BRED AMONG THE ANCIENT JEWS. 
395 
As the cock crows once, twice, or thrice, in the ap- 
proach of the night towards day, these crowings came at 
length to signify the times at which he crows, during this 
approach. These times coincided with two of those por- 
tions, into which the night was divided by the heathens. 
These were called watches, each consisting of three hours, 
more or less. The first began at six in the evening, and 
lasted till nine ; the second at nine, and lasted till twelve 
at midnight ; the third at twelve, and lasted till three in 
the morning; the fourth at three, and lasted till six, or the 
dawn. 
The third watch was called the first cock-crowing, and 
the fourth, the second cock-crowing, because the cock, for 
the most part, crew twice, once during the third watch, and 
once during the fourth. 
This division of the night into watches, is thus noticed 
by our Lord himself, as related by Mark, xiii. S5, " Watch 
ye, therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house 
cometh ; at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, 
or in the morning." 
This crowing of the cock, mentioned by Mark, corre- 
sponds with the fourth watch of the night ; but when the 
cock is said, Mark xiv. 30, to crow twice, the third and 
fourth watches are intended ; though the last of these, cor- 
responding to the fourth w^atch, was, by way of eminence, 
named alectroplionia or gallicinium^ or cock-crowing, and 
always understood when no other cock-crowing is the sub- 
ject of discourse. 
During night, sentinels kept guard in all the Roman 
armies. They repaired to their posts at six in the evening, 
by the blast of a shrill horn ; and, with a blast of the same 
instrument, they were relieved at six in the morning. 
In the course of the night, the sentinels were thrice 
changed, and each change was announced by the blast of a 
