Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

162 THE BALLISTA.hundred paces. Some were so arranged as to hurl a flight ofleaden bullets instead of an arrow.The ballista originated with the Phoenicians. It threwstones up to fifty pounds weight and over, and was the mortarof the ancients.The missile could be cast about half a mile.The baUista consisted of a stout beam or arm of wood whoseCJ^Ballista.one end bore a spoon or bowl in which was held the stone,while the other end was secured in a twisted cord or gutmounted in a timber frame. Being brought backward againstthe twist to a nearly horizontal position by a windlass, and thestone or other projectile placed in the spoon or bowl, the armwas suddenly released and flew upward with great power.motion was suddenly arrested by an upper transverse beam,or by cords fastened to the frame-work. The projectile leftthe spoon at this point and could be directed with considerableaccuracy. Eed-hot balls and fire-pots were also hurledby the ballista, and sometimes infected corpses were throwninto a city to spread disease. These engines were really veryeffective ; in some respects as much so as our modern artillery.In the hands of Alexander, the Macedonian engineswere frequently of as great use as a battery is to-day. Intransporting these machines the Macedonians carried only theIts