baculum

băcŭlum, i, n. (băcŭlus, i, m., rare, and not before the Aug. period; Ov. M. 2, 789; id. F. 1, 177; Ap. Met. 7, 15, 14; Aus. Epigr. 53; Isid. Orig. 20, 13, 1; Vulg. Gen. 38, 25; id. Psa. 22, 4; cf. bacillum), [like βάκτρον, from root ba- of βάζω, βιβάζω, βαίνω, to go = Sanscr. ga],

• a stick, staff, as a support in walking (class.; while scipio is a staff for ornament, and fustis a stick for beating; Doed. Syn. III. p. 266 sqq.; but later used in all these signiff.; cf. bacillum): proximus lictor, Sextius, converso baculo oculos misero tundere coepit, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 54, § 142: baculum agreste, Ov. M. 15, 655: pastorale, Sil. 13, 334; Ov. M. 8, 218; 14, 655; 15, 659; 6, 27; 8, 693; id. F. 1, 177; Claud. Epigr. 2, 3; 2, 26; 2, 484: baculi crassitudo, Plin. 20, 23, 96, § 255.— So, baculum (-us) et pera, staff and pouch, badges of Cynic philosophers, Mart. 4, 53; Ap. Apol. p. 288, 6; Aus. Epigr. 53 (cf. bactroperita); Cels. 8, 20; Vitr. 10, 6; Plin. 30, 14, 44, § 129 Gron.; cf.: in baculo me transivi Jordanum istum, i.e. as a poor pilgrim, Vulg. Gen. 32, 10.—Also, the augural staff or lituus, Liv. 1, 18, 7.—A sceptre: baculum aureum (regis) berylli distinguebant, Curt. 9, 1, 30; Flor. 3, 19, 10; cf. id. 4, 11, 3. —And of the sceptre on the stage, in tragic representations, Suet. Ner. 24 Oud.: corpora serpentum baculi violaverat ictu, Ov. M. 3, 325; Col. 2, 20 (21), 4: summa papaverum capita dicitur baculo decussisse, Liv. 1, 54, 6: baculorum subactiones, blows with small staves, sticks, Vitr. 2, 4; 7, 3.—
• • B In eccl. Lat. from baculus; trop., a support, stay: an speras in baculo arundineo, Vulg. 4 Reg. 18, 21: baculum senectutis nostrae, id. Tob. 10, 4.—
  • • 2 As instrument of wrath, rod, Vulg. Isa. 10, 24.

baculum, ī, n. u. (spätere Form) baculus, ī, m. (verwandt mit βάκτρον, von βάω, βάζω, gehen), der Stab, Stock (eig. als Stütze beim Gehen, dann auch = scipio, ein Stab zur Zierde, u. = fustis, ein Stock zum Schlagen), bacula valida, Cels.: summa papaverum capita baculo decutere, Liv.: baculum, quo angui rana excussa sit, parturientes adiuvat, Plin. – als Hirtenstab, baculi cuspis, Plin.: baculum pastorale, Sil.: pastor baculo innixus, Ov. – als Augurstab (lituus), augur dextrā manu baculum sine nodo aduncum tenens, Liv. – als Szepter, ipse veste purpureā argenteoque baculo et regium in morem fronte redimitā, Flor.: u. der Bühnenkönige, elapsum baculum cito resumere, Suet. – als Stütze beim Gehen, baculum aureum inclusum corneo, Liv.: baculum sambuceum, Flor.: innitens baculo, Sen. rhet. u. Ov.: innixa baculo senectus, Sen.: dah. als Attribut der zynischen Philosophen, pera et baculum, Apul., pera, baculus, Auson.: hunc novi cum baculo peraque senem, Mart. – als Stütze, Krücke für Fußkranke, minus baculo eget crus, Cels.: für Blinde, caecorum baculum fuit (bildl. v. einer Pers.), Hier. ep. 60, 10. – zum Dreschen, baculis excutere (ausdreschen) spicas, Col. – als Riegel, durch einen Kloben zu stecken, Vitr. – ➳ Form baculum, zB. Cels. 8, 10, 2. § 4. Plin. 30, 129. Flor. 4, 5, 3. Ov. met. 2, 681 u. 15, 655. Plur. Cels. 8, 20. § 16: Form baculus, zB. Auson. epigr. 49, 1. p. 209 Schenkl. Vulg. genes. 38, 18 u. ö. Ambros. de Tob. 5 extr.; vgl. Prob. append. (IV) 197, 22. u. Caper (VIII) 108, 7.

baculum , i. n.
棍。杖。柺杖。

Suggest a Translation
See an image

baculum (or poet. baculus, m, O.), ī, n

• BA-, a stick, staff, walking-stick: baculo sustinet artūs, O.: baculo oculos alcui tundere: baculo innixus, O.: baculum quem lituum appellarunt, L.—A sceptre: aureum, Cu.

BACULUM

BAC´ULUM(βακτηρία, ῥάβδος, σκῆπτρον, σκυτάλη: in the poets, βάκτρονand σκίπων. The Homeric word is σκῆπτρον).

Carrying a stick was as common a practice in Greece as it is with us (Lysias, pro Inval. 12; Plat. Protag. p. 310 A; Aristoph. Plut. 272, Eccl. 150, 509; Nub. 541); and on Greek vases and sculptures we see sticks of all forms and patterns. The straight form with an ornament at the head, called the Περσικὴ βακτηρία (Hesych. s. v.; Etym. M. 185, 56; cf. Hdt. 1.195), was the form affected by dandies at Athens in the time of Aristophanes (Aristoph. ap. Poll. 10.173, βακτηρία δὲ περσὶς ἀντὶ καμπύλης); while the large crook form (καμπύλη) was on the stage carried by old men and rustics (Poll. 4.119), as in the illustration given next page.

The club form (σκυτάλη, Moeris, Suidas, Phot. s. v. σκυτάλη· βακτηρία ἀκροπαχὴς) was in vogue in the ruder states of Greece, such as Sicyon, where the lowest class of the community was called the Club carriers (κορυνηφόροι), but especially at Sparta, and became the rage at Athens among the Λακωνισταὶ (Aristoph. Av. 1283), while in later times it was affected by Cynic philosophers (Lucian, Vit. Auct. 8). The crutch, too, is often seen on ancient monuments (cf. Paus. 10.30, 1, σκήπτρῳ τε ὑπὸ τὴν ἀριστέραν μασχάλην ἐρειδόμενος). (For the sticks or batons carried as insignia of office by the Athenian jurymen, see DIKASTES; for the shepherd's staff, PEDUM; for the Spartan use of the stick in secret correspondence, SKYTALE; for the herald's staff, CADUCEUS)

In Rome, on the other hand, the use of walking sticks was unknown. On the monuments we only see sticks in the hands of aged or infirm persons, or held as symbols of office. (See SCEPTRUM, CENTURIO.)

[W.M.L]

Bacŭlum

(βακτηρία, ῥάβδος, σκῆπτρον, σκυτάλη). In Greece the practice of carrying a stick was as common as with us, as is seen by the testimony of Greek vases and sculptures, which show us walking-sticks of all forms and patterns. The Athenian dandies of the time of Aristophanes affected the straight cane with an ornamented head (Περσικὴ βακτηρία), while old men and rustics carried large canes with a crook (καμπύλη). In the ruder states of Greece, such as Sicyon and Sparta, huge clublike canes (σκυτάλαι) were common; and these at one time were the rage at Athens (Aristoph. Av. 1283).

It appears that the kings of Sparta carried a truncheon (βακτηρία) as the ensign of their authority. On the occasion of one of them lifting it up in a threatening attitude, Themistocles returned the celebrated answer, “Strike, but hear.” In reference to this custom, the truncheon (baculus) was carried in the hand by actors on the Roman stage. The dicasts at Athens received, at the time of their appointment, a βακτηρία and συμβόλον as a mark of their authority.

At Rome walking-sticks were unknown, except in the hands of the aged or infirm; but the staff was used upon the stage by actors who personated kings and princes (Suet. Nero, 24). See Caduceus; Sceptrum; Scytalé.