Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Manica

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. 

MAN'ICA (χειρίς). A long sleeve reaching down to the wrist, more especially characteristic of foreign nations, both of the East and North; but regarded by the Greeks and Romans of the virtuous ages, as a mark of extreme effeminacy; though at a later era, it was commonly added to the tunics of both sexes. (Virg. Aen. ix. 616. Tac. Germ. 17.) The example (Manica/1.1) represents a figure in the Niobe group, supposed to be the children's attendant (paedagogus); consequently, a slave and foreigner, as the style implies; probably from Asia Minor.

2. An armlet, or piece of armour which some of the Roman gladiators wore upon the right arm, from the shoulder to the wrist, like a sleeve (Juv. vi. 256.), as represented by the annexed figure (Manica/2.1), from a bas-relief in the street of the tombs at Pompeii. The appearance indicates that it was either made by a bandage (fascia) or of straps of leather, or plates of metal, so commonly worn by the legionary soldiers on the columns and arches; see LORICA, 7.

3. A sheath, or armlet worn by archers on the left arm between the elbow and wrist, as in the annexed example (Manica/3.1), from the column of Trajan; that part being particularly exposed, and the nature of their arms not permitting the use of a shield. Veg. Mil. i. 20.

4. (χειρίς). A glove or mitten for the hand only; made of leather or fur (Pallad. i. 43. 4.), and worn by the Persians and some northern nations more generally than either by Greeks or Romans, amongst whom the use of such a protection was confined to huntsmen and agricultural labourers (Hom. Od. xxiv. 230.) or to delicate persons (Cic. Phil. xi. 11.), whose hands suffered from the cold (Plin. Ep. iii. 5. 15.). Xenophon makes a clear distinction between the two words χειρίς and δακτυλήθρα (Cyr. viii. 8. 17.), which answer to the Latin manica and digitale; though both are applied to objects which enveloped the hand; whence it may be inferred that the manica was made without fingerstalls, like the gloves of our hedgers, and the other with fingers, like the example s. DIGITALE.

5. A manacle, as contradistinguished from compes, a fetter. (Virg. Aen. ii. 146. Hor. Ep. i. 16. 76.) The illustration (Manica/5.1) is from a Roman bas-relief.

6. A grappling-iron, used in naval warfare (Lucan. iii. 565.), and, as the name implies, formed in imitation of the fingers in the human hand. Similar in general character to the manus ferrea, and HARPAGO, where an illustration is given.

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  Manica/1.1
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  Manica/2.1
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  Manica/3.1
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  Manica/5.1