Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Pugio

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. 

PUG'IO (ἐγχειρίδιον). A short, two-edged, sharp-pointed dagger, openly worn on the right side, more particularly by officers in the army, and persons of rank under the empire, as well as by the emperors themselves, in order to indicate their power over life and death. (Cic. Phil. ii. 12. Suet. Vit. 15. Tac. Hist. iii. 68. Id. i. 43. Val. Max. iii. 5. 3.) The example (Pugio/1.1) is from an original of bronze in the Neapolitan Museum; the holes on the handle were intended for the reception of ornamental studs.

References

edit