coma

cŏma, ae, f., = komê, the hair of the head (hence barba comaeque, Ov. M. 7, 288), considered as an ornament for the head: comae dicuntur capilli cum aliquā curā compositi, Paul. ex Fest. p. 63, 13 Müll. (class., esp. in poetry and post-Aug. prose; very rare in Cic.).—With adj.:

unguentis effluens calamistrata coma,

Cic. Sest. 8, 18:

madens,

id. post Red. in Sen. 6, 13: fulva, xanthê, Prop. 2, 2, 5:

flava,

Hor. C. 1, 5, 4; Tib. 1, 5, 44:

myrtea,

id. 3, 4, 28:

longa,

Hor. Epod. 11, 28:

nitidae,

Prop. 3 (4), 10, 14; cf.: spissā te nitidum. Hor. C. 3, 19, 25:

odorata,

Ov. A. A. 2, 734; cf.

ambrosiae,

Verg. A. 1, 403:

cana,

Tib. 1, 6, 86:

virides Nereidum,

Hor. C. 3, 28, 10:

regia (of Berenice),

Cat. 66, 93:

ventis horrida facta,

Tib. 1, 9, 14; cf.:

dare diffundere ventis,

Verg. A. 1, 319. —With verb:

deciderint comae,

Hor. C. 4, 10, 3: ne comae turbarentur, quas componi post paulum vetuit. Quint. 11, 3, 148:

componere,

Ov. H. 12, 156:

comere,

id. ib. 21, 88; cf.:

inustas comere acu,

Quint. 2, 5, 12: [p. 373] pectere, Ov. H. 13, 39:

in gradus frangere,

Quint. 1, 6, 44; cf.:

formare in gradum,

Suet. Ner. 51:

longam renodare,

Hor. Epod. 11, 28; cf. id. C. 2, 11, 24:

positu variare,

Ov. M. 2, 412; cf.

ponere,

id. F. 1, 406:

componere,

id. R. Am. 679:

rutilare et summittere (after the manner of the Germans),

Suet. Calig. 47:

sertis implicare,

Tib. 3, 6, 64:

Delphicā lauro cingere,

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

in a Gr. constr.: fronde comas vincti,

id. Ep. 2, 1, 110: scindens dolore intonsam comam, Att. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 26, 62 (transl. of Hom. Il. 10, 15).—So of Venus lamenting Adonis:

effusā isse comā,

Prop. 2 (3), 13, 56;

and in a Gr. constr.: scissa comam,

Verg. A. 9, 478; cf. Ov. Am. 3, 9, 52; id. H. 12, 63; id. M. 4, 139; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 110.—

b.

Of animals, of the golden fleece: agnus aureā clarus comā, Att. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 26, 68 (Trag. Rel. v. 211 Rib.); cf. Sen. Herc. Oet. 736.— The mane of lions, Gell. 5, 14, 9;

of the horse,

Pall. 4, 13, 2.—

* c.

The crest of a helmet, Stat. Th. 8, 389.—

II.

Transf., of objects resembling the hair in appearance or in ornamental effect; most freq. acc. to a trope common in most languages, of leaves, grass, etc., foliage, ears, grass, and stalks of trees, etc., Cat. 4, 12; Tib. 1, 4, 30; Prop. 3 (4), 16, 28; Hor. C. 1, 21, 5; 4, 3, 11; 4, 7, 2; Tib. 2, 1, 48; Prop. 4 (5), 2, 14; Ov. Am 3, 10, 12; id. F 4, 438; Verg. G. 4, 137; Col. 10, 277, Plin. 13, 4, 7, § 30; 18, 7, 10, § 53; 19, 6, 32, § 102.—

b.

The wool or hair upon parchment, Tib. 3, 1, 10.— Poet., of the rays of light, Cat. 61, 78; 61, 99; Sen. Oedip. 311; id. Herc. Oet. 727.