Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Crepida

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

CREP'IDA (κρηπίς). Usually translated a slipper, which gives a very imperfect, as well as incorrect, notion of the word. The crepida consisted of a thick sole welted on to a low piece of leather, which only covered the side of the foot, but had a number of eyes (ansae) on its upper edge, through which a flat thong (amentum) was passed to bind it on the foot, as in the preceding wood-cut (Crepida/1.1) from a Greek marble; or sometimes loops (ansae) only were welted to the sole, as in the annexed example (Crepida/1.2), also from a Greek statue, through which the amentum was interlaced, in different and fanciful patterns, across the instep, and as high as the ankle. It was properly characteristic of the Greek national costume, was adopted by both sexes, and considered the proper chaussure to be worn with the pallium, and with the chlamys; consequently, on the fictile vases and other works of art, when figures are clad in the above-named garments, and not bare-footed, as in the heroic style, their feet are commonly protected by coverings of a similar description to those introduced above. Hor. Sat. i. 3. 127. Pers. i. 127. Liv. xxix. 19. Suet. Tib. 13. Aul. Gell. xiii. 21. 3.

2. Crepida carbatina. See CARBATINA.

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  Crepida/1.1
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  Crepida/1.2