CANCELLI, lattice-work, placed before a window, a door-way, the
tribunal of a judge, or any other place. Hence was derived the
word _Cancellarius_, which originally signified a porter, who
stood at the latticed or grated door of the emperor’s palace. The
cancellarius also signified a legal scribe or secretary, who sat
within the cancelli or lattice-work. The chief scribe or secretary
was called Cancellarius κατ’ ἐξοχήν, and was eventually invested with
judicial power at Constantinople. From this word has come the modern
Chancellor.
CANDĒLA, a candle, made either of wax (_cerea_), or tallow
(_sebacea_), was used universally by the Romans before the invention
of oil lamps (_lucernae_). In later times candelae were only used
by the poorer classes; the houses of the more wealthy were always
lighted by lucernae.
CANDĒLABRUM, originally a candlestick, but afterwards the name of a
stand for supporting lamps (λυχνοῦχοι), in which signification it
most commonly occurs. The candelabra of this kind were usually made
to stand upon the ground, and were of a considerable height. The
most common kind were made of wood; but those which have been found
in Herculaneum and Pompeii are mostly of bronze. Sometimes they were
made of the more precious metals, and even of jewels. The candelabra
did not always stand upon the ground, but were also placed upon
the table. Such candelabra usually consisted of pillars, from the
capitals of which several lamps hung down, or of trees, from whose
branches lamps also were suspended.
[Illustration: Candelabrum in the Vatican. (Visconti, vol. IV. tav.
5.)]