Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Clavis

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

CLAVIS (κλείς). A key adapted for opening a regular lock with wards, for raising a latch, or moving a mere bolt; and including all the varieties in form, size, or use, of which the following illustrations afford examples: —

1. A door-key; made with regular wards, very like those now in use; as shown by the example (Clavis/1.1) annexed, from an original found at Pompeii. These were of the largest description, and employed for fastening the gates of a city, the external doors of a house or other building, the cellars, store-houses, &c., and were carried by the officers or slaves who had charge of such respective localities, suspended from the girdle round their waists; — a purpose indicated by the tongue and eye in the preceding example.

2. A small key, such as was kept by the mistress of the house (materfamilias), or used for locking up closets, armoires, trinket-cases, book or money-boxes (see CAPSA, where the lock and hasp is shown), &c., like the example (Clavis/2.1), from the Dactyliotheca of Gorlaeus. Hor. Epist. i. 20. 3. Id. Sat. ii. 3. 146.

3. Clavis Laconica. A particular kind of key, probably invented in Egypt, though the Greeks ascribe its origin to the Laconians; supposed to be made with three teeth, like the example (Clavis/3.1) from an Egyptian original preserved in the British Museum. It was applied to the inside of the door by a person standing without, who put his arm through a hole in the door made expressly for the purpose (clavi immittendae foramen, Apul. Met. iv. p. 70.), and then raised the latch, which fastened it, by means of the projecting teeth. This interpretation, however, mainly relies for its authority upon a passage in Plautus (Most. ii. 1. 57.); in which Thranio, who is standing outside the house, and wishing to make it appear that the premises were no longer inhabited, locks the door on the outside with the door key which he held in his hand, and then orders the clavis Laconica to be given out to him, so that no one could gain ingress or egress without his assistance. But the whole subject is still very obscure and doubtful.

4. Clavis clausa. A small key, made without any neck or lever, such as the example (Clavis/4.1), from an original in the Dactyliotheca of Gorlaeus, and which, consequently, would only be used for raising latches, or in small locks which required but slight force to turn them; and when introduced into the lock or door would be almost concealed by it. (Virg. Moret. 15.) But the interpretation, and indeed the reading of the passage itself, is extremely doubtful. Some think the clavis clausa and Laconica to be identical; and Aristophanes (Thesm. 422.) certainly applies the epithet κρυπτὰ to the Laconian key with three teeth.

5. Clavis adultera. A false or skeleton key. Sall. Jugurth. 12. Compare Ovid. Art. Amat. iii. 643.

6. Clavis trochi (ἐλατήρ). The stick used by Greek and Roman boys for trundling their hoops (Propert. iii. 14. 6.); made of iron, with a hook at the end, or a round knob and bend in the neck, like the example (Clavis/6.1), from a bas-relief of the Villa Albani. The epithet adunca, applied to it by Propertius (l. c.), will suit either form. The manner of using the clavis, and the hook, is seen in the illustration to TROCHUS.

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  Clavis/1.1
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  Clavis/2.1
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  Clavis/3.1
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  Clavis/4.1
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  Clavis/6.1