ORGYIA (ὀργυιά), a Greek measure of length, derived from the
human body, was the distance from extremity to extremity of the
outstretched arms, whence the name, from ὀρέγω. It was equal to 6
feet or to 4 cubits, and was 1-100th of the stadium.
ŎRĬCHALCUM, a metallic compound, akin to copper and bronze, which
was highly prized by the ancients. It probably denotes _brass_, with
which the ancients became acquainted by fusing zinc ore (_cadmium_,
calamine) with copper, although they appear to have had scarcely
any knowledge of zinc as a metal. The word is derived from ὄρος and
χαλκός, that is, _mountain-bronze_.
OSCHOPHŎRIA (ὠσχοφόρια, ὀσχοφόρια), an Attic festival, which,
according to some writers, was celebrated in honour of Athena and
Dionysus, and according to others in honour of Dionysus and Ariadne.
It is said to have been instituted by Theseus. It was a vintage
festival, and its name is derived from ὦσχος, ὄσχος, or ὄσχη, a
branch of vines with grapes.
[Illustration: Oscillum. (From a Marble in the British Museum.)]
OSCILLUM, a diminutive through _osculum_ from _os_, meaning “a little
face,” was the term applied to faces or heads of Bacchus, which
were suspended in the vineyards to be turned in every direction
by the wind. Whichsoever way they looked, they were supposed to
make the vines in that quarter fruitful. The first cut represents
the countenance of Bacchus with a beautiful, mild, and propitious
expression. The other cut represents a tree with four oscilla hung
upon its branches. A syrinx and a pedum are placed at the root of the
tree.
[Illustration: Oscillum. (From an ancient Gem.)]
OSTĬĀRĬUM, a tax upon the doors of houses, which appears to have been
sometimes levied in the provinces. There was a similar tax, called
_columnarium_, imposed upon every pillar that supported a house.