Mr. Ferguson on the Antiquity of the Kiliee or Boomerang. 29 



the subsequent account of the engagement, represents some as slain by pikes, 

 some by arrows, and others by the Aclys. 



" Turn concitus agmine tot& 

 In pugnam pirata coit ; pars lintre cavata 

 Jam dociles exponit equos, pars ferrea texta 

 Concolor induitur, teretes pars explicat arcus, 

 Spiculaque infusum ferro latura venenuin 

 Quce feriant his missa semel ; jam textilis anguis 

 Discurrit per utramque aciem, &c. &c." 



And again, after the battle joined : 



" Hunc coiiti rotat ictus equo, ruit aclide fossus 

 Ele, veruque alius, jacet hie simil alite telo 

 Absentem passus dexteram." 



Sidon, Apollinar. Carm. V. v. 328-413. 



Thus, then, the notices which can be collected concerning the Aclys furnish 

 evidence nearly as strong as that adduced in the case of the Cateia, shewing that 



suggested interpretation to be conveyed by these words, we do not say, " which poison twice when 

 once discharged," on the one hand, nor " which cut twice when once discharged," on the other ; 

 but select some equivalent for Jeriant, which is equally applicable to the infliction of a hurt by the 

 incision of a cutting instrument, and by the operation of a poison, such as " wound," " hurt," 

 " injure," &c. 



But it is conceived thaX ferio is not capable of such an equivalent. It means essentially to 

 " hit," to " strike," to " illide against," and is quite inapplicable, without a very strong metaphor, to 

 the operation of a poison. But if there be two agents, as in this case, the common verb cannot be 

 employed metaphorically, unless the metaphor be equally applicable to both agents. The meaning 

 of the common verb cannot be split, so as to suggest two ideas, one metaphorical, and one simple, 

 having reference severally to the respective agents. Had the poet intended the meaning suggested, 

 he might properly enough have made use of either " noceo" or " laedo," both of which are applica- 

 ble, as well in point of rythm as of meaning. Thus, "namque ut refecta est coluber, nocuit hominem 

 protinus," (Pheedn, 1. i. fol. 18 ;) " Lcedere aliquam vulnere," {Ovid, in Jbin, v. 484,) &c. 



Further, missa seems to imply progressive motion, such as is more proper to successive than to 

 simultaneous effects ; and, therefore, had Sidonius intended the meaning suggested, he would pro- 

 bably have employed, not missa, but some such word as acta, impacta, or the like, which would 

 carry the agents to their locus in quo, and leave them there. 



To express the meaning suggested, the fittest words would be " quae noceant dupliciter simplici 

 ictu," which are all different from the words employed ; but, to express the meaning adopted, it 

 would be impossible to find apter words than those employed themselves. 



