amphora
οὐκ ἐν τῷ πολλῷ τὸ εὖ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ εὖ τὸ πολύ → good is not found in plenty but plenty in good, quality matters more than quantity
English > Greek (Woodhouse)
substantive
P. and V. ἀμφορεύς, ὁ ἀμφιφορεύς, ὁ.
a mixing-bowl to hold ten amphorae: V. κρατὴρ δεκάμφορος (Euripides, Cyclops 388).
holding ten thousand amphorae, adj.: Ar. μυριάμφορος.
Latin > English
amphora amphorae N F :: amphora, pitcher, two handled earthenware jar; a capacity of ~30 liters
Wikipedia EN
An amphora (/ˈæmfərə/; Ancient Greek: ἀμφορεύς, amphoreús; English plural: amphorae or amphoras) is a type of container with a pointed bottom and characteristic shape and size which fit tightly (and therefore safely) against each other in storage rooms and packages, tied together with rope and delivered by land or sea. The size and shape have been determined from at least as early as the Neolithic Period. Amphorae were used in vast numbers for the transport and storage of various products, both liquid and dry, but mostly for wine. They are most often ceramic, but examples in metals and other materials have been found. Versions of the amphorae were one of many shapes used in Ancient Greek vase painting.
The amphora complements a vase, the pithos, which makes available capacities between one-half and two and one-half tons. In contrast, the amphora holds under a half-ton, typically less than 50 kilograms (110 lb). The bodies of the two types have similar shapes. Where the pithos may have multiple small loops or lugs for fastening a rope harness, the amphora has two expansive handles joining the shoulder of the body and a long neck. The necks of pithoi are wide for scooping or bucket access. The necks of amphorae are narrow for pouring by a person holding it by the bottom and a handle. Some variants exist. The handles might not be present. The size may require two or three handlers to lift. For the most part, however, an amphora was tableware, or sat close to the table, was intended to be seen, and was finely decorated as such by master painters.
Stoppers of perishable materials, which have rarely survived, were used to seal the contents. Two principal types of amphorae existed: the neck amphora, in which the neck and body meet at a sharp angle; and the one-piece amphora, in which the neck and body form a continuous curve upwards. Neck amphorae were commonly used in the early history of ancient Greece, but were gradually replaced by the one-piece type from around the 7th century BC onward.
Most were produced with a pointed base to allow upright storage by embedding in soft ground, such as sand. The base facilitated transport by ship, where the amphorae were packed upright or on their sides in as many as five staggered layers. If upright, the bases probably were held by some sort of rack, and ropes passed through their handles to prevent shifting or toppling during rough seas. Heather and reeds might be used as packing around the vases. Racks could be used in kitchens and shops. The base also concentrated deposits from liquids with suspended solid particles, such as olive oil and wines.
Amphorae are of great use to maritime archaeologists, as they often indicate the age of a shipwreck and the geographic origin of the cargo. They are occasionally so well preserved that the original content is still present, providing information on foodstuffs and mercantile systems. Amphorae were too cheap and plentiful to return to their origin-point and so, when empty, they were broken up at their destination. At a breakage site in Rome, Testaccio, close to the Tiber, the fragments, later wetted with calcium hydroxide (calce viva), remained to create a hill now named Monte Testaccio, 45 m (148 ft) high and more than 1 kilometre in circumference.
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
amphŏra: ,, ae (
I gen. plur. as a measure, usually amphorūm, v infra, II.; cf. Charis. p. 41 P.), f., = ἀμφορεύς, a vessel, usually made of clay, with two handles or ears; for liquids, esp. wine, a flagon, pitcher. flask, bottle, jar, etc.; cf. Smith, Dict. Antiq.
I Lit.: amphoras implere, Cato, R. R. 113, 2: amphora coepit Institui, Hor. A. P. 22; so id. C. 3, 8, 11; 3, 16, 34; Petr. 34 al.— Also for holding wine: amphora vini, Vulg. 1 Reg. 1, 24; ib. Dan. 14, 2; oil: amphorae oleariae, Cato, R. R. 10, 2; honey: aut pressa puris mella condit amphoris, Hor. Epod. 2, 15; water: amphoram aquae portans, Vulg. Luc. 22, 10.—Poet. for the wine contained therein, Hor. C. 3, 28, 8.—
II Transf.
A A measure for liquids (also called quadrantal; cf. Fest. p. 258 Müll.), = 2 urnae, or 8 congii, etc. = 6 gals. 7 pts.: in singulas vini amphoras, Cic. Font. 5, 9; Plin. 9, 30, 48, § 93. Since such a measure was kept as a standard at the Capitolium, amphora Capitolina signifies an amphora of the full measure, Capitol. Max. 4.—
B The measure of a ship (as the ton with us): naves, quarum minor nulla erat duūm milium amphorūm, Lentul. ap. Cic. Fam. 12, 15, 2; Plin. 6, 22, 24, § 82: navem, quae plus quam CCC. amphorarum esset, Liv. 21, 63.
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
amphŏra,¹¹ æ, f. (ἀμφορεύς), amphore [récipient utilisé surtout pour les liquides] : Cato Agr. 113, 2 ; Hor. Epo. 2, 15 ; Col. Rust. 12, 40 || [mesure pour les liquides]: Cic. Font. 9 ; Plin. 9, 93 || [tonnage d’un navire] : Lentul. Fam. 12, 15, 2 ; Plin. 6, 82.
gén pl. amphorum Lentul.
Latin > German (Georges)
amphora (später amfora), ae, f. (ἀμφορεύς, zsgz. aus ἀμφιφορεύς v. ἀμφι-φέρω), I) ein großes zylinderförmiges, meist aus Ton ( Hor. art. poët. 21. Cael. Aur. chron. 3, 2, 23), doch auch aus Glas (dah. vitrea, Petr. 34, 6), sogar einmal aus dem Onyx ( Plin. 36, 59) verfertigtes Gefäß mit spitz zulaufendem unterem Ende, um es in die Erde od. in die Löcher des abacus (s.d. no. III) stecken zu können, oben mit einem engen Halse u. zwei Henkeln zum Tragen, mit einem Kork (cortex od. suber) verschlossen u. dieser wieder mit Pech od. Gips versiegelt ( cortex astrictus pice, amphorae diligenter gypsatae), die Amphora, der Krug, gew. zum Aufbewahren des Weins, nachdem er in den doliis gehörig gegoren hatte ( Procul. dig. 33, 6, 15; dann bezeichnet mit den Konsuln, unter denen sie gelagert waren, an den gläsernen auf pittacia, tesserae; vgl. Orelli Hor. carm. 3, 21, 1), oft b. Cato, Hor. u.a.: meton. (poet.) für »Wein«. Hor. u. Mart. – zum Aufbewahren des Honigs, Cic. u. Hor.: des Öls, olearia, Cato: des geschmolzenen Metalls, Nep. – zum Aufbewahren eines Leichnams als Sarg (dah. in der Mitte aufgeschnitten u. nach Hineinlegen des Leichnams wieder zusammengefügt), Prop. 4, 5, 75. – auch als großes Uringefäß mit einem mehr trichterförmigen Halse in Sackgäßchen u. Durchgängen zum Gebrauch für die Vorübergehenden aufgestellt, C. Titius b. Macr. sat. 2, 12 (3, 16), 15. – amphorae sparteae, mit zwei Handhaben versehene Körbe aus Pfriemgras, zum Aufbewahren der Weintrauben, Cato r.r. 11, 2. – II) übtr., 1) als Maß für Flüssigkeiten (auch quadrantal gen.) = 2 urnae od. 8 congii od. 48 sextarii = rund 20 Liter, u. 5 amphorae = rund 100 Liter, Cic. u.a. – amphora Capitolina, die auf dem Kapitol als Normalmaß aufgestellte geeichte Amphora, Capitol. Maximin. 4, 1. – 2) als Gewicht, zur Bestimmung der Größe eines Schiffes, wie unser Tonne, da die amphora im allg. 80 röm. Pfund wiegen sollte (hier meist Genet. Plur. amphorum, s. Charis. 56, 4 sqq.; 100, 14 sqq. Diom. 304, 26; vgl. Neue-Wagener Formenl.3 Bd. 1. S. 32 u. 33: naves onerariae, quarum minor nulla erat duum milium amphorum, Lentul. in Cic. ep.: magnitudo (navium) ad terna milia amphorum, Plin.: navis plus quam trecentarum amphorarum, Liv. – / Die Schreibung ampora verworfen von Prob. app. (IV) 199, 17.
