LANTERNA
LANTERNA (only in late Latin
laterna. Curt.
Gr. Et. 266; Corssen,
Lat. Sprach. 1.256)
== the Greek
λυχνοῦχος (see below), also
ἰπνός (
Aristoph. Peace 841), a lantern. Two bronze lanterns,
constructed with nicety and skill, have been found in the ruins of
Herculaneum and Pompeii. One of them is represented in the woodcut below.
Its form is cylindrical. At the bottom is a circular plate of metal, resting
on three balls. Within is a bronze lamp attached to the centre of the base
and provided with an extinguisher, shown on the right hand of the lantern.
The plates of translucent horn (
Plin. Nat.
11.49; Lucret. 2.388), forming the sides, probably had no aperture;
but the hemispherical cover may be raised so as to admit the hand and to
serve instead of a door, and it is also perforated with holes through which
the smoke might escape. To the two upright pillars supporting the framework,
a front view of one of which is shown on the left hand of the lantern,
chains are attached for carrying the lantern by means of the handle at the
top.
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Lantern found at Herculaneum.
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We learn from Martial's epigrams (14.61, 62) that bladder was used for
lanterns as well as horn; also linen, as the cheapest form of lantern (
Cic. Att. 4.3,
5; Plaut.
Bacch. 3.3, 42). The
lanterna Punica (
Aul. 3.6, 30) was probably a
horn lantern, as the best kind then known. Some centuries later glass was
also used (Isid.
Orig. 20.10). When the lantern was required
for use, the lamp (
lucerna) was lighted and
placed within it. (See
Mart. 14.61; Veg.
Mil. 4.18.) It was carried by a slave called
lanternarius or servus praelucens (Plaut.
Amph.
[p. 2.7]Prol. 149, 1.1, 185;
Cic. in Pis. 9, § 20;
Juv. 3.285;
Mart.
8.75). Suetonius (
Suet. Aug. 29）
mentions that the “servus praelucens” was struck by lightning
while Augustus was being carried in his litter. We learn from Photius that
the name
λυχνοῦχος was given to a lamp
enclosed in a case of horn or of transparent skin, and that perforated
pitchers were used in the same way: for instances, see Rutherford,
New Phrynichus, p. 131. The
φάνος was a link or torch of strips of resinous wood tied
together, but in late Greek used for
λυχνοῦχος, a lantern (Rutherford,
l.c.).
(See also Marquardt,
Privatl. 712; Becker-Göll,
Gallus, 2.404.)
[
J.Y] [
G.E.M]
