Watch-word,  in  Greek
Tfj-Sij^a,  in  Latin  Tejfera,  was  a
Vvord  communicated  by  thegeneral
to  the  fubordinate  officers,  and  by
them  to  the  whole  army,  as  a
mark  of  dillinciion,  to  know
friends  from  enemies.  If  com-
monly contained  fome  good  omen,
the  name  of  fome  deity,  or  of
fom.e  general,  from  whom  iuccefs
was  expedted.  Cyrus,  for  example,
ufed  Zst?  crt)/A/A5cp5^o? ,  r,yi[t.'->iv  Or
cuTr.f,  Cafar  uled  l^enus  Genetrix,
and  Augujiui,  Apol.o  :  We  find
alfo  Fein  It  as,  Libert  as,  Viiioria,
Fortuna  Ctsjaris,  made  ufe  of  wiM
the  fame  iutention.  But  this  cuf-
tom  often  proved  of  pemitious
confecjuence ;  for  the  foldiers  by
frequsiUly  queitioning  one  ano-
ther, brec  confufion  amon;^  them-
felves,  and  difcovered  the  woid  to
the  enemy.  It  became  likewife
the  occafion  of  many  mifchievousi
flraragems,  one  of  which  we  find
praclifed  by  an  Arcadian  Captain
in  a  war  with  Lacedamon  ;  when
engaging  in  the  night,  all  the  Tef-
fera  he  gave  his  foldiers  was,
••  That


WEE

«  That  they  fliould  forthwith  kill
all  that  demanded  the  word;"  by
this  means  they  eafily  diftinguifh-
cd  and  (lew  the  Spartans,  them-
felves  being  undifcovered,  and
therefore  fecure.  The  Watch-
word was  called  TeJ/ira  by  the  Ro'
mansy  probab'y  becaufe  Tallies
ufed  to  be  delivered  to  the  fol-
diers  with  feme  p.irticular  word  or
fentenceinfcribed  upon  them.  See
TtJJira.
Ways.      See  Roads,

Water- CLOCKS.  See  Ctepjy-
dra.
Waters  ofjealou/y,  called  alfo
Waters  of  Bitt'rnefs,  were  thofe
which  were  given  to  a  woman  fuf-
pedted  of  adultery  amongft  the
jfeavs,  in  order  to  evince  her  in-
nocence, or  miraculoufly  prove
hei-  guilt.  For  an  account  of  the
manner  of  proceeding.  Sqq  Adul-
tery.
Weapons.     See  Armour.
