Invention of the Cestros
The cestros was a novel invention, made during the war
note
with Perseus. This weapon consisted of an
iron bolt two palms long, half of which was
spike, and half a tube for the reception of the
wooden shaft which was fixed into the tube, and measured a
span in length and a finger-breadth in diameter. At the
middle point of the shaft three wooden "plumes" were
morticed in. The sling had thongs of unequal length, and
on the leather between them the missile was loosely set.
When the sling was being swung round, with the two thongs
taut, the missile kept its place; but when the slinger let go one
of the thongs, it flew from the leather like a leaden bullet, and
was projected from the sling with such force as to inflict a
very grievous wound upon any one whom it hit. note
