libra

lībra, ae, f. [cf. λίτρα; root cli-, clino],

• the Roman pound, of twelve ounces: as erat libra pondus, Varr. L. L. 5, § 169 Müll.: coronam auream libram pondo ex publica pecunia in Capitolio Iovi donum posuit, Liv. 4, 20: mulli binas libras ponderis raro exsuperant, Plin. 9, 17, 30, § 64: expende Hannibalem, quot libras in duce summo invenies? Juv. 10, 147: neque argenti in convivio plus pondo quam libras centum inlaturos, Gell. 2, 24, 2: dipondii pondo duas erant libras, Gai. Inst. 1, 122.—
• II Transf.
• • A A measure for liquids: frumenti denos modios et totidem olei libras, Suet. Caes. 38.—
  • B.1 A balance, pair of scales: cum in alteram librae lancem animi bona imponebat, in alteram corporis, etc., Cic. Tusc. 5, 17, 51; cf. id. Fin. 5, 30, 91.—
  • • 2 A water-poise, plummet-level, level, line: sin autem locus ... pari libra cum aequore maris est, Col. 8, 17, 4: libratur autem dioptris aut libris aquariis aut chorobate, Vitr. 8, 6, 1.—Hence, ad libram: alteram navem pluribus aggressus navibus in quibus ad libram fecerat turres, of equal height or of equal weight, Caes. B. C. 3, 40, 1.—
    • 3 Counterpoise, balance: contra flatus quoque pervicax libra Bononiensibus calamis, Plin. 16, 36, 65, § 161: aes et libra, v. aes.—
    • 4 The constellation Libra, The Balance, Verg. G. 1, 208; Ov. F. 4, 386; Plin. 18, 25, 59, § 221: felix aequato genitus sub pondere Librae, Manil. 4, 545.—
    • 5 Trop., a balance (poet.), Pers. 4, 10: animi cunctantis libra, Claud. Laud. Stil. 1, 75.

lībra, ae, f. (aus *līthrā, woraus griech. λιτρα), die Wage, I) zum Wiegen, 1) eig. u. meton.: a) eig.: librae lanx, Cic. de fin. 5, 91 u. Tusc. 5, 51: ad libram dirigere opus (v. der spinnenden Hausfrau), Ambros. in Luc. 8. § 11. – per aes et libram, aere et librā, durch förmlichen Kauf (indem der Käufer od. Scheinkäufer ein Kupferstück an die Wage anschlug, eine Formalität bei gesetzlichen Erwerbungen durch Kauf, Schenkung, Testament) = unter Beobachtung der herkömmlichen gesetzlichen Form, testamentum per aes et libram, Instit. Iustin. 2, 10, 1; vgl. Gell. 15, 27, 3 (dah. sine libra et tabulis testamentum facere, ohne die herkömmliche gesetzliche Form zu beobachten, Cic. de or. 1, 228): librā et aere liberatum emittit, gibt den (aus der Hand des ersten Gläubigers) Befreiten durch förmliche Schenkung frei, Liv. 6, 14, 5: mercari alqd aere et librā, auf förmliche, rechtliche Weise, Hor. ep. 2, 2, 158: teque meae causam servatoremque salutis, meque tuum (esse) librā norit et aere minus, auch ohne förmliche Eigentumserwerbung, Ov. ex Pont. 4, 15, 41 sq. – b) (mit u. ohne pondo) meton., das Gewogene = das röm. Pfund (= 327,45 g), corona aurea libra pondo, Liv.: as est librae pondus, Varro LL.: libra ocellatorum, Varro fr.: decem librae auri, Lampr.: libram pondo aeris valere, Varro LL.: mulli binas libras ponderis raro exsuperant, Plin.: corona aurea librarum quinque, Suet.: argenti facti cenae gratiā decem pondo libras habere, zehn Pfund silbernes Tafelgeschirr haben, Gell. – für Flüssiges, libra olei, ein Pfund Öl, Suet. Caes. 38, 1. – 2) übtr., die Wage, ein Sternbild, Sen. nat. qu. 7, 27, 3. Plin. 18, 221. Verg. georg. 1, 208. Ov. fast. 4, 386. Manil. 4, 548. – II) die Wage zum Nivellieren, die Bleiwage, Wasserwage, aquaria, Vitr.: dah. ad libram (nach der Wage = in gleicher Höhe) fecisse turres, Caes. b. c. 3, 20, 2. – meton., das Gleichgewicht, Plin. 16, 161.

libra [CL] 1 pound, measure of weight or capacity: a (~a minor, parva, or subtilis) apothecary’s or troy, cont. 12 oz. or 20 s; b (~a Londoniae, mercatoria, or parva) London or mercantile, cont. 15 oz. or 25 s; c (~a magna or usualis) avoirdupois, cont. 16 oz. or 26 s. 8 d; d (~a grossa or magna) cont. seven ‘small’ pounds; e (signifying more than one of the above); f (w. ref. to standard weight used in the Exchequer). a ~a vel as sive assis: xij unciae Bede TR 4 p. 184; 11‥ xij uncie ~am xx solidos continentem efficiunt Eng. Weights 5; centena cere, zucarii, piperis, cumini, amigdalorum et aloigne continet xiij petras et dim., et quelibet petra continet viij libras ‥ et quelibet libra [consistit] ex pondere xxv s. [= StRealm I 205 [1267]] ~a vero auri, argenti, electuariorum et hujusmodi apotecariorum confecte consistit solummodo ex pondere xx s. sterlingorum Fleta 73; est libra triplex, viz. ~a subtilis, que constat ex xx solidis; et est libra usualis, que constat ex duabus marcis; et est libra grossa, que constat ex septem ~is subtilibus Cust. Cant. 33; nostri apotecarii qui emunt ad unam mensuram et vendunt ad aliam habent ut dicitur libre ij [sic], sc. libra magna et ~a minima. libra magna ponderat xxvj s. et viij d. sterlingorum et habet ℥ xvj; sed ~a parva non ponderat nisi xx s. sterlingorum et habet ℥ xij; ‥ et per libram magnam deberent venderi [sic] omnia liquida, sc. syrupos, olera et hujusmodi; et per ~am minorem omnia sicca ut zinziber gariofili et hujusmodi J. Mirfield Brev. 92.  b uncia debet ponderare viginti denarios. et quindecim uncie faciunt ~am Londonie Eng. Weights 9; quelibet ~a [consistit] ex pondere xxv s. Ib. (v. 1a supra); 1300 quelibet ~a plumbi ponderat xxv s. sterlingorum Pipe 145 r. 22 m. 1d.; 1300, 13‥ ~a parva (v. 1d infra).  c ~a usualis Cust. Cant. 33, ~a magna J. Mirfield Brev. 92 (v. 1a supra); cum ~am dico, uncias sedecim intelligo Caius Anim. 10b.  d 1300 pensa [lane] continet xxvj ~as magnas, quarum quelibet continet vij libras parvas et quelibet parva libra ponderat xxv sterlingos (MS BL Additional 6160 f. 85) Cant. Cath. Pri. 154; ~a grossa Cust. Cant. 33 (v. 1a supra); 13‥ pensa casei secundum pondus regis continet xxvj ~as magnas; et quelibet magna ~a continet vij parvas libras; et quelibet parva libra continet xxv s. sterlingorum Eng. Weights 31.  e est ~a triplex Cust. Cant. 33, ~e ij J. Mirfield Brev. 92 (v. 1a supra).  f ad ~am scaccarii Dial. Scac. I 3D (v. 3c infra). 2 (as measure of commodities): a (fluid or liquid); b (seed, spice, electuary, or sim.); c (tallow or wax); d (bread); e (wool); f (metal; cf. 3a infra); g (hair, thread, or fabric); h (glass). a ? 1267 viij ~e faciunt galonem vini (v. 1a supra); 14‥ una ~a facit j pynt ‥ ij ~e faciunt unum quart’ ‥ viij ~e faciunt j galon’ Eng. Weights 36.  b a1155 si piper vel cuminum vel gingiber vel alumen vel brasil’ vel lacem vel thus attulerit, non minus quam xxv libr’ simul vendat (Lib. Lond.) GAS 675; r’ vitrioli Romani ~a j, salis nitri ~a j, salis armoniaci ȝ iij M. Scot Lumen 266; 1259 tenet x acras ‥ per unam liberam cymini Cl 487; ~a ‥ electuariorum et hujusmodi apotecariorum Fleta 73 (v. 1a supra); 1290 respondet de ix ~is zinziberis reductis, apreciatur ~a ad xij d.; et de xj ~is piperis, apreciatur ~a ad x d; et de v ~is cumini, apreciatur ~a ad ob. et quad; et de lxiij ~is de rys, apreciatur ~a ad ob. quad KR Ac 4/26; 1308 in iij ~is de semine porrettorum emptis vj d Rec. Elton 138; 1453 de precio xiiij ~arum clowes, precio ~e ij s. ij d.; ‥ de precio vj ~arum maces, precio ~e ij s. ij d.; ‥ de precio ccclx ~arum amigdalorum jardini, precio ~e ij d. ob; x s. de precio lvj ~arum dates; vj s. viij d. de precio unius ~e croci; ‥ de precio vijxx ~arum piperis, precio ~e ix d. ob; ‥ de precio l ~arum sinamomi, precio ~e ij d; ‥ de precio lij ~arum et vj unciarum sugri de iij cutis, precio ~e xx d; ‥ de precio ixxxvj ~arum sugri de ij cutis, precio ~e xij d Ac. H. Buckingham 18.  c 1196 ita sane ut ‥ cereum unum duarum ~arum inde persolvat Ch. Westm. 313; 1298 in ij ~is candele et iij ~is cepi ad candelam ‥ vj d Rec. Elton 69; 1384 (v. cera 1b); 1410 lego ‥ ceriis faciendis vj †labras cere Test. Ebor. III 44.  d 1267 panis quadrantis de wastello ponderabit sex ~as et sexdecim solidos (Assisa Panis et Cervisie) StRealm I 199.  e c1300 et de ij s. x d. ob. quad. receptis de xv ~is lane fracte venditis FormMan 30; 13‥ quando ~a lane venditur pro j d., petra venditur pro xiij d. et sacca pro xxx s. iiij d. (Vellum Bk. Leic.) EHR XIV 505.  f 840 (v. cornu 3a); 1300 (v. 1b supra); 1329 in duobus ~is foliorum aureorum ‥ emptis ExchScot 150; 1441 et sol’ J. R. ‥ pro ij lib’ ligature pro aqueductu de B. ij s. iiij d Ac. Durh. 627.  g 1348 in xxij ~is de pilo empt’ pro cordis springaldorum predictorum KR Ac 462/16 f. 6v; 1351 in dim. ~a de cotoun empta pro candela facienda ad manerium ix d Rec. Elton 371; 1374 in xv lib’ canobi empt’ pro aqueductu xvij d Ac. Durh. 580; 1404 item j lib’ fili albi et colorati Ib. 395.  h 13‥ centum ~e albi vitri per majorem centenam valent viij s. item major centena vitri continet xxiiij pensas vitri. item quelibet pensa vitri continet v parvas ~as Eng. Weights 31; 1422 in emendis fenestris vitriar’ cum factura fenestrarum novarum et lvj ~is vitri colorati emptis Ac. Durh. 407. 3 pound (as unit of exchange or money): a (of precious metal, cf. 2f supra); b (sterling, or unspec.); c (divided into 20 s. of 12 d. each); d (divided into 48 s. of 5 d. each). a 686 (13c) praetium competens acceperim, hoc est argenti ~as decem CS 67; 814 vij ~as auri et argenti CS 348.  b viij virgatas terrae ‥ reddentes xj ~as de gablo DB I 56rb; ? c1119 illa maneria que longinqua sunt et hoc reddere non poterint reddent pro tota septimana viij †libros [l. ~as] et x solidos Ch. Westm. 339; c1166 Alselmus Candaveine vjes xx ~as et vj ~as sterlingorum et xlv marcas ad magnum pensum super redditum suum de Anglia [in Essex] (KR Misc.) EHR XXVIII 222; H. Bos. Thom. III 34 (v. argenteus 2b); s1260 Owinus filius Maredut ‥ statim Madocum ‥ de carcere liberavit ‥ et centum ~as ei donavit Ann. Cambr. 98; 1344 ~as bonorum et legalium sterlingorum FormA 92; s1381 jocalia ‥ quorum pretium excedebat mille ~as monete Wals. HA II 4.  c ~a marcam et dimidiam continet Thurkill Li. p. 127; camerarius ad libram scaccarii [cf. 1f supra] ponderat quantum oportet in trutina; quod si numerus xx solidorum plusquam sex nummis excreverit respectu ~e [i. e. if there are more than 246 pence making up 20 s. by weight], indigna recipi dicitur [pecunia numeranda] Dial. Scac. I 3D.  d twelfhindi hominis weregildum est twelfhund scillinga (id est duodecies c solidi), qui faciunt ~as viginti quinque (Quad.) GAS 393. 4 (Sc.) pound sterling, from the twelfth century equivalent to an English pound, but from 1367 debased. 1234 abbas et conventus ‥ annuum redditum sex decim ~arum sterlingorum ‥ assignarent Inchaffray 52; 1419 ducentarum ~arum sterlingorum antiquorum Pri. Cold. 91; rex Scotie [Willelmus I] sibi solveret quatuor mille ~as Bower VIII 71; s1224 rex ‥ imposuit auxilium terre sue decem milia ~arum [= Plusc. VII 10: ~arum stirlingorum] Ib. IX 43; 1469 in quadraginta ~is levioris monete ExchScot 657; 1542 decem millium ~arum usualis monete regni Scocie Conc. Scot. I ccliv; 1564 ad summam decem ~arum monete Scotie Scot. Grey Friars II 5. 5 (Cont.): a (of Tours, livre Tournois); b (of Anjou); c (of Bordeaux); d (of Paris); e (of Flanders); f (var.). a 1230 l ~as Turonensium Pat 385; 1268 damus tria milia libras Viennenses et duo milia ~as Turonenses eidem ecclesie Test. Ep. Heref. 3; 1272 (v. Byzantus 1); 1274 custume navium transeuncium per dictam insulam [Guernsey] vel applicancium in ea volentes annuatim xjxx ~as Toronenses (Chanc. Misc. 10/5/1) S. Jers. 11; 1294 quatuor ~is Turonensium parvorum (Lit. Papae) B. Cotton HA 259; 1308 decem ~as bonorum parvorum Turonensium CartINorm. 163.  b 1156 invadiavit omnem terram suam usque ad vj annos pro xvij ~is Andegavensium CartINorm. 241; 1200 dabit predictus W. predicto comiti c ~as Andegavensium Ch. Chester 318.  c 1277 in xviij mill’ xxxviij ~is ‥ Burd[egalensibus] receptis de thesauro regis Pipe 121 r. 22; 1289 quingentas ~as Burdegalensis monete RGasc II 301.  d s1180 statuens quod septem ~as Parisinorum ad quotidianum victum solveret Ben. Pet. I 246; s1279 recepturus annuatim de scaccario Rothomagensi ‥ xxx ~as Parisiacenses Fl. Worc. Cont. C 222.  e 1469 (v. grossus 10c).  f lxx ~as denariorum Rodmensium DB I 104 (v. denarius 2a); c1090 de conventione ista et caritate fecit R. abbas et monachi caritatem comiti lx ~arum Cenomanensium Cart. Mont. S. Mich. app. II p. 62; 1130 Jordanus filius Alani debet j dextrarium qui valeat xx ~as de Renneis Pipe 11; Ord. Vit. VIII 24 p. 424; 1156 (v. Cenomannus); 1283 solvit R. de M. P. ‥ quinquaginta ~as Morlanorum Foed. II 237; 1289 m ~as Arnaldensis monete RGasc II 327; 1289 [etc.] (v. Chipotensis); 1327 cum idem G. ‥ in partibus Bononie in Lombardia de mercandisis suis ad valenciam md ~arum Bononiensium, que sunt in sterlingis cxxv libre, depredatus fuisset RParl Ined. 166. 6 a (~a alba, arsa, blanca, candida, or sim.) ‘blanched’ pound, pound tested by assay. b (~a numerata, ad numerum) pound reckoned by tale. c (~a pensata, ad pensum, -am, ad pondus) pound reckoned by weight. a reddit xxx ~as arsas et pensatas, et xxiiij libras ad numerum DB I 2ra; DB I 16rb (v. arsura 2c); hoc manerium cum suis pertinentibus reddit lxv ~as albas DB I 75rb; hoc manerium ‥ modo valet xxij ~as candidas DB II 29; valet ‥ modo xl ~as blancas DB II 30b; Dom. Exon. 85 (v. combustio 3f); 1225, 1297 (v. albus 6a).  b tempore regis Edwardi et post valuit xv ~as ad numerum DB I 30rb; TRE reddebat civitas de Glowecestre xxxvj ~as numeratas DB I 162ra; hae xvij ~ae ad pensum et xvj ~ae ad numerum sunt de placitis comitatus DB I 172ra.  c xxx ~as ‥ pensatas DB I 2ra (v. 6a supra); c ~as ad pensam DB I 38rb; reddit viij ~as ad pondus et arsuram DB I 20ra. 7 one pound’s worth (of land, w. ref. to annual rental), librate. V. et. 2 librare 8c. in dominio ecclesie quattuor carruce et quattuor ~e [terre] Lib. Landav. 88; 1168 Osberto janitori et A. uxori ejus l s. per breve regis in molendino de H. ad perficiendas x libr’ terre quas rex dedit eis pro servitio suo Pipe 204 (unless libratas is understood); s1256 ut quilibet qui haberet xv ~arum [sic; ? l. libratas] terre et supra cingulo militie donaretur Oxnead Chr. 206 (cf. Cl 293: 1256 qui habent xv libratas terre). 8 any unit divided into 12 parts (in quot., w. ref. to time). 11‥ xij uncie libram xx solidos continentem efficiunt ‥ ~a dicitur quicquid per duodenarii numero perfeccionem adimpletur. nam ~a potest dici annus, qui constat ex iiij temporibus et ex xij mensibus et lij ebdomadis et die vel quadrante. ~a esse potest equinoctialis dies, sine sua nocte qui constat xij horis Eng. Weights 5. 9 instrument for measurement, (pair of) scales, balance. b (fig., w. ref. to sound judgement, discernment, merit or sim.); c (w. ref. to divine justice). ~a, wæg GlS 212; 1385 iij mantelli ‥ et ij duplicati, j par ~arum Ac. Durh. 265; 1404 pro uno pari ~arum, iiij d. Ib. 455; 1418 j magnam archam, j purpeynt et j par ~arum pendentium (Bury Wills) OED s. v.pourpoint.  b non omnibus ergo in una eademque ~a pensandum est, licet in uno constringantur vitio, sed discretio sit unumquodque eorum [sic] Egb. Pen. 417; erudito lectori multum dissimiliter sapit stilus et stilus, qui omnem literam componit ad ~am Lucian Chester 54; quando ante summum pontificem ‥ clericos locabit ~a meritorum Ib. 68; sub libra pondero / quid melius, / et dubius / mecum delibero P. Blois Carm. 14. 2b. 33; si discretionis ~a defuerit J. Godard Ep. 234; festinavi facere canonem tue clemencie, qui tibi erit ~a ponderans cuncta tua opera, suplens vices meas, et regula certissima ad omnia que volueris Bacon V 40.  c sistitur bima infantula ut in florido prato hostia lactea, ut in divina ~a dragma aurea Gosc. Edith 44; cernens exitum patere, ponit animam suam in alea et ~a superne misericordie Id. Transl. Mild. 23; datores non fraudabuntur mercede sua, viderint isti quomodo eorum intentiones olim examinentur in divina ~a W. Malm. GP II 84 p. 186; advenies, judicii / libram tenens eximii J. Howd. Cyth. 90. 7; tenens libram et pondera, / scandenti supra sidera, / nobis remittat scelera, / secum ducens ad supera Ledrede Carm. 44. 32. 10 the constellation Libra, seventh sign of the zodiac, or a picture or symbol resembling it. septimum ~ae [signum] ab ea [parte] qua [sol] in medio Septembri circumagitur inchoat oriri Bede TR 16 p. 214; est tamen ‥ / collis non magnus declivo tramite flexus, / quo sol consurgens trutinantis timpora Librae / pervolat Æthelwulf Abb. 133; Octembrem Libra perfundet lampide mensem Kal. M. A. I 415; equat et October sementis tempore Libram Ib. 416; duo prima puncta Arietis et ~e Petrus Dial. 12; comitantur enim Arietem Pisces atque ~a cum Virgine, Taurum autem Leo atque Scorpius cum Aquario, Geminos autem Cancer atque Capricornus cum Sagittario Adel. Elk. 25; Gir. PI III 20 (v. 2 librare 4b); si inveneris lapidem in quo sit ~a, Gemini et Aquarius, tales lapides calidi sunt et erei et occidentales Sculp. Lap. 450; 1455 tempore ‥ eo quo sol a lance ~e recesserat peragratisque signis mediis pene usque Capricornum appropinquabat Reg. Whet. I 199.

lībra, (10) æ, f. , ¶ 1 livre romaine [poids] : Varro L. 5, 169 ; Liv. 4, 20 ¶ 2 mesure pour les liquides : Suet. Cæs. 38 ¶ 3 balance : Cic. Tusc. 5, 51 ; Fin. 5, 91 ; v. æs || niveau : Col. Rust. 8, 17, 4 ; Vitr. Arch. 8, 6 ; ad libram Cæs. C. 3, 40, de niveau || contrepoids : Plin. 16, 161 || la Balance [astr.] : Virg. G. 1, 208 ; Ov. F. 4, 386 ; Plin. 18, 221.

libra , ae. f.
一斤。一斤酒。秤。卯宫宿。準縄。平重。— pondo 一斤司碼。Pari libra cum aequore maris est 此地舆海面平高。

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lībra ae, f

• CLI-, a balance, pair of scales: altera librae lanx: librā et aere, by scale and baiance, i. e. in due form, L.: quod quis librā mercatur et aere, H.: sine librā atque tabulis, i. e. without legal formalities.—Libra, the Balance(a consteilation), V., H., O.—A plummet, level: ad libram fecerat turrīs, by the level, i. e. of equal height, Cs.—As a weight, a pound, Roman pound: corona aurea libra pondo, L.: una Farris, H.

LIBRA

LIBRAthe unit of weight among the Romans and Italians. The libra or pound of copper was also the unit of value, and was called As (q. v.). The weight of the libra has been fixed by metrologists as 5050 grains (327.5 grammes), nearly 12 ounces avoirdupois. It was divided into twelve unciae or ounces. For further details, see As, Vol. 1. p. 202, and PONDERA

[P.G]

LIBRA

LIBRA(σταθμός), a balance, a pair of scales. The principal parts of this instrument were: (1) the beam (jugum, ζυγόν), whence ζυγὸν ἱστάναι =to weigh (Dem. 1461); (2) the two scales called in Greek τάλαντα (Hom. Il. 8.69; 22.209-Z2, &c.; Aristoph. Ran. 797) and πλάστιγγε (Aristoph. Ran. 1378), and in Latin lances (Verg. A. 12.725, &c.). [LANX] Hence the verb ταλαντεύω is employed as equivalent to σταθμῶ, and to the Latin libro, and is applied as descriptive of an eagle balancing his wings in the air (Philostrat. Jun. Imag. 6; Welcker, ad loc.). The beam was sometimes made without a tongue, being held by a ring or other appendage fixed in the centre (see the woodcut). When the tongue working in an eye (agina) is used, as in our scales, it is called examen or ligula (Suet. Vesp. 25). The word trutina and the Greek τρυτάνμη were used of this sort of balance, as may be seen from Juven. 6.437and Demosth. p. 60, where there are clearly two scales. Specimens of bronze balances may be seen in the British Museum and in other collections of antiquities, and also of the steel-yard [STATERA], which was used for the same purposes as the libra. The woodcut to the article CATENAshows some of the chains by which the scales are suspended from the beam. In the works of ancient art, the balance is also introduced emblematically in a great variety of ways. The annexed woodcut is taken from a beautiful bronze patera, representing Mercury and Apollo engaged in exploring the fates of Achilles and Memnon, by weighing the attendant genius of the one against that of the other. (Winckelmann, Mon. Ined. 133; Millin, Peintures de Vases Ant. i. pl. 19, p. 39.) A balance is often represented on the reverse of the Roman imperial coins; and to indicate more distinctly its signification, it is frequently held by a female in her right hand, while she supports a cornucopia in her left, the words AEQVITAS AVGVSTI being inscribed on the margin, so as to denote the justice and impartiality with which the emperors dispensed their bounty.

The constellation Libra (in Greek ζυγός) is placed in the Zodiac at the equinox, because it is the period of the year at which day and night are equally balanced. (Verg. G. 1.208; Plin. Nat.18.245; Lucan (Luc. 8.467,quo Libra pares examinat horas.

[J.Y] [G.E.M]

Libra

The Roman unit of weight, nearly equal to twelve ounces avoirdupois. The libra of copper was also the unit of value, and was called as. See As; pondera.

Libra

(σταθμός). (1) A balance or pair of scales, whose principal parts were (a) the beam, iugum, ζυγόν; (b) the scales, lances, τάλαντα. When the beam had a tongue working in an “eye” (agina), the tongue was called examen and ligula. This sort of balance was called trutĭna (τρυτάνη). A steelyard was called statēra.

(2) A constellation (Ζυγός) placed in the Zodiac at the equinox when days and nights are equally balanced.

(3) An instrument for ascertaining the level of the water in an aqueduct (Vitruv. viii. 5, 1).