Page:The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous substances 2.djvu/117

 mode of preparing the gold to be used in weaving: "And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work."—Ex. xxxix. 2-8. The historian certainly does not intend to describe the process of wire-drawing, nor probably the art of making gold thread. It seems likely, that neither of these ingenious manufactures were invented in his time. The queen described in Ps. xiv., wears "clothing of wrought gold ." Homer mentions a golden girdle, (Od. [Greek: e]. 232. [Greek: k]. 543.). He also describes an upper garment, which Penelope made for Ulysses before going to Illium. On the front part of it a beautiful hunting piece was wrought in gold. It is thus described. "A dog holds a fawn with its fore feet, looking at it as it pants with fear and strives to make its escape." This, he says, was the subject of universal admiration.

Pisander, who probably lived at the same period with Homer, speaks of the Lydians as wearing tunics adorned with gold. Lydus, who has preserved this expression of the ancient cyclic poet, observes that the Lydians were supplied with gold from the sands of the Pactolus and the Hermus.

Virgil also represents the use of gold in weaving, as if it had existed in Trojan times. One of the garments so adorned was made by Dido, the Sidonian, another by Andromache, and a third was in the possession of Anchises. In all these instances the reference is to the habits of Phœnice, Lycia, or other parts of Asia.

Among all the Asiatics, none were more remarkable than

thou shalt make ouches of gold; and two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches. And thou shalt make the breast-plate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod shalt thou make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen shalt thou make it."—Ex. xxviii. 5-15.]. 225-235.]
 * [Footnote: bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial. And