Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Auriga

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

AURI'GA (ἡνιοχος). In general any person who acted as a coachman or charioteer, as shown by the example (Auriga/1.1) from a terra-cotta bas-relief. Virg. Aen. xii. 624. Ovid. Met. ii. 327.

2. But, more especially, the driver of a racing car in the Circus at the Circensian games. (Suet. Cal. 54.) The example (Auriga/2.1) here given is from a statue in the Vatican, which, if compared with the next illustration, will afford a perfect notion of the costume worn by these drivers. The palm branch in the right hand is the emblem of victory; the purse in the left contains the sum of money which formed the prize. The manner in which these men drove was peculiar, and differed materially from the ordinary style, shown in the first cut, as will be perceived by the annexed example (Auriga/2.2), which is copied from a consular diptych; and as the original is the work of a late period, when the arts were at a low ebb, it is to be regarded as a more faithful representation of the actual truth unadorned by any attempts at artistic effect or ideal portraiture. The driver here passes the reins round his back, or actually stands within them; the object of which was to give him more command over his horses, by leaning his whole weight back against the reins, and to prevent the chance of their falling from his hands in case of any sudden shock or collision. But as this practice exposed him to the danger of being dragged in his reins in case of an upset, he carried a crooked knife fixed to the thongs which braced his body, as seen in front of the left side in the preceding figure, in order to cut them on the emergency. The last example also shows the skull cap which he wore on his head, as well as the bandages round the legs, and on the back of the hands; the horses' legs are also bandaged, their tails are tied up, their manes are hogged, and a mask is placed over the front of their faces.

3. By poets the word is also applied less specially, for a groom who brought out a carriage or war car, and stood at the horses' heads till the driver mounted (Virg. Aen. xii. 85.); for a helmsman (Ovid. Trist. i. 4. 16.); and generally for a horseman or rider (Auct. Paneg. ad Pison. 49.)

• 
  Auriga/1.1
• 
  Auriga/2.1
• 
  Auriga/2.2