104. Native words: lactuca ‘lettuce’ from lact ‘milk,’ because this herb contains milk; brassica ‘cabbage’ as though praesica, because from its stalk praesicatur ‘leaves are cut off’ one by one; asparagi ‘asparagus shoots,’ because they are gathered from aspera ‘rough’ bushes and the stems themselves are rough, not smooth: unless it is a Greek name, for in Greece also they say ἀσπάραγος. Cucumeres ‘cucumbers’ are named from their curvor ‘curvature,’ as though curvimeres. Fructus ‘fruits’ are named from ferre ‘to bear,’ namely those things which the farm and those things which are on the farm bear, that we may enjoy them. From this are derived fruges ‘field products’ and frumentum ‘corn,’ but these come out of the earth: even frumentum, because to the pot-boiled vitals it is customary to add some of the mola ‘grits,’ that is, salt and spelt molitum ‘ground up’ together. Uvae ‘grapes,’ from uvor ‘moisture.’
105. I shall now speak of things which are made by human hands: food, clothing, tools, and anything else which seems to be associated with them. Of foods the most ancient is puls ‘porridge’; this got its name either because the Greeks called it thus, or from the fact which Apollodorus mentions, that it makes a sound like puls when it is thrown into boiling water. Panis ‘bread,’ because at first they made it in the shape of a panus ‘cloth’ such as women make in weaving; after they began to make it in other shapes, they started saying panificium ‘pastry,’ from panis ‘bread’ and facere ‘to make.’ From this, panarium ‘bread-closet,’ where they kept it, like granarium ‘granary,’ where they stored the granum ‘grain’ of the corn, from which granarium was derived — unless it came from the fact that the Greeks called the grain κράνον; and in this case it was from the Greeks also that the place in which are kept the grains that are stored, was called a granarium.
106. Hordeum ‘barley,’ from horridus ‘bristling.’ Triticum ‘wheat,’ because it was tritum ‘threshed out’ from the ears. Far ‘emmer,’ from facere ‘to make,’ because it is made into flour in the mill. Milium ‘millet,’ from the Greek: for it is μελίνη. Libum ‘cake,’ because, after it was baked, libabatur ‘there was an offering of some’ of it to the gods before it was eaten. Testuacium ‘pot-cake,’ because it was baked in a heated earthen testu ‘pot,’ as even now the matrons do this at the Matralia. Circuli ‘rings,’ because they poured into the pan a regular circuitus ‘circuit’ of a batter made of flour, cheese, and water.
107. Certain persons who used to make these rather carelessly called them lixulae ‘softies’ and similixulae ‘half-softies,’ by the Sabine name, such was their general use among the Sabines. Those that consist of a leavened globus ‘ball’ of dough and are cooked in oil, are from globus called globi ‘globes.’ Crustulum ‘cookie,’ from the crusta ‘crust’ of the porridge, whose crusta is so named because it is, as it were, a corium ‘hide’ and it uritur ’is burnt.’ The other confections are in general of obvious origin, being taken from Greek words, like thrion ‘omelette’ and placenta ‘sand-tart.’
108. That which they ate with their puls ‘porridge,’ was from that fact called pulmentum ‘side-dish,’ as Plautus says; from this was said pulmentarium ‘relish’: this the shepherds lacked in the early times. Caseus ‘cheese’ was named from coactum ‘coagulated’ milk, as though coaxeus. Then after they ceased to be satisfied with those foods which nature supplied of her own accord without the use of fire, among which were apples and like fruits, they boiled down in a pot those which they could less easily eat raw. From olla ‘pot’ the holera ‘vegetables’ were named, because it is the task of ollae ‘pots’ to soften the raw holera ‘vegetables.’ One of these, because it eruitur ’is dug out’ of the earth for cooking, was called ruapa, from which comes rapa ‘turnip.’ Olea ‘olive berry,’ from ἐλαία; the orchitis is a large kind of olive, so called because the Athenians call it ὄρχις μορία ‘the sacred olive-berry.’
109. From here they came to domestic animals as meat for the table. As suilla ‘pork’ is said from sus ‘swine,’ so other meats are named from the other kinds of animals. The nature of things shows us that men began to use this first roasted, second boiled, third cooked in its own juice. Assum ‘roasted’ is said because as a result of the fire it assudescit ‘begins to sweat,’ that is uvescit ‘becomes moist’: for uvidum is the same as humidum ‘moist,’ and therefore where this moisture is not present, there is a lack of juice; and therefore the roast that is to sweat drips on account of the heat, and just as the raw meat has an excess of moisture, so the thoroughly cooked meat has very little juice. Elixum ‘boiled’ is said from the liquor ‘fluid’ of the water; and ex iure ‘cooked in its own juice’ is said because this is more iucundum ‘tasty’ than seasoning.
110. Succidia ‘leg of pork’ is said from sues caedendae ‘the cutting up of the swine’; for this was the first domestic animal that the owners began to slaughter and to salt in order to keep the meat unspoiled. Tegus ‘piece of the back’ of swine, from this, that by this piece the animal tegitur ’is covered.’ Perna ‘ham,’ from pes ‘foot.’ Sueris, from the animal’s name. Offula ‘rib-roast,’ from offa, a very small sueris. Insicia ‘minced meat’ from this, that the meat is insecta ‘cut up,’ just as in the Song of the Salii the word prosicium ‘slice’ is used, for which, in the offering of the vitals, the word prosectum is now used. Murtatum ‘myrtle-pudding,’ from murta ‘myrtle-berry,’ because this berry is added plentifully to its stuffings.
111. An intestine of the thick sort that was stuffed, they call a Lucanica ‘Lucanian,’ because the soldiers got acquainted with it from the Lucanians, just as what they found at Falerii they call a Faliscan haggis; and they say fundolus ‘bag-sausage’ from fundus ‘bottom,’ because this is not like the other intestines, but is open at only one end: from this, I think, the Greeks called it the blind intestine. From the same fartura ‘stuffing’ were called the farcimina ‘stuffies’ in the case of the vital organs for the sacrifice, whence also farticulum ‘stufflet’; in this case, because it is the most slender intestine that is stuffed, it is called hila from that hilum ‘whit’ which Ennius uses:
And of loss not a whit does she suffer.
Because at the top of this stuffy there is a little projection, it is called an apexabo, because the projection is like the apex ‘pointed cap’ on a human head. The third kind of sausage is the longavo, because it is longer than those two others.
112. The augmentum ‘increase-cake’ is so called because a piece of it is cut out and put on the liver of the sacrificed victim at the presentation to the deity, for the sake of augendi ‘increasing’ it. Magmentum ‘added offering,’ from magis ‘more,’ because it attaches magis ‘more’ closely to the worshipper’s piety: for this reason magmentaria fana ‘sanctuaries for the offering of magmenta’ have been established in certain places, that the added offering may there be laid on the original and offered with it. Mattea ‘cold meat-pie’ is so named because in Greek it is ματτύη. Likewise from the Greeks is another meat-dish called..., which contains item by item the following:..., an egg, a truffle.
113. Lana ‘wool’ is a Greek word, as Polybius and Callimachus write. Purpura ‘purple,’ from the colour of the purpura ‘purple-fish’ of the sea: a Punic word, because it is said to have been first brought to Italy by the Phoenicians. Stamen ‘warp,’ from stare ‘to stand,’ because by this the whole fabric on the loom stat ‘stands’ up. Subtemen ‘woof,’ because it subit ‘goes under’ the stamen ‘warp.’ Trama ‘wide-meshed cloth,’ because the cold trameat ‘goes through’ this kind of garment. Densum ‘close-woven cloth,’ from the dentes ‘dents’ of the sley with which it is beaten. Filum ‘thread,’ because it is the smallest hilum ‘shred’; for this is the smallest thing in a garment.
114. Pannus ‘bobbin,’ is a Greek word, where E has become A. Panuvellium ‘bobbin with thread’ was said from panus ‘bobbin’ and volvere ‘to wind’ the thread. Tunica ‘shirt,’ from tuendo ‘protecting’ the body: tun
ica as though it were tuendica. Toga ‘toga’ from tegere ‘to cover.’ Cinctus ‘belt’ and cingillum ‘girdle,’ from cingere ‘to gird,’ the one assigned to men and the other to women.
115. Arma ‘arms,’ from arcere ‘to ward off,’ because with them we arcemus ‘ward off’ the enemy. Parma ‘cavalry shield,’ because from the centre it is par ‘even’ in every direction. Conum ‘pointed helmet,’ because it cogitur ’is narrowed’ toward the top. Hasta ‘spear,’ because it is usually carried astans ‘standing up.’ Iaculum ‘javelin,’ because it is made that it may iaci ‘be thrown.’ Tragula ‘thong-javelin,’ from traicere ‘to pierce.’ Scutum ‘shield,’ from sectura ‘cutting,’ as though secutum, because it is made of wood cut into small pieces. Umbones ‘bosses’ from a Greek word, namely ἄμβωνες.
116. Gladium ‘sword,’ from clades ‘slaughter,’ with change of C to G, because the gladium is made for a slaughter of the enemy; likewise from its omen was said pilum, by which the enemy periret ‘might perish,’ as though perilum. Lorica ‘corselet,’ because they made chest-protectors from lora ‘thongs’ of rawhide; afterwards the Gallic corselet of iron was included under this name, an iron shirt made of links. Balteum ‘sword-belt,’ because they used to wear a leather belt bullatum ‘with an amulet attached,’ was called balteum. Ocrea ‘shin-guard’ was so called because it was set in the way ob crus ‘before the shin.’ Galea ‘leather helmet,’ from galerum ‘leather bonnet,’ because many of the ancients used them.
117. Tubae ‘trumpets,’ from tubi ‘tubes,’ a name by which even now the trumpeters of the sacrifices call them. Cornua ‘horns,’ because these, which are now of bronze, were then made from the cornu ‘horn’ of an ox. Vallum ‘camp wall,’ either because no one could varicare ‘straddle’ over it, or because the ends of the forked sticks used there had individually the shape of the letter V. Cervi ‘chevaux-de-frise,’ from the likeness to the horns of a cervus ‘stag’; so the rest of the terms in general, from a likeness, as vineae ‘mantlets,’ testudo ‘tortoise,’ aries ‘ram.’
118. The eating-table they used to call a cilliba; it was square, as even now it is in the camp; the name cilliba came from cibus ‘victuals.’ Afterwards it was made round, and the fact that it was media ‘central’ with us and μέσα ‘central’ with the Greeks, is the probable reason for its being called a mensa ‘table’; unless indeed they used to put on, amongst the victuals, many that were mensa ‘measured out.’ Trulla ‘ladle,’ from its likeness to a trua ‘gutter,’ but because this is big and the other is small, they named it as if it were truella ‘small trua’; this the Greeks call a τρυήλη. A trua ‘gutter’ is that by which they pour the water from the kitchen into the privy: trua, because by it the water travolat ‘flies across.’ From the same is named the truleum ‘basin’; for it is like in shape, except that it is broader because it is to hold water, and that the handle is not channelled except in the case of a wine.-truleum.
119. There was also the matellio ‘pot,’ named as well as modelled after the matula ‘chamber-pot,’ which, after it had got quite far away from the shape of a matula, was called also an aqualis ‘wash-basin,’ from aqua ‘water.’ A jar for water they called a futis, because with it in the dining-room they infundebant ‘poured on’ the guests’ hands the water that had been brought; for the performance of this same service there was afterward added a vessel with the Greek name of nanus ‘dwarf’ and the Latin name barbatus ‘bearded man,’ because of the Greek figure. Pelvis ‘basin’ was earlier pedeluis, from the lavatio ‘washing’ of the pedes ‘feet.’ Candelabrum ‘candlestick,’ from candela ‘taper’; for from these blazing cords were hung. The lucerna ‘lamp’ was invented later; it was named from lux ‘light’ or because the Greeks call it λύχνος.
120. Vessels on the eating-table: The vessel in which they set on the table porridge or anything with a great deal of juice, they called a catinus ‘pot,’ from capere ‘to contain,’ unless it is because the Sicilians call that in which they put their roasts a κάτινος. The magida and the langula, both meaning ‘platter,’ they named from the magnitudo ‘size’ of the one and the latitudo ‘width’ of the other. Patenae ‘plates’ they called from patulum ‘spreading,’ and the little plates, with which they offered the gods a preliminary sample of the dinner, they called patellae ‘saucers.’ Tryblia ‘bowls’ and canistra ‘bread-baskets,’ though people think that they are Latin, are really Greek: for τρύβλιον and κανοῦν are said in Greek. The remaining terms I pass by, since their sources are obvious.
121. A round table for wine was formerly called a cilliba, as even now it is in the camp. This seems to be derived from the Greek κυλικεῖον ‘buffet,’ from the cup cylix which stands on it. The capides ‘bowls’ and smaller capulae ‘cups’ were named from capere ‘to seize,’ because they have handles to make it possible for them prehendi ‘to be grasped,’ that is, capi ‘to be seized.’ Their shapes we even now see among the sacred vessels, old-fashioned shapes in wood and earthenware.
122. In addition there were among the drinking-cups the paterae ‘libation-saucers,’ named from this, that they patent ‘are open’ wide. For the sake of preserving the ancient practice, they use cups of this kind even now for passing around the potio ‘draught’ at the public banquet, when the magistrates enter into their office; and it is this kind of cup that the magistrate uses in sacrificing to the gods, when he gives the wine to the god. Pocula ‘drinking-cups,’ from potio ‘draught,’ whence potatio ‘drinking bout’ and also posca ‘sour wine.’ These may however come from πότος, because πότος is the Greek for potio.
123. The source of a drink is aqua ‘water,’ so called because its surface is aequa ‘level.’ A fans ‘spring’ is that from which running water funditur ’is poured’ out of the earth, just as a fistula ‘pipe’ is that from which there is a fusus ‘outpour’ of water. The sinum is a wine-jar of a larger sort, called from sinus ‘belly,’ because the sinum had a greater cavity than cups. Likewise there are those called lepestae, the kind of wine-jars that are even now, on the days of the Sabine festivals, placed on the table of the gods; I have found in ancient Greek writers a kind of cup called δεπέστα, for which reason the source of the name quite certainly set out from there into the Sabine and Roman territory.
124. Those who were giving wine in such a way as to pour it little by little, called the vessel a guttus ‘cruet,’ from the guttae ‘drops’; those who were taking it little by little from a larger container, called the instrument a simpuvium ‘dipping ladle,’ from sumere ‘to take out.’ Into its place, in banquets, there came from Greece the epichysis ‘pouring ladle’ and the cyathus ‘dipping ladle’; but in the sacrifices the guttus and the simpuvium remained in use.
125. A second kind of table for vessels was of stone, an oblong rectangle with one pedestal; it was called a cartibulum. When I was a boy this used to be placed in many persons’ houses near the opening in the roof of the court, and on and around it were set bronze vessels; perhaps cartibulum was said from gerere ‘to carry.’
126. Besides there was a third kind of table for vessels, rectangular like the second kind; it was called an urnarium, because it was the piece of furniture in the kitchen on which by preference they set and kept the urnae ‘urns’ filled with water. From this even now the place in front of the bath where the urn-table is wont to be placed, is called an urnarium. Urnae ‘urns’ got their name from the fact that they urinant ‘dive’ in the drawing of water, like an urinator ‘diver.’ Urinare means to be plunged into water.
127. Amburvum, a pot whose name is made from urvum ‘curved,’ because it is so bent that it turns up again like the part of the plough which is named the urvum ‘beam.’ Calix ‘cooking-pot,’ from caldum ‘hot,’ because hot porridge was served up in it, and they drank hot liquid from it. The vessel in which they coquebant ‘cooked’ their food, from that they called a caccabus. Veru ‘spit,’ from versare ‘to turn.’
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nbsp; 128. From sedere ‘to sit’ were named sedes ‘seat,’ sedile ‘chair,’ solium ‘throne,’ sellae ‘stools,’ siliquastrum ‘wicker chair’; then from these subsellium ‘bench’: as subsipere is said a thing does not sapit ‘taste’ clearly, so subsellium because it was not clearly a sella ‘stool.’ Where two had room on a seat of this sort, it was called a bisellium ‘double seat.’ An arca ‘strong-chest,’ because thieves arcebantur ‘were kept away’ from it when it was locked. Armarium ‘closet’ and armamentarium ‘warehouse,’ from the same source, but with different suffixes.
129. Mundus is a woman’s toilet set, named from munditia ‘neatness.’ Ornatus ‘toilet set,’ as if natus ‘born’ from the os ‘face’; for from this especially is taken that which is to beautify a woman, and therefore this is handled with the help of a mirror. Calamistrum ‘curling-iron,’ because the hair is arranged with irons when they have been calfacta ‘heated’ in the embers. The one who attended to them was called a cinerarius ember-man,’ from cinis ‘embers.’ Discerniculum ‘bodkin,’ with which the hair discernitur ’is parted.’ Pecten ‘comb,’ because by it the hair explicatur ’is spread out.’ Speculum ‘mirror,’ from specere ‘to look at,’ because in it they spectant ‘look at’ themselves.
130. Vestis ‘garment’ from velli ‘shaggy hair,’ or from the fact that the shorn wool of a sheep, taken as a whole, is a vellus ‘fleece’: this was said because they formerly vellebant ‘plucked’ it. Lanea ‘woollen headband,’ because made from lana ‘wool.’ That which was to hold the hair, was called a reticulum ‘net-cap,’ from rete ‘net’; rete, from raritudo ‘looseness of mesh.’ Likewise the woven band with which they were to fasten the hair on the head, was called a capital ‘headband,’ from caput ‘head’; and this the sub-priestesses are accustomed to wear on their heads even now. So rica ‘veil,’ from ritus ‘fashion,’ because according to the Roman ritus, when women make a sacrifice, they veil their heads. The mitra ‘turban’ and in general the other things that go on the head, were later importations, along with their Greek names.
Delphi Complete Works of Varro Page 43