SPO´NGIA
SPO´NGIA (
σπόγγος), a
sponge. The use of sponges has come down from very early times, for the
cleansing both of the body (
Hom. Il.
18.414) and of tables (
Od. 1.111).
For the latter purpose, i. e. cleaning furniture, walls, and floors, it is
more especially noticed in Latin literature (
Mart.
14.144; Ulp.
Dig. 32, 7, 12): as regards the use
of sponges by invalids in Roman baths, see
BALNEAE Vol. I. p. 279. Small sponges were often
fastened on a stick, and were then called
peniculi (Ter.
Eun. 4.7, 7; cf.
Mart. 12.48; Plaut.
Stich.
2.2, 23), and were then used not only with long sticks for cleaning walls,
&c., but also with short handles for cleaning boots (Plaut.
Menaechm. 2.3, 40; Fest. p. 230). The
penicillus used for painting was no doubt generally a brush
made with hair [
PICTURA], but
for laying on colour broadly and coarsely a
penicillus made with sponge was also used (
Plin. Nat. 9.148; Blümner,
Technol. 4.429). For its use to obliterate writing, see
Mart. 4.10;
LIBER p. 59
a;
Marquardt,
Privatl. 824; and to this use also we must refer
Aesch. Ag. 1283. Pliny (
Plin. Nat. 9. § § 148-150)
mentions especially the neighbourhood of Torone, the Syrtes, the Hellespont,
and Malea as hunting-grounds for sponges, and the coasts of Lycia for the
softest kind. Three kinds are distinguished--the hard and coarse
τράγος, the softer
μανός, and the fine
ἀχίλλειον
[cf.
OCREA]. In this he is
following Aristot.
H. A. 5.16, p. 548. The searcher for
sponges is called
σπογγοθήρας,
σπογγοκολυμβητὴς or
σπογγεύς
(Poll. 1.96, 7.137
Athen. 7.
282 c; Becker-Göll,
Gallus,
1.36; Hermann-Blümner, iv. p. 31).
[
G.E.M]
