Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Ligula

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. 

LIG'ULA or LIN'GULA. Diminutive of LINGUA; a little tongue, applied in the following characteristic senses: —

1. (γλῶσσα, γλωττίς). The mouth-piece of a pipe (tibia), which was inserted between the teeth, like that of a modern clarionet or flageolet. (Plin. H. N. xxvi. 56. Festus s. Lingula.) The example (Ligula/1.1) is from a bas-relief.

2. A kind of small spoon, possessing a certain resemblance to the human tongue, employed for eating sweetmeats (Cato, R. R. 84.), taking ointment out of a bottle, skimming certain dishes (Plin. H. N. xxi. 49.), and various other purposes for which its peculiar form adapted it. (Mart. viii. 33. Columell. ix. 15. 3.) The example (Ligula/2.1) is from an original of bronze, formerly belonging to the Italian antiquary Bellori.

3. A small tongue or leaf-shaped sword, like the Greek ξίφος, which the Roman soldiers also used in early times, before they had adopted the long straight Celtiberian glaive, gladius. (Aul. Gell. x. 25. 2. Varro, L. L. vii. 107.) The example (Ligula/3.1) is copied from the device on a votive bronze shield, found at Pompeii, formerly belonging to a gladiator of the class termed Retiarii, as the inscription testifies. The trident (fuscina) is likewise exhibited upon it: from which we may collect that the Retiarius made use of the ligula as well as the net and trident.

4. The lapelle or lappet on each side of a shoe (calceus), through which the strings (corrigiae) that tied it on the foot were passed; whence the expression demittere ligulas means, to leave the shoes untied. (Festus, s. v. Juv. v. 20. Schol. Vet. ad. l.) The example (Ligula/4.1) is from a Pompeian painting.

5. The wedge-like end of a lever (vectis) which is inserted under the weight to be raised (Vitruv. x. 3.), or into any cavity or fixture for the purpose of producing pressure, as with the press beam (prelum) of an oil or wine press. Cato, R. R. 18. and illustration s. TORCULAR, 1.

6. A tenon in carpentry; i. e. a projecting tongue cut out upon the edge of a board or end of a beam, to fit into a mortise or cavity of corresponding form in another timber. Columell. viii. 11.

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  Ligula/1.1
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  Ligula/2.1
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  Ligula/3.1
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  Ligula/4.1