DES

(Lat.) In architecture. A small temple consecrated to a god which was not afterwards dedicated by the augurs, from which circumstance, according to Varro, it was different from the templum. This distinction among the Romans in the early ages was afterwards lost, and the words were used indiscriminately. iEDICULA. (Lat.) A diminutive of the preceding. iEDILE. The title of certain Roman magistrates, so called from their care of buildings (aedes). They were divided into two cla es, distinguished by the epithets plebeian and curule. The two plebeian aediles were, as their name imports, elected from the commonalty (plebs), and were subordinate to the tribunes of the commons, having jurisdiction over le er causes, submitted to them by those magistrates. The two curule aediles, so called from their privilege of giving judgment on ivory seats (sellae curules), were originally elected from the patricians, but afterwards from both plebeians and patricians promiscuously. This magistracy was one 16 ^RA. of the most dignified In the state, and was allowed the use of the robe of honour (toga prsetexta), and a certain precedence in the senate. The peculiar office of the a;cliles was the superintendence of public works, markets, ., in the city. They had also, particulady the curule aediles, to exhibit public games, which the^ften did at a vast expense, in order to court popularity. Julius Caesar added two other plebeian aediles, called cereal, to inspect the public stores of provisions. ^GICERE^. (Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) A dlvislon of myrsinaceous plants, the type of which is the genus aegiceras. It is distinguished by the absence of albumen; the species grow in maritime swamps in tropical countries, and have the embrj-o germinating within the pericarp, after the manner of mangroves.. [s. 29]