[21] RAM’S-HEAD AT THE PROW. These ornaments were usually carved in wood on the prow. They must not be confounded with the ship’s beaks (_rostra_, ἕμβολα). These beaks--two strong iron-cased beams--were on the fore-part of the ships of war and also on vessels intended for long voyages, where they would be exposed to danger from pirates. They were beneath the surface of the water, and were destined to bore holes in the enemy’s ships. See vol. 2, Chap IX. [22] MAGUS. A Gothic word--(not the Latin _Magus_, Greek μάγος--magician, sorcerer,)--means a boy, or knave in the old sense of servant. [23] PARTHENOPE. The ancient name of Naples, from the siren Parthenope, who is said to be buried there. [24] VESUVIUS. The famous eruption, which buried the three cities mentioned, took place A.D. 79, that is, sixteen years before the commencement of this story. [25] BAIAE, now Baja, the most famous watering-place of ancient times. See Horace, _Ep._ I, 1, 83. [26] AENARIA AND PROCHYTA, now Ischia and Procida. [27] ALEXANDRIA in Egypt was, in point of commerce, the London of ancient times. [28] TARENTINE TRAVELLING-CLOAK. The woollen stuffs from Tarentum, now called Taranto, were famous. [29] “HVA GASAIHVIS?”--“GASAIHVA LEITIL SKIP.” Literally: What do you see? (I) see (a) little ship. The earliest existing specimens of Gothic date from several centuries later than the time of this story, namely the period when the Goths left their original settlements on the lower Vistula and settled farther to the southeast on the Black Sea. I thought it permissible, however, to make a Goth of the first century speak the language of Ulfilas, since there is nothing against it in the general analogies of language, and Gothic, in the form in which it remains to us, is so concrete and logical in its structure, that it is hardly credible that it should have varied to any great extent within a period of two or three centuries. [30] BATAVIA. It was the custom at a very early date to name vessels after towns, persons, or countries, etc. [31] AMULET. A faith in the protecting power of charms and amulets was universal among Roman women, and children were always provided with amulets against the evil eye. [32] ISIS. The Egyptian goddess Isis was originally a personification of the Nile country, and as such was the wife of Osiris, the god of the Nile, who is slain by Typhon and longingly sought by the deserted goddess. She was afterwards confounded with every conceivable form of Greek (See Appuleius. _Met._ XI, 5.) and Roman Mythology and thus in the first century after Christ became the principal goddess. Her worship was chiefly by women.