Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 1.djvu/696

 EPO

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EPU

The Etifebian Epoch a of the Creation, is the Tear of the Julian Period 48S; anfwering to the Year before Chrift 4228 ; and commencing in Autumn.

Hence, fubtracting 480", from the Julian Period of the prefent Tear 5438 ; or adding 4+28 to the prefent Tear of Chrift, the Refult 595;, is the prefent Tear of this Efocha.

This Epocba is ufed in Eufebins's Chronicon, and the Roman Martyrology. Sec Creation.

Epoch a of Olympiads, is the Tear of the Julian Period 3938: anfwering to the Tear 771?, before Chrift ; and the Tear 2985 from the Creation; commencing at the Full Moon next the Summer Solftice. And each Olympiad containing four Tears.

This Epocha is very famous in ancient Hiflory : It was ufed principally by the Greeks, and had its Origin from the Olympic Games, which were celebrated at the Beginning of every fifth Tear. See Olympiad.

Epoch a of the Building of Rome, or Urbis conditio, U. C. is the Tear of the Julian Period 390'!, according to Varro ; or 3962, according to the Fafti Capitolini ; anfwering to the Tears before Chrift 753, or 752, and beginning on the 2 ift of April.

Hence, if the Tears of this Fpocba be fewer than 754, fubtracting 'em from 754, or 753; you have the Tear before Chrift. And, on the contrary, if they be more than 745, adding 'em to the fame, the Sum is the Number of Tears fince Chrift. Laftly, adding the Tear before Chrift, to 753, or 752; the Sum will give the Tear of this Efocha, or the Time fince the Building of Rome. Thus, e.gr. the prefent Tear 1725, according to Varro, is the Year of Rome 2488.

Epocha of Nabonaffar, is the Tear of the Julian Period 5967 ; anfwering to the Tear before Chrift 747 ; commencing on the zith Day of February.

This TEra takes its Denomination from its Inftituter, NabonaJ/ar King of Babylon; and is that ufed by c Ptolomy in his Agronomical Obfervations, by Cenforinus and others.

Itioclefian Epocha, or Epocha of Martyrs, is the Tear of the Julian Period 4997, anfwering to the Tear of Chrift 283; call'd JEra of Martyrs from the great Number of Chriftians, who fuffer'd Martyrdom under the Reign of that Emperor.

The Abyffwians, among whom 'tis flill ufed in all EcclefiafKcai Computations, call it the Tears of Grace. Tho' they don't reckon their Tears in a continued Series from this Epocha. But when the Tiionyflan Period of 5 34 Tears is expired, they begin their Computation afre/h from 1, 2, c^c.

Epocha of the Hegira, or Mahometan Epocha, is the Tear of the Julian Period 5335, anfwering to the Tear of Chrift 621. It commences on the 16 th of July, the Day of Mahomet's Flight from Mecca to Medina.

This Epocha is ufed by the 'Turks and Arabs, and even all who profefs the Mahometan Faith : It was firft introduced by Omar, the third Emperor of the Turks. The Aftronomers, Alfraganus, Albategnius, Alphonfus, and Ulugh Seigb, refer Mahomet's Flight to the 15 th of fitly ; but all the People who ufe the Epocha, agree to fix it on the 16 th. See Hegira.

Epocha of the Seleucides, ufed by the Macedonians, is the Year of the Julian Period 4402 ; anfwering to the Tear before Chrift 312. See Seleucides.

Tezdegerdic, or Perfian Epocha, is the Year of the fulian Period 5345 ; anfwering to the Year of Chrift 632, and commencing on the 16 th of June.

This Epocha is taken from the Death of Tezdegerdis, the laft King of Perfia, (lain in Battle by the Sarazens.

fulian Epocha, or Epocha of Julian Years, is the Tear of the Julian Period 4668 5 anfwering to the Year before Chrift 45.

This Epocha had its Origin from the Year of the Reformation of the Calendar under Julius Ccefar ; call'd the Tear of Confufion. See Tear.

Spanifh Epocha, is the Year of the Julian, Period e,6i6; anfwering to the Y'ear before Chrift 38.

ASiac, or AHian Epocha, is the Year of the Julian Period 4684, anfwering to the Year before Chrift 30. Commencing on the 29** Day of Augllft. Sec Actiac

Other memorable Epocha's are, that of the Deluge, in the Year of the Creation kJjs : The Birth of Abraham in 2039 : The Tfraelites Exodus or Departure out of Egypt, in 2544: The Building of the Temple of ferufalem, in 2023 : And the Tleftrutlion of the fame in the Year of Chrift 70 : The taking of Couftantinople by the Turks, in 1453, ci?c.

EPODE, in Poetry. In the Lyric Poetry of the Greeks, the Epode is the third Part, or End of the Ode : Their Ode, or Song, being divided into Strophe, Antiflrophe, and Epode. See Ode.

The Epode was fung by the Priefls, {landing flill be- fore the Altar, after all the Turns and Returns of the Strophe and Antiftrophe. See Strophe.

The Epode was not confined to any precife Number or Kind of Verfcs ; as the Strophe and Antiflrophe were'. See Strophe, &c.

But when the Ode contain'd feveral Epodes, Strophes, c5c. they were all alike.

As the Word Epode, then, properly fignifies the End of the Song ; and as in Odes, what they call'd the Epode, finim'd the Singing: It became cuftomary, as M. 'Dacier fliews, for a little Vcrfe, which being put after another, clofed the Period, and finifh'd the Senfe which had been fufpended in the firfl Verfe, to be call'd Epode, sto/©*.

And hence it is, that theVI//? Book of Horace's Odes is entitled Liber Epodan, Book of Epodes, by reafon the Verfes thereof are all alternately long and ihort ; and that the /hort one, generally, tho' not always, clofes the Senfe of the long one.

But the Signification of the Word is extended dill further; Epode being become a general Name for all Kinds of little Verfes, that follow one or more great ones, of what Kind foever they be : And, in this Senfe, a Pentameter is an Epode, after an Hexameter, which in Refpect thereof is a Pro-ode.

EPOMIS, in Anatomy, the upper Part of the Shoulder, reaching up to the Neck. See Shoulder.

Some Authors apply the Word Epomis to the upper Part of the Os Humeri : But the ancient Greek Phyficians only ufe it for the mufcular, or flefliy Part, placed as abovementioned.

The Word is Greek, 'EwfuV, which fignifies the fame Thing.

EPOPEA, Epos, in Poetry, is ftrictly the Hillory, Action, or Fable, that makes the Subject of an Epic Poem. See Action and Fable.

. In the common Ufe of the Word, however, Epopea is the fame with Epic Poem it felf : In which Senfe it is defined, a Difcourfe invented with Art, or a Fable agree- ably imitated from fome important Action ; and related in Vcrfe, in a probable and furprizing Manner ; with a View to form the M mncrs, (S>c. See Epic 'Poem.

The Word is derived from the Greek, tint, Carmen, Verfe; and mnu, faciu, I make.

EPULO, in Antiquity, a Minifter of Sacrifice among the Romans. See Sacrifice.

The Pontifices not being able to attend all the Sacri- fices perform'd at Rome, to fo many Gods as were adored by the People; appointed three Minitlers, whom they called Ejmlones, by reafon they conferr'd on em the Care and Management of the Epllla, Feafts in the folcmn Games and Fcfti vals. " ,

To them bclong'd the ordering and fervmg the (acred Banquet, offer'd on fuch Occufions to Jupiter. They wore a Gown border'd with Purple, like the Pontifices. Their Number was at length augmented irom Three to Sev.n, and afterwards by dfar to Ten.

Their firfl EAabhfhment was in the Year of Rome 558, under the Confulatc of L. Furilis 'Purpurea, and M. Claudius Marcellus.

EPULOTICKS, in Medicine, dry, aflringent Remedies,

proper to cicatrize, or incarnate

Wounds and Ulcers. See

Incarnative, Cicatricive.

Such are Emplafters of Cerufs, and Diapalma ; the Unguent Pompholix, &c.

The Word is form'd of the Greek, inn, fuper, and sAh, Cicatrix, Efchar. Whence the Verb tvbhia, cicatricem, infero.

EPULUM, in Antiquity, Banquet, a holy Feaft pre- pared for the Gods. See Feast.

The Statues of the Gods were commonly laid upon a Bed, and were ferved as if they had been very hungry ; to perform which, was the Function of the Miniflers of Sacrifice, hence called Epulones. See Epulo.

EQUABLE Motion, is that whereby the moveable Body proceeds with the fame continued Velocity; neither accelerated nor retarded. See Motion.

EQUAL, a Term of Relation between two or more Things of the fame Magnitude, Quantity, or Quality.

JVolfius defines Equals to be thofe Things which may be fubitituted for each other, without any Alteration of Quantity. 'Tis an Axiom in Geometry, that two Things which are Equal to the fame third, are Equal to each other. And again, if to, or from Equals, you add or fubtraft Equals, the Remainders will be Equal. See Equality.

Equal Circles, in Geometry, are thofe whofe Diameters are Equal. See Circle.

Equal Angles, are thofe whofe Sides are inclined alike to each other; or that are meafured by limilar farts of their Circles. See Angle. Eclual