on horsemanship-第11章

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contract；　in　addition　to　which　it　covers　the　gap　left　by　the　corselet



under　the　armpit。　The　case　is　different　with　the　right　hand；　which　the



horseman　must　needs　raise　to　discharge　a　javelin　or　strike　a　blow。



Here；　accordingly；　any　part　of　the　corselet　which　would　hinder　action



out　to　be　removed；　in　place　of　which　the　corselet　ought　to　have　some



extra　flaps＇6＇　at　the　joints；　which　as　the　outstretched　arm　is　raised



unfold；　and　as　the　arm　descends　close　tight　again。　The　arm　itself；＇7＇



it　seems　to　us；　will　better　be　protected　by　a　piece　like　a　greave



stretched　over　it　than　bound　up　with　the　corselet。　Again；　the　part



exposed　when　the　right　hand　is　raised　should　be　covered　close　to　the



corselet　either　with　calfskin　or　with　metal；　or　else　there　will　be　a



want　of　protection　just　at　the　most　vital　point。







＇6＇　｛prosthetai｝；　〃moveable；〃　〃false。〃　For　｛gigglumois｝　L。　&　S。　cf。



　　　　Hipp。　411。　12；　Aristot。　〃de　An。〃　iii。　10。　9　=　〃ball…and…socket



　　　　joints。〃







＇7＇　i。e。　〃forearm。〃







Moreover；　as　any　damage　done　to　the　horse　will　involve　his　rider　in



extreme　peril；　the　horse　also　should　be　clad　in　armourfrontlet；



breastplate；　and　thigh…pieces；＇8＇　which　latter　may　at　the　same　time



serve　as　cuisses　for　the　mounted　man。　Beyond　all　else；　the　horse's



belly；　being　the　most　vital　and　defenceless　part；　should　be　protected。



It　is　possible　to　protect　it　with　the　saddle…cloth。　The　saddle　itself



should　be　of　such　sort　and　so　stitched　as　to　give　the　rider　a　firm



seat；　and　yet　not　gall　the　horse's　back。







＇8＇　Cf。　〃Cyrop。〃　VI。　iv。　1；　VII。　i。　2。







As　regards　the　limbs　in　general；　both　horse　and　rider　may　be　looked



upon　as　fully　armed。　The　only　parts　remaining　are　the　shins　and　feet；



which　of　course　protrude　beyond　the　cuisses；　but　these　also　may　be



armed　by　the　addition　of　gaiters　made　of　leather　like　that　used　for



making　sandals。　And　thus　you　will　have　at　once　defensive　armour　for



the　shins　and　stockings　for　the　feet。







The　above；　with　the　blessing　of　heaven；　will　serve　for　armour　of



defence。　To　come　to　weapons　of　offence；　we　recommend　the　sabre　rather



than　the　straight　sword；＇9＇　since　from　the　vantage…ground　of　the



horse's　position　the　curved　blade　will　descend　with　greater　force　than



the　ordinary　weapon。







＇9＇　The　｛makhaira｝　（or　｛kopis｝）；　Persian　fashion；　rather　than　the



　　　　｛xephos｝。　〃Cyrop。〃　I。　ii。　13。







Again；　in　place　of　the　long　reed　spear；　which　is　apt　to　be　weak　and



awkward　to　carry；　we　would　substitute　two　darts　of　cornel…wood；＇10＇



the　one　of　which　the　skilful　horseman　can　let　fly；　and　still　ply　the



one　reserved　in　all　directions；　forwards；　backwards；＇11＇　and



obliquely；　add　to　that；　these　smaller　weapons　are　not　only　stronger



than　the　spear　but　far　more　manageable。







＇10＇　For　these　reforms；　the　result　of　the　author's　Asiatic　experiences



　　　　perhaps；　cf。　〃Hell。〃　III。　iv。　14；　〃Anab。〃　I。　viii。　3；　〃Cyrop。〃　I。



　　　　ii。　9。







＇11＇　Reading　｛eis　toupisthen｝　after　Leoncl。







As　regards　range　of　discharge　in　shooting　we　are　in　favour　of　the



longest　possible；　as　giving　more　time　to　rally＇12＇　and　transfer　the



second　javelin　to　the　right　hand。　And　here　we　will　state　shortly　the



most　effective　method　of　hurling　the　javelin。　The　horseman　should



throw　forward　his　left　side；　while　drawing　back　his　right；　then　rising



bodily　from　the　thighs；　he　should　let　fly　the　missile　with　the　point



slightly　upwards。　The　dart　so　discharged　will　carry　with　the　greatest



force　and　to　the　farthest　distance；　we　may　add；　too；　with　the　truest



aim；　if　at　the　moment　of　discharge　the　lance　be　directed　steadily　on



the　object　aimed　at。＇13＇







＇12＇　Al。　〃to　turn　right…about。〃







＇13＇　〃If　the　lance　is　steadily　eyeing　the　mark　at　the　instant　of



　　　　discharge。〃







This　treatise；　consisting　of　notes　and　suggestions；　lessons　and



exercises　suited　to　a　private　individual；　must　come　to　a　conclusion；



the　theory　and　practice　of　the　matter　suited　to　a　cavalry　commander



will　be　found　developed　in　the　companion　treatise。＇14＇







＇14＇　In　reference　to　〃The　Cavalry　General〃；　or　〃Hipparch。〃























End