Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Ceryx

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

CERYX (κήρυξ). A Greek word, used in a Latin form by Seneca (Tranquill. 3.); a Greek herald, marshal, or pursuivant, who occupied a similar position amongst that people, and performed the same sort of duties as the Fetiales and Legati of the Romans. His distinctive badge was a wand (κηρύκειον, caduceus); his person was held sacred and inviolable; and his most honourable employment consisted in carrying flags of truce between conflicting armies, and messages between hostile states, a duty which the figure in the illustration (Ceryx/1.1), from a fictile vase, is represented as in the act of commencing. He is armed with sword and spear; has the herald's wand in his right hand; and stands before a burning altar, upon which he has just sacrificed, preparatory to starting on his journey; the sentiment of departure being indicated, according to the customary practice of the Greek artists, by certain conventional signs, such as the travelling boots, the chlamys thrown loosely over the arm, and the hat slung behind his back. Besides this, in his character of marshal and pursuivant, the Ceryx possessed the power of interposing between and separating combatants, as seen in the annexed example (Ceryx/1.2), also from a fictile vase; was authorized to summon the assemblies of the people, and keep order in them, and to superintend the arrangements at a sacrifice, as well as at public and private festivals.

2. A public crier; more closely allied to the Roman praeco; whose business it was to make proclamations in the public assemblies (Aristoph. Ach. 42. seq.), and to enjoin silence by sound of trumpet at the national games, whilst the solemn eulogium (κήρυγμα) was pronounced upon the victor (Fabri. Agon. ii. 3. Mosebach de Praecon. Vet. § 32 — 34.), as shown by the following figure (Ceryx/2.1), from a Greek marble in the Vatican; he is represented as just beginning to sound his trumpet by the side of the conqueror, who is in the act of placing on his head the crown which he has just received from the president (ἀγωνοθέτης), whilst on the other side of the composition a pair of Pancratiastae are contending.

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  Ceryx/1.1
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  Ceryx/1.2
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  Ceryx/2.1