On the Cavalry Commander

The first duty is to sacrifice to the gods and pray them to grant you the thoughts, words and deeds likely to render your command most pleasing to the gods and to bring yourself, your friends and your city the fullest measure of affection and glory and advantage.

Having gained the goodwill of the gods, you have then to recruit a sufficient number of mounted men that you may bring the number up to the total required by the law,[*](1,000; but, as we shall see, the number had fallen to something like 650 at the time Xenophon wrote.) and also may prevent any decrease in the cavalry establishment. Unless additional recruits are enrolled in the force, the number will constantly dwindle, for some men are bound to retire through old age and others to drop off for various reasons.

While the ranks are filling up, you must see that the horses get enough food to stand hard work, since horses unfit for their work can neither overtake nor escape. You must see that they are docile, because disobedient animals assist the enemy more than their own side.

And horses that kick when mounted must be got rid of, for such brutes often do more mischief than the enemy. You must also look after their feet, so that they can be ridden on rough ground, for you know that wherever galloping is painful to them, they are useless.

Having made sure that the horses are in good condition, the next business is to train the men. First they must learn to mount from the spring,[*](A difficult feat, since the Greek rider had no stirrups.) since many before now have owed their lives to that. Secondly, they must practise riding over all sorts of ground, since any kind of country may become the area of war.

As soon as they have acquired a firm seat, your next task is to take steps that as many as possible shall be able to throw the javelin when mounted[*](When attacking infantry in line the cavalry never charged home; but only approached near enough to throw the javelin with effect. Hence the importance attached to an accomplishment by no means easy to perform without stirrups. See especially On Horsemanship chap. 12.) and shall become efficient in all the details of horsemanship.

After that both horses and men must be armed, so that, while they are themselves thoroughly protected against wounds, they may have the means of inflicting the greatest loss on the enemy.

Then you must contrive to make the men obedient: otherwise neither good horses nor a firm seat nor fine armour are of any use.

For ensuring efficiency in all these matters the cavalry commander, as a matter of course, is the principal authority.