Mol. UL] 
comparifon, faperior to that of the confu- 
lar dyptics which are yet extant, and 
which were made towards the clofe of 
the fifth century. 
This comparifon and the conclufion 
refulting frora it, may receive farther 
jlluftration, if we confider the ornaments 
appurtenant 
the coffer. 
relievo, the drapery of which is. gilt, 
feparated from one another by columns 
of the fame form as thofe we mentioned 
before, although fhorter; thefe figures 
reprefent a young lady occupied at her 
toilet, and attended by other women, 
having in their hands different articles of 
furniture. At the two extremities of 
each of the fides is a peacock im relievo, 
feparated from the figure next to it, by 
acolumn. The lady isfeated on a chair 
decorated with gilt chains and ftuds, 
and which was calied by the ancients, 
Gathedra. Worat. Satyr. & vero, Juv. 
Sat. Vi. V. 9. 
In one hand fhe has a box, and wit! 
the other holds the end, either of a trefs 
of hair or of a fillet whichis on her head, 
A woman oppofite to her is’ prefenting 
her with an oval mirror. Another has 
in her hands, an article like a powder 
box, and two others carry flambeaux or 
torches refting in a fort of chandelier. 
Another attendant is fepporting a fquare 
coffer, and has an ewer at her feet; a 
fixth 1s holding, with both hands, a 
tound box, not unlike a kettle drum; 
while the lait has hold of a ring, to 
which ts attached alittle round coffer, the 
underpart of which is flat, and the cover- 
lid of it pyramidal. 
After the coffers we have been confi- 
dering, the moft important article in this 
treafure isa Glver chef, or jewel box, 
which was fufpended to the remains of 
€ertain {mall chains, or the fame 
which ferved to bear it up. It is one 
foot in height, and a foot and fome inches 
in width atthe bafe. The Latin: name 
of it, /erimium, denotes the coliérs, or 
round boxes, in which the ancients ufed 
to put their volumes of manufcripts. 
Engravines of them are to’ be found on 
many of the moft ancient monuments ; 
fome are altogether of the cylimdrical 
form. The figure of this ts a pylygon ; 
it has fixteen fides, and.terminates ina 
dome. It differs very. little, as. to form, 
from thofe which are to be feen clofe by 
the figures of the mufes, or figures clad’ 
with the toga. It is toa box of this de- 
fcription, the ornaments feen upon it 
moit probably belongs they reprefent 
othe four lower fides of 
Flere we obferve figures m. 
metal, 
Deferiprion of the Toilet of a Roman Lady. 
a 
fcrinia unguentorum. 
505 
the nine mufes. Eight are engraved 
alternately on the fixteen fides, and placed 
in niches of no confiderable depth. In 
the fides which feparate each of the eight 
mufes, are crowns or vates encircled 
with arabefks. The ninth mufe is re- 
prefented on the top of the coverlid. 
Within the coffer is a plate of copper, 
which divides the interior part horizon- 
tally. ‘This place is perforated with five 
round holes, in the following manner: - 
o,o that of the middle being larger 
oo thanthe reff. ‘Fhefe were named 
locul'; the volumina, or written volumes. 
of the ancients, being depofited in them. 
Here, however, in lieu. of volumes,. was 
found in each of the: holes, a fmall fized 
vafe, apparently defigned for the purpofe 
of holding pomatum and perfumes. The 
fcrinia were fometimes made ufe of for 
fimilar purpofes ;. agreeably to which we 
find them called by Pliny, lib. 13. §. x. 
Indeed, that we are: 
here confidering, appears to have been 
originally defigned for no other ufe than 
the one firft mentioned. Jt met, how- 
ever, with a fate exactly the reverfe of 
what happened to a precious vafe, found 
among the fpoils of Darius, and which. 
contained the perfumes belonging to the 
ladies of that prince’s family, as Alex- 
ander ordered that to be fet apart as the 
firteft depofitary of the works of Homer*. 
The figures of the mufes engraved. 
round about the Scrinium, claim our at- 
tention, with refpeét to their attitudes 
and attributes. On the top of the cover- 
lid is Erato ¢anding alone, and clofe to: 
her the dove of Wenus—thereby charac- 
terizing her-as the Mufe of Lovers and 
of the nuptial ceremony. She is employec. 
in interweaving a garland of flowers, 
which fhe has fele€ted out of a batket,. 
placed befide her. In the hands of Clio is 
the fquare book or codex ; at the feet of 
Polylymnia is the narrow mouthed 
mafk; (attributes exactly  fimilar | to 
which nray be feen in the Vatican Mu- 
feum) and clofe by Calliope, 1s the vafe, 
er uiual emblem of facred combats... 
This lat fymbol was commonly attribut- 
ed to Terpfichore, the mufe who cele- 
brated the victors in athletic combats : 
we ought not to, be furprifed, liowever, 


* Pliny, lib. vil. § 30. Alexander Magnus: 
inter {polia Darii Perlarum. regis, unguentorum 
ferinio capto, quod erat auro gemmifque & mar- 
garitis pretiofum, varios ejus ufus amicis demon- 
itrantibus, cuando teedebat unguenti bellatorem, 
& militia fordidum: immo Hercule. inquit,. 
librorum Homeri cufodiz detur. 
Z to 
