Capistrum
（
φορβειά, κημός, φιμός). A word derived from
capio, and denoting first of all a halter for animals, and apparently made of
leather. It was used in holding the head of a quadruped which required any healing operation,
in retaining animals at the stall, and in fastening them to the yoke. In representations of
Bacchanalian processions, the tigers or panthers are attached to the yoke by capistra made of
vine-branches.
 |
|
Tigers with Capistra. (Vatican.)
|
In ploughing fields which were planted with vines or other trees, the halter had a small
basket attached to it, enclosing the mouth, so as to prevent the ox from cropping the tender
shoots (
fiscellis capistrari). Also, when goatherds
wished to obtain milk for making cheese, they fastened a
 |
|
Capistrum. (From an Etruscan Vase.)
|
muzzle or capistrum, armed with iron points, about the mouth of the kid, to prevent
it from sucking.
Bands of similar materials were used to tie vines to the poles (
pali）
or transverse rails (
iuga) of a trellis.
The term
φορβειά was also applied to a contrivance used by
pipers (
αὐληταί) and trumpeters to compress their mouths and
cheeks, and thus to aid them in blowing. This was said to be the invention of Marsyas.
