ascia
- I Lit.: rogum asciā ne polito, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Cic. Leg. 2, 23; Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 198: tilia ascias retundit, id. 16, 40, 76, § 207: in securi et asciā aliquid deicere, Vulg. Psa. 73, 6: lignum de saltu praecidit opus manūs artificis in asciā, ib. Jer. 10, 3.—Prov. asciam sibi in crus impingere or illidere, to cut one's own legs, Petr. 74, 16; cf. Ap. Met. 3, 22, 17.—
- II Transf.
- A A mattock, a hoel asciae in aversā parte referentes rastros, Pall. 1, 43, 3—
- B A mason's trowel, Vitr. 7, 2; Pall. 1, 14; upon monuments such a trowel is found pictured, and in the inscription the expression SVB ASCIA or AD ASCIAM DEDICATVM, i. e. consecrated while yet under the trowel (prob this was done in order to protect the empty sepulchre from injury), Inscr. Orell. 249, 4464; 4465; 4466; 4467: PATER ET MATER FILIO DVLCISSIMO AD ASCIAM DEDICATVM POSVERVNT, ib. 4468.
securim atque ~iam in manu ferens
~ia,adesa
per hascia[m ] ‥ amputaverunt ei capud
ascia, falx, fede quos roderat atra rubigo, / gestantur
hec acia,a thyxylle
si est arthetica, ~ia superius aperiatur epatica a parte opposita in principio
- , see ascea.
AS´CIAa tool employed in somewhat different forms for different purposes.
1. The σκέπαρνον of Homer (Hom. Od. 5.235, 9.391-Z2), used in working wood, and resembling our adze. It was different from the πέλεκυς, felling-axe or hatchet (Liddell and Scott, s. v.). Muratori (Inscr. 1.534-536) has published numerous representations of the adze, as it is exhibited on ancient monuments. In the accompanying cut the figure on the left hand represents a ship-builder holding the ascia in his right hand, and using it to shape the rib of a vessel. Nos. 1 and 2 show the instrument with a slight variety of form, and No. 3 is the acisculus (see below), taken from a coin of the Valerian gens. Its invention is attributed by Pliny (Plin. Nat.6.198) to Daedalus. Cf. XII. Tab. op. Cic. de Leg. 2.2. 3; Plin. Nat.16.207; Petr. 74, 16; and App. M. 3.6, where we find the proverb in crus sibi asciam impingere --to cut one's own legs.
2. The Greek τύκος (Eur. H. F. 945; Pollux, 10.147) or τύχος (Theogn. 24), used in dressing stone, was a mason's hammer. Hence τύκη signifies mason's work (Eur. Ion 206) and τύκισμα, working of stones (Eur. Troad. 812).
The ascia, or mason's hammer, often represented on tombs, especially in Gallia Lugdunensis, together with inscriptions, of which sub ascia posuit, sub ascia dedicavit (or S. A. D.), vivus sibi sub ascia dedicavit, may be taken as typical instances. The phrase is generally taken to mark a new tomb, which is held to be still in the workman's hands. The object of this, according to Facciolati, was to secure the right of re-opening the tomb without having recourse to the governor of the province and the pontiffs. For other views, which are numerous, see Mazzocchi, De Formula sub ascia dedicate (Naples, 1738), or a summary of the earlier views in Forcellini, s. v., and A. de Barthélemy, Recherches sur le formule sub ascia.
3. A bricklayer's implement for chopping lime and mixing mortar (Vitr. 7.7; Pallad. 1.14), seen in the woodcut below from Trajan's Column.
4. A hoe, which probably resembled an adze in the shape of its blade and the shortness of its handle. (Pallad. 1.43: ascias in aversa parte referentes rastros.)
Asciola is given by Isidore (Orig. xix. 19) as the diminutive of ascia, and acisculus (Id. Gloss.) with the explanation asciola, dolabra. The word acisculus is also found on coins of the Valerian gens (in which Acisculus was a name), together with representations of a tool, resembling an ascia (see first cut No. 3), but varying in shape on the different coins. [J.Y] [J.H.F]
(σκέπαρνον, τύκος). (1) An adze, used in working wood, as shown in the accompanying illustrations. The left-hand figure represents a ship-carpenter shaping the rib of a vessel with an ascia.
(2) A mason's hammer used in dressing stone.
(3) A bricklayer's tool for mixing mortar.
(4) A hoe.