Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Pila (first syllable short)

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. 

PILA, with the first syllable short (σφαῖρα). A ball for playing the game of ball; as a general term including the four distinct kinds used by the ancients; viz. Follis, Harpastum, Paganica, and Trigon, each of which is described under its own specific name.

2. Pila picta. (Ov. Met. x. 262.) A playing-ball, of which the outside leather was painted of different colours, and ornamented with tasty devices; frequently represented on the fictile vases, as an accessory in scenes illustrative of life in the Gymnasium, or of female amusements, from one of which the annexed specimen (Pila/2.1) is copied, where it is exhibited amongst various other trinkets, working and playthings, suspended from the tomb of a young Greek lady. It would appear that green was a favourite colour for this purpose (prasina pila, Pet. Sat. 27. 2.); whence the same is designated by the term vitrea, in an inscription (ap. Grut. tom. i. p. 2. 1537), that is, of a glassy or greenish hue, like the colour of water; as vitrea unda (Virg. Aen. vii. 759.), vitrea sedilia (Id. Georg. iv. 350.).

3. Pila vitrea. (Senec. Q. N. i. 6.) A glass globe filled with water for the purpose of being placed between a person and the object he is contemplating, in order to magnify the object and render it clearer to the view; a custom still adopted in wood engraving and other occupations, requiring a strong and clear light which will not prejudice the sight. It would also appear from the above passage of Seneca that this contrivance was sometimes employed by the ancients to assist an imperfect or failing sight, in the place of our spectacles; for these useful articles were not discovered before the commencement of the 14th century, being invented by a Florentine named Salvino degli Amati, who died in 1317, as testified by the epitaph inscribed upon his tomb (Manni, Dissert. degli Occhiali, p. 65.). It must, however, be remembered that the ancients, who employed a numerous class of well-educated slaves in the character of readers, secretaries, and amanuenses, did not stand so much in need of an artificial assistance for the eye-sight as we do. Another meaning of the expression pila vitrea is explained in the preceding paragraph.

4. Pila Mattiaca. (Mart. xiv. 27.) A ball of German pommade, employed by the ladies of Rome and young men of fashion, to tinge the hair of a light or fair colour. It was composed of goats' tallow and beechwood ashes made up into a ball, which received its distinguishing epithet from the town of Mattium (Marpurg) from whence it was imported.

5. A balloting-ball; employed as a means for selecting what judge should try a cause, and prevent the packing of the bench against the interest of either party. For this purpose a certain number of balls, with the names of different judges inscribed on them, were put into a box, and thence drawn out by lot, in the same spirit as we strike a jury, each party having the right to challenge and reject any obnoxious or presumedly partial judge. Prop. iv. 11. 20., and Ascon. Argument. Milon.

6. An effigy or Guy, clumsily made out of old pieces of cloth stuffed with hay, employed to try the temper of some animals, bulls and buffaloes, when baited; or to infuriate them if they appeared tame and impassive; a practice still continued at Mola, on the bay of Gaeta, upon a certain festival, at which it is customary for buffaloes to be baited in the main street. Mart. Spect. 19. Ascon. ad Cic. Fragm. pro C. Cornel.

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  Pila/2.1