Note 1 — Second Part.

Festus, p. 135., says: Rumen est pars colli, qua esca devoratur (The rumen, or gullet, is that part of the neck, where food is swallowed). Nonius, p. 18.: rumen dicitum locus in ventre, quo cibus sumitur et unde redditur (rumen was applied to the locality in the belly to which food is taken in and from which it is given back).—Isidore, Etymolog. bk. XII. 37., Ruminatio autem dicta est a ruma, eminente gutturis parte, per quam dimissus cibus a certis animalibus revocatur (Now rumination is so called from the ruma, or gullet, the upper portion of the throat, by which food after being swallowed is brought up again by certain animals). It is true Varro gives another explanation: ruminare propter rumam, id est prisco vocabulo mammam (to ruminate so called on account of the ruma, that is in old Latin the breast); and so one might equally well understand by irrumare the custom of voluptuaries, one that is still practised, of employing the space between the bosoms as vagina. At any rate Dr. Hacker of Leipzig assured the author he had on several occasions observed cases where prostitutes had chancrous swellings between the bosoms, as well as under the arm-pits,—for these also are employed with the same object.—Does ruma possibly stand for rima (a chink)? In any case we should compare what Suidas gives under the words ῥῦμα, ῥῦμη and ῥύμματα. Synonyms are comprimere linguam, buccam offendere, etc. (to compress the tongue, to hit against the cheek).