I.a public or official writer, a clerk, secretary, scribe (whereas librarius or scriba librarius denotes a private secretary or amanuensis; “notarius, a short-hand writer): scribas proprio nomine antiqui et librarios et poëtas vocabant. At nunc dicuntur scribae quidem librarii, qui rationes publicas scribunt in tabulis, etc.,” Fest. p. 333 Müll.: “(scribarum) ordo est honestus, quod eorum hominum fidei tabellae publicae periculaque magistratuum committuntur, etc.,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 79, § 183; cf. id. ib. 2, 3, 78, § 182; 2, 3, 80, § 184 sq.; 2, 3, 80, § 187; id. Pis. 25, 61; id. Clu. 45, 126; id. Agr. 2, 13, 32 (distinguished from librarii): “meus,” id. Fam. 5, 20, 2; Liv. 2, 12; 22, 57; 40, 29; Suet. Claud. 1; 38; id. Vesp. 3; Hor. S. 1, 5, 35; 2, 5, 56; id. Ep. 1, 8, 2 et saep.; cf. “also: SCRIBA AB EPISTOLIS LATINIS,” Inscr. Orell. 41; 2437; and: “SCRIBA LIBRARIVS,” ib. 1621; 2950 al.—
2. (Eccl. Lat.) A doctor of the Jewish law, one whose duty it was to guard and expound the sacred text, Vulg. 2 Reg. 8, 17; id. Matt. 23, 2 et saep.
