Page:The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous substances 2.djvu/479

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these horsemen (from the slab No. 54.) with his petasus tied under his chin.

2. It is worn by Theseus, as represented on a vase in the Vatican collection. See Winckelmann, Mon. Inediti, vol. ii. 98, and Fig. 8, Plate IX.

3. Also by Œdipus, as represented on one of Sir William Hamilton's vases (vol. ii. Plate 24.), standing before the sphinx.

4. The coins of Ætolia exhibit Meleager wearing the petasus. Five of these have been selected from the collection in the British Museum, which are engraved according to the size of the originals in Plate IX. Figures 9, 10, and 11, are of silver. In each of them the petasus has the form of a circular disc with a boss at the top like that on a Scotch bonnet: on the reverse is the Calydonian boar, with a spear head beneath it, and the word [Greek: AITÔLÔN]. Figure 12, which is of gold[1], and Figure 13, which is of silver, have the head of Hercules on the reverse. The hero, supposed to be Meleager, wears a petasus, a scarf, and boots, as we have seen to be the case with Endymion (Fig. 3), this being the attire of hunters. In these two coins he also holds a spear in his right hand, and is seated upon a shield (see Fig. 13.) and other pieces of armor. [Greek: AITÔLÔN] is written by the side. The gold coin (see Fig. 12.) represents him with a Victory in his left hand, and with a small figure of Diana Lucifera in front.

The broad-brimmed hat, or petasus, was more especially worn by the Greeks when they were travelling[2]. Its appearance is well shown in Fig. 14, taken from a fictile vase belonging to the late Mr. Hope[3]. It represents a Greek soldier on a journey, wearing his large blanket, and holding two spears in his right hand. This figure also shows one of the methods of fastening on the hat, viz. by passing the string round the occiput.

The comedies of Plautus, being translated from the Greek, contain allusions to the same practice. In the Pseudolus (ii. 4. 55, and iv. 7. 90,) the petasus and the scarf are supposed to be

  1. This is engraved by Taylor Combe, Vet. Populorum Nunmi. tab. v. No. 23
  2. Brunck, Anal. ii. 170, No. 5.
  3. Hope, Costume of the Ancients, vol. i. pl. 71.