A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

SALAPITIUM;

Die magni Salicipplum disertum, Catul. Epigr. 54. Some said it ought to have been called Salaputium, others Salpitici∣um, and some Saliiputum. Vossius in his Com∣ment upon Pomponius Mela, declares himself in favour of Salicippium; but he forsakes it for Sa∣lapicium, and thereupon informs us that Salappita, in the best Glossaries signifies a Blow or Buffet; and hence it was that the Buffoons, who recei∣ved a thousand Blows upon their Heads and Faces, in order to divert the Company, were called Salpitones, salvitones, and salutiones: He took these Words to be derived from the Greek Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies to sound a Trum∣pet, and that the Buffoons who suffered them∣selves to be buffetted as aforesaid, were called Salpittones, i. e. Trumpeters, because that like Trumpeters they blew out their Cheeks as much as they could, that so the Blows they received might make the more noise, and afford greater Diversion; from this Remark he deduces the E∣tymology of Buffoon; for he pretends that the

Title of Buffoon was not given to those, who to make others laugh, acted and said a thousand Fooleries, but upon account among other things, that they suffered themselves to be struck on the Face; and to the end that the Blow might make the more noise, they blew out their Cheeks as much as they could.