Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Lacus

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. 

LACUS. In its primary sense, a large and profound cavity filled with water, which does not flow, nor, though stagnant, dry up; corresponding with our lake. Varro. L. L. v. 26. Cic. Agr. iii. 2.

2. A large open basin or artificial tank, containing a head of water supplied from the aqueducts, generally decorated with marble ornaments and fountains, so as to form an embellishment to the city, whilst, at the same time, it furnished the poorer residents in its neighbourhood, who could not afford to have the water laid on to their own houses, with a copious and accessible supply of this necessary element. (Liv. xxxix. 44. Hor. Sat. i. 4. 37. Frontin. Ag. 78. P. Victor. Urb. Rom. Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 24. § 9.) As many as 700 of these lakes are enumerated in the city of Rome.

3. A particular part of the building in which wine or oil was made (vinarium torcularium), and into which the juice flowed as it was squeezed out by the pressbeam. (Columell. xii. 18. Plin. Ep. ix. 20. 2. Tibull. i. 1. 10. Ov. Fast. v. 888.) Thus far the general meaning of the word is sufficiently authenticated; but it is not so easy to make out exactly what the lacus was, how it was constructed, or whereabout in the building it was situated. It is clear, however, (from Cato, R. R. 66. Varro, R. R. i. 13. 7. and Pallad. i. 18.) that it formed a part both of the wine and oil-pressroom; in each of which it is reasonable to conclude that it served for similar purposes, and was constructed in a similar manner. In comparing the descriptions of Varro and Palladius (ll. cc.) with the remains of the olive pressroom discovered at Stabia (of which a section and elevation is given s. TORCULARIUM), the only part to which the name of lacus can be ascribed, in accordance with their words, is a short leaden conduit (marked b on the plan), which passes from the sloping pavement of the large reservoir (H) into an earthenware jar (c) sunk below the level of the floor. Still the name of lake seems most inappropriate for such a channel; and, if it were allowable to rely upon conjecture alone, it would be a more plausible solution of the difficulty to suppose that the lacus was a pit or receiving vat, constructed in the fabric, but under the floor of the room, into which the newly squeezed oil or wine was let to flow from the labrum, through a channel constructed for the purpose; and that it was not used in every vineyeard or olive garden, but only by those proprietors who bestowed particular care and attention upon the manufacture of their wine and oil.

4. (λάκκος). Quae in cella est; a pit sunk below the general level of a wine or oil cellar (cella vinaria, olearia), in which the wine was stored and kept in body after it had been removed from the pressroom (torcularium) where it was made. Cato, R. R. 67. Xen. Anab. iv. 2. 22. Aristoph. Eccl. 154. Schol. ad l.

5. A pit, or large tray, in which lime is chopped up for making mortar (Vitruv. vii. 2. 2.); as shown by the annexed example (Lacus/5.1), from a group in the Column of Trajan, which represents one of the Roman soldiers making mortar for a party of builder.

6. A trough or vessel of water, into which smiths and metal workers plunge their instruments to cool them, or the heated iron to harden it, when wrought. (Ovid. Met. xii. 278.) In the annexed example (Lacus/6.1), from a Roman bas-relief, it is represented as a large round basin standing on the ground at the foot of the anvil.

7. A bin, in a granary. Columell. i. 6. 14.

8. A coffer in a ceiling. (Lucil. ap. Serv. ad Aen. i. 726.) Same as LACUNAR.

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  Lacus/5.1
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  Lacus/6.1