Text
Iamblichus, Babylonian Story:
The chariot on which the king is conveyed is made completely of ivory and is very much like the Greek four-wheeled chariot. The reins of the horses are purple strips. The king stands on it wearing a special outfit that he does not wear for hunting, for sitting in judgement, or for performing sacrifices, but only for ceremonial occasions. There is a gilded purple robe made of equal parts of gold and purple. He carries an ivory scepter on the top of which he rests his right hand. Sceptered knights, satraps, cavalry commanders, and the tribunes who have the right to do so head the procession. The infantry have silver shields, and some have silver or gold breastplates; they have their hands adorned with bracelets, and their necks with necklaces. They do not have helmets on their heads, but representations of battlements and towers crown and protect their heads. These are made of silver and gold. Some of the dignitaries have representations set with precious stones, and a few of them wear gold crowns that have been presented to them by the king. Some ride on Nisaean horses, some of which are decked out in military fashion with frontlets, chestplates, and flank armour, others being trained for ceremony, all with gold-studded bridles as though they belonged to wealthy women. Belts, straps, and other equestrian gear - there is not any of this that is not of beaten gold or flaked with gold.
Tied and bound with variegated purple bands, the tails of the horses are braided like women’s locks; their manes are rised in crests along both sides of their necks; some of the horses have soft manes, some upright, some crinkled, some natural, some constrained through art.
They mold their gait, their way of looking, their nods, their spirits, and the neighing and whinnying of some of them. The ceremonial horse is taught everything. It stretches out its legs of its own accord on the ground and lies down to receive its luxuriously and brilliantly dressed rider. A horse trained to be more haughty does not drop to its stomach but instead falls to its knees so as to appear to make obeisance while receiving its rider. Then it makes its back supple and maneuverable in movement, like a serpent; it learns to conduct itself rhythmically and to hold itself, and at a nod to breathe through its nostrils, direct its glance, hold its head high, and posture and prance, in every respect like an athlete showing off in the amphitheater. As a result of this the horse seems more handsome, and the rider more impressive.
Source (list of abbreviations)
Iamblichus, Babylonian Story
Bibliography
| Reardon 1989, 793-794 | Reardon, B. P. Collected Ancient Greek Novels. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press 1989. |
Amar Annus
URL for this entry: http://www.aakkl.helsinki.fi/melammu/database/gen_html/a0000269.php
|
