48

HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE

The Triremes appear to have been galleys of a still more formidable descrip-tion than the preceding, having one tier of oars extending between the masts, asecond abaft the main-mast, and a third forward, near the prow or stem, beforethe fore-mast.

The Quadriremes had their oars ranged like the Triremes, with the differ-ence of having two tiers of oars one above the other abaft the main-mast.

The Quinquiremes were also of the same description, with the addition ofa second tier of oars forward.

The Octoremes had two tiers of oars in the midships, and three at the stemand stern, making in the whole eight. It cannot be denied that some vessels hadthree entire tiers of oars; this is indeed established to have been the case fromthe evidence of a multitude of ancient sculptures: but there is no certain proof ofany having been constructed with a greater number. With regard to Octoremesthemselves, they were enormous floating structures, built merely for the purposesof luxury, and to gratify a ridiculous ostentation, so unfit for war, or even navi-gation, that they could not venture to sea without manifest danger. Of thisdescription was the celebrated galley of Philopater : such also was that constructedby Archimedes, for Hiero, king of Syracuse, and presented to Ptolemy; and,lastly, of the same class may that built in the reign of the emperor Caligula besupposed to have been, which foundered in the reign of Claudius, and was irre-coverably lost in the port of Ostia.

The foregoing explanation, which appears perfectly simple and conformableto reason, enlarges our idea of the marine, or naval force of the ancients, which hashitherto been very much misrepresented, or misunderstood. It is generally sup-posed that their ships or vessels were extremely imperfect, and ill constructed;so that moderns have little, or, indeed, nothing to regret in the loss of a perfectknowlege of the principles of an art rudely practised by these renowned prede-cessors : this idea is, in all probability, erroneous.

Is it to be conceived, (says L’Escalier) that a great commercial people,such as were the Carthaginians and Phoenicians, who undoubtedly undertooklong voyages, having doubled the Cape of Good Hope, as well as atchievedmany other feats in navigation equally bold and extraordinary, should nothave been provided with vessels well put together, and capable of effectuallyresisting the impetuosity of the waves ?

Can it be believed, that rival nations, like Rome and Carthage, which for sucha length of time, and through a series cf wars, disputed the empire of the

sea ;