The Cavalry General | Page 8

And when it comes to actual encounter greater promptitude
will be displayed: supposing the attack is made in front, by the
file-leaders who know that this is their appointed post; or in case of
danger suddenly appearing in rear, then by the rear-rank men, whose
main idea is that to desert one's post is base. A want of orderly
arrangement, on the contrary, leads to confusion worse confounded at
every narrow road, at every passage of a river; and when it comes to
fighting, no one of his own free will assigns himself his proper post in
face of an enemey.
[10] Lit. "where to ride," i.e. in what formation whether on the line of
march or in action.
The above are fundamental matters not to be performed without the
active help of every trooper who would wish to be a zealous and
unhesitating fellow-worker with his officer.[11]
[11] Cf. "Hiero," vii. 2; "Cyrop." II. iv. 10.

III
I come at length to certain duties which devolve upon the general of
cavalry himself in person: and first and foremost, it concerns him to
obtain the favour of the gods by sacrifices in behalf of the state cavalry;
and in the next place to make the great procession at the festivals a
spectacle worth seeing; and further, with regard to all those public
shows demanded by the state, wherever held,[1] whether in the grounds

of the Acadamy or the Lyceum, at Phaleron or within the hippodrome,
it is his business as commander of the knights to see that every pageant
of the sort is splendidly exhibited.
[1] Cf. Theophr. "Ch." vii. (Jebb ad loc. p. 204, n. 25).
But these, again, are memoranda.[2] To the question how the several
features of the pageant shall receive their due impress of beauty, I will
now address myself.
[2] Read {tauta men alla upomnemata}, or if with Pantazid. {apla},
trans. "these are simply memoranda."
And first to speak of the Processions.[3] These will, I think, be
rendered most acceptable to Heaven and to earth's spectators were the
riders to ride round the Agora and temples, commencing from the
Hermae, and pay honour to the sacred beings, each in turn, whose
shrines and statues are there congregated. (Thus in the great Dionysia[4]
the choruses embrace their gracious service to the other gods and to the
Twelve with circling dance.[5]) When the circuit is completed, and the
riders are back again in front of the Hermae, it would add, I think, to
the beauty of the scene[6] if at this point they formed in companies of
tribes, and giving their horses rein, swept forward at the gallop to the
Eleusinion. Nor must I omit to note the right position of the lance, to
lessen as far as possible the risk of mutual interference.[7] Each trooper
should hold his lance straight between the ears of his charger, which in
proportion to the distinctness given to the weapon will rouse terror, and
at the same time create a vague idea of multitudinousness.[8]
[3] {tas pompas}. See A. Martin, op. cit. 147, 160.
[4] Celebrated in March (Elaphebolion).
[5] Or, "by dancing roundelays in honour of the gods, especially The
Twelve"; and as to the Twelve cf. Aristoph. "Knights," 235, "Birds," 95;
Plat. "Laws," 654; Paus. i. 3. 3; 40. 3; viii. 25. 3; Plut. "Nic." 13;
Lycurg. 198.
[6] Or, "it would be a beautiful sequel to the proceedings, in my
opinion, if at this point they formed in squadron column, and giving
rein to their chargers, swept forward at full gallop to the Eleusinion."
See Leake, op. cit. i. 296.
[7] Lit. "nor will I omit how the lances shall as little as possible overlap
one another."
[8] Lit. "Every trooper should be at pains to keep his lance straight

between the ears of his charger, if these weapons are to be distinct and
terror-striking, and at the same time to appear numerous."
As soon as they have ceased from the charge at full gallop, the pace
should at once be changed; and now, with footing slow, let them retrace
their course back to the temples. In this way every detail characteristic
of knightly pageantry[9] will have been displayed to the delight of god
and man. That our knights are not accustomed to these actual
evolutions, I am well aware; but I also recognise the fact that the
performances are good and beautiful and will give pleasure to
spectators. I do not fail to note, moreover, that novel feats of
horsemanship have before now been performed by our knights, when
their commanders have had the ability to get their wishes readily
complied with.
[9] Lit. "everything that may be performed on a mounted horse."
Possibly, as Cobet suggests, {kala} has dropped out. See
"Horsemanship," xi. 3, 6.
But