Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Lychnuchus

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. 

LYCHNU'CHUS (λυχνοῦχος). Properly a Greek word, which in that language appears to have designated more particularly a contrivance in the nature of our candlesticks, viz. a stand into which a candle or torch was inserted in order to keep it in an elevated and upright position (CANDELABRUM, 1.); or a lantern in which an oil lamp (lucerna, λύχνος) was placed for the convience of transport (LATERNA); for the passages which allude to the manner of using it express the action of putting the light in or taking it out of a stand or case — ἐνθεὶς τὸν λύχνον, Pherecr. Δουλ. 5. ἐξελὼν ἐκ τοῦ λυχνοῦχον τὸν λύχνον Alex. Κηρυττ. 1.

2. The Latin word lychnuchus has a signification somewhat differing from its Greek original, and contradistinct from CANDELABRUM, being used to designate a lamp-stand adapted for holding many lamps (Suet. Jul. 47. Id. Dom. 4. Cic. Q. Fr. iii. 7.); whereas the candelabrum only supported one. A great number of contrivances of this kind have been discovered in the excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii, of various forms and designs, from one of which the annexed example (Lychnuchus/2.1) is copied; but they all possess this characteristic feature, that the lamps are suspended from them by chains, as in the example, instead of being placed upon a flat plate (superficies), as in the case with the candelabra. This peculiarity may also be taken into account as marking a difference between the two objects, and the words by which they were respectively named.

3. Lychnus pensilis. A stand supporting several lamps, suspended, like our chandeliers, from the ceiling. (Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 8.) The illustration (Lychnuchus/3.1) represents the upper surface of one of these pendant lamp stands of marble, in the Villa Borghese, which carried eight lamps at least, one from each of the cross-hooks round its margin. The surface is flat, and without any orifice. The small circle in the centre shows a small portion still remaining of the iron bar, by which it was suspended; and the eight other projecting points may have served for placing additional lamps upon, when required; or these, as well as the cross-hooks, may also have had chains attached to them, which assisted in supporting the piece of furniture.

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  Lychnuchus/2.1
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  Lychnuchus/3.1