Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Ara

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

ARA (θυτήριον, βωμός). An altar, i. e. any structure raised above the ground, either of turf, stones, brick, or sculptured marble, upon which the offerings made to the gods were placed or burned. Altars were either circular or square, with a cavity at the top, in which the fire was kindled, and an orifice at the side or bottom, through which the libations of wine, or juices of the burnt offering, exuded. The cavity for the fire is shown at the top, and the orifice for the outflow of liquids at the bottom, of the right-hand figure in the cut (Ara/1.1), which is copied from a Pompeian painting; the left-hand figure is from a fictile vase, and shows the liquid streaming out from a vent-hole placed higher up. These parts are essential to every altar, on which victims were burnt, or libations poured; where they are wanting, though the marble bears a general resemblance to an altar, it is only a cippus, not an ara, a fact which archaeologists too often lose sight of.

2. Altars were erected in the following situations. In the lucus, or sacred grove, before the statue of the divinity to whom it was consecrated (Hom. Il. ii. 305.), as in the illustration (Ara/2.1) from the arch of Trajan, in which the trees represent the sacred grove surrounding a statue of Diana, before which the altar is placed.

3. On the steps under the entrance porch, or in front, of a temple; as in the annexed engraving (Ara/3.1), which represents the remains of the temple of Fortune at Pompeii, where the altar is seen at the bottom of the steps which lead up to the entrance door.

4. In the streets of a town (Plaut. Aul. iv. i. 20. Id. Most. v. i. 45.), and against the walls of a house, in front of a picture or image of the Lares Viales: as in the annexed street view (Ara/4.1) at Pompeii. The top compartment of the bas-relief above the altar contains the figures of two LARES, exactly similar to the one used as an illustration for that word; and the two snakes below are a sign to warn the public against the commission of a "nuisance," as explained under ANGUIS.

5. Lastly, they werer placed near or upon the impluvium of private houses; and on these the family sacrifices were offered to the Penates. The engraving (Ara/5.1) represents a restoration of part of the atrium in the house of the Dioscuri, at Pompeii, in which the impluvium is seen in the foreground, with the altar on its margin, traces of which were discovered when the excavation was made.

6. Ara turicrema. An altar on which francincense was sprinkled and burnt. (Lucret. ii. 353. Virg. Aen. iv. 453.) The illustration (Ara/6.1), from an ancient painting discovered at the foot of the Palatine hill, shows a female engaged in the duty of sprinkling incense upon a burning altar, which, from its diminutive size, appears to have been intended solely for such offerings; but the passages of Lucretius and Virgil, above referred to, seem to indicate that the epithet turicrema was also applied very generally to every kind of altar, because the incense was commonly used with all.

7. Ara sepulcri or ara funeris. The funeral pile upon which a dead body was burned (Virg. Aen. vi. 177. Ov. Trist. iii. 13. 21.), so termed because it was built up of logs of wood in a square form, like an altar. The illustration (Ara/7.1) is from a bas-relief representing the story of the Iliad, supposed to have been executed in the age of Nero, and represents the burning of Patroclus.

• 
  Ara/1.1
• 
  Ara/2.1
• 
  Ara/3.1
• 
  Ara/4.1
• 
  Ara/5.1
• 
  Ara/6.1
• 
  Ara/7.1