I.a board, plank.
I. In gen.: “si tabulam de naufragio stultus arripuerit,” Cic. Off. 3, 23, 89; cf. id. Att. 4, 18, 3; Verg. A. 1, 119: “laceras tabulas in litore vidi,” Ov. M. 11, 428: “tabula navis,” Juv. 14, 289; Verg. A. 9, 537: “inauratae,” Plin. 36, 15, 24, § 114: “latera (fossarum) cluduntur tabulis,” id. 33, 4, 21, § 76: “perforatae,” Col. 7, 4, 5.—Esp., a board to play on, Ov. de Nuce, 77; Sen. Tranq. An. 14, 7; Juv. 1, 90.—
II. In partic.
A. A writing-tablet; also, a tablet written upon, a writing, as a letter, contract, account, list, will, etc. (cf. tabella): “tabulae litteris Graecis confectae,” Caes. B. G. 1, 29: “cerata,” Plaut. As. 4, 1, 18: litteraria, a writing-tablet for children, Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 10; cf.: “laevo suspensi loculos tabulamque lacerto,” Hor. S. 1, 6, 74; id. Ep. 1, 1, 56: “ponatur calculus assint Cum tabula pueri,” Juv. 9, 41: tabula calculatoria, Schol. Juv. 7, 73.—
B. Plur., a book of account: “pro tabulis, Ubi aera perscribuntur usuraria,” Plaut. Truc. 1, 1, 52; cf.: “multum differt, in arcāne positum sit argentum, an in tabulis debeatur,” Cic. Top. 3, 16: “litterae lituraeque omnes assimulatae, expressae, de tabulis in libros transferuntur,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 77, § 189: “aliquid in tabulas referre,” id. Fl. 9, 20: “tabulas conficere,” id. de Or. 2, 23, 97; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 23, § 60; id. Rosc. Com. 2, 5: “unae tabulae proferantur, in quibus vestigium sit aliquod, quod, etc.,” id. Font. 5, 12 (1, 2): novae, new account-books (by substituting which for the old ones debts were abolished in whole or in part), id. Phil. 6, 4, 11; id. Att. 5, 21, 13; 14, 21, 4; id. Off. 2, 23, 84; Caes. B. C. 3, 1; 3, 21; cf. Sall. C. 21, 2. —
C. A counter, office where records are kept: “suos necessarios conrogat, ut ad tabulam Sextiam sibi adsint horā secundā,” Cic. Quint. 6, 25. —
D. Adest ad tabulam: licetur Aebutius (a tablet on which an auction was advertised); “hence,” an auction, Cic. Caecin. 6, 16; cf.: “sin ad tabulam venimus, vincemus facultates Othonis,” id. Att. 12, 40, 4. —
E. Of public records, etc.: “tabula praerogativae,” a list of votes, Cic. Pis. 5, 11; cf. Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 18; 3, 17, 1; Q. Cic. Pet. Cons. 2, 8: “qui de tabulis publicis recitat,” public records, State papers, Cic. Fl. 17, 40; so, “publicae,” id. Arch. 4, 8; Liv. 26, 36, 11.—Esp., the censor's lists: “tabularum cura,” Liv. 4. 8, 4: “memoria publica recensionis tabulis publicis impressa,” Cic. Mil. 27, 74; Flor. 1, 6, 3; cf.: “tabulae aereae, in quibus publicae constitutiones inciduntur,” Plin. 34, 9, 21, § 99: “XII. tabulae,” the Twelve Tables, Cic. Rep. 2, 31, 54; so of the tables of the laws: “decem tabulas conscripsisse,” id. ib. 2, 36, 61: “duabus tabulis additis,” id. ib. 2, 37, 63; id. de Or. 1, 43, 193; 1, 44, 195 al.; v. duodecim; cf.: “nequa tabula ullius decreti Caesaris aut beneficii figeretur,” id. Phil. 1, 1, 3: “tabula Sullae,” the list of proscribed persons, Juv. 2, 28; Mart. 5, 69, 2; Cic. Rosc. Am. 8, 21; 9, 26.—
F. Of any formal or solemn writing: “in tabulas multis haec via fecit iter,” i. e. a will, testament, Ov. A. A. 2, 332; Plin. Ep. 2, 20, 11; Juv. 2, 58; 4, 19; 12, 123; 14, 55; Mart. 5, 39, 2: “Dicaearchi tabulae,” maps, Cic. Att. 6, 2, 3: “lapideae,” Vulg. Exod. 24, 12; id. 2 Cor. 3, 3. —
G. A painted tablet or panel, a painting, picture: “tabula picta,” Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 34; Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 36; Cic. Brut. 75, 261: “imago in tabulis,” id. Fin. 5, 1, 3; id. de Or. 1, 35, 161; id. Par. 5, 2, 37; Prop. 1, 2, 22; 2, 3, 41; Plin. 35, 9, 36, § 64. — Prov.: manum de tabulā, take your hand from the picture! enough! it is finished! sed heus tu, manum de tabulā, Cic. Fam. 7, 25, 1; cf.: “dixit (Apelles) ... uno se praestare, quod manum de tabulā sciret tollere,” Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 80. —
H. A votive-tablet (on which a shipwreck was painted): “me tabula sacer Votiva paries indicat, etc.,” Hor. C. 1, 5, 13: “largire inopi, ne pictus oberret Caeruleā in tabulā,” Pers. 6, 32 (cf.: “mersā rate naufragus assem Dum rogat et pictā se tempestate tuetur,” Juv. 14, 301). —
K. A bed or plot of ground in a vineyard, Pall. Jan. 11; id. Febr. 10, 1; 9, 9; Auct. Limit. p. 311 Goes.—
L. A fold in a garment, Tert. Pall. 1 and 5.
