a narrow way

sēmĭta, ae,f. [se-(=sed-), i.e. aside; and root mi-, to go; cf.: meo, trames], a narrow way, a path, foot - path, lane, by - way, etc. (opp. via, a highway; cf.: callis, trames): quā ibant, ab itu iter appellarunt;

quā id anguste, semita ut semiter, dictum,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 35 Müll.

Lit. (freq. and class.):

angustissimae semitae,

Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 96; cf. Mart. 7, 61, 4:

aut viam aut semitam monstrare,

Plaut. Rud. 1, 3, 30:

decedam ego illi de viā, de semitā,

id. Trin. 2, 4, 80; cf. id. Curc. 2, 3, 8; Sen. Ep. 64, 10:

scabras lutosasque semitas spectant, id. Ira, 3, 35, 5: omnibus viis notis semitisque essedarios ex silvis emittebat,

Caes. B. G. 5, 19; so (opp. via) id. ib. 7, 8; Liv. 44, 43:

semita angusta et ardua,

id. 9, 24:

ut Oresti nuper prandia in semitis decumae nomine magno honori fuerunt,

Cic. Off. 2, 17, 58; Suet. Ner. 48; Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v. 44 Vahl.):

rara per occultos lucebat semita calles,

Verg. A. 9, 383:

quā jacet Herculeis semita litoribus,

the narrow way, Prop. 1, 11, 2 et saep.—In mal. part., Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 36; cf.

vulgi,

Prop. 2, 23 (3, 17), 1.—Prov.: qui sibi semitam non sapiunt, alteri monstrant viam, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132 (Trag. v. 358 Vahl.):

de viā in semitam degredi,

Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 40.—

Transf., of other ways or paths ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

formicae praedam Convectant calle angusto... opere omnis semita fervet,

Verg. A. 4, 407;

so of the same,

Plin. 11, 30, 36, § 110:

Phryxi quā semita jungi Europamque Asiamque vetat,

Stat. Achill. 1, 409:

spumea semita fugientis clavi,

Val. Fl. 4, 420:

velox Lunae pigraque Saturni,

Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 438:

umida Iridis,

id. Rapt. Pros. 2, 99:

aratri, id. de Apono, 25: arteriae, id est spiritus semitae,

Plin. 11, 37, 89, § 219.—

Trop. (rare but class.), a way, path, road:

locuples et speciosa vult esse eloquentia... feratur ergo non semitis, sed campis: non uti fontes angustis fistulis colliguntur, sed ut latissimi amnes totis vallibus fluat ac sibi viam, si quando non acceperit, faciat,

Quint. 5, 14, 31:

illius ego semita feci viam,

Phaedr. 3, prol. 38:

jam intellegetis, hanc pecuniam, quae via modo visa est exire ab isto, eandem semita revertisse,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 23, § 57:

secretum iter et fallentis semita vitae,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 103:

semita certe Tranquillae per virtutem patet unica vitae,

Juv. 10, 364:

novum ad victoriam iter sanguinis sui semita aperire,

Flor. 1, 14, 4; so in eccl. Lat., freq., of a way of life, course of conduct, etc.:

justitiae,

Vulg. Prov. 2, 8:

justorum,

id. ib. 16, 17.

* * *

fauces, ium ( sing. nom. faux only in Cael. Aur. Tard. 2, 11, 127, =arteria aspera; cf. Varr. L. L. 10, § 78 Müll.; Charis. p. 72 P. —The abl. sing. fauce sometimes in poets: Ov. H. 9, 98; id. M. 14, 738; Hor. Epod. 14, 4; Phaedr. 1, 1, 3; 1, 8, 4; Mart. 7, 37, 6 al.), f. [cf. Sanscr. bhūka, hole, opening], the upper part of the throat, from the root of the tongue to the entrance of the gullet, the pharynx, throat, gullet (syn.: gula, guttur, jugulum).

Lit.: summum gulae fauces vocantur, extremum stomachus;

quibus fauces non sunt, ne stomachus quidem est,

Plin. 11, 37, 68, § 179:

exigua in arteria sub ipsis faucibus lingula est, quae, cum spiramus, attollitur,

Cels. 4, 1: (galli) favent faucibus russis cantu, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 26, 57 (Trag. v. 250 ed. Vahl.):

sitis fauces tenet,

Plaut. Most. 2, 1, 34:

sitis fauces urit,

Hor. S. 1, 2, 214:

lippiunt fauces fame,

Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 39; 1, 2, 36:

fauces tussientes,

Cels. 5, 25, 11:

nuces videntur fauces exasperare,

Plin. 23, 8, 74, § 142:

fauces tumentes strangulant vocem, etc.,

Quint. 11, 3, 20:

infirmatis faucibus, praeconis voce concionatus est,

Suet. Aug. 84 fin.:

propino tibi salutem plenis faucibus,

Plaut. Stich. 3, 2, 16:

merum ingurgitare faucibus plenis,

id. Curc. 1, 2, 39:

exscrea usque ex penitis faucibus,

from the bottom of your throat, id. As. 1, 1, 28:

alicui fauces prehendere,

id. Most. 1, 3, 62; cf.:

qui sacerdoti scelestus fauces interpresserit,

id. Rud. 3, 2, 41:

laqueo innectere fauces,

to strangle, Ov. M. 10, 378; cf.

also: ad necem secandasque novacula fauces,

Suet. Calig. 23:

fauces manu sua oppressit,

id. ib. 12:

retinens singulos et contortis faucibus convertens,

id. Caes. 62.— Trop.:

faucibus teneor,

I am caught by the throat, I feel the knife at my throat, Plaut. Cas. 5, 3, 4; cf.:

cum faucibus premeretur,

Cic. Clu. 31, 84:

Timarchides premit fauces defensionis tuae,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 76, § 176: eripite nos ex faucibus eorum, quorum crudelitas, etc., from the jaws, Crass. ap. Cic. de Or. 1, 52, 225; cf. Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 6, § 19:

urbem totius belli ore ac faucibus ereptam esse,

id. Arch. 9, 21:

e mediis Orci faucibus ad hunc evasi modum,

App. M. 7, p. 191:

cum inexplebiles populi fauces exaruerunt libertatis siti,

Cic. Rep. 1, 43:

lupus fauce improba incitatus,

i. e. voracity, Phaedr. 1, 2, 3.—

Transf., of places:

A narrow way, narrow inlet or outlet, an entrance, defile, pass (cf. angustiae): Corinthus posita in angustiis atque in faucibus Graeciae, in the mouth or entrance, Cic. Agr. 2, 32, 87:

in Ciliciae angustissimis faucibus,

Curt. 7, 4; cf.:

qua fauces erant angustissimae portus,

Caes. B. C. 1, 25, 5:

portus,

id. ib. 3, 24, 1;

3, 39, 2: Masinissam persecutus in valle arta, faucibus utrimque obsessis, inclusit,

Liv. 29, 32, 4:

Aemilius sedens in faucibus macelli,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 62, § 145; so,

macelli,

id. Quint. 6, 25:

per fauces montis ut Aetnae Exspirent ignes,

the crater, Lucr. 6, 630:

cava flumina siccis faucibus, etc.,

Verg. G. 4, 428:

altae montis,

Lucr. 6, 697:

Nilus multis faucibus in Aegyptium mare se evomit,

through many mouths, Plin. 5, 9, 10, § 54:

Bospori,

the Dardanelles, id. 6, 1, 1, § 4; Sil. 12, 127:

cum fornacem facies, fauces praecipites deorsum facito,

Cato, R. R. 38, 3: pictis e faucibus currus emittere, from the barriers, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 89 ed. Vahl.).—

The jaws of the earth, gulf, abyss:

patefactis terrae faucibus,

Cic. N. D. 2, 37, 95.

ambĭtĭo, ōnis, f. [ambio], a going round.

In the time of the republic, t. t. (v. ambio, II. B.), the going about of candidates for office in Rome, and the soliciting of individual citizens for their vote, a canvassing, suing for office (by just and lawful means;

while ambitus denotes unlawful means, as bribery, threats, etc.): quid de nostris ambitionibus loquar?

Cic. Tusc. 2, 26, 62:

mea me ambitio ab omni illā cogitatione abstrahebat,

id. Sull. 4:

cum ambitionis nostrae tempora postulabant,

id. Planc. 18, 45:

si infinitus forensium rerum labor et ambitionis occupatio decursu honorum etiam aetatis flexu constitisset,

id. de Or. 1, 1, 1:

hic magistratus a populo summā ambitione contenditur,

id. Verr. 2, 53, 131:

tanta exarsit ambitio, ut primores civitatis prensarent homines,

Liv. 3, 35, 1 et saep.—

A.. In gen., a striving for one's favor or good-will; an excessive desire to please, flattery, adulation:

ambitione labi,

Cic. Brut. 69, 244:

sive aliquā suspitione sive ambitione adducti,

id. Clu. 28, 76:

in Scipione ambitio major, vita tristior,

id. Off. 1, 30, 108 Heus., Beier, and Gernh.: Dionysius Platonem magnā ambitione Syracusas perduxit, in an ostentatious manner, for the purpose of securing his favor, Nep. Dion, 2, 2 Br. and Dähn.:

ambitio (i.e. studium Fabiis placendi) obstabat,

Liv. 5, 36:

ambitione relegatā,

without flattery, Hor. S. 1, 10, 84: ambitionem scriptoris facile averseris, obtrectatio et livor pronis auribus accipiuntur, Tac. H. 1, 1:

nullo officii aut ambitionis genere omisso, i.e. nullis blanditiis,

Suet. Oth. 4:

coronas quam parcissime et sine ambitione tribuit,

id. Aug. 25 et saep.—Hence, also partiality:

jus sibi per ambitionem dictum non esse,

Liv. 3, 47.—

With the predom. idea of the purpose or end, a desire for honor, popularity, power, display, etc.; in bon. part., ambition; in mal. part., vanity. —So in Lucr. of the ambitious efforts of men:

Angustum per iter luctantes ambitionis,

struggling to press through the narrow way of ambition, Lucr. 5, 1132:

me ambitio quaedam ad honorum studium duxit,

Cic. Att. 1, 17:

Miserrima omnino est ambitio honorumque contentio,

id. Off. 1, 25:

a quo incepto studioque me ambitio mala detinuerat,

Sall. C. 4, 2:

aut ab avaritiā aut miserā ambitione laborat,

Hor. S. 1, 4, 26:

Vitā solutorum miserā ambitione gravique,

id. ib. 1, 6, 129; so id. ib. 2, 3, 78;

2, 6, 18: inanis,

id. Ep. 2, 2, 207:

levis,

Ov. F. 1, 103 al.:

licet ipsa vitium sit ambitio, tamen frequenter causa virtutum est,

Quint. 1, 2, 22:

perversa,

id. 10, 7, 20:

funerum nulla ambitio,

no display, pomp, Tac. G. 27.—

Great exertion:

cum admitti magnā ambitione aegre obtinuisset,

Just. 1, 3.—

That which surrounds (v. ambio, 2.;

postclass. for ambitus): vimineos alveos circumdant ambitione tergorum bubulorum,

with a wrapping of cowhide, Sol. 22:

fuliginem ambitio extimae cutis cohibet,

id. 35: ita assedimus, ut me ex tribus medium lateris ambitione protegerent, Min. Oct. 4.

* * *

clāvus, i, m. [root klu-, v. claudo; prop. that which shuts or fastens].

A nail, usually of metal.

Lit.:

offerumentas habebis pluris Quam ulla navis longa clavos,

Plaut. Rud. 3, 4, 48:

(leges) ad parietem fixae clavis ferreis,

id. Trin. 4, 3, 32; so,

clavi ferrei,

Cato, R. R. 18 fin.; Caes. B. G. 3, 13; Vitr. 7, 3 al.—Sometimes of hard wood:

clavis corneis occludere,

Cato, R. R. 18 fin.:

cornus... lignum utile, si quid cuneandum sit in ligno clavisve figendum ceu ferreis,

Plin. 16, 40, 76, § 206:

clavis religare tigna,

Caes. B. C. 2, 10:

clavos per modica intervalla figentes,

Liv. 28, 20, 4.—

Acc. to a Tuscan usage the ancient Romans designated the number of the year by nails, which the highest magistrate annually, at the Ides of September, drove into the wall of Jupiter's temple: clavo ab dictatore fixo,

Liv. 7, 3, 3 sqq.; 8, 18, 12 sq.; 9, 28, 6: clavus annalis, Paul. ex Fest. p. 56, 10 Müll.; cf.

O. Müll. Etrusk. 2, p. 329 sq., and Dict. of Antiq. p. 263. Also, in a later age, country people seem to have kept an account of the years in this way,

Petr. 135, 8, 9.—Prov.: clavo clavum eicere, to drive out one nail by another (Gr. hêlôi ton hêlon, pattalôi ton pattalon, sc. dei exelaunein):

novo quidam amore veterem amorem tamquam clavo clavum eiciendum putant,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 35, 75: aliquid trabali clavo figere, to fasten with a large nail, to clinch a matter, id. Verr. 2, 5, 21, § 53; Arn. 2, p. 51.—

As a symbol of immovable firmness:

Necessitas Clavos trabales Gestans,

Hor. C. 1, 35, 18:

si figit adamantinos Necessitas Clavos,

id. ib. 3, 24, 7; cf. O. Müll. as above cit., p. 331.—Hence,

Trop.:

ex hoc die clavum anni movebis,

i. e. reckon the beginning of the year, Cic. Att. 5, 15, 1:

fixus animus clavo Cupidinis,

Plaut. As. 1, 3, 4.—Prov.:

beneficium trabali clavo figere (v. trabalis),

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 21, § 53 Zumpt; cf. Arn. 2, p. 51.—

Meton. of objects of like form.

( Lit. the handle of the rudder, the tiller; hence, pars pro toto.) The rudder, helm, in gen. (only sing.): ut clavum rectum teneam, Enn. ap. Isid. Orig. 19, 2, 12 (Ann. v. 472 Vahl.):

clavum ad litora torquere,

Verg. A. 5, 177 Serv.; 10, 218.—

Trop.:

clavum tanti imperii tenere et gubernacula rei publicae tractare,

Cic. Sest. 9, 20:

abicere,

to leave off the care of a thing, Arn. 3, 106: dum clavum rectum teneam, if I keep a steady helm, am not negligent (as in Gr. orthan tan naun), Quint. 2, 17, 24 Spald.; cf. the passage of Enn. supra. —

In medic. lang., a painful tumor or excrescence, a wart, a corn; on the feet, Cels. 5, 28, 14. clavis in pedibus mederi, Plin. 20, 17, 71, § 184; 22, 23, 49, § 101 sq.; 26, 11, 66, § 106; 28, 16, 62, § 222;

on the eye,

Cels. 6, 7, 12;

in the nose,

Plin. 24, 14, 77, § 126;

upon the neck of cattle,

Col. 6, 14, 6;

in sheep,

id. 7, 5, 11.—Also a disease of the olive-tree, Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 223.—

A kind of abortion of bees, Plin. 11, 16, 16, § 50.—

A purple stripe on the tunica, which, for senators, was broad (latus, cf. laticlavius); for the equites, narrow (angustus; cf.

angusticlavius). In the time of the emperors, however, the sons of the senators and equites also, who were preparing for civil office, wore the latus clavus,

Liv. 9, 7, 9; Varr. L. L. 9, § 79 Müll.; Ov. Tr. 4, 10, 29 Jahn; cf. Hor. S. 1, 5, 36; 1, 6, 28; Quint. 11, 3, 138; Vell. 2, 88, 2; Suet. Aug. 94: tunicam ita consuere, ut altera plagula sit angustis clavis, altera latis, Varr L. L. 9, § 47 Müll.—Hence the phrase: latum clavum ab Caesare impetravi, i. e. I have become senator, Plin. Ep. 2, 9, 2; cf.:

clavum alicui tribuere,

Suet. Claud. 24:

impetrare,

id. Vesp. 4:

adimere,

id. Tib. 35:

adipisci,

id. Vesp. 2.—Rarely a purple stripe on bed or table cloths, Amm. 16, 8, 8.—

Poet., a tunic, in gen., either wide or narrow striped:

mutare in horas,

Hor. S. 2, 7, 10:

sumere depositum,

id. ib. 1, 6, 25.

* * *

callis, is, m. ( fem., Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 10; Liv. 22, 14, 8; 31, 42, 8; 36, 15, 9; Curt. 3, 10, 10; 4, 16, 11; Amm. 30, 1, 15; 31, 10, 9; cf. Neue, Formenl. 1, p. 673) [etym. dub.; acc. to Serv. ad Verg. A. 4, 405, and Isid. Orig. 15, 16, 10, from callum; cf. Doed. Syn. IV. p. 68], a stony, uneven, narrow footway, a foot-path, a mountain-path, etc.; most freq., a path made by the treading of cattle: callis est iter pecudum inter montes angustum et tritum, a callo pecudum perduratum, Isid. Orig. l. l.: callis = via pecorum vestigiis trita, Vet. Gloss.

Lit.:

per calles silvestres,

Varr. R. R. 2, 9 fin.; 2, 10, 1 and 3; Cic. Sest. 5, 12 Orell.:

inde prope inviis callibus ad dictatorem perfugerunt,

Liv. 22, 15, 10; cf. id. 32, 11, 2; Verg. A. 4, 405; cf. Ov. M. 7, 626 al.:

per calles ignotos,

Liv. 31, 42, 8; 35, 27, 6; 36, 15, 9; 38, 2, 10; Curt. 7, 11, 7:

secreti,

Verg. A. 6, 443:

surgens,

Pers. 4 (3), 57.—

Transf.

A mountain-pasturage, alp, declivity, mountain-pass, defile (cf. Vogel ad Curt. 3, 10, 10 N. cr.):

rara per occultos lucebat semita calles,

Verg. A. 9, 383 Heyne:

nos hic pecorum modo per aestivos saltus deviasque callis exercitum ducimus,

Liv. 22, 14, 8:

per calles saltusque Macedonicorum montium,

id. 44, 36, 10:

in Ciliciae angustiis et inviis callibus dimicare,

Curt. 4, 13, 6:

angustis in Ciliciae callibus,

id. 4, 9, 22; 5, 4, 4; 5, 4, 17; Liv. 35, 30, 10:

quaestor, cui provincia vetere ex more calles evenerant,

Tac. A. 4, 27 Orell. and Draeg. ad loc.; cf.:

(provincia) semitae callesque,

Suet. Aug. 19:

calles consitae arboribus,

Amm. 31, 10, 9.—

A way, path, road, in gen., Val. Fl. 3, 568; 5, 394 (but in Lucr. 6, 92, the correct read. is calcis, not callis; v. Lachm. ad h. l.).

insĭnŭātĭo, ōnis, f. [insinuo], an entrance through a narrow or crooked way.

Lit.:

Ponti,

Avien. Perieg. 397.—

Trop.

An insinuating or ingratiating one ' s self into the favor of others:

exordium in duas partes dividitur, in principium et insinuationem.... Insinuatio est oratio, quadam dissimulatione et circuitione obscure subiens auditoris animum,

Cic. Inv. 1, 15, 20.—

A notification, publication, Cod. Just. 8, 54, 32.

līnĕa ( līnĭa), ae, f. [linum], a linen thread, a string, line.

Lit.:

nectere lineas, restes, funes,

Varr. R. R. 1, 23, 6:

linia longinqua per os religata,

Plin. 9, 17, 26, § 59:

ligato pede longā lineā gallina custoditur,

Col. 8, 11, 15:

linea margaritarum triginta quinque,

Dig. 35, 2, 26; cf.:

lineae duae ex margaritis,

ib. 34, 2, 40; and ib. 9, 2, 27 fin.:

linea dives (of the strings of pearls which were thrown among the people at the public games),

Mart. 8, 78, 7 (cf. Suet. Ner. 11).—

In partic.

In a net, the threads which form the meshes:

licia difficile cernuntur: atque ut in plagis lineae offensae, praecipitant in sinum (of spiders' webs),

Plin. 11, 24, 28, § 82.—

Transf., a net, Plin. 9, 43, 67, § 145:

si feras lineis et pinna clusas contineas,

Sen. Clem. 1, 12, 5.—

A fishing-line:

tremulāve captum lineā trahit piscem,

Mart. 3, 58, 27; 10, 30, 18.—Hence, prov.: mittere lineam, to cast a line, to fish for, try to catch a person, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 22.—

A plumbline of masons and carpenters:

perpendiculo et lineā uti,

Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 1; cf.:

ad regulam et lineam,

Vitr. 7, 3; 5, 3; Pall. 3, 9.—Hence,

Ad lineam and rectā lineā, in a straight line, vertically, perpendicularly:

solida corpora ferri suo deorsum pondere ad lineam,

Cic. Fin. 1, 6, 18; Plin. 19, 8, 42, § 147;

of the layers of stone in a wall: saxa, quae rectis lineis suos ordines servant,

Caes. B. G. 7, 23:

(ignis) rectis lineis in caelestem locum subvolat,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 17, 40.—

A region, tract:

linea tam rectum mundi ferit illa Leonem,

that region lies directly under the lion, Luc. 10, 306.—

A bowstring, Ter. Maur. praef. v. 19.—

Transf., a thread-like stroke or mark made with a pen, pencil, etc., a line:

Apelli fuit perpetua consuetudo, numquam tam occupatam diem agendi, ut non, lineam ducendo, exerceret artem, quod ab eo in proverbium venit (namely, the proverb: nulla dies sine linea),

Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 84:

lineam cinere ducere,

id. 18, 33, 76, § 327:

candida per medium folium transcurrens,

id. 27, 11, 77, § 102:

serra in praetenui linea premente harenas (of sawing marble),

id. 36, 6, 9, § 51:

nec congruebant ad horas ejus lineae (of the sundial),

id. 7, 60, 60, § 214; Pers. 3, 4.—In geometry, a line: linea a nostris dicitur, quam grammên Graeci nominant. Eam M. Varro ita definit:

Linea est, inquit, longitudo quaedam sine latitudine et altitudine,

Gell. 1, 20, 7:

locorum extremae lineae,

Quint. 1, 10, 39:

lineae, quae emittuntur ex centro,

Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 165; 2, 16, 13, § 64:

linea circumcurrens,

a circular line, circle, Quint. 1, 10, 41.—

In partic.

A boundary-line which consisted of a narrow path between fields, Hyg. de Limit. p. 151; 152 Goes. —

In gen., a way, path:

dedit sequendam calle recto lineam,

Prud. Cath. 7, 48.—

A barrier or line in the theatre, by which the seats were separated from each other:

quid frustra refugis? cogit nos linea jungi,

Ov. Am. 3, 2, 19; id. A. A. 1, 139:

lineas poscere,

Quint. 11, 3, 133.—

A feature, lineament:

adulti venustissimis lineis,

Arn. 5, 179 al. —

Trop.

A line of descent or kindred, lineage (post-class.): stemmata cognationum directo limite in duas lineas separantur, quarum altera est superior, altera inferior, Dig. 38, 10, 9:

clara gentis Linea,

Stat. S. 3, 3, 43:

primo gradu superioris linea continentur pater, mater,

Paul. Sent. 4, 11, 1.—

An outline, sketch, design (a fig. borrowed from painting):

quidam materias latius dicendo prosequebantur... alii, cum primas modo lineas duxissent,

Quint. 2, 6, 2; cf. id. 4, 2, 120: ea quae in Platonis oratione demiramur, non aemulari quidem, sed lineas umbrasque facere ausi sumus, Gell. 17, 20, 8.—

A boundary-line, bound, limit, end, goal:

cum poëtae transilire lineas impune possint,

Varr. L. L. 9, § 5 Müll.; Cassiod. Var. 3, 50:

si quidem est peccare tamquam transire lineas,

to go beyond the mark, pass the prescribed limits, Cic. Par. 3, 1, 20:

mors ultima linea rerum est,

Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 79:

admoveri lineas sentio,

Sen. Ep. 49.—Hence, prov.: amare extremā lineā, to love at a distance, i. e. to see the beloved object only at a distance, not be able to speak to her, Ter. Eun. 4, 2, 12.

līnĕa ( līnĭa), ae, f. [linum], a linen thread, a string, line.

Lit.:

nectere lineas, restes, funes,

Varr. R. R. 1, 23, 6:

linia longinqua per os religata,

Plin. 9, 17, 26, § 59:

ligato pede longā lineā gallina custoditur,

Col. 8, 11, 15:

linea margaritarum triginta quinque,

Dig. 35, 2, 26; cf.:

lineae duae ex margaritis,

ib. 34, 2, 40; and ib. 9, 2, 27 fin.:

linea dives (of the strings of pearls which were thrown among the people at the public games),

Mart. 8, 78, 7 (cf. Suet. Ner. 11).—

In partic.

In a net, the threads which form the meshes:

licia difficile cernuntur: atque ut in plagis lineae offensae, praecipitant in sinum (of spiders' webs),

Plin. 11, 24, 28, § 82.—

Transf., a net, Plin. 9, 43, 67, § 145:

si feras lineis et pinna clusas contineas,

Sen. Clem. 1, 12, 5.—

A fishing-line:

tremulāve captum lineā trahit piscem,

Mart. 3, 58, 27; 10, 30, 18.—Hence, prov.: mittere lineam, to cast a line, to fish for, try to catch a person, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 22.—

A plumbline of masons and carpenters:

perpendiculo et lineā uti,

Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 1; cf.:

ad regulam et lineam,

Vitr. 7, 3; 5, 3; Pall. 3, 9.—Hence,

Ad lineam and rectā lineā, in a straight line, vertically, perpendicularly:

solida corpora ferri suo deorsum pondere ad lineam,

Cic. Fin. 1, 6, 18; Plin. 19, 8, 42, § 147;

of the layers of stone in a wall: saxa, quae rectis lineis suos ordines servant,

Caes. B. G. 7, 23:

(ignis) rectis lineis in caelestem locum subvolat,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 17, 40.—

A region, tract:

linea tam rectum mundi ferit illa Leonem,

that region lies directly under the lion, Luc. 10, 306.—

A bowstring, Ter. Maur. praef. v. 19.—

Transf., a thread-like stroke or mark made with a pen, pencil, etc., a line:

Apelli fuit perpetua consuetudo, numquam tam occupatam diem agendi, ut non, lineam ducendo, exerceret artem, quod ab eo in proverbium venit (namely, the proverb: nulla dies sine linea),

Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 84:

lineam cinere ducere,

id. 18, 33, 76, § 327:

candida per medium folium transcurrens,

id. 27, 11, 77, § 102:

serra in praetenui linea premente harenas (of sawing marble),

id. 36, 6, 9, § 51:

nec congruebant ad horas ejus lineae (of the sundial),

id. 7, 60, 60, § 214; Pers. 3, 4.—In geometry, a line: linea a nostris dicitur, quam grammên Graeci nominant. Eam M. Varro ita definit:

Linea est, inquit, longitudo quaedam sine latitudine et altitudine,

Gell. 1, 20, 7:

locorum extremae lineae,

Quint. 1, 10, 39:

lineae, quae emittuntur ex centro,

Plin. 2, 65, 65, § 165; 2, 16, 13, § 64:

linea circumcurrens,

a circular line, circle, Quint. 1, 10, 41.—

In partic.

A boundary-line which consisted of a narrow path between fields, Hyg. de Limit. p. 151; 152 Goes. —

In gen., a way, path:

dedit sequendam calle recto lineam,

Prud. Cath. 7, 48.—

A barrier or line in the theatre, by which the seats were separated from each other:

quid frustra refugis? cogit nos linea jungi,

Ov. Am. 3, 2, 19; id. A. A. 1, 139:

lineas poscere,

Quint. 11, 3, 133.—

A feature, lineament:

adulti venustissimis lineis,

Arn. 5, 179 al. —

Trop.

A line of descent or kindred, lineage (post-class.): stemmata cognationum directo limite in duas lineas separantur, quarum altera est superior, altera inferior, Dig. 38, 10, 9:

clara gentis Linea,

Stat. S. 3, 3, 43:

primo gradu superioris linea continentur pater, mater,

Paul. Sent. 4, 11, 1.—

An outline, sketch, design (a fig. borrowed from painting):

quidam materias latius dicendo prosequebantur... alii, cum primas modo lineas duxissent,

Quint. 2, 6, 2; cf. id. 4, 2, 120: ea quae in Platonis oratione demiramur, non aemulari quidem, sed lineas umbrasque facere ausi sumus, Gell. 17, 20, 8.—

A boundary-line, bound, limit, end, goal:

cum poëtae transilire lineas impune possint,

Varr. L. L. 9, § 5 Müll.; Cassiod. Var. 3, 50:

si quidem est peccare tamquam transire lineas,

to go beyond the mark, pass the prescribed limits, Cic. Par. 3, 1, 20:

mors ultima linea rerum est,

Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 79:

admoveri lineas sentio,

Sen. Ep. 49.—Hence, prov.: amare extremā lineā, to love at a distance, i. e. to see the beloved object only at a distance, not be able to speak to her, Ter. Eun. 4, 2, 12.