It was projected upon the same principle as the stone in the catapult, namely by means of twisted skeins, but in the case of the balista two were in use.
The balista could also be used for discharging stones if required by a simple alteration of the bow-string, and the addition of another trough for directing the missile.
But that part turned around in one plane, and advanced in another; it was less like anything that existed before than the catapult was like the sling, or the balista was like the cross-bow.
Could he manage to rig up a balista before the ditch was effectually drained?
He employed the same men who had so intelligently constructed his balista in making the rough semblance of the two doors of a river lock, each five feet wide and six feet deep.
They then began their march in different directions; Petillius pitched his camp against the ridge of Balista and Letum, which joined the two together with one continued range.
In the early part of the thirteenth century the balista catapult came into vogue once more; it was of the cross-bow type, and at the end of the century was called the espringale and mounted on wheels.
The principle may readily be gleaned from the accompanying diagram which exemplifies the two vertical skeins used in a portable balista for throwing arrows; by being fixed in a suitable frame an action like that of the bow could be obtained.
Roughly speaking, the original balista or catapults depending upon torsion, and throwing shafts rather than balls, were not so frequently in use as those engines which depended upon tension and threw heavy stones.
A musket is a more expensive machine than a javelin or a bow and arrows; a cannon or a mortar, than a balista or a catapulta.
The cannon and the mortar are not only much dearer, but much heavier machines than the balista or catapulta; and require a greater expense, not only to prepare them for the field, but to carry them to it.
Aage looked out at the window, and saw with alarm that burning stones were carried on gridirons across the yard to the balista on the walls.
A drawbridge was again lowered, and Aage perceived he was directly under the castle wall; for he heard a noise above his head like the moving of balista and other warlike machines.
Many glowing stones from the balista missed their mark, many cooled ere they fell.
As soon as it was daylight the firing from the balista through the loopholes, ceased; but the parapets upon the outer wall were observed to be filled with men-at-arms.
He halted without the burning monastery, by the count's side, just as another discharge from the balista took place, and a large burning stone fell down between their horses, and rolled hissing into the snow.
The shooting, however, still continued from a battery ofbalista on the shore: it was here Sir Helmer had stationed himself.
He was still issuing the word of command to the balista slingers, when, to his dismay, he heard the king's voice over head.
A large stone from a balista fell just before the archbishop's face, and split the table.
They have balista and cross-bows with them; they will now surely assault Axelhuus.
The balista were instantly dragged off the shore, from whence the armed insurgents had also decamped, awed apparently by the king's severity towards one of his favourite knights.
They utter your name, venerable brother, with ungodly oaths; they are busy with boats--they are dragging more balista forward.
Preparations were already begun for storming and firing Axelhuus, The fight was now maintained on both sides, and arrows and stones from balista were shot from the towers and battlements of the castle.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "balista" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
