26 



constructor of the "French Imperial Marine" investigated this subject, 

 in order to arrive at a correct model for the French Imperial Galley, 

 lately built at Clichy. M. Jal, the celebrated naval authority, is of 

 opinion that triremes were constructed principally with straight decks — 

 an innovation, certainly, on the more generally received idea of the decks 

 being considerably curved in form. The kinds of woods used were va- 

 rious. The " ornus," a kind of wild ash, and the ilex, or wild oak, were 

 employed to a great extent; the fir was also used — 



" Nascitur et casus abies visura marinos." 



The Eomans were most particular in the wood being dry and seasoned 

 for the purpose. Oars were first used, and indeed vised in almost all 

 cases, in the " triremes," sails being left for vessels of mercantile use. 

 The "triremes" possessed, indeed, according to Homer, a true deck; 

 for you cannot allow a hatchway unless you have a deck — 



Nrjwv iKpC eTTiv^ero fiaicpa (3i/3da0tov — 



and again, 



— e/9 l/cpi'a V1J09 efiaive 

 Tlpuoprj? 



Mr. Howell, indeed, holds these Upia vrjbs to have been the seats or 

 benches upon which the rowers sat ; but in my opinion they were 

 merely the raised steps, or separate flights, seen in many models and 

 drawings, and existing in the Trinity College model. These flights were 

 invariably placed at the ends of the Galley, as we place the forecastle and 

 quarter-deck. Indeed, Thucydides says they had no decks — 



ovff av ra 7r\oia Kardfipaicra e^ovTas. 



" Neither had they as yet any covered nor decked ships," which clearly 

 shows the centre of the Galley to have been open. Indeed, unless this was 

 granted, it is impossible to find out how the men that were rowing could 

 have breathed, packed as they were in such numbers, the oar ports being 

 so small as to afford no benefit in that way to them. 



The fitting of the ancient Galley which has changed least in form 

 from its original design is the " anchor." It was first one-fluked, evepo- 

 Tojmo9 ; but afterwards u/i<0//3o\o?, or double-fluked, was used. In its 

 original form it possessed no upper bar or arm, .but merely a shaft and 

 ring. But the most formidable of all the parts of the ancient triremes 

 was undoubtedly the prow, or beak, which was generally of brass. "We 

 read, indeed, in the life of Themistocles, that when Ariamenes, ad- 

 miral to Xerxes — a good man — attacked Themistocles, both ships, meet- 

 ing stem to stem, and striking each other, their sharp stems, armed 

 with brass, pierced, so indeed that they were fastened together, and 

 could not be separated. 



And again, in the Life of Lucullus, we read that, in the Bay of 

 Tenedos, Neoptolemus, the chief officer in command of the Galleys 

 belonging to Mithridates, was attacked by Lucullus, who was on board 

 a Galley of Rhodes, commanded by Demagoras, an expert seaman, whom 



