Curia, Curiæ, R. (1) A building in which the people met together to offer sacrifices and take part in the festivities on certain days of festival. (2) The senatorial curiæ were buildings in which the senate usually assembled. (3) The Salian curia was a place situated on the Palatine Hill, which formed the place of assembly for the Salian priests who guarded the anciles or sacred shields. (4) Curia calabra was a small temple founded, almost simultaneously with the building of Rome, on the Palatine; it formed the observatory for the petty pontiffs whose duty it was to watch the appearance of the new moon. In Christian archæology the Roman curia denotes the pontifical tribunals collectively.
Curliewurlies, Scotch. Fantastical circular ornaments.
Currach, Scotch. A coracle or small skiff; a boat of wicker-work covered with hides.
Fig. 225. Currus. The Chariot of the Sun. The device of Philip II. of Spain.
Currus, Chariot (Gr. ἅρμα). A two-wheeled car or carriage in use among nearly all the nations of antiquity. There were racing-chariots, riding-chariots, and triumphal chariots. Some of these were profusely decorated with ivory (currus eburnei). War-chariots armed with scythes or sharp blades were called falcati. (See Covinus.) The illustration (Fig. [225]), a device of Philip II. of Spain, represents Apollo driving the chariot of the Sun.
Cursores. “Runners” before their masters’ carriages; messengers generally.
Curtail Dog, O. E. A dog belonging to a person not qualified to hunt game, which, by the forest laws, must have its tail cropped.
Curtail Step, Arch. The first step of a stair, when its outer end is finished in the form of a scroll; when it has a circular end, it is called a round-ended step.
Cushat, Scotch. A wood-pigeon.