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CHAP. 4. (3.)—WHO WAS THE FIRST TO GIVE CHAPLETS WITH LEAVES OF SILVER AND GOLD. LEMNISCI: WHO WAS THE FIRST TO EMBOSS THEM.

Crassus Dives1 was the first who gave chaplets with artificial leaves of silver and gold, at the games celebrated by him. To embellish these chaplets, and to confer additional honour on them, lemnisci were added, in imitation of the Etruscan chaplets, which ought properly to have none but lemnisci2 made of gold. For a long period these lemnisci were destitute of ornament:3 P. Claudius Pulcher4 was the first who taught us to emboss5 them, and added leaves of tinsel to the laminæ6 of which the lemniscus was formed.

1 The "Rich."

2 Ribbons or streamers.

3 "Puri."

4 Consul, A.U.C. 570.

5 Or "engrave," "cælare." He is probably speaking here of golden lemnisci.

6 "Philyræ." This was properly the inner bark of the linden-tree; but it is not improbable that thin plates of motal were also so called, from the resemblance. The passage, however, admits of various modes of ex- planation.

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