the small rod at the top of the flamen's cap

ăpex, ĭcis, m. [etym. acc. to Serv. ad Verg. A. 10, 270, and Paul. ex Fest. p. 18 Müll., from apo, to join to, whence aptus; cf. Van. Etym. p. 33], the extreme end of a thing, the point, summit, top (syn.: cacumen, summa, fastigium, culmen, vertex); hence,

Lit., the small rod at the top of the flamen's cap, wound round with wool, Serv. ad Verg. A. 2, 683; 10, 270.—Hence,

Transf.

(As pars pro toto.) The conical cap of the flamen, ornamented with this rod:

QVEI. APICEM. INSIGNE. DIALIS. FLAMINIS. GESISTEI, Epitaph. Scip. Grotef. 2, 299: apicem dialem,

Liv. 6, 41:

apex e capite prolapsus,

Val. Max. 1, 1, n. 4.—Hence, of the priesthood itself: homo honestus non apice insignis, Sen. ap. Lact. 17, 6.—

Any hat or helmet, a crown:

ab aquilā Tarquinio apicem impositum putent,

Cic. Leg. 1, 1:

regum apices,

Hor. C. 3, 21, 20:

ardet apex capiti,

Verg. A. 10, 270; 2, 683.—Of birds, the crest, Plin. 11, 37, 44, § 121.—

A projecting point or summit.

Lit., of trees:

lauri,

Verg. A. 7, 66.—Of a headland:

sublimis,

Juv. 12, 72:

montis apex,

Sil. 12, 709; so Vulg. Judith, 7, 3.—Of the point of a sickle, Col. 4, 25, 1.—Of the summit of a flame, Ov. M. 10, 279 et saep.—

Trop., the highest ornament or honor, the crown of a thing:

apex est senectutis auctoritas,

Cic. Sen. 17, 60:

hinc apicem Fortuna sustulit, hic posuisse gaudet,

Hor. C. 1, 34, 14.—

1.. In gram., the long mark over a vowel, Quint. 1, 7, 2; 1, 4, 10; 1, 5, 23;

Victor. p. 2469 P.—Hence, trop.: nullum apicem quaestionis praetermittere,

Arn. 3 init. —

The forms or outlines of the letters:

litterarum apices,

Gell. 13, 30, 10; 17, 9, 12.—Hence (per synecdochen),

A letter or any other writing:

apicum oblator,

Sid. Ep. 6, 8:

Augusti apices,

i. e. rescripts, Cod. Just. 2, 8, 6 fin. —

Of the point or apex of a Hebrew letter, put fig. for the least particle, tittle (eccl. Lat.; Gr. hê keraia):

iota unum aut unus apex non praeteribit a lege,

Vulg. Matt. 5, 18; ib. Luc. 16, 17.