Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Cymbalum

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

CYM'BALUM (κύμβαλον). A cymbal; a musical instrument, consisting of two hollow half globes (Serv. ad Virg. Georg. iv. 64. Lucret. ii. 619.) of bell metal, with a ring at the top, by which they were held between the fingers, and clashed together with both hands, as represented in the preceding illustration. They were especially adopted by the votaries of Cybele (Virg. l. c.), and of Bacchus (Liv. xxxix. 8. and 10.); and being always used in pairs, as in the example (Cymbalum/1.1) from a painting at Pompeii, the word is mostly used in the plural.

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  Cymbalum/1.1