horse　to　their　great　glory　have　often　done；　their
　　　　　bits　being　taken　off；　they　charged　through　and　again　back　through
　　　　　the　enemy's　ranks　with　great　slaughter；　breaking　down　all　their
　　　　　spears。〃Idem；　xl。　40。＇

The　Duke　of　Muscovy　was　anciently　obliged　to　pay　this　reverence　to　the
Tartars；　that　when　they　sent　an　embassy　to　him　he　went　out　to　meet　them
on　foot；　and　presented　them　with　a　goblet　of　mares'　milk　（a　beverage　of
greatest　esteem　amongst　them）；　and　if；　in　drinking；　a　drop　fell　by　chance
upon　their　horse's　mane；　he　was　bound　to　lick　it　off　with　his　tongue。
The　army　that　Bajazet　had　sent　into　Russia　was　overwhelmed　with　so
dreadful　a　tempest　of　snow；　that　to　shelter　and　preserve　themselves　from
the　cold；　many　killed　and　embowelled　their　horses；　to　creep　into　their
bellies　and　enjoy　the　benefit　of　that　vital　heat。　　Bajazet；　after　that
furious　battle　wherein　he　was　overthrown　by　Tamerlane；　　was　in　a　hopeful
way　of　securing　his　own　person　by　the　fleetness　of　an　Arabian　mare　he　had
under　him；　had　he　not　been　constrained　to　let　her　drink　her　fill　at　the
ford　of　a　river　in　his　way；　which　rendered　her　so　heavy　and　indisposed；
that　he　was　afterwards　easily　overtaken　by　those　that　pursued　him。　　They
say；　indeed；　that　to　let　a　horse　stale　takes　him　off　his　mettle；　but　as
to　drinking；　I　should　rather　have　thought　it　would　refresh　him。

Croesus；　marching　his　army　through　certain　waste　lands　near　Sardis；　met
with　an　infinite　number　of　serpents；　which　the　horses　devoured　with　great
appetite；　and　which　Herodotus　says　was　a　prodigy　of　ominous　portent　to
his　affairs。

We　call　a　horse　entire；　that　has　his　mane　and　ears　so；　and　no　other　will
pass　muster。　　The　Lacedaemonians；　having　defeated　the　Athenians　in
Sicily；　returning　triumphant　from　the　victory　into　the　city　of　Syracuse；
amongst　other　insolences；　caused　all　the　horses　they　had　taken　to　be
shorn　and　led　in　triumph。　　Alexander　fought　with　a　nation　called　Dahas；
whose　discipline　it　was　to　march　two　and　two　together　armed　on　one　horse；
to　the　war；　and　being　in　fight；　one　of　them　alighted；　and　so　they　fought
on　horseback　and　on　foot；　one　after　another　by　turns。

I　do　not　think　that　for　graceful　riding　any　nation　in　the　world　excels
the　French。　　A　good　horseman；　according　to　our　way　of　speaking；　seem