The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

This was called a penna (lit. ‘wing’) by the ancients; if
both sides were sharp they called it bipennis.Itwascalled
bipennis because it had a sharp edge on either side, like
two wings (pinna), for the ancients would call something
sharp pennus,whencethe wings (pinna)ofbirds, because
they are sharp. See how this term penna has preserved
its antiquity, because the ancients used to say penna,
not pinna. This also pertains to the pick-ax (dolabra),
because it has two prongs (duo labra, lit. “two lips”),
for the ax has one. The hatchet (dextralis) issuitedfor
the right hand (dextera). 12. Theadze (ascia) isnamed
from the shavings (astula, i.e. assula) that it removes
from wood. Its diminutive is asciola. There is also an
adze with a short handle and on the opposite side either
a plain hammer or a hollowed one or a two-horned
drag-hoe.
13. The chisel (scalprus, i.e. scalprum) issonamed
because it is suited for carvings (scalptura) andmaking
holes (foramen), as if the word were scalforus.Itsdiminutive
is scalpellus. 14. Thegimlet (terebra) isnamedfrom
the wood-worm called terebra, whichthe Greeks call
. Henceitis called terebra because, like the
worm, it ‘bores aholebyabrasion’ (terendo forare), as
if the word were terefora,orasifitweretransforans (i.e.
“boring through”). 15. Theauger (taratrum), as if the
word were teratrum (i.e. from terere,“abrade”). The rasp
(scobina) issonamedbecauseitproducesfilings (scobis)byabrasion.
The rafter (cantherium)...Thegouge
(guvia)...
xx. The invention of clothmaking (De inventione
lanificii) 1. Thepagans praise a certain Minerva for
many clever inventions, for they claim that she was the
first to have demonstrated the practice of clothmaking –
to have set uptheloomand dyed wool. 2.They also say
that she was the discoverer of the olive and of craftsmanship,
the inventor of many arts, and for this reason
craftsmen commonly pray to her. But this is merely a
poetic fiction, for Minerva is not the originator of these
arts, but, because intelligence is said to be in a person’s
head – and Minerva was imagined to have been born
from Jupiter’s head – this is native ingenuity. And thus
an intelligent person’s sense, which discovers everything,
12 There is some controversy among textile historians as to
whether byssus referred to cotton or linen. See xxii.15 below. It is
probably safest to assume that its meaning could extend to either
fiber depending on the context.
The Etymologies XIX.xix.12–xxii.2 383
is in the head. Hence Minerva is said to be the goddess
of the arts because nothing is more excellent than the
native ingenuity by which all things are regulated.
xxi. Priestly vestments according to the Law (De
veste sacerdotali in lege) 1. There are eight kinds of
priestly vestments according to the Law (i.e. the Hebrew
Scriptures; see Exodus 28 and 39). The poderis is a priestly
garment of linen, close-fitting and reaching to the feet
(pes, gen.pedis), whence it is named. Common people
call itacamisia. 2.Theabanet is a rounded priestly belt,
woven like damask out of scarlet, purple, and hyacinth,
such that flowers and gems seem to be set out on it.
3. Thepilleum is made from linen (byssus), 12 rounded
like a hemisphere, covering the priestly head and held
tightly around the skull with a headband. The Greeks
call this a tiara (i.e. ) orgalerum, andsodo we.
4. Themahil, which is an ankle-length tunic entirely of
hyacinth color, has seventy-two bells at the feet, and the
same number of pomegranate-figures hanging between
them (see Exodus 28:33).
5. Theephod, whichcan be translated into Latin as
superindumentum (lit. “overclothing”), was a cloak over
the shoulder, woven from four colors and gold. Over
each shoulder an emerald was set in gold and the names
of the patriarchs were carved on them. 6. Thelogium
(cf. , “high priest’s breastplate”), which is called
the rationale (i.e. “breastplate”) in Latin, was a doubled
cloth, woven with gold and four colors, the size
of a square as wide as a palm; there were twelve very
precious stones woven into it. This garment was tied
over the shoulder across the chest of the high priest.
7. Thepetalum is a golden plate worn against the high
priest’s forehead; it would have the Tetragrammaton,
the name of God, written on it in Hebrew characters. 8.
The batin,orfeminalia,were knee-length linen breeches
with which the private parts of the priest would be
hidden.
xxii. The different kinds of clothing and their names
(De diversitate et nominibus vestimentorum) 1. The
different kinds of clothing are coverings, garments,
clothes and so on. 2. Acovering (tegmen) issonamed
because it covers (tegere) the limbs, just as a tegumen
(i.e. a variant of the same word) is a shelter (tectum)that
covers the body. More precisely, clothing (vestimentum)
is that which extends to the footprints (vestigium), as if
the word were vestigimentum, suchasanankle-length