A-dictionary-of-greek-and-roman-antiquities-william-smith

1052 SPECULUM.
SPECULUM.
14.) The name of Sortcs m in feet Riven to any (33. tit. 6. s. 3 ; 34. tit 2. s. 19. § 8). At first
thing iwii to determine chances (compare Cic. dc they were made of the purest silver, but metal of
Dir. i. 34), and was also applied to any verbal re an inferior quality was afterwards employed. (Plin.
sponse of an oracle. (Cic rfe Z>/r>. ii. 5G; Virg. Aen. //. JV. xxxiii. 9. § 45.) Frequently too tho
iv. 34b', 377.) Various things were written upon polished silver plate was no doubt very slight, but
the lots according to circumstances, as for instance the excellence of the mirror very much depended
the names of the persons using them, &c : it seems on the thickness of the plate, since the reflection
to have been a favourite practice in later times to was stronger in proportion as the plate was thicker.
write the verses of illustrious poets upon little tab (Vitruv. vii. 3. p. 204, ed. Bip.) We find gold
let*, and to draw them out of the urn like other lots, mirrors mentioned once or twice by ancient writers
the verses which a person thus obtained being sup (Eurip. Heath. 925 ; Sencc Quaest. Nat. i. 17 j
posed to be applicable to him : hence we read of Aelian, V. If. xii. 58) ; but it is not impossible,
Sortes Virgilianae, &c. (Lamprid. Alex. Sever. 14 ; as Beckmann has remarked, that the term golden
Spartian. Hadr. 2.) It was also the practice to rather refers to the frame or ornaments than to the
consult the poets in the same war as the Moham
medans do the Koran and Hafiz, and many Chris
tians the Bible, namely, by opening the book at
random and applying the first passage that struck
the eye to a person's own immediate circumstances.
(August. Confess, iv. 3.) This practice was very
common among the early Christians, who substi
tuted the Bible and the Psalter for Homer and
Virgil : many councils repeatedly condemned these
Soiies Sunctarum, as they were called. (Gibbon,
Dediiu und /(i//,c. xxxviii. note 51.) The Sibylline
books were probably also consulted in this way.
[Sihylmni I.lBRi.j Those who foretold future
events by lots were called Sortilegi. (Lucan, Ix.
581.)
The Sorter Conviruiles were tablets sealed up,
which were sold at entertainments, and upon being
opened or unsealed entitled the purchaser to things
of very unequal value ; they were therefore a kind
of lottery. (Suet. Octav. 75 j Lamprid. Hcliogab.
22.) SPADO'NES. [Iinpt BKs, p. 631, b.]
SPARUS. [Hasta, p. 588, !>.]
SPE'CIES NOVA. [Conpusio.]
SPECTIO. [Aug- R. pp. 177,b. 178,a.]
SPKCULA'IUA. [I)o.MUR,p. 4.12, b.]
SPKCULA'KIS LAPIS. [Domus, p. 4.12, a.]
SPECULATO'RES. [Exkrcituu, p. 508, b ;
comp. Hbmkrodromi.]
SPE'CULUM (KiTorrpo»,t