DICE-BOX, a narrow deep cornet, channelled within, wherein the dice are shaken and thrown. This answers to what the Romans called fritillus; whence, crepitantes fritilli; and, in Seneca, resonante fritillo. The same author uses also concutere fritillum, figuratively, for playing.—Besides the fritillus, the Romans, for greater security, had another kind of dice-box called pyrgus, πυργός, and sometimes turricula. It was placed immovable in the middle of the table, being perforated or open at both ends, and likewise channelled within; over the top was placed a kind of funnel, into which the dice were cast out upon the fritillus; whence descending, they fell through the bottom on the table; by which all practising on them with the fingers was
effectually prevented. For want of some contrivance of this kind, our sharpers have opportunities of playing divers tricks with the box, as palming, topping, slabbing, &c.