be, how is
the trooper to attain a like degree of excellence? To that question I
will now address myself. The art of leaping on to horseback is one
which we would fain persuade the youthful members of the corps to
learn themselves; though, if you choose to give them an
instructor, (24) all the greater credit to yourself. And as to the
older men you cannot do better than accustom them to mount, or rather
to be hoisted up by aid of some one, Persian fashion. (25)

(24) Like Pheidon, in the fragment of Mnesimachus's play "The Breeder
of Horses," ap. Athen. See Courier, ib. p. 55.

(25) See "Anab." IV. iv. 4; "Horsemanship," vi. 12.

With a view to keeping a firm seat on every sort of ground, it may be
perhaps be thought a little irksome to be perpetually marching out,
when there is no war; (26) but all the same, I would have you call your
men together and impress upon them the need to train themselves, when
they ride into the country to their farms, or elsewhere, by leaving
the high road and galloping at a round pace on ground of every
description. (27) This method will be quite as beneficial to them as
the regular march out, and at the same time not produce the same sense
of tedium. You may find it useful also to remind them that the state
on her side is quite willing to expend a sum of nearly forty
talents (28) yearly, so that in the event of war she may not have to
look about for cavalry, but have a thoroughly efficient force to hand
for active service. Let these ideas be once instilled into their
minds, and, mark my words, your trooper will fall with zest to
practising horsemanship, so that if ever the flame of war burst out he
may not be forced to enter the lists a raw recruit, unskilled to fight
for fame and fatherland or even life itself.

(26) In the piping days of peace.

(27) See "Econ." xi. 17. Cf. Theophr. "Ch." viii. "The Late Learner":
{kai eis agron eph' ippou allotriou katakhoumenos ama meletan
ippazesthai, kai peson ten kephalon kateagenai}, "Riding into the
country on another's horse, he will practise his horsemanship by
the way, and falling, will break his head" (Jebb).

(28) = L10,000 circa. See Boeckh, op. cit. p. 251.

It would be no bad thing either, to forewarn your troopers that one
day you will take them out yourself for a long march, and lead them
across country over every kind of ground. Again, whilst practising the
evolutions of the rival cavalry display, (29)