Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Ciconia

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

CICO'NIA. Literally, a stork; but also applied to a mimic gesture expressive of ridicule or contempt, produced by bending the forefinger into the form of a stork's neck, and pointing it towards the person ridiculed with a rapid motion of the two top joints up and down. Pers. i. 58. Hieron. Epist. 125. 18.

2. A contrivance employed by farmers to test a labourer's work in spade husbandry, and prove if all his trenches were dug to a uniform and proper width and depth. It consisted of an upright, with a cross-bar affixed to it, at right angles, like the letter T inverted, so that the long branch measured the depth, the two shorter arms the width and evenness of the trench. Columell. iii. 13. 11.

3. Ciconia composita. A contrivance of the same description as the preceding, but not quite so simple; invented by Columella, to remedy some inconveniences experienced in the use of that instrument, which led to frequent disputes between the farmer and his labourers, without insuring him against being deceived by them; inasmuch as it required a very sharp eye to see that the instrument was placed fairly upright in the furrow, and not in a slanting position, which would make the trench appear deeper than it really was. For this purpose he added two cross-bars to the original instrument, nailed on it in the form of the letter X, and suspended a line and plummet from the point where they intersected each other; thus, the extreme ends of the cross-bars and tail-piece proved the width of the trench at top and bottom, and showed if the sides were dug fair and even throughout; the height of the machine measured the exact depth of the trench; and the plumb line prevented disputes by indicating at once whether it was inserted in a horizontal position or not. (Columell. iii. 13. 12.) The illustration (Ciconia/3.1) is not from the antique, but is a conjectural diagram by Schneider, constructed in accordance with Columella's description, and inserted here in order to convey a better idea than words alone can express.

4. A name given by the ancient Spaniards to the machine for raising water from a well, which we call a "swipe," and the Romans termed TOLLENO. Isidor. Orig. xx. 15. 3.

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  Ciconia/3.1