on this figure. The Psalmist describes the Jews lamenting their captivity in the same pensive posture. By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered thee, O Sion!' But what is more remarkable, we find Judea represented as a woman in sorrow sitting on the ground, in a passage of the prophet, that foretels the very captivity recorded on this medal. The covering of the head, and the rending of garments, we find very often in holy scripture, as the expressions of a raging grief. But what is the tree we see on both these medals? find, says Philander, not only on these, but on several other coins that relate to Judea, the figure of a palm tree, to show us that palms are the growth of the country. Thus Silius Italicus, speaking of Vespasian's conquest, that is the subject of this medal, We Palmiferamque senex bello domitabit Idumen. SIL. IT. lib. 3. Martial seems to have hinted at the many pieces of painting and sculpture that were occasioned by this conquest of Judea, and had generally something of the palm tree in them. It begins an epigram on the death of Scorpus, a chariot driver, which in those degenerate times of the empire was looked upon as a public calamity. Tristis Idumaas frangat Victoria palmas; MART. lib. 10. epig. 50. The man by the palm tree in the first of these medals is supposed to be a Jew with his hands bound behind him. I need not tell you that the winged figure on the other medal is Victory*. She is represented here, as on many other coins, writing something on a shield. We find this way of registering a victory touched upon in Virgil and Silius Italicus. * Fig. 14. Are cavo clypeum, magni gestamen Abantis, Eneas hæc de Danais victoribus arma. VIRG. Æn. lib. 3. I fix'd upon the temple's lofty door The brazen shield, which vanquish'd Abas bore: Fyrenes tumulo clypeum cum carmine figunt; Hasdrubalis spolium Gradivo Scipio victor. SIL. IT. lib. 15. The captive shield, with this inscription grac'd: The fate of Asdrubal, and Scipio's fame." * Parthia has on one side of her the bow and quiver which are so much talked of by the poets. Lucan's account of the Parthians is very pretty and poetical. -Parthoque sequente~ Murus erit, quodcumque potest obstare sagittæ· Illita tela dolis, nec Martem cominus unquam Ausa pati virtus, sed longè tendere nervos, Et, quo ferre velint, permittere vulnera ventis. Luc. lib. 8. Each fence that can their winged shafts endure, To taint their coward darts is all their care, Sagittiferosque Parthos. Mr. RowE. CATUL. The crown she holds in her hand, refers to the crown of gold that Parthia, as well as other provinces, presented to the Emperor Antonine. The presenting a crown, was the giving up the sovereignty into his hands. Ipse oratores ad me, regnique coronam, VIRG. Æn. lib. 8. Tarchon, the Tuscan chief, to me has sent Mr.DRYDEN. Antiocht has an anchor by her, in memory of her founder Seleucus, whose race was all born with this mark upon them, if you will believe historians. Ausonius has taken notice of it in his verses on this city. Illa Seleucum Nuncupat ingenuum, cujus fuit anchora signum, Qualis inusta solet; generis nota certa, per omnem Aus. Ordo, Nobil. Urbium. Thee, great Seleucus, bright in Grecian fame! Smyrna is always represented by an Amazon, that is said to have been her first foundress. You see her here entering into a league with Thyatira. Each of them holds her tutelar deity in her hand. Jus ille, et icti fæderis testes Deos Invocat. SEN. Phonissæ, act. 1. On the left arm of Smyrna is the pelta, or buckler of the Amazóns, as the long weapon by her is the bipennis or securis. Non tibi Amzaonia est pro me sumenda securis, Aut excisa levi pelta gerenda manu. Lunatis agmina peltis. Ov. lib. 3. epist. 1. ex Pont. VIRG. In their right hands a pointed dart they wield; The left, for ward, sustains the lunar shield. Mr. DRYDEN. Videre Rhæti bella sub Alpibus Drusum gerentem, et Vindelici; quibus Mos unde deductus per omne Dextras obarmet quærere distuli. Such Drusus did in arms appear, When near the Alps he urg'd the war: HOR. od. 4. lib. 4. Like Amazons they fought, like women fled the field: But why those savage troops this weapon chuse, Historians would in vain disclose. The dress that Arabia* appears in, brings to my mind the description Lucan has made of these eastern nations. Quicquid ad Eoos tractus, mundique teporem While Asia's softer climate, form'd to please, Luc. lib. 8, And in long trains the flowing purple streams. Mr. Rowe. She bears in one hand a sprig of frankincense. -Solis est thurea virga Sabeis. And od'rous frankincense on the Sabæan bough. Thuriferos Arabum saltus. Thurilegos Arabas VIRG. Mr. DRYDEN. CLAUD. de 3. Conf. Honor. Ov. de Fast. lib. 4. In the other hand you see the perfumed reed, as the garland on her head may be supposed to be woven out of some other part of her fragrant productions. Nee procul in molles Arabas terramque ferentem Et terræ mare nomen habet. De sinu Arabico, MANIL. lib. 4. More west the other soft Arabia beats, Where incense grows, and pleasing odour sweats: The bay is call'd th' Arabian gulf; the name The country gives it, and 'tis great in fame. Mr. CReech, Urantur pia thura focis, urantur odores, Quos tener à terrâ divite mittit Arubs. TIBUL. lib. 2, el. 2. Fig. 18 -Sit dives amomo, Cinnamaque, costumque suam, sudataque ligno Let Araby extol her happy coast, Her cinnamon, and sweet Amomum boast; Ov. Met. lib. 10. Her fragrant flowers, her trees with precious tears, How can the land be call'd so bless'd, that Myrrha bears? -Odorata spirant medicamina Silva. The trees drop balsam, and on all the boughs Mr. DRYDEN. MANIL. Health sits, and makes it sovereign as it flows. Mr. CREECH. What a delicious country is this! says Cynthio: a man almost smells it in the descriptions that are made of it. The camel is in Arabia, I suppose, a beast of burden, that helps to carry off its spices. We find the camel, says Philander, mentioned in Persius on the same account. Tolle recens primus piper è sitiente camelo. The precious weight PERS. sat. 5, Of pepper, and Sabæan incense, take Mr. DRYDEN. He loads the camel with pepper, because the animal and its cargo are both the productions of the same country. Mercibus hic Italis mutat sub sole recenti PERS. sat. 5. The greedy merchants, led by lucre, run Mr. DRYDEN. You have given us some quotations out of Persius, this morning, says Eugenius, that in my opinion have |