Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Pallium

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. 

PALLIUM (ἱμάτιον, φᾶρος). The principal article of the Greek amictus, or outer object of their apparel, as the toga was of the Romans. (Quint. xi. 5. 143. Suet. Tib. 13. Liv. xxix. 19.) It consisted of a large sheet or blanket, made of wool, and of a square or oblong square form (Pet. Sat. 135. 4. Tertull. de Pall. 1. Athen. v. 50.), fastened round the neck or on the shoulder by a brooch (fibula, Tertull. l. c.), and sometimes worn over the naked body as the only covering, but more commonly as an outside mantle over the tunic. (Plaut. Ep. v. 2. 59. Cic. Verr. ii. 5. 52.) A garment of this nature might be adjusted upon the person in various ways, according as the fancy of the wearer or the state of the atmosphere suggested; and, as each arrangement presented a different model in the set and character of its folds, the Greeks made use of a distinct term to characterize the particular manner in which it was put on, or the appearance it presented when worn. Of these the most important are the following: —

1. ἐπίβλημα. Meaning literally, that which is thrown on or over, designates the pallium when worn in the simplest manner; i. e. when the centre of one of its sides was merely put on to the back of the neck, and fastened round the throat, or on one shoulder, by a brooch, so that all the four corners hung downwards in the manner exhibited on the annexed figure (Pallium/1.1), representing a Greek soldier in his travelling dress, from a fictile vase.

2. ἀναβολή. Meaning, in a literal sense, that which is thrown up, designates the pallium when adjusted in a manner similar to the old style of wearing the toga; i. e. when the part which hangs down, on the right side of the preceding figure, was taken up, and cast over the left shoulder, so that it would depend at the back of the wearer, as represented by the annexed example (Pallium/2.1), from the celebrated statue of Aristides in the Farnese collection. When thus worn, the brooch was not used; and the blanket, instead of being placed on the back, at the middle of its width, was drawn longer over the right side to allow sufficient length for casting on to the opposite shoulder; the right arm likewise was raised up and kept on a level with the chest, forming, as it were, a right angle (Quint. xi. 3. 141.), and having only the hand exposed; all of which particulars are plainly perceivable in the illustration. At the same time both skill and attention were required to adjust the garment, so that it should sit firmly and elegantly upon the body, which was considered as a mark of elegance, if well arranged, or awkwardness, if otherwise. Plato, Theaet. 175. Compare Aristoph. Av. 1565.

3. περίβλημα, περιβόλαιον. Meaning, in a literal sense, that which is thrown round one, designates the pallium when so adjusted as completely to envelope the wearer all round from head to foot, in the manner shown by the annexed example (Pallium/3.1), from a fictile vase. In this method the blanket was put on, and a part thrown over the shoulder, the same as in the last example, but instead of the hand being exposed, and an opening or sinus left in front of the chest, the end thrown over the shoulder was drawn up tight under the chin, which gave a greater length to the part depending behind. The right arm was sometimes kept up in a similar position to the preceding; or it might be dropped down at the side, under the drapery, which fixed itself on the body by its own close folds, as it is represented in the illustration, in which the projection observed midway in front of the figure is produced by the hand being slightly elevated; but in either case the whole of the arm, as well as the hand, is completely covered by the drapery. The Romans indicated this confinement by the expression manum intra pallium continere (Quint. xi. 3. 138.), or intra pallium reducere (Val. Max. vi. 8. Ext. 1.): and the Greeks by a similar one — ἐντὸς τὴν χεῖρα ἔχειν (Aeschin. in Timarch. 52. Demosth. de Fals. Leg. p. 420. 10.); which was considered a becoming practice for young persons, as characteristic of a quiet, modest, and respectful demeanour.

4. Women also wore the pallium (Pet. Sat. 135. 4. Hom. Od. v. 230.) as well as men, and adjusted it upon their persons with the same varieties that have been already described, as evinced by numerous works of art both in sculpture and painting. The illustration annexed (Pallium/4.1) represents two females in the pallium, the one on the left having it adjusted in a manner similar to that exhibited by the statue of Aristides, introduced above; while the right hand one, by raising her arm over her head, has drawn away the end previously cast over her left shoulder, and allowed the opposite side to slip off from her back; but the two together afford a good notion of the manner in which the drapery was put on and arranged. The only difference, when there was any, between the pallium of a male and female, consisted in the difference of texture and variety or brilliance of colour, the finer material and gaudier tints being naturally selected by the sex; but amongst persons of slender means the wife would sometimes wear her husband's blanket; — a piece of economy which the wife of Phocion practised, but Xantippe, the wife of Socrates, refused to submit to. Aelian. Var. Hist. vii. 9. and 10.

5. In a more general sense the name is given to any large rectangular piece of cloth, employed for covering various objects; as, a pall laid over a bier (Apul. Flor. i. 4.); a counterpane or blanket for a bed (Juv. vi. 236.); a warm sheet to wrap in after the bath (Pet. Sat. 28. 2.); a curtain for a room (Prudent. ad Symm. ii. 726); &c.

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  Pallium/1.1
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  Pallium/2.1
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  Pallium/3.1
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  Pallium/4.1