pallium, i, n., a covering, cover [cf. palla].
I In gen.
a A coverlet : et gravius justo pallia pondus habent, Ov. H. 21, 170: onerosa pallia jactat, Juv. 6, 236: tunc queror in toto non sidere pallia lecto, Prop. 5, 3, 31; Suet. Ner. 84.—
b A pall : arrepto pallio retexi corpora, Ap. Met. 3, 9, 19; id. Flor. p. 342, 27.—
c A curtain : quae festis suspendam pallia portis? Prud. adv. Symm. 2, 726.—
II In partic., a Greek cloak or mantle , esp. as the dress of the Grecian philosophers. The Romans were accustomed to wear it only when they resided among Greeks. It was also the dress of the hetaerae, both Greek and Roman, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 93; Ov. Am. 1, 4, 50; id. A. A. 1, 153: pallium in collum conicere (as was customary with persons about to exert themselves), Plaut. Capt. 4, 1, 12: soleas mihi late: pallium inice in me huc, id. Truc. 2, 5, 26; id. Capt. 4, 2, 8: umerum pallio onerare, Ter. Phorm. 844: cum iste cum pallio purpureo talarique tunicā versaretur in conviviis muliebribus, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 13, § 31: consularis homo soccos habuit et pallium, id. Rab. Post. 10, 27: amica corpus ejus texit suo pallio, id. Div. 2, 69, 143: cum pallio et crepidis inambulare in gymnasio, Liv. 29, 19: togam veteres ad calceos usque demittebant ut Graeci pallium, Quint. 11, 3, 143.—Fig.: solos esse Atticos credunt quādam eloquentiae frugalitate contentos, ac semper manum intra pallium continentis, speaking with calmness and reserve , Quint. 12, 10, 21; cf. id. 11, 3, 138.— Plur. for sing., Ov. A. A. 1, 153.—Prov.: tunica propior pallio est, the shirt is nearer than the coat , Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 30: a togā ad pallium, of sinking from a high to a lower rank , Tert. Pall. 5.—
B Transf.
1 The toga , and, in gen., an upper garment of any kind, Mart. 3, 63, 10; 8, 59, 9; 11, 16, 5; 11, 23, 12.—
2 Since the pallium was the philosopher's cloak, a philosophic career or habit : ad pallium reverti, Amm. 25, 4, 4.