capis
capis, a bowl with one handle, used in sacrifices
- a bowl with one handle, especially used in sacrifices: invenitur etiam haec capis (capidis), cujus diminutivum est capidula: et vide quod magis Graecum esse ostenditur, cum in as protulit accusativum pluralem, Prisc. p. 708 P.; cf. also Paul. ex Fest. p. 48 Müll.; Varr. ap. Non. p. 547, 17; Liv. 10, 7, 10; Plin. 37, 2, 7, § 18; Petr. 52, 2; v. capedo.
†candes [? l. capides ], vasa fictilia
Habeo scyphos urnales,... habeoHucbaldus Monachus Elonensis in Carm. de Calvis :Capidem : quam reliquit patronus meus, ubi Dædalus Nioben in equum Trojanum includit.
Cæsareæ Capides, canti cata cista catonis.
Capicis, Capsa. Fridericus II. Imp. lib. 2. de Venat. cap. 33 :
Accipiunt ova gallinarum, et rumpunt ea, et in cacia vel Capice lignea aut ferrea, quæ tamen sit stagnata, ponunt ea ; sed in rumpendo ovo, removent summitatem testæ ovi, etc.
- CAP-, a bowl with one handle, used in sacrifices, L.
CAPISan earthen vessel used in sacrifices. Other forms are capedo (Cic. Parad. 1.2, 11), capeduncula (id. N. D. 3.17, 43), and capula (Varr. L. L. 5.121, capis et minores capulae a capiendo, quod ansatae ut prehendi possint, id est capi). We thus see that it was fitted with a handle, but its shape is variously described. According to Varro (ap. Non. p. 547, 15), it was a small pitcher (urceolus); according to Festus (P. Diac. p. 48 M.), a cup (poculum). It is joined with the lituus among the sacred implements of the augurs (Liv. 10.7), and the two are often represented on coins and medals struck in honour of persons belonging to the more distinguished priesthoods. One of these coins is figured under AUGURanother under URCEUSAnother shape occurs on coins given by Daremberg and Saglio; but in these the vessel is more probably the SIMPULUMwhich was also used in sacrifices, and which is figured under SECESPITAand SIMPULUMThe presence of the lituus makes the pitcher shape the most probable. The conservatism of Roman religion required the retention of the primitive plainness of material as well as of the antique shape; in the time of Cicero (ll. cc.) costly vessels were only beginning to be used in sacrifices. Pliny dates a great increase in the luxury of capides et pocula from Pompey's third triumph, B.C. 61: and after this time the capis was no longer reserved for sacred purposes, but passed into ordinary use. (Plin. Nat.37. § § 18, 20; cf. Petron. 52; Marquardt, Privatl. 684.)
[W.W](also called Capēdo, Capŭla, and Capeduncŭla). A small earthen vessel or pitcher used in sacrifices. It had handles and is sometimes spoken of as a pitcher (urceolus), and sometimes as a cup (poculum). It is joined with the lituus among the sacred implements of the augurs, and both are often represented together on coins and medals.