cantherius Latin · revision 35938

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=grc κανθήλια}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [kanˈtʰeː.ri.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [kanˈtɛː.ri.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''canthērius''' ''m'' (genitive canthēriī or canthērī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also spelled ''cantērius'', and manuscripts use both spellings indiscriminately.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably [[bor|grc|κανθήλιος|tr=kanthḗlios|t=pack-ass]],^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)^(DMLBS) from [[m|grc|κανθήλια|tr=kanthḗlia|t=pack-saddle]];^(Wiktionary) the OLD and Lewis & Short give the Greek word only as a comparison or a possibility,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Köbler calls the origin unclear.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus on,^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010) meaning a poor horse or [[m|en|gelding]]: in the ''Aulularia'' mules, which now cost more than horses, would become cheaper than Gallic ''cantēriī''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The basic sense is a gelding, usually a horse of poor quality, a nag;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Döderlein sets it beside [[equus]], [[caballus]] and [[mannus]] as the word for a castrated horse.^(Döderlein 1874) It appears in proverbs: Cicero writes that someone who has eaten up his horse can ride to Rome on his mule,^(OLD 2012) and Livy has ''minime, sis, cantherium in fossam'', “not the nag into the ditch, please”.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Plautus also uses it of a man made impotent by age, and Tertullian of an ass or mule.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ By likeness it became a technical word: Vitruvius uses it for the principal [[m|en|rafter|alt=rafters]] of a roof, Columella for a vine prop made of a horizontal rod on two supports, and Vegetius for a frame to hold up sick horses.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Medieval Latin kept the sense “gelding”, glossed as Old English ''hengst'',^(MLW)^(DMLBS) and added a frame for stretching hides and a kind of cargo ship.^(MLW)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for an inferior horse and for an old man.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it for a gelding.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero quotes a proverb about eating up one's horse.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it for the rafters of a roof.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1st century AD – Columella uses it for a kind of vine prop.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it for an ass or mule.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 400 AD – Vegetius uses it for a frame for sick horses.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|gelding]]; a horse of poor quality, a [[m|en|nag]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A man impotent through age.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Late Latin)'' An ass or [[m|en|mule]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(architecture)'' A principal [[m|en|rafter]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(viticulture)'' A vine prop made of a horizontal rod on two supports, a [[m|en|trellis]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A frame for suspending sick horses.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A frame for stretching hides; a kind of cargo ship.^(MLW)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[canthēriātus]]

+ * [[canthērīnus]]

+ * [[canthēriolus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein notes that Seneca reports Cato the Censor riding a ''canterius'' with saddlebags.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}