Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Trapetum

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. 

TRAPE'TUM, TRAPE'TUS, or TRAP'ES. An olive mill; or machine for bruising the fleshy part of the olive, and separating it from the stone (Virg. Georg. ii. 519. Varro, L. L. v. 138.), before it was submitted to the action of the press (torcular). A machine of this kind is described at length by Cato (R. R. xx — xxii. and cxxxv.), and an ancient original has been discovered at Gragnano (formerly Stabiae), so closely resembling that description as to leave no question respecting its name and use. A drawing (Trapetum/1.1) of this is inserted in the next page, both in elevation and section, with the different members properly put together, which were found partly in fragments, and partly entire, upon the spot. The names ascribed to each are in accordance with the nomenclature of Cato, and the same references apply to the similar parts in the elevation and the section. The lower member forms a circular basin (mortarium, 1), of hard volcanic stone, the sides of which were termed labra. (Cato, cxxxv. 6, 7.) From the centre of the basin there rises a thick short column (miliarium, 2), serving to support the axles of the bruising-wheels (orbes, 3, 3), which are flat on the inside, and convex without. On the top of the column is placed an oblong square wooden box or nave (cupa, 5), which received at each end one of the two poles (6, 6), passing through the wheels as an axle, and affording a handle to turn them by, while at the same time it kept the inner surfaces of the wheels at a fixed distance from the sides of the miliarium, so as to prevent them from rubbing against it, when in action. The nave is fixed on to the top of the column by a strong iron pivot (columella ferrea, 4), round which it turned with the wheels, having a pin (fistula ferrea) run through its head, to prevent the whole apparatus from being forced upwards, if the wheels should meet with any serious obstruction underneath. Upon the poles, just outside the wheels, is fixed a cap (armilla, 8, 8), riveted by a nail (clavus) run through it, the object of which was to prevent the wheels from swaying under the influence of any lateral obstruction, which might cause them to grind against the labra, or concave sides of the basin. The under part of the nave was also covered with an iron plate (tabella ferrea), to prevent friction. The manner in which the machine acted may now be easily understood. Two men, one at each end of the long poles (6, 6) on which a wheel is fixed, pushed the pair simultaneously round the sides of the basin, previously supplied with a sufficient quantity of olive-berries. Whilst thus driven in a circuit, the resistance produced by the fruit compelled the wheels at the same time to revolve upon the poles by which they were driven, as upon their own axles. This action had the effect of bruising the skins and flesh without crushing the stones; for it will not fail to be observed that the wheels are suspended in such a manner as to work entirely clear of the basin, without touching any part of it, both on their flat sides against the central column (2), and on their convex surfaces towards the lips of the basin, as well as at their circumferences. It was, in fact, to procure this gentle, equable, and regular action, that so much care and attention was required in construction and putting together the machine, and all the individual parts are designed for the sole purpose of keeping the wheels exactly set at a proper distance from the surfaces of the basin; for if the stones were crushed with the skins, the flavour and quality of the oil would be deteriorated. Columell. xii. 52. 6.

It might be inferred that the trapetum was originally employed for crushing grapes, as the term seems to be derived from the Greek τραπέω, "to tread grapes," whence come τραπητός and τραπητής. But there is no passage extant which speaks of its use at the vintage; so that it would, perhaps, be more correctly referred to the Ionic form, τράπω for τρέπω, "to turn round," whence comes the verbal adjective τραπητέον.

• 
  Trapetum/1.1