[Illustration: Iron ring, with head of Socrates.] [Illustration: Gold ring, with name, Vibianæ.] [Illustration: Iron ring, representing a shepherd and goat.] [Illustration: Jupiter Serapis.] [Illustration: Galba.] [Illustration: Pan and Goat.] [Illustration: Hygeia.] [Illustration: Mercury.] [Illustration: Bust, with inscription ‘Lucilla Acv. Sta. Virgo,’ formerly in the collection of St. Geneviève; added to the splendid Cabinet of Antiquities at Paris in 1796.] The following engraving (from Gorlæus) refers to the story of Masinissa and Sophonisba, well known to classical readers. She was betrothed at a very early age to the Numidian prince, but was afterwards married to Syphax, B.C. 206. This warrior, in a battle with Masinissa, was conquered, and Sophonisba became a prisoner to the Numidian prince, who, won by her charms, married her. Scipio, fearing her influence, persisted in his immediate surrender of the princess, and Masinissa, to spare her the humility of captivity, sent her a bowl of poison, which she drank without hesitation, and thus perished. [Illustration: Ring with figures of Masinissa and Sophonisba.] The portraits of Caligula and Drusilla, in an iron ring, made to turn from one side to the other (Gorlæus):-- [Illustration: Caligula and Drusilla.] A representation of Victory, suspending a shield to a palm-tree (Gorlæus):-- [Illustration: Roman ring of ‘Victory.’] With regard to the engraved representations on rings, Clemens Alexandrinus gives some advice to the Christians of the second century: ‘Let the engraving upon the stone be either a pigeon, or a fish, or a ship running before the wind, or a musical lyre, which was the device used by Polycrates; or a ship’s anchor, which Seleucus had cut upon his signet; and if it represents a man fishing, the wearer will be put in mind of the Apostle, and of the little children drawn up out of the water. For we must not engrave on them images of idols, which we are forbidden even to look at; nor a sword, nor a bow, being the followers of peace, nor drinking goblets, being sober men.’ (See Chapter IV., ‘Rings in connexion with ecclesiastical usages,’ _religious rings_.) The Rev. C. W. King remarks that ‘the practice of engraving licentious subjects on rings was very prevalent in Ancient Rome. Ateius Capito, a famous lawyer of the Republic, highly censured the practice of wearing figures of deities on rings, on account of the profanation to which they were exposed.’ [Illustration: Roman.]