Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Hortator

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. 

HORTA'TOR (κελευστής). On board ship, the officer who gave out the chaunt (celeusma), which was sung or played to make the rowers keep the stroke, and, as it were, encourage them at their work (Ovid. Met. iii. 619. Compare Virg. Aen. v. 177. Serv. ad l.), whence the name (solet hortator remiges hortarier, Plaut. Merc. iv. 2. 5.). He sat on the stern of the vessel, with a truncheon in his hand, which he used to beat the time, as represented in the annexed engraving (Hortator/1.1), from the Vatican Virgil.

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