Capitals
the large letters used in writing and printing, most commonly as the initial letters of certain words. As CAPITOL among the ancient Greeks and Romans, so also in the early part of the Middle Ages, all books were written without any distinction in the kind of letters, large letters (capitals) being the only ones used; but gradually the practice became quently also the chief divisions and seccommon of beginning a book, subsetions of a book, with a large capital letter, usually illuminated and otherwise richly ornamented. kind existed among the Romans, but upon each head or person. A tax of this It was again levied in 1513, and by Charles II. in 1667, after which it re- It was again levied in 1513, and by mained in force till abolished by William Charles II. in 1667, after which it re- III. in 1689.
CAPITOL (Lat. capitolium, from called from a human head (caput) found caput = a head); said to have been so when digging the foundations of the Here a temple was built to Jupiter Capifortress of Rome, on the hill Tarpeius. tolinus. The foundation was laid by Tarquinius Priscus, 616 B. C.; the building was continued by Servius Tullius; not dedicated till 507 в. c., by the consul not dedicated till 507 B. C., by the consul rebuilt by Sylla, and dedicated again by Lutatius Catulu Catulus, 69; twice again burnt 183; burnt during the civil wars, 83; A. D. 69, 80; rebuilt 70, 82; sacked by Genseric, June, 455. The Roman consuls rebuilt by Sylla, and dedicated again by Genseric, June, 455. The Roman consuls made large donations to this temple, and composed; its the Emperor Augustus bestowed on it metal the roof 2,000 pounds weight of gold, of which metal the roof was composed; its was thresholds were of brass, and its interior was decorated with shields of solid silver.
The Capitoline games, instituted 387 в. c. the Gauls, were revived by Domitian, A. to commemorate the deliverance from D. 86. The Campidoglio in Rome conthe site of the Capitol by Michael Antains palaces of the senators, erected on gelo soon after 1546. The word is also applied to the building in which the Congress of the United States meets. gress of the United States meets. ner-stone of the Capitol was laid Sept. The National Capitol.-The S. E. cor- 18, 1793, "by Brother George Washing- 18, 1793, "by Brother George Washingand Free Masons of the surrounding cities, the military, and a large number of people." The N. wing was ready for but both were partially destroyed by the occupancy in 1800, the S. wing in 1808; British in 1814. The foundation of the main building was laid in 1818 (March 24), the restoration of the wings having been commenced three years earlier; and CAPITULARIES the whole was completed in 1827. July 4, 1851, the corner-stone of the S. extension was laid by President Fillmore, and this was finished in 1857. The N. extension was occupied by the Senate in 1859. The present present dome, commenced in 1855, was completed eight years later, and Dec. 12, 1863, the American flag entire building was $13,000,000: main building, $3,000,000; dome, $
1,000,000; extensions, $8,000,000; miscellanenous items, $
1,000,000. The length of the entire building is 751 feet 4 inches; its greatest breadth, 324 feet, and it covers a little over 31/½ acres. The distance from the ground to the top of the dome is 3072 feet; the diameter of the dome, 1352 feet. floated from its summit. The cost of the CAPITULARIES (Lat. capitularia), the name given to the laws, or royal enactments, issued by the Frankish kings. These laws proceeded from the great assemblies of the king, nobles, and bishops, which formed the estates of the king dom, as distinguished from the laws issued for the separate states, which were called leges. They were divided into general and special capitularies, according to the more or less general nature of the interests which they embraced, and the mode of their publication. They have by no means been all preserved. The most famous are those of Charlemagne and of St. Louis.