Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Insigne

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

INSIG'NE. In a general sense, implies anything which serves as a sign, ornament, or badge, by which persons or things may be distinguished; for example, the crest on a helmet, the device on a shield, the fasces of a consul, the sceptre and diadem of a king, the golden bulla of high-born children; and so on.

2. (παράσημον). In the navy it has rather a more special sense, being used to designate the figure-head of a ship, which was carved or painted on the bows, and imitated the person or object after which the vessel was named, as contradistinguished from Tutela, which was situated on the quarters, and represented the deity under whose protection the vessel was supposed to sail. The example (Insigne/2.1) represents the head of the vessel named the Pistris in Virgil (Aen. v. 116.), from a picture in the Vatican MS., intended to illustrate that passage; which consequently is furnished with an image of that fabulous animal for its figure-head. All the other vessels in the picture have figures in a similar position, representing the objects after which they are named.

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  Insigne/2.1