limes

līmĕs, ĭtis, m. [root in līmus; cf. limen, and Gr. lechris; cf. Just. Inst. 1, 12, 5], a cross-path, balk between fields.

I.

Lit., the Romans usually had in their fields two broad and two narrower paths; the principal balk from east to west was called limes decumanus; that from north to south was called cardo;

of the two smaller ones, that running from east to west was called prorus, the other, from north to south, transversus,

Hyg. de Limit. Const. 18, 33 and 34; Col. 1, 8, 7:

lutosi limites,

Varr. R. R. 2, 4, 8. —

B.

Transf. (mostly poet. ).

1.

A boundary, limit between two fields or estates, consisting of a stone or a balk:

partiri limite campum,

Verg. G. 1, 126:

saxum antiquum, ingens, campo quod forte jacebat, Limes agro positus, litem ut discerneret arvis,

id. A. 12, 897:

effodit medio de limite saxum,

Juv. 16, 38.—

2.

A fortified boundaryline, a boundary-wall:

cuncta inter castellum Alisonem ac Rhenum novis limitibus aggeribusque permunita,

Tac. A. 2, 7:

limite acto promotisque praesidiis,

id. G. 29: penetrat interius, aperit limites, Vell. 2, 120.—

3.

In gen., any path, passage, road, way; also, by-street, by-road:

eo limite Athenienses signa extulerunt,

Liv. 31, 39:

profectus inde transversis limitibus,

id. ib.:

lato te limite ducam,

Verg. A. 9, 323:

acclivis,

Ov. M. 2, 19:

limite recto fugere,

id. ib. 7, 782:

transversi,

by-roads, Liv. 22, 12, 2 Fabr.; 31, 39, 5; 41, 14 init.: limes Appiae, the line of the Appian street (for the street itself), id. 22, 15, 11:

limite acto (i. e. facto),

Tac. G. 29.—

Of the channel of a stream: solito dum flumina currant Limite,

Ov. M. 8, 558; Prop. 5, 9, 60.—Of the track of light left behind them by comets, fiery meteors, torches, etc.:

flammiferumque trahens spatioso limite crinem, Stella micat,

Ov. M. 15, 849:

tum longo limite sulcus Dat lucem,

Verg. A. 2, 697; Plin. 2, 26, 25, § 96:

sectus in obliquo est lato curvamine limes,

the zodiac, Ov. M. 2, 130:

latum per agmen Ardens limitem agit ferro,

Verg. A. 10, 514; cf. Sil. 4, 463; 9, 379; Stat. Th. 9, 182.—

4.

A line or vein in a precious stone:

nigram materiam distinguente limite albo,

Plin. 37, 10, 69, § 184.—

II.

Trop.

A.

A boundary, limit:

limes carminis,

Stat. Th. 1, 16:

aestuat infelix angusto limite mundi,

Juv. 10, 169.—

B.

A distinction, difference:

judicium brevi limite falle tuum,

Ov. R. Am. 325:

quaedam perquam tenui limite dividuntur,

Quint. 9, 1, 3.—

C.

A way, path:

si maledicitis vostro gradiar limite,

Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 18:

bene meritis de patria quasi limes ad caeli aditum patet,

Cic. Somn. Scip. 8; Sen. Ben. 1, 15, 2:

eundem limitem agere,

to go the same way, employ the same means, Ov. A. A. 3, 558.