gălĕa, ae, f. [kindred to Sancr. jal, to cover; cf. celare], a helmet (usually of leather), head-piece, morion (cf. cudo; the cassis, on the contrary, was made of metal plate: cassis de lamina est, galea de corio, Isid. Orig. 18, 14).
I Lit.: gestandust peregre clupeus, galea, sarcina, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 195: vix uni alterive cassis aut galea, Tac. G. 6: ad galeas induendas tempus defuit, Caes. B. G. 2, 21, 5; id. B. C. 3, 62, 1; 3, 63, 7; Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 200; Verg. G. 2, 142; id. A. 8, 620; 9, 365: aerea, Vulg. 1 Reg. 17, 38 et saep. Furnished with a visor, Sil. 14, 636; Stat. Th. 4, 20.—Freq. and class. also of brazen helmets (cf. so the Gr. κυνέη): tinnit hastilibus umbo Aerato sonitu galeae, Enn. ap. Macr. 6, 3 (Ann. v. 433 Vahl.): loricae galeaeque aeneae, caelatae opere Corinthio, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44, § 97: aerea, Verg. A. 5, 491: leves, Hor. C. 1, 2, 38; cf.: seu caput abdiderat cristata casside pennis, in galea formosus erat, Ov. M. 8, 25.—
II Transf., the crest of the Guinea fowl , Col. 8, 2, 2.