I believe that the classical latin word for a “brace”,—the rope to direct the ship’s spars or yardarms to trim the sails,—is an “arduum”. It occurs in this passage in the Aeneid in Book V (827-832):
Hic patris Aeneae suspensam blanda vicissim
gaudia pertemptant mentem: iubet ocius omnes
attolli malos, intendi brachia velis.
Una omnes fecere pedem pariterque sinistros,
nunc dextros solvere sinus; una ardua torquent
cornua detorquentque; ferunt sua flamina classem.Glad feelings of joy in their turn seize the wavering
mind of father Aeneas. He orders all of the masts to be
raised quite quickly, the spars to be hung with sails.
All together they hauled a sheet and, left then right, the
folds they in unison freed. Together the braces they
steer and swing the yardarms. Favourable breezes set off the fleet.
(I translate // > Sic verto> )
Since the word for a sheet to direct the bottom of a sail is a “pes”, it makes sense, I believe, that the brace is called an “arduum” (from the substantive originally).
I think “rudens” can be used for the brace rope but more because “rudentes” means rigging generally.
What do you reckon?
Nomen funis navalis antennarum dirigendarum classicum, ut credo, “altum” est. Id hôc loco libri quinti Aeneidis reperitur (verso octingentesimo vicesimo septimo ad octingentesimum tricesimum secundum):
Cum “pes” vocabulum pro anglicè “sheet” adhibeatur (quis funis humilem veli partem gubernat), sanum est, dico, anglicè “brace” significari per “arduum” nomen (quod primitùs substantivum fuerat).
Verè “rudens” anglicè “brace” significare potest; adaequè autem id cunctos in nave gubernandi funes refert.
Vos amabò, quid opinamini?