DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0522
494
OF THE MILITARY AFFAIRS OF GREECE,
cording to Scheffer, Wrather mc§emu> for since the prow is commonly com-
pared to a human face, it will naturally follow that its sides should be
called cheeks. The top'tjf these, as likewise of the stern, was called
tfa^Efsi^tf'a (1), because void of rowers.
3. H§4(t it, the hind-deck or s em, sometimes called t>£i, tbe tail, be-
cause the hindmost part of the ship. It was of a figure more inclining to
round than the prow, the extremity of which was sharp that it might cut
the waters ; it was also buiit higher than the prov,, and was the place
where the pilot sat to steer : the bow of it was called sVitfs/wv, the planks
of which ha was composed t« ir's^irovsia. There Was another place
something beloW the top, called «itf<*v&ov, the interior part of which was
termed £W)4fMov
Some other things there are in the prow and stern that deserve our
notice ; a« those ornaments wherewith the extremities of the ship were
beautified, commonly called, in general, ixgwix (2), or vswv xogwviSeg (3), in
Latin corijmbi ; which name is taken from the Greek xo£u(j.€a used in Ho«
mer:
-vim cLttmo^iiv v.k(% KopupiGz,.
Though this word, in Greek, is not, as in the Latin, applied to the orna-
ments of both ends, but only those of the prow(4) : these are likewise
called «3c£ogsXia, because placed a; the extremity of the £6Xos, which was
a long plank at the head of the prow, and therefore sometimes termed
#sgixs(paXa»a (5). The form of the rn sometimes resembled helmets, some~
times living creatures, but most frequently was winded into a round com-
pass, whence they are so common! v named corymb a and coronts.
To the «x£oSoXia in the prow, answered the ZcpXaga in the stern, which
were often of an orbicular figure, or fashioned like wings, to which a lit-
tle shield, called ddtfiMw, or d<f<inS'Hfxrti. was frequently affixed : sometimes
a piece of wood was erected, whereon ribands of divers colours were
hung, and served instead of a flag (6) to distinguish the ship, and of a
weather-cock, to signify the quarteis of the wind.
Xyvidxos was so called from p(jjv, a goose, whose figure it resembled, be-
cause geese were looked on as fortunate omens to mariners, for that they
swim on the top of the waters, and sink not. This ornament, according
to some, was fixed at the bottom of the prow, where it was joined to the
foremost part of the keel and was the part to which anchors were fasten-
ed when cast into the sea; but others carry it to the other end of the
ship, and fix it upon the extremity of the stern (7).
na£*tf*ifjt,ov was tbe flag, whereby ships were distinguished from one an-
other : it was placed in the prow, just below the SoXojj being sometimes
carved, and frequently painted, whence it is in Latin termed pictura, re-
presenting the form of a mountain, a tree, a flower, or any other thing ;
wherein it was distinguished from what was called tutela, or the safeguard
of the ship, which always represented some of the gods to whose care
and protection the ship was recommended ; for which reason it was held
sacred, and had the privilege of being a refuge "and sanctuary to such ss
fled to it; prayers also and sacrifices were offered, and oaths confirmed
before it, as the mansion of the tutelar and presiding deity of the ship
(1) Thucydides Scholiastes.
(2) Suidas. (3) Homerus.
(4) Etymologici Auctor.
(5) Pollux.
(6) Pollux, Eustathius.
(7) Elymologici. A uctor.
OF THE MILITARY AFFAIRS OF GREECE,
cording to Scheffer, Wrather mc§emu> for since the prow is commonly com-
pared to a human face, it will naturally follow that its sides should be
called cheeks. The top'tjf these, as likewise of the stern, was called
tfa^Efsi^tf'a (1), because void of rowers.
3. H§4(t it, the hind-deck or s em, sometimes called t>£i, tbe tail, be-
cause the hindmost part of the ship. It was of a figure more inclining to
round than the prow, the extremity of which was sharp that it might cut
the waters ; it was also buiit higher than the prov,, and was the place
where the pilot sat to steer : the bow of it was called sVitfs/wv, the planks
of which ha was composed t« ir's^irovsia. There Was another place
something beloW the top, called «itf<*v&ov, the interior part of which was
termed £W)4fMov
Some other things there are in the prow and stern that deserve our
notice ; a« those ornaments wherewith the extremities of the ship were
beautified, commonly called, in general, ixgwix (2), or vswv xogwviSeg (3), in
Latin corijmbi ; which name is taken from the Greek xo£u(j.€a used in Ho«
mer:
-vim cLttmo^iiv v.k(% KopupiGz,.
Though this word, in Greek, is not, as in the Latin, applied to the orna-
ments of both ends, but only those of the prow(4) : these are likewise
called «3c£ogsXia, because placed a; the extremity of the £6Xos, which was
a long plank at the head of the prow, and therefore sometimes termed
#sgixs(paXa»a (5). The form of the rn sometimes resembled helmets, some~
times living creatures, but most frequently was winded into a round com-
pass, whence they are so common! v named corymb a and coronts.
To the «x£oSoXia in the prow, answered the ZcpXaga in the stern, which
were often of an orbicular figure, or fashioned like wings, to which a lit-
tle shield, called ddtfiMw, or d<f<inS'Hfxrti. was frequently affixed : sometimes
a piece of wood was erected, whereon ribands of divers colours were
hung, and served instead of a flag (6) to distinguish the ship, and of a
weather-cock, to signify the quarteis of the wind.
Xyvidxos was so called from p(jjv, a goose, whose figure it resembled, be-
cause geese were looked on as fortunate omens to mariners, for that they
swim on the top of the waters, and sink not. This ornament, according
to some, was fixed at the bottom of the prow, where it was joined to the
foremost part of the keel and was the part to which anchors were fasten-
ed when cast into the sea; but others carry it to the other end of the
ship, and fix it upon the extremity of the stern (7).
na£*tf*ifjt,ov was tbe flag, whereby ships were distinguished from one an-
other : it was placed in the prow, just below the SoXojj being sometimes
carved, and frequently painted, whence it is in Latin termed pictura, re-
presenting the form of a mountain, a tree, a flower, or any other thing ;
wherein it was distinguished from what was called tutela, or the safeguard
of the ship, which always represented some of the gods to whose care
and protection the ship was recommended ; for which reason it was held
sacred, and had the privilege of being a refuge "and sanctuary to such ss
fled to it; prayers also and sacrifices were offered, and oaths confirmed
before it, as the mansion of the tutelar and presiding deity of the ship
(1) Thucydides Scholiastes.
(2) Suidas. (3) Homerus.
(4) Etymologici Auctor.
(5) Pollux.
(6) Pollux, Eustathius.
(7) Elymologici. A uctor.