The word occurs I see in Pliny, and is noted here:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=AhBTAEKpfNMC
on page 131
“VITRIX” - Lat. as forming unions
i.e. some sort of tying or binding.
In Dictionnaire abrege de la fable, pg 407
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tQAGAAAAQAAJ
the entry agrees, and says
VINCTRIX, la meme que Vitrix.
VITRIX c’est a dire, qui noue, qui fait des noeds, surnom de Venus.
In other words, it means 'knot-maker" and is a cognomen of Venus.
Grant says “ferro victrici”, not “ferro vitrici”, Metrodorus.
The 1823 Classical Manual seems to borrow heavily from De Claustre (1765) who describes “vitrix” better as deriving from “vitta”.
Where is vitrix in Pliny, Metrodorus, because the work you cite doesn’t refer to Pliny at all, but is the commentary of 1823 on Homer and Virgil?
Chompré’s 1808 book (or the 1823 Manual), which says vinctrix = vitrix, isn’t strictly correct, I think, because vinctrix comes from vincio, “to bind”. Although Venus could be called also Venus Vinctrix post-classically.
Dicit Grant “ferro victrici”. “Ferro vitrici” non dicit.
Hoc opus, Classical Manual: Or, A Mythological, Historical, and Geographical (1823), ut opinor, opere auctoris De Claustre utitur.
Ubi apud Plinium “vitricem” legis? Plinium non refert opus quod refers.
You’re correct, I saw this in the notes on Pliny, here:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=etUIAAAAQAAJ
on page 5783
The quote in the notes is
"Inter veneris cognomina hoc unum fuit; nam ‘Vitrix’ etiam vocabatur a ligando.
I don’t have the OLD. That would clear things up.
It’s not in OLD. (I have it.)
In OLD vocabulario (quod habeo) non est.
In your 1826 source, the author thinks “invitricem” should be read where “inventricem” is written in the manuscripts. Sadly, whether Pliny intended it, we can’t know for sure. It seems very possible.
In fonte tuo 1826 anni, auctor se rogat, in manuscriptis ubi “inventricem” scribitur, an Plinius “invitricem” verbum intenderet. Ità intendum esse credit. Improsperè, pro certo scire non possumus. Quidem pote quit, ut videtur.