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Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Palla

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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. 

PALLA (ξυστίς, πέπλον). A term employed by the Latin authors to designate an article, strictly speaking, of the Greek female costume; worn as a robe of state by ladies of distinction, goddesses, and mythological personages; and by musicians and actors on the stage. Non. s. v. p. 537. Hor. A. P. 278.

It was composed with an oblong rectangular piece of cloth, folded before being put on, in a very peculiar manner, which will be readily understood from the annexed diagram (Palla/1.1) and description. The entire square ABCD was first turned back or folded down in the line EF, which reduces it to the parallelogram EFCD, the line AB coinciding at the back with the line GH in front. It was then doubled across the middle in the line IKL, and the side FC brought together with the opposite one ED, the part turned back being left on the outside, so that the whole is finally reduced in size to the figure EDLI, which is double, and entirely closed on one side, represented by IKL, but open at the other, EGD. It was then put on in the following manner. The wearer opened the two sides, thus brought together at EGD, and passed one of them round the back, so as to stand exactly in the centre of the square EDLI, or edli on the illustration on the opposite column.{TR: i. e. the second image of this entry.} She then fixed the back and front together by a brooch on the point of the left shoulder at N, passing her arm through the aperture NI of the diagram and Ni​ in the draped figure. Another brooch was then fixed on the top of the right shoulder, at M, which one of the females is in the act of doing, so that the parts between M and N afford an opening for the head, and those between ME (or Me​, draped figure), another arm-hole for the right arm, similar to the one on the other side. The corners E, G, and I, K on the first diagram, or e and i on the last one, will fall down in the direction indicated by the dotted lines, and occupying the situations marked EG, IK on the drapery of the right-hand figure; while the whole of the upper portion of the costume corresponds exactly with the words of Sidonius Apollinaris (Carm. xxii. 31.), which describe a statue of Bacchus in female attire, like the one in the Vatican (Mus. Pio-Clem. vii. 2.); nec tegit exsertos, sed tangit, palla lacertos. It is, moreover, obvious, from the preceding account, that the palla thus described was in itself a loose piece of drapery, adjusted on the person by folding round it, like any other article of the AMICTUS; whence it is that persons thus attired are said to be pallis amictae (Varro. ap. Non. s. v. p. 549.); and this peculiarity will be brought still more forcibly under observation by referring to the wood-cut s. PEPLUM, 1. which represents the side view of a figure, from a statue of Herculaneum, belonging to the same set as the two preceding (Palla/1.2), and wearing the same kind of costume, with the whole of the left side completely open, so that it might be mistaken by careless observers for a pallium. But sometimes the square piece of drapery, after being folded down at the top, and again in half, as above described, was partially sewed together at the left side, from the bottom to half or two-thirds of its length, as is clearly exemplified by the figure on the left side in the preceding illustration, in which the broad band down the side shows the hem by which the united parts are joined. In this state it becomes a round or close dress — vestimentum clausum — which was of necessity put on over the head, like any other article of the INDUTUS; whence a person so draped is said to be pallam induta (Ov. Met. xiv. 262.); and in appearance, it possesses considerable resemblance to a tunic, a resemblance still further increased by the usual practice, when thus adjusted, of confining it round the waist, or above the hips, by a girdle, as shown by the right-hand figure above; whence the expression palla succinctam occurs in Hor. Sat. i. 8. 23.

It should not be concealed that this explanation is at variance with the ordinary interpretation given to the term by lexicographers and philologists who content themselves with saying that palla is merely a poetical word for pallium, more especially used in regard to women. But, 1. The pallium is never an article of the indutus, as the palla is; on the contrary it, or a piece of drapery similar in general character, was sometimes worn over the palla, as by Circe in Ovid. (l. c.) — pallamque induta nitentem, Insuper aurato circumvelatur amictu. 2. The palla is frequently described as a garment that covered the feet (Ov. Am. iii. 13. 26. Compare Virg. Aen. xi. 576. Stat. Ach. i. 262.), which the pallium never does, nor could do. 3. It was fastened with a girdle (Hor. l. c.), which the pallium never is, nor could be. 4. Nonius (s. v. p. 537.) and Servius (ad Virg. Aen. i. 648.) both explain the term palla by a compound word tunico-pallium, meaning that it possess the properties of a tunica and a pallium, or in other words, that it was both an indutus and an amictus; which corresponds exactly with the description given by Pollux (vii. 47.) of the Greek female dress termed ξυστίς, ἔνδυμά τε ὀμοῦ, καὶ περίβλημα, καὶ χιτών. 5. All the other fashions of the palla, which are described and illustrated in subsequent paragraphs, have a positive affinity with the preceding one, but have no resemblance whatever to the pallium, for they are close dresses in the nature of a tunic or indutus. 6. When Seneca (Ira, iii. 22.) designates a curtain by the term palla, he does not invalidate the accuracy of the above reasoning; for, when the garment was removed from the body, it formed a large rectangular piece of cloth, as already explained. 7. In a variety of other passages where the word occurs, it is introduced without any characteristic adjunct or context to explain whether a sole covering, or an inner or outer garment, is intended. The above are some of the most obvious reasons which establish a conviction that the pallium and palla are not identical terms, and which help to confirm the accuracy of the interpretation here affixed to the latter word; set out with extreme conciseness, it is true, as the nature of this work requires; but it seemed incumbent, when departing from old established opinions, supported by the sanction of great names, to produce some authority for the innovation.

2. Although the palla, when worn as a robe of state, was always a long dress reaching to the feet, as described in the preceding paragraphs; yet it was sometimes of much shorter dimensions, and terminated just above the knees, as is proved by written testimony, and exhibited in works of art. In this state it is given to the hunting nymphs attendant on Diana by Valerius Flaccus (iii. 525. summo palla genu); to Tisiphone by Ovid (Met. iv. 481.); and is so worn by the Furia, in the Vatican Virgil. The illustration (Palla/2.1), from a bas-relief of the Villa Borghese, shows a drapery made up and put on by means of a brooch on each shoulder, precisely similar to those exhibited in the former part of this article, with the sole exception in regard to length. It is supposed to represent a Spartan damsel dancing at the fetes of Diana, which were celebrated in one of the villages of Laconia, called Caria, at which dancing was one of the characteristic solemnities, and the costume worn would be naturally allusive to the goddess of the chase (Visconti, Mus. Pio-Clem. vii. 38. n.); who is herself represented in a great number of statues, clad in a palla precisely similar to the one here exhibited, with the only difference of having a girdle on the outside, under the bosom, to keep the drapery close to the person during the pursuit and exertions of the chase.

3. The palla worn by the ladies of Rome, though not exactly identical with the Greek one, yet possessed sufficent resemblance to it in all essential particulars to justify its being included in the same class of dresses with the one already described, and designated by the same name. Like that, it partook of the double character of an indumentum and an amictus, being worn as a tunic, and over a tunic (Varro, L. L. v. 131. Hor. Sat. i. 2. 99.), and adjusted to the person by clasps upon the shoulders in the same manner as explained in the two preceding paragraphs, with only this difference, that the upper part was not turned down to make a fall-over, because the tunic underneath it completely covered the bosom, and rendered such a protection unnecessary. The annexed figure (Palla/3.1) from a statue of the priestess Livia, found at Pompeii, illustrates all these particulars. The undermost garment, which comes close up to the throat, and has sleeves looped down the fleshy part of the arm, is the under tunic, or stola (Hor. l. c.); over this is seen the palla, with its back and front edges fastened together by clasps upon the shoulder points, in the same manner as the three preceding figures; while a large veil or loose piece of drapery (amictus) is finally thrown over the whole, in the manner stated by Ovid (Met. xiv. 262.), and implied by Livy (xxvii. 4.), pallam pictam cum amiculo purpureo, where the diminutive expresses fineness of texture not smallness of dimensions. The skirts of the palla are concealed by the outer drapery, so that its actual length cannot be ascertained; but it probably did not reach much below the knee, in order not to hide the flounce (instita) of the stola, the lower edges and plaits of which are seen over the feet, and on the ground. In addition to all this, the lady without doubt wore a regular chemise (tunica intima) next the skin, which would be entirely concealed by the over-clothing. Thus we may readily understand what Horace means (l. c.) by contrasting the scanty apparel of immodest women with the dense barricades presented by the attire of the virtuous and high-born females; and the reason of the definition given by Nonius (s. v. p. 537.) to the term palla — honestae mulieris vestimentum.

4. The palla with which Isis in invested by Apuleius (Met. xi. p. 240.) would appear from his words to be a dress of a character totally different from those which have been thus far sufficiently authenticated by written as well as demonstrative evidence, had it not been for the existence of a bas-relief in the Pio-Clementine Museum, representing a priestess of Isis, as here annexed, whose costume corresponds so closely and minutely with the particular details enumerated by Apuleis, as to leave no doubt that his description was drawn from some well-known artistic type, after which the figure here exhibited (Palla/4.1) was also in a great measure modelled. It is here at once apparent that she wears a palla exactly the same in form and mode of adjustment as the right-hand figure, from the Pompeian statue, inserted above, over the outside of which there passes a broad scarf decorated with embroidered stars and half-moons, which is carried from under the right-arm, across the breast, and over the left shoulder, then turned down, so as to leave an end with fringes at its extremity depending in front; the whole of which, as well as the ornamental details, are circumstantially described in so many words by Apuleius. The obscurity of the passage arises from his giving the name of palla to the scarf only; that is, he described the part which forms so prominent a feature in the costume, and attracts so much attention, under the name of the vest on which it was embroidered, or attached as a decoration.

5. Palla citharoedica. The palla worn by musicians upon the stage; whence frequently represented in works of art as an appropriate costume for Apollo in his character of citharoedus and musagetes. This was a long flowing robe, with sleeves reaching to the wrists, and fastened with a broad girdle round the waist, the skirts of which fell over the feet, or sometimes trained upon the ground. It thus resembles in many respects the ordinary chiridota or tunica manicata, and, consequently, is mentioned as an article of the indutus (Auct. ad Herenn. iv. 47. citharoedus palla indutus. Compare Apul. Flor. ii. 15. 2. where a robe precisely like the one here exhibited is minutely described); but it differs from the common tunic in this respect, that it was not made, like that, of one uniform width from top to bottom, but was narrow at the upper part over the chest and shoulders, gradually widening downwards, until it became a loose and sweeping robe towards the feet, from which circumstance it probably received the name of palla. All these particulars are conspicuously apparent in the annexed illustration (Palla/5.1), representing a statue of Apollo in the Vatican; the loose drapery hanging behind from the shoulders is an amictus worn over the palla. In the original statue the arms are restorations, and the artist has given to them short sleeves, which are corrected for long ones in the present drawing, in accordance with other representations of the same subject, and more particularly of an ancient type in the archaic style of Greek sculpture (Wink. Mon. Ined. Vignette to dedication), which formed the original after which they are all more or less modelled.

6. Palla Gallica. The Gaulish jerkin; a short, close-fitting dress, slit up before and behind as high as the fork. (Mart. i. 93. compared with Strabo iv. 4. 3.) When adopted at Rome, it received the name of CARACALLA, after the emperor who introduced the fashion of wearing it; under which it is described and illustrated.

  • Palla/1.1
    Palla/1.1
  • Palla/1.2
    Palla/1.2
  • Palla/2.1
    Palla/2.1
  • Palla/3.1
    Palla/3.1
  • Palla/4.1
    Palla/4.1
  • Palla/5.1
    Palla/5.1

References

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