of battle and in
strategy consult together concerning the business of war, and command
their bands after consultation. It is their wont to take out with them a
body of boys, armed and on horses, so that they may learn to fight, just
as the whelps of lions and wolves are accustomed to blood. And these in
time of danger betake themselves to a place of safety, along with many
armed women. After the battle the women and boys soothe and relieve
the pain of the warriors, and wait upon them and encourage them with
embraces and pleasant words. How wonderful a help is this! For the
soldiers, in order that they may acquit themselves as sturdy men in the
eyes of their wives and offspring, endure hardships, and so love makes
them conquerors. He who in the fight first scales the enemy's walls
receives after the battle of a crown of grass, as a token of honor,
and at the presentation the women and boys applaud loudly; that one who
affords aid to an ally gets a civic crown of oak-leaves; he who kills
a tyrant dedicates his arms in the temple and receives from Hoh the
cognomen of his deed, and other warriors obtain other kinds of crowns.

Every horse-soldier carries a spear and two strongly tempered pistols,
narrow at the mouth, hanging from his saddle. And to get the barrels of
their pistols narrow they pierce the metal which they intend to convert
into arms. Further, every cavalry soldier has a sword and a dagger. But
the rest, who form the light-armed troops, carry a metal cudgel. For if
the foe cannot pierce their metal for pistols and cannot make swords,
they attack him with clubs, shatter and overthrow him. Two chains of six
spans length hang from the club, and at the end of these are iron balls,
and when these are aimed at the enemy they surround his neck and drag
him to the ground; and in order that they may be able to use the club
more easily, they do not hold the reins with their hands, but use them
by means of the feet. If perchance the reins are interchanged above
the trappings of the saddle, the ends are fastened to the stirrups with
buckles, and not to the feet. And the stirrups have an arrangement for
swift movement of the bridle, so that they draw in or let out the rein
with marvellous celerity. With the right foot they turn the horse to
the left, and with the left to the right. This secret, moreover, is not
known to the Tartars. For, although they govern the reins with their
feet, they are ignorant nevertheless of turni