plating with gold and silver, russeting and blueing, all being used lavishly, yet with necessary reserve upon its face enrichment. The surface is divided by male and female herm-figures into four compartments, each containing a subject illustrative of the life of Julius Caesar executed in relief, the armour and accessories being damascened with gold in the most elaborate manner. Above and below these panels are bands of oval cartouches containing scrollwork connected by square links with smaller guilloche and fret borders, all richly damascened.
The first compartment represents Caesar receiving the tokens of the death of Pompey: a soldier, possibly Achillas or Septimius, who has just landed from a boat, presents him with the head of the vanquished warrior and his signet ring. The second depicts a combat of horse and foot soldiers, probably the battle of Thapsus. The third composition shows a sacrifice, the accidental staining of Caesar's robe with the blood of the victim being regarded as a prognostic of evil. The fourth illustrates another conflict, probably the battle of Munda, in which Caesar rallied his troops at his own personal risk. The following Latin inscription encircles the shield near its outer margin:
AMBITVS HIC MINIMVS MAGNAM CAPIT AMBITIONEM,
QVÆ REGNA EVERTIT, DESTRVIT IMPERIA;
SVSTVLIT E MEDIO MAGNI VITAMQVE DECVSQVE
POMPEII AVEXIT CÆSARIS IMPERIVM
CÆSARIS IN CŒLVM MITIS CLEMENTIA FERTVR
QUÆ TAMEN HVIC TANDEM PERNICIOSA FVIT.
ANNVLVS EXEIT EI LACHRYMAS CERVIXQVE RESECTA
POMPEII, HINC PATVIT QVAM PROBVS ILLE FORET
IN SACRIS DOCVIT VESTIS CONSPERSA CRVORE
HVIC PRAESAGA MALI TALIA FATA FORE.
SI VIRES IGITVR SPECTAVENS [sic] AMBITIONIS
NON GRAVIVS VIDEAS AMBITIONE MALVM.
which arranged and translated reads:
This very small rim includes the great (spirit of) ambition,
Which overturns Kingdoms, destroys Empires;
It raised from the midst (of others) the life and glory of the great Pompey,
It took away the Empire of Caesar.
The mild clemency of Caesar is extolled to Heaven,
Which, however, was at length destructive to him.
