RASTRUM
RASTRUM,
RASTRI, RASTELLUS. In this word the
neuter form belongs to the singular; the masculine, as though from
raster, to the plural. As regards its use, it seems
to us necessary to make a clear distinction between (1) the rastrum
quadridens, which is a rake; and (2) the rastrum bidens, which is a hoe or
mattock. When rastrum stands alone, the quadridens or rake is usually meant,
but not always in poetry; for instance, in
Verg. G.
1.94,
Aen. 9.608, the bidens is to be understood.
(1.) The quadridens or four-toothed rake (in Greek probably
λίστρον) was sometimes of iron; it is mentioned
by Cato in his list of
ferramenta, for an olive
garden (
Cat. Agr. 10), and for a vineyard (ib.
11); but in
Col. 2.11,
4,
lignei rastri are used to rake the
earth over seeds. The diminutive
rastellus is
nearly always a rake, and, as far as its material is stated, a wooden rake,
for raking sown ground (
Col. 2.12,
6), for raking up straw (Varr.
R. R.
1.49). In
Suet. Nero 19, however, the
rastellus is a light bidens.
(2.) The two-pronged rastrum,
rastrum bidens
(nearly always
bidens alone), was used as a hoe
or mattock for breaking up the ground (=Greek
δίκελλα or
σμινύη). It was
probably always of iron (as in Pallad. 8.5), so as to be driven forcibly
into the ground, “fossores
jactant
bidentes” (
Col. 3.13): the farmer uses
it in the vineyard, turning up the earth “vel aratro vel
bidente” ; “fossor qui crebris bidentibus soli terga
comminuit” (id. 4.14). It is used for
stony ground, while the
pala or spade suits
marshy ground (
Plin. Nat. 18.46). The
woodcut under
PALA shows a bidens
with curved prongs; cf.
curvi rastri in Catull.
64, 39.
[
J.Y] [
G.E.M]
