midriff

discrīmen, ĭnis, n. [contr. from discerimen à discerno; cf. crimen from cerno], lit., that which separates or divides two things from each other (for syn. cf.: differentia, discrepantia, diversitas, distantia); hence,

Lit., an intervening space, interval, distance, division, separation:

cum (duo maria) pertenui discrimine separarentur,

Cic. Agr. 2, 32, 87:

minimum quos inter et hostem Discrimen murus clausaque porta facit,

Ov. Pont. 1, 8, 62:

aequo discrimine,

Lucr. 5, 690; Verg. A. 5, 154:

parvum leti,

Ov. M. 7, 426; Verg. A. 9, 143:

dare discrimina costis,

i. e. to separate them, id. ib. 10, 382:

quae (sc. littera F) inter discrimina dentium efflanda est,

Quint. 12, 10, 29:

agminum,

Curt. 4, 12 fin.:

ungulae,

Col. 6, 15 fin.:

comae,

Ov. A. A. 2, 302; and in like manner poet.: telluris pectitae, i. e. furrow, Col. Poët. 10, 94; Claud. Nupt. Honor. 103:

medium luci,

Grat. Cyneg. 486.—Hence, med. t. t., the dividing membrane, the midriff, diaphragm, Cael. Aur. Tard. 2, 11, 127; 5, 10, 124 al.—

Trop. (so most frequent).

In gen., a distinction, difference: amabat omnes, nam discrimen non facit, Lucil. ap. Non. 282, 27:

iste, qui omnia jura pretio exaequasset omniumque rerum delectum atque discrimen pecunia sustulisset,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 50; cf.:

officia tollebantur delectu omni et discrimine remoto,

id. Fin. 4, 25, 69:

sit hoc discrimen inter gratiosos cives atque fortes, ut illi, etc.,

id. Balb. 21 fin.:

sine ullo sexus discrimine,

Suet. Calig. 8; cf.:

rapti per agros viatores sine discrimine liberi servique,

id. Aug. 32:

omisso sui alicuique discrimine,

Liv. 5, 55:

divinarum humanarumque rerum,

id. 5, 40:

recti pravique,

Quint. 12, 3, 7:

vocum,

id. 1, 5, 25; cf.

so of the different tones of the strings: septem discrimina vocum,

Verg. A. 6, 646 et saep.— Poet.:

tenues parvi discriminis umbrae,

i. e. of easy gradation, Ov. M. 6, 62. —

In partic.

With respect to disputed matters, which are to be distinguished between, and thus decided upon, the decisive point, turning-point, critical moment, determination, decision:

quoniam res in id discrimen adducta est, utrum ille poenas rei publicae luat, an nos serviamus,

to this point, Cic. Phil. 3, 11, 29; cf.:

ea res nunc in discrimine versatur, utrum... an, etc.,

id. Quint. 30, 92; Liv. 29, 17:

vicit disciplina militaris, vicit imperii majestas, quae in discrimine fuerunt, an ulla post hanc diem essent,

id. 8, 35, 4: haec et his similia haud in magno equidem ponam discrimine, shall not regard as of great moment, id. praef. §

8: postquam adesse discrimen ultimum belli animadvertit,

id. 44, 23:

instant enim (adversarii) et saepe discrimen omne committunt,

abandon the most decisive points, Quint. 6, 4, 17 et saep.— Poet.:

experiar, deus hic, discrimine aperto, An sit mortalis,

the test, Ov. M. 1, 222.—

Transf., a dangerous, decisive moment, crisis, dangerous condition; risk, danger, hazard:

in ipso discrimine periculi aliquem destituere,

Liv. 6, 17; so,

periculi,

id. 8, 24: in summo rem esse discrimine, * Caes. B. G. 6, 38, 2; cf.:

adducta est res in maximum periculum et extremum pene discrimen,

Cic. Phil. 7, 1:

salus sociorum summum in periculum ac discrimen vocatur,

id. de Imp. Pomp. 5, 12:

in extremo discrimine ac dimicatione fortunae,

id. Sull. 28:

in veteris fortunae discrimen adducitur,

id. Mur. 27, 55; cf.:

aliquem in discrimen capitis adducere,

id. Deiot. 1, 2; so,

capitis,

Quint. 11, 1, 49:

si ei subito sit allatum periculum discrimenque patriae,

Cic. Off. 1, 43, 154:

rem publicam in discrimen committere,

Liv. 8, 32; 33, 7; cf.:

fuitque dies illa tenebrarum et discriminis,

Vulg. Esth. 11, 8.

intersaeptum, i, n. [intersaepio], the midriff, diaphragm: intersaeptum, diaphragma, Gloss. Philox. —

In gen., a boundary: regnorum, Aus. Grat. Act. § 82.

praecordĭa, ōrum (sing. praecordium, Isid. 10, 102), n. [prae - cor].

Lit., the muscle which separates the heart and lungs from the abdomen, the midriff, diaphragm: exta homini ab inferiore viscerum parte separantur membrana, quae praecordia appellant, quia cordi praetenditur, quod Graeci appellaverunt phrenas, Plin. 11, 37, 77, § 197:

(Plato) cupiditatem subter praecordia locavit,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 10, 20:

unius praecordia pressit senis,

i. e. stopped his breath, Juv. 6, 621.—

Transf.

The entrails, the stomach (syn.:

viscera, exta, ilia): praecordia vocamus uno nomine exta in homine,

Plin. 30, 5, 14, § 42; Cels. 4, 1:

ipse anulus in praecordiis piscis inventus est,

Cic. Fin. 5, 30, 92: totis praecordiis stertens, M. Cael. ap. Quint. 4, 2, 123; Plin. 26, 7, 19, § 35:

quid veneni saevit in praecordiis,

Hor. Epod. 3, 5:

mulso proluere,

id. S. 2, 4, 26.—

The breast, the heart (mostly poet.):

spiritu remanente in praecordiis,

Liv. 42, 16:

frigidus coit in praecordia sanguis,

Verg. A. 10, 452; Ov. M. 12, 140.—As the seat of the feelings and passions:

quondam etiam victis redit in praecordia virtus,

Verg. A. 2, 367:

meis inaestuat praecordiis Libera bilis,

Hor. Epod. 11, 15:

verax aperit praecordia Liber,

id. S. 1, 4, 89:

inquieta,

id. Epod. 5, 95:

flagrantia,

Juv. 13, 102; cf.:

tacita sudant praecordia culpa,

id. 1, 167:

mutare praecordia, i. e. sententiam,

Prop. 2, 3, 13 (2, 4, 31):

in praecordiis meis de mane vigilabo ad te,

Vulg. Isa. 26, 9.—Hence, even, praecordia mentis, the seat of the mind, for the mind, Ov. M. 11, 149.—

The body, bodies in gen.:

in terrā ponunt praecordia,

Ov. M. 7, 559.

saeptum ( sēp-), i, n. [id.] (class.; usu. plur.).

Prop.

In gen., a fence, en closure, wall, etc.; plur. absol.:

nunc de saeptis, quae tutandi causā fundi, aut partis fiant, dicam,

Varr. R. R. 1, 14, 1; cf.

the context: quibus enim saeptis tam immanes beluas continebimus?

Cic. Phil. 13, 3, 5:

saxea saepta,

id. ib. 4, 701:

saepta candentia,

Mart. Cap. 2, § 108:

nisi saeptis revolsis,

Cic. Phil. 5, 4, 9.—With gen.:

transit fulmen caeli per saepta domorum,

Lucr. 1, 490; cf. id. 6, 228; 6, 860.— Sing.:

AEDICVLAM, ARAM, SAEPTVM, CLVSVM, VETVSTATE DIRVTA RESTITVIT,

Inscr. Orell. 1515.—

Esp.: Saeptum lini, a hunter's net or toils, Nemes. Cyneg. 308.—

Meton.

In gen., any enclosed place, an enclosure:

ut intra saepta (sc. villae) habeat aquam,

Varr. R. R. 1, 11, 2.—

Esp.

A fold for cattle:

quamvis multa meis exiret victima saeptis,

Verg. E. 1, 34:

saepta repetit pecus,

Col. 6, 23, 3.—

A fish-pond or preserve:

animadvertimus intra saepta pelagios greges inertis mugilis,

Col. 8, 17, 8.—

Plur., a large enclosed place in the Campus Martius, where the people assembled to vote, and where were many handsome shops:

cum ille in saepta irruisset,

Cic. Mil. 15, 41:

est (sc. dies) quoque, quo populum jus est includere saeptis,

Ov. F. 1, 53; cf. Mart. 9, 60, 1. —

Saeptum venationis, a park, warren, preserve, enclosed hunting-ground, Varr. R. R. 3, 12, 2; cf. the context.—

Any thing used for enclosing, etc.; hence,

A palisade, stake, pale:

inermem tribunum adoriantur fragmentis saeptorum et fustibus,

Cic. Sest. 37, 79.—

A sluice, flood-gate, Dig. 43, 21, 1, § 4.—

Medic. t. t., the diaphragm, midriff:

jecur... ab ipso saepto orsum,

Cels. 4, 1; cf. id. 5, 26, 15; 7, 4, 2;

called also transversum saeptum,

id. 4, 1.