A sicilicus was an old
Latindiacritical mark, ͗, like a reversed C (Ɔ)[1] placed above a letter and evidently deriving its name from its shape like a little
sickle (which is sicilis in Latin). The ancient sources say[2] that during the time of the
Republic it was placed above a
geminate consonant to indicate that the consonant counted twice, although there is hardly any
epigraphic or
paleographic evidence available from such an early time. When such geminate consonants began to be represented during classical times by writing the letter twice, the sicilicus naturally fell into disuse in this function, but continued to be used to indicate the doubling of vowels as an indication of length, in the developed form of the
apex.[3] Fontaine suggests that
Plautus alludes to the sicilicus in the prologue to Menaechmi.[4]
See also
Open O, although this is a full letter, and not a diacritic placed above a letter
Antisigma, although this is a full letter, and not a diacritic placed above a letter
Apex (diacritic), used for long vowels instead of long consonants
^Cf.
John Edwin Sandys, A Companion to Latin Studies, Cambridge University Press 1910, §1099, p. 743, where specific instances are provided: C.I.L. v 1361, x 3743, xii 414.
^Cf.
IsidoreEtymologiae 1.27.29 (ubi litterae consonantes geminabantur, sicilicum superponebant, ut 'cella', 'serra', 'asseres': ueteres enim non duplicabant litteras, sed supra sicilicos adponebant; qua nota admonebatur lector geminandam esse litteram);
Nisus fr. 5 Mazzarino in
Velius Longusde Orthographia Keil 7.80;
Gaius Marius VictorinusArs Grammatica 4.2 Mariotti.