Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Cestus

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

CESTUS (κεστός, sc. ἱμάς). In a general sense, any band or tie (Varro, R. R. i. 8. 6.); but the word is properly a Greek adjective, meaning embroidered, whence it is more frequently used in a special sense to designate the girdle of Venus, upon which a representation of the passions, desires, joys, and pains of love was embroidered (Hom. Il. xiv. 214. Mart. Ep. vi. 13. Id. xiv. 206. and 207.) The illustration (Cestus/1.1) introduced is from a bas-relief of the Museo Chiaramonti, representing a figure of Venus draped in the archaic style; consequently from some very early type, which makes it trustworthy. It will be perceived, that the cestus on this figure is worn lower down than the ordinary female's girdle (cingulum, 1.), and higher up than the young women's zone (zona, or cingulum, 2.), which may account for the uncertainty prevailing amongst scholars respecting the proper place which the cestus occupied on the person, and for the apparent indecision of the passages, which have led some to place it over the loins (as Winkelmann), and others immediately under the bosom (as Heyne and Visconti); whereas in the example, it is really placed in an intermediate position between the two.

2. The glove worn by boxers, more commonly written CAESTUS, which see.

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  Cestus/1.1