BOOK VIII.] History of Nature. 89 



the first that made the Tunic that is woven right through, 1 

 such as young Persons (Tyrones) and newly-married Ladies 

 put on with the pure Toga. The waved Garment was, from 

 the Beginning, among the most esteemed ; and from thence 

 came the branched Works. Fenestella writeth, that in the 

 later Time of Augustus C&sar they began to use shorn 

 Gowns, as also with a curled Nap. The Robes called 

 Crebrse Papaveratse 2 (wrought thick with Flower -work, 

 resembling Poppies, or pressed smooth) are of greater Anti- 

 quity ; for even in the Time of Lucilius the Poet, Torquatus 

 was noted for wearing them. The Praetextse had their Origin 

 among the Etruscans. The Trabese I find worn by Kings. 

 In Homer s Time 3 they used painted Garments : and from 

 thence came the triumphant Robes. The Phrygians invented 

 that which is wrought with a Needle : and so they are called 

 Phrygiones. And in Asia, King Attains invented the work- 

 ing of Gold into the same ; and from him such Cloths are 

 called Attalica. Babylon was much celebrated for the weav- 

 ing of Cloth of various Colours into a Picture, and Cloths so 

 wrought were called Babylonica. To weave with many 

 twisted Threads was the Invention of Alexandria, and these 

 were named Polymita ; but Gallia invented the Method of 

 dividing the Work into Shields or Escutcheons. Metellus 



1 The reader will be reminded of the garment of our Lord, woven 

 without a seam. (Gospel by St. John, c. xix. v. 23.) The Babylonish gar- 

 ments of beautiful interwoven colours were of high antiquity, since they 

 proved too great a temptation to the virtue of Achan at the time of 

 Joshua's invasion of Palestine. (Joshua, c. vii.) The painted garments 

 referred to were as the name imports ; for among the Chinese the arts 

 are preserved without change from times of remote antiquity, and in 

 their own representations of them, the liquid colours are laid on the tex- 

 ture in the manner of drawing, with a brush. Wern. Club. 



2 Lib. xix. 1, and Lib. xx. 9. 



3 Iliad, iii. 125, where Iris finds Helen weaving at the loom: 



" Here in the palace, at her loom she found ; 

 The golden web her own sad story crown'd. 

 The Trojan wars she weav'd (herself the prize), 

 And the dire triumphs of her fatal eyes." 



Wern. Club. 



