ῥάβδος

ῥάβδος, ἡ, A. rod, wand, Hom. (v. infr.), etc.; lighter than the βακτηρία or walking-stick, X. Eq. 11.4 (but = βακτηρία, Ev.Matt. 10.10, al.). —Special uses: 1. magic wand, as that of Circe, Od. 10.238, 319, etc.; that with which Athena touched Odysseus, to restore his youthful appearance, χρυσείῃ ῥάβδῳ ἐπεμάσσατο 16.172; that with which Hermes overpowers the senses of man, Il. 24.343; that with which Hades rules the ghosts, Pi. O. 9.33; divining-rod, Hdt. 4.67. 2. fishing-rod, Od. 12.251. 3. limed twig, for catching small birds, Ar. Av. 527. 4. shaft of a hunting-spear, X. Cyn. 10.3,16. 5. staff of office, like the earlier σκῆπτρον, Pl. Ax. 367a, LXX Ps. 44(45).7, 109(110).2; carried by a βραβευτής, Phld. Vit.p.25J.:— dub. in A. Supp. 248 for ῥαβδοῦχος. 6. wand borne by the ῥαψῳδός, τὸν ἐπὶ ῥάβδῳ μῦθον ὑφαινόμενον Call. Fr. 138 ( = Fr. 3.10P.), cf. Paus. 9.30.3: hence κατὰ ῥάβδον ἐπέων according to the measure of his (Homerʼs) verses, Pi. I. 4(3).38(56). 7. rod for chastisement, ῥ. κοσμοῦσα Pl. Lg. 700c; μάστιξ ἢ ῥ. riding-switch, X. Eq. 8.4; ῥ. βοηλάτις ox-goad, APl. 16.200 (Mosch.); ξαίνεσθαι ῥάβδοις Plu. Alex. 51, cf. AP 11.153 (Lucill.): of the fasces of the Roman lictors, Plb. 11.29.6, D.H. 4.11, Str. 5.2.2, Plu. Publ. 10, Luc. 36; πρὸς πέντε ῥάβδους, = Lat. at (i.e. ad) quinque fasces (CIL8.7044 (Numidia)), OGI 543.18 (Ancyra, ii A.D.), IGRom. 3.175 (ibid., ii A.D.); cf. ῥαβδονόμος, ῥαβδοῦχος. 8. shepherdʼs staff or crook, LXXPs. 22(23).4, Mi. 7.14. 9. ῥ. κληρονομίας measuring-rod, ib.Ps. 73(74).2. 10. stitch, ἔντοσθεν δὲ βοείας ῥάψε θαμειὰς χρυσείῃς ῥάβδοισι διηνεκέσιν περὶ κύκλον Il. 12.297 (unless it means rivets, studs). II. young shoot of some trees, Ion Trag.40, Thphr. HP 2.1.2. III. streak or stripe on the skin of animals, διαποίκιλα ῥάβδοις Arist. HA 525a12; of fish, Clearch. 73; of clothes, Poll. 7.53; fluting of a column, Supp.Epigr. 4.448.7 (Didyma, ii B.C., pl.); of minerals, vein, Thphr. CP 4.12.6, D.S. 5.37; streak or shaft of light, Arist. Mete. 377a30, Mu. 395a31, Thphr. Sign. 11. IV. in Gramm., 1. line, verse, Sch.Pi. I. 4.63. 2. a critical mark, like ὀβελός, Hsch. 3. stroke forming a letter, Theodect. 6.6.