Funale
Funale the neuter form, is probably to be distinguished from FUNALIS and means a chandelier or other contrivance for holding a number of lights (Verg. A. 1.727; Hor. Od. 3.26, 7; Ov. Met. 12.247). This distinction has not always been drawn, and we give in full the evidence upon which it rests. Servius (on Aen. l.c. referring to Varro): Nonnulli apud veteres candelabra dicta trad unt [funalia], quae in capitibus uncinos haberent, quibus affigi solebant vel candelae vel funes pice delibuti: quae interdum erant minora, ut gestari manu et praeferri magistratibus a cena remeantibus possent.
In the last words there is clearly a reference to the story of Duilius (Cic. de Sen. 13.44; V. Max. 3.6.4; Sil. 6.667). Donatus (on Ter. Andr. 1.1, 88): [funus] quod a funalibus dictum est, id est, uncis vel cuneis candelabrorum;
the rest of the passage is corrupt. Isidor. Orig. 20.10.5: Funalia candelabra apud veteres, quibus funiculi cera vel hujusmodi alimento luminis obliti figebantur. Idem itaque et stimuli praeacuti funalia dicebantur.
The mention of unci, uncini, cunci, stimuli in these passages is strongly suggestive of the coronae
often seen in foreign churches, for holding wax lights stuck on spikes. The smaller sort (Serv.) were portable, and carried a single taper. (Marquardt. Privatl. 690; Becker-Göll, Gallus, 2.392 f.)
From William Smith (ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Text provided under a CC BY-SA license by Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.tufts.edu, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Tufts University. Data accessed from https://github.com/PerseusDL/canonical-pdlrefwk/ on 17 October 2026.