Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Membrana

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. 

MEMBRA'NA. Parchment; sometimes employed for writing books upon, though not of such common or general use as paper (charta) made of papyrus. Plin. H. N. xiii. 21. Hor. Sat. ii. 3. 2.

2. (διφθέρα). A wrapper or cover made of parchment, dyed on the outside with purple or yellow colour (Tibull. iii. 1. 9. Compare Ov. Trist. 1. 1. 5.), in which a roll was enveloped, to keep it clean, and preserve it from injury. That the membrana was not a box or case like the capsa, is clear from its being assimilated to articles of outside clothing (Mart. x. 93. toga purpurea. Id. xi. 1. sindone).