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On Horsemanship By: Unknown (431 BC - 350? BC) |
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By Xenophon Translation by H. G. Dakyns Xenophon the Athenian was born 431 B.C. He was a
pupil of Socrates. He marched with the Spartans,
and was exiled from Athens. Sparta gave him land
and property in Scillus, where he lived for many
years before having to move once more, to settle
in Corinth. He died in 354 B.C. On Horsemanship advises the reader on how to buy
a good horse, and how to raise it to be either a
war horse or show horse. Xenophon ends with some
words on military equipment for a cavalryman.
PREPARER'S NOTE This was typed from Dakyns' series, "The Works of Xenophon," a
four volume set. The complete list of Xenophon's works (though there is
doubt about some of these) is: Work Number of books The Anabasis 7
The Hellenica 7
The Cyropaedia 8
The Memorabilia 4
The Symposium 1
The Economist 1
On Horsemanship 1
The Sportsman 1
The Cavalry General 1
The Apology 1
On Revenues 1
The Hiero 1
The Agesilaus 1
The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians 2 Text in brackets "{}" is my transliteration of Greek text into
English using an Oxford English Dictionary alphabet table. The
diacritical marks have been lost.
ON HORSEMANSHIP
I Claiming to have attained some proficiency in horsemanship (1)
ourselves, as the result of long experience in the field, our wish is to
explain, for the benefit of our younger friends, what we conceive to be
the most correct method of dealing with horses. (1) Lit. "Since, through the accident of having for a long time
'ridden' ourselves, we believe we have become proficients in
horsemanship, we wish to show to our younger friends how, as we
conceive the matter, they will proceed most correctly in dealing
with horses." {ippeuein} in the case of Xenophon = serve as a
{ippeus}, whether technically as an Athenian "knight" or more
particularly in reference to his organisation of a troop of
cavalry during "the retreat" ("Anab." III. iii. 8 20), and, as is
commonly believed, while serving under Agesilaus ("Hell." III. iv.
14) in Asia, 396, 395 B.C. There is, it is true, a treatise on horsemanship written by Simon, the
same who dedicated the bronze horse near the Eleusinion in Athens
(2) with a representation of his exploits engraved in relief on the
pedestal. (3) But we shall not on that account expunge from our treatise
any conclusions in which we happen to agree with that author; on the
contrary we shall hand them on with still greater pleasure to our
friends, in the belief that we shall only gain in authority from the
fact that so great an expert in horsemanship held similar views to our
own; whilst with regard to matters omitted in his treatise, we shall
endeavour to supply them. (2) L. Dind. (in Athens). The Eleusinion. For the position of this
sanctuary of Demeter and Kore see Leake, "Top. of Athens," i. p.
296 foll. For Simon see Sauppe, vol. v. Praef. to "de R. E." p.
230; L. Dind. Praef. "Xen. Opusc." p. xx.; Dr. Morris H. Morgan,
"The Art of Horsemanship by Xenophon," p. 119 foll. A fragment of
the work referred to, {peri eidous kai ekloges ippon}, exists. The
MS. is in the library of Emmanual Coll. Cant. It so happens that
one of the hipparchs (?) appealed to by Demosthenes in Arist.
"Knights," 242. {andres ippes, paragenesthe nun o kairos, o Simon, o Panaiti, ouk elate
pros to dexion keras}; bears the name... Continue reading book >>
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