CHAP. XI. THE YOKE. 43 



panied by another man, who drove the animals*, 

 while he managed the two handles of the plough ; 

 and sometimes the whip was substituted for the 

 more usual goad. 



The mode of yoking the beasts was exceedingly 

 simple. Across the extremity of the pole, a w^ooden 

 yoke or cross bar, about fifty-five inches or five feet 

 in length, was fastened by a strap (the (^uyo?)S(r[xov 

 of the Greeks), lashed backwards and forwards over 

 a prominence (oixi^a'kov) projecting from the centre 

 of the yoke, which corresponded to a similar peg, 

 or knob, at the end of the pole ; and occasionally, 

 in addition to these, was a ring passing over them, 

 as in some Greek chariots, t At either end of the 

 yoke was a flat or slightly concave projection, of 

 semi-circular form, which rested on a pad placed 

 upon the withers of the animal; and through a 

 hole on either side of it passed a thong for suspend- 

 ing the shoulder pieces, which formed the collar. 

 These were two wooden bars, forked at about half 

 their length, padded so as to protect the shoulder 

 from friction, and connected at the low er end by a 

 strong broad band passing under the throat. 



Sometimes the draught, instead of being from 

 the shoulder, was from the head, the yoke being 

 tied to the base of the horns tj and in religious 



• Vide instances of both in woodcut. No. 123. Vol. II. p. 136. 



-j- The parts, according to Homer, were called pi'nos, the pole; Zvyos, 

 the yoke ; ofjKpaXov, a prominence in the centre of the yoke, corresponding 

 with a peg or knob, torwp, at the end of the pole; to which it was con- 

 nected by a ring, KpiKoc;, and then bound by the ^vyo^orfiov, or strap. 

 II. Q. 268., and siqmi. Vol. I. p. 383. 



% Vide suprci, woodcut. No. 422. p. 40. 



