CIR´CINUS
CIR´CINUS (
διαβήτης:
καρκίνος, Sext. Emp.
M.
10.54;
Anth.
P. 6.295), a compass. The compass
used by statuaries, architects, masons, and carpenters, is often represented
on the tombs of such artificers, together with the other instruments of
their profession or trade. The annexed woodcut is copied from a tomb found
at Rome. (Gruter,
Corp. Inscript. t. i. part ii. p. 644.) It
exhibits two kinds of compasses: viz. the common kind used for drawing
circles and measuring distances, and one with curved legs, probably intended
to measure the thickness of columns, cylindrical pieces of wood, or similar
objects. The common kind is described by the Scholiast on Aristophanes
(
Aristoph. Cl. 178), who compares its
form to that of the letter A. [See cut under
NORMA] The
 |
|
Circini, compasses. compass was accounted (Gruter.)
|
an ancient invention, being attributed to Perdix, the nephew of
Daedalus, who through envy threw him over the precipice of the Athenian
acropolis (
Ov. Met. 8.241), or to Daedalus
himself (
Diod. 4.76), but it must be observed
that circles in early works of art are obviously traced without its aid. It
is doubtful whether the
[p. 1.430]τόρνος (Theogn. 805;
Hdt. 4.36;
Plat.
Phileb. 56 B; Eur.
Bacch. 1066; Hesych.)
was a pair of compasses or a more primitive device for drawing a circle,
consisting of a pin at the end of a string.
[J.Y] [J.H.F]
