Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-07-07
SWORDS IN HISTORY.
FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY.

Mythology = The Swords Of Ancient
EKypt-Bronze Rapiers of the Ancient
Britons-The Famous Toledo Blades.
Many centuries ago, at the east of the
garden of Eden, was placed flaming
sword, (which turned every way to keep
the way of the tree of life, and through
the years that have followed the sword has
everywhere played prominent part as q
means of protection and defense. The
white arm, as it has been styled, has
reached far and wide over the face of the
earth and has been a mighty power for
good and evil In the days of mythology
it was consecrated to the gods and was the
symbol of courage and liberty. The high
est oath was solemnized by kissing the
sword hilt, and its touch still oonfers the
order of knighthood The degraded army
officer has his sword taken from him, as
the sullied hand no longer has the right to
WELD it, while the voluntary surrender of
the weapon signifies submission.
In the study of the history of the sword
we cannot go much farther back than to
ancient Egypt, whence it's manufacture
and use were distributed throughout Pales-
tine, Syria and Asia Minor and on to Per-
sia and India, and so throughout the
known world.
1t was in Egypt that the three shapes of
the sword blade originated, these being the
straight, the curved and the half curved.
As the shapes became more settled and
more symmetrical great attention was
given to the adornment of the sword or,
more especially. the hilt, and again in
Egypt were found swords blue In color,
with hilts of gold A sword of the pha-
raohs had pommel surmounted by
hawks head, symbolioal of the sun, while
pins and studs of gold ornamented the
handle
An eastern writer claims that in India
the sword was introduced by Brahma and
relates how the sword god appeared on the
summit of one of the Himalayas, shaking
the foundations of the earth and illumi-
mating the sky. The arm of this god was
given by Brahma to the deity SILVA, and
from him it was passed on TO various parts
of India, or SO the legend runs Among
the Moslems the highest title given to
warrior of renown is the sword of AL
lah, y and the allegorical use of the word
is found in many parts of the Bible, while
Roman literature abounds in allusions to
the sword
At Mycen@ DR.. Schliemann made very
important discoveries of ancient swords,
many of which were curiously carved and
engraved Upon the hilt of one of these
disinterred weapons is carved the figure of
goat, while another has the shape of a
lion cub. The Roman sword was of
greater size than that of the Greeks, and
in the days of the empire many of the
sheaths were SO covered with repousss
work and incrusted with precious stones
as to be veritable art treasures.
In the Greek and Roman mythology are
many wonderful and miraculous tales of
swords, as that of Perseus using the celes-
tial weapon of Cronos to cut off the Cor
gon' 8 head When leaving home, the IA
ther of Theseus charged the mother of the
boy to keep him by her side until he could
move certain stone of great weight
Years passed, and the boy grew stronger
and stronger until he lifted the stone one
day and found beneath it wonderful sword
with hilt OF fine workmanship. Armed
with this tabled weapon he set out upon
his journey through the world, Staying the
Minotaur and working many miracles,
while the sword remained trusty friend
throughout his adventurous life.
The Homeric writings abound with
spirited illusions to the sword, although
it is probably the sword of Homers own
time that is described rather than the ac-
tual weapon of the Trojan war.
Among the ancient Britons two kinds
of bronze swords were used, one the leaf
blade, the other resembling the rapier.
An old custom among these primitive peo-
pie was the placing of the food of a young
child upon the blade of its fathers sword
while the mother conveyed it safely to the
child's mouth, praying at the same time
that her son might die amid the clash Of
arms
Today in Spain the manufacture of the
sword is still fourishing, and the Toledo
blade is noted throughout the world for
it's excellence. The great factory just out
Of Toledo employs 900 workmcn, men and
boys, and infinite pains are taken to per-
feet the blades Each sword is well tested
by being thrown against shield, and If
the point does not turn hairs breadth it
is pronounced good and marked with the
royal sign and the word 9 Artilleria,
which tells its make to the connoisseur.
Weeks even 4nonths are spent upon the
designs for these blades and handles,
which are perhaps used after completion
in the bullfights of the Spanish holidays
In French history we read of the famous
sword carried in battle by Joan of Arc.
Early In her short career the voices" told
her of an ancient sword which she would
find at Fierbois, concealed behind the altar
of St. GATHERINGS church The priests
knew nothing of the weapon, but Joan
sent officers to search for it, and it was dis
covered buried in the earth at the spot de-
scriped The sword when unearthed was
rusty and without sheath, but the
maid would not have it sharpened, as she
said she would never use it, but carry it
as weapon beftting her position By
some this ancient sword is said to have be-
longed to Charlcmagne.
How closely woven about the sword Is
the drama of 1.-The Nibelungen RingI''
Hurled by the strong arm of Walse into
the old ash tree, SO that the hilt alone pro-
jected, only Siegnund, his son, was pos
sessed of strength enough to draw it out
again Nothing, he named the sword
and fought bravely with it In the deadly
combat with Hunding, in which his life
ended Broken and rusted, it comes into
the hands Of Siegfried in the second part
of the Wagnerian DRAMA and there Is no
scene in the Tctralogy more effective than
that In which the hero forges anew the
famous weapon of his ancestors He sings
as he works. and the sword motive runs
through, the opera. an inseparable part oft.
The poetry and romance of all countries
of the old world are filed with allusions
to the sword The practice of arms and
that of literature have always gone hand
in hand Sadi. the great Persian poet,
wrote:
Two persons, oh. conquering king, patrcnize-
The man who has strength and the man who
is wisel
II man has not handled the pen or the sword.
Over him, should he die. say no Borrowing
word