circle

• Futile is the labor of those who fatigue themselves with calculations to square the circle. (Michael Stifel, 1544)

absis or apsis, īdis (collat. form ab-sīda, ae, Paul. Ep. 12; cf. Isid. Orig. 15, 8, 7), f., = hapsis, lit. a fitting together in a circular form, hence an arch or vault.

Plin. Ep. 2, 17 (but in Plin. 36, 12, 17, the correct read. is aspidem, v. Sillig ad h. l.). —In a church, the choir, Isid. Orig. 15, 18, 7, and Paul. Ep. 12 (in both of which it is doubtful whether absis, idis, or absida, ae, should be read; cf. Areval upon Isid. l. c.). —

The circle which a star describes in its orbit, Plin. 2, 18, 16, § 79; cf. id. 2, 15, 13, § 63.—

A round dish or bowl, Dig. 34, 2, 19, § 6; ib. Fragm. 32, § 1.

ambītus, a, um, Part. of ambio.

ambĭtus, ūs, m. [ambio].

Lit. A going round, a moving round about, a revolution:

cum se octo ambitus ad idem caput rettulerint,

Cic. Tim. 9:

aquae per amoenos ambitus agros,

Hor. A. P. 17 (cf. ambio, II. A.):

alligata mutuo ambitu (i. e. amplexu) corpora,

Petr. 132:

ambitu breviore luna currit quam sol,

Plin. 2, 23, 21, § 86:

saeculorum,

Tac. A. 6, 28:

verborum (i. e. ambages),

Suet. Tib. 71.—

Transf.

Abstr. pro concr., a circuit, circle, circumference, periphery, edge of a circular object:

ambitus parmae,

Plin. 36, 5, 4, § 4:

folia ambitu serrato,

id. 25, 6, 30, § 66:

castra lato ambitu,

Tac. A. 1, 61; 4, 49:

ambitus lacus,

Suet. Claud. 21.— Trop., of discourse, periphrasis, circumlocution, = ambages:

multos circa unam rem ambitus facere,

Liv. 27, 27.—Hence, the open space left round a house:

ambitus est quod circumeundo teritur,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 22 Müll.:

P. Scaevola id solum esse ambitus aedium dixerit, quo etc.,

Cic. Top. 4: ambitus proprie dicitur inter vicinorum aedificia locus duorum pedum et semipedis ad circumeundi facultatem relictus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 16 Müll. —Also, the small space around sepulchres, Dig. 47, 12, 5.—

An unlawful striving for posts of honor, or canvassing for office; esp. by bribery (cf. ambitio, I.), prohibited by the Lex Calpurnia, Caecilia, Fabia, Julia, Licinia, Tullia de ambitu, against bribery, corruption, etc.:

legem ambitus flagitāsti,

Cic. Mur. 23:

punire ambitum,

id. ib. 32, 67; cf. Sall. C. 18, 2 Kritz:

accusare aliquem ambitus,

Cic. Clu. 41:

deferre nomen alicujus de ambitu,

id. Cael. 31:

interrogare aliquem legibus ambitus,

Sall. C. 18, 2:

damnatus ambitus,

Cic. Clu. 41:

condemnare de ambitu,

Suet. Caes. 41 al.:

effusae ambitus largitiones,

Nep. Att. 6.—

In gen., the desire to make a display, ostentation, vanity, show, parade:

relinque ambitum: tumida res est vana, ventosa,

Sen. Ep. 84:

proprius quidam intellegendi ambitus,

Quint. 12, 10, 3.—Of speech, bombastic fulness, parade:

imagine et ambitu rerum,

Quint. 10, 1, 16 Fr.; id. Decl. 4 fin. —

In rhet., a period:

comprehensio et ambitus ille verborum (si sic periodum appellari placet),

Cic. Brut. 44, 162; id. Or. 12; so id. ib. 50.

baltĕus, i, m., more rare baltĕum, i, n. (in plur. baltea was generally used in the poets metri gr.; and in ante-class. prose balteum, e. g. Varr. L. L. 5, § 116 Müll.; Non. p. 194, 21; Charis. p. 59 P.) [acc. to Varr. ap. Charis. 1. 1. a Tuscan word; but cf. O. H. Germ. balz; Engl. belt] (not in Cic.).

Lit., a girdle, belt; esp. a swordbelt, or the band passing over the shoulder (cf. Quint. 11, 3, 140; Dict. of Antiq.): baltea, Att. ap. Non. p. 194, 21;

Varr. ib.: infelix umero cum apparuit alto Balteus,

Verg. A. 12, 942:

lato quam circumplectitur auro Balteus,

id. ib. 5, 313 Serv.;

12, 274: verutum in balteo defigitur,

Caes. B. G. 5, 44: aurata baltea illis erant, Liv. H. ap. Non. p. 194, 21:

gregarius miles viatica sua et balteos phalerasque loco pecuniae tradebant,

Tac. H. 1, 57 fin.; Vulg. Exod. 28, 39: regum, ib. Job, 12, 18.—

Poet., like zôstêr, a woman ' s girdle; so of that of Amazonian queens at Thermodon, Ov. M. 9, 189; the girdle of the wife of Cato, Luc. 2, 362; of Venus, Mart. 14, 207.—

The girdle of the Jewish high-priest, Vulg. Exod. 28, 4.—

The girdle or belly-band of a horse, = cingula, Claud. Epigr. 21, 2; App. M. 10, p. 247, 37.—

Transf., that which surrounds like a girdle, a border, rim, edge, circle.

The belt of the heavens, the zodiac:

stellatus balteus,

Manil. 1, 677; 3, 334.—

The edge, the crust of a cake, Cato, R. R. 76, 3, and 78.—

The bark of the willow, Plin. 16, 37, 68, § 174.—

= praecinctio, and Gr. diaxôma, the vacant space between the seats in the amphitheatre, Calp. Ecl. 4, 47; Tert. Spect. 3.—

Baltei pulvinorum, in architecture, the broad bands by which the cushions upon Ionic capitals are, as it were, held together, Vitr. 3, 5, 7.—

A strapping, blow with a belt:

quoties rumoribus ulciscantur Baltea,

Juv. 9, 112.

baltĕus, i, m., more rare baltĕum, i, n. (in plur. baltea was generally used in the poets metri gr.; and in ante-class. prose balteum, e. g. Varr. L. L. 5, § 116 Müll.; Non. p. 194, 21; Charis. p. 59 P.) [acc. to Varr. ap. Charis. 1. 1. a Tuscan word; but cf. O. H. Germ. balz; Engl. belt] (not in Cic.).

Lit., a girdle, belt; esp. a swordbelt, or the band passing over the shoulder (cf. Quint. 11, 3, 140; Dict. of Antiq.): baltea, Att. ap. Non. p. 194, 21;

Varr. ib.: infelix umero cum apparuit alto Balteus,

Verg. A. 12, 942:

lato quam circumplectitur auro Balteus,

id. ib. 5, 313 Serv.;

12, 274: verutum in balteo defigitur,

Caes. B. G. 5, 44: aurata baltea illis erant, Liv. H. ap. Non. p. 194, 21:

gregarius miles viatica sua et balteos phalerasque loco pecuniae tradebant,

Tac. H. 1, 57 fin.; Vulg. Exod. 28, 39: regum, ib. Job, 12, 18.—

Poet., like zôstêr, a woman ' s girdle; so of that of Amazonian queens at Thermodon, Ov. M. 9, 189; the girdle of the wife of Cato, Luc. 2, 362; of Venus, Mart. 14, 207.—

The girdle of the Jewish high-priest, Vulg. Exod. 28, 4.—

The girdle or belly-band of a horse, = cingula, Claud. Epigr. 21, 2; App. M. 10, p. 247, 37.—

Transf., that which surrounds like a girdle, a border, rim, edge, circle.

The belt of the heavens, the zodiac:

stellatus balteus,

Manil. 1, 677; 3, 334.—

The edge, the crust of a cake, Cato, R. R. 76, 3, and 78.—

The bark of the willow, Plin. 16, 37, 68, § 174.—

= praecinctio, and Gr. diaxôma, the vacant space between the seats in the amphitheatre, Calp. Ecl. 4, 47; Tert. Spect. 3.—

Baltei pulvinorum, in architecture, the broad bands by which the cushions upon Ionic capitals are, as it were, held together, Vitr. 3, 5, 7.—

A strapping, blow with a belt:

quoties rumoribus ulciscantur Baltea,

Juv. 9, 112.

carpo, psi, ptum, 3 [cf.: rapio, harpazô, karpos; Engl. grab, grip, grasp].

Lit., of plants, flowers, fruits, etc., to pick, pluck, pluck off, cull, crop, gather (class.; in prose and poetry, esp. in the latter very freq.; syn. decerpere).

In gen.:

(flos) tenui carptus ungui,

Cat. 62, 43; Hor. C. 3, 27, 44; Ov. M. 9, 342:

ab arbore flores,

id. ib. 9, 380; cf.

infra, II.: rosam, poma,

Verg. G. 4, 134:

violas et papavera,

id. E. 2, 47:

violas, lilia,

Ov. M. 5, 392:

frondes uncis manibus,

id. G. 2, 366:

plenis pomaria ramis,

Ov. H. 4, 29:

vindemiam de palmite,

Verg. G. 2, 90:

fructus,

id. ib. 2, 501:

frumenta manu,

id. ib. 3, 176.—

Esp.

Of animals, to take something as nourishment (cf. Burm. ad Phaedr. 1, 28, 4); first, of nourishment from plants, to crop, pluck off, browse, graze on, etc. (syn. depascere); also of flesh, to eat, devour (rare):

alia (animalia) sugunt, alia carpunt, alia vorant, alia mandunt,

Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122:

carpunt gramen equi,

Verg. A. 9, 353; id. G. 2, 201; Ov. M. 1, 299:

herbam,

Verg. G. 3, 296; 3, 465; Ov. M. 13, 927:

pabula,

id. ib. 4, 217; id. F. 4, 750:

alimenta,

id. M. 15, 478:

apes carpunt ex oleā arbore ceram, e fico mel, etc.,

gather, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 24 sq.; cf.:

apis carpens thyma,

Hor. C. 4, 2, 29.— Poet.:

Invidia (personif. envy) summa cacumina carpit,

Ov. M. 2, 792:

nec carpsere jecur volucres,

id. ib. 10, 43; cf. Phaedr. 1, 28, 4.—Sometimes transf., of men:

prandium,

Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 52:

carpe cibos digitis,

Ov. A. A. 3, 755: pisces, pulles, Mart. 3, 13, 1.—Also, to carve; hence the pun in Petr. 36 fin. —

Poet., of other things, to tear off, tear away:

summas carpens media inter cornua saetas,

Verg. A. 6, 245.—Of wool, to pluck; hence, poet., to spin:

vellera,

Verg. G. 4, 335:

pensa,

id. ib. 1, 390; Prop. 3 (4), 6, 16; Hor. C. 3, 27, 64:

lana carpta,

carded, Cels. 6, 6, 1 (hence, facete: stolidum pecus, to pluck, i. e. to fleece rich lovers, Prop. 2 (3), 16, 8; Ov. A. A. 1, 420):

ex collo furtim coronas,

to pull off, Hor. S. 2, 3, 256:

crinem genasque,

to tear, rend, lacerate, Val. Fl. 8, 7;

so acc. to Servius's inaccurate account, in a fragment of the Twelve Tables: mulier faciem ne carpito,

Serv. ad Verg. A. 12, 606 (instead of the real words: MVLIERES. GENAS. NE. RADVNTO.; cf.

Dirks. Fragm. XII. Tab. p. 668): artus in parva frusta,

Sen. Thyest. 1061.—

Trop.

(Acc. to I. A.) To pluck, snatch, etc.:

ut omni ex genere orationem aucuper, et omnes undique flosculos carpam atque delibem,

Cic. Sest. 56, 119; id. de Or. 1, 42, 191:

atque in legendo carpsi exinde quaedam,

Gell. 9, 4, 5: oscula, to pluck, as it were, from the lips, to snatch, Prop. 1, 20, 27; Ov. H. 11, 117 Loers. N. cr.; id. M. 4, 358; Phaedr. 3, 8, 12 al.:

basia,

Mart. 5, 46, 1:

gaudia,

Ov. A. A. 3, 661:

dulcia,

Pers. 5, 151:

regni commoda carpe mei,

Ov. F. 3, 622:

fugitivaque gaudia carpe,

and snatch pleasures as they fly, Mart. 7, 47, 11:

delicias,

Prop. 2 (3), 34, 74.—

Esp.

(Acc. to I. B. 1.) In a good sense, to enjoy, use, make use of (mostly poet.;

syn.: fruor, capio): breve ver et primos carpere flores,

Ov. M. 10, 85 (cf.:

flore aetatis frui,

Liv. 21, 3, 4):

illa mihi sedes, illic mea carpitur aetas,

spent, lived, passed, Cat. 68, 35:

diem,

Hor. C. 1, 11, 8:

honores virtutis,

Val. Fl. 1, 177:

auras vitales,

Verg. A. 1, 388; cf. Sil. 3, 712:

sub dio somnos,

Verg. G. 3, 435:

quietem,

id. A. 7, 414:

soporem,

id. ib. 4, 522:

noctes securas,

Val. Fl. 5, 48; a poet. circumlocution for vivere, degere, etc.—

In a bad sense.

To gnaw at or tear character or reputation, to carp at, slander, calumniate, revile:

more hominum invident, in conviviis rodunt, in circulis vellicant: non illo inimico, sed hoc maledico dente carpunt,

Cic. Balb. 26, 57:

nam is carpebatur a Bibulo, Curione, Favonio,

id. ad Q. Fr. 2, 3, 2:

Paulum obtrectatio carpsit,

Liv. 45, 35, 5:

imperatorem,

id. 44, 38, 2:

quae non desierunt carpere maligni,

Quint. 11, 1, 24:

maligno sermone,

Suet. Aug. 27:

obliquis orationibus,

id. Dom. 2:

nonnihil vocibus,

Caes. B. G. 3, 17:

aliquem sermonibus,

Liv. 7, 12, 12:

sinistris sermonibus,

Plin. Ep. 1, 9, 5:

Ciceronem in his,

Quint. 9, 4, 64:

te ficto quaestu,

Cat. 62, 36 and 37:

et detorquere recte facta,

Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 6:

famam vitamque,

id. Pan. 53, 4; Suet. Calig. 34.—

To rob of strength, to weaken, enfeeble, wear away, consume; or poet., with the idea extended (cf. absumo), to consume completely, to destroy:

vires,

Verg. G. 3, 215; Liv. 9, 27, 6:

quid si carpere singula (jura) et extorquere... patiemini,

id. 34, 3, 2;

esp. of in ward care, anxiety, longing, etc.: at regina, gravi jamdudum saucia curā, Volnus alit venis et caeco carpitur igni,

Verg. A. 4, 2; Ov. M. 3, 490; 10, 370:

solane perpetua maerens carpere juventā?

Verg. A. 4, 32:

curā carpitur ista mei,

Ov. A. A. 3, 680:

aegra assiduo mens carpitur aestu,

Val. Fl. 3, 305; Lucr. 9, 744; Sil. 15, 1:

invidia carpit et carpitur unā,

Ov. M. 2, 781; cf. Prop. 3 (4), 5, 3:

non ego Tot tuos patiar labores carpere lividas Obliviones,

to wear away, Hor. C. 4, 9, 33; cf.: otia corpus alunt, animus quoque pascitur illis;

Inmodicus contra carpit utrumque labor,

Ov. P. 1, 4, 21 sq.:

aras etiam templaque demolitur et obscurat oblivio, neglegit carpitque posteritas,

Plin. Pan. 55, 9:

totum potest excedere quod potest carpi,

Sen. N. Q. 2, 13, 2.—So,

In milit. lang., to inflict injury upon an enemy (esp. by single, repeated attacks), to weaken, harass:

agmen adversariorum,

Caes. B. C. 1, 63:

hostes carpere multifariam vires Romanas,

Liv. 3, 5, 1; 22, 32, 2; 27, 46, 6; cf. id. 3, 61, 13 infra; Weissenb. ad Liv. 22, 16, 2; Tac. A. 12, 32; Luc. 4, 156:

novissimum agmen,

Caes. B. C. 1, 78 fin.:

novissimos,

Liv. 8, 38, 6:

extrema agminis,

id. 6, 32, 11. —

To separate a whole into single parts, to cut to pieces, divide (syn.: dividere, distribuere): neque semper utendum est perpetuitate, sed saepe carpenda membris minutioribus [p. 295] oratio est, Cic. de Or. 3, 49, 190:

in multas parvasque partes carpere exercitum,

Liv. 26, 38, 2:

summam unius belli in multa proelia parvaque,

id. 3, 61, 13:

Erymanthus... ab accolis rigantibus carpitur,

is drawn off into canals, Curt. 8, 9, 410. —With a reference to the meaning

supra:

si erunt plures qui ob innocentem condemnandum pecuniam acceperint, tu non animadvertes in omnis, sed carpes ut velis, et paucos ex multis ad ignominiam sortiere?

distinguish, single out, Cic. Clu. 46, 129; cf.:

in multorum peccato carpi paucos ad ignominiam,

id. ib. —

Viam, iter, etc., or with definite local substantives, terram, mare, litora, etc., to go, tread upon, pass over, navigate, sail along or through, to take or pursue one ' s way (syn. ire):

viam,

Verg. A. 6, 629; Hor. S. 2, 6, 93; Ov. M. 8, 208; 11, 139:

iter,

Hor. S. 1, 5, 95; Ov. H. 18, 34; id. M. 2, 549; 10, 709:

supremum iter = mori,

Hor. C. 2, 17, 12:

gyrum,

to go in a circle, Verg. G. 3, 191:

fugam,

to fly, Sil. 10, 62; cf.:

prata fugā,

Verg. G. 3, 142:

pede viam,

Ov. A. A. 2, 230:

pede iter,

id. F. 3, 604:

pedibus terras, pontum remis,

Prop. 1, 6, 33:

pede campos,

Ov. Tr. 1, 10, 23:

mare,

id. M. 11, 752:

litora,

id. ib. 12, 196;

15, 507: aëra alis,

id. ib. 4, 616; cf. Verg. G. 4, 311:

aethera,

Ov. M. 8, 219:

carpitur acclivis per muta silentia trames,

id. ib. 10, 53.

cingo, xi, nctum, 3, v. a. [cf. Gr kullos, kurtos;

Lat. curvus, and clingo,

Curt. Griech. Etym. p. 545 sq. ], to go round in a circle, to surround, encompass, environ, gird, wreathe, crown, etc. (class. in prose and poetry).

Prop

In gen.:

quid autem interius mente? Cingatur igitur corpore externo,

i. e. it must be enclosed in a body, Cic. N. D 1, 11, 27:

non enim coronà consessus vester cinctus est, ut solebat,

id. Mil. 1, 1; cf.:

judicium insolitā trepidum cinxere coronă,

Luc. 1, 321;

tris (navīs) Eurus... Inhdit vadis atque aggere cingit harenae,

Verg. A 1, 112: cincta serpentibus Hydra, id. ib 7, 658: pennae ritu coepere volucrum Cingere utrumque latus, to cover, Ov M. 6, 718, apio fasces et secto cingere porro, Col. 10, 371.—

Esp.

To surround the body with a girdle, to gird on (the sword), to gird; esp. freq in pass. with abl., to be girded, encircled with something. iam quasi zonā, liene cinctus ambulo, Plaut Curc. 2, 1, 5; Curt. 3, 3, 19; cf.:

cui lati clavi jus erit, ita cingatur, ut, etc.,

Quint. 11, 3, 138:

ut cingeretur fluxiore cincturā,

Suet. Caes. 45:

Hispano cingitur gladio,

Liv. 7, 10, 5; 38, 21, 13; Suet. Calig 49:

ferro,

id. Aug. 35: ense, Ov F. 2, 13: cingor fulgentibus armis, Verg A. 2, 749; 11, 188, 11, 536; his cingi telis, id ib. 2, 520: ense latus cingit, Ov F. 2, 784; cf. Stat. Th. 4, 41:

cinctas resolvite vestes, Ov M. 1, 382. filios balteis,

Vulg. Lev 8, 13.— Poet., in pass with acc. (cf. accingor, II., and Zumpt, Gr §

458): inutile ferrum Cingitur,

Verg. A. 2, 511: cinctaeque ad pectora vestes Bracchia docta movent, Ov M. 6, 59.—Without case: Syrinx, Ov M. 1, 695;

puer alte cinctus,

Hor. S. 2, 8, 10.—Hence, in late Lat. cinctus = armis instructus, armatus, armed, equipped, enrolled:

cinctus in aliā militiā,

Dig. 39, 1, 38; cf. ib. 39, 1, 25.—As a girding up of the Roman dress was necessary in pursuits requiring physical action, hence, cingor (cf accingor), to make one ' s self ready for any thing, to prepare:

cingitur, certe expedit se,

Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 152;

cingitur ipse furens certatim in proelia Turnus,

Verg. A. 11, 486; cf.

supra,

Quint. 11, 3, 138; Hor S. 2, 8, 10; Ov. M. 6, 59.—

To encircle with a garland or crown, to crown (freq., esp in the poets).

Of the head:

muralique caput summum cinxere coronā,

Lucr. 2, 607; cf.

Ov A. A. 3, 392 tempora floribus,

Hor. C. 3, 25, 20;

Verg A. 5, 71: spicis,

Tib. 2, 1, 4 et saep.:

comam lauro,

Hor. C. 3, 30, 16; cf.:

Graias barbara vitta comas,

Ov. Tr. 4, 4, 78; Verg. A. 12, 163: de tenero cingite flore caput, Ov F 3, 254.— Poet.:

Atlantis, cinctum assidue cui nubibus atris Piniferum caput et vento pulsatur et imbri,

Verg. A. 4, 248; 7, 658; Prop. 4 (5), 1, 61.—

To encircle other parts of the body:

cujus lacertos anuli mei cingant,

Mart. 11, 100, 2.—

Of places, to surround, encircle, invest, enclose (the prevailing signif. in prose, esp. in the histt.; syn.: circumdo, claudo): (Tellus) oras maris undique cingens, Lucr. 6, 633; Cat. 64, 185; 64, 286:

flumen Dubis paene totum oppidum cingit,

Caes. B. G. 1, 38 provincia mari cincta, Cic. Fl. 12, 27:

urbe portus ipse cingitur et continetur,

id. Verr. 2, 5, 37, § 96 Zumpt:

quod moenibus cingebatur,

Tac. A. 13, 41:

quae (terra) magnā ex parte cingitur fluctibus, speciem insulae praebet, etc.,

Curt. 3, 1, 13; 8, 10, 23; Ov A. A. 2, 469: cingitur insula tribus millibus passuum, i.e. has a circuit of, etc., Plin. 6, 12, 13, § 32.— Poet.:

cinxerunt aethera nimbi,

covered, Verg. A. 5, 13:

medium diem cinxere tenebrae,

Sen. Herc. Fur. 939.— Trop.;

diligentius urbem religione quam ipsis moenibus cingitis,

fortify, Cic. N. D. 3, 40, 94.—

In milit. lang., to surround a place or army for defence or in a hostile manner, to fortify, to invest, be set, besiege:

coronā militum cincta urbs,

Liv. 7, 27, 7: castra vallo, id 7, 39, 8 equites cornua cinxere. covered, id. 23, 29, 3:

ultimum agmen validā manu,

to cover, Curt. 4, 13, 30:

urbem obsidione,

to besieye, Verg. A. 3, 52;

dextera cingitur amni,

id. ib. 9, 469:

(hostem) stationibus in modum obsidii,

Tac. A. 6, 34:

cingi ab armis hostium,

Ov. P. 2, 8, 69; Tib. 2, 3, 37, Prop. 3 (4), 3, 42.—Trop Sicilia multis undique cincta persons. Cio. Imp. Pomp 11, 30.—

To escort, to accompany inermi item regi praetor Achaeorum et unus ex purpuratis latus cingebant, Liv 32, 39, 8:

dum latus sancti cingit tibi turba senatus, Ov P. 4, 9, 17: nec noscitur ulli, Agminibus comitum qui mode cinctus erat,

id. Tr. 1, 5, 30:

cincta virgo matrum catervā, id M. 12, 216, Vell 2, 14, 1,

Tac. A. 1, 77;

Sil 4, 448,

Claud. Rapt. Pros. 2, 322 —

To peel off the bark around:

cingere est deglabrare,

Dig. 47, 7, 6 Pr, cf. Plin 17, 24, 37, § 234 sqq.

circus, i, m., = kirkos [kindr. with krikos; Dor. kirkos, and korônê; cf.: kulindeô, kullos, cirrus, curvus].

A circular line, circle, in astronomy (less freq. than circulus): quot luna circos annuo in cursu institit, Att. ap. Non. p. 20, 28:

circus lacteus,

the Milky Way, Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 15, 2; cf.:

candens circus, Lacteus hic notatur,

Cic. Arat. 248 (492):

illum incolunt locum... erat autem is splendidissimo candore inter flammas circus elucens,

id. Rep. 6, 16, 16 B. and K.:

globus et circi zonaeque ac fulgida signa,

Mart. Cap. 6, § 583.—

Circus Maximus, and more freq. kat exochên Circus, the oval circus built by Tarquinius Priscus between the Palatine and Aventine hills, which could contain more than one hundred thousand spectators. It was surrounded by galleries three stories high, and a canal called Euripus. Through its whole length, in the middle, a wall four feet high and about twelve broad was built, called spina, at the ends of which there were three columns upon one base (meta), around which the combatants were required to pass seven times before the prize was awarded. In the middle of the spina, Cæsar erected the obelisk, 132 feet high, brought from Egypt; cf. Dion. Hal. 3, 68; Dict. Antiq. p. 252 sqq.;

Becker, Antiq. 1, p. 467 sq.—Passages with Circus Maximus,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 153 Müll.; id. R. R. 3, 13, 3; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 59, § 154; Vitr. 3, 3, 5; Liv. 1, 35, 8 sqq.; Ov. F. 2, 392; Plin. 30, 15, 24, § 102; Suet. Ner. 25; 27; Gell. 5, 14, 5 al.—

Circus Magnus,

Ov. F. 6, 477; Plin. 36, 9, 14, § 71.—Most freq. only Circus, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132; Cic. Leg. 2, 15, 38; id. Mur. 34, 72 sq.; id. Phil. 2, 43, 110; Liv. 1, 36, 2; 42, 10, 5; Tac. H. 1, 4; Quint. 1, 6, 45; Suet. Caes. 39; id. Aug. 43; 74; id. Calig. 18 et saep.—In or around the Circus many jugglers and soothsayers, etc., stationed themselves;

hence, Circus fallax,

Hor. S. 1, 6, 113; Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132; Suet. Aug. 74:

Circus clamosus,

Mart. 10, 53, 1; cf. Juv. 3, 65. —Besides the Circus Maximus, there were at Rome still other Circi, among which the most celebrated was the Circus Flaminius in the ninth region, Varr. L. L. 5, § 154; Cic. Att. 1, 14, 1; id. Planc. 23, 55; id. Sest. 14, 33; Liv. 27, 21, 1; 28, 11, 4; Plin. 34, 3, 7, § 13;

called only Circus,

Ov. F. 6, 205; 6, 209; cf. Becker, Antiq. 1, p. 598;

and the Circus Vaticanus, begun by Caligula and finished by Nero,

Plin. 16, 40, 76, § 201:

in Vaticani Gai et Neronis principuus circo,

id. 36, 11, 15, § 74.—Also, without the walls of Rome, Circus maritimus, Liv. 9, 42, 11.—

Hence, Circensis, e, adj., pertaining to the Circus: ludi, the contesls in the Circus Maximus, also called ludi magni (Liv. 4, 27, 2; 5, 19, 6; 22, 9, 10 al.; cf. Baumg.Crus. [p. 344] ad Suet. Aug. 23), Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 15, § 33; Suet. Ner. 7; 11:

ludicrum, the same,

Liv. 44, 9, 3.—Hence, Circensis pompa, Suet. Claud. 11.—Also absol.: Circenses, ium, m. (sc. ludi; cf.

Neue, Formenl. 1, p. 458): edere,

Suet. Caes. 39; id. Calig. 18:

committere,

id. Claud. 21:

spectare,

id. Aug. 45:

Circensium die,

id. Dom. 4:

plebeii, prepared by the ediles annually in November,

id. Tib. 26.—

Transf., any race-course, Verg. A. 5, 109; 5, 289; 5, 551; Sil. 16, 313; 16, 323; Stat. Th. 6, 247.—

Meton., the spectators in the circus, Sil. 16, 535.

circŭlātim, adv. [circulor], circularly, in a circle (post-Aug. and rare).

Prop.:

pectori circulatim cerotaria apponere,

Cael. Aur. Acut. 2, 29, 153; id. Tard. 1, 4, 91; Petr. 67 Gronov. (Büch circumlatum).—

Fig., in circles, groups, or companies: multitudo circulatim suo quaeque more lamentata est, * Suet. Caes. 84 fin.

circumductus, a, um, Part., from circumduco.

circumductus, ūs, m. [circumduco].

The circumference of a figure, Quint. 1, 10, 43.—

Motion in a circle, a revolution:

orbium,

Macr. Somn. Scip. 2, 1, 5.

circum-scrībo, psi, ptum, 3, v. a.

Prop., to draw a line around, to circumscribe, enclose in a circle (in good prose;

very freq. in Cic.): orbem,

Cic. Fin. 5, 8, 23:

lineas extremas umbrae,

Quint. 10, 2, 7:

virgulā stantem,

Cic. Phil. 8, 8, 23:

virgā regem,

Liv. 45, 12, 5:

aeneā fibulā pars auriculae latissima circumscribitur,

Col. 6, 5, 4:

terram surculo heliotropii,

Plin. 22, 21, 29, § 60.—

Trop.

To draw a line as the circumference of a thing (cf. Quint. 12, 10, 5), i. e. to define, encompass, enclose, lim it, bound, circumscribe (syn.: definio, describo, termino):

nullis ut terminis (orator) circumscribat aut definiat jus suum,

Cic. de Or. 1, 16, 70; cf.:

genus universum brevi circumscribi et definiri potest,

id. Sest. 45, 97:

exiguum nobis vitae curriculum natura circumscripsit, immensum gloriae,

id. Rab. Perd. 10, 30:

quibus regionibus vitae spatium circumscriptum est,

id. Arch. 11, 29:

ante enim circumscribitur mente sententia confestimque verba concurrunt,

id. Or. 59, 200:

locum habitandi alicui,

id. Par. 2, 18:

Oceanus undique circumscribit omnes terras et ambit,

Gell. 12, 13, 20:

uti mihi dicas et quasi circumscribas verbis, quid homo sit,

id. 4, 1, 12.—

To bring within narrow bounds, i. e. to contract, hem in, circumscribe, to hinder free action, to restrain, confine, limit, etc. (syn.: claudo, includo, coërceo).

Esp., of the restrictions or hinderances imposed by one magistracy or authority upon another:

Senatus credo praetorem eum circumscripsisset,

Cic. Mil. 33, 88 (cf. just before:

an consules in praetore coërcendo fortes fuissent),

id. Att. 7, 9, 2; id. Phil. 13, 9, 19; Caes. B. C. 1, 32; Auct. ap. Quint. 9, 3, 72:

ille se fluvio Rubicone et CC. milibus circumscriptum esse patiatur?

Cic. Phil. 6, 3, 5:

gulam et ventrem,

Sen. Ep. 108, 14:

circumscribere corpus et animo locum laxare,

id. ib. 15, 2:

laudes,

id. Cons. ad Helv. 19, 7.—

In gen.:

uno genere genus hoc aratorum,

to comprehend in one class, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 61, § 149 Zumpt:

totum Dionysium sex epitomis circumscripsit,

abridged, Col. 1, 1, 10:

ut luxuriam vilitate circumscribamus,

Plin. 22, 2, 3, § 4.—

In later medic. lang. circumscribi = minui, to abate, subside:

gravedo circumscribitur,

Cael. Aur. Tard. 5, 10; so id. Acut. 2, 10 fin. —

To encircle or go around by writing = scribendo circumdare, i. e. to deceive, cheat, circumvent, entrap, insnare (syn.:

circumvenio, decipio): fallacibus et captiosis interrogationibus circumscripti atque decepti,

Cic. Ac. 2, 15, 46; Plin. 7, 40, 41, § 131; 33, 3, 14, § 48: non circumscribetur, qui ita se gesserit, ut dicat, etc., will not be deceived, i. e. will commit no error, Sen. Q. N. 5, 1, 3; id. Ep. 82, 19.—

In mercantile lang., to deprive of money, to overreach, defraud:

adulescentulos,

Cic. Phil. 14, 3, 7; Juv. 10, 222; 14, 237:

ab Roscio HS. I[C ][C ]. circumscriptus,

Cic. Rosc. Com. 8, 24:

vectigalia,

to embezzle, Quint. Decl. 340.—

In law, to defeat the purpose of a law, a will, etc., by a forced or too literal interpretation:

legem,

Dig. 4, 3, 18 fin.:

ita circumscripto testamento,

Plin. Ep. 8, 18, 4; Front. Aquaed. 112: constitutiones, Lact. de Ira Dei, 8.—

Of circumlocution, to involve in language:

oratio rem simplicem circumscribens elocutione,

Auct. Her. 4, 32, 43; cf.:

facetis jocis sacrilegium circumscribens,

covering, Just. 39, 2, 5.—

To cancel; to declare invalid, to annul, invalidate, void, set aside (cf. circumduco, II. D.):

hoc omni tempore Sullano ex accusatione circumscripto,

Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 16, § 43 (sublato, circumducto, praetermisso, Ascon.):

circumscriptis igitur iis seutentiis, quas posui, etc.,

id. Fin. 3, 9, 31.—Hence, circumscriptus, a, um, P. a.

(Acc. to II. A.) In rhet., rounded into periods, periodic:

circumscripti verborum ambitus,

Cic. Or. 12, 38; cf. Auct. Her. 4, 32, 43; Quint. 12, 10, 5, and v. circumscriptio.— Adv.: circum-scriptē, in periods:

circumscripte numeroseque dicere,

Cic. Or. 66, 221: circumscripte complecti singulas res. id. N. D. 2, 59, 147.—

(Acc. to II. B.) Restricted, limited:

brevis et circumscripta quaedam explicatio,

Cic. de Or. 1, 42, 189:

(vis orationis) pressior et circumscriptior et adductior,

Plin. Ep. 1, 16, 4.— Adv.: circum-scriptē, summarily:

circumscripte et breviter ostendere,

Lact. 5, 14, 8; 5, 9, 20. — Sup. of the adj., and comp. and sup. of the adv. not in use.

circumscriptĭo, ōnis, f. [circumscribo].

Prop. (acc. to circumscribo, I.), an encircling, and (concrete) a circle:

ex circumscriptione excedere,

Cic. Phil. 8, 8, 23.—

(Acc. to circumscribo, II. A.) A boundary, limit, outline, contour, circuit, compass (most freq. in Cic.): terrae situm, [p. 341] formam, circumscriptionem, Cic. Tusc. 1, 20, 45:

aeternitas, quam nulla temporis circumscriptio metiebatur,

id. N. D. 1, 9, 21:

corporeae forma circumscriptionis,

Arn. 2, 93; 3, 135.—

In rhet.

A period:

verborum,

Cic. Or. 61, 204:

ipsa enim natura verborum quādam circumscriptione comprehendit concluditque sententiam,

id. Brut. 8, 34; cf. Quint. 9, 4, 124.—

A compendious statement, summing up, Quint. 9, 3, 91.—

A figure of speech, prob. the limitation of a question by the removal of a circumstance in dispute, Quint. 9, 1, 35 Halm (dub.; cf. id. 9, 4, 9).—

(Acc. to circumscribo, II. C.) A deceiving, cheating, overreaching, defrauding (esp. in pecuniary transactions, and by judicial artifice, by pettifogging):

adulescentium,

Cic. Off. 3, 15, 61:

praediorum proscriptiones cum mulierculis apertā circumscriptione fecisti,

id. Fl. 30, 74; Sen. Ira, 3, 2, 1.—In plur., Cic. Clu. 16, 46; Sen. Ira, 2, 9, 4.—In gen., of deception, deceit, fraud, Sen. Ep. 82, 22; Tert. Pat. 5.

circum-sto, stĕti, 1, v. n. and a. (the perf. and pluperf. having the same form with those of circumsisto, and a similar meaning, it is sometimes doubtful to which verb a form belongs), to stand around in a circle, to take a station round; and, with the acc., to stand around a person or thing, to surround, encircle, encompass.

Prop. (very freq. and class.).

Absol.: circumstant cum ardentibus taedis, Enn ap. Cic. Ac. 2, 28, 89 (Trag. v. 51 Vahl.):

circumstant lacrimis rorantes ora genasque,

Lucr. 3, 469:

Morini spe praedae adducti circumsteterunt,

Caes. B. G. 4, 37:

circumstant properi aurigae,

Verg. A. 12, 85:

ad circumstantes tendens sua bracchia silvas, Ov M. 3, 441: circumstantis exercitūs gratia,

Curt. 9, 3, 15:

amici,

id. 3, 5, 9.—

With acc.:

aliquem,

Verg. G. 4, 216; Ov. M. 11, 505; Curt. 5, 12, 9:

equites Romani qui circumstant senatum,

Cic. Cat. 1, 8, 21:

sellam,

Liv. 8, 32, 14; Suet. Aug. 35:

solem,

Ov. M. 2, 394:

sacra,

id. ib. 2, 717:

lectum,

Curt. 10, 5, 2.—

Hence, circumstantes, ĭum, m. subst., the by-standers, Quint. 4, 2, 22; 4, 2, 127; Tac. A. 1, 21; 1, 22; Suet. Caes. 84; id. Aug. 93; Curt. 6, 10, 36.—

In partic., to surround in a hostile manner, to beset, besiege:

circumstare tribunal praetoris urbani, obsidere cum gladiis curiam, etc.,

Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 32:

quem tres Curiatii circumsteterant,

Liv. 1, 25, 6:

si ambo consules infesti circumstarent tribunum,

id. 3, 9, 6:

urbem Romanam,

id. 27, 40, 6:

regis tecta,

Verg. A. 7, 585; cf. the foll.—

Trop., to surround, encompass, occupy, take possession of (freq. in post-Aug prose); absol. or with acc.:

cum dies et noctes omnia nos undique fata circumstent,

Cic. Phil. 10, 10, 20:

circumstant te summae auctoritates,

id. Verr. 1, 17, 52:

cum tanti undique terrores circumstarent,

Liv. 6, 2, 4; cf. id. 30, 3, 3:

anceps proelium Romanos circumsteterat, incertos in quem hostem eruptionem facerent,

id. 25, 34, 10:

ancepsque terror circumstabat,

id. 21, 28, 3; 34, 27, 1; Quint. 10, 3, 30:

haec me cura, haec difficultas sola circumstat,

Plin. Pan. 3, 4:

at me tum primum saevus circumstetit horror,

Verg. A. 2, 559:

scio acerba meorum Circumstare odia ( = meos, qui me oderunt),

id. ib. 10, 905:

circumsteterat Civilem et alius metus,

Tac. H. 4, 79:

circumsteterat palatium publica exspectatio,

id. ib. 1, 17:

paupertas et angustiae rerum nascentes eos circumsteterunt,

id. Or. 8.— Subst.: circumstantĭa, ium, n., details, circumstances, in an argument:

illa (argumenta) per se fortia non oportet circumstantibus obscurare,

Quint. 5, 12, 4.

circumstantĭa, ae, f. [circumsto] (post-Aug. and rare).

A standing round, a surrounding:

hostium,

Gell. 3, 7, 5:

aquae, aëris,

Sen. Q. N. 2, 7, 2 (as transl. of the Gr. antiperistasis).—

Concr., a surrounding circle, a band, troop:

angelorum,

Tert. Or. 3.—

Trop., the state, condition, circumstances, attribute, quality:

rerum negotiorumque,

Gell. 14, 1, 15; 14, 2, 2; Tert. Bapt. 17: hoc genus argumentorum sane dicamus ex circumstantiā, quia peristasin dicere aliter non possumus, * Quint. 5, 10, 104.

circum-sto, stĕti, 1, v. n. and a. (the perf. and pluperf. having the same form with those of circumsisto, and a similar meaning, it is sometimes doubtful to which verb a form belongs), to stand around in a circle, to take a station round; and, with the acc., to stand around a person or thing, to surround, encircle, encompass.

Prop. (very freq. and class.).

Absol.: circumstant cum ardentibus taedis, Enn ap. Cic. Ac. 2, 28, 89 (Trag. v. 51 Vahl.):

circumstant lacrimis rorantes ora genasque,

Lucr. 3, 469:

Morini spe praedae adducti circumsteterunt,

Caes. B. G. 4, 37:

circumstant properi aurigae,

Verg. A. 12, 85:

ad circumstantes tendens sua bracchia silvas, Ov M. 3, 441: circumstantis exercitūs gratia,

Curt. 9, 3, 15:

amici,

id. 3, 5, 9.—

With acc.:

aliquem,

Verg. G. 4, 216; Ov. M. 11, 505; Curt. 5, 12, 9:

equites Romani qui circumstant senatum,

Cic. Cat. 1, 8, 21:

sellam,

Liv. 8, 32, 14; Suet. Aug. 35:

solem,

Ov. M. 2, 394:

sacra,

id. ib. 2, 717:

lectum,

Curt. 10, 5, 2.—

Hence, circumstantes, ĭum, m. subst., the by-standers, Quint. 4, 2, 22; 4, 2, 127; Tac. A. 1, 21; 1, 22; Suet. Caes. 84; id. Aug. 93; Curt. 6, 10, 36.—

In partic., to surround in a hostile manner, to beset, besiege:

circumstare tribunal praetoris urbani, obsidere cum gladiis curiam, etc.,

Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 32:

quem tres Curiatii circumsteterant,

Liv. 1, 25, 6:

si ambo consules infesti circumstarent tribunum,

id. 3, 9, 6:

urbem Romanam,

id. 27, 40, 6:

regis tecta,

Verg. A. 7, 585; cf. the foll.—

Trop., to surround, encompass, occupy, take possession of (freq. in post-Aug prose); absol. or with acc.:

cum dies et noctes omnia nos undique fata circumstent,

Cic. Phil. 10, 10, 20:

circumstant te summae auctoritates,

id. Verr. 1, 17, 52:

cum tanti undique terrores circumstarent,

Liv. 6, 2, 4; cf. id. 30, 3, 3:

anceps proelium Romanos circumsteterat, incertos in quem hostem eruptionem facerent,

id. 25, 34, 10:

ancepsque terror circumstabat,

id. 21, 28, 3; 34, 27, 1; Quint. 10, 3, 30:

haec me cura, haec difficultas sola circumstat,

Plin. Pan. 3, 4:

at me tum primum saevus circumstetit horror,

Verg. A. 2, 559:

scio acerba meorum Circumstare odia ( = meos, qui me oderunt),

id. ib. 10, 905:

circumsteterat Civilem et alius metus,

Tac. H. 4, 79:

circumsteterat palatium publica exspectatio,

id. ib. 1, 17:

paupertas et angustiae rerum nascentes eos circumsteterunt,

id. Or. 8.— Subst.: circumstantĭa, ium, n., details, circumstances, in an argument:

illa (argumenta) per se fortia non oportet circumstantibus obscurare,

Quint. 5, 12, 4.