melipontos

[Aileen]

how to translate "melipontos"? i don't find it in dictionary. Thank you very much !

 

[Andy]

Could you possibly post the original quote, it would help a lot.

 

[Iynx]

melipontus, -i is an alternative spelling of medipontus, "apparently a heavy rope or belt used in the operation of oil presses" [Glare]. Melipontos would be the accusative plural. Can that be the word you're looking for? As Andy says, some context might be helpful.

 

[Aileen]

It appears in Cato's De Agri Cultura LXVIII "ubi vendemia et oletas facta erit, prela extollito; funes torculos, melipontos, subductarios in carnario aut in prelo suspendito".
Thank you!

 

[Andy]

And in English:

"When the vintage and the olive harvest are over, raise up the press beams, and hang up the mill ropes, cables, and cords on the meat-rack or the beam."