Papyrius, The name of a noble yong gentleman, who being a childe (as the manner then was) came with his father into the Senate, at suche time as it happened weightie and verie secrete matters to be talked of. WhÊ he came home, hys mother was verie earnest with him, to knowe what mattes was handled in the Senate that day. He seeing none other shift, and yet loth to vtter the truth, saide: forsooth mother they debated that it might be lawfull for one man to haue two wiues. She thinking it to be true, the nert morning, when the Senate was againe set, gathered togither the nable wemen, and with admiration of all men cammeth into the Senate, and there with a solemne tale requesteth, that by the same law, it might be lawful for wemen also to haue two husbands. The Senate at the first wondered much at hir wordes: but when the matter was declared by the yong gentleman, they much praysed his wisedome and towardenesse, and with rebuke dimissed the iwemen that shewed themselues so foolishe, and so curious to know that, whiche nathing appertained to them.
Papyrus, papyri, pen. prod. fœminino genere: vel Papyrum, neutro. Plin. A great rushe in Egypt growing in fennes or marrise groundes, whereof the first paper was made. Now it is vsed for paper to write or print on.Pagina crescit multa papyro. Iuuenal.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
păprĭus, a, um, adj. [id.], of papyrus, of paper, Aus. Ep. 7, 47.
păprus, i, m. and f., and păp-rum, i, n., = pa/puros, the paper-reed, papyrus.I.Lit.: papyrum ergo nascitur in palustribus Aegypti, aut quiescentibus Nili aquis ... triangulis lateribus, decem non amplius cubitorum longitudine in gracilitatem fastigatum, Plin. 13, 11, 22, 71: in Euphrate, id. 13, 11, 22, 73. Ships were made of it, id. ib.; Luc. 4, 136: in vasis papyri super aquas, Vulg. Isa. 18, 2; and sails and cordage from its bark, Cels. 5, 28, 12; Col. 6, 6, 4; Pall. 3, 33; also shoes, Mart. Cap. 2, 115; Tert. Carm. ad Sen. 22; and wicks, Veg. Vet. 2, 57; the roots were used instead of wood, Plin. 13, 11, 22, 72; and likewise for funeral piles, Mart. 10, 97, 1.— II.Transf.A.A garment made from the bark of the papyrus: succinctus patriā papyro, Juv. 4, 24.—B.Paper made of papyrus-stalk (cf.: liber, charta), Juv. 7, 101; Cat. 35, 1; Mart. 3, 2, 4.