I20 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



tunics with gilt or silvered girdles. They have spears 

 (Xoyp^Tj or y^oy^is) having an iron blade a cubit long, and 

 sometimes more. The breadth is almost two palms, for 

 the blade of these saimions (the Gaulish dart) is not less 

 than that of our glaive, and it is a little longer. Of these 

 blades, some are forged straight, others present undulated 

 curves, so that they not only cut in striking, but in ad- 

 dition they tear the wound when they are drawn out/' 



Polybius informs us, that in the battle in which the 

 Gauls were defeated by the Consul ^Emilius, when the 

 Romans used swords of bronze, those of the Gauls were 

 long, but so badly tempered that they bent when the 

 Gallic warriors struck a hard blow against the Roman 

 armour. It would appear from this observation that the 

 Gaulish swords were made of iron, but that the art of 

 tempering them was unknown. 



The priests of the Celts were the learned men and 

 philosophers of these people. Besides their other im- 

 portant functions, and attending to their mysterious rites, 

 they alone afforded instruction in religious matters and all 

 other kinds of knowledge, the art of war excepted. There 

 can scarcely be any doubt as to their possessing an extensive 

 knowledge of metallurgy, particularly with regard to iron, 

 the more valuable secrets being closely retained by these 

 priests. ' The Druids,' says M. Eckstein, ' forged a double 

 kind of sword and lance, the religious arms — the glaive of 

 honour, and the deadly weapons — the sword and lance of 

 combat.' "" 



As before mentioned, the Romans were not an eques- 



' Vie de Caesar, vol. ii. pp. ^i^i, 39- 



^ Eckstein. Anciennes Poesies des Gaels, p. 152. 



