scale (subs.) Copy link Outline I. The dish of a balanceII. A thin plate1. squāma2. lāmĭna (also contr. lamna, Hor.; a thin plate of metal)III. Regular gradationIV. Standard of proportionV. A graduated instrumentVI. In music, diagramma, ătis, n. • scale (subs.): I. The dish of a balance: lanx, cis, f. (with dimin. lancula, Vitr. 10, 8, 4: Varr.): to depress the s., l. deprimere, Cic. Acad. 2, 12, 37: to put the possessions of the body into one s., those of the soul into the other, in alteram l. animi bona imponere, in alteram corporis, id. Tusc. 5, 17, 51. A pair of s.s, lībra, trŭtĭna: v. balance. The Scales (a constellation), Libra, Manil.: a balance with its two s.s, libra bilanx, Mart. Cap. II. A thin plate: natural or artificial: 1. squāma: covered with s.s (as fishes), squamis obductus, Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 121: applied to scale-armour, Virg. Aen. 11, 771: to s.s of metal struck off by the hammer, Plin. 34, 11, 24 (q. v.). Dimin., squāmŭla: small s.s fall from the surface of the skin, s. ex summa cute decidunt, Cels. 5, 28, 17. 2. lāmĭna (also contr. lamna, Hor.; a thin plate of metal): defensive armour made of iron s.s, tegumen ferreis l. consertum, Tac. H. 1, 79. Phr.: a coat of scale-armour, cataphractes, ib.: fir-cones closely compacted like s.s, nucamenta squamatim compacta, Plin. 16, 10, 19, ad fin. III. Regular gradation: expr. by grădus in pl.: the s. of human society, g. societatis humanae, Cic. Off. 1, 17, 53: v. gradation. IV. Standard of proportion: nearest word mŏdŭlus (cf. Suet. Ner. 49): maps on a larger s., *tabulae ampliore modulo descriptae: sometimes also merely expr. by adj. of size; a war on a grander s., majus bellum, Liv. 21, 2. Phr.: a covered passage almost on the s. of a public building, cryptoporticus prope publici operis instar, Plin. Ep. 2, 17, 16: there was never an engagement on a vaster s., non alias majore mole concursum, Tac. A. 2, 46. V. A graduated instrument: *scāla (geometrica, etc.): (Kr.): v. measure. VI. In music, diagramma, ătis, n.: Vitr. 5, 4, 1: the s. from base to treble, scansio sonorum, id. 6, 1, 6: also, octăchordum (a system of 8 notes), Boëth. Mus. 5, 14; *scala, Kircher, Musurg. vol. i. p. 214 (Rome. 1650). Phr.: to run down the s., vocem ab acutissimo sono usque ad gravissimum sonum recipere, Cic. de Or. 1, 59, 251: (cf. omnes sonorum gradus persequi, id. Or. 18, 59). (N.B.--As the ancient system of music differed fundamentally from the modern, it is impossible to expr. in class. lang. a major or minor s. [*scala major, minor, quam vocant]: these terms are however used: a chromatic s., chroma; a diatonic s., diatonum; an enharmonic s., enharmonicum, Boëth. On the whole subj., v. Dict. Ant. art. "Music.")
scale (v.) Copy link Outline I. To take off the scalesII. To climb by ladders • scale (v.): I. To take off the scales: desquāmo, 1: to s. fish, d. pisces, Pl. Aul. 2, 9, 1. II. To climb by ladders: expr. by phr. with scālae, arum: to s. a rampart, vallum scalis ascendere, Caes. B. G. 5, 43: to s. the walls, s. positis muros ascendere, id. B. C. 1, 48: scalis scandere muros, in muros evadere, Liv. 29, 7: to take a town by s.ing the walls, oppidum scalis capere, id. 8, 29, ad fin.: v. escalade: a machine for s.ing the walls, ascendens machina, Vitr. 10, 13 (19), 3.
SCALE Copy link • SCALE 1. s. Of a balance, lanx: scales, trutina (τρυτάνη: PROP. the hole in which the tongue of the balance plays; then general term for balance: trutinae, quae staterae dicuntur, Vitr., 10, 3, 8, 4): libra (a pair of scales): statera (mostly steelyard; seldom pair of scales): to weigh in a scale, pendere; trutinā examinare (Cic., De Or., 2, 38, 159). Not to weigh in too nice a scale, non aurificis statera, sed populari trutinā examinare: to hold the scale even, binas lances aequato examine sustinere (Verg., PROP.); aequabilem juris rationem tenere (Cic., figuratively). The scale turns [Vid: TURN]. A thin lamina, squama (as, of a fish): covered with scales, squamis obductus or intectus; squamosus: to take off scales from fish, pisces desquamare. 2. v. Transitively, To strip off scales, desquamare (general term); or desquamare pisces (fishes). To pare the surface from, summum corticem desquamare (of the bark of a tree); also, decorticare arborem, or corticem arbori in orbem detrahere (all round). To climb as by ladders [Vid: to CLIMB]. to scale the wall, scalas moenibus applicare or admovere (to put the scaling-ladders to the wall): scalis muros adoriri (to attack it): scalas erigi jubere (to order the scaling-ladders to be used): murum or in murum ascendere: in murum (muros), in moenia evadere (of the enemy, but also of the inhabitants of a town): impetu facto urbem scalis capere (to take by scaling): to endeavor to scale ascensum urbis scalis tentare. Intransitively, To pare off, desquamari (of bodies covered with scales): squamulae ex cute decedunt or a cute resolvuntur; squamae a cute recedunt or ex cute secedunt (relating to the skin); also, *furfures cutis abscedunt.