οὔτέ γὰρ ὄνον: cf. 28. Aristotle (de G. A. ii. 8, 748 a 25) also says that the ass will not breed in cold countries like Scythia. This is inaccurate, but there is ‘little doubt the ass was first domesticated in Asia’ (E. B.9 ii. 717); and it develops best in warm climates.
ὑβρίζοντες, ‘being loud (in their braying).’
ταῦτα: some take this as the subject of ἐφέροντο, others (Stein) supply Πέρσαι (which is surely harsh). ἵπποι seems the natural subject: translate ‘in this way the horses contributed to some small extent (to the issue) of the war’. For supposed inconsistencies in cc. 130, 134, 140 cf. App. XII, § 7.