Cadra, a hill of Asia Minor. Tacitus.
Cadūceus, a rod entwined at one end by two serpents, in the form of two equal semi-circles. It was the attribute of Mercury and the emblem of power, and it had been given him by Apollo in return for the lyre. Various interpretations have been put upon the two serpents round it. Some suppose them to be a symbol of Jupiter’s amours with Rhea, when these two deities transformed themselves into snakes. Others say that it originates from Mercury’s having appeased the fury of two serpents that were fighting, by touching them with his rod. Prudence is generally supposed to be represented by these two serpents, and the wings are the symbol of diligence; both necessary in the pursuit of business and commerce, which Mercury patronized. With it Mercury conducted to the infernal regions the souls of the dead, and could lull to sleep, and even raise to life a dead person. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 4, li. 242.—Horace, bk. 1, ode 10.
Cadurci, a people of Gaul, at the east of the Garonne. Cæsar.
Cadusci, a people near the Caspian sea. Plutarch.
Cadytis, a town of Syria. Herodotus, bk. 2, ch. 159.
Cæa, an island of the Ægean sea among the Cyclades, called also Ceos and Cea, from Ceus the son of Titan. Ovid, poem 20. Heroides.—Virgil, Georgics, bk. 1, li. 14.
Cæcias, a wind blowing from the north.
Cæcĭlia, the wife of Sylla. Plutarch, Sulla.——The mother of Lucullus. Plutarch, Lucullus.——A daughter of Atticus.
Cæcilia Caia, or Tanaquil. See: [Tanaquil].
Cæcilia lex, was proposed A.U.C. 693, by Cæcilius Metellus Nepos, to remove taxes from all the Italian states, and to give them free exportation.——Another, called also Didia, A.U.C. 656, by the consul Quintus Cæcilius Metellus and Titus Didius. It required that no more than one single matter should be proposed to the people in one question, lest by one word they should give their assent to a whole bill, which might contain clauses worthy to be approved, and others unworthy. It required that every law, before it was preferred, should be exposed to public view on three market-days.——Another, enacted by Cæcilius Metellus the censor, concerning fullers. Pliny, bk. 35, ch. 17.——Another, A.U.C. 701, to restore to the censors their original rights and privileges, which had been lessened by Publius Clodius the tribune.——Another, called also Gabinia, A.U.C. 685, against usury.