aulaeum: Difference between revisions

|lshtext=<b>aulaeum</b>: i, n., = [[αὐλαία]] (Plut.),<br /><b>I</b> a [[splendidly]] [[wrought]] or [[embroidered]] [[stuff]], [[tapestry]], arras, esp. a [[covering]], a curtain, [[hangings]]: aulaea [[genus]] [[vestis]] peregrinum, Varr. de Vita populi Rom. lib. III.; Non. p. 537 sq.: aulaea dicta sunt ab aulā Attali, in quā [[primum]] inventa sunt [[vela]] ingentia, Serv. ad Verg. G. 3, 25.<br /><b>I</b> A curtain, [[canopy]]: suspensa aulaea, Hor. S. 2, 8, 54; and so Prop. 3, 30, 12.—In partic., the curtain of a [[theatre]]; [[which]], [[among]] the ancients, [[contrary]] to [[modern]] [[usage]], [[was]] lowered from the [[ceiling]] to the [[floor]] at the [[beginning]] of a [[piece]] or [[act]], and at the [[conclusion]] [[was]] [[drawn]] up; cf. Smith, Dict. Antiq.; [[hence]] the [[expression]], [[aulaeum]] tollitur, is [[drawn]] up, at the [[end]] of a [[piece]] ([[act]]), Cic. Cael. 27, 65; Ov. M. 3, 111; on the contr. mittitur, is dropped, at the [[beginning]], Phaedr. 5, 7, 23. Usually [[such]] curtains were [[wrought]] [[with]] the figures of gods or men, esp. of heroes, and in [[drawing]] up the curtain, the [[upper]] [[part]] of the figures would [[first]] [[become]] [[visible]], [[then]] the [[lower]] parts in [[succession]], appearing, as it were, [[themselves]] to [[draw]] up the curtain; [[hence]], utque Purpurea intexti tollant aulaea [[Britanni]], and [[how]] the Britons [[woven]] [[upon]] it [[lift]] the [[purple]] curtain, Verg. G. 3, 25 Voss; cf. also Ov. M. l. l. Bach.—<br /><b>II</b> A [[covering]] for beds and sofas, [[tapestry]]: aulaeis jam se [[regina]] superbis Aurea composuit spondā, Verg. A. 1, 697: Cenae [[sine]] aulaeis et ostro, Hor. C. 3, 29, 15; Curt. 8, 5, 21; 8, 9, 15.—<br /><b>III</b> The drapery of a [[heavy]] [[upper]] [[garment]], pictae Sarrana ferentem Ex umeris aulaea togae, the folds of his [[embroidered]] [[toga]], Juv. 10, 39.