XXVI APPENDIX.

Equipment of vessels.

Ships’ companies.

was added by Eupalanaus, or by Anacharsis, the Scythian philosopher. The Scholiast on Apollonius confidently asserts, that this species of anchor was used by the Argonauts ; but herein (says Potter) he appears to deserve no great credit, for his assertion is contrary to the testimony of other writers, and his own author, Apollonius, makes mention of none but those of stone. The anchors with two teeth appear, from ancient monuments, to have been much the same with those which are used in the present day, except that the transverse piece or anchor-stock is found to be wanting in all of them. Every ship had several anchors, one of which surpassed all the others in point of size and strength, and was never used but in cases of extreme danger ; for which reason it was termed in Latin, sacra ; and ■sacrani anchoram solvere, is proverbially applied to such as are forced to their last refuge. The instrument which answered to the lead of modern days was also composed of lead or brass, and lowered by a chain instead of a line.

Cables were sometimes called y-aiiXoi, or Kan-'nXoi, (camili, or cameli,) whence, in the passage of St. Matthew, where our Saviour remarks, that “ it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven,” Theophylactus, and some others, have interpreted the word (camelus) not as meaning the animal, but the cable so called.

With regard to the equipment of the vessels of the ancients, we are told by Thucydides, that there was originally no distinction of rank among their crews ; but that the same persons were employed indiscriminately in those duties which in later ages were executed by separate orders of men, that is to say, by rowers, mariners, and soldiers. The same men originally filled these three offices ; they laid down their arms to labour at the oar, and to do, perhaps, what w’as necessary in other respects for the management of the vessel they belonged to ; but resumed them as often as occasion required, to assault, or defend themselves from, their enemies. At these periods no extraordinary preparations were made for the equip-