humus

hŭmus, i (archaic form of the abl. sing. humu, Varr. ap. Non. 488, 6 and 48, 26), f. (archaic masc. humum humidum pedibus fodit, Laev. ap. Prisc. p. 719 P.: humidum humum, Gracch. ib.) [from the prim. form XAM, whence chămai, chămothen, chămalos, Lat. humilis; kindr. with Sanscr. Xám, earth; Gr. chthôn], the earth, the ground, the soil.

I.

Lit. (class.; cf.: terra, solum, tellus): humus erat immunda, lutulenta vino, coronis languidulis et spinis coöperta piscium, Cic. Fragm. Or. pro Gall. ap. Quint. 8, 3, 66 (ap. Orell. IV. 2, p. 454); cf.:

omnia constrata telis, armis, cadaveribus et inter ea humus infecta sanguine,

Sall. J. 101 fin.:

subacta atque pura,

Cic. de Sen. 17, 59: cubitis pinsibant humum, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 5, § 23 Müll. (Trag. v. 435 Vahl.); cf.: procubuit moriens et humum semel ore momordit. bit the ground and died (cf. the Homer. odax helein gaian), Verg. A. 11, 418:

calcibus atram Tundit humum exspirans,

id. ib. 10, 731; cf. Ov. A. A. 1, 112:

pede candido In morem Salium ter quatient humum,

Hor. C. 4, 1, 28:

Acestes aequaevum ab humo attollit amicum,

Verg. A. 5, 452:

sedit humo,

Ov. M. 4, 261:

ipse feraces Figat humo plantas,

Verg. G. 4, 115; cf.:

semina spargere humo,

Ov. M. 5, 647:

surgit humo,

id. F. 6, 735; cf.:

nec se movit humo,

id. M. 4, 264:

dejectoque in humum vultu,

id. ib. 6, 607:

propter humum volitat,

id. ib. 8, 258:

humi atque ipsius stirpis laetitia,

Col. 4, 24, 4; cf.:

quis cibus erat caro ferina atque humi pabulum uti pecoribus,

Sall. J. 18, 1:

ii, quos humus injecta contegeret (shortly afterwards, gleba),

Cic. Leg. 2, 22, 57:

quae (genera arborum) humi arido atque arenoso gignuntur,

Sall. J. 48, 3 Kritz N. cr. — Poet., as a fig. for what is low, mean, common:

sermones repentes per humum,

Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 251; cf.:

ne, dum vitat humum, nubes et inania captet,

id. A. P. 230:

ad humum maerore gravi deducit et angit,

id. ib. 110; v. also [p. 871] under adv.:

affigit humo divinae particulam aurae,

id. S. 2, 2, 79.—

II.

Transf., in gen., like solum, land, country, region:

Punica nec Teucris pressa fuisset humus,

Ov. H. 7, 140:

Aonia,

id. F. 1, 490:

Illyrica,

id. Med. Fac. 74:

Pontica,

id. P. 3, 5, 56.—

III.

Adverbial form humi, like chamai, on the ground or to the ground:

jacere humi,

Cic. Cat. 1, 10, 26:

requiescere,

Sall. J. 85, 33:

strati,

Cic. de Or. 3, 6, 22; cf.:

serpit humi tutus nimium timidusque procellae,

Hor. A. P. 28:

quousque humi defixa tua mens erit?

fixed on the ground, Cic. Rep. 6, 17:

locus circiter duodecim pedes humi depressus,

Sall. C. 55, 3:

quot humi morientia corpora fundis?

Verg. A. 11, 665:

spargere humi dentes,

Ov. M. 3, 105; cf.:

hunc stravit humi,

id. ib. 12, 255:

tremens procumbit humi bos,

Verg. A. 5, 481:

volvitur ille excussus humi,

id. ib. 11, 640; cf.:

projectum humi jugulavit,

Tac. H. 2, 64:

stratus humi palmes viduas desiderat ulmos,

Juv. 8, 78.