Potter in his "Antiquities of Greece" (Dunbar's edition, Edinburgh, 1824, vol. ii. page 79), thus speaks of the ensigns or flags ([Greek: sêmeia]) used by the Grecians in their military affairs: "Of these there were different sorts, several of which were adorned with images of animals, or other things bearing peculiar relations to the cities they belong to. The Athenians, for instance, bore an owl in their ensigns (Plutarchus Lysandro), as being sacred to Minerva, the protectress of their city; the Thebans a _Sphynx_ (_idem_ Pelopidas, Cornelius Nepos, Epaminondas), in memory of the famous monster overcome by Oedipus. The Persians paid divine honours to the sun, and therefore represented him in their ensigns" (Curtius, lib. 3). Again (in page 150), speaking of the ornaments and devices on their ships, he says: "Some other things there are in the prow and stern that deserve our notice, as those ornaments wherewith the extremities of the ship were beautified, commonly called [Greek: akronea] (or [Greek: neôn korônides]), in Latin, _Corymbi_. The form of them sometimes represented helmets, sometimes living creatures, but most frequently was winded into a round compass, whence they are so commonly named _Corymbi_ and _Coronæ_. To the [Greek: akrostolia] in the prow, answered the [Greek: aphgasta] in the stern, which were often of an orbicular figure, or fashioned like wings, to which a little shield called [Greek: aspideion], or [Greek: aspidiskê], was frequently affixed; sometimes a piece of wood was erected, whereon ribbons of divers colours were hung, and served instead of a flag to distinguish the ship. [Greek: Chêniskos] was so called from [Greek: Chên], _a Goose_, whose {10} figure it resembled, because geese were looked on as fortunate omens to mariners, for that they swim on the top of the waters and sink not. [Greek: Parasêmon] was the flag whereby ships were distinguished from one another; it was placed in the prow, just below the [Greek: stolos], being sometimes carved, and frequently painted, whence it is in Latin termed _pictura_, representing 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 one of the gods_, to whose care and protection the ship was recommended; for which reason it was held sacred. Now and then we find the _tutela_ taken for the [Greek: Parasêmon], and perhaps sometimes the images of gods might be represented on the flags; by some it is placed also in the prow, but by most authors of credit assigned to the stern. Thus Ovid in his Epistle to Paris:-- 'Accipit et pictos puppis adunca Deos.' 'The stern with painted deities richly shines.'