Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Clepsydra

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

CLEPSYD'RA (κλεψύδρα). An hour-glass, originally employed by the Greeks, and subsequently adopted at Rome, for the purpose of measuring the time allowed to each speaker in a court of law. (Plin. Ep. ii. 11.) These glasses were made of different sizes, according to the length of time for which they were required to run; and did not differ materially from the modern ones, with the exception of being filled with water instead of sand, as may be collected from the description of Apuleius (Met. iii. p. 44.), and still more from the example annexed (Clepsydra/1.1), which is copied from a bas-relief of the Mattei palace at Rome. The one described by Aristotle (Probl. xvi. 8.) was similar in principle, but had a sort of spout at the top for pouring in the water, which trickled out at the bottom, through several small holes.

2. Probably, also a water-clock of sufficient size to run for a number of hours, and answer the purpose of a day and night clock; the lapse of time being indicated by lines or spaces (spatia. Sidon. Apoll. Ep. ii. 9.) described upon the globe from which the water escaped, or upon the reservoir into which it flowed. Pliny (H. N. vii. 60.) gives the name horologium to a device of this nature.

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  Clepsydra/1.1