Meaning of poculum | Babel Free

Definitions

1. a drinking cup
   declension-2
2. as used in context to describe the experience of social drinking: having a drink, etc.
   declension-2

Equivalents

Examples

“Vīsne pōculum merī?”

Would you like a cup of strong wine?

“Mē vērō et magisteria dēlectant ā maiōribus īnstitūta, et is sermō, quī mōre maiōrum ā summō adhibētur in pōculō; et pōcula, sīcut in Symposiō Xenophontis est, minūta atque rōrantia […] .”

As for me, I truly delight in both the presiding roles [at banquets], as established by our ancestors, and in that style of conversation which, by ancient custom, is led from the head of the couch during the wine; and [I enjoy] the cups — just as [they are described] in Xenophon’s Symposium — small in size and filled by driblets. (The first poculo is a metonymy in which the cup itself represents the social event or experience: “over a cup,” “while having a cup,” “at the party,” “during the wine,” “while the wine is flowing.” The second instance refers to Xenophon’s Symposium, 2.26, which suggests an optimal amount of alcohol to serve party guests.)

CEFR level