Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Cylindrus

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

CYLIN'DRUS (κύλινδρος). A roller, for levelling and condensating the ground in agricultural and other operations. (Virg. Georg. i. 178. Vitruv. x. 6.) The illustration (Cylindrus/1.1) here introduced from Fellow's Journal in Asia Minor, p. 70., represents a roller made out of the trunk a tree, and intended to be drawn by cattle. When used it does not revolve, being simply dragged over the ground, and sometimes weighted by the driver standing upon it; but as so many of the agricultural implements now used in the East are found to preserve the exact character of their ancient originals, it is probable that rollers of this description were sometimes employed both by the Greeks and Romans; though revolving cylinders, like our own (Columell. xi. 3. 34.), were certainly not unknown to them.

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  Cylindrus/1.1