Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

XVIII. SIR THOMAS ELYOT. 435Lives, ed. A. H. Clough, vol. iv. 234.that Alexander wished to cross the river.Observe that Plutarch merely says158. Luctatins. This name is more commonly spelt Lutatius. Theallusion is to C. Lutatius Catulus, consul in b.c. 242, the last year ofthe first Punic v^^ar. The great sea-fight which terminated this war wasgained by the Romans on the loth of March, b.c. 241. Sixty-threeCarthaginian vessels were taken, and a hundred and twenty sunk.184, Bncephal. After Alexander had defeated the Indian king Porus,he founded two towns, one on each bank of the Hydaspes ;Bucephala, in honour of hisone calledhorse Bucephalus, who died there, and theother Nicsea, in honour of his victory. The whole passage is takenfrom Pliny, lib. viii. c. xlii. In Philemon Holland's translation of'Plinies Naturall Historic,' it stands thus:—' The same ^/exa/zrfer theGreat, of whom erewhile wee spake, had a very straunge and rare horse,whom men called Bucephalus, either for his crabbed and grim looke, orelse of the marke or brand of a buls head, which was imprinted uponhis shoulder. It is reported that Alexander, being but a child, seeingthis fair horse, was in love with him, and bought him out of the breedand race of Philonicus the Pharsalian, and for him paied sixteene talents.He would suffer no man to sit him, nor come upon his backe, but Alexander; and namely, when hee had the kings saddle on, and was alsotrapped with roiall furniture ; for otherwise hee would admit any whomsoever.The same horse was of a passing good and memorable servicein the warres ; and namely, being wounded upon a time at the assault ofThebes, he would not suffer Alexatider to alight from his backe, andmount upon another. Many other strange and wonderfull things hee didin regard whereof, when he was dead, the king solemnized his funeralsmost sumptuously : erected a tombe for him, and about it built a citie thatbare his name, Bucephalia. Ccesar Dictatour likewise had another horse,that would suffer no man to ride him but his maister ;and the samehorse had his forefeet resembling those of a man: and in that mannerstandeth he pourtraied before the temple of Vefius Mother.' Butler, inhis Hudibras, i. i. 433, cleverly ridicules this story in the lines about«Cfesar's horse, who, as fame goes.Had corns upon his feet and toes.'210. Arundell. It is perhaps needless to say that Anmdel Castle wasconnected with the legend of Sir Bevis of Southampton and his horseArundel solely because of the similarity of the names. The exploits ofSir Bevis are narrated in the second book of Drayton's Polyolbion.Chap. XVIII. 21. A garlande, &c. This is well illustrated by act iv.sc. 2. of As You Like It : F f 2