spira

spīra, ae, f.: a fold, coil, especially of serpents, 2.217, et al.

spīra, ae, f., = σπεῖρα.

• That which is wound, wreathed, coiled, or twisted; a coil, fold, twist, spire (cf. orbis); of a serpent, Verg. G. 2, 154; id. A. 2, 217; Ov. M. 3, 77.—Of the grain of wood, Plin. 16, 39, 76, § 198.—Of the intestines, Lact. Opif. Dei, 11, § 16.—
• II Concr.: spira dicitur et basis columnae unius tori aut duorum, et genus operis pistorii, et funis nauticus in orbem convolutus, ab eādem omnes similitudine. Pacuvius: Quid cessatis, socii, ejicere spiras sparteas? Ennius quidem hominum multitudinem ita appellat, cum ait: spiras legionibus nexunt, Fest. p. 300 Müll. (Ann. v. 501 Vahl., where the read. is nexit).—So,
• • A The base of a column, Vitr. 3, 3; 4, 1; Plin. 36, 23, 56, § 179.—
  • B A kind of twisted cake, a twist, cracknel, Cato R. R. 77.—
  • C A coil of rope, Pac. ap. Fest. l. l.—
  • D A braid of hair, Plin. 9, 35, 58, § 117; Val. Fl. 6, 396.—
  • E A twisted tie for fastening the hat under the chin, Juv. 8, 208.—
• F A confused crowd of men, Enn. ap. Fest. l. l.

spīra, ae, f. (σπειρα), ein gewundener, geflochtener Körper, bes. nach Art der gewundenen Schneckenlinie, I) im allg., die Windung der Schlange, Acc. tr. 307. Verg. georg. 2, 154; Aen. 2, 217: spirae Draconis (Gestirn), Manil. 1, 627: so auch der Eingeweide, Lact. de opif. dei 11. § 16: die schneckenförmige Windung der Adern im Holze, die Maser, Plin. 16, 198. – II) insbes.: 1) eine Art Backwerk, etwa Brezel, Ringel, Cato r.r. 77 u. 82; vgl. Fest. 330 (b),16. – 2) der gekrümmte Haarschmuck, Plin. 9, 117. Val. Flacc. 6, 396. – 3) der ring- oder kranzförmige Fuß, das Fußgesims einer Säule, Vitr. u. Plin. – 4) die Binde einer Mütze (galeri), womit sie unter dem Kinne zugebunden wird, Iuven. 8, 208. – 5) eine Schar Soldaten, die Rotte, der Manipel, Enn. ann. 510. – u. im Geheimgottesdienst, die Schar, der Chor, Corp. inscr. Lat. 6, 76 u. 261; 10, 6510; 14, 977.

1 spira [CL < σπεῖρα] 1 coil, circle, spiral; b (of rope or cable); c (of serpent). d (in gl.). 10‥ in ~a, in hringe WW.  b ~ae, linan Ælf. Sup.; rupto fune multiplice ‥ quem nautici ~am vel cucurbam vocant, projecta est ‥ anchora W. Cant. Mir. Thom. V 7.  c extemplo curat disrumpens vincla celydri, / qui prius in spira marsum glomeravit inertem Aldh. VirgV 1438; aemula nec tardat spiris [gl.: circuli] agitare malignis / actio pravorum vitam moresque proborum Frith. 1184; [serpentes] sese in spheram colligere et in rotundo schemate toto collecto corpore ‥ delitescere R. Cold. Godr. 55; ~a, revolutio serpentis Osb. Glouc. Deriv. 556; [serpens] locum igneis ~is involvit Map NC II 6 f. 25.  d spira, -e i. reflexio Osb. Glouc. Deriv. 518. 2 (as geom. shape or form.) spiral. instabilis Phebus hospes spirisque priorem / preteriens callem nescit habere statum. / in Cancrum surgens Garl. Epith. VI 9; qui etiam paralleli, etsi omnino non sint circuli sed ~e, cum non sit sensibilis error in hoc ‥ circuli appellentur, de numero quorum circulorum sunt duo tropici et equinoctialis Sacrob. Sph. 101.

2 spira [ME spire < AS spir] 1 tall plant, reed or palm. de spira [v. l. spera] sive palma quam idem Johannes tenebat manibus suis in sepultura beate Marie virginis J. Glast. 10. 2 spire. latitudo turris sine spera continet 6 virgas et dimidium W. Worc. Itin. 282; tam ecclesiam quam portam pulcram cum turri cum alta spera de frestone cum campanis desuper pulsantibus (W. Worc.) J. Dallaway, Antiquities of Bristow (1834) p. 138; quatuor sconci de lapidibus ab uno quarterio anguli in proximum ad ligandam speram que quidem spera stat modo ultra 100 pedes (W. Worc.) Bristol Rec. Soc. LI 72; magnum pinaculum sive spera de mearemio [sic] elevato cum plumbo cooperto (W. Worc.) Ib. LI 200.

spīra, (13) æ, f. (σπεῖρα), ¶ 1 spirale ; nœuds des serpents, anneaux, replis : Virg. G. 2, 154 ; En. 2, 217 || nœuds des arbres : Plin. 16, 198 ¶ 2 spire, tore dʼune colonne : Plin. 36, 179 ; Vitr. Arch. 3, 3 ; 4, 1 || pâtisserie en spirale : Cato Agr. 77 || câble : Pac. d. Fest. 330, 16 || natte, tresse de cheveux : Plin. 9, 117 ; Val. Flacc. 6, 396 || cordon pour attacher le chapeau : Juv. 8, 208 || mouvement en spirale : Enn. d. Fest. 330, 16.

spira , ae. f.
柱石。柱礎。麫圈。帽帶。首飾。蛇繞。木節圈。

Suggest a Translation
See an image

spīra ae, f

• , σπεῖρα, a coil, fold, twist, spiral: in spirain se conligit anguis, V., O.: longo iactetur spira galero, i. e. tie, Iu.

SPIRA

SPIRA(σπεῖρα), dim. SPI´RULA (Servius in Verg. A. 2.217), the base of a column. The word σπεῖρα is used in this signification in Greek inscriptions, being applied to the bases of the columns of the Erechtheum and of the temple of Zeus at Labranda (C. I. G. 160, 50.64; 2713, 2714). Spira is the term regularly used by Vitruvius and other Latin writers in the same signification (see esp. 3.5, when the forms and proportions are prescribed).

The base, which is absent in Doric columns but always present in those of the Ionic or Corinthian order, may be either Attic or Ionic; it may be used either with or without a plinth beneath it. The Attic form [ATTICURGES] consists of an upper and a lower torus (torus superior, inferior), with a scotia (τροχίλος) between them, bordered above and below by a quadra: it is found in all the Ionic buildings at Athens, whether they have the Ionic or Attic form of the capital. The example given is from the Erechtheum (see right-hand part of cut). The Ionic consists of an upper torus, and of a lower member and two trochili, with double astragali above, between, and below. It is seen in the temple of Athena at Priene (see left half of cut) and elsewhere. That this is the original Ionic base is shown by the base of the primitive Ionic column from Naucratis (Petrie, Naukratis, i. pl. 3), where the lower part of the base, though not showing the two trochili, is of the same general character, and quite different from an Attic base.

The upper torus is sometimes fluted (ῥαβδωτός), as in the left-hand part of the cut, sometimes ornamented with a plaited ornament, as in the right-hand part; both treatments of the torus of the Attic base may be found even in the same building, in the Erechtheum.

In Etruscan columns the base consists simply of a torus resting on a plinth; in Roman buildings the plinth is almost always present, and all the Greek forms, but especially the Attic, are imitated.

[E.A.G]

Spira

(σπεῖρα), dim. spirŭla. (1) The base of a column, a member not existing in the Doric order, but always present in the Ionic and Corinthian. A special kind of base was called the Attic (Ἀττικουργές), it being really a variety of the Ionic.

(2) A kind of cracker or cake made in a spiral form, like a sort of cruller (Cato, R. R. 77).