The History of the Manners and Customs of Ancient Greece, Volume 3 (of 3)St. John, James Augustus
History
The History of the Manners and Customs of Ancient Greece, Volume 3 (of 3)
St. John, James Augustus
Greece -- Social life and customs
was to superintend the pumps.[1685] The ship likewise contained twenty
stables, ten on either hand, well supplied with fodder, and every
convenience for the grooms.
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Footnote 1685:
Cf. Schol. Aristoph. Eq. 432.
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In the bows was a prodigious reservoir of fresh-water, lined with
tarpaulin, and kept under lock and key; and near it lay the piscina or
fish-pond, overlaid with lead, and filled with sea-water, in which was
preserved an ample supply of fish for a long voyage. On projecting
galleries, extending along the ship’s sides, were situated the
wood-house, the kitchen, the bake-house, the mills, and other
conveniences. At different distances along the sides were ranged
numerous figures of Atlas, nine feet in height, supporting the triglyphs
and the projecting portions of the ship: its whole surface, moreover,
was adorned with suitable paintings.
There arose from the deck eight towers, two on the stern, two on the
prow, and four in the ship’s waist, in diameter and elevation
proportioned to the dimensions of the whole. From the outer battlements
of each of these turrets projected two immense beams, hollowed out like
troughs, which being balanced in the middle on the edge of the tower,
could be filled with huge stones, that, by elevating the inner extremity
of the machine, were launched into the enemy’s ship as it sailed
beneath. These engines were probably worked by ropes and pulleys
attached to the opposite battlements. Six armed men, two of whom were
archers, took their station in each turret, the whole interior of which
was filled with stones and darts. All round the ship, supported by a
series of triangles, ran a gallery, defended by a parapet and
battlements. On this stood a catapult, invented by Archimedes, which
cast darts eighteen feet long, with stones upwards of three hundred and
fifty pounds in weight, to the distance of a furlong. This gallery, as
well, I presume, as the men who worked the engine, was protected by a
close net-work of large ropes suspended from brazen chains. To each of
the three masts was attached a couple of engines, which darted iron bars
and masses of lead against the enemy. The sides of the ship bristled
with iron spikes, designed to protect it against boarding; and on all
sides were likewise grapples, which could be flung by machines into the
galleys of the foe, so as to retain them within reach of the missiles
from on board. Along the galleries, and round the masts and catapults,
were drawn up two hundred and forty men in complete armour. In the fore,
main, and mizen-tops were stationed other warriors, who were supplied
with stones and similar missiles by baskets running on pulleys, and
worked by boys. The ship was supplied with twelve anchors, of which four
were of wood, and eight of iron.[1686]
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Footnote 1686:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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