lacertus

1.

lăcertus, i, m., the muscular part of the arm, from the shoulder to the elbow, the upper arm.

I.

Lit., opp. bracchium, the forearm, Lucr. 4, 829; cf.:

laudat digitosque manusque, Bracchiaque et nudos mediā plus parte lacertos,

Ov. M. 1, 501; and:

subjecta lacertis brachia sunt,

id. ib. 14, 304; cf. also Quint. 8 prooem. 19:

brachia quoque et lacertos auro colunt,

Curt. 8, 9, 21.—

II.

Transf.

A.

The arm (esp. as brawny, muscular):

nam scutum gladium galeam in onere nostri milites non plus numerant quam umeros, lacertos, manus,

Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 37:

Milo Crotoniates nobilitatus ex lateribus et lacertis suis,

Cic. de Sen. 9, 27:

excusso lacerto telum torquere,

Sen. Ben. 2, 6; Prop. 2, 18 (3, 15), 37:

lacertos collo imponere,

Ov. H. 16, 219:

lacerto jaculari,

id. Am. 3, 12, 27:

amplecti,

id. ib. 3, 8, 11:

candida cingantur colla lacertis,

id. A. A. 2, 457:

laevus,

Verg. A. 11, 693; Hor. S. 1, 6, 74:

adducto contortum hastile lacerto immittit,

Verg. A. 11, 561:

secto requiem sperare lacerto,

Juv. 6, 106. —Of bees:

spicula exacuunt rostris, aptantque lacertos,

i. e. make trial of, Verg. G. 4, 74.—

B.

Transf.

1.

A blow or cast from a strong arm, Sil. 16, 562; 1, 262.—

2.

Trop., muscular power, muscle, strength, military force:

in Lysia saepe sunt lacerti, sic ut fieri nihil possit valentius,

Cic. Brut. 16, 64:

hastas oratoris lacertis viribusque torquere,

id. de Or. 1, 57, 242:

me civilis tulit aestus in arma, Caesaris Augusti non responsura lacertis,

Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 48;

Flor. prooem. § 8: viribus confisus admirandisque lacertis,

Juv. 10, 11.

2.

lăcertus, i, a lizard; a sea-fish; v. lacerta.