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CYATHUS

Volume 3 · 145 words · 1778 Edition

κυάθος, from the verb κύανειν, to pour out. It was a common measure among the Greeks and Ro- mans, both of the liquid and dry kind. It was equal to an ounce, or the twelfth part of a pint. The cy- athus was made with an handle like our punch-ladle. The Roman toper was used to drink as many cyathi as there were muses, i.e. nine; also as many as there were letters in the patron's name. Thus, they had modes of drinking similar to the modern health- drinking, or toasting. Pliny says, that the cyathus of the Greeks weighed 10 drachms; and Galen says the same; though elsewhere he says, that a cyathus contains 12 drachms of oil, 13 drachms and one scruple of wine, water, or vinegar, and 18 drachms of honey. Galen says, that among the Veterinarii the cyathus contained two ounces.