prō-scindō

prō-scindo, scĭdi, scissum, 3, v. a., to tear open in front, to rend, split, cleave, cut up, cut in pieces ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose).

Lit.

In gen.:

ferro proscindere quercum,

Luc. 3, 434:

piscem,

App. Mag. p. 300, 18 and 20:

spumanti Rhodanus proscindens gurgite campos,

Sil. 3, 449:

vulnere pectus,

Stat. Th. 10, 439:

fulgure terram,

Just. 44, 3, 6.—

In partic., in agriculture, of the first ploughing, to break up the land: rursum terram cum primum arant, proscindere appellant; cum iterum, offringere dicunt, quod primā aratione glebae grandes solent excitari. Varr. R. R. 1, 29, 2; 1, 27, 2:

terram transversis adversisque sulcis,

Col. 3, 13, 4: priusquam ares, proscindito, Cato ap. Plin. 18, 19, 49, § 176: bubulcum autem per proscissum ingredi oportet, the trench, furrow, Col. 2, 2, 25; 3, 13, 4; 11, 2, 32.— Poet., in gen., for arare, to plough: rorulentas terras, Att. ap. Non. p. 395, 22 (Trag. Rel. v. 496 Rib.):

validis terram proscinde juvencis,

Verg. G. 2, 237:

terram pressis aratris,

Lucr. 5, 209:

ferro campum,

Ov. M. 7, 119.—

Transf., to cut through, to cleave, furrow ( poet.): rostro ventosum aequor. Cat. 64, 12:

remo stagna,

Sil. 8, 603.—

Trop., to cut up with words, to censure, satirize, revile, defame:

aliquem,

Ov. P. 4, 16, 47:

equestrem ordinem,

Suet. Calig. 30:

aliquem foedissimo convicio,

id. Aug. 13:

carminibus proscissus,

Plin. 36, 6, 7, § 48: aliquem famoso carmine, Suet. Vit. Luc.; Val. Max. 5, 3, 3; 8, 5, 2.