FU´SCINA
FU´SCINA (
τρίαινα), a
trident; more commonly called
tridens, meaning
tridens stimulus, because it was originally
a three-pronged goad, used to incite horses to greater swiftness. Neptune
was supposed to be armed with it when he drove his chariot, and it thus
became his usual attribute, no doubt with an allusion also to the use of the
same instrument in spearing fish. It is represented in the second cut on p.
416. (
Hom. Il. 12.27,
Od. 4.506,
5.292;
Verg. G. 1.13,
Aen. 1.138, 145, 2.610
Cic.
N. D. 1.3. 6, § 101; Philostr.
Imag. 2.14.) The trident was also attributed to Nereus
(
Verg. A. 2.418) and to the Tritons
(Att. ap.
Cic. N. D. 2.3.
5, § 89; Mart.
de Spect. 26, 3.)
In the contests of gladiators the
Retiarius was
armed with a trident. (
Juv. 2.143,
8.203.) [GLADIATOR]
[
J.Y] [
W.W]
