SPONGES. 
43 
by sea-monsters, against which the knife which they carry 
is but a poor defence. They distinguish with clearness 
distant objects through the crystal element, and as soon 
as they perceive voracious fishes, they shake rapidly the 
foot of the rope, and in an instant are drawn up to their 
boat. I learned these particulars from a diver of the 
country, who complained sadly of his hard lot and of his 
small profits.” * 
The uses of Sponge have been appreciated from very 
ancient times. We learn from Aristotle that it was used 
to line the brazen armour which his countrymen wore in 
battle. “ Tho kind called Achilleum, fine in texture, and 
very thick and strong, they put under helmets and greaves, 
viz., between the armour and the skin, whereby blows are 
rendered less stunning.” The same kind was employed, 
as with us, for cleansing purposes. Thus Homer says : — 
“Then with a sponge ho drest 
His face all over, necko and hands, and all liis hairie breast.’* f 
And in the Odyssey, the seats and tables after the slaughter 
of the suitors arc cleansed by “well-soaked sponges.” J 
Martial also informs us, § that the tables after meals were 
carefully scoured with w r et sponges ; for the Greeks and 
Romans knew not the comfort of table-cloths, which the 
Nineveh marbles shew to have been familiar to the Asiatics. 
Another use was that of conveying liquids to the mouths 
of persons incapable, from exhaustion or other causes, of 
drinking ; and tho Christian remembers with interest that 
the last office rendered to the Lord Jesus in his humilia- 
tion, was the moistening of his lips by means of a sponge. || 
* Lcttres sur la Grfece, 96. f Iliad, lib. xviii. 
t Odyssey, lib xxii. § Apophor. n. cxliv. 
|[ Matt, xxvii. 48. 
