To economise the grass he ordered the Clinabarians to kill the least strong among the stallions.

A few refused to do so, and he had them decapitated.

The horses were eaten.

The recollection of this fresh meat was a source of great sadness to them in the days that followed.
From the bottom of the ampitheatre in which they were confined they could see the four bustling camps of the Barbarians all around them on the heights.

Women moved about with leathern bottles on their heads, goats strayed bleating beneath the piles of pikes; sentries were being relieved, and eating was going on around tripods.