Smith, William: A smaller dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities (London, 1871)

NAVIS.

264

NAVIS.

swan, as in the accompanying woodcut. The
cheniscus was often gilt and made of bronze.

Chcniscus. (From a Fainting at Herculaneum.)

Just beiow the prow and projecting a little
above the keel was the Rostrum (e/xjSoAo?,
t^oXov) or beak, which consisted of a beam,
to which were attached sharp and pointed
irons, or the head of a ram and the like.
This e>x/3oAos was used for the purpose of at-

tacking another vessel and of breaking its
sides. These beaks were at first always
above the water and visible; afterwards they
were attached lower, so that they were in-
visible, and thus became still more aanger-
ous to other ships. The annexed woodcuts
represent three different beaks of ships.
The command in the prow of a vessel was
exercised by an officer called Trpapev*;, who
seems to have been next in rank to the
steersman, and to have had the care of the
gear, and the command over the rowers.-—2.
The stern (npvixvri, pvppis) was generally
above the other parts of the deck, and in it
the helmsman had his elevated seat. It is
seen in the representations of ancient vessels
to be rounder than the prow, though its ex-
tremity is likewise sharp. The stern was,
like the prow, adorned in various ways, but
especially with the image of the tutelary
deity of the vessel [tut el a). In some repre-
sentations a kind of roof is formed over the
head of the steersman, and the upper part
of the stern frequently has an elegant orna-
ment called apt list re, and in Greek a<f>\aa-Tov,
which constituted the highest part of the
poop. It formed a corresponding ornament
to the oKpoo-ToAioy at the prow. At the
junction of the aplustre with the stern on

Rostra, Beaks of Ships. (Montfaucon, pi. 133.)

which it was based, we commonly observe I there appears, beside the aplustre, a pole, to
an ornament resembling a circular shield : which a fillet or pennon (raivia) was attached,
this was called aoTrtSeiop or acrni&icricri. It is which served both to distinguish and adorn
seen on the two aplustria here represented, i the vessel, and also to show the direction of
The aplustre rose immediately behind the [ the wind.—3. The Tptufnjf is the bulwark of
gubernator, and served in some degree to ', the vessel, or rather the uppermost edge of
protect him from wind and rain. Sometimes ! it. In small boats the pegs (o-/caA^ot, scalmi)