Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Opiferae
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.
OPIF'ERAE. Probably a corruption of hyperae (ὑπέραι). The ropes attached to the extreme ends of the sail yard (antenna), for the purpose of bracing the yard round to the wind, called by our sailors the braces. (Isidor. Orig. xix. 4. 6. Hom. Od. v. 260.) They are very plainly indicated in the example annexed (Opiferae/1.1), from the device on a terra-cotta lamp, each handled by a different sailor in the act of bracing round the yard by their assistance.
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Opiferae/1.1