ARMILLUM
ARMILLUM a sort of wine-jug (
urceolus, Varro, ap. Non. s. v. p. 547). Festus mentions it as
used in sacrifices, and derives it from
armus,
as carried on the shoulder (Paul. Diac. p. 2, Müller). The word
must, however, have been a familiar one, as it gave rise to a proverb,
anus ad armillum, or
ad
armillum redire, revertere, to return to one's old tricks
(Lucil. ap. Non. p. 74, 13; Apul.
Met. ix. p. 197; in vi. p.
123,
armile is variously explained by
armillum and
armarium).
The three last words,
armilausa, armilla, and
armillum, all illustrate the use, rare in
classical Latin, but no doubt common enough at an earlier period, of
armus for the human shoulder (
humerus). This sense of the word is well discussed
by Conington on
Verg. A. 4.11,
11.641.
[
W.W]
