previous next
călămus , i, m., = κάλαμος.
I. Lit., a reed, cane (pure Lat. harundo; cf. “canna),Plin. 16, 36, 65, § 159 sq.; 16, 21, 33, § 80; Col. 3, 15, 1; 4, 4, 1; Pall. Nov. 22, 3 al.: “aromaticus (found in Syria and Arabia),sweet calamus, Col. 12, 52, 2: “odoratus,Plin. 12, 22, 48, § 104; Veg. 6, 13, 3.—Also absol.: “calamus,Cato, R. R. 105, 2; Plin. 13, 1, 2, § 8 sq.: “Syriacus,Veg. 4, 13, 4.—
II. Meton.
A. For objects made of reeds (cf. harundo, and Liddell and Scott, under κάλαμος).
1. A reed-pen (cf. Dict. of Antiq.; “class.): quicumque calamus in manus meas inciderit, eo utar tamquam bono,Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 14 (15 b), 1: “sumere,id. Att. 6, 8, 1: calamo et atramento militare, Cato ap. Ruf. p. 199: “quoad intinguntur calami,Quint. 10, 3, 31: “transversus,Hor. A. P. 447: “scriptorius,Cels. 7, 11; 7, 27; Scrib. 10, 47.—
2. A reed-pipe, reed (cf. Lucr. 5, 1380 sq.; the form is described in Tib. 2, 5, 32; Ov. M. 1, 711): “unco saepe labro calamos percurrit hiantes,with curved lip runs over the open reeds, Lucr. 4, 590; 5, 1382; 5, 1407; Verg. E. 2, 34; 5, 48; 1, 10; 2, 32; 5, 2; Cat. 63, 22; Prop. 3 (4), 17, 34; 4 (5), 1, 24; Ov. M. 11, 161 al.
4. An angling-rod, fishing-rod: “calamo salientes ducere pisces,Ov. M. 3, 587.—
5. A lime-twig for snaring birds, Prop. 3 (4), 13, 46; Mart. 13, 68; 14, 218; Sen. Oct. 411.—
6. A signal-pole or rod, Col. 3, 15, 1 sq.
7. A measuring-rod, Vulg. Ezech. 40, 5 al.
B. Transf. to things of a similar form.
1. In gen., any straw of grain, a stalk, stem, blade: “lupini calamus,Verg. G. 1, 76: “calamus altior frumento quam hordeo,Plin. 18, 7, 10, § 61.—
2. A graft, a scion, Plin. 17, 14, 24, § 102 sq.; 17, 18. 30, § 129; 24, 14, 75, § 123; Col. 4, 29, 9.—
3. A small rod, used in Egypt for pointing out the way, Plin. 6, 29, 33, § 166.—
4. The hollow arm of a candelabra, Vulg. Exod. 25, 31 sq.
hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (28 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (28):
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 6.8.1
    • Cicero, Letters to his brother Quintus, 2.14
    • Old Testament, Exodus, 25.31
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 11.161
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 1.711
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 3.587
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 7.778
    • Vergil, Georgics, 1.76
    • Old Testament, Ezekiel, 40.5
    • Horace, Ars Poetica, 447
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 4.590
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.1380
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.1382
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.1407
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 13.8
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 16.80
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 18.61
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 17.102
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 17.18
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 7.11
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 7.27
    • Seneca, Octavia, 411
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 10, 3.31
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 3.15.1
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 4.29.9
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 4.4.1
    • Martial, Epigrammata, 13.68
    • Martial, Epigrammata, 14.218
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: