torques

torquēs u. torquis, is, m. u. (in Prosa seltener) f. (torqueo), das Gedrehte, Gekrümmte, I) eine gewundene Halskette als Schmuck, die Halsberge, aureus, Liv., aurea, Varro fr. u. Vulg.: unca, Prop.: torque detracto, Cic.: torque aureo donare deam, Iustin. – II) das Halsjoch, Kummet der Ochsen, Verg. georg. 3, 168. – III) der Ringel, a) von den Federn am Halse eines Vogels, miniatus, Plin. 10, 117. – b) das Blumengewinde, ornatae torquibus arae, Verg. georg. 4, 276. – c) der Wirbel, Kreis, den der schwimmende Walfisch macht, Manil. 5, 585 (Plur.). – ➳ Nom. torquis, Liv. 44, 14, 3. Prop. 4 (5), 10, 44; vgl. Prisc. 5, 28 u. 42. – Nom. torques, Laev. bei Charis. 145, 22. Stat. Theb. 10, 517 Queck. Val. Flacc. 2, 112. Gloss. III, 93, 40 u.o. Vgl. (auch über das Geschlecht) Charis. 145, 19 u. Probi de nomine no. 31. p. 211, 19 K. – Abl. Sing. auch torquī, Apul. flor. 12. p. 14, 15 Kr. – Andere Schreibung torces, Servil. bei Char. 145, 29 (nach Büchelers sicherer Verbesserung im Rhein. Mus. 42, 473; die Handschriften u. Keil tores) u. torquae aureac, Varro sat. Men. 170 B.⁵

torques, ~is [CL] 1 twisted metal band worn as necklet, bracelet, or sim., torque (freq. as mark of distinction). gratia capiti nostro et collo ~es additur [Prov. i 9] Bede Hom. I 19. 65B; si Christum crucifixum imitantur, ~e victorie remunerantur Hon. GA 601B; ut Daniel purpura indueretur et collum ejus aureo ~e circumdaretur Andr. S. Vict. Dan. 6; ornamenta pedes ‥ poscunt / auris inaures, colla monalia, brachia torques D. Bec. 2244; ambiant ~es aurei lacertos Neckam NR II 188 p. 334; 1467 J. R. ‥ invenit unum ~em de auro ‥ ponderantem l solidis sterling (MS Lond. Metrop. Arch. ACC/1379/010 m. 15) Lond. & Middx Arch. Soc. NS XXXIV 179. 2 twisted wicker band used as tie or bond, withe. b (Sc.) measure of iron (perh. as bound with a withe), ‘widdy’ (cf. withum 2; cf. et. garba 4). furcas ascendens [uxor] desecto ~e vimineo suspensum detrusit W. Cant. Mir. Thom. V 1 p. 371; 1368 in c iiiixx v ml ~ibus torquibus empt' de eodem Ricardo pro scaff' ligand' pro predict' operibus (Works) KR Ac 494/1 m. 2; in virgis pro clatis et torq' inde faciendis pro scaffot' (Works) Ib. 466/4; hec ~es, A. wythe WW.  b 1486 de xx ~ibus ferri exoneratis in anno precedenti ‥ licet scripte sunt in arreragiis dicti compoti ‘xx wyddis ferri’ ExchScot 411 (cf. ib. 330: 1485 de x li. xx wethis ferri). 3 ? decorative twisted threads, tassel. 1457 lego ‥ Johanne ‥ unum culcitrum, A. a quilt, contextum cum nodis et ~ibus Fabr. York 208.

torques vel torquis, is. m.
頸環。環子。

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TORQUES

TORQUESor TORQUIS(στρεπτός), an ornament of gold, twisted spirally and bent into a circular form, which was worn round the neck by men of distinction among the Persians (Curt. 3.3; Themist. Orat. 24, p. 306 c), the Gauls (Florus (Flor. 1.13, 2.4-Z2), and other Asiatic and northern nations (Isid. Orig. 19.30). Torc in Celtic and old Irish was probably borrowed from the Latin word (Curtius, Gr. Etym. 462). Virgil (Aen. 5.558, 559) thus describes it as part of the attire of the Trojan youths: It pectore summoFlexilis obtorti per collum circulus auri.

Ornaments of this kind have been frequently found both in France and in many parts of Great Britain and Ireland (Petrie, Trans. of R. Irish Acad. vol. xviii.; Antiq. pp. 181-184), varying in size and weight, but almost always of the form exhibited in the annexed woodcut, which represents a torquis found in Brecknockshire, and now preserved in the British Museum. The same woodcut contains a section of this torquis of the size of the original. It shows, as Mr. Petrie observes concerning some found in the county of Meath, four equidistant radiations from a common centre. The torquis in the British Museum is 4 1/2 feet in length. Its hooks correspond well to the following description of the fall of a Celtic warrior: Torquis ab incisa decidit unca gula (Propert. 4.10, 44). A torquis which instead of being bent into a circular form was turned into a spiral, became a bracelet, as is shown in the lowest figure of the woodcut to ARMILLAA torquis contrived to answer this purpose is called torquis brachialis (Vopisc. Aurel. 7). Such bracelets and torques are often found together, having been worn by the same people.

The head in the preceding woodcut is that of a Persian warrior in the mosaic of the battle of Issus, mentioned in p. 397. It illustrates the mode of wearing the torquis, which in this instance terminates in two serpents' heads instead of hooks. It was by taking this collar from a Gallic warrior that T. Manlius obtained the cognomen of Torquatus (Cic. de Fin. 2.22, 73, de Off. 3.31, 112; Gellius (Gell. 9.13; Non. Marc. pp. 227, 228, ed. Merceri).

Torques, whether in the form of collars or bracelets, no doubt formed a considerable part of the wealth of those who wore them. Hence they were an important portion of the spoil, when any Celtic or Oriental army was conquered, and they were among the rewards of valour bestowed after an engagement upon those who had most distinguished themselves (Juven. 16.60; Plin. Nat.33.10; Sidon. Apollin. Carm. 23.424). The monuments erected to commemorate Roman soldiers and to enumerate the honours which they had obtained, often mention the number of torques conferred upon them. (Maffei, Mus. Veron. p. 218.) [PHALERA. ]

[J.Y]

Torques

and Torquis (στρεπτός). A twisted collar worn around the neck by the Persians, Gauls, and other foreign peoples; but on the breast by the Roman soldiers, to whom it was given as a decoration for valour (Juv. xvi. 60). Torquis bracchiālis was a twisted bracelet. See armilla.