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Question about Plutarch\'s description of a Celt
#1
I've been discussing with a friend of mine the type of armor described on a Celt in Plutarch's "Life of Marcellus".

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/R ... ellus.html

Quote:7 Meanwhile the king of the Gauls espied him, and judging from his insignia that he was the commander, rode far out in front of the rest and confronted him, shouting challenges and brandishing his spear. His stature exceeded that of the other Gauls, and he was conspicuous for a suit of armour which was set off with gold and silver and bright colours and all sorts of broideries; it gleamed like lightning. Accordingly, as Marcellus surveyed the ranks of the enemy, this seemed to him to be the most beautiful armour, and he concluded that it was this which he had vowed to the god. He therefore rushed upon the man, and by a thrust of his spear which pierced his adversary's breastplate, and by the impact of his horse in full career, threw him, still living, upon the ground, where, with a second and third blow, he promptly killed him. Then leaping from his horse and laying his hands upon the armour of the dead, he looked towards heaven and said: "O Jupiter Feretrius, who beholdest the great deeds and exploits of generals and commanders in wars and fightings, I call thee to witness that I have overpowered and slain this man with my own hand, being the third Roman ruler and general so to slay a ruler and king, and that I dedicate to thee the first and most beautiful of the spoils. Do thou therefore grant us a like fortune as we prosecute the rest of the war."

My friend believes that the descriptions match those of an old Hallstatt style bronze cuirass, like those found at Marmesse, circa 8th century BC:

http://jfbradu.free.fr/celtes/les-celte ... messe2.jpg

Yet, since the Battle of Clastidium took place in 222 BC I've held that he would have worn the traditional Celtic hauberk with silver and gold fittings and decorations such as hanging torques, etc (Just to note I am no expert on Celtic armor or their decorative elements).

Does anyone have an original untranslated copy of the life of Marcellus and can tell me what word was translated as "breatplate". Obviously the Iliad is filled with many badly translated terms for armor, so I would not be surprised if the copy that my friend used (provided in the link above, translated in 1917) is false due to the translator's lack of knowledge about armor. Or could have Plutarch written in some akin to cuirass or breastplate in a time when the lorica segementat was coming into vogue? Or were the Celts actually armed with cuirasses? I have never heard of a Celt being so equipped, but again I am no expert.

Thanks guys Big Grin
Paul Basar - Member of Wildfire Game\'s Project 0 AD
Wildfire Games - Project 0 A.D.
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#2
Plutarch wrote "panoplia" for "suit of armour", and "thorax" in the bit translated "breastplate". Thorax is the most general of Greek terms for body-armour, and it says nothing about the material or construction of the armour.

cheers,
Duncan
cheers,
Duncan
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#3
Thank you kindly Big Grin

Another question:

Earlier in the text Plutarch refers to mailed Greeks.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14114/14 ... _MARCELLUS

[quote]and on the thirdâ€â€
Paul Basar - Member of Wildfire Game\'s Project 0 AD
Wildfire Games - Project 0 A.D.
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#4
Quote:Earlier in the text Plutarch refers to mailed Greeks.
That's in the Life of Kimon. I haven't got that in the Greek, but it is on the Perseus project - http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/ . The translation there renders it "well-armoured", and the Greek is thorektaon, which derives from thorax. So it doesn't mean much more than "wearing armour".

cheers,
Duncan
cheers,
Duncan
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#5
Yes the exact translation is "well-armoured".
Some books follow or copy the romantic or victorian scholars and their
"poetic translations". Some one talked of the "Spartans and their bucklers" in Thermopylae while translating Herodotus. (Bucklers!!!?????????????????!!!!!)

Kind regards
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