Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Calix

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

CALIX (κύλιξ). A shallow circular wine-goblet, of Greek invention (Macrob. Sat. v. 21.), with a low stem, and two small handles, like the example (Calix/1.1), from an original of terra cotta; frequently represented on their fictile vases in carousals and drinking scenes, and commonly met with in every collection, sometimes decorated with drawing, and at others merely covered with an uniform coat of lustrous black varnish.

2. A sort of soup plate or vegetable dish, in which food of a liquid nature, and vegetables more especially, were cooked and brought to table. (Varro, L. L. v. 127. Ovid, Fast. v. 509.) The illustration (Calix/2.1) annexed is from an original of earthenware found in the catacombs at Rome. The edges of the platter on which it stands, and which is in the same piece as the top, have suffered from time; but the general form of the whole seems sufficiently applicable to the purposes described.

3. A water-meter: i. e. a copper cap or tube of certain length and capacity, attached to the end of a main pipe at the part where it was inserted into the reservoir of an aqueduct (castellum), or to the end of a branch pipe inserted in the main, for the purpose of measuring the quantity of water discharged into the pipe. Every private house and public establishment in the city of Rome was by law entitled to the supply of a certain quantity of water, and no more than what the law allowed; it was measured out by means of the calix, the length and diameter of which being fixed, the number of cubic feet of water passing through it in a given time could be regulated to a nicety. Frontin. Aq. 36.

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  Calix/1.1
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  Calix/2.1