Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Stola

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. 

STOL'A. A female robe, which constituted the characteristic feature in the attire of a Roman matron, as the toga did in that of the male sex (Pet. Sat. 81. 5. Compare Cic. Phil. ii. 18. though in the latter passage the reading has been controverted). It was a tunic made very full, and sometimes with long sleeves; at others with short ones, fastened down the fleshy part of the arm with clasps, but put on as an indumentum (Senec. Vit. B. 13.) over the chemise (tunica intima), and fastened with a double girdle (succincta, Enn. ap. Non. p. 198.), one under the breast, and the other over the hips, so as to produce an ample display of small irregular folds (rugae, Mart. iii. 93.) when compressed by and drawn through its ligatures. Thus far the stola does not materially differ from the outer tunic usually worn by the Roman ladies. But what constituted its distinguishing feature was an appendage termed instita, sewed on under the girdle (subsuta, Hor. Sat. i. 2. 29.), and trailing behind, so as to cover the back half of the feet (medios pedes. Ov. A. Am. i. 32.), from the astragals or ankle bones (talos, Hor. l. c. Ib. i. 2. 99.), which it is now confidently suggested is exhibited by the long train (instita longa, Ov. l. c.) so distinctly visible behind the lower half of the annexed figure (Stola/1.1), believed to represent Veturia, the mother of Coriolanus, from a fresco painting in the Thermae of Titus. It is to be observed that neither lexicographers nor archaeologists have been able to specify with certainty what the instita really was, though general assent is found to describe it as a sort of flounce sewed round the bottom of a tunic in order to constitute a stola; which opinion was adopted, doubtfully however and undecidedly, in the explanation given under that word. But a subsequent examination of the engraving, from which the figure here introduced is copied, and which had previously escaped attention; as well as the very peculiar character of the train attached behind, which in the original design is still more forcibly shown to be a seperate adjunct fastened under the lowest girdle, and not a component part of the tunic; and an attentive consideration of the passages above cited from Horace and Ovid, manifestly resolving that the instita was not an addition all round the bottom of the dress, but one which hung behind and concealed only the heels or half the feet, exactly as shown by the example, altogether produce a chain of evidence so clear, circumstantial, and harmoniously supported, that it is difficult not to be impressed with its truth. Moreover the image presented by a passage of Statius (Theb. vii. 654.), which describes an instita as being tied for an ornament under the head of a thyrsus — pampineo subnectitur instita, &c. — agrees far better with the notion of a long breadth or scarf, like the one above, than that of a circular flounce, as will be readily acknowledged upon a reference to the article and illustration s. MITRA. 1., for which term the one employed by Statius is merely adopted as a poetical expression.

2. (στολὴ). The Greeks made use of the term in a more general sense, applying it to any kind of robe worn by men as well as women; and in this they were followed by the elder Latin writers. Ennius ap. Non. s. v. p. 537.

3. A long and loose flowing tunic worn by musicians (Varro, R. R. iii. 13. 3.), and possessing considerable resemblance to the female robe described above, for it was of considerable length, and made much wider at bottom than at the top, so that it would trail on the ground behind, as if there were an instita attached to it. The illustration (Stola/3.1), from a statue of Apollo in the Vatican, will establish the above-mentioned affinity, and thus account for the name; though it was more commonly termed palla citharoedica.

4. At a later period, a robe worn by certain priests (Apul. Met. xi. p. 257.); probably of a similar character to the last example.

• 
  Stola/1.1
• 
  Stola/3.1