Chap. 74.] DIFFERENT KINDS OF CLOTHS. 337 



as the Phryxian togas, 53 began to be used in the latter part of the 

 reign of Augustus. Thick stuffs, in the preparation of which 

 the poppy 54 was used, are of more ancient date, being men- 

 tioned by the poet Lucilius, in his lines on Torquatus. The 

 praetexta 55 had its origin among the Etrurians. I find that 

 the trabea 56 was first worn by the kings ; embroidered garments 

 are mentioned by Homer, 57 and in this class originated the 

 triumphal robes. 58 The Phrygians first used the needle for 

 this purpose, 69 and hence this kind of garment obtained the 

 name of Phrygionian. King Attains, who also lived in Asia, 

 invented the art of embroidering with gold, from which these 

 garments have been called Attalic. 60 Babylon was very famous 

 for making embroidery in different colours, and hence stuffs of 

 this kind have obtained the name of Babylonian. 61 The me- 

 thod of weaving cloth with more than two threads was in- 



53 According to Hardouin, these were cloths which imitated the crisp 

 and prominent hair of the Phryxian fleece, Lemaire, vol. iii. p. 529. Some 

 editions read " Phrygianas." 



54 " Papaverata ;" there is considerable difficulty in ascertaining the 

 meaning of this word, as applied to garments. Pliny, in two other passages, 

 speaks of a certain species of poppy " from this, linens receive a peculiar 

 whiteness," B. xix. " From this, linens receive a brilliant whiteness in 

 time," B. xx. c. 78. It would appear, in these cases, that the fibres of the 

 stem of the poppy were mixed with the flax ; though, perhaps, this would 

 be scarcely practicable with wool. B. 



55 The praetexta is described by Varro as a white toga, with a purple 

 band ; it was worn by males, until their seventeenth year, and by young 

 women until their marriage. B. 



56 The trabea differed from the praetexta, in being ornamented with 

 stripes (trabes) of purple, whence its name. B. 



57 Helen is introduced, II. B. iii. 1. 125, weaving an embroidered gar- 

 ment, in which were figured the battles of the Greeks and Trojans. It was 

 probably somewhat of the nature of modern tapestry. B. 



*8 See B. ix. c. 60. 



59 This passage, in which the needle is said to have been used, proves 

 that when the word " pictae" is applied to garments, it is equivalent to our 

 term "embroidered." B. 



60 Pliny refers to the " Attalica tunica," B. xxxiii. c. 29, and to the 



61 Plautus, Stich. A. ii. s. 2, 1. 54, speaks of " Babylonica peristrornata, 

 consuta tapetia," " Babylonian hangings, and embroidered tapestry ;" and 

 Martial, ^B. viii. Ep. 28, 1. 17, 18, of " Babylonica texta," " Babylonian 



textures." B. 

 VOL. II. 



