ancilla

ancilla, ae, f. dim. [ancula], a maidservant, handmaid, female slave (com. used as fem. of servus, instead of serva).

I.

Lit., Liv. Andron. ap. Non. p. 153 (Trag. Rel. p. 3 Rib.): Am. Quis me tenet? Br. Tua Bromia ancilla, Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 25:

ecqua ancilla est illi?

id. Mil. 3, 1, 199:

Servos, ancillas amove, atque audin?

id. Trin. 3, 3, 70 et saep.:

ancilla aere empta,

Ter. Phorm. 3, 2, 26; so id. And. 3, 1, 3; 5, 1, 19; id. Heaut. 1, 1, 78; 5, 1, 20 et saep.:

ancillarum beneficio emitti,

Cic. Har. Resp. 42:

ducebat ancillarum greges,

id. Mil. 55:

hunc servi ancillaeque amant,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 4:

cum ancillarum puerorumque comitatu,

id. Mil. 10 al.:

occultat se in tugurio mulieris ancillae,

Sall. J. 12, 5; Hor. C. 2, 4, 1; id. S. 1, 2, 63; 1, 2, 117; 2, 3, 215; id. Ep. 1, 18, 72:

nec (liberi) ancillis aut nutricibus delegantur,

Tac. G. 20; id. Or. 29:

ancilla dominā validior,

id. A. 14, 63.—

II.

Trop.:

terrā usus mortalium semper ancillā,

Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 155.—As a term of reproach, of one servilely devoted to any thing:

Fufidius ancilla turpis,

Sall. H. 1, 15, p. 218 Gerl.