While you regard, the sight deceives the ear, Death spares not sex, nor youth, nor beauty's bloom, Dec. 1, 1808. N° LIV. Armorial Bearings on the Shields of the Grecian Chiefs, as described by Eschylus. TO THE RUMINATOR SIR, A FRIEND the other day pointed out to me several passages in Eschylus, which rather surprised me, and have much engaged my attention. Some articles in the late numbers of the Censura Literaria, have induced me to make these passages the subject of a letter for your Ruminator, which professess to admit topics of criticism as well as moral essays. The origin of heraldry has been a point of long and tedious dispute among a particular class of antiquaries; into which I shall refrain from entering. I may, however, slightly hint, that it is now generally admitted, on the soundest authorities, that arms, considered as hereditary marks appropriate to the shields of particular families, and modified in their formation by rules of blazonry, certainly did not exist before the age of Charlemagne; and in England, did not prevail till after the Norman Conquest; nor were generally settled, even among the nobles and greater gentry, till nearly two centuries afterwards. With this conviction, I confess I felt a momentary astonishment, when my friend produced Eschylus's description of the figures painted on the shields of some of the Grecian heroes. It must be admitted, that they appear very like a modern coat of arms. These passages are alluded to by Spelman; but as I do not recollect seeing them copied into any treatise of heraldry, I think the transcript of them will be curious to many of your readers. They are to be found in the tragedian's EIITA ΕΠΙ ΘΗΒΑΙΣ. First, the shield of TYDEUS. Εχει δ' υπέρφρον σημ' επ' ασπιδος τοδε, line 389. Λαμπρα δε πανσεληνος εν μέσῳ σακεί, Viz. He bears this proud impression on his shield, the heaven flaming with stars; and in the z The authority on which I most pin my faith, is Sir Henry Spelman's excellent treatise, entitled Aspilogia; but see also the Historical Enquiry in Edmondson, written by Sir Joseph Ayloffe; and see Dallaway's Inquiry, 4to, 1793. The Tabula Eliensis, for which see Fuller's Church History, and Bentham's Ely, I cannot believe to be genuine. midst is conspicuous a splendid full moon, the eye of night, and the most venerable of stars (i. e. in modern blazon, semèe of stars, and a moon in her complement, Arg.) Second, CAPANEUS. line 433. Εχει δε σήμα, γυμνον ανδρα πυρφόρον, Viz. «He bears in his shield a naked man, bearing in his hand a naked torch, with this inscription in golden letters: I WILL BURN THE CITY." Third, ETEOCLES. Εσχηματισται δ' ασπις 8 σμικρον τρόπον 467. Viz. "His shield is marked in no common manner; for a man in armour is attacking the tower of the enemy upon the steps of a scaling ladder, and exclaiming, "Even Mars himself shall not expel me from the walls." Fourth, HIPPOMEDON. Ο σηματεργος δ' 8 τις ευτελής αρ' ην, Τυφων ίεντα πυρπνοον διαζομα Λιγνυν μελαιναν, αιολήν πυρος κασιν 493. Viz." It was a skilful workman who made this engraving on his shield; a Typhæus vomiting flames from his mouth, within a border of twisted serpents." Fifth, HYPERBIUS. Υπερξίω δε Σευς πατηρ επ' ασπίδων Θεος. Ο μεν γαρ πυρπνούν Τυφων έχει 514. Viz. "On the shield of Hyperbius is placed the image of Jupiter Stator, bearing in his hand a flaming javelin." Sirth, PARTHENOPAUS. Σφιγγ ώμοσιτον προσμεμηχανευμενην Γόμφοις ευημα, λαμπρον εκκρεστον δέμας. Φερεί δ' υφ' αυτη φωτα Καδμείων ενα. 543. Viz. "He bears a sphinx devouring raw flesh, with a Theban beneath her feet.” |