Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Aedituus

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

AEDIT'UUS, AEDIT'IMUS, or AEDIT'UMUS (ναοφύλαξ, ἱεροφύλαξ, νεωκόρος). A sacristan, or guardian, to whose surveillance the care of a temple was committed. Varro. L. L. viii. 12. Gell. xii. 10. He kept the keys, opened it at the appointed hours (Liv. xxx. 17.), attended to the sweeping and cleaning (Eurip. Ion. 80 — 150.), and acted as a guide to strangers by explaining the rarities and works of art it contained. Plin. xxxvi. 4. § 10. The appointment was an honourable one (Serv. ad Virg. Aen. ix. 648.), for it was a place of trust and responsibility; as may also be inferred from the style and dress of the figure annexed (Aedituus/1.1), which affords a rare example of the Greek aedituus, from a bas-relief at Dresden, whose office is indicated by the broom of laurel leaves, which was used for sweeping the temple at Delphi. Eurip. Ion. ll. cc.

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  Aedituus/1.1