penetrō

* * *

pĕnē̆tro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. and n. [root pa- of pasco; v. penates].

To put, place, or set any thing into any thing (ante- and post-class.; v. Brix ad Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 109).

Lit.:

penetrare pedem intra aedes,

Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 64; 2, 3, 49: quo illic homo foras se penetrat ex aedibus? to betake one's self, go in any direction, id. Trin. 2, 2, 1:

me ad pluris penetravi,

id. ib. v. 14:

se in fugam,

to take to flight, id. Am. 1, 1, 94:

in eam (specum) me penetro et recondo,

Gell. 5, 14, 18.— To enter, penetrate:

ea intra pectus se penetravit potio,

Plaut. Truc. 1, 1, 23.—In the same sense, mid.:

quae penetrata queunt sensum progignere acerbum,

having entered, having penetrated, Lucr. 4, 670; 1246.—

Trop.:

Labeo Antistius in grammaticam sese atque dialecticam litterasque antiquiores altioresque penetraverat,

had penetrated into, Gell. 13, 10, 1.—

Aliquid, to pierce into any thing; to enter, penetrate any thing ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose).

Lit., Lucr. 4, 894:

(semen) penetrare locos nequit,

id. 4, 1246:

vox aures penetrat,

id. 4, 613:

hominem cum vini vis penetravit Acris,

id. 3, 476:

Illyricos sinus,

Verg. A. 1, 243:

nave Aegyptum,

Suet. Caes. 52:

mediae cryptam Suburrae,

Juv. 5, 106. — Pass.:

ut (India) penitus nequeat penetrari,

Lucr. 2, 539:

penetratae cum victoriā Media, Albania, etc.,

Vell. 2, 40, 1:

penetrata limina montis,

Stat. S. 4, 6, 104:

iter L. Lucullo penetratum,

Tac. A. 15, 27.—

Trop.:

id Tiberii animum altius penetravit,

Tac. A. 1, 69; cf. id. ib. 3, 4.—With subject-clause:

tum penetrabat eos, posse haec, etc.,

it entered their thoughts, it occurred to them, Lucr. 5, 1262.—

Neutr., to enter, penetrate into any place or thing, betake one's self (class.; cf.: pervado, permano).

Lit.:

in palaestram,

Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 32:

sub terras,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 48, § 107:

ad os Pelusii,

Curt. 4, 1, 29:

in ipsum portum,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 37, § 96:

in castra hostium,

Liv. 2, 12, 3:

in artissimas fauces,

Curt. 5, 3, 17:

ad urbes,

Cic. Prov. Cons. 13, 32:

per angustias,

id. Tusc. 1, 20, 45:

intra vallum,

Liv. 39, 31:

in urbem,

id. 2, 53:

cum eo penetrasset,

thus far, Nep. Chabr. 4:

astra per caelum penetrantia,

Cic. Univ. 9:

penetrat vox ad aures,

Ov. M. 12, 42:

usque ad nares,

Cels. 7, 7.— Impers. pass.:

in eam speluncam penetratum cum signis est,

Liv. 10, 1.—

Trop.:

Romuli animus haec ipsa in templa penetravit,

Cic. Rep. 6, 22, 24:

hominum ratio in caelum usque penetravit,

id. N. D. 2, 61, 163:

nulla res magis penetrat in animos,

id. Brut. 38, 142:

penetrare ad sensum judicis opinionemque,

id. Part. 36:

quo non ars penetrat?

Ov. A. A. 3, 291:

in provincias quoque grammatica penetraverat,

Suet. Gram. 3.

to put into, pass through, penetrate

* * *

* * *

Pĕnātes, ĭum (Penatis singulariter Labeo Antistius posse dici putat, quia pluraliter Penates dicuntur, cum patiatur proportio etiam Penas dici, ut optimas, primas, Antias, Fest. p. 253 Müll. But the singular is never used; and for Denas = Penas, which some assume in Dion. Hal. 1, 68, it is probably most correct to read DIS MAGNIS, v. Ambrosch, Studien und Andeut. vol. i. p. 231 sq.— Acc. plur. PENATEIS, perh. Tab. Bant. lin. 22), m. [from the root pa, whence pascor, pabulum, pānis; also penus, and, through the notion of a storehouse or inner chamber, also penes, penetro; v. Curt. Gr. Etym. p. 270 sq.; cf. Corss. Ausspr. 1, p. 425 sq.].

Lit., the Penates, old Latin guardian deities of the household, and of the state formed of a union of households, whose seat was originally in Lavinium; usually connected with di: IN VELIA APVD AEDEM DEVM PENATIVM, Inscr. Varr. L. L. 5, § 54 Müll.; cf.:

aedes deorum Penatium in Veliā,

Liv. 45, 16:

AEDEM DEVM PENATIVM IN VELIA, Monum. Ancyr.: di Penates,

Plaut. Merc. 5, 1, 5 sq.: in mensā Penatium deorum, Naev. ap. Prob. Verg. E. 6, 31:

sanctis Penatium deorum Larumque familiarium sedibus,

Cic. Rep. 5, 5, 7; id. Deiot. 5, 15: MENS. IANVAR. SACRIFICANT. DIS. PENATIBVS, Calend. Farnes. ap. Inscr. Orell. 2, p. 380: v. s. Inscr. Orell. 1677; cf. ib. 1675 and 1678:

DIIS. DEABVS PENATIBVS FAMILIARIBVS ET IOVI CETERISQVE DIIBVS,

ib. 2118.—Without di:

vos Penates patriique dii,

Cic. Sest. 20, 45:

Ilium in Italiam portans victosque Penatis,

Verg. A. 1, 68; 5, 62:

impudens liqui patrios Penatis,

Hor. C. 3, 27, 49:

hostia Mollivit aversos Penates,

id. ib. 3, 23, 19:

iniqui,

id. ib. 2, 4, 15:

profugos posuistis Penates,

Ov. M. 3, 539; 9, 445; id. Tr. 1, 3, 45:

IVNIANI,

Inscr. Orell. 1587; cf.

, respecting the Penates,

Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 68; Varr. and Nigid. ap. Arn. 3, 123; Macr. 3, 4; Serv. Verg. A. 2, 296 and 325.—

Transf., a dwelling, home, hearth (cf. Lares, II.):

Quintius a suis dis penatibus praeceps ejectus,

Cic. Quint. 26, 83; id. Rosc. Am. 8, 23:

nostris succede penatibus hospes,

Verg. A. 8, 123:

ferro Libycos populare penates,

id. ib. 1, 527:

conducti penates,

Mart. 8, 75, 1:

sub uno tecto esse atque ad eosdem penates,

Liv. 28, 18.—Hence, poet., of the hearth:

flammis adolere penatis,

Verg. A. 1, 704.— Also, of the cells of bees, Verg. G. 4, 155; of the temple of a god, Stat. Th. 1, 643.

pĕnĕtrābĭlis, e, adj. [penetro].

Pass., that can be pierced or penetrated, penetrable ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

corpus nullo penetrabile telo,

Ov. M. 12, 166:

cum sit nulli penetrabilis,

Sen. Const. Sap. 3:

pectus ferro,

Stat. Th. 2, 653:

terra,

Just. 4, 1, 2:

caput haud penetrabile Nili,

inaccessible, Stat. S. 3, 5, 21.—

Act., piercing, penetrating ( poet. and in post-class. prose):

Boreae penetrabile frigus,

Verg. G. 1, 93:

telum,

id. A. 10, 481:

harundo,

Sil. 7, 649:

fulmen,

Ov. M. 13, 857:

vinum penetrabilius in venas,

Macr. 7, 12:

querimonia,

Gell. 10, 3, 4.— Comp.:

sermo Dei est penetrabilior omni gladio ancipiti,

Vulg. Heb. 4, 12.—

= penetralis (late Lat.): ad regni penetrabilia, Laurent. Hom. 1.

pĕnē̆trālis, e, adj. [penetro].

Piercing, penetrating (ante-class.):

frigus,

Lucr. 1, 494:

ignis,

id. 1, 535:

fulmineus multo penetralior ignis,

id. 2, 382.—

Transf., inward, inner, internal, interior, innermost (mostly poet.):

tecta,

Verg. G. 1, 379:

aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem,

id. A. 2, 297:

abditi ac penetrales foci,

Cic. Har. Resp. 27, 57:

di Penates... ab eo, quod penitus insideret: ex quo etiam penetrales a poëtis vocantur,

id. N. D. 2, 27, 68; so,

per penetrales deos,

Sen. Oedip. 265; id. Phoen. 340: penetrale sacrificium dicitur, quod interiore parte sacrarii conficitur: unde et penetralia cujusque dicuntur;

et penes nos, quod in potestate nostrā est,

Fest. p. 250 Müll.—As subst.: pĕnē̆trāle, is ( pĕnē̆tral, Macr. S. 7, 1; Symm. Ep. 2, 34), n.; usually in plur.: pĕnē̆trālĭa, ium, the inner part, interior of any thing, esp. of a building; the inside space, an inner room (mostly poet.; not in Cic. or Cæs.; cf. adytum).

Lit.

In gen.:

penetrale urbis,

Liv. 41, 20, 7:

in ipsis penetralibus (Britanniae),

Tac. Agr. 30:

apparent Priami et veterum penetralia regum,

the inner chambers, Verg. A. 2, 484:

in penetralibus regum ipsorum,

Vulg. Psa. 104, 30; so,

penetralia alta medio tecti,

Verg. A. 7, 59:

magni amnis penetralia,

Ov. M. 1, 574; Sil. 7, 501.—

In partic.

A sanctuary, esp. that of the Penates, a chapel:

penetralia sunt penatium deorum sacraria,

Fest. p. 208 Müll.:

Capitolini Tonantis,

Mart. 10, 51.—

Transf., poet., the Penates, guardian deities:

huc vittas castumque refer penetrale parentum,

Sil. 13, 62:

avi penetralia Turni,

id. 1, 668.—

Trop., an inner place, secret place, a secret (post-Aug.), Stat. S. 3, 5, 56:

loci aperire penetralia,

Quint. 6, 2, 25:

auxilia ex ipsis sapientiae penetralibus petere,

id. 12 prooem. §

3: animus secedit in loca pura... Haec eloquentiae penetralia,

Tac. Or. 12:

penetralia animi,

Ambros. in Luc. 1, 1, 12:

mentis,

id. ib. 1, 5, 105.—With esp. reference to the signif. sanctuary (v. supra, I. B.):

ut tantum intra suum penetral existimes adorandam (philosophiam),

Macr. S. 7, 1:

sanctum penetral animi tui nesciunt,

Symm. Ep. 2, 34. — Adv.: pĕnē̆trālĭter, inwardly, internally (post-class.), Ven. Vit. S. Mart. 4, 597.

pĕnē̆trālis, e, adj. [penetro].

Piercing, penetrating (ante-class.):

frigus,

Lucr. 1, 494:

ignis,

id. 1, 535:

fulmineus multo penetralior ignis,

id. 2, 382.—

Transf., inward, inner, internal, interior, innermost (mostly poet.):

tecta,

Verg. G. 1, 379:

aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem,

id. A. 2, 297:

abditi ac penetrales foci,

Cic. Har. Resp. 27, 57:

di Penates... ab eo, quod penitus insideret: ex quo etiam penetrales a poëtis vocantur,

id. N. D. 2, 27, 68; so,

per penetrales deos,

Sen. Oedip. 265; id. Phoen. 340: penetrale sacrificium dicitur, quod interiore parte sacrarii conficitur: unde et penetralia cujusque dicuntur;

et penes nos, quod in potestate nostrā est,

Fest. p. 250 Müll.—As subst.: pĕnē̆trāle, is ( pĕnē̆tral, Macr. S. 7, 1; Symm. Ep. 2, 34), n.; usually in plur.: pĕnē̆trālĭa, ium, the inner part, interior of any thing, esp. of a building; the inside space, an inner room (mostly poet.; not in Cic. or Cæs.; cf. adytum).

Lit.

In gen.:

penetrale urbis,

Liv. 41, 20, 7:

in ipsis penetralibus (Britanniae),

Tac. Agr. 30:

apparent Priami et veterum penetralia regum,

the inner chambers, Verg. A. 2, 484:

in penetralibus regum ipsorum,

Vulg. Psa. 104, 30; so,

penetralia alta medio tecti,

Verg. A. 7, 59:

magni amnis penetralia,

Ov. M. 1, 574; Sil. 7, 501.—

In partic.

A sanctuary, esp. that of the Penates, a chapel:

penetralia sunt penatium deorum sacraria,

Fest. p. 208 Müll.:

Capitolini Tonantis,

Mart. 10, 51.—

Transf., poet., the Penates, guardian deities:

huc vittas castumque refer penetrale parentum,

Sil. 13, 62:

avi penetralia Turni,

id. 1, 668.—

Trop., an inner place, secret place, a secret (post-Aug.), Stat. S. 3, 5, 56:

loci aperire penetralia,

Quint. 6, 2, 25:

auxilia ex ipsis sapientiae penetralibus petere,

id. 12 prooem. §

3: animus secedit in loca pura... Haec eloquentiae penetralia,

Tac. Or. 12:

penetralia animi,

Ambros. in Luc. 1, 1, 12:

mentis,

id. ib. 1, 5, 105.—With esp. reference to the signif. sanctuary (v. supra, I. B.):

ut tantum intra suum penetral existimes adorandam (philosophiam),

Macr. S. 7, 1:

sanctum penetral animi tui nesciunt,

Symm. Ep. 2, 34. — Adv.: pĕnē̆trālĭter, inwardly, internally (post-class.), Ven. Vit. S. Mart. 4, 597.

pĕnē̆trālis, e, adj. [penetro].

Piercing, penetrating (ante-class.):

frigus,

Lucr. 1, 494:

ignis,

id. 1, 535:

fulmineus multo penetralior ignis,

id. 2, 382.—

Transf., inward, inner, internal, interior, innermost (mostly poet.):

tecta,

Verg. G. 1, 379:

aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem,

id. A. 2, 297:

abditi ac penetrales foci,

Cic. Har. Resp. 27, 57:

di Penates... ab eo, quod penitus insideret: ex quo etiam penetrales a poëtis vocantur,

id. N. D. 2, 27, 68; so,

per penetrales deos,

Sen. Oedip. 265; id. Phoen. 340: penetrale sacrificium dicitur, quod interiore parte sacrarii conficitur: unde et penetralia cujusque dicuntur;

et penes nos, quod in potestate nostrā est,

Fest. p. 250 Müll.—As subst.: pĕnē̆trāle, is ( pĕnē̆tral, Macr. S. 7, 1; Symm. Ep. 2, 34), n.; usually in plur.: pĕnē̆trālĭa, ium, the inner part, interior of any thing, esp. of a building; the inside space, an inner room (mostly poet.; not in Cic. or Cæs.; cf. adytum).

Lit.

In gen.:

penetrale urbis,

Liv. 41, 20, 7:

in ipsis penetralibus (Britanniae),

Tac. Agr. 30:

apparent Priami et veterum penetralia regum,

the inner chambers, Verg. A. 2, 484:

in penetralibus regum ipsorum,

Vulg. Psa. 104, 30; so,

penetralia alta medio tecti,

Verg. A. 7, 59:

magni amnis penetralia,

Ov. M. 1, 574; Sil. 7, 501.—

In partic.

A sanctuary, esp. that of the Penates, a chapel:

penetralia sunt penatium deorum sacraria,

Fest. p. 208 Müll.:

Capitolini Tonantis,

Mart. 10, 51.—

Transf., poet., the Penates, guardian deities:

huc vittas castumque refer penetrale parentum,

Sil. 13, 62:

avi penetralia Turni,

id. 1, 668.—

Trop., an inner place, secret place, a secret (post-Aug.), Stat. S. 3, 5, 56:

loci aperire penetralia,

Quint. 6, 2, 25:

auxilia ex ipsis sapientiae penetralibus petere,

id. 12 prooem. §

3: animus secedit in loca pura... Haec eloquentiae penetralia,

Tac. Or. 12:

penetralia animi,

Ambros. in Luc. 1, 1, 12:

mentis,

id. ib. 1, 5, 105.—With esp. reference to the signif. sanctuary (v. supra, I. B.):

ut tantum intra suum penetral existimes adorandam (philosophiam),

Macr. S. 7, 1:

sanctum penetral animi tui nesciunt,

Symm. Ep. 2, 34. — Adv.: pĕnē̆trālĭter, inwardly, internally (post-class.), Ven. Vit. S. Mart. 4, 597.

pĕnē̆trālis, e, adj. [penetro].

Piercing, penetrating (ante-class.):

frigus,

Lucr. 1, 494:

ignis,

id. 1, 535:

fulmineus multo penetralior ignis,

id. 2, 382.—

Transf., inward, inner, internal, interior, innermost (mostly poet.):

tecta,

Verg. G. 1, 379:

aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem,

id. A. 2, 297:

abditi ac penetrales foci,

Cic. Har. Resp. 27, 57:

di Penates... ab eo, quod penitus insideret: ex quo etiam penetrales a poëtis vocantur,

id. N. D. 2, 27, 68; so,

per penetrales deos,

Sen. Oedip. 265; id. Phoen. 340: penetrale sacrificium dicitur, quod interiore parte sacrarii conficitur: unde et penetralia cujusque dicuntur;

et penes nos, quod in potestate nostrā est,

Fest. p. 250 Müll.—As subst.: pĕnē̆trāle, is ( pĕnē̆tral, Macr. S. 7, 1; Symm. Ep. 2, 34), n.; usually in plur.: pĕnē̆trālĭa, ium, the inner part, interior of any thing, esp. of a building; the inside space, an inner room (mostly poet.; not in Cic. or Cæs.; cf. adytum).

Lit.

In gen.:

penetrale urbis,

Liv. 41, 20, 7:

in ipsis penetralibus (Britanniae),

Tac. Agr. 30:

apparent Priami et veterum penetralia regum,

the inner chambers, Verg. A. 2, 484:

in penetralibus regum ipsorum,

Vulg. Psa. 104, 30; so,

penetralia alta medio tecti,

Verg. A. 7, 59:

magni amnis penetralia,

Ov. M. 1, 574; Sil. 7, 501.—

In partic.

A sanctuary, esp. that of the Penates, a chapel:

penetralia sunt penatium deorum sacraria,

Fest. p. 208 Müll.:

Capitolini Tonantis,

Mart. 10, 51.—

Transf., poet., the Penates, guardian deities:

huc vittas castumque refer penetrale parentum,

Sil. 13, 62:

avi penetralia Turni,

id. 1, 668.—

Trop., an inner place, secret place, a secret (post-Aug.), Stat. S. 3, 5, 56:

loci aperire penetralia,

Quint. 6, 2, 25:

auxilia ex ipsis sapientiae penetralibus petere,

id. 12 prooem. §

3: animus secedit in loca pura... Haec eloquentiae penetralia,

Tac. Or. 12:

penetralia animi,

Ambros. in Luc. 1, 1, 12:

mentis,

id. ib. 1, 5, 105.—With esp. reference to the signif. sanctuary (v. supra, I. B.):

ut tantum intra suum penetral existimes adorandam (philosophiam),

Macr. S. 7, 1:

sanctum penetral animi tui nesciunt,

Symm. Ep. 2, 34. — Adv.: pĕnē̆trālĭter, inwardly, internally (post-class.), Ven. Vit. S. Mart. 4, 597.

per-māno, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n., to flow through, press through, penetrate.

Lit. (rare):

in saxis ac speluncis permanat aquarum Liquidus umor,

Lucr. 1, 348:

permanat calor argentum,

id. 1, 494:

primordia singula per quojusque foramina permanare,

id. 2, 397; so id. 6, 952; 3, 699.—

Transf., to flow to any place; to penetrate, reach anywhere (class.;

syn.: penetro, pervado): sucus permanat ad jecur,

Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 137:

venenum in omnis partis corporis permanat,

id. Clu. 62, 173 (but in Lucr. 1, 122, the correct read. is permaneant; v. Lachm. ad h. l., and permaneo, a).—

Trop.

To penetrate, reach, extend to any place:

amor usque in pectus permanavit,

Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 63; Lucr. 3, 253:

conclusiunculae ad sensus non permanantes,

Cic. Tusc. 2, 18, 42:

ut sermones hominum ad vestras aures permanarent,

id. Balb. 25, 56:

macula permanat ad animum,

id. Rosc. Am. 24, 66:

Pythagorae doctrina permanavisse mihi videtur in hanc civitatem,

id. Tusc. 4, 1, 2; cf.:

hoc ubi uno auctore ad plures permanaverat, etc.,

Caes. B. C. 2, 29, 1.—

Permanare palam, to be divulged, become known, Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 25.

per-vādo, si, sum, 3, v. a. and n., to go or come through, to pass or press through, to spread through (class.; syn. penetro).

Lit., constr. with acc. alone, or with per, ad, or in, and absol.: pervade polum, Att. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 13 Müll. (Trag. Rel. p. 190 Rib.):

incendium per agros pervasit,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 26, § 66:

per omnis partis provinciae te tamquam aliquam calamitosam pestem tempestatemque pervasisse,

id. ib. 2, 1, 38, §

96: ne cum in Siciliā quidem fuit... pars ejus belli in Italiam ulla pervasit,

id. ib. 2, 5, 2, §

6: per aequa et iniqua loca pervadunt,

Liv. 25, 14, 9:

pervadere usque ad vallum,

id. 26, 5; 37, 25:

pars magna equitum ad terga pugnantium pervasit,

id. 42, 7, 7:

Thessaliam cum exercitu pervadit, id, 42, 13, 8: venenum ita cunctos ejus artus pervasit, ut, etc.,

Tac. A. 13, 16:

impetu equi pervasit,

id. ib. 2, 17.—In pass.:

pervasā urbe,

Amm. 24, 2, 13:

pervasis regionibus,

id. 31, 3, 1; Sedul. 3, 309.—

Transf., to go, come, arrive anywhere:

ut quaedam calamitas pervadere videretur,

Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 17, § 44:

in nares,

id. N. D. 2, 57, 145:

ad castra,

Liv. 7, 36.—

Trop.

To spread through, penetrate, pervade:

opinio, quae per animos gentium barbararum pervaserat,

Cic. Imp. Pomp. 9, 23:

quo non illius diei fama pervaserit,

id. ib. 15, 44:

quas oras quasi morbus quidam illius furoris pervaserat,

id. Sull. 19, 53.—With acc.:

cum fama ea urbem atque forum pervasisset,

Liv. 5, 7, 6:

murmur totam contionem pervasit,

id. 26, 15, 9; 2, 23, 7:

pervasit jam multos ista persuasio, ut, etc.,

Quint. 8, 2, 21:

capesse, per deos, rem publicam, et omnia aspera pervade,

to break through, overcome, Sall. Or. ad Caes. Rep. Ord. 1, 6:

pallor ora,

Sil. 7, 427:

magnam Asiae partem cis Euphraten tanti mali fama pervaserat,

Curt. 10, 5, 18; cf.:

ut quisque proximus ab oppresso sit, per omnis velut continens incendium pervasurum,

Liv. 37, 25, 6:

victoriae Romanae fama cum pervasisset in Asiam,

id. 45, 10, 1:

terror in totam penitus aciem pervasit,

id. 8, 9, 11:

ex contagione, velut tabes, in Perrhaebiam quoque id pervaserat malum (i. e. seditiones),

id. 42, 5, 7. —

To arrive at, reach a place:

fines,

Lucr. 1, 556:

locus, quo non nostrorum hominum libido pervaserit,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 89, § 307.

spĕcus, ūs ( abl. plur. specibus, Sen. Cons. ap. Front. Aquaed. 125; on the various forms found only in the grammarians, v. Neue, Formenl. 1, 569 sq.), m. (f. and n. v. infra) [perh. root spec-; v. specio, and so orig. a hole, aperture; but cf. speos].

Lit., a cave, cavern, grot, den; a cavity, chasm, natural or artificial; of the latter kind, a ditch, drain, canal, channel, covered water-course, a pit in mines, etc. (cf. spelunca).

Masc. (class. and freq.): inferum vastos specus, Enn. ap. Non. 222, 32 (Trag. v. 218 Vahl.):

specus tenebricosus,

Varr. ib. 222, 31:

fons ex opaco specu,

Liv. 1, 21; so abl. sing., id. 1, 56, 10; 10, 10, 1:

forum medium ferme specu vasto collapsum dicitur,

id. 7, 6; so sing., Ov. M. 3, 29; 7, 409; 11, 235; id. F. 4, 495; Liv. 10, 1, 5; Tac. A. 16, 1, 3; 16, 4, 59.— Plur.:

quos agor in specus?

Hor. C. 3, 25, 2: paucos specus in extremo fundo, et eos quidem subterraneos, * Cic. Att. 15, 26, 4; so of drains, ditches, Varr. R. R. 3, 17 fin.; Cat. 61, 28; Liv. 39, 13, 13; Tac. A. 12, 57; id. G. 16; Sen. Med. 741 al.—

Fem. (ante- and post-class.): concava specus, Enn. ap. Non. 222, 23 (Ann. v. 420 Vahl.); cf. Serv. Verg. A. 7, 568; Pac. ap. Non. 223, 2 Müll. (Trag. p. 91 Rib.); id. ap. Fest. p. 343 Müll. (l. l. p. 73 Rib.):

specum quandam nactus remotam latebrosamque, in eam me penetro et recondo,

Gell. 5, 14, 18; Sil. 6, 276.—

Neutr. (anteclass. and poet.):

hic specus horrendum,

Verg. A. 7, 568;

Serv. ad loc.: invisum caelo specus,

Sil. 13, 425; Ps.-Quint. Decl. 10, 19.—

Acc. to the second declension: speca apposita, Cato ap. Prisc. p. 713 P.: altis claudere specis, Att. ap. Non. 487, 25 (Fragm. Trag. v. 63 Rib.).—

Transf., a hollow, cavity of any kind ( poet.):

specus atri vulneris,

Verg. A. 9, 700 Serv.:

quos Capacis alvi mersit tartareo specu,

Phaedr. 4, 6, 10;

of a snake's belly,

Sil. 6, 276; cf.

of the belly of the Trojan horse, Petr. poët. 89, 2, 7.— In mal. part.,

Auct. Priap. 83, 34.