DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13855#0056
ATRAMEN'TUM.
4;
8
AUCTOR.
ported the vault of heaven, the latter perhaps
to the strength of the Telamonian Ajax.
Atlanta. (From Tempk' sit A^rigentum :
Professor Cockerell.)
ATRAMEXTUM, a term applicable to any
black colouring substance-, for whatever pur-
pose it may be used, like the melon (_nt\av)
of the Greeks. There were, however, three
principal kinds of atramentum: one called
librarium, or scriptorium (in Greek, ypatyuibv
fieAac),writing-ink; another called sutorium,
which was used by the shoemakers for dyeing
leather; the third tectorium, or pictorium,
which was used by painters for some pur-
poses, apparently as a sort of varnish. The
inks of the ancients seem to have been more
durable than our own ; they were thicker
and more unctuous, in substance and dura-
bility more resembling the ink now used by
printers. An inkstand was discovered at
Herculaneum, containing ink as thick as oil,
and still usable for writing. The ancients
used inks of various colours. Red ink, made
of minium or vermilion, was used for writing
the titles and beginning of books. So also
was ink made of rubrica, " red ochre;" and
because the headings of laws were written
with rubrica, the word rubric came to be
used for the civil law. So album, a white or
whited table, on which the praetors' edicts
were written, was used in a similar way. A
person devoting himself to album and rubrica,
was a person devoting himself to the law.
[Album.]
ATRIUM (called o.uAtj by the Greeks and
by Virgil, and also ^eaavKiov, TrtpLo-rvkov,
nepi<TT(oou) is used in a distinctive as well as
collective sense, to designate a particular part
in the private houses of the Romans [Domus],
and also a class of public buildings, so called
from their general resemblance in construc-
tion to the atrium of a private house. An
atrium of the latter description was a build-
ing by itself, resembling in some respects the
open basilica [Basilica], but consisting of
three sides. Such was the Atrium Publicum
in the capitol, which, Livy informs us, was
struck with lightning, b.c. 216. It was at
other times attached to some temple or other
edifice, and in such case consisted of an
open area and surrounding portico in front
of the structure. Several of these buildings
are mentioned by the ancient historians, two
of which were dedicated to the same goddess,
Libertas. The most celebrated, as well as
the most ancient, was situated on the Aven-
tine Mount. In this atrium there was a
tabularium, where the legal tablets (tabulae)
relating to the censors were preserved. The
other Atrium Libertatis was in the neigh-
bourhood of the Forum Caesaris, and was
immediately behind the Basilica Paulli or
Aemilia.
AUCTIO signifies generally "an increasing,
an enhancement," and hence the name is ap-
plied to a public sale of goods, at which per-
sons bid against one another. The sale was
sometimes conducted by an argentarius, or by
a magister auction is; and the time, place,
and conditions of sale, were announced either
by a public notice (tabula, album, &c), or by
a crier (praeco). The usual phrases to ex-
press the giving notice of a sale were, auc-
tionem proscribere, praedicare ; and to deter-
mine on a sale, auctionem constitucre. The
purchasers (emtores), when assembled, were
sometimes said ad tabulam adesse. The
phrases signifying to bid are, Uceri, licitari,
which was done either by word of mouth, or
by such significant hints as are known to all
people who have attended an auction. The
property was said to be knocked down (ad-
dici) to the purchaser. The praeco, or crier,
seems to have acted the part of the modern
auctioneer, so far as calling out the biddings,
and amusing the company. Slaves, when
sold by auction, were placed on a stone, or
other elevated thing, as is the case when
slaves are sold in the United States of North
America ; and hence the phrase homo de la-
pide emtus. It was usual to put up a spear
(hasta) in auctions ; a symbol derived, it is
said, from the ancient practice of selling un-
der a spear me booty acquired in war.
AUCTOR, a word which contains the same
element as aug-eo, and signifies generally one
who enlarges, confirms, or gives to a thing
its completeness and efficient form. The
numerous technical significations of the word
are derivable from this general notion. As he
who gives to a thing that which is necessary
for its completeness may in this sense be
4;
8
AUCTOR.
ported the vault of heaven, the latter perhaps
to the strength of the Telamonian Ajax.
Atlanta. (From Tempk' sit A^rigentum :
Professor Cockerell.)
ATRAMEXTUM, a term applicable to any
black colouring substance-, for whatever pur-
pose it may be used, like the melon (_nt\av)
of the Greeks. There were, however, three
principal kinds of atramentum: one called
librarium, or scriptorium (in Greek, ypatyuibv
fieAac),writing-ink; another called sutorium,
which was used by the shoemakers for dyeing
leather; the third tectorium, or pictorium,
which was used by painters for some pur-
poses, apparently as a sort of varnish. The
inks of the ancients seem to have been more
durable than our own ; they were thicker
and more unctuous, in substance and dura-
bility more resembling the ink now used by
printers. An inkstand was discovered at
Herculaneum, containing ink as thick as oil,
and still usable for writing. The ancients
used inks of various colours. Red ink, made
of minium or vermilion, was used for writing
the titles and beginning of books. So also
was ink made of rubrica, " red ochre;" and
because the headings of laws were written
with rubrica, the word rubric came to be
used for the civil law. So album, a white or
whited table, on which the praetors' edicts
were written, was used in a similar way. A
person devoting himself to album and rubrica,
was a person devoting himself to the law.
[Album.]
ATRIUM (called o.uAtj by the Greeks and
by Virgil, and also ^eaavKiov, TrtpLo-rvkov,
nepi<TT(oou) is used in a distinctive as well as
collective sense, to designate a particular part
in the private houses of the Romans [Domus],
and also a class of public buildings, so called
from their general resemblance in construc-
tion to the atrium of a private house. An
atrium of the latter description was a build-
ing by itself, resembling in some respects the
open basilica [Basilica], but consisting of
three sides. Such was the Atrium Publicum
in the capitol, which, Livy informs us, was
struck with lightning, b.c. 216. It was at
other times attached to some temple or other
edifice, and in such case consisted of an
open area and surrounding portico in front
of the structure. Several of these buildings
are mentioned by the ancient historians, two
of which were dedicated to the same goddess,
Libertas. The most celebrated, as well as
the most ancient, was situated on the Aven-
tine Mount. In this atrium there was a
tabularium, where the legal tablets (tabulae)
relating to the censors were preserved. The
other Atrium Libertatis was in the neigh-
bourhood of the Forum Caesaris, and was
immediately behind the Basilica Paulli or
Aemilia.
AUCTIO signifies generally "an increasing,
an enhancement," and hence the name is ap-
plied to a public sale of goods, at which per-
sons bid against one another. The sale was
sometimes conducted by an argentarius, or by
a magister auction is; and the time, place,
and conditions of sale, were announced either
by a public notice (tabula, album, &c), or by
a crier (praeco). The usual phrases to ex-
press the giving notice of a sale were, auc-
tionem proscribere, praedicare ; and to deter-
mine on a sale, auctionem constitucre. The
purchasers (emtores), when assembled, were
sometimes said ad tabulam adesse. The
phrases signifying to bid are, Uceri, licitari,
which was done either by word of mouth, or
by such significant hints as are known to all
people who have attended an auction. The
property was said to be knocked down (ad-
dici) to the purchaser. The praeco, or crier,
seems to have acted the part of the modern
auctioneer, so far as calling out the biddings,
and amusing the company. Slaves, when
sold by auction, were placed on a stone, or
other elevated thing, as is the case when
slaves are sold in the United States of North
America ; and hence the phrase homo de la-
pide emtus. It was usual to put up a spear
(hasta) in auctions ; a symbol derived, it is
said, from the ancient practice of selling un-
der a spear me booty acquired in war.
AUCTOR, a word which contains the same
element as aug-eo, and signifies generally one
who enlarges, confirms, or gives to a thing
its completeness and efficient form. The
numerous technical significations of the word
are derivable from this general notion. As he
who gives to a thing that which is necessary
for its completeness may in this sense be