Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Libella

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

LIBEL'LA. A level; employed by carpenters and masons for testing the evenness of flat surfaces. It consists of two sides joined at the top by a cross bar, over which a line and plummet descend, as a pendulum; so that when the instrument is placed upright upon any horizontal surface, if both legs do not stand upon the same level, the line and plummet incline from the centre, and show which part is too high or too low. (Lucret. iv. 517. Plin. H. N. vii. 57. Varro, R. R. i. 6. 6.) The example (Libella/1.1) is taken from a sepulchral bas-relief, on which it appears amongst various other tools used in the carpenter's trade.

2. A small silver coin of the Roman currency, containing the tenth part of a denarius and, consequently, equal in value to the as. Varro, L. L. v. 174. Cic. Ros. Com. 4.

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  Libella/1.1