Arms and Armour in Antiquity and the Middle Ages: Also a Descriptive Notice of Modern WeaponsD. Appleton & Company, 1870 - 296 pages |
From inside the book
Page 1
... enemies to be attacked as well as resisted.1 Within the last thirty or forty years fresh opinions have grown up amongst men of science with reference to the. THE STONE PERIOD . - ANTEDILUVIAN AND PRE - HISTORIC Fig . 3. - ASSYRIAN ARMED ...
... enemies to be attacked as well as resisted.1 Within the last thirty or forty years fresh opinions have grown up amongst men of science with reference to the. THE STONE PERIOD . - ANTEDILUVIAN AND PRE - HISTORIC Fig . 3. - ASSYRIAN ARMED ...
Page 13
... enemy's fortification . Through a hole pierced in the front of this engine a large pike is shown to have protruded , and with this the soldiers endeavoured to break through either the masonry of the hostile walls or the woodwork of the ...
... enemy's fortification . Through a hole pierced in the front of this engine a large pike is shown to have protruded , and with this the soldiers endeavoured to break through either the masonry of the hostile walls or the woodwork of the ...
Page 35
... to select the largest stones that they were able to carry , and fling them by sheer strength against their enemy . And many a shield which lances had failed As to penetrate , was crushed by a blow from a THE GREEKS OF THE HEROIC AGES . 35.
... to select the largest stones that they were able to carry , and fling them by sheer strength against their enemy . And many a shield which lances had failed As to penetrate , was crushed by a blow from a THE GREEKS OF THE HEROIC AGES . 35.
Page 40
... enemy , by an injudicious , or unwary , or precipitate movement may be tempted in some measure to forsake his sheltering shield , and so may be attacked with a better prospect of success . And all the time the strange dialogue is ...
... enemy , by an injudicious , or unwary , or precipitate movement may be tempted in some measure to forsake his sheltering shield , and so may be attacked with a better prospect of success . And all the time the strange dialogue is ...
Page 43
... enemy by compactness and cohesion . Later , when treating of the Roman legion , we shall see both the advantages and the disadvantages of this system of fighting very clearly set forth by a master of an- cient military tactics , the ...
... enemy by compactness and cohesion . Later , when treating of the Roman legion , we shall see both the advantages and the disadvantages of this system of fighting very clearly set forth by a master of an- cient military tactics , the ...
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Common terms and phrases
16th century altogether amongst ancient appears archers arms and armour army arquebus arrows artillery ball basinet battle Bayeux Tapestry belt blade blows Brasses bronze camail cannon cavalry charge Charles the Bold consequence covered Crécy crest cross-bow cuirass dagger dart decoration defence discharged early effigies enemy England English engraved examples feet figures fire fire-arms fixed foot soldiers France Franks French front Gauls Greek guard guisarme halberd hand hauberk head head-piece heaume helm hilt hollow Homer hoplite infantry introduced iron javelin knights Lacombe lance leather length limbs Louis mail armour manner men-at-arms metal middle ages military equipment monuments musket pavise period phalanx Philip Augustus piece of armour pike pikemen pilum plate plate armour Polybius projectile protection ranks remarkable represented rifled Roman sarisses savage shaft shield shoulders side sollerets sometimes spear stone surcoat Swiss sword tunic variety visor warriors weapon wearer worn
Popular passages
Page 289 - And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal.
Page 135 - It is doubtful whether, at so great a distance, an arrow could have struck its mark with sufficient force to penetrate a knight's surcoat and hauberk of mail ; but it would kill his horse, which was not yet provided with defensive armour, and this was the very circumstance which caused that change in tactics which has been...
Page 33 - Where, Pandarus, are now thy winged shafts, ' Thy bow, and well-known skill, wherein with thee ' Can no man here contend ? Nor Lycia boasts ' Through all her wide-spread plains a truer aim. ' Then raise to Jove thy hands, and with thy shaft ' Strike down this chief, whoe'er he be, that thus ' Is making fearful havoc in our host ! '
Page 28 - Who gathered in the vineyard's bounteous store. There maids and youths, in joyous spirits bright, In woven baskets bore the luscious fruit. A boy, amid them, from a clear-toned harp Drew lovely music ; well his liquid voice The strings accompanied ; they all with dance And song harmonious joined, and joyous shouts, As the gay bevy lightly tripped along.
Page 286 - nothing proves more surely the mutual confidence which held together the government and the people, than the fact that all classes were armed. In war, in those days, the archers of England were the best infantry in the world ; but, then, their famous long-bow acquired its reputation in no slight degree from the fact that, in peace, archery was the favourite national pastime of the English yeomanry.
Page 26 - Appealed, asserting to have paid the whole; While one denied that he had aught received. Both were desirous that before the Judge The issue should be tried; with noisy shouts Their several partisans encouraged each. The heralds stilled the tumult of the crowd; On polished chairs, in solemn circle, sat The reverend Elders; in their hands they held The loud-voiced heralds...
Page 26 - Sole star that never bathes in th' ocean wave. : And two fair populous towns were sculptur'd there; In one were marriage, pomp and revelry, And brides, in gay procession, through the streets With blazing torches from their chambers borne, While frequent rose the hymeneal song. : Youths...
Page 29 - In a fair glade, with fold, and tents, and pens. There, too, the skilful artist's hand had wrought With curious workmanship a mazy dance, Like that which Daedalus in Cnossus erst At fair-haired Ariadne's bidding framed.
Page 27 - Of all the wealth within the city stored An equal half, as ransom, to divide. The terms rejecting, the defenders manned A secret ambush ; on the walls they placed Women and children mustered for defence, And men by age enfeebled ; forth they went, By Mars and Pallas led ; these, wrought in gold, In golden arms arrayed, above the crowd For beauty and stature, as befitting Gods. Conspicuous shone ; of lesser height the rest. But when the destined ambuscade was reached, Beside the river, where the shepherds...
Page 21 - Nor missed his aim ; full in the midst he struck Pelides' shield ; but, glancing from the shield, The weapon glided off. Hector was grieved, That thus his spear had bootless left his hand. He stood aghast ; no second spear was nigh : And loudly on Deiphobus he called A spear to bring ; but he was far away." Then other, and they bitter, words fall from the lips of the Trojan prince : — " Thus as he spoke, his sharp-edged sword he drew, Ponderous and vast, suspended at his side ; Collected for the...