Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 edition. Excerpt:... work, a sword, and a javelin; or they may keep in the rear, armed with no shield at all, but simply with bow and arrows, sling, or light spear. A few cavalry, perhaps a thousand, complete the army. These are men well-to-do, who can supply and manage their own horse but are allowed a franc a day. Fia. 59. -- Armourer: Thetis receiving the weapons of Achilles. Unhappily, during the latter portion of our period, the Athenians had begun to engage mercenaries to do their fighting, and this was with them, as everywhere, the beginning of the end. Well, Lysimachus is in the heavy-armed infantry. He will not find the discipline very strict, according to our notions. But to fail to put in an appearance, to desert his post, or to show cowardice, meant that he was liable to a prosecution which might disgrace him and strip him of all his citizen rights. We need not follow him into the details of a battle. When he meets the enemy he will probably form one of a line eight deep, he will hear the trumpet sound the charge, he will rush forward at the double with a cheer, and -- let us hope he will get safely back to Athens in due time. Fio. 60. -- Armed soldier: the parting cup. But the chief strength of Athens lies in her navy. She possesses in the docks at Peiraeus between 300 and 400 of those ships of war which perhaps might better be called galleys. They are about 120 or 130 feet Fia. HI. --Trireme, from a relief. long, about 17 wide, and have a draught of 6 or 7 feet. The propulsion of these vessels is chiefly by rowing. There is, it is true, a mainmast with one large and one small square sail, and also a foremast with a small sail, but these will be removed before a battle, and in voyaging are mainly regarded as accessories. Such ships are built for...