ῥόμβος

ῥόμβος or [full] ῥύμβος, ὁ, ([etym.] ῥέμβω)

A bull-roarer, instrument whirled round on the end of a string, used in the mysteries,

ῥόμβου θ' εἱλισσομένα κύκλιος ἔνοσις αἰθερία E.Hel.1362

, cf. Archyt.1, Theoc.2.30; as a boy's toy, AP6.309 (Leon.), Orph.Fr.31.29, Fr.34, M.Ant.5.36; defined as ξυλήφιον, οὗ ἐξῆπται τὸ σπαρτίον, καὶ ἐν ταῖς τελεταῖς ἐδονεῖτο, ἵνα ῥοιζῇ, Sch.Clem.Al.Protr.2.17.2, cf. Hsch.

2 magic wheel, spun alternately in each direction by the torsion of two cords passed through two holes in it, used as a love-charm, Luc.DMeretr. 4.5; called ἴυγξ in Theoc.2.17, AP5.204; Lat. rhombus, Prop.2.28.35, Ov.Am.1.8.7.

b τροχίσκος ὃν στρέφουσιν ἱμᾶσι τύπτοντες, καὶ οὕτως κτύπον ἀποτελοῦσι Sch.A.R.1.1134; ὦ ῥύμβε μαστίξας ἐμέ (dub. sens.) Eup.72.

3 tambourine or kettle-drum, used in the worship of Rhea and of Dionysus, Ar.Fr.303, Diog.Ath.1.3, A.R. 1.1139, AP6.165 (Phal.);

ῥύμβος ξύλινος ἐπίχρυσος IG22.1456.49

, cf. 1517.207.

4 membrum virile, PLond.1821.164.

II whirling motion, as of a bull-roarer, ἀκόντων ἱέντα ῥόμβον shooting forth whirling darts, Pi.O.13.94; αἰετοῦ ῥ. the eagle's swoop, Id.I.4(3).47(65);

ῥ. τυπάνων Id.Dith.Oxy.1604

Fr.1 ii 9;

ἐν αἰθερίῳ ῥύμβῳ Critias 19.2D.

; ῥόμβου ἀπειρεσίου δινεύμασιν οἶμον ἐλαύνων, of the Sun, Orph.H. 8.7: metaph.,

Νέμεσις καὶ ῥ. ἀλάστωρ IG14.1389i

i34 (perh. an Adj., = ῥεμβός).—The Gramm. hold ῥύμβος to be [dialect] Att., ῥόμβος Hellenic, Sch.Theoc.2.30, Ath.7.330b.

B rhombus, lozenge, i.e. a four-sided figure with all the sides, but only the opposite angles, equal, Arist.Mech.854b16, Euc.1 Def. 22.

b ῥ. στερεός, a figure composed of two cones on opposite sides of the same base, Archim.Sph.Cyl.1.26, al.

2 a species of fish, of which turbot and brill are varieties, so called from its rhomblike shape, Nausicr.2.13; Ῥωμαῖοι καλοῦσι τὴν ψῆτταν ῥ. Ath.7.330b, cf. ψῆττα.

3 surgical bandage, so called from its shape, Hp. Off.7, Heliod. ap. Orib.48.20.14.

4 pattern of the same shape, in weaving cloth, Democr.Eph.1; διαπλοκὴ ῥόμβων Aristeas 74.