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TheCavalryGeneral1TheCavalryGeneralByXenophonTranslationbyH.G.DakynsTheCavalryGeneral2XenophontheAthenianwasborn431B.C.HewasapupilofSocrates.HemarchedwiththeSpartans,andwasexiledfromAthens.SpartagavehimlandandpropertyinScillus,wherehelivedformanyyearsbeforehavingtomoveoncemore,tosettleinCorinth.Hediedin354B.C.TheCavalryGeneralisadiscourseonthemeritsacavalrygeneral,orhipparch,inAthensshouldhave.Xenophonalsodescribesthedevelopmentofacavalryforce,andsometacticaldetailstobeappliedinthefieldandinfestivalexhibition.TheCavalryGeneral3TheCavalryGeneralIYourfirstdutyistooffersacrifice,petitioningthegodstograntyousuchgoodgifts[2]asshallenableyouinthought,word,anddeedtodischargeyourofficeinthemannermostacceptabletoHeaven,andwithfullestincreasetoyourself,andfriends,andtothestateatlargeofaffection,glory,andwideusefulness.ThegoodwillofHeaven[3]soobtained,youshallproceedtomountyourtroopers,takingcarethatthefullcomplementwhichthelawdemandsisreached,andthatthenormalforceofcavalryisnotdiminished.Therewillneedtobeareserveofremounts,orelseadeficiencymayoccuratanymoment,[4]lookingtothefactthatsomewillcertainlysuccumbtooldage,andothers,fromonereasonoranother,proveunserviceable.[1]Forthetitle,etc.,seeSchneid.Praemon.deXeno.{Ipp}.Boeckh,P.E.A.251.[2]Or,withsacrificetoaskofHeaventhosegiftsofthoughtandspeechandconductwherebyyouwillexerciseyourofficemostacceptablytothegodsthemselves,andwith...Cf.Plat.Phaedr.273E;Euthr.14B.[3]TheGreekphraseiswarmer,{theond'ileononton},thegodsbeingkindlyandpropitious.Cf.Plat.Laws,712B.[4]Lit.atanymomenttherewillbetoofew.SeeLesCavaliersAtheniens,parAlbertMartin,p.308.Butnowsupposethecomplementofcavalryislevied,[5]thedutywilldevolveonyouofseeing,inthefirstplace,thatyourhorsesarewellfedandinconditiontostandtheirwork,sinceahorsewhichcannotendurefatiguewillclearlybeunabletooverhaulthefoemanoreffectescape;[6]andinthesecondplace,youwillhavetoseetoittheanimalsaretractable,since,clearlyagain,ahorsethatwillnotobeyisonlyfightingfortheTheCavalryGeneral4enemyandnothisfriends.So,again,ananimalthatkickswhenmountedmustbecast;sincebrutesofthatsortmayoftendomoremischiefthanthefoehimself.Lastly,youmustpayattentiontothehorses'feet,andseethattheywillstandbeingriddenoverroughground.Ahorse,oneknows,ispracticallyuselesswherehecannotbegallopedwithoutsuffering.[5]Lit.inprocessofbeingraised.[6]Or,topresshomeachargeal'outrance,orretirefromthefieldunscathed.Andnow,supposingthatyourhorsesareallthattheyoughttobe,likepainsmustbeappliedtotrainthementhemselves.Thetrooper,inthefirstplace,mustbeabletospringonhorsebackeasily--afeattowhichmanyamanhasowedhislifeerenow.Andnext,hemustbeabletoridewithfreedomovereverysortofground,sinceanydescriptionofcountrymaybecometheseatofwar.When,presently,yourmenhavegotfirmseats,youraimshouldbetomakeasmanymembersofthecorpsaspossiblenotonlyskilledtohurlthejavelinfromhorsebackwithprecision,buttoperformallotherfeatsexpectedoftheexperthorseman.Nextcomestheneedtoarmbothhorseandmaninsuchamannerastominimisetheriskofwounds,andyettoincreasetheforceofeveryblowdelivered.[7]Thisattendedto,youmustcontrivetomakeyourmenamenabletodiscipline,withoutwhichneithergoodhorses,norafirmseat,norsplendourofequipmentwillbeofanyuseatall.[7]Lit.sothatwhilstleastlikelytobewoundedthemselves,theymaymostbeabletoinjuretheenemy.Thegeneralofcavalry,[8]aspatronofthewholedepartment,isnaturallyresponsibleforitsefficientworking.Inview,however,ofthetaskimposeduponthatofficerhadhetocarryoutthesevariousdetailssingle-handed,thestatehaschosentoassociate[9]withhimcertaincoadjutorsinthepersonsofthephylarchs(ortribalcaptains),[10]andhasbesidesimposeduponthesenateashareinthesuperintendenceofthecavalry.Thisbeingso,twothingsappeartomedesirable;thefirstis,sotoworkuponthephylarchthatheshallshareyourownenthusiasmforthehonourofthecorps;[11]andsecondly,tohaveatyourdisposalinthesenateableorators,[12]whoselanguagemayinstilawholesomefearintoTheCavalryGeneral5theknightsthemselves,andtherebymakethemallthebettermen,ortendtopacifythesenateonoccasionanddisarmunseasonableanger.[8]SeeMem.III.iii.[9]Cf.Theophr.xxix.TheOligarchicMan:Whenthepeoplearedeliberatingwhomtheyshallassociatewiththearchonasjointdirectorsoftheprocession.(Jebb.)[10]Or,squadron-leaders.[11]Honourandprestigeofknighthood.[12]Tokeepastaffoforators.Cf.Anab.VII.vi.41;Cyrop.I.vi.19;Hell.VI.ii.39.Theabovemayserveasmemoranda[13]ofthedutieswhichwillclaimyourchiefattention.Howthedetailsineachcasemaybestbecarriedoutisafurthermatter,whichIwillnowendeavourtoexplain.[13]Asortofnotesandsuggestions,mementoes.Cf.Horsemanship,iii.1,xii.14.Astothementhemselves--theclassfromwhichyoumakeyourpickoftroopers--clearlyaccordingtothelawyouareboundtoenroltheablestyoucanfindinpointofwealthandbodilyphysique;andifnotbypersuasion,thenbyprosecutioninacourtoflaw.[14]Andformypart,Ithink,iflegalpressureistobeapplied,youshouldapplyitinthosecaseswhereneglecttoprosecutemightfairlybeascribedtointerestedmotives;[15]sinceifyoufailtoputcompulsiononthegreaterpeoplefirst,youleaveabackdoorofescapeatoncetothoseofhumblermeans.Buttherewillbeothercase