SCALPRUM
SCALPRUM was the name which might no doubt be applied to any
instrument which could be said
scalpere, and so
it includes both cutting and chiselling tools. Under the former head we
have:--
- 1. The shoemaker's knife for cutting leather = the Greek σμίλη or σμιλίον (Hor. Sat. 2.3,
106; Pollux, 7.83; Plat. Rep. i. p. 353 A,
Alc. i. p. 129 C). There is a distinction between
the σμίλη, which has a straight
blade like an ordinary knife blade, and the τομεὺς or περιτομεύς, also used by leather-cutters, which had a
crescent-shaped blade (Olympiodor. p. 210). Blümner
(Technol. 1.273) identifies the scalprum with
the. straight-bladed (σμίλη, and
the culter crepidarius with the rounded
τομεύς.
- 2. Scalprum librarium (καλαμογλύφος, a penknife (Tac. Ann. 5.8; Suet. Vit. 2) = σμίλη
δονακογλύφος (Anth. P. 6.295), which
was used to make the point of the reed-pen. [CALAMUS]
- 3. A grafting-knife for gardeners (Plin. Nat. 17.119).
- 4. A surgeon's knife (Cels. 8.3): both σμίλη and τομεὺς
are names of ἰατρῶν ἐργαλεῖα
(Poll. 4.181). [See woodcut under CHIRURGIA]
As a chisel we have the
scalprum fabrile (
Liv. 27.49), alike for wood and stone, in form
resembling a modern chisel (see cut under
CIRCINUS) and = the Greek
γλύφανον: it was struck with a mallet (
malleus), for which the Greek equivalent is
κολαπτήρ, for Rich and Liddell and Scott are
probably mistaken in understanding the
κολαπτὴρ to be a chisel. (See Blümner,
Technologie, 2.211, 3.93.)
[
G.E.M]