Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-17
THE HERO'S WEAPON.
Some Curious and Remarkable Facts
About the Sword.
KING ARTHUR's FAMOUS BLADE.
Swords That Form the Theme for Poem
and Legend.
SYMBOL OF WAR, POWER AND JUSTICE
1wR1TrEN FOR THE DISPATCH. :!

in history, and it has held its place even 70
these days of dynamite and electricity. II
has prominent place in literature, and hg-
ures largely in legend, song and mythology
1t is mentioned in the third chapter o Cen
esis, where we are told that the Lord placed
"a flaming sword which turned every way
10 guard the tree of life, in the Garden OF
Eden. The same thing is said in the Chal-
dean account of the Genesis. This sword Is
not in the hands of the cherubim, but turns
of its own accord-the first of many legen-
dary swords which cut without mortal aid.
This flaming sword is, in the Vedio accounts
of the Creation, from which the Hebrews
borrowed it, "a sinuous darting fame" The
sword is thus early likened to fire, and it is,
in fact, coupled with it in the well-known
phrase to devastate with fire and sword. "
Pythagoras had favorite saying, "Poke
not fire with a sword, 3" meaning not to irri-
tate an angry man with sharp words. Mil
ton equips the host of fallen angels with
flaming swords
Out few
Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the
thighs
OF mighty Cherubim: the sudden blaze
Far round illumined hell.
All through antiquity and the middle
ages the sword held its place as a weapon,
crowded a little by the spear and the bow.
The advent of gunpowder destroyed its
supremacy, and since that it has become the
symbolical staF of authority, sacred to the
officer.
Such iconoclasts as General Gordon, who
carried cane into action, even deny the
usefulness of the sword as a soldier COM
a1l CO hoc Iol
that cavalry men and men-of-war's men are
still encumbered with it in spite of breech-
leaders and machine guns
AS an ornament the sword has had his
tory equally interesting. No gentleman, in
what may be called the dueling age, was
we'll dressed without one, and survivals oil
this custom still exist in Europe, where
officers swords impede their dancing steps
much as do their spurs the movements of
other revelers. Laws have been enacted
prescribing the wearing or the laying aside
of swords, their lengths and shapes. have
been matters of fashion and even
national characteristic. To the
same age may be referred the origin of
the saying ito measure swords with one, "
since duelists gauged the lengths OF their
weapons with exactness. Special makes
of swords became famous Damascus,
Toledo and Bilboa being particularly noted
for their makes. AS matter of course, par
ticular blades had great reputation, and
swords were often distinguished by names
and had sentences engraved upon them eX-
tolling their virtues. As a consequence
much elegance was displayed in the matter
of dress swords, and the museums of Europe
contain many weapons with jewel-studded
hilts and scabbards, and blades inlaid with
gold. Stowe says the finest gallant in
L Il = EEEl--
deepest ruff and the longest sword"
SOME FAMOUS SWORDS.
Many swords have been famous in 70.
nance and in legends, and these have
usually possessed high-sounding names.
Caesars was named "Crocca Mors" (yellow
death), as he himself tells u.s. Mahomet,
whose followers preached their faith by the
eoge of the sword. had swords with such
deadly), "Dhu' L Fakar" (the trenchant),
(the keen). The last two were confiscated
from the Jews when they were exiled from
Medina. The great Charlemagne possessed
two celebrated swords-"Joyeuse" and
"Flamberge" William (Short nose) had
one named the same as the first, which be-
came in some sort kind.o generic title for
the sword. The last-named was made by a
famous swordmaker OF the middle ages,
Galas, who shared his fame with two others,
Munifcan and Ansias, each of whom fabri-
Gated three swords, taking three long years
to make each one. The same name was
given to the sword of Malagigi, the hero of
an old romance, who took it from Saracen
Admiral at a certain siege. Two famous |
heroes of the North had similarly named |
swords. These were Haco of Norway and |
Thorald the Strong.
Quern-biter of Haken the good
Wherewith at a stroke he hewed
The milestone through and through.
Quern-biter means ''foot-breadth," a pc
culiar name for sword.
This keen blade was surpassed by other |
celebrated swords. 'Durindante, the |
property of Orlando, the famous hero of |
chivalry, could cut through the Pyreenees |
at blow. 1t was said to have belonged to |
Hector, whose sword is frequently mentioned |
In the lliad:
Nor plated shield, nor tempered casque de-
fend,
Where Durandanda's trenchant edge descends. |
Another hero of the same romance,
Rogero, was the possessor of "Balisarda,"
which could also cut through enchanted
substances.
But these were all surpassed BY the blude
of Doolin of Mayence, "Merveillense"
wonderfully, which, when placed edge
downward, would cut through block of
wood by its own weight.
Perhaps the most famous sword OF the
''age of swords" was the well-known "Es-
calibar," "Excalibur' or 'tCalibum' of
King Arthur. Itwas found, after the death
Of Uther Pendragon, sticking in a stone and
carved. with this inscription: HE who can
lraw forth this sword, the same is to be
King" Arthur was the only one able to
10 this. There is a similar enchanted sword
n the romance OF Amadis de Gaul. Who
ever should be able to draw this from the
-ock in which it stuck would gain access to
great underground treasure.
KING ARTHUR's WEAPON.
There seems to have been two swords
famed Excalibur. The one spoken of was
70 bright "that it gave light like 80 torches. -
rhe other Excalibur came from the ''Ladv
If the Lake" Merlin took Arthur to the
axe, where an arm appeared clothed in
white samite, that held fair sword in the
land." When about to die King Arthur
lad this sword thrown into the lake again,
when the same hand appeared, took the sword,
md drew it into the lake. Even its scabbard
vas wonderful. The wearer would lose
10 blood while the scabbard was upon him,
Ilthough he should receive many wounds.
Upon the blade was written:
Ich am phote exealibore
Unto King far treasure.
lin Inglis is this writing)
Kene steel, and greu and althing.
Another Arthurian hero, Launcelot, was
A