Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Aratrum

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

ARA'TRUM (ἄροτρον). A plough. The plough most commonly represented on ancient monuments is a very simple machine, consisting of the branch of an elm tree either naturally or artificially bent into a crook (buris) at one end, which when sharpened to a point, and cased with iron, answered the purpose of a share (vomer); another branch growing out from the main one in a direction contrary to the crooked end, served for a plough tail (stiva) or handle to guide the machine, and press the share to a sufficient depth into the ground. The whole of these parts and details are distinctly shown by the preceding wood-cut.

2. The next illustration (Aratrum/2.1) represents a plough of improved construction, from a bas-relief discovered in the island of Magnesia. With the exception of not being furnished with a coulter, it possessed all the component parts enumerated by the Greek and Latin authors: viz. A A, buris (γύης), the plough-tail, the opposite end of which forms the pole (temo, ἱστοβοεύς); B, dentale (ἔλυμα), the share beam; C, vomer (ὕννις), the plough-share; D is a truss which binds the share-beam more firmly to the pole and plough-tail, and which some archaeologists distinguish by the name fulcrum, but without quoting their authority; E E, aures (πτερά), the earth-boards; F, stiva (ἐχέτλη), the handle by which the ploughman directed the plough.

3. The next example (Aratrum/3.1) represents a wheeled plough (currus) from Caylus, which, besides the parts above enumerated, is likewise furnished with a coulter (culter), like the blade of a knife, attached to the pole in front of the share.

4. Aratrum auritum. A plough furnished with mould-boards. Pallad. i. 43. 1. Wood-cut, No. 2. E E.

5. Aratrum simplex. A plough without mould-boards. Pallad. l. c. Woodcut. s. ARATOR.

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  Aratrum/2.1
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  Aratrum/3.1