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The Essays of Montaigne； V8
by Michel de Montaigne
Translated by Charles Cotton
Edited by William Carew Hazilitt
1877
CONTENTS OF VOLUME 8。
XLVIII。 Of war…horses； or destriers。
XLIX。 Of ancient customs。
L。 Of Democritus and Heraclitus。
LI。 Of the vanity of words。
LII。 Of the parsimony of the Ancients。
LIII。 Of a saying of Caesar。
LIV。 Of vain subtleties。
LV。 Of smells。
LVI。 Of prayers。
LVII。 Of age。
CHAPTER XLVIII
OF WAR HORSES； OR DESTRIERS
I here have become a grammarian； I who never learned any language but by
rote； and who do not yet know adjective； conjunction； or ablative。 I
think I have read that the Romans had a sort of horses by them called
'funales' or 'dextrarios'； which were either led horses； or horses laid
on at several stages to be taken fresh upon occasion； and thence it is
that we call our horses of service 'destriers'； and our romances commonly
use the phrase of 'adestrer' for 'accompagner'； to accompany。 They also
called those that were trained in such sort； that running full speed；
side by side； without bridle or saddle； the Roman gentlemen； armed at all
pieces； would shift and throw themselves from one to the other；
'desultorios equos'。 The Numidian men…at…arms had always a led horse in
one hand； besides that they rode upon； to change in the heat of battle：
〃Quibus； desultorum in modum； binos trahentibus equos； inter
acerrimam saepe pugnam； in recentem equum； ex fesso； armatis
transultare mos erat： tanta velocitas ipsis； tamque docile
equorum genus。〃
＇〃To whom it was a custom； leading along two horses； often in the
hottest fight； to leap armed from a tired horse to a fresh one； so
active were the men； and the horses so docile。〃Livy； xxiii。 29。＇
There are many horses trained to help their riders so as to run upon any
one； that appears with a drawn sword； to fall both with mouth and heels
upon any that front or oppose them： but it often happens that they do
more harm to their friends than to their enemies； and； moreover； you
cannot loose them from their hold； to reduce them again into order； when
they are once engaged and grappled； by which means you remain at the
mercy of their quarrel。 It happened very ill to Artybius； general of the
Persian army； fighting； man to man； with Onesilus； king of Salamis； to be
mounted upon a horse trained after this manner； it being the occasion of
his death； the squire of Onesilus cleaving the horse down with a scythe
betwixt the shoulders as it was reared up upon his master。 And what the
Italians report； that in the battle of Fornova； the horse of Charles
VIII。； with kicks and plunges； disengaged his master from the enemy that
pressed upon him； without which he had been slain； sounds like a very
great chance； if it be true。
＇In the narrative which Philip de Commines has given of this battle；
in which he himself was present （lib。 viii。 ch。 6）； he tells us
of wonderful performances by the horse on which the king was
mounted。 The name of the horse was Savoy； and it was the most
beautiful horse he had ever seen。 During the battle the king was
personally attacked； when he had nobody near him but a valet de
chambre； a little fellow； and not well armed。 〃The king；〃 says
Commines； 〃had the best horse under him in the world； and therefore
he stood his ground bravely； till a number of his men； not a great
way from him； arrived at the critical minute。〃＇
The Mamalukes make their boast that they have the most ready horses of
any cavalry in the world； that by nature and custom they were taught to
know and distinguish the enemy； and to fall foul upon them with mouth and
heels； according to a word or sign given； as also to gather up with their
teeth darts and lances scattered upon the field； and present them to
their riders； on the word of command。 'T is said； both of Caesar and
Pompey； that amongst their other excellent qualities they were both very
good horsemen； and particularly of Caesar； that in his youth； being
mounted on the bare back； without saddle or bridle； he could make the
horse run； stop； and turn； and perform all its airs； with his hands
behind him。 As nature designed to make of this person； and of Alexander；
two miracles of military art； so one would say she had done her utmost to
arm them after an extraordinary manner for every one knows that
Alexander's horse； Bucephalus； had a head inclining to the shape of a
bull； that he would suffer himself to be mounted and governed by none but
his master； and that he was so honoured after his death as to have a city
erected to his name。 Caesar had also one which had forefeet like those
of a man； his hoofs being divided in the form of fingers； which likewise
was not to be ridden； by any but Caesar himself； who； after his death；
dedicated his statue to the goddess Venus。
I do not willingly alight when I am once on horseback； for it is the
place where； whether well or sick； I find myself most at ease。 Plato
recommends it for health； as also Pliny says it is good for the stomach
and the joints。 Let us go further into this matter since here we are。
We read in Xenophon a law forbidding any one who was master of a horse to
travel on foot。 Trogus Pompeius and Justin say that the Parthians were
wont to perform all offices and ceremonies； not only in war but also all
affairs whether public or private； make bargains； confer； entertain； take
the air； and all on horseback； and that the greatest distinction betwixt
freemen and slaves amongst them was that the one rode on horseback and
the other went on foot； an institution of which King Cyrus was the
founder。
There are several examples in the Roman history （and Suetonius more
particularly observes it of Caesar） of captains who； on pressing
occasions； commanded their cavalry to alight； both by that means to take
from them all hopes of flight； as also for the advantage they hoped in
this sort of fight。
〃Quo baud dubie superat Romanus；〃
＇〃Wherein the Roman does questionless excel。〃Livy； ix。 22。＇
says Livy。 And so the first thing they did to prevent the mutinies and
insurrections of nations of late conquest was to take from them their
arms and horses； and therefore it is that we so often meet in Caesar：
〃Arma proferri； jumenta produci； obsides dari jubet。〃
＇〃He commanded the arms to be produced； the horses brought out；
hostages to be given。〃De Bello Gall。； vii。 II。＇
The Grand Signior to this day suffers not a Christian or a Jew to keep a
horse of his own throughout his empire。
Our ancestors； and especially at the time they had war with the English；
in all their greatest engagements and pitched battles fought for the most
part on foot； that they might have nothing but their own force； courage；
and constancy to trust to in a quarrel of so great concern as life and
honour。 You stake （whatever Chrysanthes in Xenophon says to the
contrary） your valour and your fortune upon that of your horse； his
wounds or death bring your person into the same danger； his fear or fury
shall make you reputed rash or cowardly； if he have an ill mouth or will
not answer to the spur； your honour must answer for it。 And； therefore；
I do not think it strange that those battles were more firm and furious
than those that are fought on horseback：
〃Caedebant pariter； pariterque ruebant
Victores victique； neque his fuga nota； neque illis。〃
＇〃They fought and fell pell…mell； victors and vanquished； nor was
flight thought of by either。〃AEneid； x。 756。＇
Their battles were much better disputed。 Nowadays there are nothing but
routs：
〃Primus clamor atque impetus rem decernit。〃
＇〃The first shout and charge decides the business。〃Livy； xxv。 41。＇
And the means we choose to make use of in so great a hazard should be as
much as possible at our own command： wherefore I should advise to choose
weapons of the shortest sort； and such of which we are able to give the
best account。 A man may repose more confidence in a sword he holds in
his hand than in a bullet he discharges out of a pistol； wherein there
must be a concurrence of several circumstances to make it perform its
office； the powder； the stone； and the wheel： if any of which fail it
endangers your fortune。 A man himself strikes much surer than the air
can direct his blow：
〃Et； quo ferre velint； permittere vulnera ventis
Ensis habet vires； et gens quaecumque virorum est；
Bella gerit gladiis。〃
＇〃And so where they choose to carry ＇the arrows＇； the winds allow
the wounds； the sword has strength of arm： and whatever nation of
men there is； they wage war with swords。〃Lucan； viii。 384。＇
But of that weapon I shall speak more fully when I come to compare the
arms of the ancients with those of modern use； only； by the way； the
astonishment of the ear abated； which every one grows familiar with in a
short time； I look upon it as a weapon of very little execution； and hope
we shall one day