COLOSSUS.
101
COLUMNA.
but the praefectus was appointed annually in
Rome, and sent to the town called a prae-
fectura, which might be either a muuicipium
or a colonia, for it was only in the matter of
the praefeetus that a town called a praefec-
tura differed from other Italian towns. Ar-
pinum is called both a municipium and a
praefectura ; and Cicero, a native of this
place, obtained the highest honours that
Rome could confer.—The censor, curator, or
quinquennalis, all which names denote the
6ame functionary, was also a municipal ma-
gistrate, and corresponded to the censor at
Rome, and in some cases, perhaps, to the
quaestor also. Censors are mentioned in
Livy as magistrates of the twelve Latin colo-
nies. The quinquennales were sometimes
duumviri, sometimes quattuorviri ; but they
are always carefully distinguished from the
duumviri and quattuorviri J. D. ; and their
functions were those of censors. They held
their office for one year, and during the four
intermediate years the functions were not
exercised. The office of censor or quinquen-
nalis was higher in rank than that of the
duumviri J. D., and it could only be filled by
those who had discharged the other offices of
the municipality.
COLOSSUS (fcoAoo-tros) is used both by
the Greeks and Romans to signify a statue
larger than life; but as such statues were
very common, the word was more frequently
applied to designate figures of gigantic di-
mensions. Such figures were first executed
in Egypt, and were afterwards made by the
Greeks and Romans. Among the colossal
statues of Greece, the most celebrated was
the bronze colossus at Rhodes, dedicated to
the sun, the height of which was about 90 feet.
COLUM (rfifos), a strainer or colander,
was used for straining wine, milk, olive-oil,
Colum. (Mufleo Rorbonito, vol. viit. pi. 14.)
and other liquids. Those that were used as
articles of luxury for straining wine were
frequently made of some metal, such as bronze
or silver. Occasionally a piece of linen cloth
(craKKOi, saccus) was placed over the Tpv-yoin-os
or colum, and the wine {o-axKia';, saccatus)
filtered through. The use of the saccus was
considered objectionable for all delicate wines,
since it was believed to injure, if not entirely
to destroy their flavour, and in every instance
to diminish the strength of the liquor. For
this reason it was employed by the dissipated
in order that they might be able to swallow a
greater quantity without becoming intoxi-
cated. The double purpose of cooling and
weakening was effectually accomplished by
placing ice or snow in the filter, which under
such circumstances became a colum nicarium,
or saccus nivarius. The preceding wood-
cut shows the plan and profile of a silver
colum.
COLUMBARIUM, a dovecot or pigeon-
house, also signified a sepulchral chamber
formed to receive the ashes of the lower orders,
or dependants of great families; and in the
plural, the niches in which the cinerary urns
(ollae) were deposited.
COLUMNA (kudv, o-tv'Ao;), a pillar or co-
lumn. The use of the trunks of trees placed up-
right for supporting buildings, unquestionably
led to the adoption of similar supports
wrought in stone. As the tree required to
be based upon a flat square stone, and to have
a stone or tile of similar form fixed on its
summit to preserve it from decay, so the co-
lumn was made with a square base, and was
covered with an abacus. [Abacus.] Hence
the principal parts of which every column
consists are three, the base (basis), the shaft
(scapus), and the capital (capitulum). In the
Doric, which is the oldest style of Greek
architecture, we must consider all the co-
lumns in the same row as having one common
base (podium), whereas in the Ionic and Co-
rinthian each column has a separate base,
called spira. The capitals of these two latter
orders show, on comparison with the Doric,
a much richer style of ornament; and the
character of lightness and elegance is further
obtained in them by their more slender shaft,
its height being much greater in proportion
to its thickness. Of all these circumstances
some idea may be formed by the inspection of
the three accompanying specimens of pillars.
The first on the left hand is Doric, the second
Ionic, and the third Corinthian. In all the
orders the shaft tapers from the bottom to-
wards the top. The shaft was, however,
made with a slight swelling in the middle,
which was called the entasis. It was, more-
over, almost universally channelled or fluted.
101
COLUMNA.
but the praefectus was appointed annually in
Rome, and sent to the town called a prae-
fectura, which might be either a muuicipium
or a colonia, for it was only in the matter of
the praefeetus that a town called a praefec-
tura differed from other Italian towns. Ar-
pinum is called both a municipium and a
praefectura ; and Cicero, a native of this
place, obtained the highest honours that
Rome could confer.—The censor, curator, or
quinquennalis, all which names denote the
6ame functionary, was also a municipal ma-
gistrate, and corresponded to the censor at
Rome, and in some cases, perhaps, to the
quaestor also. Censors are mentioned in
Livy as magistrates of the twelve Latin colo-
nies. The quinquennales were sometimes
duumviri, sometimes quattuorviri ; but they
are always carefully distinguished from the
duumviri and quattuorviri J. D. ; and their
functions were those of censors. They held
their office for one year, and during the four
intermediate years the functions were not
exercised. The office of censor or quinquen-
nalis was higher in rank than that of the
duumviri J. D., and it could only be filled by
those who had discharged the other offices of
the municipality.
COLOSSUS (fcoAoo-tros) is used both by
the Greeks and Romans to signify a statue
larger than life; but as such statues were
very common, the word was more frequently
applied to designate figures of gigantic di-
mensions. Such figures were first executed
in Egypt, and were afterwards made by the
Greeks and Romans. Among the colossal
statues of Greece, the most celebrated was
the bronze colossus at Rhodes, dedicated to
the sun, the height of which was about 90 feet.
COLUM (rfifos), a strainer or colander,
was used for straining wine, milk, olive-oil,
Colum. (Mufleo Rorbonito, vol. viit. pi. 14.)
and other liquids. Those that were used as
articles of luxury for straining wine were
frequently made of some metal, such as bronze
or silver. Occasionally a piece of linen cloth
(craKKOi, saccus) was placed over the Tpv-yoin-os
or colum, and the wine {o-axKia';, saccatus)
filtered through. The use of the saccus was
considered objectionable for all delicate wines,
since it was believed to injure, if not entirely
to destroy their flavour, and in every instance
to diminish the strength of the liquor. For
this reason it was employed by the dissipated
in order that they might be able to swallow a
greater quantity without becoming intoxi-
cated. The double purpose of cooling and
weakening was effectually accomplished by
placing ice or snow in the filter, which under
such circumstances became a colum nicarium,
or saccus nivarius. The preceding wood-
cut shows the plan and profile of a silver
colum.
COLUMBARIUM, a dovecot or pigeon-
house, also signified a sepulchral chamber
formed to receive the ashes of the lower orders,
or dependants of great families; and in the
plural, the niches in which the cinerary urns
(ollae) were deposited.
COLUMNA (kudv, o-tv'Ao;), a pillar or co-
lumn. The use of the trunks of trees placed up-
right for supporting buildings, unquestionably
led to the adoption of similar supports
wrought in stone. As the tree required to
be based upon a flat square stone, and to have
a stone or tile of similar form fixed on its
summit to preserve it from decay, so the co-
lumn was made with a square base, and was
covered with an abacus. [Abacus.] Hence
the principal parts of which every column
consists are three, the base (basis), the shaft
(scapus), and the capital (capitulum). In the
Doric, which is the oldest style of Greek
architecture, we must consider all the co-
lumns in the same row as having one common
base (podium), whereas in the Ionic and Co-
rinthian each column has a separate base,
called spira. The capitals of these two latter
orders show, on comparison with the Doric,
a much richer style of ornament; and the
character of lightness and elegance is further
obtained in them by their more slender shaft,
its height being much greater in proportion
to its thickness. Of all these circumstances
some idea may be formed by the inspection of
the three accompanying specimens of pillars.
The first on the left hand is Doric, the second
Ionic, and the third Corinthian. In all the
orders the shaft tapers from the bottom to-
wards the top. The shaft was, however,
made with a slight swelling in the middle,
which was called the entasis. It was, more-
over, almost universally channelled or fluted.