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;
Plange Favor sæva pectora nuda manu.

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,
Postibus adversis figo, et rem carmine signo ;

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:
The verse beneath my name and actions speaks,
"These arms Æneas took from conqu'ring Greeks."
Mr. DRYDEN.

Fyrenes tumulo clypeum cum carmine figunt;

Hasdrubalis spolium Gradivo Scipio victor. SIL. IT. lib. 15.
High on Pyrene's airy top they plac'd

The captive shield, with this inscription grac'd:
"Sacred to Mars, these votive spoils proclaim

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,
Stands, like a fort, impregnable, secure-

To taint their coward darts is all their care,
And then to trust them to the flitting air.

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,
Cum sceptro misit

VIRG. Æn. lib. 8.

Tarchon, the Tuscan chief, to me has sent
Their crown, and ev'ry regal ornament.

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
Nam sobolis seriem nativa cucurrit imago.

Aus. Ordo, Nobil. Urbium.

Thee, great Seleucus, bright in Grecian fame!
The tow'rs of Antioch for their founder claim:
Thee Phoebus at thy birth his son confess'd,
By the fair anchor on the babe impress'd;
Which all thy genuine offspring wont to grace,
From thigh to thigh transmissive through the race.

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
Tempus Amazonia securi

Dextras obarmet quærere distuli.

Such Drusus did in arms appear,

When near the Alps he urg'd the war:
In vain the Rhæti did their axes wield,

HOR. od. 4. lib. 4.

Like Amazons they fought, like women fled the field:

But why those savage troops this weapon chuse,
Confirm'd by long-establish'd use,

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
Labitur, emollit gentes clementia cæli.
Illit et laxas vestes, et fluxa virorum
Velamenta videt.-

While Asia's softer climate, form'd to please,
Dissolves her sons in indolence and ease;
Her silken robes invest unmanly limbs,

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
Delicias, variæque novos radicis honores;
Leniter adfundit gemmantia littora pontus,

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
Thura ferat, floresque alios Panchaïa tellus;
Dum ferat et Myrrham.

Let Araby extol her happy coast,

Her cinnamon, and sweet Amomum boast;

Ov. Met. lib. 10.

Her fragrant flowers, her trees with precious tears,
Her second harvests, and her double years:

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
With thy own hands, from the tir'd camel's back.

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
Rugosum piper-—-—-—-—--

PERS. sat. 5.

The greedy merchants, led by lucre, run
To the parch'd Indies and the rising sun;
From thence hot pepper, and rich drugs they bear,
Bart'ring for spices their Italian ware.

Mr. DRYDEN.

You have given us some quotations out of Persius, this morning, says Eugenius, that in my opinion have