of overcoming the difficulty, only increases it when he says that there must have been six men to an oar, for six men would be less easily placed at each of the lower tiers of oars than five. Nor does he aid in the solution of this vexed problem when he comes to deal with vessels of five banks. Practically his arguments are the same, and show the mistakes which learned men are liable to make when dealing with questions requiring experience as well as learning. "Polybius," remarks Mr. Howell, "informs us the crew of a quinquereme was three hundred rowers, and one hundred and twenty fighting men. Now a quinquereme," he reasons, "having five banks, thus—
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pulled fifty oars, or twenty-five aside, the same
number as the modern galley. As by this arrangement,
adding to the banks of the galley," he continues,
"did not add to her height, and not in any
great degree to her length, seven feet being sufficient
for a bank, I think the addition of one man to an
oar was all she could require. Six times five is
thirty, and ten times thirty, three hundred. Both
of these," he concludes, by saying with evident self-satisfaction,
"are remarkable coincidences, and tally
better with the description of ancient authors than
any solution that has yet been given."
