pulvīnar (polv-), āris, n. [pulvinus],
- I. a couch made of cushions, and spread over with a splendid covering, for the gods and persons who received divine honors; a couch or cushioned seat of the gods (in the lectisternium, placed for the gods before their statues and altars): nunc Saliaribus Ornare pulvinar deorum Tempus erat dapibus, Hor. C. 1, 37, 3; Liv. 5, 52, 6: aram et aediculam et pulvinar dedicare, Cic. Dom. 53, 136: quem Caesar majorem honorem consecutus erat, quam ut haberet pulvinar, simulacrum, etc., Cic. Phil. 2, 43, 110; cf. Suet. Caes. 76; so of Romulus, Ov. M. 14, 827; of Augustus, Suet. Aug. 45; id. Claud. 4: ad omnia pulvinaria supplicatio decreta est, before all the seats of the gods, i. e. in all the temples, Cic. Cat. 3, 10, 23; so, decretum, uti supplicatio per triduum ad omnia pulvinaria haberetur, Liv. 22, 1, 15; cf. id. 30, 21; Tac. A. 14, 12: spectabat e pulvinari, the cushioned seat in the circus, Suet. Aug. 45: deorum pulvinaribus et epulis magistratuum fides praecinunt, i. e. at the lectisternia or feasts of the gods, Cic. Tusc. 4, 2, 4.
Poet.: macellum pingue pulvinarium, i. e. rich store of beasts for sacrifice, Prud. στεφ. 10, 1056: templa deformantur, pulvinaria proteruntur, App. M. 4, p. 155, 39.
- II. In gen., a sofa, cushioned seat, seat of honor, easy couch; of the couch or marriage-bed of Livia, Ov. P. 2, 2, 71; of Messalina, Juv. 6, 31; cf. geniale, Cat. 64, 47; of the imperial seat on the spina in the circus, Suet. Aug. 45; id. Claud. 4; Juv. 6, 31; Suet. Dom. 13: in summo pulvinaris locatus cenā poculisque inauguratur, App. M. 7, p. 191.